You sound like you want someone to say "YES! Go for it!!!!" So:
YES! Go for it!!!!
I offer the same assurances on my advice that the auction house is making on the bass, so take that into account.
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Would you buy/bid on this????
- Thread starter BigAlBass69
- Start date
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- vintage bass
You sound like you want someone to say "YES! Go for it!!!!" So:
YES! Go for it!!!!
I offer the same assurances on my advice that the auction house is making on the bass, so take that into account.
In my experience, in a public auction type sale, your chances of getting anything “below market value” are slim at best.
Hold it, are you saying that buying Fender Custom Shop Vintage Bass pickups won't make my bass sound like a vintage bass???
I voted "YES." I have a 1960 p-bass with original pup's / pots. It sits in a case and I might play it once a year. It works fine. I've tried a lot of the high-end auction sites, and never really found a bargain though.
Regardless, I'd love to know what it was / how much it went for / if you got it.
Regardless, I'd love to know what it was / how much it went for / if you got it.
Weight and is a tort guard involved?
Would depend for me on what the pictures show as far as everything being original. Do neck and pot codes show it to be all original? Even with good pics, it would really have to be cheap for me to take the risk. I wouldn't so much care about the functionality test. Even if it made no sound plugged in, likely just a bad connection somewhere. But I'd be worried about non-working truss rod, electronics not original, refinished body, etc...So my dream is to find a good deal on a 70's P. But for the scenario you are talking about, my high bid for a 70's would be about $700 if I couldn't verify the items I noted. Because if I paid $2k and then got it and found out the truss rod was maxed, and electronics were replaced, or the body was refin, I'd be hosed.
I’d definitely put in a bid on something like that - however, my bid would depend on many factors, and not knowing the working condition of the electronics on a non-standard electronics bass would put the value squarely in to “assume non-functional”.
In an auction, it’s easy to let the competition of winning plus the mental idea of committing to buy it once placing a bid to not want to lose the auction - so you end up in a bidding war and paying more than you wanted - perhaps more than it’s worth.
On this bass, I’d place a bid in the final 30 minutes - give yourself time to register to bid and link an account and everything so you know you can get your bid in before it ends. But place your bid - maybe at half the price of a working example - near the end and hope you win. Sometimes I’ll add an extra $50 as a “winner’s fee” that I’m willing to pay over the amount I want to pay. If someone outbids me, they’re not getting it for $5 over the price I wanted, but rather for $55 over the value - at which point, pthh, let em have it! Sometimes I’ve won an auction right at my top bid and I’m not very happy.
That said, look at where the bidding is. If there is 10 minutes left and the highest bid is $200, don’t jump the bid to $500 in one move. If in a bidding war, make those bigger jumps in the final 10-15 seconds.
Good luck. If you get it, post here afterwards!
In an auction, it’s easy to let the competition of winning plus the mental idea of committing to buy it once placing a bid to not want to lose the auction - so you end up in a bidding war and paying more than you wanted - perhaps more than it’s worth.
On this bass, I’d place a bid in the final 30 minutes - give yourself time to register to bid and link an account and everything so you know you can get your bid in before it ends. But place your bid - maybe at half the price of a working example - near the end and hope you win. Sometimes I’ll add an extra $50 as a “winner’s fee” that I’m willing to pay over the amount I want to pay. If someone outbids me, they’re not getting it for $5 over the price I wanted, but rather for $55 over the value - at which point, pthh, let em have it! Sometimes I’ve won an auction right at my top bid and I’m not very happy.
That said, look at where the bidding is. If there is 10 minutes left and the highest bid is $200, don’t jump the bid to $500 in one move. If in a bidding war, make those bigger jumps in the final 10-15 seconds.
Good luck. If you get it, post here afterwards!
Side story: I was high bidder on an ebay auction. I watched the timer go down 3-2-1-0 seconds remaining. The screen auto-refreshed and… I lost! No idea how. A 0-second bid?!
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,796
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,796
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
It depends on how much this bass is worth to you. And the chances of finding one for sale at a potential discount in the future.
Basses are simple machines, the worst thing that can go wrong is that the neck is bad (Truss rod is broken or won't move, or is adjusted to the max; the neck is bowed or twisted). Sometimes impossible to tell from photos. If it's a bolt-on neck, you can replace the neck. Everything else is even more easy to fix or replace.
The bidding may also go sky-high, so don't stress too much and good luck bidding!
Basses are simple machines, the worst thing that can go wrong is that the neck is bad (Truss rod is broken or won't move, or is adjusted to the max; the neck is bowed or twisted). Sometimes impossible to tell from photos. If it's a bolt-on neck, you can replace the neck. Everything else is even more easy to fix or replace.
The bidding may also go sky-high, so don't stress too much and good luck bidding!
I've bought plenty of basses online without having the opportunity to try them out, but I'd never buy a bass if I couldn't even see what it looks like!
^^ Yes this. It may turn out that by the 6th day prices might be way beyond value. Then there's the other side of the coin. You might just get lucky and no one's looking. I say go for it. Good luck, let us know.
Yes, I would purchase it, but I would limit my price to account for the stubbornness and laziness of the auctioneers, and their no return policy. Only spend the maximum that you would be OK getting screwed out of if the crap hits the fan.
Your so-called dilemma will likely be solved by some other sap being willing to pay more than that.
Your so-called dilemma will likely be solved by some other sap being willing to pay more than that.
Auctions are designed to get people all emotional. You bid your "highest price". You get outbid by "only a few dollars" (relatively speaking), so you figure "Why not? It's only fifty bucks. I'll bid one more time."
Then you do that a few more times, each time justifying it with "What's a couple hidden bucks?".
I can't tell you whether or not to buy it. I CAM tell you that rarely are auction prices a bargain.
So here's what I would do. Knowing what you know, pick a price you're willing to pay (factoring in the risk of having to get repaired done).
Then DO NOT GO ONE RED CENT above that price. Don't be emotional. Stick to your original rationale amd you'll be fine. Get emotional and there's no telling what you'll do.
Good luck with it.
