Bass prices?!?!

[AndyBob09]

I've recently been looking at buying another Stingray and have been look at the BC marketplace.

In 2010, I bought my current Stingray 5 for £750 - And at the time, I could have got one for around £700 if I'd have shopped slightly more carefully, but I loved the colour of mine so HAD to have it.

However, looking at the marketplace, it would appear you're hard pushed if you want to be spending £700 and prices seem to be starting at about £800 and going up to over a grand for a second hand product.

I know the market really was a buyer's market for years because people had no money, so prices had to be favourable to buyers.

So, is it the case that a few years ago, guitars were sold for less than what they were worth? Are guitars going up in VALUE or just in price?

Are shops selling guitars more expensively too? I haven't priced in shops for years and years, so wouldn't know!

And does anyone have a Stingray 5 they want to let go of for £700?

[LiamPodmore]

Some places i've seen are selling Stingray 4H's for anything up to £1500 now, where i remember a few years ago they were usually around £1250 in most retailers, so that's probably had some effect on the pricing. Even so, £800 for a Stingray 4 in good nick is still a damn good price if you ask me.

Liam

[Prime_BASS]

I think that it's more to do with sellers wanting a better price for their stuff rather than letting it go for pennies. I got my stingray 4 from the states and after duty I paid about 650 quid, and I'm sure it's for sale at the minute for nearly 800.

There are still stuff going cheaper, but a lot more sellers are prepared to wait for the right buyer, and a lot I feel have 'wishfully' priced their stuff without looking at the market.

[geoffbyrne]

It's probably more to do with the nosedive of the £ against the $.

G.

[LukeFRC]

new prices have shot up. At the same time you're selling something secondhand you're going to keep the new price in mind too- also I don't think folk at the moment are willing to dip their prices to make the sale....

[TRBboy]

Anything is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

I think used prices have gone up a little recently, but there's still plenty of bargains about. The way that be prices have gone up has shocked me though, especially Fender prices and suchlike. The fact that you can easily buy a handbuilt, custom spec bass for less than an off-the-peg US Fender is crazy in my opinion! Don't see why people are still buying them tbh, but I guess as long as it says Fender on the headstock, people will part with however much they have to....

Edited October 13, 2013 by TRBboy

[JapanAxe]

Slightly OT but it seems to be a buyer's market for used amps at the moment - I am watching several in the Market Place!

[edstraker123]

Prices have definitely gone up. I got a brand new Bongo for £800 a few years back and I've recently seen a Shuker which I bought new for 1400 going for 1600 on ebay several owners down the line.
It seems like the top end stuff is keeping its value better and I don't think i would risk making any niche market purchases any more as you will never get the price back should you ever want to sell.

[Chest Rockwell]

Seeing as I play in a stoner rock (layman's terms : Black Sabbath) band, Im holding out for one day picking up one of those planks that aren't allowed on here. Ebayers have em going for less than a grand, although there's plenty new ones priced higher. the prices there seem to be a lot less and people are prepared to gamble on start prices of £500 or less. Only trouble is I'm technically clueless and couldnt tell a dink in the headstock from a bass put together with pieces from a scrap yard... so I'm loathe to try for the 2nd hands ones that aren't sold as near mint.

I did pick up my mint (before i dinged it ) Geddy Jap though for £400 a few years ago, and for my purposes it's still utterly awesome. If I could find one in the same nick and price that's a 'burst, I'd probably buy it too, just to have both!

Even though Im only really interested in Jazz's and the other one, prices seem to range a great deal.

[Lozz196]

Bear in mind that a lot of the prices we see are our over-inflated prices. Earlier this year I bought a brand new Fender Precision 2012 Series from the US. Including delivery and customs charges etc it worked out to about £900 - some £300 less than if I`d bought in this country.

[stingrayPete1977]

Stingray fives have mostly held about a hundred pound more than four string version of the same age and spec, also a big factor is the upgrade they did in 2007,(quite a few for sale here have been the new version), any new versions are going to be quite a bit more than the older version but to the untrained eye it just looks like a lot more money for a slightly newer bass, I'd want a grand minimum for my 2010 for example yet probably £750 for my 2007. The new list prices like all brands are higher too, my classic is well over £2k now.

Edited October 13, 2013 by stingrayPete1977

[afterimage]

importing might be the way to go but depends on exchange rates i bought my geddy lee jazz mim from the states as i could not get a good value second hand user one in uk

[Gust0o]

It's a market - it will move

I have my SR4 listed here for £750 cash, though more for trades. I think there are others in that ballpark - though perhaps not the 5-string you're looking for.

[molan]

New MusicMan prices have rocketed. It's not dealers trying to make a fast buck either, I've seen the trade prices

Used values don't seem to have moved much but some, like the Classics, are holding values really well and sell quickly.

As a new purchase I'd say the standard Ray is one of the fastest depreciating basses around. They can lose 50% of value very quickly even if kept in immaculate condition.

[clashcityrocker]

Bit off topic but strange how many Sterlings have come up for sale on here in the last few months,never used to be any really. Good to see them selling around the 800 mark,not that I ever wanna sell mine (heard that before)

[Musicman20]

The right bass in the right condition will always sell if you are patient eg if a buyer is actively seeking one.

Musicman prices have shot up. The used market will catch up.

[Dingus]

We seem to have this discussion quite regulaly , but I have to ask the question Gareth , if the price of EBMM basses has steadily increased over the last few years and yet the price of used basses has remained consistantly depressed , why would the price of new basses increasing further recently suddenly start making prices rise ? Why didn't that happen after all the previous price hikes ? What's different about the most recent one to make that situation change ? There is already some significant reason why prices are at a certain level , and whatever it is seems to be fairly impervious to increases in the price of new basses .

I can remember twenty years ago the price of a decent used Stingray was between £500-£600, depending on age and condition ect. If they are currently going for between £650 and £800 for a very good example then that tells you something is keeping prices at a certain point . I would suggest that the simple fact is that there are so many used Stingrays available that you will never see the used value appreciate unless something dramatic happens to increase their desirability in relation to their supply. That isn't likely to happen . It affects me too as an EBMM owner myself, but we all have to face that fact that they might be great basses but none of us will be selling them anytime soon and retiring on the proceeds .

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1381698329' post='2242628']
We seem to have this discussion quite regulaly , but I have to ask the question Gareth , if the price of EBMM basses has steadily increased over the last few years and yet the price of used basses has remained consistantly depressed , why would the price of new basses increasing further recently suddenly start making prices rise ? Why didn't that happen after all the previous price hikes ? What's different about the most recent one to make that situation change ? There is already some significant reason why prices are at a certain level , and whatever it is seems to be fairly impervious to increases in the price of new basses .

I can remember twenty years ago the price of a decent used Stingray was between £500-£600, depending on age and condition ect. If they are currently going for between £650 and £800 for a very good example then that tells you something is keeping prices at a certain point . I would suggest that the simple fact is that there are so many used Stingrays available that you will never see the used value appreciate unless something dramatic happens to increase their desirability in relation to their supply. That isn't likely to happen . It affects me too as an EBMM owner myself, but we all have to face that fact that they might be great basses but none of us will be selling them anytime soon and retiring on the proceeds .
[/quote]

Oh I didn't mean dramatically. Just that the recent £200+ rise might make sellers not so keen to well so cheap. I usually have quite specific specs on mine (eg hh, matching headstock, not black or pearl blue) and it tends to attract a much more sensible second hand price.

I agree. £800 is still a good price for a used Ray H in excellent condition. Especially if it's a sunburst or natural.

Black? Hmm...loads about.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1381699866' post='2242678']
Oh I didn't mean dramatically. Just that the recent £200+ rise might make sellers not so keen to well so cheap. I usually have quite specific specs on mine (eg hh, matching headstock, not black or pearl blue) and it tends to attract a much more sensible second hand price.

I agree. £800 is still a good price for a used Ray H in excellent condition. Especially if it's a sunburst or natural.

Black? Hmm...loads about.
[/quote]

I am shocked at the prices a lot of basses - not just EBMM, by any means- go for secondhand on Basschat, Gareth , and I think it's a symptom of the fact that a lot of people need to raise some cash and the way the economy has been for a long time now , there is increasinly little money about and no real sign of things improving . If people are desperate to buy another bass they fancy or need the cash for something non-music related they can be in the position of having to take whatever they can get, I'm sorry to say. It certainly seems to be a buyers market, across the board.

[molan]

I think it's interesting to compare the values of bog standard US Fenders with MusicMan.

A new US Standard is around £1,250 whereas a Stingray is closer to £1,500. However, on the used market they are trading at pretty much the same price. If we take £750 as an 'achievable' price, purely for the sake of comparison, then the Fender is losing 40% from new (pretty much a market average for a lot of instruments) whereas the Ray has dropped 50%.

I don't think this can be because there are more Rays around than US Fenders. Feels like it's simple market demand and that Rays are just a little less popular. I'm sure it wasn't that long ago that a Ray would almost always command a premium of £50 - £100 above its equivalent Fender but prices are a lot closer now.

I don't know the history of the new market well enough to know if it's just recent thing in terms of depreciation but that extra £250 (even more if you go for some colours) must be hurting sales a fair bit.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1381699866' post='2242678']
Oh I didn't mean dramatically. Just that the recent £200+ rise might make sellers not so keen to well so cheap. I usually have quite specific specs on mine (eg hh, matching headstock, not black or pearl blue) and it tends to attract a much more sensible second hand price.

I agree. £800 is still a good price for a used Ray H in excellent condition. Especially if it's a sunburst or natural.

Black? Hmm...loads about.
[/quote]
[quote name='molan' timestamp='1381701877' post='2242711']
I think it's interesting to compare the values of bog standard US Fenders with MusicMan.

A new US Standard is around £1,250 whereas a Stingray is closer to £1,500. However, on the used market they are trading at pretty much the same price. If we take £750 as an 'achievable' price, purely for the sake of comparison, then the Fender is losing 40% from new (pretty much a market average for a lot of instruments) whereas the Ray has dropped 50%.

I don't think this can be because there are more Rays around than US Fenders. Feels like it's simple market demand and that Rays are just a little less popular. I'm sure it wasn't that long ago that a Ray would almost always command a premium of £50 - £100 above its equivalent Fender but prices are a lot closer now.

I don't know the history of the new market well enough to know if it's just recent thing in terms of depreciation but that extra £250 (even more if you go for some colours) must be hurting sales a fair bit.
[/quote]

Thats an interesting point about the price in relation to Fenders, Barrie. I think Fenders are a bit of law unto themselves in terms of resale value , for all kinds of reasons. I have seen wrecks that sold for ridiculous money, and I often see post 2008 Am St basses that are always a great buy go for £650-£750 on Basschat and to me that represents a fantastic purchase for someone , as is a Stingray for the kind of money we have discussed . Didn't EBMM U.K prices go up a lot and then come down again last year or am I remembering wrong ?

I know your basses are mint and with some nice options Gareth , so you I could demand a premium on the secondhand price because of that. In light of that, Basschat might not be the best place to sell them in the unlikely eventuality that you decided to move them on .

Edited October 13, 2013 by Dingus

[roonjuice]

Only my 2p, but i readily whacked over a g (to Gareth) for a specific ray. He had exactly what i wanted/needed. it was there waiting and obviously less than new (but in shop new condition, cheers G!!)
So speaking only personally, the money is there for the right instruments regarding buyers and sellers.

[Dingus]

[quote name='roonjuice' timestamp='1381714294' post='2242813']
Only my 2p, but i readily whacked over a g (to Gareth) for a specific ray. He had exactly what i wanted/needed. it was there waiting and obviously less than new (but in shop new condition, cheers G!!)
So speaking only personally, the money is there for the right instruments regarding buyers and sellers.
[/quote]

If your buying one of Gareth's basses then you know it is a good example and that it has been looked after., so that is worth paying extra for if those things are a priority for you ( it cetainly is for me ) .

[stingrayPete1977]

At the end of the day every car I have owned except for my classic ones has lost around £1500 a year so in reality thats a new USA Ray every year for nothing really isnt it, but people keep buying new cars and the cycle continues. Buy a used one for £750 now keep it for twenty years and I am sure it will be worth more than the Ford Focus we have on the drive right now, it will also still be a solid reliable gigging bass that looks and sounds great too, I see no problem

[Dingus]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1381769463' post='2243453']
At the end of the day every car I have owned except for my classic ones has lost around £1500 a year so in reality thats a new USA Ray every year for nothing really isnt it, but people keep buying new cars and the cycle continues. Buy a used one for £750 now keep it for twenty years and I am sure it will be worth more than the Ford Focus we have on the drive right now, it will also still be a solid reliable gigging bass that looks and sounds great too, I see no problem
[/quote]

I agree wholeheartedly. Buying most basses is a much better investment than most other consumer durables, but the real value is the use you get from it.