Number6 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 So we all know there are some very sought after, highly prized and similarly highly priced basses of the past from various marques..... My question is: will there be basses that we buy nowadays that will become the future classics and just as sought after? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Only when one of the current great luthiers retire - Fodera, RItter etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) IMO the bass in question needs to satisfy two conditions: 1. It is no longer being made (either the whole brand or a particular model) 2. It is the bass of choice for a well known bassist with a distinctive musical style. Edited March 12, 2017 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) I think the Modulus Flea/FU has done that. They were changing hands for £900-£1200 when I joined here 7 years ago, you'd be lucky to spend less than £2000 now. I should've jumped at the ones I debated. Edited March 12, 2017 by AndyTravis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) This instrument was played by a famous person in the 80,s, but I can't remember who. It's very rare. My dream bass. A Hamer Impact from 1988. Edited March 12, 2017 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I reckon the US Fender 2012 - 16 Series may well become a bit like the JVs, as imo they really upped their game on these ones, both Precision and Jazz alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) anything by Mark D Phillips. Edited March 12, 2017 by skidder652003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1489333512' post='3256096'] anything by Mark D Phillips. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Hmm, probably Fender and Gibson custom shop models if nothing else. In about ten years I would suspect that 1980s Fenders will become sought after even though they not highly thought of at the moment. As said above as well, any original bass made by a 'boutique' luthier before they retire: Fodera, Sadowsky, Ritter, Carl Thompson, Mike Lull etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 [quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1489333512' post='3256096'] anything by Mark D Phillips. [/quote] Along with Sue Ryder and Harley Benton 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I can't imagine the youth of today fighting over anything particularly interesting bass wise, high prices tend to be driven mainly by nostalgia, those who really wanted a Rickenbacker in the 70s are now in a position to buy one for example, working on that logic eBay will be full of listings for old iPhones and such things. I'd imagine the safer money would be on main stream instruments rather than anything special, the kids into proper bands now and in the future are going to be the slightly retro loving ones I'd say, if I was looking to invest it would be a 66 jazz or a 50s P bass rather than something like one of BRX's Gus basses regardless of the playability, I wouldn't use an old Fender anyway as they all have a string missing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) [quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1489335066' post='3256116'] Hmm, probably Fender and Gibson custom shop models if nothing else. In about ten years I would suspect that 1980s Fenders will become sought after even though they not highly thought of at the moment. As said above as well, any original bass made by a 'boutique' luthier before they retire: Fodera, Sadowsky, Ritter, Carl Thompson, Mike Lull etc. [/quote] It would be interesting to see what the uptake of the bass guitar figures have looked like over the past forty years, I'd be amazed if they aren't falling, the supply and demand for high end boutique basses will surely not pan out well, even on a forum like this today they'll be people who have no idea what most of the basses you mention are, imagine that projected forward. The only way a Lull jazz will be worth more than they are now will be when a new Fender Jazz costs over £4k with inflation imo. Edited March 12, 2017 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) I think the new US Fender Precision in 'Antique Olive' and the Jazz in 'Sonic Grey' will eventually be more desirable than their standard colour siblings, because those specific colours will be synonymous with 2017. Edited March 12, 2017 by Shambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) . Edited March 12, 2017 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 [quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1489335066' post='3256116'] Hmm, probably Fender and Gibson custom shop models if nothing else. In about ten years I would suspect that 1980s Fenders will become sought after even though they not highly thought of at the moment. As said above as well, any original bass made by a 'boutique' luthier before they retire: Fodera, Sadowsky, Ritter, Carl Thompson, Mike Lull etc. [/quote] I agree. We're already seeing 70s Fenders increase in price despite the build quality of that era being abysmal. Inevitable that 80s Fenders will do the same. Expect Ps to rise more significantly as Js were popular during that era. I'm not sure whether boutique basses will ever reach significant resale prices unless they're associated with particular players - Status/ Mark King - though I expect them to remain niche instruments with players. We really need to have a plane crash with all the known builders on for boutique bass prices to jump....and NO, THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION!!! If the plane returning from NAMM next year crashes there'll be a good chance they'll be looking at users of this forum.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Luthiers without their own model will probably be less sought after than those that are known for their own merit. Wal, MTD, Ritter and some others will attract more collectors than those that make their own jazz version and barely anything distinctive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Definitely Ritter. Some of his stuff wouldn't look out of place in an art gallery and I can imagine a time when even non bassists may wish to collect his work, purely in the context of its aesthetic appeal. Edited March 12, 2017 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Certain models and colours of Musicman basses. Wal basses. I fully expect to see the value of old Fenders (indeed the whole vintage thing) to change - the volume of people who currently buy them for nostalgia purposes rather than as musicians are likely reducing. The same demographic change has hit the value of most collectibles from the 40s/50s era. As with antiques, values change with changing tastes and demographics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 80's Japanese stuff is becoming more and more desirable, Westone Thunder 1's being offered up at £400+ The worlds gone crazy! Thing is if people keep offering them up for silly money then the ones priced well over what they were a few years ago suddenly start looking more attractive and the assumed market value moves up. Look at Stingrays at the moment, most private sellers on Ebay are asking more for their standard basses than Andy Baxter is asking for the same basses, I think that suggests that in the current market most Stingrays are over priced? Another example being the USA made Sub bass, they are starting to appear upwards of £500 at the moment, they were £300 or so a couple of years back, I know that I have said Stingrays are overpriced at the moment so we seem to be seeing the SUB model moving into the territory where the prime models used to be found Fender Precision lyte's are being offered for silly money at the moment with beaten up incomplete examples being offered up for £400+ double what they fetched a couple of years ago. Prices for gear in general seems to be a lot higher than it was a couple of years ago, whether any of it sells is a different matter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 As long as the rest of you don't go out and buy Squier Jazz CVs in Inca Silver I could be sitting on a gold (silver?) mine sometime in the future... I'm hoping they'll be the next JV series going for silly money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I think as far as recent and new bands are concerned the die's been cast already. Retro Fenders, Musicman and Gibson and I wouldn't expect that to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 The price of brand new US made basses, and especially the better Fenders, Custom Shop, Musicman, and I guess everything else is influenced by changing exchange rates, new CITES requirements and other factors - basically the price is going up and I don't think we've seen what it will settle at. Thus the used price is likely to rise also. This may take them out of reach of some people. I would have though Warwick, Spector and Sadowski basses would continue to be sought after along with G and L and Lakland. You can also see how the bass market is dwarfed by guitars just by looking at the displays in large retail stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Harley Benton Deko basses 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Always Fenders... they will always be the oldest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Fender Roscoe Becks? Certainly everyone who tries to sell one is convinced that this will be the case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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