charic Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327052398' post='1505584'] Blimey!!! I saw the price of a new Thumb! It's now more expensive that my MTD 535!!! I bought mine in 2002 when it retailed for £2050. It's now retailing at £2700!!! Are you serious...really?? How did a stock model gain £650 in 10yrs? [/quote] Because people will pay it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1327054210' post='1505617'] Because people will pay it. [/quote] Will they? I wouldn't. Like I said in a previous post, I paid £1300 for a Thumb Bolt-On back in 1998, mainly because I'd idolised Warwick basses for so long. In hindsight, I don't really think it was worth £1300, and no way a modern equivalent is worth £2300! I think the explosion of the net in the bass playing community will probably steer people away from spending that kind of money on a Warwick bass these days. Just like in this thread, if someone mentions they're planning on buying a new Warwick bass, plenty of peeps will chime in to direct them to the pre 2000 Thumb Bass NT's sitting in the "For Sale Section" for under £1k. I'd like to own a Warwick again at some point, but it will definitely be a pre owned pre 2000 Thumb NT or a Dolphin. Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I agree with you Eude...I think Warwick are just about to start sliding on that slippery slope of pricing themselves out of the 'off the rack' market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) [quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327052398' post='1505584'] Blimey!!! I saw the price of a new Thumb! It's now more expensive that my MTD 535!!! I bought mine in 2002 when it retailed for £2050. It's now retailing at £2700!!! Are you serious...really?? How did a stock model gain £650 in 10yrs? [/quote]/ what's that? 31% increase? So a bass selling then for about £800, like a american fender.... would be £1050 now..... which is how much off the current prices? and a fender isn't made of rare and hard to get now tropical african hardwoods either. Edited January 20, 2012 by LukeFRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 That Warwick Anniversary Streamer is really nice! A bit out of my price range though... As a matter of interest how much would a Streamer from the 80s be worth these days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1327055503' post='1505649'] That Warwick Anniversary Streamer is really nice! A bit out of my price range though... As a matter of interest how much would a Streamer from the 80s be worth these days? [/quote] If you're lucky, you could probably find an OK one for under £1000, from what I've seen on here anyway, worst case £1500 I reckon. Probably about a 1/3 of the cost of that anniversary one... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='eude' timestamp='1327055906' post='1505660'] If you're lucky, you could probably find an OK one for under £1000, from what I've seen on here anyway, worst case £1500 I reckon. Probably about a 1/3 of the cost of that anniversary one... Eude [/quote] Yeah, that's what I thought... I had a mid 80s Warwick, for a short time, in the early 90s. Didn't really get on with it, sold it on dirt cheap. But since refurbing my '95 Corvette I've fallen for Warwicks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1327055503' post='1505649'] That Warwick Anniversary Streamer is really nice! A bit out of my price range though... As a matter of interest how much would a Streamer from the 80s be worth these days? [/quote] Late eighties about £1200 - 1600 Early eighties.... more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Here's an immaculate Thumb from 89 for €1550! http://basschat.co.uk/topic/159036-warwick-thumbass-4nt-89-to-sell/ I guarantee that would whip the ass off any of the new ones and, again it's less than half the price! Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1327055214' post='1505639'] / what's that? 31% increase? So a bass selling then for about £800, like a american fender.... would be £1050 now..... which is how much off the current prices? and a fender isn't made of rare and hard to get now tropical african hardwoods either. [/quote] A very good point and something often overlooked. Fenders have taken some serious price hikes of late; for instance a MIM RW bass would appear to be seriously inflated and pretty much inline percentage increase wise with the Warwicks being discussed. [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1327056633' post='1505678'] Late eighties about £1200 - 1600 Early eighties.... more... [/quote] A lovely thought and some basses are 'advertised' at those prices but you can still find 80's - 90's NT Warwick basses on ebay for less than that! However... the state of the new prices means that values of older Warwicks will soon go through the roof! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well I doubt they would price it that high if it didn't work out financially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1327057192' post='1505694'] A lovely thought and some basses are 'advertised' at those prices but you can still find 80's - 90's NT Warwick basses on ebay for less than that! However... the state of the new prices means that values of older Warwicks will soon go through the roof! [/quote] DON'T YOU DARE! ill start looking now, and really really am trying not to spend anymore money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327052398' post='1505584'] Blimey!!! I saw the price of a new Thumb! It's now more expensive that my MTD 535!!! I bought mine in 2002 when it retailed for £2050. It's now retailing at £2700!!! Are you serious...really?? How did a stock model gain £650 in 10yrs? [/quote] Inflation. £2050 in 2002 is equivalent to £2665 today. Therefore, no real price increase. [quote name='eude' timestamp='1327054833' post='1505629'] I paid £1300 for a Thumb Bolt-On back in 1998, mainly because I'd idolised Warwick basses for so long. In hindsight, I don't really think it was worth £1300, and no way a modern equivalent is worth £2300! [/quote] This, OTOH, doesn't work out. £1300 from 1998 is worth £1,859 today so that model has gone up by nearly 24% . There's also the change in the exchange rate to consider. 10 years ago the Euro rate was about 1.6. It's now only about 1.2. That's a decrease of around 25%. Does that mean the first example has gone [i]down[/i] in price and the second one remained about the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='muttley' timestamp='1327058165' post='1505723'] This, OTOH, doesn't work out. £1300 from 1998 is worth £1,859 today so that model has gone up by nearly 24% . There's also the change in the exchange rate to consider. 10 years ago the Euro rate was about 1.6. It's now only about 1.2. That's a decrease of around 25%. Does that mean the first example has gone [i]down[/i] in price and the second one remained about the same? [/quote] Regardless of all the fancy maths, plain and simple, these basses are just "too expensive" now, and the replacement Korean made ones at the original price point, regardless of whether they cut the mustard or not, are always going to be viewed as sub par by comparison, at least by folks in the know, to the now insanely priced originals. If they'd managed to keep the same woods and finishes and out sourced the manufacture, I think it would've gone down OK, but it's now a step too far from "the sound of wood" if you ask me. Shame Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 It's not "fancy maths", just basic arithmetic. I've also made some big assumptions hence my question mark at the end of my final sentence. IANAE but I have at least tried to compare apples with apples (even if they are still different varieties ). Just complaining that they have gone up in price is meaningless; everything else has gone up too. [quote name='eude' timestamp='1327058529' post='1505736'] Regardless of all the fancy maths, plain and simple, these basses are just "too expensive" now [/quote] I agree with you on that point. But surely they have always been expensive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Just had a look at the new pricelist... WOW!!! What happened to German made Corvette standards at £599 max!?!? I remember in Coda Music in Stevenage a '93 Standard going for £399!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='muttley' timestamp='1327062024' post='1505842']I agree with you on that point. But surely they have always been expensive?[/quote] You might be right dude, I think, like I mentioned in a previous post, the ability to discuss the pros and cons of any bass or bass related purchase with people from all over the world really makes you think twice. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, they're not actually that much more expensive, but we are all a bit wiser... Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk_Warwick Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Hello everyone, regarding the prices, one have to take into account that the quality standards have risen, production fulfills highest ecological standards, employees are reasonably paid, all woods are air dried for at least 3 years, lacquering is absolutely state of the art, and so on. Of course these things result in a pretty high price. Dirk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='eude' timestamp='1327054833' post='1505629'] plenty of peeps will chime in to direct them to the pre 2000 Thumb Bass NT's sitting in the "For Sale Section" for under £1k. [/quote] Could you please direct me to one of these in the Classifieds as I want a Thumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='muttley' timestamp='1327062024' post='1505842'] I agree with you on that point. But surely they have always been expensive? [/quote] True, but as the price has gone up my salary has been frozen for the past three years. Every day living is more expensive these days because there is no much inbalance in the economy. That's the horrible mess we are in as consumers. My salary has always increased in line with inflation, so if the figure attached to an item increased the following year I could afford because my salary has increased in line with that anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1327063615' post='1505877'] Could you please direct me to one of these in the Classifieds as I want a Thumb. [/quote] None there at the moment, but they come and go fairly frequently. Keep yer eyes peeled Eude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327064533' post='1505898'] True, but as the price has gone up my salary has been frozen for the past three years. Every day living is more expensive these days because there is no much inbalance in the economy. That's the horrible mess we are in as consumers. My salary has always increased in line with inflation, so if the figure attached to an item increased the following year I could afford because my salary has increased in line with that anyway. [/quote] Aye but as the price of things have gone up and inflation has happened, musicians salaries haven't gone up in 20 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojplaysbass Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1326929934' post='1504078'] Ooh the Jack Bruce looks canny, I could defo fancy a fretless one of them :-) [/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='eude' timestamp='1327064614' post='1505899'] None there at the moment, but they come and go fairly frequently. Keep yer eyes peeled Eude [/quote] I will do, Always wanted a Thumb NT. Getting the Streamer was the bass that reminded me why Warwick suit me so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 [quote name='BigJim' timestamp='1327065087' post='1505908'] Aye but as the price of things have gone up and inflation has happened, musicians salaries haven't gone up in 20 years! [/quote] Yup...musicians have been hit hard too. Agencies are offering work 25% less than they did 5 years ago and very rarely include expenses in the fee these day, venues are paying less and the circuit is getting thinner on the gorund as the months go by because venues are going under. So, for musicians trying to earn a crust pay is going backwards rather being frozen. This is why I implore people to insure their gear, especially in the current economic climate, because if you have to replace an expensive piece of kit out of your own pocket it is going hit your pocket harder now than it has done before. Anyway...digressing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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