What is a "blemish" worth to you?

[socialleper]

I'm looking at a bass on Reverb than an online seller has taken $150 off the retail price of because of a pretty gnarly ding on the back. It looks like a little blunt force customer damage. It is on the back and in the arm scoop, so I don't think it was dropped.
My question is if you are buying a new bass, would you be willing to buy it even though it already has a ding in it? If it was used, that comes with the territory, but if you wanted a new, dare I say virginal, instrument, is this an OK trade off? If you were buying a new car that had a ding in the paint, would you drive it off the lot for a discount, or demand a mint one? Does that ruin some of the "new bass magic"?

 

[Bass V]

might depend on the price range, on a boutique piece it would be more than $150, if it's under 1K and the dent is under the fender and hard for others to see then $150 would be cool. if it's a must have bass then it doesn't matter much.

 

[socialleper]

might depend on the price range, on a boutique piece it would be more than $150, if it's under 1K and the dent is under the fender and hard for others to see then $150 would be cool. if it's a must have bass then it doesn't matter much.

It is a Ltd Ed MIM Fender. They usually go for about $680 new. "Must have" is of course relative, but it is a model I've had my eye on for a while.

 

[bassbenj]

Depends if you want to "collect" the bass or play it. Collectors find value in a totally perfect piece.
A player on the other hand wants tone, playability and the damage not to be visible when the instrument is in use. \

Obviously since the ding is on the back and won't effect tone, the bass is clearly a player with a nice price drop. I've bought lots of "B stock" basses and guitars from Rondo, but that is not collector stuff for sure.

PS. I've fixed some dings *I* put in my basses that I was playing a lot just for drill even if they weren't visible. I simply filled the depression with epoxy, sanded it to match the curvature and applied some matching paint over it. Invisible on stage even when looking right at it.

 

[Waytootrue]

Dropping a little over a 6th of the price for it? I would consider it if money is a problem. If it isn't and you really want the bass I'm sure you can find a comparable deal for a used in better condition.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Depends if you want to "collect" the bass or play it. Collectors find value in a totally perfect piece.
A player on the other hand wants tone, playability and the damage not to be visible when the instrument is in use. \

I thought Fender players loved battle scarred/dinged/etc, instruments with all up front and center for all to see?

 

[Stilltryin]

Sooner or later I will put a ding on it anyway.

 

[JRA]

i'd consider using the blemishes on an instrument as bargaining/leveraging when negotiating purchases. but the bottom line for me is: how does it play for me and is that playability worth the money being asked for the instrument.

i like some instruments on which others might pass...and vice versa. big whup! @#$% happens.

so: blemishes? not a specific 'thing' for me.

i also like shiny and new.

 

[TolerancEJ]

I've no problem if the ding is cosmetic only, the bass still plays/sounds great, and considering the amount of discount from another similar available used instrument without any markings.

Honestly, I'm a clumsy person. If a bass doesn't have any markings, I will eventually be the one to cause a ding or bump.

 

[Mammoth_Bass]

Can you post a picture? Might help to determine the ‘value’ of the damage

 

[Bass V]

It is a Ltd Ed MIM Fender. They usually go for about $680 new. "Must have" is of course relative, but it is a model I've had my eye on for a while.

'must have' is imo one which 'speaks to you', those are rare and worth keeping despite chainsaw scars.
you can do way better than a good Fender for much less $$, $250 is gonna get me a killer old Schecter fake P/J soon

 

[jeff62]

I don’t give a damn about blemishes if it’s a bass I want. I play them, I don’t pray to them.

 

[Lobster11]

... if you wanted a new, dare I say virginal, instrument, is this an OK trade off?

Is this a trick question? If I wanted a "virginal" instrument, then no, of course not, because this isn't one.

The question is how important it is to you -- you, not us -- to have a "virginal" instrument. If that's what you really want, this one isn't it and you'll probably never be happy with it. The $150 you saved will seem insignificant a few months from now, and you'll be stuck with a bass you don't love. There's no shame in wanting a new-in-box instrument, but you have to be honest with yourself about how much that matters to you.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

If the “blemish” is a minor chip or ding that is inconspicuous, and removes a decent amount of money off the top, I’ll take it. Chances are, I will put a ding in a new bass within a week...

 

[alembicguy]

A blemish is worth less than a ding but more than a pimple

 

[Nephilymbass]

I'm looking at a bass on Reverb than an online seller has taken $150 off the retail price of because of a pretty gnarly ding on the back. It looks like a little blunt force customer damage. It is on the back and in the arm scoop, so I don't think it was dropped.
My question is if you are buying a new bass, would you be willing to buy it even though it already has a ding in it? If it was used, that comes with the territory, but if you wanted a new, dare I say virginal, instrument, is this an OK trade off? If you were buying a new car that had a ding in the paint, would you drive it off the lot for a discount, or demand a mint one? Does that ruin some of the "new bass magic"?

Depends on the bass, sometimes even the finish. Wouldn’t want a beat up coffee table bass but with some basses dings actually add some character imo

 

[MultiScaleMale]

When I buy new, I want new. The discount I would want is likely more than the dealer would be able to provide.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

To buy a blemished "new" bass, for me, price would need to be pretty close to what a nice used is. Also, are two blemishes worth double the discount? At what point does the dimunition of value due to blemishes bottom out?

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say a MIM Fender is probably not a collector's item, in which case the presence of a ding or two or three is a way to get the price lower. Of course, if it has been intentionally relic'd, then the price goes up, right? Some things I'm just never gonna understand...

 

[Ben B]

I'm a player, not a collector. Buying a blemished bass would not be an issue because the bass would get scratched and dinged by me anyways. That said, I would likely buy a used bass instead of a new bass unless the blemished bass was offered at a substantial discount.