The Ibanez Roadstar is already highly sought-after. Have you checked prices on one, lately? I've been kind of looking to replace my old one.
For my money, it will be my current favorite bass, the Ibanez RGB300
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Which bass will be the next T-40?
- Thread starter Ryan X Decent
- Start date
The Ibanez Roadstar is already highly sought-after. Have you checked prices on one, lately? I've been kind of looking to replace my old one.
For my money, it will be my current favorite bass, the Ibanez RGB300
Another mij tank. The Aria Pro II SB R80. Debuted in 1979, a year after the T-40
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Peavey T-40's are sought after ? .... who would have guessed 
Aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnd... there are/is more pictures/more "effort" into selling it, than ALL of their GOOD/GREAT/HIGH END basses.There's one on GC now. Listed as a "DEaRNOLD". Seriously!
The Bar Band Bassman
For me it needs to be popular, but not ubiquitous. It also needs to have a unique quality. The Musicman SUBs might do well for the used market, but are IMO not unique enough to ever warrant a premium pricing (given that they make new Musicmans today + Sterlings).
It also needs to be a brand that switches models, so that rules out any Squiers as well. The ATK might already be considered the next Peavy T40, but if we are talking about some other modes - it might be the medium pried Ibanez Headless multiscale basses. Just like the T40 they are considered a great bang for the buck, they are unique, popular but not ubiquitous and we know Ibanez likes to switch their lineup.
It also needs to be a brand that switches models, so that rules out any Squiers as well. The ATK might already be considered the next Peavy T40, but if we are talking about some other modes - it might be the medium pried Ibanez Headless multiscale basses. Just like the T40 they are considered a great bang for the buck, they are unique, popular but not ubiquitous and we know Ibanez likes to switch their lineup.
Nothing is heavy when you are young.
I noticed the mention of the Grind. Forgot I even had one. I like the Cirrus vote as well. They are like hen's teeth here.
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I absolutely love that a T-whatever Peavey bass is sought after by anyone for anything. I started playing electric around 1984 and there was no worse bass on the wall than a Peavey. No one even picked one up at the music store I worked at. Surrounded by cheap Fenders, Pedullas, Kubickis, Steinbergers, MusicMan, Guild Pilots, Aria Pros, Rickenbackers, Ibanez…even Wals, they didn’t stand a chance in hell of competing with these instruments. They looked like something that failed in woodshop class and now people talk about them lovingly? I cannot wrap my head around it. But I guess if I were looking for something similar today I would look for a bass that absolutely nobody wants to play. That’s your future Peavey right there, the bass that sits on the wall and looks completely out classed by everything else.
This could be my choice too. I've never seen a bass player use one in person, and I've never seen one in the wild. Seems like it was Schecter"s "Cutthroat Island".
To me, the bass looks like a wood ruler. But with EMG's, it's bound to sound nice heh
Already happened a long ago, minus the Low Price: G&L L2K. You can get most of the common P, J and even a decent Ric bass emulation in treble boost mode. They were not the lightest basses, but lighter than a T-40, which really are unecessarily heavy. I still have mine, bought brand new in 1983.
there just can't be 'another' t-40 for so many reasons.
the t-40 in an of itself was so insanely unique. it was sold at a low price, it was made in USA, it had a mind of its own. As time went on, many folks realized their potential and the price has gone up year over year for about 15 years now - the last 8 or so the steepest incline.
you have to remember, during the era of the T-40, there were not many budget instruments around. The ones that existed really were very bad. This is a key point - now more than ever, the market is flooded with budget options - many of which are really, really nice.
I have a harley benton bass (yes, i've swapped the pickups and had the frets dressed) that out-performs just about any jazz bass i've ever played. the bass was $350. but, you can't expect harley benton to become a valuable instrument in generations - because it's one of... dozens? a hundred? hundreds? of cool budget options. I have a friend who's sold his expensive strat because he prefers his $300ish donner strat. same story.
the perfect storm of quality, unique character/features, budget option, not many other quality budget options... it just can't happen again?
there certainly are things laying around that will be more valuable in years. but i doubt it's what any of us can guess.
i'm starting to see more appreciation for the peavey cirrus line - but those are already well over 20 year old basses, so they're not a 'bass from today' that will be valuable tomorrow either.
the t-40 in an of itself was so insanely unique. it was sold at a low price, it was made in USA, it had a mind of its own. As time went on, many folks realized their potential and the price has gone up year over year for about 15 years now - the last 8 or so the steepest incline.
you have to remember, during the era of the T-40, there were not many budget instruments around. The ones that existed really were very bad. This is a key point - now more than ever, the market is flooded with budget options - many of which are really, really nice.
I have a harley benton bass (yes, i've swapped the pickups and had the frets dressed) that out-performs just about any jazz bass i've ever played. the bass was $350. but, you can't expect harley benton to become a valuable instrument in generations - because it's one of... dozens? a hundred? hundreds? of cool budget options. I have a friend who's sold his expensive strat because he prefers his $300ish donner strat. same story.
the perfect storm of quality, unique character/features, budget option, not many other quality budget options... it just can't happen again?
there certainly are things laying around that will be more valuable in years. but i doubt it's what any of us can guess.
i'm starting to see more appreciation for the peavey cirrus line - but those are already well over 20 year old basses, so they're not a 'bass from today' that will be valuable tomorrow either.
I agree with the ATK. However, there are way too many of them around, in many different trims. And while Peavey made a lot of T-40s, they’re still fairly hard to come by.
My vote goes to the Dave Bunker-built Ibanez USATK from the 1990’s. There were only a few hundred made, so they’re already primed for cult status.
USA-made? Check. Unusual controls? Check. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” looks? Check. Unnecessarily large bridge assembly? Check!
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the next T-40.
My vote goes to the Dave Bunker-built Ibanez USATK from the 1990’s. There were only a few hundred made, so they’re already primed for cult status.
USA-made? Check. Unusual controls? Check. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” looks? Check. Unnecessarily large bridge assembly? Check!
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the next T-40.
The circumstances that put the T-40 into the situation of how it’s regarded today probably won’t happen again. The T-40 came along when most of its comparable competitors were made in the USA as it was. It was about equal quality to its competitors and was cheaper, so it sold in fairly good numbers. Its status today is that of a good quality US made instrument floating in an ocean of NOT-made-in-USA instruments, but its age & price when new hasn’t put its value up with other US made instruments, so it’s in the affordable vintage category.
With non-US made instruments now being ubiquitous and most US made instruments not even being considered “more affordable” when new, there won’t likely be an “affordable vintage” standout in the future, or there will be dozens of them, which also means no standout.
If there happens to be a favorite collectible bass 40-50 years from now, it will be one that looks good, because it will likely be a decorative antique like a hand crank phonograph or a butter churn is today. Low frequencies of the future will likely come from electronic devices & programmed by your favorite AI setting to emulate 2020s music….
With non-US made instruments now being ubiquitous and most US made instruments not even being considered “more affordable” when new, there won’t likely be an “affordable vintage” standout in the future, or there will be dozens of them, which also means no standout.
If there happens to be a favorite collectible bass 40-50 years from now, it will be one that looks good, because it will likely be a decorative antique like a hand crank phonograph or a butter churn is today. Low frequencies of the future will likely come from electronic devices & programmed by your favorite AI setting to emulate 2020s music….
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I look forward to your non anecdotal evidence showing that T40’s are in fact heavier than any other bass of its era. Science!
I think Schecters are underrated, or maybe just less popular than they should be.
I think the Tele one is a great looking bass and have considered picking one up in the past. As someone said, "never seen one in the wild".
A very good fretless player I knew had a Schecter fretless that sounded as good as any fretless I'd ever heard. I know a couple local players who had the "stripper" one (the one with stripper silhouettes as position markers), and those sounded great in a rock setting.
I think the Tele one is a great looking bass and have considered picking one up in the past. As someone said, "never seen one in the wild".
A very good fretless player I knew had a Schecter fretless that sounded as good as any fretless I'd ever heard. I know a couple local players who had the "stripper" one (the one with stripper silhouettes as position markers), and those sounded great in a rock setting.
I can see certain basses having a sentimental value based on year of build, but newer instruments that have come out, and one’s coming in the future, can be so much better quality that wanting to have a 60’s - 00’s bass because of some magical perceived sound and build is suspect. Who doesn’t like cool old cars, and sure if I could afford a car collection I’d throw some in, but do you really want one as your #1 for daily use? Not me.
That looks very nice. Do they make them without that bridge or is there a bridge replacement?
I had one as well in the 90's, was listening to RHCP and really wanted a Stingray. I sold the ATK to help fund my 1996 EBMM 3-band
In hindsight, it was a solid instrument and I should have kept it.
