tylerlangan Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Excuse this topic if I've just gone temporarily mental with a level exam stress but after a sleepless night last night I think I need to talk to some kidnered spirits about this particular aspect of the beloved baritone world of the bass guitar. First of all, I have very little money.. as I'm a student, all of this does however change next year when I go on my gap year (well, I say 'go' by 'go I mean stick around and get a job... and I've been offered one with a very nice sallary for minimal work so all is veryy good) and I was just wondering how many of us have actually FULLY succumbed to G.A.S and just leapt in and bought our dream instrument perhaps before we've 'earned' it? (I'm not sure I put any stock in the concept of 'I'm not good enough to play this/that yet) I really really love the two basses I have at the moment, a Korean Fender Jazz Bass 24 and a Musicman SUB but I just can't help but feel they're not as authentic as they could be... I mean when I play the jazz I feel like I long for an american and when I play the SUB I feel like I long for a stingray.. But the one thing I've longed for a very very very long time is a Warwick Corvette, after having played a friends around a year ago I simply fell in love with their looks, feel, tough... just everything about them sends me giddy; I've even bought fellow bass players many a pint simply because they own one and I've wanted to twist their ear off about one!! But I digress, My big problem is do I spend the £1200 on my dream 5 string neck through corvette $$ (which I've heard in real life and literally went to an auraul heaven) or do I save my money for more sensible things like living through uni? As I'm not the best at saving anyway I think that if I did invest the money in the corvette then at least it would some real value rather than just buying useless things that wouldn't. [attachment=555:__bubV_1.jpg] I think I'm really seeking some sort of justification for longing for this neck-through unicorn that I so badly want to capture, but maybe if I were to get it then it would cease to be as amazing? If anyone could add simmilar stories or instances or advice I would be eternally greatful!! Many thanks! Tyler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxblood Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 It's obvious that this is no impulse buy on your part. You've thought about it long and hard (actually, it's pretty clear you're thinking about little else from dawn to dusk, and who can blame you?), so - speaking as one who waited far too many years to get the bass I'd always wanted - I'd say BUY IT NOW and treasure it for life. The only precautionary things I'd add are: 1) Once you've got it, get it properly insured and 2) If you're at a University away from the family home, DON'T take her with you. I know you'll miss her, but a student house-share or hall of residence is no place to be storing £1200 worth of precious Warwick. If you want to practice at Uni, use the Fender. Finally, there's one last cast iron reason for making this purchase now, and this is the clincher. Unless you do, you'll be regretting it and fantasizing about it all through the rest of your time at Uni - when you should be concentrating on your studies. This is my personal opinion, but hey - what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Do you have the 'cash' available? By that I mean will this be purchased out-right from savings or will it be on credit. If it is the former I'd ask another question... after buying it do you have sufficient funds left to see you through 'at least' 1 month (food, travel, rent etc.). If the answer is yes again then I'd get it However if this is going to be on the never-never or completely clean your savings out then I'd wait until you fulfil my other criteria. Just a 'mature' guys view on this BUT saying that I'm a mature guy who started with nothing but now has a nice collection of equipment (Warwicks, yum), a car, motorbike, house and some nice creature comforts! Sticking to my own personal philosophy (which others may or may not agree with) of 'if I ain't got the money I ain't getting it' then I've got to where I am now with no debt (other than 11 years left on a mortgage ) and nothing that I own is on credit. Don't step on that greasy slope of debt at an early age (if ever)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tylerlangan Posted June 9, 2007 Author Share Posted June 9, 2007 If I got it (which is looking more and more likely!) It'd be bought out of wages + savings so I'd could afford it without going too hungry! I hope, but yeah i agree with you on the debt thing... I'm not exactly looking forward to getting into loads of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 Debt is unfortunately inevitable thanks to a whole host of reasons - beleive me, by the time you finish uni you will be very used to it and having £100 left of a £1500 overdraft makes you feel loaded!! I bought lots of bass things at university for the reasons Oxblood pointed out in his signature mixture of wisdom and more wisdom. If you can go to university not in debt but with this bass which you can love and behold on those lonely 24hour last minute essay bish-boshes than I say go for it. All to soon you will have bills to pay and money coming in and out in all directions, making budgeting impossible!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 +1 to the advice from both oxblood and warwickhunt from another "mature" bloke. Especially the bit about not taking it to uni. I heard of so much stuff getting nicked from student accomodation when I was a student - it's just not worth the heartache. If you can afford it - get it. I'm a great believer that if you have gear that you're truly happy with it will encourage you to play it more, be inspired by it and therefore help your progression as a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted June 9, 2007 Share Posted June 9, 2007 [quote name='tylerlangan' post='14579' date='Jun 9 2007, 12:00 PM']... and I was just wondering how many of us have actually FULLY succumbed to G.A.S and just leapt in and bought our dream instrument perhaps before we've 'earned' it? (I'm not sure I put any stock in the concept of 'I'm not good enough to play this/that yet)[/quote] I have. When I was 19 years old, on a very low wage, I went to a guitar shop to buy a £50 guitar. This after much thought, premeditation, etc - at the time I couldn't play guitar, but I wanted to learn. Too late: they sold the last one, but allowed me to console myself by playing some of the more expensive stock. A few hours later I walked out of the shop with a £200 second-hand Fylde, and a 2-year finance deal for £10 a month. At the time this was about 10% of my wages. 30 years later, I've still got that guitar. It's one of my prized possessions and I still play it every week, if not every day. In fact I think I'll go and have a burst on it now. It's a very different world now though. I can't believe the amount of debt that today's students are taking on. If it had been like that I'd certainly never have gone to university, and i guess neither would warwickhunt! The shop BTW was Sounds Acoustic in Chester Rd Manchester, next door to Muir Music. Some of the old-timers from the North-West might remember. Muir Music was the Burman stockist, but that's another story for another day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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