Christopher Basses and Resale/Trade Value

[Richard Prowse]

I've just checked the website for the Auckland guy who imports Christopher basses and the 500s that arrive in May will cost around NZ$10,000. I paid NZ$5,500 for mine!
Richard 1 - Life 734

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

I've just checked the website for the Auckland guy who imports Christopher basses and the 500s that arrive in May will cost around NZ$10,000. I paid NZ$5,500 for mine!
Richard 1 - Life 734

Richard, he asked this question about 2 years ago. You think he's still waiting for a reply?

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Richard, he asked this question about 2 years ago. You think he's still waiting for a reply?

Ken, my friend, the passing on of information is like water finding its way to the ocean, or a lost soul's search for enlightenment. What are two years compared to eternity?

No, probably not - I just thought that it was interesting information. Sorry, I'll go and sit quietly in the corner (imagine that purple guy used here).

[Brian Casey]

So, yes, I kept the Christopher these past 18 or so months. I used it primarily for orchestra work, as the Pfretzschner didn't project like the Christopher did - but it had a remarkable sound, especially for jazz.

Now, however, you'll see another post in This New Bass that describes my NEW (to me) German bass. I'm intending to use this German bass for my orchestral work from now on. This means, including the Christopher I now have three basses, so the topic of this thread is still very much relevant.

I've considered putting the Christopher up for consignment at a local shop, or passively trying to sell locally. I'm not hot to sell it, but I don't intend to play it much at all, and I'd rather have it being played than sitting in my basement where it is now. (My wife's limit is two double basses in the house, and until I convert the garage, the living room doubles as my practice room - just after everyone else has gone to bed.)

I might use it as fodder to trade into a REAL bow....

brian

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Casey

So, yes, I kept the Christopher these past 18 or so months. I used it primarily for orchestra work, as the Pfretzschner didn't project like the Christopher did - but it had a remarkable sound, especially for jazz.

Now, however, you'll see another post in This New Bass that describes my NEW (to me) German bass. I'm intending to use this German bass for my orchestral work from now on. This means, including the Christopher I now have three basses, so the topic of this thread is still very much relevant.

I've considered putting the Christopher up for consignment at a local shop, or passively trying to sell locally. I'm not hot to sell it, but I don't intend to play it much at all, and I'd rather have it being played than sitting in my basement where it is now. (My wife's limit is two double basses in the house, and until I convert the garage, the living room doubles as my practice room - just after everyone else has gone to bed.)

I might use it as fodder to trade into a REAL bow....

brian

Was there any possibility along the way of trading the Chrissy in towards a better Bass so you didn't end up with the 3 you have now? Like cars, I would rather have just one but basses are easier to park..

Lol.. look who's talking. If you ask me how many bass 'I' have (not my commercial inventory) I would need to sit down and figure it out as well as where the all are as far as the ones out for restoration.

Still, one Bass (or maybe two if the jobs call for it) is all most of us need.

[Brian Casey]

Hi Ken - yes, there was a possibility of trading the Christopher in, but the people that offered me anything for it dind't have what I was looking for - either they had basses that were out of my price range that I wanted to basses that I didn't feel would be a significant improvement over the Christopher.

I'm thinking now that trading it in toward a nice bow ($2000 range and up) is where I want to be headed. I'll probably be checking with my regular luthier to let him know this is my plan. I might also sell it on my own toward the same end, as long as I can find potential buyers in this financial climate. I just shelled out mid-4 figures for a bass, why shouldn't I find someone else willing to spend half that?

I do think that having 2 basses is a good idea, if a person can afford it. If one needs to go into the shop, it's good to have a backup, and for those recurring gigs with a secure storage area, it's nice to be able to avoid cartage every day. I'm contracted to do a run of The Producers this Summer, and I plan to keep a bass on site the 4 days I'm working each week.

Thanks, as always, to everyone for their perspectives.

[Joel Larsson]

Originally Posted by Brian Casey

just shelled out mid-4 figures for a bass, why shouldn't I find someone else willing to spend half that?

The mysteries of life...

Sounds like a sound idea to get a good bow, though! For 2k you could get a good master bow.