Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Stack knob Jazz Bass


WishIcouldplay

Recommended Posts

Do you think there will come a time when interest in old instruments will decrease, and the value these “investments” will plummet?

What is the allure?  Or is it just that age genuinely makes it play and sound better?

Someone will probably pay the £26k asking, and it will go in a special display case or climate controlled cupboard.  It ain’t getting played again!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice looking and sounding bass! 

I wouldn't worry too much about the price:

a) That's not how much it will sell for

b) Yes there is a rarity - there can't be that many of them left & we must lose one or two a year to fire/floods/car crashes/being stolen & dumped etc... 

c) You have to learn to disassociate cost & quality once you get past the threshold of £800-1000. Everything above that price is purely people treating themselves to something they deem as being a treat. If 26k isn't within your price range there's no point worrying because you can buy a perfectly usable bass from a musical perspective for vastly less so you're not missing out. For some people it will be within range and they'll probably buy it for noodling around at home.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vintage kit or kit with provenance is a weird area for me (and possibly a lot of people), this bass being point of fact.

 

Perhaps it's about bragging rights, but at £27K, it's not going to make you play any better and tonally (subjective) I'd say with some confidence that a Harley Benton that came off the production line yesterday wouldn't sound that much different, either. 

 

It's probably OK if you're Sting or something, where you have people to watch your gear 24/7, but can you imagine the loss risk of taking it out for a gig at the Rose & Crown on a Friday night?  

 

 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The neck and headstock are surprisingly clean for an instrument that old. My ‘72 model is significantly more mellow. The damage on the back of the body says it’s been played a fair bit though. It’s still a lot of money for something that was thrown together in a draughty shed by un skilled labour. Bit like old British Leyland cars from the 70’s so beloved of hard up classic car buffs. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 30/11/2023 at 10:18, NancyJohnson said:

Vintage kit or kit with provenance is a weird area for me (and possibly a lot of people), this bass being point of fact.

 

Perhaps it's about bragging rights, but at £27K, it's not going to make you play any better and tonally (subjective) I'd say with some confidence that a Harley Benton that came off the production line yesterday wouldn't sound that much different, either. 

 

It's probably OK if you're Sting or something, where you have people to watch your gear 24/7, but can you imagine the loss risk of taking it out for a gig at the Rose & Crown on a Friday night?  

 

 

Rare, desirable things are always sought after. Whether it’s cars, art or anything else. Instruments are no different. These are very special, have unique features, are very scarce, and seldom available. Any item hitting those qualities will be in demand. 
Does a Ferrari 250 make you a better driver by spending £45m? Is it worth £45m? 
Is a Picasso worth £300m, when you can frame a print for £200? 

All these items increase in value every year far more than inflation, or normal investment, including the Jazz bass. 
 

Sure it’s not for everyone, but fair play to the chap or chapess who gets to enjoy this one. Good for them. I’d love it!!  
 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If people want vintage basses good luck to 'em, but I really do think that there is more than a little of The Emperor's New Clothes in the assumption that older is better when it comes to Fender basses in particular.

 

Back in the Seventies when new Fender instruments were increasingly patchy in terms of quality control I can understand folks gravitating towards older basses. Nowadays, however, a new USA Fender sounds and plays great. If you want a  Fender-sounding tool for a bass playing job it will do you proud. 

 

Whatever you are getting for your 26k with this bass, only a relatively small proportion of that sum is for the actual instrument. The lions share is for romantic associations. 

Edited by Misdee
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are folks who can hear the difference between a stack knob Jazz control configuration and a regular v/v/t setup. I'm not one of them!

 

Don't get me wrong, vintage Fenders are lovely things, but not that practical nowadays, if you see what I mean.

 

And do you really want a bass that is fairly fragile, relatively irreplaceable and cost £26000? To me It would be more of a burden than anything else.

 

 

Edited by Misdee
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Misdee said:

 

Don't get me wrong, vintage Fenders are lovely things, but not that practical nowadays, if you see what I mean.

 

2 hours ago, iconic said:

Or spend a ton on a Harley Benton😉

I have a bass (Fender Japan Aerodyne) I love it, and it would cost £1000 new if you could buy a 2003 spec one now. However, I have a Peavey Milestone P Bass (£50 S/H) and a Marcus Miller M2 that have both done countless gigs. Why would I buy a 60s bass that cost £30k plus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Chienmortbb said:

 

I have a bass (Fender Japan Aerodyne) I love it, and it would cost £1000 new if you could buy a 2003 spec one now. However, I have a Peavey Milestone P Bass (£50 S/H) and a Marcus Miller M2 that have both done countless gigs. Why would I buy a 60s bass that cost £30k plus.


I have a custom colour 60s jazz bass and I haven’t played it in a year or more. But sad really, but I can’t sell it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 04/12/2023 at 10:47, Turbineclimber said:

Grossly overpriced, especially considering Leo let the work-experience kid spray that one up. That black band is as wide as the M5 outside of Bristol.

Those early stacks had that black overspray. And I've seen one or two that had the red almost faded away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember when Guy Pratt and John Illsley (from Dire Straits) were discussing their vintage Fenders, on Rockonteurs, and how ridiculous the prices had escalated to these days.

 

They agreed that no musician would ever spend so much on an instrument and most of them end up with bankers, or Russian gangsters.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get the same feeling with old basses that I do when touching old furniture. The weight of history and the lightness of touch by all the humans that have owned it. 
doesn’t mean that chest of drawers is innately better made than one from furnitureland or more sturdy somehow 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...