Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
When is a bass "vintage"?
- Thread starter H K
- Start date
I thought referring to the "vintage" of anything other than wine, like an instrument, or a car, etc, was done tongue-in-cheek.
Folks: referring to a bass's "vintage" is a joke. It's mocking the wine cork sniffers.
It doesn't actually seriously apply and you can't just make up your own definition for words. Everything can't just mean whatever it means to every individual
There's a point to language and word meanings. For cryin out loud, I'm trailer trash with an 8th grade education and even I get it.
No wonder people can't get along. No one knows what the heck anyone is talking about! And that's within the same language!
Folks: referring to a bass's "vintage" is a joke. It's mocking the wine cork sniffers.
It doesn't actually seriously apply and you can't just make up your own definition for words. Everything can't just mean whatever it means to every individual
There's a point to language and word meanings. For cryin out loud, I'm trailer trash with an 8th grade education and even I get it.
No wonder people can't get along. No one knows what the heck anyone is talking about! And that's within the same language!
Last edited:
When a guy on Craigslist relics it, puts a fender decal on the headstock and claims it is a vintage fender.
I voted 30.
Imo another condition to vintage is a high price.
For example early fender japan priced similar to newer ones.
Imo another condition to vintage is a high price.
For example early fender japan priced similar to newer ones.
For me, its 50 years..and even then thats marginal because they weren't percieved as particuarly good, imv, but hey, a seller likes it when their bass has vintage cache ...
But I'm not in that game.... wouldn't buy a 70's Fender in a fit, so all rather irrelevant to me.
But I'm not in that game.... wouldn't buy a 70's Fender in a fit, so all rather irrelevant to me.
Vintage is not a technical or legal term in the way the IRS defines Antique at least 100 years old for tax and valuation purposes. It is commonly used as a subjectively promotional term to imply rare quality. “I own a vintage Fender.”
The term vintage has no intrinsic value in of itself. How the market views and/or accepts it is moveable with respect to the different industries that use it. Antique dealers use the term vintage as an item that is at least 40 years old.
The term vintage has no intrinsic value in of itself. How the market views and/or accepts it is moveable with respect to the different industries that use it. Antique dealers use the term vintage as an item that is at least 40 years old.
Last edited:
I don't know, but here are some thoughts. When Norm Harris started Norm's Rare Guitars in 1975, a 51 precision bass was 24 years old, a 60's jazz was 15 and a 65 jazz was only 10 years old. Does this make a 10 year old bass vintage?
Norm has purchased a 60's jazz bass (not sure which year), and it became the first bass that many wanted to purchase from him. So when he started NRG’s many of those instruments were between 10-15 years old.
Granted, these instruments fell within the golden age of guitar making of the 50's and 60's, but Norm doesn’t sell anything that’s not in great condition or desirable in some way. Many times that could be a custom color.
So are 10-15 year old instruments vintage today? It depends on the quality and desirability of the instrument.
IMO, we are having a renaissance in guitar building today. In terms of Fender, they really upped their quality around 2008. Also the quality of what’s coming out of Mexican with the Nate Mandel bass or for that matter, Squier's current line has really improved greatly. They are making fantastic instruments right now that sound great. I haven't even touched on boutique builders who are developing innovative designs and using the most current preamps and pickups ever available.
What is a considered a vintage instrument today? I think that is an agreed upon thing found in the guitar collecting community which involves age, quality and desirability.
Norm has purchased a 60's jazz bass (not sure which year), and it became the first bass that many wanted to purchase from him. So when he started NRG’s many of those instruments were between 10-15 years old.
Granted, these instruments fell within the golden age of guitar making of the 50's and 60's, but Norm doesn’t sell anything that’s not in great condition or desirable in some way. Many times that could be a custom color.
So are 10-15 year old instruments vintage today? It depends on the quality and desirability of the instrument.
IMO, we are having a renaissance in guitar building today. In terms of Fender, they really upped their quality around 2008. Also the quality of what’s coming out of Mexican with the Nate Mandel bass or for that matter, Squier's current line has really improved greatly. They are making fantastic instruments right now that sound great. I haven't even touched on boutique builders who are developing innovative designs and using the most current preamps and pickups ever available.
What is a considered a vintage instrument today? I think that is an agreed upon thing found in the guitar collecting community which involves age, quality and desirability.
Last edited:
I'll wade in here.
I have a 2000 Ibanez SR480. I'm used the the idea that somewhere between 20 - 25 years old an instrument would be considered "vintage" and yet I can't imagine anyone saying that my Ibanez is a "vintage" instrument - just older. If it were a 1970's or maybe early 80's Ibby, maybe.
I also think that when a lot of folks talk about a vintage bass/guitar it's also a look that factors in. FSO's would be considered vintage, but my modern looking Ibanez wouldn't.
I have a 2000 Ibanez SR480. I'm used the the idea that somewhere between 20 - 25 years old an instrument would be considered "vintage" and yet I can't imagine anyone saying that my Ibanez is a "vintage" instrument - just older. If it were a 1970's or maybe early 80's Ibby, maybe.
I also think that when a lot of folks talk about a vintage bass/guitar it's also a look that factors in. FSO's would be considered vintage, but my modern looking Ibanez wouldn't.
Yep which is why the premise of this thread is flawed. Vintage is a marketing term, not a date reference.
I know what the word means but at this point it's been used enough when referring to the age of instruments that we have sort of claimed it. Lol. No harm no foul. I consider an instrument vintage when its 40ish years old. Whether it's a Peavey or a Fender.
Latest posts
-
Would you play gigs with a band that doesn't have a great PA?- Latest: Thunderthumbs73
-
-
-
-
