How much should I ask for his Ibanez SR500

paulnb57

Around 20 years ago Mrsnb57 expressed an interest in learning bass, so I bough her this Ibanez, she probably played it half a dozen times and its been in a gig bag under a bed ever since….luckily. had the foresight to remove the battery.
There is a little deterioration of the finish on the bridge, but overall in great condition, new battery and all the actives work….
How much should I ask for it?

Ibanez SR500

Funkfingers

The correct answer is that you should keep it.

Da juice man from Reverb, he say, £194 - 315. Add something for the padded bag. 

Luckily for my wallet, IOW is too far away to make the round trip to collect viable.

GLWS

Musicwolf

These are really good basses for the money (I've had one for around 8 years?).  Approx £650 new at the moment (I don't think that includes a gig bag, mine didn't have one).  Working on a 2/3rds rule for near new condition that would be £435, I'd expect that's more than you paid for it?

It all depends upon how desperate you are to sell but, if it were me, I'd be inclined to sick it up for £400 + del for a quick sale and start scouring the ads for what to buy with the cash.

ICBM

These are unfortunately very difficult to sell for what they should be worth, I think because Ibanez insist on bringing out apparently almost identical new versions which are much cheaper...

I had a beautiful SR765 5-string which would have been around £700 new twenty years ago, and it took me about three years to sell it, finally for £300 last year - which is what I paid for it thinking I was getting a bargain, and should have been a warning sign!

A 4-string might be slightly easier to sell, and the bag adds something, but I would be very surprised if you could get more than £350 for it, and if you want to sell it quickly you’ll probably need to take less, maybe under £300.

Sorry .

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

These are unfortunately very difficult to sell for what they should be worth, I think because Ibanez insist on bringing out apparently almost identical new versions which are much cheaper.

It may also be because the model is blighted by Bartolini MK1 "import" pickups. (Of similar *excellence* to MEC Dynamic Correction models!)

Prospective buyers need to factor in the expense of upgrading to US-made Bartolini MK4 series pickups. That could easily cost as much as the used SR500 itself.

paulnb57

Thank folks

Ill try it locally first for a couple a hundred quid and move it on, seems a shame for it not to be used…no point  keeping it as its just net being used
I the meantime try and find a box for possible mailing

Funkfingers

It might be wiser to strike an exchange deal. Trade the bass against a guitar, amp, pedals or recording kit of equivalent notional value.

paulnb57

Funkfingers said:

It might be wiser to strike an exchange deal. Trade the bass against a guitar, amp, pedals or recording kit of equivalent notional value.

Good idea! (As chances are whatever I get for it will fuel GAS..)