Why so much buying and selling of basses?

[lojo]

Im pretty much a P bass man, but Ive always fancied a RIc, so I brought one for £1250, gigged it a few times over a year, then sold it for £1200, I will a some point do a 5 string purchase, and have a few other basses Id like to road test at some point, all of which I may get on with or not.

Im not someone who can play a bass in a shop and know if its for me, I need to gig it a few times. The 2nd hand market allows me to do that without risk.

Having said all the above, if I'm still alive in 20 years time, I bet my 3TS 62RI P will still be my main bass

[Roger2611]

Very much as above, I am a P bass man but I like to "road test" some different basses, next on my list is a Yamaha BB 1024 or 2024, my only worry is that I might like it too much which would then bring into question whether I keep all of the P basses.

I have no kids and a very small mortgage so I am lucky I can afford to rent a few basses that I fancy

[BigRedX]

I like owning lots of different musical instruments.

I have been selling off those that haven't seen much use in the last 10 or so years, but just because I'm not using them right now, doesn't mean I won't find myself in a musical situation where I will need them at some point in the future.

[JapanAxe]

I apply the same policy to most of my kit (barring a couple of items of sentimental value):

Is it bitchin'? Am I using it? => KEEP

If not, could its value be put towards something more bitchin'/usable? => SELL

[LukeFRC]

For me I blame warwickhunt.
he had a bass up for sale that I always dreamed of having.
I had a bass I didn't use anymore - well if I sold my unused bass I could afford Warwickhunt's bass.... and so it began.
I then went through a period of trying lots and lots of stuff... eventually I settled.
then this year sold one bass - and ended up buying 2 more.... and selling and it all changed again.
I've got two basses now that aren't moving anywhere- and one that might as someone wants it and I've no problem with selling it to him... but what to do with the money from it? as I would normally sell to buy.

[jezzaboy]

I change basses when I like/when I can afford it/sometimes when I can`t afford it!

Music is my hobby and has been for years. I don`t smoke or drink, so like to spend money on new shiny basses. I am going to try and keep my current stable as they cover everything I need to play,.

[Phil Adams]

So........
the short answer is:
Because we can.

[ubit]

I buy basses and guitars with no intention of selling. They are all special in some way and it would tear at my heart strings to part with anyone of my girls !

[3below]

Kit is such good value at the moment, money in the bank / building society is just losing value with low interest rates. May as well put in something tangible and have enjoyment from it. Is great fun having a new bass every so often as I cycle through them.

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1397076111' post='2420499']
Kit is such good value at the moment, money in the bank / building society is just losing value with low interest rates. May as well put in something tangible and have enjoyment from it. Is great fun having a new bass every so often as I cycle through them.
[/quote]

+ 1 though I'm not selling.

Edited April 10, 2014 by jazzyvee

[Bilbo]

At the risk of sounding controversial (no, not you, Rob!), I think a lot of people think they can buy themselves better. If they don't like what is happening on one piece of kit, the assumption is that the solution is different kit rather than more practising. I know a guy who used to buy and sell guitars at an inordinate rate and spent the rest of his time adjusting actions, changing strings etc etc. The fundamental fact was that he was a mediocre guitarist who, had he sepodn more time practising instead of fiddling about on the periphery of guitar playing, could have been a lot better.

Like Jake, my Wal (my only real working bass since then (a couple of other basses had less than a handful of outings in that time)) was bought in 1986, my double bass is now around 4 years old and isn't going anywhere soon. They both sound like basses to me and sound great. Even my amps last an age. I have had 7 since I started playing in 1980 and one of them was only replaced because it was nicked. I think there is too much nonsense attached to the gear and not enough emphasis on the music.

[peteb]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1397119925' post='2420762']
At the risk of sounding controversial (no, not you, Rob!), I think a lot of people think they can buy themselves better. If they don't like what is happening on one piece of kit, the assumption is that the solution is different kit rather than more practising. I know a guy who used to buy and sell guitars at an inordinate rate and spent the rest of his time adjusting actions, changing strings etc etc. The fundamental fact was that he was a mediocre guitarist who, had he sepodn more time practising instead of fiddling about on the periphery of guitar playing, could have been a lot better.

Like Jake, my Wal (my only real working bass since then (a couple of other basses had less than a handful of outings in that time)) was bought in 1986, my double bass is now around 4 years old and isn't going anywhere soon. They both sound like basses to me and sound great. Even my amps last an age. I have had 7 since I started playing in 1980 and one of them was only replaced because it was nicked. I think there is too much nonsense attached to the gear and not enough emphasis on the music.
[/quote]
You are, of course, completely right!

I would suggest that anyone wanting to become a musician should get the best quality instrument they can afford that suits their style of music, then learn how to play the thing! I think that it is a good idea to have a spare, but anything beyond that is just icing on the cake and can be an expensive distraction…

[BobVbass]

[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I would suggest that anyone wanting to become a musician should get the best quality instrument they can afford that suits their style of music, then learn how to play the thing![/font][/color][/quote]

yes very true but then there's the "I wonder what x type of bass is like?" and you can never tell just by playing in a shop, so I'll buy one maybe like it and keep it (yeah ok rarely) or move it on when I know - doesn't stop me carrying on learning and gigging my Lakland P

[OliverBlackman]

This is related to something I experienced recently. In my 23 years of life I've had 9 basses, some of them really expensive, some of them not, 4 strings, 5 strings, fretless ect.

But a lot of my favourite bassists tend to be famous with just 1 bass. So I decided my favourite was my Fender P. I stuck some TI flats on it, and just use the one bass.

I've been amazed at how much better my playing has got, and how easily I can translate ideas onto a familiar fretboard. I can also get an incredible amount of different tones through fingers and the one tone knob. I do want a late 70's jazz though, as I really like Marcus Miller, but that can come when I can afford it. Everything else is just needless GAS .

Being poor also helps though!

[peteb]

[quote name='BobVbass' timestamp='1397122022' post='2420800']


yes very true but then there's the "I wonder what x type of bass is like?" and you can never tell just by playing in a shop, so I'll buy one maybe like it and keep it (yeah ok rarely) or move it on when I know - doesn't stop me carrying on learning and gigging my Lakland P
[/quote]
But while you wondering what this new bass is like and spending time (& money of course) buying and then selling it, you could have been concentrating on improving as a player!

You already have a perfectly good instrument that you need to do that, your Lakland...

[wateroftyne]

I've got my main fretted and fretless P's, which I've had over ten years now.

I have a slot for a third bass, which is a 'guest'.

I just like basses. I like the look of them. And as I mentioned earlier, it satisfies the 'what if?' in me.

[The fasting showman]

Maybe this only applies to me so I hope nobody takes offence!
In the time that I've been playing the bass I would have to say that I've been most vulnerable to the siren voices of new gear when I've been in a lesser standard of band (the 'do we sound crap because of me?' factor) or between bands. When I've played with better musicians they tend to raise my game and equipment ceases to be as important, obviously within reason. Plus at those times in my life I've gigged so much that the last thing I'd be interested in is tinkering with my gear, purely maintenance only. You start to see these patterns emerge in your life...

Martin

[jakenewmanbass]

Rob, you have touched on what I had in my mind (at least in part) when I asked the question.
I sound like me on just about everything I play.... so I just need to be comfy.

I do however completely understand the allure...

Edited April 10, 2014 by jakenewmanbass

[Bilbo]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1397142943' post='2421122']

I sound like me on just about everything I play....

[/quote]

100%

[3below]

[quote name='OliverBlackman' timestamp='1397122403' post='2420806']
...... So I decided my favourite was my Fender P. I stuck some TI flats on it, and just use the one bass.

I've been amazed at how much better my playing has got, and how easily I can translate ideas onto a familiar fretboard. I can also get an incredible amount of different tones through fingers and the one tone knob. ...

[/quote]

I agree with the above so much (substitute G&L and Kramer P type basses for Fender).

Even worse, I now find that with the right strings really cheap basses can be very good - Peavey milestone III I have (came with a hiscox case) is very good. Nice kit is nice but these days I find cheap kit is pretty good for most situations.

[paul_5]

I was like this with effects a couple of years ago. I was searching for 'that' overdriven sound for my Jazz bass.

Then one night I plugged a home made bits P bass into my usual rig and found the sound that I'd had in my head for years.

I spent a lot of time looking for the right thing in the wrong place. Some would say that it was a waste of time and money, but the net results to me were:

1) I know how to get 'that' sound
2) A fairly encyclopaedic knowledge of overdrive circuits, mods and components

[stubass]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1397166828' post='2421515']
I was like this with effects a couple of years ago. I was searching for 'that' overdriven sound for my Jazz bass.

Then one night I plugged a home made bits P bass into my usual rig and found the sound that I'd had in my head for years.

I spent a lot of time looking for the right thing in the wrong place. Some would say that it was a waste of time and money, but the net results to me were:

1) I know how to get 'that' sound
2) A fairly encyclopaedic knowledge of overdrive circuits, mods and components
[/quote]

Yeah, I had that with a borrowed g&l sb-2. Bought a shed load of pedals, strings, pickups etc. Then boom, an sb-2 into my wee practice amp after 5 minutes and that was that. I played a mim p for years but after swapping to an ibby sr, I realised I was more comfortable with a slim neck. Didn't like the jazz though strangely. Or the epi tbird pro. I've subsequently saved for my very own sb-2 which I get tomorrow hopefully. I'll keep the ibby for a backup but I think I'm there now. In conclusion, I've found what I wanted in the end, it was all good fun and I don't think I lost too much cash on the way.

[miles'tone]

[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1397123434' post='2420821']
Maybe this only applies to me so I hope nobody takes offence!
In the time that I've been playing the bass I would have to say that I've been most vulnerable to the siren voices of new gear when I've been in a lesser standard of band (the 'do we sound crap because of me?' factor) or between bands. When I've played with better musicians they tend to raise my game and equipment ceases to be as important, obviously within reason. Plus at those times in my life I've gigged so much that the last thing I'd be interested in is tinkering with my gear, purely maintenance only. You start to see these patterns emerge in your life...

Martin
[/quote]

Great post.