Where to sell a double bass

[K Barad]

I have a double  bass that's gone unplayed for too long and really deserves to go to a home where it will make music again.  Of course it's not that easy a thing to sell (it's not even easy to fit in a 7 seater) and I'm trying to get a list of places where I could try to sell, ideally in close range of Bristol since the reason it's not played is I'm too busy.

 

Any thoughts on where I should start looking? It seems harder to find places to sell than to buy 

Edited March 7, 2023 by wateroftyne

[spyder]

How about here on Basschat?

[K Barad]

1 minute ago, spyder said:

How about here on Basschat?

Sceptical about paying for access before a service?  I've not been here long enough: is there a huge throughout of bass sales succeeding?

[Beedster]

Selling it here will almost certainly cost you the least in terms of fees/commission by comparison with shops or most websites, it will mean that you can check out buyers ahead of entering into a deal (their feedback thread and their posts generally provide a very good clue as to whether you'd want them in your house trying out your gear), and will, at least to a degree, provide you with some support should you have any problems. I've bought and sold a lot of music gear over the years and this is by far the best place in the UK and probably in Europe to do so, especially something as niche as a 4/4 DB. Good luck 👍

[NickD]

I'd go with here too. Sure they're not something you can post, but I drove from London to Scotland for the right bass. I think all markets are a bit slow at the moment, but I trust the folks here, and it's well worth it for that alone.

[Beedster]

25 minutes ago, K Barad said:

Sceptical about paying for access before a service?  I've not been here long enough: is there a huge throughout of bass sales succeeding?

 

Have a look at the very high number of "Closed" threads in the Sale forums, in 99% of cases they are closed because the item sold 👍

[petebassist]

If I was selling my bass, here would be the first place I'd try, on a pickup only basis from where I live or travel to regularly. This avoids the criminal and the deranged that you tend to get on fleabay and other marketplace. I wouldn't expect it to sell quickly though, being highly niche instruments.

[Jakester]

I recently bought a double bass from BC, and it had been bought and sold on here at least once before that. 

 

The other option is try one of the shops - Bristol Violins might sell for you on a commission basis?

[JoeEvans]

If I was looking for another double bass I would always look here, on eBay and at the Double Bass Room as a basic start. 

[NickA]

Also here.  Though it tends towards orchestral and hence rather higher end stuff than basschat.

 

https://www.musicalchairs.info/double-bass/sales

 

[NickA]

4 minutes ago, JoeEvans said:

Double Bass Room as a basic start. 

Excellent place to look for a bass ..but what's their commission like? 

 

I think most dealers take 20% ( bass bags a bit less I think), but dealers will up the price which softens the commission blow a bit.

 

I thought of trading mine in for one a little better quality and significantly better condition a few years back.  I'd have spent £10k to get the better bass, the dealer said he'd put mine up for around £6k but he'd do £1k of work on it first so couldn't pay more than £5k and wouldn't do a comission sale without the work being done.  He suggested I sell it privately 🙂 .

 

...since when Tim Batchelar has declared mine "a nice bass" and made it sound better than the £10k one.  Dealers hmm.

[JoeEvans]

55 minutes ago, NickA said:

Excellent place to look for a bass ..but what's their commission like? 

 

I think most dealers take 20% ( bass bags a bit less I think), but dealers will up the price which softens the commission blow a bit.

🙂

Yes, sorry, I wasn't very clear there... I don't think I'd sell a bass through a dealer, I meant more that as people often look in a few basic places, you only need to advertise in one of them to reach buyers. So if Basschat is accepted as one of the basics, you could start by just advertising here and see how it goes.

[Beedster]

2 hours ago, NickA said:

I think most dealers take 20% ( bass bags a bit less I think), but dealers will up the price which softens the commission blow a bit.

 

The problem is that upping the price to cover the dealer's commission might ensure that when it sells you get the money you wanted it also makes the bass less likely to sell in the first place so it's a vicious cycle. 

[Beedster]

2 hours ago, NickA said:

...since when Tim Batchelar has declared mine "a nice bass" and made it sound better than the £10k one.  Dealers hmm.

 

I suspect that's as much about the vagaries of double basses - in which a £1000 instrument that's been well set up and well played in can play and sound a whole lot better than a £10,000 instrument that hasn't - as it is about the nature of dealers. But yes, point taken 

[Beedster]

And frankly had the O/P posted a photo of the bass in his first post he'd probably be half way to selling it already  

[Woodinblack]

10 minutes ago, Beedster said:

And frankly had the O/P posted a photo of the bass in his first post he'd probably be half way to selling it already  

 

No, the thread would  have been removed!

[Beedster]

15 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

No, the thread would  have been removed!

 

[3below]

£20 to get your bass ( and any other kit over a year ) advertised to the largest UK pool of bass players. Bargain in anyone's money. I looked at the kit I used on Friday's gig: bass, pickups, straplocks, machine heads, strings, sansamp, tuner and cab. All BC purchases

Edited March 7, 2023 by 3below

[NickA]

Absolutely.  And there's come back as no-one wants a bad name here and lots of stuff does the rounds.  EG I believe I have Beedsters old pb300 active extension cab ... though this is the first he'll know if it!!

[TheRev]

I bought both my basses via Ebay, but mainly because there wasn't anything local available on Basschat.   I'd have much rather bought on here if it had been an option.

 

The only shops that I've ever seen a double bass for sale in Bristol was in Cremona House on Park Row and Hobgoblin Music on Park street, and that was 5 years ago at least.

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, NickA said:

Absolutely.  And there's come back as no-one wants a bad name here and lots of stuff does the rounds.  EG I believe I have Beedsters old pb300 active extension cab ... though this is the first he'll know if it!!

 

Ha ha, I don't think you're alone in owning some of my ex gear mate  

 

And that's a bloody nice cab isn't it 👍

[NickA]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

that's a bloody nice cab

Certainly is.  Makes my pjb flight case giggable.

[JPJ]

On 07/03/2023 at 07:11, 3below said:

£20 to get your bass ( and any other kit over a year ) advertised to the largest UK pool of bass players. Bargain in anyone's money. I looked at the kit I used on Friday's gig: bass, pickups, straplocks, machine heads, strings, sansamp, tuner and cab. All BC purchases

And your £20 supports keeping the forum alive. I happily pay mine whether I intend buying or selling or not (but I do so its certainly value for money).

[casapete]

I have a 3/4 DB that I’ll be selling soon. Will advertise it on here in the first instance,

although it’s not going to be easy as I don’t have a clue as to it’s age and quality!
Will maybe post some pics to see if anyone can help me with it? Lots of folk

on here will be able to shed some light on it I’m sure.