Vintage basses: Exchange Value vs. Use Value

[Green Knight]

Have you ever paid a premium for a vintage bass only to be disappointed by its limitations?

I buy vintage (70s-80s to be precise) almost exclusively and have been impressed more often that not.

Still, I sometimes find too little use for some basses compared to what I pay for them. The most notable for me was my experiment with owning a Fender Musicmaster, whose tone I personally found so weak and limited that I immediately set out to mod it before giving up altogether. Another is the Hohner 185, which, although beautifully built, had--to my ears anyway--no punch or bottom end worth talking about. I also did not like the 1967 Gibson EB-0 I briefly owned but for the opposite reason: too much bottom end. This is all personal of course, and I am nowhere near as qualified a connoisseur as most longstanding and engaged members of this forum.

In both cases, I did do some basic research, but videos can be deceiving and Talkbass is not where you go for a clear concensus. That's just how trial and error goes, but it's getting more expensive by the month to experiment, especially if you live outside a major city centre.

Anyone have or have had a vintage bass that they think is getting way too expensive for what you get? Corrections and comments welcome.

 

[Mrtoodamnsabre]

The musicmaster is great, it’s doesn’t sound good with a full volume pot open, however that tone knob will start to do nothing in that set up

 

[Ric Vice]

I am lucky enough to own a 1959 Fender Precision. It has a beautiful tone and plays like butter. That said, a new Lakland 44-64 has the same
vibe and sound.

 

[Green Knight]

I am lucky enough to own a 1959 Fender Precision. It has a beautiful tone and plays like butter. That said, a new Lakland 44-64 has the same
vibe and sound.

Interesting! What makes you hold on to the Precision?

 

[Ric Vice]

It will be passed on in an inheritance.

 

[two fingers]

Have you ever paid a premium for a vintage bass only to be disappointed by its limitations?

I buy vintage (70s-80s to be precise) almost exclusively and have been impressed more often that not.

Still, I sometimes find too little use for some basses compared to what I pay for them. The most notable for me was my experiment with owning a Fender Musicmaster, whose tone I personally found so weak and limited that I immediately set out to mod it before giving up altogether. Another is the Hohner 185, which, although beautifully built, had--to my ears anyway--no punch or bottom end worth talking about. I also did not like the 1967 Gibson EB-0 I briefly owned but for the opposite reason: too much bottom end. This is all personal of course, and I am nowhere near as qualified a connoisseur as most longstanding and engaged members of this forum.

In both cases, I did do some basic research, but videos can be deceiving and Talkbass is not where you go for a clear concensus. That's just how trial and error goes, but it's getting more expensive by the month to experiment, especially if you live outside a major city centre.

Anyone have or have had a vintage bass that they think is getting way too expensive for what you get? Corrections and comments welcome.

I think vintage basses (much like new ones) are hit or miss. I have owned a Mike Lull that was nothing special at all. But I have also played several of his basses that were amazing. I have only played two vintage Fender basses that did anything for me at all. One was a banged up refin '63 P bass and the other was a '78 jazz. The rest of them are either "just basses", or, in fact, horrible, to me.

I am lucky enough to own a 1959 Fender Precision. It has a beautiful tone and plays like butter. That said, a new Lakland 44-64 has the same
vibe and sound.

I once played a '59 P bass at Carter Vintage in Nashville that was nothing special at all. I actually like my mid 80s MIJ Fender P a LOT better than that bass.

So, I think it varies by bass. That '63 I referenced earlier would have been worth every penny of the almost $4,000 they were asking for it. (Carter used to work for Gruhn and knew EXACTLY what the bass was worth since he had personally appraised hundreds of vintage guitars and basses before that day.) The '59 would have been too much at 500 bucks to me (other than to flip it, of course).

So, to answer your question, I think INDIVIDUAL basses can be worth the crazy asking prices if they are, in fact, "special". But just being old does nothing for me and doesn't make a bass "special" at all.

 

[Snert]

I've owned a number of, and played a lot more vintage instruments, and I simply don't see the attraction as player instruments. I can get better fit and finish and construction in lots of new instruments for a fraction of the price. Same with tone; I've never found them to be all that wonderful. Claims of 'mojo' are just laughable to me because, like cool, it only exists in people's minds and is an intangible I wouldn't pay a cent extra for.

The market for vintage instruments is likely to tank in coming years as older players, and I'm old, who lust after these will diminish in number as fewer people play, especially younger people and don't look up to the early generations who played them.

 

[mikeswals]

Have you ever paid a premium for a vintage bass only to be disappointed by its limitations?

I buy vintage (70s-80s to be precise) almost exclusively and have been impressed more often that not.

Still, I sometimes find too little use for some basses compared to what I pay for them. The most notable for me was my experiment with owning a Fender Musicmaster, whose tone I personally found so weak and limited that I immediately set out to mod it before giving up altogether. Another is the Hohner 185, which, although beautifully built, had--to my ears anyway--no punch or bottom end worth talking about. I also did not like the 1967 Gibson EB-0 I briefly owned but for the opposite reason: too much bottom end. This is all personal of course; for some a one-trick pony is awesome if you like the trick.

In both cases, I did do some basic research, but videos can be deceiving and Talkbass is not where you go for a clear concensus. That's just how trial and error goes, but it's getting more expensive by the month to experiment, especially if you live outside a major city centre.

Anyone have or have had a vintage bass that they think is getting way too expensive for what you get? Corrections and comments welcome.

For ones I buy, no, not disappointed. Well...I've played enough various old basses over the years to know what kinds of basses I like the sounds of and which ones I know I don't care for. The trick there was hit the shops when you do get to the big cities.

 

[Green Knight]

I think vintage basses (much like new ones) are hit or miss. I have owned a Mike Lull that was nothing special at all. But I have also played several of his basses that were amazing. I have only played two vintage Fender basses that did anything for me at all. One was a banged up refin '63 P bass and the other was a '78 jazz. The rest of them are either "just basses", or, in fact, horrible, to me.]

The Carters are great to deal with even by email.

 

[Green Knight]

I've owned a number of, and played a lot more vintage instruments, and I simply don't see the attraction as player instruments. I can get better fit and finish and construction in lots of new instruments for a fraction of the price. Same with tone; I've never found them to be all that wonderful. Claims of 'mojo' are just laughable to me because, like cool, it only exists in people's minds and is an intangible I wouldn't pay a cent extra for.

The market for vintage instruments is likely to tank in coming years as older players, and I'm old, who lust after these will diminish in number as fewer people play, especially younger people and don't look up to the early generations who played them.

OTOH, some excellent vintage basses--Westone, for example--still haven't climbed much in price. I don't know if I'll find a neck-thru medium scale bass with two or more pickups brand new for under 1000. I did talk about paying a premium in my original post, though, so your point is fair enough!

 

[Snert]

OTOH, some excellent vintage basses--Westone, for example--still haven't climbed much in price. I don't know if I'll find a neck-thru medium scale bass with two or more pickups brand new for under 1000. I did talk about paying a premium in my original post, though, so your point is fair enough!

I love early Japanese instruments and they're some of the best made, sounding and playing basses and guitars I've ever had. Whilst they've jumped some from the really low prices they were, they will never go close to early US made stuff, even if I think they're better. I'd have a few myself but I don't play 4s any more and they're great value, excellent instruments and a bit different for those who don't want the cookie cutter Fender and Gibson clones.

Sorry if I was off as reading your OP as mainly meaning older US made.

 

[Rib 13]

I buy basses because I like them and they do what I want them to do. I also prefer a certain amount of utility out of them for my needs.......for example, I wouldn’t own a Musicmaster, new or vintage.....
..I will look for 80s basses and I own a few, but these all have multiple pickups and active electronics ( my '89 Fender Power Jazz Special being my personal favorite) and all meet my personal playing criteria

 

[Smooth_bass88]

had a '73 Jazz Bass that I ultimately was disappointed with; didn't like the neck shape, had a hard time getting the action good. It was a cool bass, but I ended up getting rid of it. My 1962 slab board on the other hand, that one's pretty much MAGICAL

 

[tmvt]

I was working a gig and one dude was rocking a vintage musicmaster but it was modded with a p bass pickup but did sound rad. But Im sure that lowers the value unless it also a crazy vintage pickup so it would be more of a player then collectable.

 

[mikewalker]

I only buy vintage basses (and I have owned dozens of them over the years) for their SENTIMENTAL VALUE.

Nothing more, nothing less.

I can only think of one vintage bass ever that had serious majick mojo utility, and it was an original 62 Jazz that belonged to my friend Rob. THAT thing just had the most amazing feeling neck. The ultimate in playability (and I don't even like long scale basses!) But I've never heard it plugged in, and I'm not sure that Rob has ever gigged it (he has dozens of other extremely nice basses...)

Anyway, to answer the question: for me all the nice vintage basses that I want are "way too expensive". Because they are just decorative fetish objects, really - I already have all the "player" basses that I will ever need. If I win the lottery and get a bigger house in a warmer climate, then I will add 20 more beautiful vintage basses to the walls. (I have had my eye on one in particular the last few weeks, and it's not even expensive - well under 1K)

 

[coy garcia]

My vintage ones have all been hit or miss...all needed at least some setup work and others major surgery. Some major names like fender hold their resale value others like carvin do not.
I would say it's like buying a antique car...even though they run crappy compared to a new one they are still fun to drive.

 

[micguy]

I'm a gigging musician. There's a shop in my city with a ton of vintage basses - some of which cost more than my car. I've played a lot of them, and....I just don't get it. The ones I've played are just not very good musical instruments - at least I wouldn't want to use any of them for that. Some are decent, but not much more than that. If they work for you, go for it, but I'll stick with the instruments that I build.

 

[mike buzzetti]

Oh wait you mean technology improves over time ??? WOW J/K I want a mid 60's P-bass Olympic white ,tort , rose fretboard like my Avatar , I do have a 1963 Strat refinish that is a good guitar , not great but good , it is a player and a investment , it has doubled price in 4 yrs so YA Vintage is good and bad. I just got a Fanned fret Ibanez srms805 nice bass not great but nice.

BTW Im a gigging musician as well/

 

[Green Knight]

I love early Japanese instruments and they're some of the best made, sounding and playing basses and guitars I've ever had. Whilst they've jumped some from the really low prices they were, they will never go close to early US made stuff, even if I think they're better. I'd have a few myself but I don't play 4s any more and they're great value, excellent instruments and a bit different for those who don't want the cookie cutter Fender and Gibson clones.

Sorry if I was off as reading your OP as mainly meaning older US made.

Not at all! I did make it sound like that. Looking back, I've never paid the same kind of premium one pays for 60s Jazz basses or 50s Precision basses.

 

[Green Knight]

I do love vintage SG-3 basses but am always afraid I'm one clumsy move away from castrating them.