Should I Sell My Shuker..?

[Miker400]

Should I sell my bass??

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of using a friends Fender USA Elite Jazz bass, which has active electronics and that 70’s block inlay / edge binding vibe. As the night came to a close the bar management suggested we play anything we like to send the punters on their merry Christmas way. As we were given some freedom of choice we played black-dog and another one bites the dust. Now in rehearsal we often ham these tunes up to a funky level that the chilli peppers would be proud of; or to put it another way, I slap the heck out of em..! The Fender bass was amazing; I’d forgotten just how good they are. I’d gone down the road of exotic woods and a luthier build that borders on artistry.

I own 2 x 5-string Shukers. My first was a double cut away. So impressed with its playability I stumbled upon a single-cut that plays equally as good soon after. So purchased that too (see pics)! The problem is; I want a modern take on 70’s style 4-string American jazz with a maple neck! Ideally an Elite or Deluxe; and it just so happens there’s a Deluxe on this very forum that ticks all my boxes.

Last week I put my single-cut up for sale on this site and enjoyed some interest for a few days; but no definitive offers. After thinking it through I decided to remove it from sale as my heart doesn’t want anyone else to own it - but I still want the jazz; badly! Now I don’t use the single-cut nearly enough; certainly not for gigging. Or at least not now. Mainly because it’s too pretty for some places I’ve played (too scared it’ll get damaged or taken). So I probably look at it more than I play it, so to speak.

Saving up for a Jazz, around £1000 - £1300 (used but loved), is going to take a good few months; as a young family and an NHS salary don’t seem compatible! So what do I do?

Should I sell a Shuker I like, but don’t play so much, for a Fender Jazz workhorse I’ll probably play into the ground..?? There’s also a side to me that thinks I just don’t need 3 great bass guitars. 2 is probably enough!

Any thoughts..??

 

[charic]

Sounds like GAS to me

[Mykesbass]

One of the biggest drawbacks of  luthier built bass is the resale value. Hang on to it - Shukers are way better than Fender in every respect apart from the one  just mentioned 😎

[Silvia Bluejay]

Just a quick note to say, we're allowing this kind of post this time, because the OP has a for sale ad set up already. In most other cases, this thread would have been hidden, because unfortunately, many people tend to use this kind of posts to bypass the Marketplace rules.

PS the bass is beautiful.

[Miker400]

Apologies for putting this topic on this thread; I appreciate it looks like I’m trying to sell my bass by bypassing the Marketplace rules; but I’ve already got a thread on there and have paid the approp funds too. Apologies for the confusion, but I’m genuinely torn between selling and buying another bass & just wanted some opinion.. 😔

[jrixn1]

3 hours ago, Miker400 said:

Saving up for a Jazz, around £1000 - £1300 (used but loved), is going to take a good few months; as a young family and an NHS salary don’t seem compatible! So what do I do?

Why not buy a cheaper bass?

Quote

I don’t use the single-cut nearly enough ... too scared it’ll get damaged or taken

But you're not worried that a £1200 Fender Jazz might be damaged or taken? 

Edited January 3, 2020 by jrixn1

[Lozz196]

Bass stated as liked but not played much.

Or a work-horse that will be played into the ground (and quoted as The Fender bass was amazing; I’d forgotten just how good they are).

Only says one thing to me, buy the Jazz that is wanted/will be used regularly.

[DoubleOhStephan]

3 hours ago, Miker400 said:

Should I sell my bass??

You work for the NHS, have you harvested all non-essential organs yet? Come on man, think! Do you really need both your eyes? There's a grand, maybe more of they're a nice colour. How much do kidneys fetch these days? £500? 

 Keep the bass, sell an organ... 😬

[fleabag]

How does anyone else know whether you should sell a bass or not ?

 

[Miker400]

1 hour ago, jrixn1 said:

Why not buy a cheaper bass?

But you're not worried that a £1200 Fender Jazz might be damaged or taken? 

Firstly; unless it’s a custom shop or vintage, most fender jazz bass’s are factory produced & are readily available new or used.. Most punters at a bar, who don’t play a guitar, wouldn’t know the difference between a Fender Jazz or a Sire V7. If it was stolen or damaged my insurance would cover some part of its value and I’d get a like for like replacement fairly easily.

The Shuker is pretty much one of a kind. I appreciate Shuker makes the same instrument over and over again but they tend to be in different woods or finishes - hence, I’d say my Shuker is fairly unique! In the 8yrs I’ve owned the guitar I’ve gigged probably only a dozen times. Why? The issue with playing it live is that it turns heads; people notice the instrument and between sets it attracts attention. Usually from people who don’t know anything about luthier built guitars. On pretty much every gigged occasion I’ve been asked about its build quality and it’s PRICE..!! Which got me very concerned one night! The guitarists vintage gold-top; no interest from anyone. If it gets stolen - it’s gone; irreplaceable in its format.

£1200 - pretty cheap for a decent enough bass guitar these days. Probably wouldn’t consider playing an instrument for much less. 

[BrunoBass]

My perspective: get the bass you will use and lose the bass you don’t use. I really liked my Stingray but it was lying in it’s case unused for month after month. I sold it to fund my Jazz which truthfully I like less, but gets used every week. Depends how you view your basses, to me they’re predominantly tools that have to earn their keep.

Edited January 3, 2020 by BrunoBass

[bigthumb]

I have sold far too many basses I've loved because something else tickled my fancy. I fear you will regret selling that lovely Shuker one day. I've learned some pretty painful lessons over the years selling basses that deep down I knew I shouldn't have. 

[PatrickJ]

I think having a traditional work horse bass for the run of the mill gigs makes a lot of sense.  I'm not sure I'd want to take my custom Shuker (when I get it) to the Dog and Duck in god knows what cramped space with a bunch of inebriated punters who were really there to watch the footie and don't give two hoots about the music.  It's a shame you'd have to sell one of them to fund it but if it was me I'd keep the single cut and sell the Series 2. 

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, Miker400 said:

£1200 - pretty cheap for a decent enough bass guitar these days. Probably wouldn’t consider playing an instrument for much less.

not sure where you're shopping. If you look secondhand a decent passive jazz will set you back way less than that. 

 

here's one: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/392744-fsft-lakland-skyline-44-64-custom-colour-£575/

and another https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/388826-fender-japan-jazz-1984-7-black-rosewood-red-tort/

and a relic if that's your thing https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/383458-now-£700-limelight-custom-guitars-63-j-bass-heavy-relic/

and that's just on a quick scan on here. I think that a lot of the cheaper end basses probably don't make it on bass chat and are on the gumtree/ebay/facebook groups instead. 

And that's before even suggesting a Good Squier, or even something like a Bass Collection, or Sire even, could scratch that itch for you without shelling out the big bucks. 
I've gone on a similar-ish journey to you... I've had neck through basses with fancy preamps in and a very cultured tone... and actually the sound of a simple fender style bass just works in the mix in the way that some custom basses won't. BUT you'll find the Shukers will do things that a jazz won't. I guess the question is - Guesing you use the other Shuker live... what does the single cut do differently that the main one doesn't that justify's you keeping it? If there isn't enough, then a change is good. 

Mind you - if I were going to spend £1200 on a jazz bass - I'ld be buying one from Jon Shuker...

 

 

 

[jezzaboy]

I recently bought a 2016 P bass Elite and it`s brilliant. Active/passive, P and J, great bridge, it has the truss rod wheel adjuster like the MM, great case and it`s black and maple. I got it for £1100.

I know it isn`t a Jazz but I can only guess that the Jazz is just as good. 

This may not help your GAS but if you fancy the Fender more than the Shuker, then go for it.

[jezzaboy]

I`ve just noticed that Bassdirect has a Shuker Jazz s/h for £1299. Looks cool.

http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Shuker_Jazz_5.html

[itu]

This is pure GAS.

Two 5 strings, keep the one you love: soundwise, touch etc. Modify the other to a fretless or sell to somebody else. My dream team would be two fours and two fivers. Fretted and fretless ones. I am after a fretless 5 (broad neck, and 35" or 36") that would complete my collection.

If someone is interested in your bass, take it as a compliment. That's it.

[White Cloud]

8 hours ago, Miker400 said:

Apologies for putting this topic on this thread; I appreciate it looks like I’m trying to sell my bass by bypassing the Marketplace rules; but I’ve already got a thread on there and have paid the approp funds too. Apologies for the confusion, but I’m genuinely torn between selling and buying another bass & just wanted some opinion.. 😔

The Shuker is beautiful and unique however, go with your instinct then dont look back.

For what it's worth, if the Shuker wont sell then why not speak to Bass Direct: They will take the Shuker as a trade, or even do a direct swap for another bass with the same value.

I recently swapped two basses for a brand new one with them... they are fair, have a great selection of Fenders and are super easy to deal with 👍