Your most and least expensive basses

[Shafty]

Most expensive is my new Fender Performer P bass - $1,400.

Least expensive, not counting my $325 Fender acoustic bass, is my Yamaha BB734 -- $800.

 

[WillyW]

I'm anxiously awaiting my cheapest bass (still on backorder)... Epiphone Embassy...

My most expensive are my Rickenbackers and BC Rich's.

 

[BSatt]

Cheapest is my first bass - Gibson EB-3. I paid $265 to some guy that looked like Tom Scholz.

Of the basses I still own (all of 3)...

Most expensive - Devon J5 $3.5K

Warwick Thumb - $3K back in 1989

Warmoth Jazz - $2K (both fretless and fretted versions)

 

[WillyW]

Cheapest is my first bass - Gibson EB-3. I paid $265 to some guy that looked like Tom Scholz.

 

[BSatt]

WillyWonka......very cool and too funny.

 

[WillyW]

WillyWonka......very cool and too funny.

dunno, unless it was used on "Third Stage" it could be very valuable...

 

[acleex38]

Cheapest: "Richard the Test Bass" - Birdsong Guitars shop R&D bass. Scott at Birdsong was clearing unused stuff out of his shop. "Richard" arrived as I waited for my third custom Birdsong.

"Cheapest I Actually Paid For" - my MCI Intertek fretless. Phenolic fingerboard, made fretless by a previous owner. Sloppy repainting job.

Bought used for 250 in 1996. I sold and rebought it three times between 1997 and 2006 (usually net $0, except when I came out ahead $80 in '06).

"Richard" was my #1 fretted bass from 2014-2020. Still my #2.
The MCI Intertek sits in storage. Anyone interested?

Most expensive - My newest (5th) Birdsong. Mesquite and walnut body. I think my 2nd (2007) Birdsong would cost more by today's prices.

 

[Ric Vice]

Oddly enough, my least expensive bass became my most expensive bass in the years after I purchased it.

 

[lowendrv]

Casady $800.00
Clayton $1400.00

 

[MegaSwing]

I have had great luck buying used instruments for reasonable prices. The most I ever paid was $1200 for a new Jazz V about 13 years ago. Still, I’ve bought several used basses that were worth more than that for far less. That’s kind of where I want to be: to stay abreast of the market enough to recognize the excellent deals when they turn up. Perhaps, then, love will follow.

 

[gtmalone]

Most expensive - Carvin BB75 $1200 in '99 (yellow one in the pic)
In the middle - Carvin BB75F $900 in '98 (blue one in the pic)
Least expensive - '76 PBass $495 in '88 Now the most expensive and one I will never sell.

Two others bought and sold - Calin-Wulter upright $3500 in '08, '75 PBass fretless $800 in '96.

 

[SM2]

cheapest is a MiM fretless Jazz about $500


most expensive is this guy....

special ordered it, was about $6500 with the upgraded flight case

 

[gpTron]

My 3 basses (well 4 actually) and what I paid, condition, year purchased
Ibanez Gio 204 - $200 (new) - 2002
Fender MIM Jazz 5 string - $300-ish? (used) - 2010
Ric 4003 - ~$1500 with the 15% off at MF (new) - 2017
Warwick Thumb BO 5 - $1600 (new) - 2002

 

[bobunit]

Most expensive: Zon Hyperbass

Cheapest: Aria Precise Bass

 

[DJ Bebop]

Your most and least expensive basses.

My 1962 P bass, was my most expensive bass.

Least expensive bass? My 1962 P bass, after modification in the 70s.

So it's both

 

[dave64o]

Most expensive: 2007 Stingray 5HH bought used from the original owner about 2 months after he bought it. Paid $1300 for a spotless, essentially brand new bass that would have cost about $1800 new at the time. Still looks brand new, too.

I absolutely love this bass.

Least expensive: An Ibanez AGB-205 that I bought used from Guitar Center in Atlanta about two years ago. Cost me $300. Sounds surprisingly good, is well made, and looks great. I really should play it more.

 

[outoftune]

My cheapest bass is my Harley Benton PJ

My most expensive is my Spector Forte 4 USA

 

[MrLenny1]

Cheapest used Traveler P Bass $300.
Expensive Tobias Classic $3400.

 

[pbassnut]

I don't discriminate. I love a great feeling and sounding bass that's a little on the expensive side, but I also love finding a really good bass that's inexpensive. Had quite a few of both over the years, although I never spent truly huge money. The most I ever spent for a bass was $1500 new for this one on the right:

View attachment 4290627

These were made by the Guitar Factory in Orlando, and they had more deluxe versions of these basses but I went no frills and saved some money. Well, not really no-frills. They both have Kahler bridges and the 4 has a whammy bar and Sperzel locking tuners. Both have EMG active PJ's and I updated the pres with BQC's a few years ago.

The 4 was my main bass from 1997-2001, but as much as I tried to fight the passive Fender thing back then, I just couldn't beat it tonally so I went back to them. I kept it because there are certain cool things I like to do with the whammy bar on occasion and because it plays so beautifully. But it's rare I use it on a gig anymore.

I've bought cheaper basses than my current cheapest, but at $190, my 2009 Danelectro Longhorn has been a real keeper:

View attachment 4290639
Originally priced at $400, two of these basses sat in my local Sam Ash for a year. Played them every time I went there and this one was clearly my favorite of the two. One day they were marked down, and I bought it, and the repair guy there was nice enough to drill a hole in the horn for a Straplok, which remains the only mod I've done to it.

This version is known for being the cheapest built of the reissues, and I thought for sure I'd have to replace the saggy bridge and cheapest of the cheap Kluson knock-off guitar tuners. But it has very low action, stays in tune like a rock, the bridge still sags but it hasn't gotten any worse over the years, is much more versatile than you'd think, sounds amazing with both flats and rounds, and is super light. And it's mighty purdy in a bizarre way. I've done many plane trips with it as checked luggage in a padded gig bag and SKB Roto case, and it never let me down.

So let's just point out that I'm not fishing for financial information from you all, nor am I interested in starting a peepee sizing match. You don't have to disclose anything financial if you don't want. I just am interested if there's others like me who can see the beauty and usefulness in both cheap and not-as-cheap basses. Bonus points will be awarded, however, if you have a bass you paid over $10,000 for and one you paid less than $100

In order to fulfill my Grateful Dead fantasy, I splurged and bought myself an Alembic Series I "Point" model four string longscale bass in 1982 for $1600 ($4700 in today's dollars). It was a stellar bass to be sure, but it was heavy and un-ergonomic. However, I was young and full of "vim & vigor" and those things were not the issues they would be now that I'm old and decrepit. My main issue with it was that with all the exotic wood laminates, it was like a piece of wood working art so I was always worried about it getting knocked over or something. At the time, I was playing in a busy Country Rock band that was averaging 250 gigs a year over a 15 state area so I was also worried about it getting ripped off while I was on the road. I eventually sold it and reverted back to my old Fender P-Bass ways. I currently have a few Warmoth parts P-Basses that I put together from amassing used parts and have less than $400 into that have been really good basses for me. However, my best cheap-o bass is an original Chinese series sonic blue Fender/Squier Classic Vibe P-Bass that had been totally tricked out when I bought it off of TalkBass for $325/shipped. The neck is as stable as a rock and is el-supremo playing (due, in part, to the stellar fret work that was done by a luthier). It has a Gotoh 201 bridge, a Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pickup, USA CTS pots and an orange drop cap. The original pickguard was replaced with a Fender USA AVRI tortoise shell one (which I have since moved to one of the above Warmoth parts basses and replaced it with a mint green one which makes for a very cool "surf" look, IMHO). The tuners are original and I thought about replacing them with Schallers. However, it tunes up and holds a tune just as well as any of my basses so I left those alone. It also came with a nice hard shell case and strung up with a set of Sadowsky flats. It's just as good as any of the more pedigreed basses in my stable.

 

[Steadfast]

Most expensive was a new bongo. I traded it for cash and a fender v24 that I love.
I own today:fender v24 $500

Ibanez sr2600. $1000 used

Sire v3 fretless. $550 new from Thoman

I have several other $100 basses


My favorite is the sire fretless

I have owned a g&l 2000 fretless and fender fretless. Both under $1000