Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Too bad I don't have the $13,900 to buy the bass

Here ya go ladies & gents. Grab it while it's hot!

http://www.gbase.com/gear/rickenbacker- ... -autumnglo#

Makes the 1971 4001 for $6,295 seem like a bargain in comparison...

http://www.gbase.com/gear/rickenbacker- ... mu-1971-fi

http://www.grinningelk.com/product/822/ ... acker-4001

Olivia's couldn't get $4,390 (V63 Sea Green) on the bay over the past several weeks, so now it's up to $4,995 on gbase.com

http://www.gbase.com/gear/rickenbacker- ... ea-2001-20

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-2001-Rickenbac ... 564170e43b

I'll tell you, the world looks like it's going mad. Except for the new world, which appears to be much more rational (authorized Ric dealers have lowered their prices on brand new stuff and the bargains can indeed be had) .

So, what's in your wallet?

So, what's in your wallet?

Not that much!

Sweet bass though!

Yeah, I kinda think they're hoping to cash in on the "Christmas Rush." Of course, anyone with a clue about economic conditions will realize Christmas just may not rush that much this year. But then again, if you don't need to sell it this week to pay the bills (like a regular dealer does), and can afford to wait, who knows who might come along...

cjj wrote:....who knows who might come along...

Someone with more money than brains? It seems like thats what these sellers are hoping for.
There are some beautiful basses there, but even if I was very wealthy, I don't think I would pay those asking prices.

I think that while the resale value of any instrument may be influenced by the economy, current fads, and even the PFM factor (PFM = Pure FrIggin Mystery), the bottom line is, "Whats this bass worth?" - Whatever you can get someone to pay for it.

superdick2112 wrote:

cjj wrote:....who knows who might come along...

Someone with more money than brains?

Well, they do exist...

superdick2112 wrote: ...the bottom line is, "Whats this bass worth?" - Whatever you can get someone to pay for it.

Absolute, undeniable fact...

It used to be (before the Web) that buyer and seller were generally in the dark about the rarity of a specific collectors' item.

The phrase, "where you gonna find another one?" often was the clincher in the sale of a high-priced, relatively rare item, and nearly as often, the buyer would be dismayed to discover that his new item was not as rare as he (and sometimes even the seller) first thought.

This led to a sorting out in the collectors' marketplace which took a toll on collection-focused hobbies, and established prices at two levels: everyday, based on the usual issue of condition coupled with supply and demand; and highly collectible, based more on rarity, and highly dependent upon supply and demand.

Now we're much more aware of just how rare an item is, and collectors (who, like it or not, set prices on this sort of stuff) who can afford this high-end merchandise, are more involved and likely to buy, not only because their numbers are greater, but because they understand the market better thanks to rapid dissemination of the appropriate information.

Neither price seems that out of line to me.

The internet has certainly changed things, that's for sure.

It's allowed people to find things they otherwise would not have, and altered the dynamics of how things are bought and sold. At lest to those who choose to leverage and take advantage of the open-communications market.

The isolated village is a thing of the past. It shall remain global. At least for those...

Way back in the day, most of us used to purchase our instruments, and what have you, locally. Not any more. At least not me. My local dealer believes they can get $1,800.00 plus tax, for a brand new 4003. I suppose there are some that might pay that. Not I. Perhaps not you. Just got one for $1,375.00 delivered. I shopped around, got written quotes, and made the most of the info I collected. Why not. It's a competitive market. Dealers who want to stay in the game will need to adapt. It's that or they will go under. That, or they will stay afloat by buying vintage instruments really cheap, and then marking them as high as they can - whatever they believe they can get for it on the open market. So, buyer beware. The uninformed will overpay. The prudent will latch onto things at a reasonable price. Everything will equalize in time.

I'm not sure that we'll see the vintage boom of 2007 (or whatever the experts claim the year was). Dealers that believe those days are still in tact will price themselves out of the market. Sure, they may be patient and wait for the uninformed buyer to come along. But that bread of consumer is quickly vanishing.

It's great to have discussion communities such as this one where people can express both sides of the debate, and allow readers to decide for themselves what's most applicable or relevant to their situation.

So, who here is seriously thinking about purchasing one of the basses I detailed above.

Maybe I'll buy the Sea Green V63 and attempt to corner the market.

I've got to say, I don't know what everone else thinks, but it doesn't get any more classic than that '68! That's smoking hot to me! It's got everything! Anyone need a spare arm, leg, kidney and left *ut?

Very thoughtful of them to price it so that the pictures will be available to us for the foreseeable future.

s4001 wrote:Very thoughtful of them to price it so that the pictures will be available to us for the foreseeable future.

No kidding! But if I had that cash on hand...yeah I'd pull the trigger.

teeder wrote:I've got to say, I don't know what everone else thinks, but it doesn't get any more classic than that '68! That's smoking hot to me! It's got everything! Anyone need a spare arm, leg, kidney and left *ut?

There's just something about a '68 4001 deluxe in FG. They must be made from...

"...the stuff that dreams are made out of."

4001V68, Please!

Amen, Brother!

I'd like a reissue of the 1968. Many folks would. But at a price tag people could afford - along similar lines of the 4001 C64.

Ric N. Backer wrote:I'd like a reissue of the 1968. Many folks would. But at a price tag people could afford - along similar lines of the 4001 C64.

Price tag, schmice tag! I would pay double the price of a C64 for an accurate V68!

But make mine more like this one, please:

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... lebrity%3D