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Ummmm..... $180,000.00??

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#221
First things first, Jaymeeyh, welcome to talkbass.

Talkbass is a forum for bassists and we look at basses first and foremost as tools to create our art. We as a group appreciate the looks of an instrument, but the value of looks has to come well after how it sounds, how comfortable it is to play, etc. Also, you must understand that many of us disagree among ourselves as to the "beauty" of an instrument.

I am a visual artist as well as a musician. My sweetheart and her late husband were nationally known art collectors. We have literally thousands of pieces of art packed up in storage. I can say that I know a bit about art as well as musical instruments.

In truth, this is an interesting art piece in the shape of a bass guitar. It really isn't a serious bass that also is art. That is how I see it. The members here were evaluating it as an instrument. As an instrument it has some ergonomic flaws, but definitely is memorable. The bassists here were amused at the price of this as an instrument. Looking at it as a musician, I see their point.

As art, it has merit. I have to question whether it is worth six figures. In the art world that is still some serious coin for a piece from a little known artist. The market will decide and I wish you and your charity luck.
 
#222
Thanks bassman for your advice. It does sound reasonable. $5000 is really cute. sold in 2 minutes to all those who have tried. Nathan has been offered $7000 on more than one occasion by people who saw the value. A local art dealer got the message he was finally offering it for sale and said they will list it in their shop for 23000 minimum with a ten percent cut of coarse. Thats when we decided to list it on eBay, we will get more of proceeds that way. So I hear you, but you don't hear me. So no amount of trying to bring me down will really work, because we believe we will sell it. Then when he is done with his pool Que and he gets ready to sell that, you can argue that is overpriced. Others will see the unique and almost rediculously beautiful work involved. It is not priced for the autograph, but for the craftsmanship and exoticness. I bet you six weeks of free Humane Education Workshops that it will eventually sell at a price that will make the buyer, the artist, the tax collecting government, and my "greedy" charity happy. I do realize we jumped the price higher than the instant bids, but you can always lower it, but not raise it. Right now it is valued at a price it deserves. Thanks to all for joining. I feel besides this forum, feedback has been positive. Lots of people viewing and watching on ebay. Lots of attention.
 
#223
Thank you drummer5359. I wish you luck also. That is the amazing thing about this piece is that it also sounds and feels great by all accounts. It is both, a beautifully functioning instrument and awesome art. The artist also offers the oppurtunity to have it further customized to the buyers specifications for six months after purchase. Who offers double custization?
 
#224
If you go to a good luthier, and ask for a similar build of a bass, with all those premium woods, bells and wistles, fish shape and stuff.. how much would it be? let's say 15 - 20 grand?
Les is great, a living monter chop machine with an artist brain/heart. But I woldn't pay 200 grand for his signature on a bass, no matter how much of a fan I am, no matter how much money I have lying around.
Also, how is it that you can customize it later? Isn't this a unique Les C. piece? Don't you think if you have it customized it looses all it's additional value on top of the 20 grand build? A bass is original only once, if you mod it even slightly, you loose those few skin cells left by Claypool on the few ocasions he actually played it, those cells that worth 200 grand for some people. But that's just me, do as you whish with your money.
 
#226
After my previous post, I read the complete thread for the amusement of the silly discussion, and found that LC never actually owned the instrument! He just took a look at it and signed it backstage! (maybe, nobody knows for sure). So there you go. It worths even less than the materials used for the build. Jaymee, you have no arguments of discussion, It's like me discussing on a Picasso tag price. I know what some Picasso paints look like, but I wouldn't have the expertise to set the price on one. Imagine I enter your favorite art forum and offer a 17 year old kid's ugly paint for let's say 200k, and i tell you "the kid who painted it is a no-name, but i'm sure he will be better, therefore I value his painting that high, because I know a lot about... ¿basses?" Totally ridiculous.
 
#228
Jaymeeyh said:
Thanks bassman for your advice. It does sound reasonable. $5000 is really cute. sold in 2 minutes to all those who have tried. Nathan has been offered $7000 on more than one occasion by people who saw the value. A local art dealer got the message he was finally offering it for sale and said they will list it in their shop for 23000 minimum with a ten percent cut of coarse.
Click to expand...

So previously offered $7000 and an art dealer will give you $20700 net.... But lets shoot for $180000 to $200000 on eBay?:confused:

Good luck in any case, but the chance of this bass selling for 4x more than Les' Pachyderm prototype ($50,000) that was auctioned off to help save his nephew's life from leukemia, is just laughable and completely unreasonable.

Will any of the proceeds be donated to help fight leukemia (obviously a cause very lose to Les and Primus' heart)?
 
#229
Jaymeeyh said:
That is a nice bass above, but I guess your brain says that the production line style body with Ebony and gold leafing is all you got to compare. I guess I am unreasonable, But one point I will make before I depart- I will see thousands of bass guitars, I will forget all that I have seen on this website. But I bet you will never forget this bass. Whether you hate it or love it- And that is something that someone will want, an unforgetable, NON CONFORMED, beautiful peice.
Click to expand...

Your description of a Ritter is as uninformed as our opinion of what "Art" is. I can't speak for all TBers, but I see bass guitars as a working, playable piece of art. You are selling a piece of art that also happens to be a bass. That's the difference. Maybe you should also post it on eBay in the "collectables/memorabilia" section with the concert Ts and whatnot.

As a non-bassist, you will soon forget basses you see and yes, we will remember this bass longer than your eBay post or this thread lasts. That really isn't saying much. I've seen a lot of horrific things that I'll never forget. That doesn't make it "Art".

Good luck with your sale.
 
#235
This discussion is insane.

Jaymeeyh doesn't know a thing about pricing or evaluating art work.

To command that kind of price that fish bass would have to be:

a.) A noteworthy, exemplary, defining or even the archetype of a new style or movement.

b.) in the very least be part of a larger collection or series from a notable artist.

You can't price something on, "future estimated artistic importance."

To put it in terms more of the guys here will understand:
"Hey Mr. Bar Manager, my band is nobody right now, but we're going to be important so you need to pay us $200,000.00 to play this set."

Sound reasonable?

The artist is currently not notable, and as far as I know, there is no current trend in the art world for Fish or animal shaped instruments, with or without Les Claypool's signature on it. Is the series, "things with Les's sig?" Or is it Fish Basses?

Furthermore, what the hell is Les Claypool's signature doing on that thing? If its a piece of art, the artist signs it. If its a musical instrument, you have a celeb sign it. You guys are confused, and very obviously just making this up as you go along. Which is it?

Some Picasso's go for $200,000. Is this guy as important as Picasso? Can you guarantee that he will be?

$7,000 for this thing would have been an eye-popping amount for an artists first-time out. Unbelievable.
 
#239
I put it to you guys: if a person makes more than a couple typos in an angry rant, and criticizes the entire population of a forum she is apparently a part of, she's pretty much shutting herself down...
on top of that, to call someone broke because they can't afford to spend enough money for a small house to buy something that would sit on a shelf forever is pretty absurd.
and then to pull it all together by calling us jealous...i don't know that that's the issue. i'm not saying it won't be appreciated elsewhere. just not here, especially with attacks with as much thought (or lack thereof) put into them.
 
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