The Vintage Bass Guide: How To Find The Diamonds In The Rough

As time marches on, prices for new basses have skyrocketed over the past few years. A Fender Player Precision has gone from around £500 in 2019 up to around £650 in 2025 – a 30% jump in six years. It’s no wonder that many savvy bassists are turning to pre-loved and used instruments when finding their next bass obsession, and vintage basses have become a hot commodity in the process.

Not only do these vintage basses become more valuable each year as they age, they are often regarded as having a certain uniqueness and character that modern mass-produced basses lack straight from the production line. Many luthiers and boutique bass brands handcraft their basses as a way to avoid the pitfalls of production line instruments, but these prices can extend beyond even a collectable Fender bass of 40 years ago.

So it’s a no-brainer, right? Pick up a vintage bass with plenty of years under its belt – job done. Not quite. There are some important things to keep in mind and look out for when you’re shopping vintage. It’s the same checks we make at BassBros to ensure a consistent quality in every bass guitar we stock.

What makes a vintage bass unique from a modern bass?

In many ways, they’re much the same. Despite being around as a concept for over 70 years, the general design of the bass guitar hasn’t changed a great deal. The main differences have come from optimisations to electronics and changes to materials used as need arises – particularly wood choices and finishing methods.

Furthermore, the actual manufacturing process is quite different as technology has improved. Machined necks and bodies are commonplace across the industry, producing huge numbers of instruments compared to the largely handmade instruments that first hit shelves.

This leaves the only other outlier – time itself. Wood as a material requires time to stabilise and mature, and the smaller volume of consumption back in the 60s and 70s meant that wood harvested had grown slowly and naturally. Modern woods are harvested from purpose-built farms and kiln-dried to achieve similar results.

What to look for when buying a vintage bass?

We’ve highlighted some of the most important things to look for when shopping for vintage gear – basses and beyond – to help ensure you find the right fit. Everything discussed here is done by the BassBros team as a standard part of our service, so you can buy vintage basses from BassBros with confidence.

Gather information on the instrument and check for provenance

Vintage instruments are often misunderstood creatures. The long history without consistent records and multiple owners throughout means that many old basses will have some surprises waiting for you.

Take the time to research serial codes for the period and location the instrument is stated to be from and cross-reference that with the bass itself. Also, check neck pockets to ensure the body is also from the same period. Unfortunately, vintage bodies can be tricky to date if they lack stamps and can be a red flag.

There are tons of resources online for the various manufacturers, with Fender, Music Man, and Gibson having the most consistent historical data available. For particularly old basses, ask for any provenance and proof of the legitimacy of the item itself. Check the listing thoroughly for any mentions of changed pickups, changed pots, bridge, or tuners. These will often have date stamps on them to help gather information.

Check the truss rod

Make sure the neck is straight when under string tension and isn’t suffering from any warping or the dreaded ski jump where the neck meets the body. It’s important to check the condition and tension of the truss rod at this stage. Is it under extreme tension and close to max adjustment? If so, and the neck is still bowed, it’s likely a dud and one to dodge.

Check the action and saddle height

You want to try the bass out, if possible, to get a feel for how it is playing at the point of purchase. If the action is not sufficient for your playing style, check to see if there is enough room on the saddles to lower the action further.

If some or all of the saddles are dropped to their floor, you will struggle to improve the playability without the use of shims.

Listen for any electronic issues and check pickups and pots

You’ll likely get a bit of scratching from the pots for the volume and tone controls, especially if they haven’t been changed from the originals. Usually, a bit of lubricant – trusty old WD40 – will do the trick and clear it up, but it’s worth making a note of any scratchiness. Buzzing or popping when switching pickups, however, suggests a bigger issue that might need professional help.

Finally, see if the pickups and pots have any date codes on them that can support the age and provenance of the instrument.

Review the body and neck health by checking for cracks or previous repairs

Check the body and neck for any cracks that might have structural impacts. Cracks can often form around neck joints and where the tuners are mounted to the headstock itself, though they are typically small and easily repairable. Larger cracks within the neck itself or that run deep through the body are more serious and may lead to long-term problems.

Try the instrument yourself before making a purchase

Our final tip is to get the instrument in your hands and give it a good play. You’ll know pretty quickly if it is resonating with you and can make the decision on whether to complete the purchase.

Don’t be afraid to bring your existing instrument to get a good comparative test and to ensure it is capable of being set up to your specification.

The Bottom Line

There is nothing quite like a quality vintage bass. Knowing you’re playing an instrument with 30, 40, or even 50 years of history behind it is truly special and can breathe new life into your playing and inspire fresh ideas.

Furthermore, you’re nabbing a collectible instrument with true history and are helping the environment by keeping old basses in circulation! Provided you follow the steps outlined in this guide, you can buy a vintage or pre-loved bass with confidence wherever you are hunting. Of course, we stand by every bass we sell at BassBros and have a range of incredible vintage basses to try.