GuyR

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Stick it on eBay with a 99p starting price and no reserve. What it sells for at the end of the week is what it is worth at that moment in time.

There speaks a man with an understanding of the basic laws of economics 

13 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

 

This phrase really gets on my nerves - it's become a common response to "what's it worth" - ridiculous as the buyer may well put the item back up for sale the following day ("flip it!" ) and get several hundreds/ thousands more.

 

So which is it? The first amount? The second? An average of the two? 

 

I advertise my gear for what I think it's worth, taking into account condition -v- similar items I've seen sold. Basically what I think would be a fair price to pay if I was buying it. Want to buy it at that price? If the answer is "no" then I'll hold on to it till somebody will and you can find one at a price you are prepared to pay (and take the risks of the unknown). 

 

My brother sells antiques and is often "lowballed" - his attitude is "fucck 'em" - when they can't find it at the price they want to pay they'll either come back or they can go without.

I’m sorry I got on your nerves. 

2 hours ago, Machines said:

 

There are some shocking underpriced examples where the item is collection only in a remote location. 

Maybe but what they sold for is what a buyer was prepared to pay in an open market situation. More relevant perhaps than an owners interested opinion.

2 hours ago, Scotbear said:

Hi

When a bass is discontinued and not many have been for sale how do you guys come up with prices? Or do you just seek offers? Or use things like price when it was sold as new less obvious depreciation? 

Many thanks

Scot, Glasgow 

Look on eBay, filter in the left of the screen for sold prices. That will give you a start,

It must have been stored in a damp environment, or at least one with extreme cold, like a loft, to have that much corrosion. It doesn’t bode well for the electrics. The bridge, saddles and height adjustment screws look surprisingly good, considering the level of rust elsewhere.

Very interesting prospect, but you would 100% have to inspect in person.

if it were a Jazz Bass, I’d be there.

9 hours ago, onehandclapping said:

Well it sits next to a sunburst 64 jazz in the cupboard  ,with the same style case so it helps “old people” find the right bass🤣

You'd be so disappointed if you opened the wrong case. First world problem.

24 minutes ago, onehandclapping said:

 

You’re living the pastel-coloured dream…….

3 hours ago, peteb said:

 

 

All I am saying is that people who have spent their life making a precarious living as a pro muso, maybe a little less sentimental about instruments than many of us might be. I've never owned a proper vintage instrument, so I'm not going to argue about it, but that's just an impression that I get... 

 

You might well be right.

Vintage gear is very much a discretionary buy. Ultimately a Squier will do the same job and if you need the money tied up in a valuable instrument I guess you have to pay the rent/mortgage/ other unglamorous expense.

37 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

The thing is that Bernie did actually put his famous LP up for sale for £100k not long before he died, along with many other high value guitars from his collection. However, he withdrew it from sale following a lot of feedback from his fanbase who urged him to keep it. On the back of this, he said that he was going keep it for a bit longer. Then he got ill and unfortunately, passed away a matter of weeks later. 

 

It's worth noting that he made it quite clear that he may sell at some point and that he would have considered a particularly good offer, at pretty much any time since he first got it! 

 

He put his LP up for with ATB at £995,000, not £100,000. That’s not really for sale. Mike has two more golden era sunburst LPs he can’t shift currently at £300k.

All of my vintage kit, and pretty much everything I own is equally for sale if someone wants to pay me over double its value.

Having said that, not doubt some people buy stuff to sell on, I’m not one of them🙂

16 hours ago, onehandclapping said:

I have a near mint late 56 p with  a lovely V neck,and a blue 64 with  a C neck,love them both….cannot do a B neck P …have tried  😀 my 63 and 64 jazz have lovely A necks not like the later ones with binding

I’m interested to know how long have you owned them, and whether you have sold any similar examples in the past, other than your 62 which I recall you mentioned having sold. 
(BTW, in the unlikely event you decide to sell your 63, I’d be keen to know about it!!)

15 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I can see that, but it seems that pros are a bit less sentimental about their assets tied up in vintage guitars...! 
 

 

The late and lamented Mr Marsden never sold his LP, owned since 1974, and only put a substantial number of his accumulated instruments up for sale just before his sad passing, so I’m not sure he’s the best example.🙂
 

(edited due to unintentional extra quotes)

22 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

I was basing that statment on something that Bernie Marsden said a few months before he died when he put a load of his vintage guitars up for sale, including his 59 Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst (The Beast) that he is most associated with: "I have been astonished by the reaction to the potential sale of The Beast!” Marsden says in a new Instagram post. “As you all know, I’ve had the guitar since 1974 and technically it’s been for sale ever since… That’s what happens when you own a vintage Les Paul!”

 

I also know that that Gary Moore sold a load of vintage guitars (including 'Greeny') when he lost some money on a cancelled tour, keeping just one old LP. Even guys like Mick Ralphs, who certainly never needed the money, seemed to be constantly buying and selling his vintage Gibsons & Fenders. For those of us who haven't got that sort of money, perhaps owning a vintage bass might be great for a while, but not something that you can justify financially in the long term. But it's nice to have owned and played them for a while! Not something that I've ever done, but I have known people who have and I can see the attraction...! 

 

I can see for some a lovely old bass could be a store of wealth, or hedge against financial difficulties.
Once you have bought one (a good one, not a lemon), you may well find yourself looking for alternative sources to fill the pecuniary hole, should hard times arise.

3 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I think that a lot of people like the idea of owning one for a bit, if only for a while. 

 

That might be the case for some, certainly not for me. I’d be interested in the thoughts of other owners of pre cbs Fenders.

That does look an excellent deal, condition looked very good and I would expect retail to be £5k more.

Always good to hear about excellent service.

Bass Gallery are advertising Mo Foster’s fretless Jazz Bass. A very interesting prospect for someone… 

https://thebassgallery.com/collections/all/products/fender-jazz-bass-fretless

If ever you are not sure, a modest outlay with a decent tech/repairer is a sound investment. Almost always they will be able to sort out the issue. As above, bass Gallery, feline in Croydon, plenty of others.

Certainly have it looked at by a professional before selling cheaply.

Just occurred to me that when I bought Pino's back-up fretless Stingray from Martin Petersen, it came equipped with a bright sounding set of roundwounds. That will do for me as a recommendation.

I play a lot with harmonics and harmonic chords and like to be able to slide them as easily and effectively as possible when required. 
I have found DR Hi-beam stainless rounds to be the most compatible with that requirement, tension is ideal for me with 45-105/125 and they last for ages. I have them on my Godin A5, at least 3 years old and they remain zingy, full and rich. I have them on my fretless Jazzes too. The tone softens very nicely plucked over the fingerboard.

Looks very nice. Not something I would be leaving in the car under any circumstances!

That’s sublime.

I recently bought one of Mark's basses and he is a top fellow to deal with, the bass will be exactly as described. Best wishes, Mark, hope you are doing OK.

Very sad to hear this. A fabulous player. I encountered Mo at the Bass Gallery a few years ago and found him to be exactly as Rich has described in his post above. A modest and charming gentleman far more interested in talking about my bass playing than his own. 
RIP Mo. It was an honour to meet you.

I’ve bought through GH a couple of times and done very well. I buy regularly from auction houses: cars, furniture, art etc.

I’d be less inclined to sell there as although the sellers fee is 15%+vat, there is also a buyers fee of 22%+vat, so by the time you add vat, the difference between the amount the buyer pays and the amount the seller receives is 35% (the total price paid by the buyer is 126.4% of the hammer price. Seller receives 82% of the hammer price. The difference in % is 44.4 divided by 126.4 X 100=35)

As a buyer, it’s not my concern what the seller receives - I just calculate my 26.4% of the hammer price and decide what my maximum bid will be.

As a seller, knowing I have only received 64.9% of what the buyer has paid doesn’t sound like a brilliant deal, although I acknowledge the auction company has a business model and has to make their profit.

I don’t think the charge is fundamentally unreasonable, but when selling, I generally prefer to sell on consignment with a good dealer like Bass Gallery or ATB where the cost is 15% including vat. This has produced excellent results for instruments priced between £300 and £7000. Usually with a minimal wait and always with minimal hassle.

just my 2p worth (1.3p after commission)

5 hours ago, greavesbass said:

Interesting but it’s on the cusp at that price. Headstocks been shaved, decal obviously wrong. Orig paint?, cant be sure. Too many red flags for that money.

It says refin in the advert.