Downgrading?

[TRBboy]

I'm really happy with all of my gear at the moment, but I've been contemplating downgrading tonight.

I've got two Sandberg Basic 4 strings, and a Sandberg Basic Ken Taylor 5, a Markbass CMD102P combo and a Traveller 151P extension cab. I love all this gear, but these days I only play in a rock covers band around local pubs & clubs, and do the occasional gig with the local soul choir.

I've been wondering tonight; do I actually need such great gear considering the work I do? It does bring me a lot of pleasure, but maybe it's a bit selfish to have all this gear, when the money would be very useful if i sold it! I could arguably use much lesser gear for the sort of work I do........

I could sell the Markbass rig and get something like the new TC Electronic BG250 (is it actually 250W RMS? Would it be loud enough for pub gigs? (guitarist has a 100w valve half stack!)), and go back to maybe a Yamaha BB424 and BB425.

I should add that I'm quite particular about my sound, and about the feel of my basses!

Has anyone else downgraded? I'd be interested to hear your experiences!


Thanks.

[Marvin]

If you like it keep it.

I assume you first bought the gear because you felt you needed it for what you were doing, and it's not like you're just sat at home noodling away with it. Enjoy it.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1333233610' post='1599139']
If you like it keep it.

I assume you first bought the gear because you felt you needed it for what you were doing, and it's not like you're just sat at home noodling away with it. Enjoy it.
[/quote]

True dat.

[funkypenguin]

Having seen similar threads on here, all that will happen if you do this is that you'll regret selling it, especially if you're happy with the sound/feel of your existing gear

[Mog]

If you're happy with it hold on to it. If you need cash then sell one of the Sandberg basics but tbh at the moment you probably won't get a decent price.

[Machines]

I went through a similar thing. I had a custom Overwater and a 300w rig that never left the house. I thought about trading the bass for 2 instruments and the head/cab for a practice combo (~100w). I decided to trade the Overwater and get 2 cheaper instruments but keep the amp. You never know when an opportunity will popup where you'll want that gear you just sold ! A few weeks after my decision I had a dep gig where I needed my 300w rig.

As mentioned - you won't get a decent price for anything at the moment.

[gary mac]

I really think you should delete this post immediately, just in case any wifes/girlfriends/partners get to see it.


It is imperative that they continue to believe that we need to regularly upgrade our kit.


Now get a grip man and enough with these thoughts

[TRBboy]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1333264678' post='1599271']
I really think you should delete this post immediately, just in case any wifes/girlfriends/partners get to see it.


It is imperative that they continue to believe that we need to regularly upgrade our kit.


Now get a grip man and enough with these thoughts
[/quote]

Yes, for heavens sake don't let any of them see this thread, or we will all be rumbled!


Thanks everyone for helping me realise that we should keep it all, and I wouldn't get much for it at the moment anyway.

[KennysFord]

If you sell it you'll be left wanting with the lesser stuff you replace it with. Trust me, I know.
I had to sell a fair bit of my favourite gear 3 years back and I'm just getting to the point where I'm once again happy (almost) with my tone. If you can afford to keep the do so and enjoy it.

[Paul S]

Far from downgrading what you have, maybe consider additionally buying extra cheaper kit so you always have the choice...

[martin8708]

Compared to a lot of Basschatters , you actually have very little gear !
Now get thee down to the For Sale section and buy some more stuff.

[geoffbassist]

If you are happy with your sound keep it. You wont get great prices selling and will proably end up buying again at more cost.
Enjoy it and think of all the hassle that you would go through buying and selling.

[Prime_BASS]

Havent downgraded as such.. Just got great gear at a fantastic price.

Personally, if you like the stuff you have and use it then keep it. If you get rid of it for what yiou suggest what happens if you don't like it.........

I got rid of a LMTube becuase of silly reasons and it took me a while to realise I just need it's sound back in my life.

[JTUK]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1333233610' post='1599139']
If you like it keep it.

I assume you first bought the gear because you felt you needed it for what you were doing, and it's not like you're just sat at home noodling away with it. Enjoy it.
[/quote]

I'd agree.... and only you can answer whether you can put the money to better use, but I'd keep it.

[krysh]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1333233610' post='1599139']
If you like it keep it....
[/quote]

+1

[Delberthot]

If you like it then I would keep it. I went through a 5 year period where I bought and sold about 70 basses to find what I wanted. I went from having a Modulus Flea and Warwick Thumb NT5 to now where I have my EpiphoneThunderbird.

A bass at a fraction of the cost of the original two but one which gives me my sound and I enjoy playing it more than the other two.

[machinehead]

You have a lovely set up with the Markbass gear. You can handle any size of gig with the two bits of gear. I wouldn't shift those.

If you prefer to have the cash, it's easier to have just the one bass in my experience.

Having said that, I wouldn't sell any gear that I'm enjoying unless I was really strapped for cash. Did that before and lost a lot of money on the sales of three Markbass cabs, a Markbass head and a Markbass 121P combo. All bought new and sold in A1 condition. Bad idea.

Frank.

[spongebob]

I did a similar thing some time ago.

Had some issues with some more expensive gear, and bought a couple of cheapies to drag around.

Soon missed 'my' sound, and as soon as I was headed near a studio, had to get it all back!

Good advice above - if you can afford it, keep it all!

[discreet]

Sell one of the Sandberg 4s if you have to, but keep the Markbass stuff. You will miss it for sure.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1333386412' post='1601004']
Sell one of the Sandberg 4s if you have to, but keep the Markbass stuff. You will miss it for sure.
[/quote]

I'd agree with this.

My own philosophy is---"if its not getting used, then sell it". However, if it *is* getting used, and you're not desperate for cash, then there's nothing wrong with having nice gear. So I wouldn't rush to sell anything (especially in the current market---it is *definitely* a buyer's market out there just now).

[RockfordStone]

my thought is, if you have to ask the question whether you should downgrade, it means you have doubts about doing it, and if you are doubting it, don't sell

[3below]

Many years ago I 'upgraded' a 1958 EB2 to 1977 Precision. Wish I could downgrade back to the EB2, is the one bass I miss. Unlike horses, cars, wives, girlfriends, etc basses do not consume money. If you can afford to keep, keep. You will only regret it later.

[BottomE]

If you don't feel that your herd of gear needs to justify itself financially then keep hold of your stuff. As others have said its easier to sell a good bass than buy a good one.

That said, i like what i have at the moment but am suffering from real GAS at the moment so ignore anything i say.

[TRBboy]

Thanks everyone! I shall be keeping the lot

I could afford to lose one of the 4's if I had to, but as some of you have said, I won't get much for it at the moment so I'll hold on to both for now (unless things get desperate!). The other thing is that I have to have a strict "one in, one out" policy these days, so I always feel that if I sell one, I need to replace it with something else!

[Johngh]

Glad you decided to keep the gear.

I downgraded a few years ago now, and regretted it. It took me ages to get decent gear again. Got a teriffic set up at the moment, plan on keeping this lot for a while.