Vintage Basses You Need to Sell Your Car For

Vintage basses harness and created the holy-grail tones many of us grew up listening to, be it the smooth tones of a 60’s Fender Precision bass or the mid-heavy punch of a Hofner Violin bass, bassists the world over would give their left leg for a true vintage collectors piece. In most cases, the craftsmanship and technology advances make instruments more ‘sound’ & ‘reliable’ in modern days but do they hold the mojo / vibe / magic you can create with the real deal?

We’ve taken a look at the current marketplace and picked 3 basses that would be welcome in any studio across the globe. This calibre of basses rarely come up for sale but when they do they demand a hefty price tag, and for good reason! Many factors contribute to the value of each bass, here are a few to note:

• Original Parts – A vintage instrument with all original parts can demand top dollar, the closest the instrument is physically to its original form will create a larger demand within the market.
• Aesthetic Integrity – A guitar / bass which still has its original paint finish will also be much more attractive to the market / collectors. Over decades, different owners would re-finish these instruments to suit trends / personal tastes. In this case they are actually driving the price of the guitar down in re-sell value.
• Physical Integrity – Wood although a sturdy material, can warp / split / break over the test of time. An instrument from 50 years ago that has not been cared for can easily become unplayable and instantly loses value. Fretboards and necks are the first thing to create problems in these cases, if you find a vintage Fender without problems on both be prepared to get your cheque book out!

Here are a few basses on the market at the moment that demand attention!

1966 Fender Precision Bass Olympic White 

Price Tag – $12K AUD      

Gibson Thunderbird II 1964 

Price Tag – $20K AUD

Rickenbacker 1967 Rickenbacker 4005

Price Tag – $15K AUD