Vintage and Rare

[Buzzy]

Any Basschatters dealt with Vintage and Rare in the dreaded Denmark Street? I'm thinking of selling my 70s P and looking for an old Jazz Bass. Anyone have any thoughts on approaching them for a possible trade?

[Clarky]

Tend to be top dollar prices but generally reasonable people in my experience (not cowboys, just pricey). Drop Happy Jack a PM as he used to work around the corner and was often in there

[Grand Wazoo]

Not dealt with them but I hate the snobbish "tude" they have towards anyone that walks in there just to have a look. You can only sit on their posh sofa to try something if they think you look like you are going to buy any of their extremely overpriced old instruments.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Buzzy' post='1370191' date='Sep 12 2011, 10:46 AM']Any Basschatters dealt with Vintage and Rare in the dreaded Denmark Street? I'm thinking of selling my 70s P and looking for an old Jazz Bass. Anyone have any thoughts on approaching them for a possible trade?[/quote]
Dunno about trades, but I unloaded a Gibbo on them a few years back. Second best price on the street, (best was Angel music by about a tenner) but they had the cash in the till and he didn't. In and out in five mins, no tutting or teeth-sucking.

Any time I've been in there, they've always been perfectly pleasant to me, unlike numerous other stores. The deciding factor for me would be the relative dearth of bass stock.

Edited September 12, 2011 by skankdelvar

[gary mac]

Wouldn't you be better off offering the P bass on here?

[chris_b]

You won't get a "good" price but you will find yourself paying a "good" price!

See what you can get here or on eBay first. It doesn't seem to be a good time to be selling expensive gear at the moment. The market should be much better in a couple of years.

[fender73]

For what it's worth, i enquired about a couple of basses they had and had a great prompt email response back from them with loads of extra detail etc. coupled with an invite to pop in and give the basses a try.

G

[discreet]

Approached them out of curiosity re my 70s P and they told me they would buy it for £1000-£1200 and sell it for £1895-£2200.
Must be very high overheads in Denmark Street! As gary mac said, you would be better off selling it on here.

[Stingray5]

Definitely one of the more positive experiences in Tin Pan Alley!

[toneknob]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1370204' date='Sep 12 2011, 10:52 AM']Not dealt with them but I hate the snobbish "tude" they have towards anyone that walks in there just to have a look. You can only sit on their posh sofa to try something if they think you look like you are going to buy any of their extremely overpriced old instruments.[/quote]

Couldn't disagree more - whenever I go in (which used to be a lot - I worked around the corner), they're always first to suggest that I try out whatever I like the look of, and are more than happy to chat around any aspect of their stock. They've also helped out with valuing some of my more aged guitars. As someone else said, one of the more pleasant places to shop on Denmark St.

Edited September 12, 2011 by toneknob

[wayne58]

I have just done the very same thing, sold my P basses privately and sourced an old jazz from the US through Andy Baxter, who was very good to deal with.
He can also sell your basses on commission.
His prices are much more realistic, as he doesn't have the overheads of Denmark street.

www.andybaxterbass.com

Edited September 12, 2011 by wayne58

[Happy Jack]

In a shop like V&R it's much easier to persuade yourself that this all-original vintage Precision is genuine, and really is all-original, and of course it's not a refin or a re-fret or a 'bitsa'.

Get to know the local luthiers and you may feel differently about it.

Some of their prices are simply astonishing, but I have to assume that they know what they're doing.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1370204' date='Sep 12 2011, 10:52 AM']Not dealt with them but I hate the snobbish "tude" they have towards anyone that walks in there just to have a look. You can only sit on their posh sofa to try something if they think you look like you are going to buy any of their extremely overpriced old instruments.[/quote]
That's completely the opposite of my experience.

[jonno1981]

The bass gallery do commission sales at only 15% commission! Much more reasonable than the denmark street rates.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='jonno1981' post='1370964' date='Sep 12 2011, 07:35 PM']The bass gallery do commission sales at only 15% commission! Much more reasonable than the denmark street rates.[/quote]
Last time I rang V&R there commission rate was the same 15%
Commission sale Vs outright purchase aren't the same thing for comparison with the P bass mentioned.

[Legion]

I've only had one experience buying a bass from V&R myself and it was all very pleasant, the prices can be pretty "optimistic" but I guess thats the way they work and it doesnt mean you can't discuss it with them. I'd happily go there again.

[Stag]

[quote name='Legion' post='1371046' date='Sep 12 2011, 08:38 PM']I've only had one experience buying a bass from V&R myself and it was all very pleasant, the prices can be pretty "optimistic" but I guess thats the way they work and it doesnt mean you can't discuss it with them. I'd happily go there again.[/quote]

Absolutely the same experience I had which I mentioned on the Denmark St thread. Would be more than happy to deal with them again. After sales service was excellent also. Never had a problem trying out anything ive wanted to, and I dont look like a dude with loads of money... I tend to smell faintly of beer and smokes as thats generally what ive been doing before walking in there.

[Billy Apple]

I know Denmark St gets a bad rep, but I have always found V&R to be a decent bunch. I took my re-fin 62P down there for them to look at when I was considering letting her go. I thought they were honest and up front about what I could expect to achieve, and what their cut would be. They even gave me a valuation on headed paper at no charge. I go in now and again and always get a welcome, and they are not off about trying stuff out. But, yes they are very pricey on the ticket, but that does not mean that is what people pay.

Take her down, and see what they think, although it would seem to me that if you sold her here, you'd keep 100% for yourself.

[Buzzy]

Thanks for the input,now I've got to think about parting with my 70s P which I've had for years. Trouble is I played a 67 Jazz the other night and I'm gassing for a vintage Jazz, but would need to sell something to pay for it.

[throwoff]

Chiming in I always find V&R a friendly enviroment, I think really people who go in generally are : Seasoned players who know how to respect instruments, people with money to burn, people who are actually interested in guitars to the point the know about older models and vintage sounds etc.

I didnt have the guts to go in for about 3 years of going to Denmark street as I knew I could unlikely afford anything in there. First time I did with my spikey hair and less than jake T shirt they sat me down and let me plunk away on a 70's Jazz Bass. Great guys.

[xilddx]

[quote name='toneknob' post='1370385' date='Sep 12 2011, 01:19 PM']Couldn't disagree more - whenever I go in (which used to be a lot - I worked around the corner), they're always first to suggest that I try out whatever I like the look of, and are more than happy to chat around any aspect of their stock. They've also helped out with valuing some of my more aged guitars. As someone else said, one of the more pleasant places to shop on Denmark St.[/quote]
Yep me too. Most of the Fender and Rick basses I tried were awful to play, battered, dirty, and very overpriced, but the people were friendly and helpful and happy to let me play the instruments.

[Big_Stu]

Been in maybe half a dozen times ever. They've never had anything that I [i]had[/i] to have, but the staff were always alright. Last time the bloke was talking for ages with a previous customer, but I didn't mind, gave me a chance for a decent drool & if I had wanted anyhting I'd hope to get the same attantion.
They couldn't help with an insurance quote though, even though their advert said they would.

[4000]

Ahh, Simone....

[steve-soar]

[quote name='silddx' post='1372025' date='Sep 13 2011, 04:03 PM']Yep me too. Most of the Fender and Rick basses I tried were awful to play, battered, dirty, and very overpriced, but the people were friendly and helpful and happy to let me play the instruments.[/quote]
Spot on.

When I went to try out a 66 Jazz, year of my birth, I felt like I was in a surreal junk shop. Everything was grotty and stained but they were very friendly and the shop has a nice vibe.