What's the relevant age for a bass?

[Cuzzie]

What’s the goal here?

Good price for a bass you have always wanted and intend to keep?

Good price for a bass you want to try and then maybe flip?

The lure of a ‘bargain’?

that year’s feature set may be preferable to the 2019 model.

You may get it cheaper, not as cheap as ex-display, the minute you touch it and take it home whatever the cost, you take a hit, unless it’s truly second hand and it’s reached it’s shelf, which most things do.

I think basses do age with time and playing and mature, there is no doubt and can sound better, especially if quality woods to start with. 

Of course you could buy it, play it, return it in the return time frame, get a refund, go back and buy as returned stock for less, play it some more and then sell it still for a loss down the line second hand.

[Happy Jack]

Personally I go solely with the year of manufacture approach - the date on which I bought a particular bass is of very little interest to anybody, even me.

Even that is of course a minefield. Most manufacturers have parts bins filled with (no stinky poo, Sherlock) parts and the set of parts that goes into any given finished bass is highly unlikely to all match. There'll be a body and neck from 2011 with pickups coded for 2012 and the tuners have been knocking about since 2009.

And don't get me started on serial numbers ...

 

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

And don't get me started on serial numbers ...

No, please, do get started! 😀

[Monkey Steve]

yeah, year of manufacture - that's what I believe most people will understand as "age" and also, as mentioned by others, if there are any changes in specs between years people will understand what they are getting.  F'rinstance, there can be a huge difference in Gibson specs from year to year

[krispn]

It would have to be year of manufacture based on the serial number even if for some makers this is still not an exact science (the aforementioned inconsistencies with potentially neck being one batch, electronics another, bodies another etc). Many builders alter spec every few years so it’s useful in identifying its feature set.

The NOS debate is a little different but might be of importance and should come with some discount. Some links to the actual model and/or the spec might help others confirm if it’s a good deal in their eyes and offer another opinion especially if they’re familiar with that brand.

It potentially opens up another question of if you’re only getting it to scratch an itch and thought it was a bargain as a 2018/2019 model what makes it less so if it’s a few years old (NOS) at a bargain price presuming the full spec was listed by the retailer and matched your desired criteria for a new bass. If resale value is the driving force behind this poll the serial number will dictate the age and for some the value to them unless it has some non standard features or is a particularly good vintage!

[Krysbass]

Surely always the year of manufacture. 

Many serial numbers on basses can be directly or indirectly traced to a year of manufacture, and if I was buying a pre-owned bass, it is this that I'd want to know, rather than when the original or subsequent owners bought it.

[AndyTravis]

I’d like to clarify that we bought and sold the Gibson’s as new old stock (even though they arrived factory sealed to us)

there used to be a lot of Gibson USA special run overstock (for Guitar Centre/Musicians Friend etc) which would eventually make its way over in small batches to Europe.

Should've bought one of the LP’s when I had discount 🙄🤦🏻‍♂️

[mr zed]

There is a bass that has just gone up,for sale on eBay advertised as new. It is the original Fender USA deluxe precision. The advertised price is £1999. I asked the seller for the serial number which dates it as a 2007 year of manufacture. 12 years old and twice the price they were selling at when the 2010 model superseded it. I wish I could find a new old stock 1964 Precision at a discounted 1964 price lol

[mcnach]

I can't say it ever crossed my mind

But I generally use date of manufacture, as it's the only date that helps me find specs about the model etc. Two used basses can be very different in the level of use. I just sold a bass I got new in 2005 and the buyer checked the frets and all and said "it's like it was barely used, almost new, not what I expected from a 14 year old bass!" yet I've seen 2 year old basses that looked like hardened war veterans. So date/age does not mean all that much by itself.