REDUCED - 1940'S BLONDE NOW £1995

[slap_it_hard]

BEAUTIFUL 1940'S DOUBLE BASS, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, WITH PROFESSIONAL SET-UP, INCLUDING NEW SOUND POST.

GOOD SET OF THOMASTIC STRINGS, COMES WITH CASE.

PHENOMENAL BIG SOUND, GREAT TONE & VERY GOOD SUSTAIN.

VERY UNUSUAL WHITE BAKELITE TUNING KEYS.

WOULD SUIT JAZZ,BLUES, SWING,ROCKABILLY OR ORCHESTRAL PLAYER.

REGRETTABLE SALE DUE TO NEW MORE UNUSUAL TOY, BUT NEEDS TO GO, NOW AT £ 1995 OVNO

[slap_it_hard]

Wow, you guys are all quiet!

[PaulKing]

[quote name='slap_it_hard' post='948610' date='Sep 7 2010, 06:32 PM']Wow, you guys are all quiet![/quote]

I've respectfully kept quiet long enough. I just think you're asking too much, still...
How long you going to wait, another year!?

Don't get me wrong, i think your bass looks really special. The market is in a different place though...
If it owes you this much then press on, be patient, try a dealer like Peter Tyler or Thwaites.
Or sell direct to the roots players in Europe - this will go in Holland or Germany better than in UK.
When I sold my Kay S-9 I knew noone would pay the true value over here, it went to a serious vintage bass freak in Holland. There just aren't enough of us here, and those that want to buy 'that special bass' are waiting for Kings and Kays.

If you need to shift it quick you gotta come down another 30% at least IMHO....

Sorry. I'll delete this if you think I'm screwing up your sale, but no-one's biting are they?

[slap_it_hard]

Hi Paul,

I thank you for your time in your response & you're quite entitled to your "opinion" of course, although it might not have been put the most eloquent way!

No one said I needed to shift her quickly, but it sounds to me like you just might no someone that would be happy to take her off my hands the 30 percent cheaper you quote.

Anyway, that said, when the time is right & so is the person, Karma will take its natural course.

Nice picture by the way, although I couldn't really see myself at this point having my photo taken with a bow!

So, what bass, or basses do you play, & with what set-ups if i may be so inquisitive?

Maybe you could be so kind as to pass me the details of the Vintage bass freak in Holland?

Oh, forgot to mention, who says that those that want to buy 'that special bass' are waiting for Kings and Kays?

I'm sure there are way more unusual & special basses out there!

[PaulKing]

[quote name='slap_it_hard' post='949800' date='Sep 8 2010, 07:46 PM']Hi Paul,

I thank you for your time in your response & you're quite entitled to your "opinion" of course, although it might not have been put the most eloquent way![/quote]
- Well, reasonably eloquent I thought, but yes a bit blunt, sorry. Thanks for replying in a civilised manner, realise I'm taking a bit of a dangerous stance here.
Let me explain my thoughts...

[i]"No one said I needed to shift her quickly, but it sounds to me like you just might no someone that would be happy to take her off my hands the 30 percent cheaper you quote.
Anyway, that said, when the time is right & so is the person, Karma will take its natural course."[/i]
You said yourself 'has to go due to purchase of new toy'. That's why I said 'IF you have to shift it quick'. Equally I said if you want to wait to get the full whack then press on. I agree on the Karma, and there WILL be a buyer out there at that price, [i]eventually[/i]. No, I don't know a potential buyer ... sorry if it looked like that.

[i]"Nice picture by the way, although I couldn't really see myself at this point having my photo taken with a bow!"[/i]
- That's Arthur Askey... 60s comedian and actor. If I dared put a bow anywhere near my bass it'd make an awful noise. I'm happier slapping, just like yourself, if your name's anything to go by.

[i]"So, what bass, or basses do you play, & with what set-ups if i may be so inquisitive?"[/i]
- You may.
Over the years I've owned a couple CCBs, 40s Czech hybrid, Hungarian Golden Strad, fully carved 40s German blonde, factory-new Strunal ply, 1968 Kay S-9. But now settled on trio of 37 King Mortone, 38 Kay M2 and 68 Boosey and Hawkes Czech ply. I'm always on the lookout for interesting basses though.
Various string combinations of plain gut, Cordes Lambert Deluxe whackers and Innovation PsychoSlaps. Underwood pick-ups mainly, but still running a K+K too, through an LR Baggs mixpro. Fishman Platinum Pro-EQ. And Markbass CMD121P with ext cab.
There are some pics at www.myspace.com/4stringsking

[i]"Maybe you could be so kind as to pass me the details of the Vintage bass freak in Holland?"[/i]
Well, I sold to Huey Moor, he found out about the bass through the grapevine, passing details from bassist to bassist. Advertising didn't work for me then. I don't think he wants another ... that was his 'special bass'. Again, it was the name he wanted. I'm guilty of that too.
But you could try Markus Potts at Rockability.de . He sells interesting vintage roots basses to discerning buyers ... ie at good prices, because people know what they're buying.

[i]"Oh, forgot to mention, who says that those that want to buy 'that special bass' are waiting for Kings and Kays?"[/i]
- OK maybe not everyone. But certainly in the billy, blues, jump, swing, bluegrass circuits (which are of course heavily influenced by Americana) those are the names that excite people, for whatever reason. A known name is ALWAYS going to be worth more, ply or carved. Of course plenty of people are wise enough to know it's the sound that counts and just keep up the search for the bass that speaks to them, wherever it's made. And good European basses kick the ass of many US built name brands. BUT ... there ARE those people who say 'what I'd really like is a Kay...' and they'd find that last £2-3k for 'that special bass'.

[i]"I'm sure there are way more unusual & special basses out there!"[/i]
- Absolutely.
The market has slowed though. I am a nerd, and I've been watching the price of basses that go through the bay and gumtree etc for years. These days desirable US 'name' ply basses can go for up to £2-3k. Good Euro ply basses rarely go over £1k. Sometimes very decent basses go for £500 or less.

As eye-catching and great-sounding as your bass is (and I'd LOVE to give it a go...) there'd need to be damn good reason for it being elevated into the top price category for a roots/jazz bass. Of course that reason may be the sound alone ... and to the person who falls in love with it, £2k is not too much to pay. But I still maintain, you've been advertising this bass for what, a year? There's a reason no-one's bought it yet.

I genuinely sympathise if the bass owes you that much ... which is why I recommend selling by word of mouth to serious buyers, not open sale. I've been in the same position.

I would happily pass on to a few names in Europe if you like.

I'm sure this all sounds like I've got it in for you, or I'm just being a smart-arse. Well maybe the latter a little bit, but in reality I'm just trying to be a bit helpful. We can delete this and go private if you'd prefer?

[PaulKing]

While I'm here ... difficult to see from the pics but:
There's a centre seam on the front. Is it carved/pressed solid wood? That would up the price, I concede. Or is it ply? Most of what I say applies to ply really.

The finish is interesting and pretty - not original though i'd guess? Did you strip yourself? Or am I wrong?

And go on then .. what's the new more unusual toy?!

Edited September 9, 2010 by PaulKing

[Mr Bassman]

[quote name='PaulKing' post='950875' date='Sep 9 2010, 06:03 PM']The finish is interesting and pretty - not original though i'd guess? Did you strip yourself? Or am I wrong?[/quote]

Looks to me like it's been stripped