What current basses will be the next classics?

[Iridescentone]

In my view, there is a Collector market and a Player market.

Eh, that view seems to support a false dichotomy that has pervaded Talkbass for as long as I can remember....Players vs Collectors. It's easily debunked, as it flies in the face of the fact-checkable reality of the innumerable successful (read; highly paid) players who not only play vintage and expensive guitars, but many of whom have accumulated huge "collections". Are Stephen Stills and Joe Bonamassa (to name just two) collectors or players? The plain answer that destroys the fake narrative is that they, and others like them, are "both".

The actual dichotomy is between those who can afford to buy what they would like to have, and those who can't. There is no line in the sand to delineate between "player" and "collector" because many are both, and some are neither.

 

[bucephylus]

Eh, that view seems to support a false dichotomy that has pervaded Talkbass for as long as I can remember....Players vs Collectors. It's easily debunked, as it flies in the face of the fact-checkable reality of the innumerable successful (read; highly paid) players who not only play vintage and expensive guitars, but many of whom have accumulated huge "collections". Are Stephen Stills and Joe Bonamassa (to name just two) collectors or players? The plain answer that destroys the fake narrative is that they, and others like them, are "both".

The actual dichotomy is between those who can afford to buy what they would like to have, and those who can't. There is no line in the sand to delineate between "player" and "collector" because many are both, and some are neither.

The fact is that folks like Stills or Bonamassa can be BOTH. When they are playing the instrument on the stage they are a player. But, they can only play one at a time. At least most, and certainly bass players don’t play more than one instrument at time.

When they are purchasing to HAVE, then they are collectors. Just because a player chooses to also collect doesn’t change the fact that they generally play one at a time.

I have a good bit more than one bass. Probably too many. In my case, I will use the different instruments for their configuration and utility on certain gigs. But, that’s the way I roll. Each to their own.

The only false dichotomy is the tribal view that a player won’t have a collection because they can’t afford it. That makes no sense. Play what you want. All I’m saying is to be honest with yourself at the same time.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Yah, there's that, but at least it's not selling for less than when new. Was '85 the 1st year? What colour is yours? My 1st used one was an '86. When I bought it in '93 I called Phil to see if he could put a fretless neck on it. I expected to talk with a rep but he answered the phone and was very generous with his time answering my questions. (I didn't know much about them at that point) In passing he asked how much I paid for it and I said $750. He said "I'd pay that for it!"

I don't think it was the first year but it's s/n 112 dated Nov 85 so pretty early. Pic attached:

 

[Aussie Player]

I fear musical instruments will go the way of other Boomer generation items and toys with newer players having no affinity or history with older instruments and that will cause a lessening of understanding on why older instruments are valued. The focus will be more on economics and adequacy. A generational evolution if you will.

In 20 years, a new bassist will look at a 2023 bass and think it is old and certainly good enough for what he wants. Basses a half century older will have less visibility and therefore desirability and the aged Boomers who collect these, will thin out of existence as will their opinion of earlier times.

Lets face it, if you are looking at a new Fender today, How would you describe to a new player, the difference between it and a 50 year old bass, all banged up, faded, grotty case, that sounds the same to the new ear?
Beginner are not know for having a refined ear. (Not intended as a slur, just a reality.)

I have vintage instruments. I am leaning towards keeping a couple for my kids that were around when they were growing up (seen in family pics) and selling the rest after I retire from playing and leaving them the cash instead.

 

[Jefenator]

For something new, not just P & J forever, I think Dingwall has a sonic and aesthetic appeal that will prove to be enduring.
Betting money based on my opinion would probably be a mistake.

 

[JIO]

I don't think it was the first year but it's s/n 112 dated Nov 85 so pretty early. Pic attached:View attachment 5204017

Very nice!

 

[Iridescentone]

I fear musical instruments will go the way of other Boomer generation items and toys with newer players having no affinity or history with older instruments and that will cause a lessening of understanding on why older instruments are valued. The focus will be more on economics and adequacy. A generational evolution if you will.

In 20 years, a new bassist will look at a 2023 bass and think it is old and certainly good enough for what he wants. Basses a half century older will have less visibility and therefore desirability and the aged Boomers who collect these, will thin out of existence as will their opinion of earlier times.

Lets face it, if you are looking at a new Fender today, How would you describe to a new player, the difference between it and a 50 year old bass, all banged up, faded, grotty case, that sounds the same to the new ear?
Beginner are not know for having a refined ear. (Not intended as a slur, just a reality.)

I have vintage instruments. I am leaning towards keeping a couple for my kids that were around when they were growing up (seen in family pics) and selling the rest after I retire from playing and leaving them the cash instead.

I think you may have just outlined why vintage guitars will always have value, even if one day in the future no one remembers how to make music with them anymore. Like other collectables, vintage guitar values may surge up and down cyclically, but will hold value over time, long after the boomers are all dead, and music may have morphed into something alien to music made with stringed instruments (despite however unlikely that is).

Boomers may have been the generation that started the whole vintage guitar madness, but it doesn't end with them because extra value has already been artificially attached to vintage guitars. It's a fait accompli that has the persistency of mustard gas. Just add vintage guitars and their phony high values to the ages-long list of other (insert items of choice here) stuff that humans collect/hoard. A couple epidodes of Antiques Roadshow ought to be sufficient to convince anyone. Cheers.

 

[Woo Fonk]

What model is this? Great looking bass!

It's a Roadster RS924 BS. Made in 1980. Still in great shape..

 

[Fonkamex]

The golden age of guitars is behind us. Future generations won't care much about bass guitars, but to the extent there is a market, Fender will continue to be the logo people want on the headstock, because that us basically the brand that defined the bass guitar.

(I've got a 76 P, too, and I'm just gonna watch it appreciate.)

My first (good) bass was a '76 precision. $400 used. Now that bass goes for thousands. I remember back in the day when I hung around music stores all the time we'd pick up a current Fender (this was the '70's) and two identical basses would be totally different. One would be great playing the other thick necked and not so playable but today they're all expensive "vintage" basses. I have a 1993 Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray I bought new for $950. That bass used goes for almost $2000. What current basses will be the next expensive "classics" that will double or triple in value?

Any bass that is built with a good quality and sold for a fair price is a future classic. The US made basses used to be the classic because they built good basses at a fair price tag until the 80s but that era is gone and now they are too expensive. Germany made excellent basses but hey are too expensive, no one will sell for more than the price tag they pay new.
Basses built in Japan had those characteristics until the 2000, but now again they become more expensive. I would say Korean basses are still excellent and a reasonably price, you can have a future classic, even Indonesian basses from any brand.
As you understand now, this is the history of the globalization and economics where the cost of the labor, marketing and attention to detail are the most important factors.
China is building Dingwalls that sell for a few thousand but maybe they will come with their own brands soon. Those basses will sold cheap and will be excellent. People with vision will buy them and sold them for four times the price in 20 years.
This is a cycle.

 

[Aussie Player]

If I lived my time over, I would buy only 3 brands of basses.
Anything from Fender and Gibson from the 60's was $250. Various models and differences were not known back then.

The 3rd is Alembic. There were only 4 models available new in Oz back in 1981.
$1750 Spoiler
$2850 Distillate
$3200 Series 1
$3800 Series 2.
Now that was an investment, but had to compete with the still available $250-$350 used market still viable back then.
By comparison a BC Rich or Rick was about $700 new. In the 80's prices started to creep up.

 

[TexasEdition]

I think the 70s Fender precision. They are starting to get some love, but every one I’ve picked up has been super light with a great neck.

This I DON'T get as it was Fenders WORST period ofr quality. I think people that are driving the cost up just buy them becuse they were made before they were born and think that's cool.

Fender is making beter guitars NOW than they were THEN.

 

[1SmartJosh]

I didn’t think the quality was considered bad until the 80’s. I’ve loved the feel and sound of the early 70’s. So has Geddy Lee. Didn’t mean to upset you.

 

[TexasEdition]

Didn’t mean to upset you.

Oh I'm not upset.

 

[chris_b]

This I DON'T get as it was Fenders WORST period ofr quality. . . .

I didn’t think the quality was considered bad until the 80’s. I’ve loved the feel and sound of the early 70’s. So has Geddy Lee. . . .

Generalizations are not helpful. The term pre-CBS to denote quality differences was in use well before the end of the 60's. The slide in Fender quality was becoming apparent by the late 60's, but that doesn't mean there weren't good, even great, basses in all eras. The majority of instruments have been very playable, and all Fenders, even the "worst" examples have been, and still are, owned, loved and gigged by someone.