Worth buying expensive?

[juggahnaught]

Welcome to Talkbass! I think we've discussed this topic before.

Money simply is not a good indicator of a thing's value, usability, or quality - especially in the world of electric instruments. Accountants and collectors, however, really only seem to care about the money.

I wouldn't attempt to place a depreciation schedule on any bass guitar, expensive or otherwise. I also wouldn't treat a bass guitar as a speculative investment. Pick an instrument you like. Then play it until you die.

Good luck, man.

 

[DrMole]

Buying cheap MAY work out, if- as others have noted, you are patient and lucky enough to find a quality instrument that YOU really like.

I have mostly tried to balance quality and value; whether paper towels, instruments or vehicles. B-stock, open box and close outs can give incredible value if you wait for what you want.

About 15 years hence I spent many thousands on a keyboard rig; a Roland XV88, Ultimate stand, EV mic, but also a pair of Behringer 15" powered speakers. The Roland was new but not the "newest" model. Mic and stands were most recent version. The speakers were , well, Behringer...
The speakers didn't last 3 years of light use but I can still gig convincingly with the rest.

I read somewhere, and my grandfather stated similar " you are too poor to buy cheap."

Buy used, be patient and buy the very best you can afford. Higher quality instruments may not always be head and sholders above SOME cheaper ones but the best are truly worth a look.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Being on the lookout for new gear and noticing how quickly high end gear on average looses its value second hand, would it not make more sense to just buy a good low end one every x years?
For example high end Fender Professional / Elite loose about 10-15% first 3 years. Then slowly decreasing and only if in good shape.
For that kind of money I could get me like about 4 good Squiers or nearly new Standard/Player....
Knowing yes that the premium ones have that (little) quality extra.

It remains to be seen if within 20 or 30 years, todays gear will be treasured as much as original 60s/70s gear is today?

My thoughts... go inexpensive. I own 2 Squiers (PJ and a FSR CV Precision). Fantastic basses at that price point. If you ever decide to upgrade specific components it’s a lot more of an economical approach. YMMV. I’m too satisfied with the quality of those 2 basses!

 

[tradernick]

It remains to be seen if within 20 or 30 years, todays gear will be treasured as much as original 60s/70s gear is today?

I don't think it remains to be seen. I think we have enough data now to know that most of today's gear will never be 'treasured' in the future like vintage gear is now (50s/60s, not 60s/70s).

Plenty of good reasons for this. For example, 50s/60s was the beginning, the birth of many of the famous basses/guitars.

Having said all of this... My Pino CS Precision might be treasured : )

 

[Bass V]

when you can nail a vintage Fender for chump change all day in the Silvertone LB-11 P copy and it only costs you the name on the headstock then it's game over. if you need more than a basic bass then have your pick of the many millions to lust over or just end it here... Silvertone Revolver LB-11 - the 0 'authentic' P Bass

 

[logdrum]

BUy a passive American or Japanese Fender. Then get an Audrey or your favorite pre-amp. A MIM for backup and put the same pre. Do not worry after that. Make music

Do not have the money. Make music with what you have.

You want to make money. I do not think flipping basses will get you there. Ask any music store owner. They make money on consumables, lessons and rentals.

 

[N4860]

I didn't read all of the responses, but I would say there is definitely a good amount of difference in quality between a squier and a higher end production bass such as an elite fender, musicman, warwick, etc. If 4 different Squier basses is what you are looking for, then great, but I would rather have 1 great player as I have in my MM Stingray. Buying used is a good idea though if you are looking to get into a higher range of gear but on a budget. I bought both a used stingray and a bongo for much less than a new american jazz bass.

 

[Hevy T]

I just bought this Fender MIM Deluxe P for 750 cdn. The new price is 1050. It still had the plastic on the tuners and pickguard! Moral of my story is I prefer for someone else to pay the depreciation when ever possible

 

[Acoop]

What if you go on a road trip across the country? ... It would be great to see and experience some great stuff, but, wait! ... You'll probably add a lot of wear and tear to your cars engine and tires. ... So, maybe, if that's your worry, you might best stay at home.
Any serious player should buy the very best they can afford without concern about resale. ...

 

[Green Knight]

Do they?


I've bought a lot of high end basses outside of my area, without being able to play them first. Overwhelmingly positive results and usually great deals too. A return policy is definitely preferred along with a reputable seller.

I got my first Fodera, an Anthony Jackson Contrabass six, at maybe a third of what it was worth at the time from a Guitar Center in Georgia. And it has appreciated since. It's all about how you buy. Has it been worth more to me than five MIM Jazzes? Yeah.

I rarely lose money when I resell (quite the opposite) because I consider that among other things before I buy. So when I see someone who's adamant about not caring about resale value have life happen and then take a beating, it's hard to muster any sympathy. Not like they weren't forewarned.

I agree!
Sometimes I gain a little, sometimes I lose a little, and sometimes it balances out more or less evenly. I don't lose money with a frequency or on a scale that endangers my financial security. As someone else said earlier, I consider losses when they happen as tantamount to having leased the outgoing instrument. While I buy high end gear, I don't buy top end gear: no Ritters or Foderas have graced my home. I feel it's important to clarify that.

 

[Brad Johnson]

You misspelled choke.

Choking would be repeatedly missing the fact that I've been saying "normal" all along and not seeing that your situation isn't anywhere near that.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Welcome to Talkbass! I think we've discussed this topic before.

Money simply is not a good indicator of a thing's value, usability, or quality - especially in the world of electric instruments. Accountants and collectors, however, really only seem to care about the money.

I wouldn't attempt to place a depreciation schedule on any bass guitar, expensive or otherwise. I also wouldn't treat a bass guitar as a speculative investment. Pick an instrument you like. Then play it until you die.

Good luck, man.

Again, many choose the same path as you here on TB and IRL. And often they come back here complaining about the very thing they chose to ignore because one of life's unexpected unexpectedly decided to pay a visit. To paraphrase Mike Tyson, everybody has a plan... until you get punched in the mouth.

Even funnier are the folks who see a $5k supposedly "TB guaranteed resale value" instrument languishing in the classifieds and whip out this old chestnut:

"I can't believe this is still here!".

Mind you, they aren't buying it either. They're all surprised. I'm not.

 

[Nev375]

Choking would be repeatedly missing the fact that I've been saying "normal" all along and not seeing that your situation isn't anywhere near that.

I didn't miss it. Nor did I miss the pejorative interpretation of your "jokes".

 

[Brad Johnson]

I don't think it remains to be seen. I think we have enough data now to know that most of today's gear will never be 'treasured' in the future like vintage gear is now (50s/60s, not 60s/70s).

Plenty of good reasons for this. For example, 50s/60s was the beginning, the birth of many of the famous basses/guitars.

Having said all of this... My Pino CS Precision might be treasured : )

"Most" misses the point IME. The exceptions are what typically appreciate. Try finding a Fender Roscoe Beck for less than it's new price.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I didn't miss it. Nor did I miss the pejorative interpretation of your "jokes".

So you just continually chose to ignore it? To make a then completely irrelevant point?

Got it. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I agree!
Sometimes I gain a little, sometimes I lose a little, and sometimes it balances out more or less evenly. I don't lose money with a frequency or on a scale that endangers my financial security. As someone else said earlier, I consider losses when they happen as tantamount to having leased the outgoing instrument. While I buy high end gear, I don't buy top end gear: no Ritters or Foderas have graced my home. I feel it's important to clarify that.

I understand that position. The thing about mine is that I have no real plan, other than being very familiar with the market and being very patient. I don't do impulse buys, it screams not really considering the ramifications.

Instead I look. If I see something out of the ordinary, which will typically include a ridiculous price that would take something catastrophic for me to lose, then I might pull the trigger. I might tell others about it instead, like I did when an old bass of mine recently turned up in a pawnshop. I'm not nostalgic.

The high end basses that I've picked up for around a grand or less would make many heads explode. They're out there, you have to know what you're looking at and be prepared to pull the trigger because you're probably not alone.

 

[Nev375]

So you just continually chose to ignore it? To make a then completely irrelevant point?

Got it. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

And for you, I guess that's being a complete Johnson.

 

[Brad Johnson]

And for you, I guess that's being a complete Johnson.

Of course it is. I made a very easy to understand statement. Nothing complicated, no big words. You then talk about putting a graphite fan-fretted neck on a $200 bass as if it had anything to do with what I was talking about. It didn't. At all. But why let that get in the way?


So here you are, dug in so hard to this that you can't even acknowledge that this is all you. I'm not the least bit surprised. And now you've resorted to name calling, as if it's clever and worse, it'll obscure the fact that you're completely off base.

And here's the silliest thing of all... you didn't spend $1500 on your bass so YOU COULDN'T LOSE $1,500 ON YOUR BASS. Which I'm sure you won't recall was at the root of your ridiculous offbase tangent.

But if it makes you feel better to blame me for your fail, knock yourself out. After all, you could've spent more.


I await yet another incredibly insightful response.

 

[Brad Johnson]

@Brad Johnson is either the John the Baptist or the Apostle Paul of buying expensive basses after they have taken that depreciation hit (you can tell I just got out of church.) My two nicest basses would have cost me about $7,500 if I had bought them new. I paid less than $2,100 getting them used. I strongly support paying full price and supporting luthiers, but there ain’t a thing wrong with snapping up a good deal either!

Just yesterday, I was talking to a great church bassist who bought a $2,200 dollar Warwick Corvette used for $450.

Thanks.

I found a German Warwick fretless 4 at a pawnshop for $150. It was hanging with three Squiers priced at $250 each. That's when even I think that this whole Brad Johnson deal finder thing has gotten ridiculous.


I didn't really look for basses on Craigslist. So when I decided out of the blue to look and then found an Aries fretless six... weird.

Weird stuff happens. Still.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Thanks.

I found a German Warwick fretless 4 at a pawnshop for $150. It was hanging with three Squiers priced at $250 each. That's when even I think that this whole Brad Johnson deal finder thing has gotten ridiculous.


I didn't really look for basses on Craigslist. So when I decided out of the blue to look and then found an Aries fretless six... weird.

Weird stuff happens. Still.

You just need the eyes to look.