Fair price for an old dead Bassman?

shoeless

shoeless

Riffin'
This is on my local CL. $450 for a '69 Bassman that does not work. I'm sure it needs a re-cap, but if that's all it needs, then $450 is probably a good price for it, no? Was Fender already using the Silver Face in '69?

http://frederick.craigslist.org/msg/5967487418.html

I'm selling a vintage 1969 Bassman amp head. Found in an old garage, does not work, very dirty. Sold as is, great project!
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Honestly I think that it is too much for something that is not working. I have seen working Blackfaces selling for about $600. The amp may require lots of cleanup (looking at the dust inside) besides just a cap job. Pots may be noisy, tubes shot, who knows??

2 bills!!!
 
Just a set of new tubes is gonna run over $100, caps probably another $100 a tranny...it's adding up. At $450 you could be looking at putting that much into a repair.
 
mikesr1963 said:
How much is a recap, repot, and retube, plus a transformer. Subtract that from the price. If it's over $450 tell them that's what they have to pay you to carry it away.
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My sentiments exactly. I’ve been burned fixing old gear enough times that I would assume this needs more work than it’s worth. Once you pay for new caps and pots you’ll already have spent as much, if not more than, it would cost to buy a working head in better condition. If it needs a new transformer you might end up spending as much as it would cost to buy a working head in great condition.
 
I can understand wanting to buy a non-functional amp if electronics is a hobby, but I cannot see paying more for one than you would pay for a clean, empty enclosure.
 
I just read the add again. He FOUND it. Says to me I have no money in it and I want to score on the name because of what I read on the internet. Call that fucker and give him the sad story what's wrong with like decades in the damp, look at all the dirt more than likely water and dirt has seeped into every nook and cranny and the amp is toast. The hardware is rusty for crying out loud and it looks like animals have been all over it. Say, still, I think it has some value (not in my opinion) but if you can inspect it you may go as hi as $100. Go see it and look in it with a flash light say something that confirms your beliefs and say I'll give you 50 bucks because you don't want to waste his time and for an additional $500 you can probable get it working. Have a parts price list on your phone to show what similar projects have cost you.
 
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I fix amps for a hobby, sometimes I keep 'em, sometimes I flip 'em.

I'd go $150 max on that amp and take a chance on it. While a cap job and various resistors wouldn't cost me much, a retube would. Some of those pots may be beyond cleaning as well. If one of the trannies is pooched, it's not even worth the $150.
 
I got mine for free. It was working but not well. After tubes, pots , caps, a couple of resistors, new power cord, and a good cleanup it was worth it. Given that one dosnt work at all, you'd have to pay me to take it.
 
I wouldn't go more than $100 for that, and I also do my own tech work. Repaired, it's only worth $400-500, so I wouldn't want to be into the amp for more than $300 myself, $400 if it were to keep.

As is, it's worth more to me as parts.

Mark Wein said:
That is actually a 1967.
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Mark's right, you can tell by the black lines on the faceplate.
 
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