I'd like to sell most of my basses, but can't bring myself to do so

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Or living in London anywhere 

True. I went from 5 basses and an upright to just a P bass when I moved to London. 1) because of space and 2) to pay for deposits on flats.

[Sida79]

10 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I don't get having lots of the same bass with similar setups & sounds but can understand some folks enjoying such a collection.

Different colors?

 

In all seriousness my three jazz basses are as different as they can be.

Limelight sounds very woody, custom sounds very plasticky and Fender is in between.

Custom has a very deep sound, Fender is quite bright, and Limelight is in between.

Different strings suit them, they have very different neck feels, string spacing, etc.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Sida79

[Geek99]

31 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

True. I went from 5 basses and an upright to just a P bass when I moved to London. 1) because of space and 2) to pay for deposits on flats.

Right now, I would not live in London even if you paid me to do it 

[Sida79]

7 hours ago, Killed_by_Death said:

Would a mechanic lament over selling a tool?

Unlike a mechanic's tool, a musician's tool is connected to the very tangible quality of the final product that also happens to influence them personally through the feeling of satisfaction with their work.

The situation is more akin to a cook permanently letting go of some ingredients. Some meals definitely will become more difficult/impossible and others might pass judgement based on that,

but you are admitting to yourself you're not striving to be a top chef and just want to enjoy a nice meal now and then.

[BigRedX]

Five or six years ago I had almost 50 guitars and basses plus a load of synthesisers. I sold most of them and I am now down to:

 

2 x 5 sting basses which I use with one band, a main and a spare for gigs

 

2 x Bass VI which I use with the other band, again a main and a spare for gigs

 

2 x guitars for writing and if I ever get the urge to play guitar live again.

 

The plug-in synths that come free with Logic.

 

Some of it wan't easy, but I decided to be ruthless and anything that hadn't been played for at least 2 years went straight away. The rest was done by a process of elimination using them for rehearsals and deciding which I liked the best, and selling the others.

Edited August 2, 2021 by BigRedX

[Sida79]

31 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Right now, I would not live in London even if you paid me to do it 

[ cries in Croatian]

 

3 hours ago, merello said:

Not a single photo....this place has went to the. Puppies! 🐶 

A single photo incoming edit: no idea why it's so blurry until you click on it

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Sida79

[Sida79]

5 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Five or six years ago I had almost 50 guitars and basses plus a load of synthesisers.

I've always wondered about people who went far into double digits. It's not that I don't get buying instruments, I get it. But I would not have time to give those instruments any serious amount of playing,

and switching from instrument to instrument requires at least some adjustment, so... expensive decoration?

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Sida79 said:

[ cries in Croatian]

 

A single photo incoming edit: no idea why it's so blurry until you click on it

 

Well you can’t sell that. Just look at it!

[Sida79]

3 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Well you can’t sell that. Just look at it!

I know... I try not to look at it and just enjoy the sound. Wife says it's disgusting!

[ubit]

I have the same problem. I have 14 basses and we don't play anymore. I keep saying the band will get back together and I will need all of these basses. They all sound different and when we were gigging I rotated them regularly. I could do with the money but can't bring myself to sell. I did sell my Spector Euro and now I miss it.

[dmccombe7]

5 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

True. I went from 5 basses and an upright to just a P bass when I moved to London. 1) because of space and 2) to pay for deposits on flats.

And i bet you were happy with that one bass.

Dave

[Frank Blank]

On 31/07/2021 at 12:08, Sida79 said:

Anyone else have this first world problem?

 

I just sold all my basses, amplification and effects, feels great!

[dmccombe7]

4 hours ago, Sida79 said:

Unlike a mechanic's tool, a musician's tool is connected to the very tangible quality of the final product that also happens to influence them personally through the feeling of satisfaction with their work.

The situation is more akin to a cook permanently letting go of some ingredients. Some meals definitely will become more difficult/impossible and others might pass judgement based on that,

but you are admitting to yourself you're not striving to be a top chef and just want to enjoy a nice meal now and then.

I was an engineer for 40 yrs and i still have some of my original tools. Most engineers i know do get attached to certain tools like that particular flat blade or phillips that just fits the hand better, provides better grip and doesn't break at first use. I know car mechanics that only buy Snap-on tools cause they are rated the best with a lifetime guarantee but boy they are expensive. Not for amatuer mechanic tho and same could be said about basses. 😁

Everyone can come up with reasons for keeping a collection of whatever it is they like or use in their job as tools.

I have some sentimental attachment to certain basses, not all, just some. Others i'd sell tomorrow but dont need to if i'm honest so its not doing any harm having them.

 

I do like the idea of one or maybe 2 basses. My choice would be a P and J bass but i'd miss my Sandberg VM4. 

I also have a wee notion for a MM Sterling Stingray but no rush to buy one.

 

Dave

[dmccombe7]

3 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

I just sold all my basses, amplification and effects, feels great!

Should we allow you to stay on BC now ??? 😂

Any particular reason for selling everything Frank ? Seems a bit drastic.

 

Dave

[Frank Blank]

6 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Should we allow you to stay on BC now ??? 😂

Any particular reason for selling everything Frank ? Seems a bit drastic.

 

Dave

 

Well, no band (not just because of Covid) and wasn't practicing, wasn't even picking them up so I sold up and bought some camera gear, but, having said that the two basses being built here...

 

...are for me so really I should qualify that it felt great to sell all my gear however, I do have two more in the pipeline, ahem.

[Reggaebass]

27 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

all my basses,

Everything 😲😲😁

[uk_lefty]

If your sofa is up against a wall sliding a hard case behind the sofa is a good hiding place for a bass... 

 

Culling is hard but it's therapeutic and really, if a custom bass didn't work out for you don't keep it! If you have three jazzes but one sounds best, keep it and sell the others. You can only play one at a time. Use the money for something else. I often criticise my guitarist for having 13 guitars, most of which are crap. He needs to sell all of them and buy two excellent guitars with the proceeds. I need to take that advice with my basses! 

 

I'm on 6 basses. One is going on Saturday. Its the most beautiful jazz bass I have ever seen, but I'm not playing it. It was a tough decision that has taken me a few months but ultimately 6 is too many. There are 2 I will never sell because of sentimental value (18th birthday present) or massive drop in sell on value (new USA Stingray) , and another is a bitsa so I've spent more than its worth on parts. The 4th keeper is purely for aesthetics, it's a headless bass for my 80s band. The other 2 are surplus, though fantastic and desirable instruments, to me at least! 

 

Now to move on some cabs and maybe an amp head! 

[Reggaebass]

12 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

I do have two more in the pipeline,

Was this down to a change in your musical direction frank, or did you just fancy starting again from new 🙂

[Frank Blank]

29 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Was this down to a change in your musical direction frank, or did you just fancy starting again from new 🙂

 

The more I think about it I believe this was exactly it. I got more into the trying, buying, selling than playing. I just needed a reset I think. I also got stupidly engrossed in the daft find the perfect bass nonsense when TBH I think for 95% of us 95% of the time a basic Fender would do the job. Which is why Jabba is building me two custom jobs, ahem.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Frank Blank

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

Which is why Jabba is building me two custom jobs

Sounds great, I look forward to seeing them 👍

[Sida79]

24 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

If your sofa is up against a wall sliding a hard case behind the sofa is a good hiding place for a bass...

I do, in fact, have some places where to hide them. Behind the sofa, like you said, and even some space in the closet to slip them in upright.

What I don't have is a nice accessible place where I could have any more than 1 bass ready to be grabbed and played like I used to.

Since I'm neither buying a new flat or moving out actually useful furniture, having a stack of unused basses seems pointless.

[ubit]

I got in touch with Guitar Guitar to try and offload some gear. They asked for pics and I sent them with full descriptions. They offered me laughable trade ins. I said to them look, I realise that you are a business and need to make money but those offers are derisory. Two basses that were as new as the day they were bought and they were offering me pennies. If you are going to sell do it privately. At least you will get a half decent price. I didn't want to rip anyone off but a guitar that cost me  £800 and is as good as new should be worth more than £200.

[Stub Mandrel]

7 hours ago, Sida79 said:

Different colors?

 

In all seriousness my three jazz basses are as different as they can be.

Limelight sounds very woody, custom sounds very plasticky and Fender is in between.

Custom has a very deep sound, Fender is quite bright, and Limelight is in between.

Different strings suit them, they have very different neck feels, string spacing, etc.

 

I wouldn't count those as being the same. I have two jazzes, one with mutes fitted.

[Machines]

36 minutes ago, ubit said:

I got in touch with Guitar Guitar to try and offload some gear. They asked for pics and I sent them with full descriptions. They offered me laughable trade ins. I said to them look, I realise that you are a business and need to make money but those offers are derisory. Two basses that were as new as the day they were bought and they were offering me pennies. If you are going to sell do it privately. At least you will get a half decent price. I didn't want to rip anyone off but a guitar that cost me  £800 and is as good as new should be worth more than £200.

 

Yet they get a lot of 2nd hand stuff on the website, do not underestimate that people want the new shiny thing now, not after they've patiently sold things at the right price.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

just sold all my basses

 

All ?! If so, do you find that you've become more fidgety?