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When is a bass "vintage"?

How old does it need to be to be vintage?

  • 10+ years

    Votes: 3 1.4%

  • 20+ years

    Votes: 54 24.4%

  • 30+ years

    Votes: 90 40.7%

  • 40+ years

    Votes: 52 23.5%

  • Older than me atleast

    Votes: 22 10.0%
  • Total voters
    221
H K

H K

Jun 18, 2021
1,804
2,927
Norway
#1
As I'm selling off some of my older basses, I started to wonder if I should call them vintage or not. Looking around the web I found several answers, but for different items.
Some antique dealers say vintage furniture for example, is 20-99 years old, some say 40+.
I've always considered it to be around 20+ years, but what do you guys think?
 
#2
I always use the comparison of what was "vintage" back in the 80s. In 1980, a 1960 Fender was "vintage". That's only 20 years.

In 1985, Led Zeppelin IV was "classic rock". It came out in 1971. That's 14 years. So, yes, Pearl Jam is classic rock today. Period. End of story. There is no debate. (Pearl Jam's "Ten" was released in 1991.... which was THIRTY ONE years ago.... more that twice as long as 1971 to 1985.)

Many here simply think that the 50s and 60s were the "golden age" of instrument production and rock music. Anything after that isn't "vintage", or "classic rock".

That is utterly ridiculous. It's egomaniacal, in fact. It's "Unless it's from MY TIME, it's not cool."

In short, the term is "loose". Use it if you want. I won't put off anyone who is interested in your bass. If it does, that person would likely be hard to deal with anyway. If you get an email from some jerk who says "I'm interested in your bass, but it ain't vintage", RUN, don't walk, away from that offer.
 
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#9
I think it comes down to the perception of the individual and as such, is relative to that individual’s age. I’m 54. To me, something from the 90’s isn’t vintage. To my nephew, I’m sure it is. To me, a 1968 model is vintage, to my 82 year old neighbor, not so much.

When I see a for sale ad that states Vintage!, or Rare!, I know to pretty much move on, it’s probably priced higher than it’s worth. I prefer to see the manufacture date and then I get to make the judgement of the added value the age may give to whatever it is I’m looking at. If my judgement call matches the expectations of the seller, I’ll consider opening my wallet. But no amount of (*adjectives) will sway my interest.

*Grammar correction by AGCurry
 
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#12
Many words have multiple meanings. Yes, the original word refers to wine, but it has other definitions.

Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary includes a definition that applies to instruments:
2: of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : CLASSIC​

So a poll was a great move to figure out what potential customers for your bass might consider vintage, but “old” is your question, “2: of…recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : CLASSIC” might be a better definition in this context. Which means it would depend a lot on the specific model of bass. FTR, I’m in the minority so far with a vote of 40 years.

But I’m with @two fingers on getting crossed up with someone who thinks their definition is worth beefing about. Not likely to be a positive interaction.
 
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#15
AGCurry said:
Let's remember that the word vintage has as its root vin - wine. Therefore, in its original usage, you might ask "What is the vintage of this cabernet?" and be told "1988." Vintage, unlike antique, does not imply "old."
Click to expand...

And like wine, just because it’s old doesn’t necessarily mean it’s something you’d want in your mouth. Frankly, I refuse to pay an alpha for “old”.
 
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#17
two fingers said:
Many here simply think that the 50s and 60s were the "golden age" of instrument production and rock music. Anything after that isn't "vintage", or "classic rock".
Click to expand...

I mean, such a definition is "vintage" in the most traditional sense; the word comes from winemaking in which "vintage" refers to a harvest of grapes from a particular place in a particular year that yielded particularly good wine. "Vintage" wine is not simply old wine; it is wine that comes from one of those good harvests. Wine can be old and yet not vintage, if it didn't come from a good year or if it's a blend of several harvests. Instruments are much the same in terms of quality.

Personally I think it's a dumb word to use specifically because of the reason that you stated. But I do have an unscientific belief that "vintage" instruments (in the sense above; not just "old") do tend to sound better when I have the chance to play them. But I also believe they share that quality with the better made offerings you can find today.

So, to me, whether an instrument is "vintage" or not is less important than how it sounds, but "vintage" instruments definitely tend to have something different about them in that respect.

EDIT: ope, looks like I was late on the wine thing.
 

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