Escalating Prices

[thebassist]

According to Google, 2023 inflation rates so far for the following:

• UK is 6.1%
• France is 6.3%
• Germany is 8.7%
• USA is 6%
• Canada is 5.2%
• Australia is 5.5%
• New Zealand is 7.5%
• Norway is 6.3%
• Switzerland is 3.4%
• Japan is 3.3%

Personally I don't think its because of Brexit, Trump, Biden or any one government - these developed countries have governments spanning the spectrum of ideologies.

 

While it's far, far, far more complicated with many more factors involved, I think this inflation is, predominantly, down to the aftermath of covid and the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

[Dood]

One of the things I find interesting is that, like many of us here, being a member since Basschat began (2007 I think) and then long before that, BassWorld, you get to see the same kit being flipped and bought by other members. The price trends can be eye opening at times. 

[Ralf1e]

20 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

As regards pretty well all ordinary commodities.. much of this is obviously artificially created, the whole expectation has first been set up.. then we'll raise prices because we can... 

In sales we called it price conditioning. In the building industry it is a practiced sharp intake of breath.

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, thebassist said:

According to Google, 2023 inflation rates so far for the following:

• UK is 6.1%
• France is 6.3%
• Germany is 8.7%
• USA is 6%
• Canada is 5.2%
• Australia is 5.5%
• New Zealand is 7.5%
• Norway is 6.3%
• Switzerland is 3.4%
• Japan is 3.3%

Personally I don't think its because of Brexit, Trump, Biden or any one government - these developed countries have governments spanning the spectrum of ideologies.

 

While it's far, far, far more complicated with many more factors involved, I think this inflation is, predominantly, down to the aftermath of covid and the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

Exactly, two major incidents, one of which affected pretty much the whole world, the other affecting a large chunk of it.

[Waddo Soqable]

Nah, much of this blah blah blah is just a golden excuse to have everyone's trousers down, pure and simple

[Lozz196]

Re used gear, well the prices always tended to be based around what an item would cost new. In 2015 I got a new US Precision for £900, at the time used ones were £500 to £600. A new Precision now is around £1800 so it’s unlikely that the second hand won’t also come up in price.

[Jack]

I just wish I'd held on to the two bongos I sold for £700 and £750.

[Waddo Soqable]

5 minutes ago, Jack said:

I just wish I'd held on to the two bongos I sold for £700 and £750.

Blimey, what would a set of Congas go for then.. 😂

[thodrik]

Prices of basses have been going up for years, even before the large inflation jumps. I have had a Sadowsky NYC bass which probably has grown in value by about £1000 in seven years and my s9 Fender Precision is probably worth about £1,300-£1,500 quid now and I bought it for £400 in 1999. It is bit crazy but frankly to be expected in current economic circumstances.

The only part of the bass market where used prices are not rising relate to the older Mosfet/hybrid amps because there is no demand for them. Also, the newer class D 'flagship' amps for companies like Mesa Boogie, Gallien Krueger, Aguilar etc, are generally cheaper than the old 'flagship' mosfet amps so I would argue that there actually hasn't been escalating prices to the same degree in the amp market compared to basses.  However, if you can handle the weight there are a lot of brilliant amps available for the fraction of the RRP at the time.

Frankly, I am less worried by the escalating prices of bass guitars than I am by the escalating prices of Weetabix, milk and those boxes instant Cappacino sachets thingys Nestle make.

 

 

[Chaddy]

Try buying a house! 

50-80k what they were only 2 years ago and double the interest rates. 

[Rayman]

3 hours ago, Doctor J said:

There are a lot of people chancing their arm with asking prices on second hand gear, which leads to people thinking the stuff is worth more than it actually is and asking prices go up, as a whole, as a result. Reverb is a haven for silly asking prices.

 

I've seen several bass I sold off around five years ago listed, by the people I sold them to, for over double what they paid. It seems to be the norm, now. Just shameless profiteering, nothing more.

 

Yep, and it drives up the prices of ok/decent gear in the direction of “high end” prices. 
 

There’s no shame in your favourite bass costing a couple of hundred ££s, one of my favourite basses (a Sunn Mustang) was under a hundred quid inc adding a KiOgon loom! I saw a guy online asking for £400 for one…. just because it’s old? I mean I love mine to bits, so much so I have two, identical, but I’m not paying money like that for one.

[Waddo Soqable]

A lot of this old basses = expensive, is down to comedians on ebay putting any OLD tutt up for ridiculous buy it now prices, people use ebay as a kind of Glass's price guide nowadays and then assume "oh that old busted up piece of 70s crap I've got is worth 300 quid" 

Many of the stupidly priced things on ebay will never sell at the price asked, but nevertheless it gives the impression of a value, which simply isn't in any way feasible .. 

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said:

A lot of this old basses = expensive, is down to comedians on ebay putting any OLD tutt up for ridiculous buy it now prices, people use ebay as a kind of Glass's price guide nowadays and then assume "oh that old busted up piece of 70s crap I've got is worth 300 quid" 

Many of the stupidly priced things on ebay will never sell at the price asked, but nevertheless it gives the impression of a value, which simply isn't in any way feasible .. 

 

Doesn't anyone with a brain use the "completed listings" view?  Perhaps I'm giving Joe Public a bit too much benefit of the doubt...

[Waddo Soqable]

49 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Doesn't anyone with a brain use the "completed listings" view?  Perhaps I'm giving Joe Public a bit too much benefit of the doubt...

Nah, they'll just look at "bass guitar" or "vintage bass guitar" or whatever and see what comes up... 

[LewisK1975]

4 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Re used gear, well the prices always tended to be based around what an item would cost new. In 2015 I got a new US Precision for £900, at the time used ones were £500 to £600. A new Precision now is around £1800 so it’s unlikely that the second hand won’t also come up in price.

 

Lozz's point here illustrates perfectly what I find frustrating.  Like most of us on here, I tend to remember (roughly, granted) how much stuff cost going back over the years (when I were a lad, lol)

 

So the same 2015 Precision that cost £900 new, is now up for sale 8 years later secondhand at £1000+ coz a new 2023 US precision is now £1800.

 

EDIT:  This is great if you're selling, mind.

Edited March 27, 2023 by LewisK1975
addition

[nige1968]

7 minutes ago, LewisK1975 said:

EDIT:  This is great if you're selling, mind.

 

I got a couple of cans of Heinz tomato soup going if anyone's interested. £150 a tin? After all, in a few years it will be vintage.

[Kitsto]

But are these advertised basses actually selling? My impression from casting my eye over the basses-for-sale forum and Bass Bros is that a lot of stuff is just not moving at the prices asked. I see basses advertised at north of 2k and wonder who on earth is going to be buying them, given the cost-of-living crisis detailed above.

 

I've never had expensive kit. When I used to gig I played my trusty ESP Ltd. I had two: one new at £450 and one 2nd hand at half that price. Bass Bros have one going for £425 which is sort of what I'd expect to pay now.

 

I've only ever paid more than 1k for a bass once - and would never do that again (much as I love it). So people holding on to expensive basses thinking they've got an investment may find they haven't. Far more of us can afford a bass at £400 than three times that.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Kitsto

[drTStingray]

From my own experience - prices of Stingrays - early 2000s (NB certain models may be more - there are more than just a 3 band 4 string)

 

Used - £750

New - £1300

Pre EB - £1750

 

Now

 

Used - £1500

New (Stingray Special only available) - £2900

Pre EB - £3500

 

NB a new 3 band 4 string was about £720 in 1993. 
 

The price of a new 4HH Stingray Special in a sparkle colour, late 2018 was circa £2250 - suggesting 30% increase since then - 30% inflation in 3.5 yrs - probably reflecting the general inflation rate. 

 

Thus the prices have roughly doubled in about 20 yrs - main factors affecting this -simple year on year inflation and then after 2019 COVID - massive impact on manufacturing and distribution costs and delays. 
 

Brexit crippled the exchange rate and screwed up intra EU trading. The former will have affected the new costs of Stingrays in the U.K. 

 

I am guessing that this is reflected with other manufacturers with the possible exception of Fender, whose previous business model of parking loads of product in certain large retailer’s premises might have front loaded availability - thus price rises for them are probably a little delayed compared with others. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by drTStingray

[iconic]

Not wishing to sound the horn of doom and gloom.....but I will😊I've found the market for bass guitars, strats, teles and amps to be fairly sticky and price sensitive at the moment, and with current jitters n worries can't see it changing for the foreseeable future. 

This slow market trend is even more so at the romantic end of the market, by which means the old/vintage/classic, I've been moving my stuff on. 

 

Same with the classic car market, behind the hype of a few hero cars (some of which didn't complete on sales) there's a lot of stock going to suction, and a lot of pills being swallowed. The bread n butter sector is interesting too but for other reasons, I'll leave it there on that. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by iconic

[miles'tone]

Interestingly, in 1962 a new Fender Precision cost $220. In today's UK money that's about £1650. Add onto that the vat and import duty and a new Fender American Original P (or whatever they're called this year) is about the same relative price as it was then. Perhaps even a smidge cheaper.  

[casapete]

I’ve been watching this thread with interest, especially as I’m currently looking for a bass for a 

friend of mine. He is a beginner, and asked me to help him find a bass. When he said how much

will he need to pay, I said probably around £100 which is what I thought it would cost to find him

a Squier Affinity or something similar. Been looking for a few days, and haven’t seen anything 

half decent for less than £150 or more. It would seem that even the budget end of the market

has not been immune to a big hike.
(I’ll maybe take a look at Thomann for a Harley Benton or something, but would have preferred

to have a go on a bass before buying.)

[mr4stringz]

33 minutes ago, casapete said:

I’ve been watching this thread with interest, especially as I’m currently looking for a bass for a 

friend of mine. He is a beginner, and asked me to help him find a bass. When he said how much

will he need to pay, I said probably around £100 which is what I thought it would cost to find him

a Squier Affinity or something similar. Been looking for a few days, and haven’t seen anything 

half decent for less than £150 or more. It would seem that even the budget end of the market

has not been immune to a big hike.
(I’ll maybe take a look at Thomann for a Harley Benton or something, but would have preferred

to have a go on a bass before buying.)

Yes, Harley Benton should probably be your go to in that ballpark.

 

 

 

[PaulThePlug]

I'd be checking Gumtree to see whats local...

[casapete]

41 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

I'd be checking Gumtree to see whats local...

Been doing that, and FB market place - nowt!

[iconic]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

I’ve been watching this thread with interest, especially as I’m currently looking for a bass for a 

friend of mine. He is a beginner, and asked me to help him find a bass. When he said how much

will he need to pay, I said probably around £100 which is what I thought it would cost to find him

a Squier Affinity or something similar. Been looking for a few days, and haven’t seen anything 

half decent for less than £150 or more. It would seem that even the budget end of the market

has not been immune to a big hike.
(I’ll maybe take a look at Thomann for a Harley Benton or something, but would have preferred

to have a go on a bass before buying.)

I wouldn't p**s about on Marketplace for Squiers, which I like myself but, are now poor value for money TBH.

 

.....most sellers haven't a clue what they are selling or, very importantly how to store and maintain a bass....which means not in the shed, by a radiator etc and not adjusting a truss rod with an almost fitting IKEA allen key etc.

 

Just buy a base (bass😊) model Harley Benton and enjoy.

I work on quite a few guitars and have yet to have a Harley Benton runt pass thru my hands.

The HB fit, finish, playability and sounds are in truth all one really needs, the rest is, if we were honest, vanity stuff.

Yes, they may/will need a set up - but so does a Fender US Custom Shop - but that's it, no unwanted surprises and he gets the colour he wants with decent strings too, amazingly. 😎

Edited March 27, 2023 by iconic