OT: Where do people buy sell old guitars/amps?

[572cv]

So, I'm approaching- some might say 'long since past'- the age where I ought to be lightening up my collection of stuff. One of the things I've thought I might get back to is my old bass, a Fender Jazz Bass from 1966. Its a pre CBS, so it has cred, and tone, and looks, and action. I've got an old Ampeg B15 tube amp with it. Dented, but functional, and then a little Orange practice amp/speaker which is great. Winter musing, at the least. I'd want it to go to someone who would pay a fair market price, but also to someone who would appreciate it, so the price might not end up being the most I could get, so ok. I'm not sure I'll sell this set up. I want to explore the idea.

So the question is, setting aside ebay, which I have great trepidation using, where might a good musician go to look for a bass like this, or where, if you are a musician, would you go to sell this?

[ftf]

Reverb.com

[572cv]

Reverb.com

Looks focused. Thanks.

[OtayBW]

So, I'm approaching- some might say 'long since past'- the age where I ought to be lightening up my collection of stuff. One of the things I've thought I might get back to is my old bass, a Fender Jazz Bass from 1966. Its a pre CBS, so it has cred, and tone, and looks, and action. Are you sure it's a pre-CBS? I've got a Blackface '65 Vibrolux Reverb and was under the impression that they went CBS in '65.

[Bob Ross]

a Fender Jazz Bass from 1966

Wait, are you asking about the Fender bass, or the Ampeg amp?

If the amp...yes, Reverb.com.


If the bass, PM me. NOW! :)

[sparky33]

Would love to see a picture of the J bass. I’m not playing anymore but the Fender J was my favorite.

[572cv]

Are you sure it's a pre-CBS? I've got a Blackface '65 Vibrolux Reverb and was under the impression that they went CBS in '65.

I looked into this a while ago, and from the crude research that I did, that was my impression. But, it was complicated, and I couldn't find the exact cut-off serial number. Bottom line. I might be wrong. It's pretty close to the change over though.

But what I take from your comment is that I should be very careful not to misrepresent the axe!

[572cv]

To Bob Ross and Sparky33... I have to go pack and travel in the AM, so I might not get back to this for a week. I'll share some pictures then. :)

[happycampyer]

Is reverb.com good for instruments? I’ve been lugging around my left-handed 20th anniversary Les Paul Custom since the ‘70’s, and don’t know if I’ll ever get around to playing it again.

[unterhausen]

Are you sure it's a pre-CBS? I've got a Blackface '65 Vibrolux Reverb and was under the impression that they went CBS in '65.
This is a subject that is important to me because I have a '65 twin reverb that would be worth more if it were made a year earlier. Thing is, it's the same circuit and they didn't change the cosmetics until a year later. Doesn't really matter.

[flying]

I've sold many guitars & amps over the years on the Gear Page
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php

[rounder]

I have not bought or sold anything used here, but have bought two new guitars there. Guitar Center has a good web site. I do go to their nearby store sometimes and they have lots of stuff.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/?source=4WWRWXMT&msclkid=d03dc1355240158477ef9f1856b3c179&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%5BADL%5D%20%5BBrand%5D%20%5BSearch%5 D%20%5BEnhanced%5D%20%5BHighlandering%5D%20Guitar% 20Center%20-%20(Exact)&utm_term=guitar%20center&utm_content=guitar%20center&adlclid=ADL-40dac23d-ba09-4b33-aa66-c86dbea967ce

[OtayBW]

This is a subject that is important to me because I have a '65 twin reverb that would be worth more if it were made a year earlier. Thing is, it's the same circuit and they didn't change the cosmetics until a year later. Doesn't really matter.Well that's a fair point. My VR has just amazing tone as I'm sure a silverface with the same circuitry would. The 2 would command very different price points in a sale, though....

[EPOJoe]

'66 isn't "pre-CBS". CBS bought Fender in 1965. That said, there likely won't be many changes that make a '66 Jazz different from a '65, but it still won't command the same value as a pre-CBS instrument. I've been selling vintage musical equipment full time for a little over twenty years, and I always get my best prices, and my most secure transactions, through eBay. Think carefully about what you're considering. I'd never sell my '62 Jazz or my '66 Portaflex.

[Louis]

"Where do people buy & sell guitars" reminds of some Led Zep lyrics:

I got a woman, wanna ball all day
I got a woman, she won't be true, no no
I got a woman, stay drunk all the time
I said I got a little woman and she won't be true

In the bars, with the men who play guitars
Singin', drinkin' and rememberin' the times
My little lover does a midnight shift
She followed around all of the time
I guess there's just one thing a-left for me to do
Gonna pack my bags and move on my way
'Cause I got a worried mind
Sharin' what I thought was mine
Gonna leave her where the guitars play

(Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?)

[EPOJoe]

Also, if you're confused about the date of manufacture on the bass, the best thing to do is to "drop" the neck, which involves loosening or removing the strings, carefully unscrewing the four screws on the neck plate and carefully removing the neck from the body. On a Fender bass that's circa mid 1960's, the date of manufacture (month and year) will be stamped on the heel of the neck. If you're going to sell the bass, any informed buyer will insist on seeing a photo of this date stamp.

[BryanE]

Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Mi.
They've been around for a long time and know
there stuff.

[Peter P.]

I've been selling all my late brother's drum and guitar equipment through craigslist. That includes 20 guitars, 20 effects pedals, 6 amps, 52 snare drums, 5 drum sets, 30 cymbals, and the list goes on...

Due to the weight of items and commensurate shipping costs which would severely reduce sales prices, I couldn't see ebay being practical. Same with reverb.com which was suggested to me (I'm not a musician so I needed a lot of advice).

All that said, I've had very good luck with craigslist.com.

[Bob Ross]

Guitar Center has a good web site. I do go to their nearby store sometimes and they have lots of stuff.

Guitar Center's used gear may be a treasure trove for some buyers, but they absolutely suck from any seller's perspective. You will take a huge hit on the money you can collect.

[el cheapo]

For buying musical gear cheap...Pawn Shops! If you want to make a quick buck and are not looking for top $ they are also good.

[Duende]

Pawn shops and Guitar center will rip you off.

Craigslist is your best bet imo. I like reverb and eBay, but shipping of musical vintage instruments can be risky.

In terms of the pre-CBS designs, nothing changed until ‘69 from what I understand. Only cosmetic. First being changing the name from “Fender Electric Instruments” to “Fender Musical Instruments” mid 1965. One can find ‘65 amps with either label.

Then in late 68-69 they went to the silverface “drip edge” era... but they were still 95% blackface amps except for a minor cap value change somewhere... can’t remember off the top of my head. But if you look at the back of a drip edge amp, it still has all the blackface labeling... only the front cosmetics were changed.

Anyways... would love to have a Jazz Bass that old and a Portaflex amp. In fact those portaflexes sound AMAZING for guitar!

Good luck selling

[stien]

As a reformed guitar gear addict, this thread makes me itchy.

My go to was harmony central before the big shakeup and now the gear page. I’ve shipped guitars and effects all over the world without issue.

[Bob Ross]

Now that I think of it, the best success I've had selling bass gear -- both in terms of getting a good price with very little haggling or tire-kicking, and in terms of being able to trust the buyer (or seller) -- has been on the TalkBass forum (https://www.talkbass.com/). But I think you need to be a Supporting Member ($30/year) in order to post For Sale items on their Classifieds section.

[Duende]

As a reformed guitar gear addict, this thread makes me itchy.

My go to was harmony central before the big shakeup and now the gear page. I’ve shipped guitars and effects all over the world without issue.

What’s your handle over there? I’m duende (surprise). I hear ya about shipping. Just was referring specifically to vintage instruments...

[ojingoh]

So the question is, setting aside ebay, which I have great trepidation using, where might a good musician go to look for a bass like this, or where, if you are a musician, would you go to sell this?

For basses (I play bass) talkbass is great. Online stuff is a bit of a headache, or can be. I prefer to play the instrument first. I generally start with Craigslist. GC will rip you off.

Depending on your instrument and condition it could easily be worth five figures - original case, custom color, matching painted headstock, case candy - you might consider consignment with someone in NYC for instance.

Best way to date it is to take the neck off - the neck manufacture date will be stamped on the heel. Body for a mid-sixties Jazz will be in pencil in the neck cavity. Also, if it's a '66 it's not a pre-cbs (CBS bought Fender from Leo in January of '65.)

It's probably an L bass - neck plate serial number will start with an L and be five additional digits if it's from '66. That's a ballpark age, the agreed upon way to do it is neck or body stamp, and take the older one haha.

Ampeg B-15s are a great amp, but not super collectible, they are everywhere.

Good luck!

[Jef58]

Interesting about the date stamp on the end of the neck. I have a Mustang that has a date stamp before the guitar was supposedly made. This could be different for Bass models though. I read where Fender used pre assembled necks on guitars that may have different dates between the neck and assembled guitar.

I did a search on Fender's site with my serial number and it is post CBS, but the neck date was pre CBS. Mustang was considered a 'lower' model, so these could be different than the Bass in question. If I am incorrect, I would be curious about that since I was going by what I read.