Would you buy your dream bass if it had cosmetic damage?

Depends on how bad the damage is, how much the savings is and how much it would cost to repair. Your photo would make me hesitate.

 

I'm actually in the process of doing just that, so, yes.
regarding yours, while the finish otherwise looks delish it can be fixed, redone, or ignored. buy it.

 

be cautious for sure, I say buy it if the scratches are the only issue so returns are not gonna happen.
you may have the edge on them for a break in the price as the Japanese are notoriously fastidious on everything being perfect and a lot of buyers will hedge on this due to the nasty gouging, but use it to your advantage even if you gotta wait til they bend, and in the interim you may find a better deal.

 

I bought a pretty messed up Warwick (belt buckle stuff on the back side) years ago. The seller had photos up close, adjusted the price, and I bought it. The front has some scratches but nothing can be see more than 10 feet away. Nothing has affected the bass and it plays like a new one. TB sale and I am happy with it. Play it almost daily, perform twice a week with it. Your deal might not be a bad deal if nothing in its playability has been compromised.

 

If you haven’t played it yet, you can’t be sure it is your dream instrument. Could be. Big gamble, though.

 

Sure, it would go well with my cosmetically damaged self.

 

Already have my dream bass, but another would be a Gibson Victory and I have passed on several less-than-perfect examples.

 

It would depend on just how badly it was damaged. Instruments get damaged, its just a fact of life for any gigging musician. My oldest instrument is my 1990 Rickenbacker 330 that I purchased new 27 years ago. She has a few chunks and dings, but she's still in great shape. There was a 2004 StingRay on Reverb a couple of years ago that I was lusting after precisely because it has slight cosmetic damage to the back of the headstock (looked like it was knocked over or dropped), but I still couldn't afford it. But, it was a piezo model, and those are extremely hard to find. I really want a piezo fretted StingRay with matching headstock to go with my fretless piezo StingRay with matching headstock. So, yeah, if there was another out there that had slight cosmetic damage, I wouldn't be put off by that, at all, because these basses are extremely rare, and it's not as if I've ever sold an instrument just because I dropped it.

 

I did exactly this with my 1986 Pedulla Buzz that a previous owner had de-finished, including destroying the logo. The cosmetic damage in this case made it so that I could afford the bass, unlike most Buzz basses. And it plays and sounds exactly as amazing as a Buzz should. This model truly has always been my dream bass. Now I own one, and I love it.

 

I guess I am weird but I never buy used. I feel like I might stuck with some real problems. At least when it is new you can usually send it back.

 

I already did. 1962 PBass. Finish stripped, ugly mudbucker route under the pickguard, but I love it (and more important, I could afford it because of the issues). It plays and sounds beautiful.

 

I know that bb1200 and I got both of mine for not too much more than that one (around AU$1000-1020) and they are in excellent condition. Just wait. It took me a few months but I found mine. I missed that natural bb1200 that ishibashi was selling too.

 

I sure would if it were my dream bass and heavily discounted due to the cosmetic issues. Nobody says this has to be your ‘forever‘ dream bass and you’ll have this one on your hands as you now casually search for one in better cosmetic condition.

If you find one in better condition someday, you can flip the one w cosmetic issue w/o losing money.

Bottom line is you’ll have your dream bass now.

 

Cosmetic damage doesn't bother me at all. I understand it bothers some people but I think it gives the instrument more character.

Willie Nelson's Trigger is 100x more interesting than it's pristine equivalent. IMHO

 

You’ll have a hard time reselling that scratched up bb1200 and breaking even

 

I would have said, sure, I’d buy it, but in my mind cosmetic damage is a small scuff or scratch here and there. That picture is a train wreck - I’d pass on that regardless of the price. I guess I’m kinda shallow.

 

On the left, Tacoma Thunderchief. Top crack (repaired but visible) from bridge to butt. Most used ones now bring around 1600. I paid 900 for this one. Yup.