tegs07

Maybe they just dreamed of owning one since they were 12, spent 30 years slogging through work, raised a family and could finally afford their childhood dream? The world isn’t just 1 dimensional... Edit: before you comment no I don’t own a fancy German car .. wouldn’t mind one of those air cooled 911’s though

Nothing if you’re happy with it. Don’t replace any of the electrics or hardware then if you go of it in a couple of years you can sell it for a 50% loss. Some one else may have bought a scarce MIJ 80’s Fender and sell that in a few years for a 20% profit. There is no right or wrong answer here.

I suppose this depends on whether you are buying a bass that is a workhorse, an aesthetic indulgence or an investment. I know people that are happy to spend £2.5K on a gaming monitor... a second hand Rickenbacker looks like a bargain compared to that, or a MIA limited edition.. buy wisely and you can sell it on several years later for a profit, Edit: I have never spent nor am I ever likely to spend more than £1000 on a bass.... but what appears expensive is relative. A friend who had been a lawyer for a couple of years whilst I was at uni had a thing for older Rickenbackers .... I thought what he was spending was utter lunacy but he could afford them then and if he still has them now they would be worth some serious cash.

Tricky because we don’t know what method is used to get the average.There is also likely to be a huge disparity in wealth and very big variations between rural and urban incomes which could really distort the figures.

Haha ... oh that website should be censored they are stunning instruments... I don’t normally like single cut basses but ... https://www.alpineguitar.fr/work/11678/

Will take a look thanks and yep I have a good idea who you may be ... 😜

True but I think the US gets quite a bashing at times ... my personal preconceptions have always been shattered whenever I have been there.

Possibly true but there may be an equal amount that just want to support American companies and I have no beef with that. I can’t help but admire the pride the French have for their own products and the enjoyment they take in consuming them ...

Probably the best anecdote I have is MusicMan Stingray. I first saw/heard one of these live when Simon Gallup from The Cure played one in the mid ‘80’s. It sounded great and looked it too and I wanted one. No budget then so was stuck with a Marlin clone P bass. Fast forward a decade or so and I still couldn’t really afford one! The Indonesian made Ray’s were a possibility though. Comparing the Sub to the real deal in the shop the gulf was massive, Nothing wrong with it but nothing brilliant either. The Ray34 on the other hand well that was getting harder to distinguish but that cost a grand for an Indonesian made bass. However the money had definitely been used wisely.. in the end I got a deal on the display model and used it for years without changing a thing and it still looked and sounded great when I eventually sold it.

That is indeed worthy of a frame

And that is where some of the cost creeps in .. nothing wrong with a Ply or composite body unless you’re interested in grain, finish and weight. Cheaper machine heads and bridge are fine too if you don’t mind the finish peeling off after a year or two. Cheap pickups and electrics .. don’t know how many folks I know that have bought £300 ish pounds bass then over a year is so swapped out all of the above and added £200 to the cost... when £500 or so on the second hand market would have got them a far better bass.

I feel the same way about Harley Davidson Motorcycles. I guess this is where concepts of heritage, aesthetics and iconography kick in. Personally I don’t have the funds nor do I particularly want a custom shop Fender but if I was a highly paid banker looking for some pretty object to hang in the entrance hall that epitomised rock and roll then the custom shop Fender would do that better than a Spector ...

There’s no issue other than the fact that you’re just putting down sweeping blanket statements as fact. Edit: Don’t mean to sound as harsh as it reads. That is the trouble with written word., no tone or subtly.. that said standing by the essence of the text. Not everything Fender makes is mediocre, ash and alder are nicer than chipboard and sometimes you really do get better value when you pay more.

You must be right then if scientists say so. Bloody scientists there always sneaking in and meddling with my basses.

I I have a couple of basses that cost over £400 and can honestly say they are better made and nicer to play than the cheaper ones that I own. One is a Fender and is a lovely instrument both aesthetically and build quality.

Again this goes back to something only being worth whatever someone else is willing to pay. If the 4005’s sell then that’s what they are worth. If they don’t sell they will be discontinued and/or come down in price.

!

Something is only “worth” what someone else is willing to pay for it.

Certainly generated some heated discussion in this thread! I suspect supply and distribution issues are at the heart of the price increase. There may be a bit of the “Apple Tax” as well... when a brand has a devoted following they are willing and able to pay more. The similarities with Rickenbacker have been made... personally I think they are a bit bling and overpriced but would still love a 4001 same with Land Rover Defenders. Just because they cost a fortune and a shed load of them go nowhere near a field and are driven by City types doesn’t detract from the fact they are fantastic vehicles.