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Does anyone know how basses are sold each year ?


far0n
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Here's a quick finger in the air.

Music Sources (US trade assoc) say that in 2009 about 3m guitars (electric and acoustic) were sold in the US through dedicated music retailers plus maybe another mill through general retailers, making about 4 million. NAMM report for 2010 reckons:

* the sales split is about 50:50 electric and acoustic , thus making about 2m electrics sold in the US but doesn't break out basses from guitars

* The US represents about 40% of the global market

* So that makes about 5 million electric 'guitars' sold worldwide in 2009.

* A separate NAMM report for the UK shows that in 2009 16% (64,000) of all UK electric guitar sales were electric basses.

If we apply that UK 16% to global sales of 5m 'electric guitars' (almost certainly a bit incorrect) we'd get a figure of 800,000 new basses sold every year. OK, they wouldn't [i]all[/i] be sold in their year of manufacture, but one assumes that there's a fairly consistent annualised overlap.

So, the best estimate (without paying to join NAMM and get the detailed 2011 data) is 800,000 basses made worldwide every year. It's not the big figure that worries me. It's the 16% of all electric sales.

Edited by skankdelvar
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[quote name='far0n' timestamp='1337869786' post='1666737']
I'm talking brand new ones. If I was to hazard a guess, maybe 100,000 Fenders a year worldwide ? Not sure about the larger manufacturers... Warwick, Musicman, Cort etc
[/quote]

Would you say Musicman were larger? Or Warwick for that matter?

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Its a point thats always worried me too......imagine how many quality basses have been produced in the last ten years!!,,
Must be a hell of a lot of bedrooms full of em.......,,
its a where do all the lost biros go syndrome. ha...

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[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1337874106' post='1666844']
It's not the big figure that worries me. It's the 16% of all electric sales.
[/quote]

A good call. We're a relatively small proportion of the overall market, with all that that might suggest about guitar trends ;)

For a full picture we might also add in some assumptions around the circulation of items, thinking of the used market - which we know is strong.

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One further stat analysis:

UK - all 'electric guitar' sales = about 400,000

USA - all 'electric guitar' sales = about 2,000,000 = 5 times as much as UK

USA population = about 5 times bigger than UK - so based on the 2009 survey, it would seem we buy about the same number of 'electric guitars' per capita population as the USA. Not a bad achievement, in a way. Go UK!

I agree 16% [i]seems[/i] a bit low, but them's the only bass-related figures I could find :). Might have another search later.

[color=#ffffff].[/color]

Edited by skankdelvar
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In our church we have 4 guitarists on the rotas and probably twice that again in the church who can play/have a guitar = 12.

There are 2 bass players.

2÷12 = 16.67%.

I would say 1 in 6 is about right.

Do guitarists have as many guitars as bassists have basses?

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Similarly I'm very curious how often instruments sell in stores. I'm sure someone here would have worked in a music store. If so can you tell me which store and on average how often you sold instruments.

I'm a little curious about % total sales for certain other items too. e.g. amps, picks etc. ;)

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[quote name='CBbass' timestamp='1337893433' post='1667191']
Similarly I'm very curious how often instruments sell in stores. I'm sure someone here would have worked in a music store. If so can you tell me which store and on average how often you sold instruments.

I'm a little curious about % total sales for certain other items too. e.g. amps, picks etc. ;)
[/quote]


This is going to sound fabulously scientific...

We sell LOADS of guitars, we sell some basses

16% sounds pretty much bang on to me. Perhaps even a little less.

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[quote name='Mark_Andertons' timestamp='1337893913' post='1667213']
This is going to sound fabulously scientific...

We sell LOADS of guitars, we sell some basses

16% sounds pretty much bang on to me. Perhaps even a little less.
[/quote]

Thanks man, Andertons is my favorite music store ;) .

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[quote name='CBbass' timestamp='1337893433' post='1667191']
Similarly I'm very curious how often instruments sell in stores. I'm sure someone here would have worked in a music store. If so can you tell me which store and on average how often you sold instruments.

I'm a little curious about % total sales for certain other items too. e.g. amps, picks etc. ;)
[/quote]

Bet guitarists buy more plectrums!

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Also, it's what type that are sold.

I'll take a guess here that for beginner/low cost instruments the number will be far higher for guitars over basses.
For professional or boutique instruments the amounts will be a lot closer.

Why? Because bass is not the instrument people start on.

Would be great if I had any figures.

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Questions already been asked, but where do they all go.

Think how many basses have been produced in the last say 50 years by Fender alone, awhere are they ? why are (say) 70s Precisions so rare ? OK I can understand music shops saying theyre not worth much when taking them as part exchange etc, but I cant see that many actually ending up in skips.

Must be millions in lovely old tweed hardcases sat lofts and under beds, with ageing owners like me thinking......Someday !

Edited by BRANCINI
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[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337898288' post='1667317']
Bet guitarists buy more plectrums!
[/quote]

and strings...


I have two basses and two guitars.
I like playing bass and don't really have a clue yet how to play guitar. But still have two.

go figure

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