Psychology behind collecting instruments

[LeftyJ]

1 hour ago, Ralf1e said:

Buy a cheaper FF until you know if it suites you

Try finding them in lefty. Cheapest is the Ibanez EHB1005, which is less than half of a new Dingwall Combustion but still not a cheap bass. 

[Ralf1e]

1 minute ago, LeftyJ said:

Try finding them in lefty. Cheapest is the Ibanez EHB1005, which is less than half of a new Dingwall Combustion but still not a cheap bass. 

Sorry Lefty didn't sink in to me. It should have I was born one and forced to switch

[Machines]

Christmas shopping in a local market town this week I popped into the Cash Converters. Ended up leaving with not one, but two basses 🤣.

 

Both were well priced and desperately looked like they needed some saving, struck a deal and within 6 hours both instruments are now 100% and setup like a dream (Ibanez RS900 and Yamaha BB425X). The Ibanez was definitely just to faff with it for a bit and then move on (I think I have someone lined up already !) but the BB might get some use, don't need it but it was cheap enough to not feel guilty about it (unlike the 2 Dingwalls cough cough)

[Ralf1e]

2 minutes ago, Machines said:

Christmas shopping in a local market town this week I popped into the Cash Converters. Ended up leaving with not one, but two basses 🤣.

 

Both were well priced and desperately looked like they needed some saving, struck a deal and within 6 hours both instruments are now 100% and setup like a dream (Ibanez RS900 and Yamaha BB425X). The Ibanez was definitely just to faff with it for a bit and then move on (I think I have someone lined up already !) but the BB might get some use, don't need it but it was cheap enough to not feel guilty about it (unlike the 2 Dingwalls cough cough)

YeeeeHaa! Result!

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Machines said:

Christmas shopping in a local market town this week I popped into the Cash Converters. Ended up leaving with not one, but two basses 🤣.

 

Both were well priced and desperately looked like they needed some saving, struck a deal and within 6 hours both instruments are now 100% and setup like a dream (Ibanez RS900 and Yamaha BB425X). The Ibanez was definitely just to faff with it for a bit and then move on (I think I have someone lined up already !) but the BB might get some use, don't need it but it was cheap enough to not feel guilty about it (unlike the 2 Dingwalls cough cough)

I think this is lightly different. Restroirng instruments isn’t collecting, that’s putting something positive back into the world!

[Machines]

2 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I think this is lightly different. Restroirng instruments isn’t collecting, that’s putting something positive back into the world!

 

I feel like the bass equivalent of a someone that saves wounded animals from death, heals them and releases them back into the wild.

[BlueMoon]

58 minutes ago, Machines said:

I feel like the bass equivalent of a someone that saves wounded animals from death, heals them and releases them back into the wild.

I get all of this ^^^^^
 

It’s the “releases them” bit that I have to work on personally!!

[Waddycall]

Haha, just read half this thread, got bored and went off to the marketplace

[binky_bass]

I buy basses/guitars fairly regularly. Mostly to try them for fun, things I've not owned before. I only ever buy if the price is right as I want to almost guarantee I can get my money back or even maybe turn a small profit as and when I sell. Though some will always stay with me (unless dire financial situations means I need to sell). 

 

I'd rather have a few fun instruments to play than cash in the bank - if I need the cash I can liquidate an instrument in fairly short order. Money in the bank does nothing and earns nothing, so I'd rather enjoy a nice bass for a few months then sell it on (or maybe keep it!) than have cash doing nowt in the bank. 

 

I quite enjoy hunting for something interesting, so for me I'd say it's not 'filling a hole' so to speak, it's more a hobby I enjoy and an alternative to having cash savings.

[SH73]

Well, I've got a confession to make. I put two guitars up for sale and pre emptively bought a guitar from the profit I have yet to make. 

[Maude]

1 hour ago, binky_bass said:

I buy basses/guitars fairly regularly. Mostly to try them for fun, things I've not owned before. I only ever buy if the price is right as I want to almost guarantee I can get my money back or even maybe turn a small profit as and when I sell. Though some will always stay with me (unless dire financial situations means I need to sell). 

 

I'd rather have a few fun instruments to play than cash in the bank - if I need the cash I can liquidate an instrument in fairly short order. Money in the bank does nothing and earns nothing, so I'd rather enjoy a nice bass for a few months then sell it on (or maybe keep it!) than have cash doing nowt in the bank. 

 

I quite enjoy hunting for something interesting, so for me I'd say it's not 'filling a hole' so to speak, it's more a hobby I enjoy and an alternative to having cash savings.

 

This is pretty much exactly my outlook on it, with the addition of my enjoyment of restoring/refinishing instruments. 

Spare money has very little interest to me, but owning and using lots of different basses does. 

I can leave my money in the bank and let them make money off it, or tie it up in basses I enjoy and I'll make money off it. 

Seems a no brainer to me. 

Collecting money seems far more ludicrous to me than collecting basses. 

 

I also don't have any other expensive hobbies, golf, photography, etc. Being in the car trade my whole life has left me bored with them, I buy a car for about £1500, keep it until it's not worth repairing and scrap it, typically around 6 or 7 years, so let's say £225 per year, where lots/most pay that per month for theirs. 

The odd thing to me is that society sees spending £30k on an exceptionally speedily depreciating car as the norm, but spending £30k on something like a bass collection as a 'problem'. 

You be very hard pushed to spend £30k on basses, to find out in 10 to 15 years time they're only worth £1,500, whereas this is normal for a car. 

Obviously there are exceptions to this, as with anything.

[Franticsmurf]

52 minutes ago, SH73 said:

Well, I've got a confession to make. I put two guitars up for sale and pre emptively bought a guitar from the profit I have yet to make. 

I've done this in the past. And will probably do it again in the future. 😃

[Maude]

And as if to qualify my above post, I go to scroll through facebook and the first picture that comes up is this one from the, 'Underdog - Obscure, Trashy and Kool Guitars and Amps' group. 

How is this not more exciting and pleasurable than a car? 😁

 

 

[Ralf1e]

11 minutes ago, Maude said:

 

This is pretty much exactly my outlook on it, with the addition of my enjoyment of restoring/refinishing instruments. 

Spare money has very little interest to me, but owning and using lots of different basses does. 

I can leave my money in the bank and let them make money off it, or tie it up in basses I enjoy and I'll make money off it. 

Seems a no brainer to me. 

Collecting money seems far more ludicrous to me than collecting basses. 

 

I also don't have any other expensive hobbies, golf, photography, etc. Being in the car trade my whole life has left me bored with them, I buy a car for about £1500, keep it until it's not worth repairing and scrap it, typically around 6 or 7 years, so let's say £225 per year, where lots/most pay that per month for theirs. 

The odd thing to me is that society sees spending £30k on an exceptionally speedily depreciating car as the norm, but spending £30k on something like a bass collection as a 'problem'. 

You be very hard pushed to spend £30k on basses, to find out in 10 to 15 years time they're only worth £1,500, whereas this is normal for a car. 

Obviously there are exceptions to this, as with anything.

New cars mostly = ego and prestige. Instruments = investment

I bought my Westy Thunder 3 for £95

First Westy Spectrum LX for £250

Second Westy Spectrum LX for £270

In Japan and on Reverb people are still asking £1500 for any of them and there is hardly ever more than one good one for sale.

Not saying they ever get that but I have seen some of each disappear off of Reverb in recent times when the prices get closer to £1000.

By contrast had a nice notification from the holders of my pension fund a while ago telling me they have  lost over £5300 of its value in the first few months of this year. Ouch came to mind

I could have taken that out and invested it as shown above even after being mugged by the tax man.

[Machines]

1 hour ago, SH73 said:

Well, I've got a confession to make. I put two guitars up for sale and pre emptively bought a guitar from the profit I have yet to make. 

 

But have you bought something from the profit of a guitar you haven't even bought yet ? That's the next level.

[SH73]

1 minute ago, Machines said:

 

But have you bought something from the profit of a guitar you haven't even bought yet ? That's the next level.

Well, surely there are some experts here that have done. Wouldn't that lead to bankruptcy ?

[SH73]

23 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

New cars mostly = ego and prestige.

100% agreed

[Machines]

4 minutes ago, SH73 said:

Well, surely there are some experts here that have done. Wouldn't that lead to bankruptcy ?

 

In time, yes. It'd be like a pyramid scheme for basses. 

 

EDIT: If anyone is up for that let me know it sounds like a blast.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Machines

[SH73]

I think your idea of buying something from a profit you haven't even bought could lead to a bad credit score 

[SH73]

19 hours ago, Machines said:

Christmas shopping in a local market town this week I popped into the Cash Converters. Ended up leaving with not one, but two basses 🤣.

 

Both were well priced and desperately looked like they needed some saving, struck a deal and within 6 hours both instruments are now 100% and setup like a dream (Ibanez RS900 and Yamaha BB425X). The Ibanez was definitely just to faff with it for a bit and then move on (I think I have someone lined up already !) but the BB might get some use, don't need it but it was cheap enough to not feel guilty about it (unlike the 2 Dingwalls cough cough)

Good investment. I recently bought a guitar in a mint condition, a 100 w marshal amp, another 30w amp, wah pedal, Leather guitar strap, tuner, guitar cable from someone that gave up playing. I only bought the bundle for the amp. If I sold the rest I would make profit and still have the amp. I agree that music instruments Vs new car, former is a winner, unless of course you have a collection of Ferraris

[Beedster]

3 hours ago, binky_bass said:

I buy basses/guitars fairly regularly. Mostly to try them for fun, things I've not owned before. I only ever buy if the price is right as I want to almost guarantee I can get my money back or even maybe turn a small profit as and when I sell. Though some will always stay with me (unless dire financial situations means I need to sell). 

 

I'd rather have a few fun instruments to play than cash in the bank - if I need the cash I can liquidate an instrument in fairly short order. Money in the bank does nothing and earns nothing, so I'd rather enjoy a nice bass for a few months then sell it on (or maybe keep it!) than have cash doing nowt in the bank. 

 

I quite enjoy hunting for something interesting, so for me I'd say it's not 'filling a hole' so to speak, it's more a hobby I enjoy and an alternative to having cash savings.

 

1 hour ago, Maude said:

 

This is pretty much exactly my outlook on it, with the addition of my enjoyment of restoring/refinishing instruments. 

Spare money has very little interest to me, but owning and using lots of different basses does. 

I can leave my money in the bank and let them make money off it, or tie it up in basses I enjoy and I'll make money off it. 

Seems a no brainer to me. 

Collecting money seems far more ludicrous to me than collecting basses. 

 

I also don't have any other expensive hobbies, golf, photography, etc. Being in the car trade my whole life has left me bored with them, I buy a car for about £1500, keep it until it's not worth repairing and scrap it, typically around 6 or 7 years, so let's say £225 per year, where lots/most pay that per month for theirs. 

The odd thing to me is that society sees spending £30k on an exceptionally speedily depreciating car as the norm, but spending £30k on something like a bass collection as a 'problem'. 

You be very hard pushed to spend £30k on basses, to find out in 10 to 15 years time they're only worth £1,500, whereas this is normal for a car. 

Obviously there are exceptions to this, as with anything.

 

These!

 

I look at the buying habits of most of my friends - cars, tech, clothes, bikes (and we're talking £5k+ pedal bikes here) - stuff all bought for the pleasure of buying/owning them as opposed to any need and usually associated with 75% hit on value the moment they walk out of the shop, it makes me feel a whole lot better about the fact that I probably break even on the stuff i buy for pleasure, mostly music gear (although this doesn't include the  recording tech I use for work on which I take a similar 75% hit on value but that to my mind is different). And I love buying bits and making basses, usually selling them for around what they cost me, but again, deriving some pleasure without incurring any costs. There are far worse ways of using cash 👍

[Grimalkin]

You should see my stamp collection, featuring a gorgeous limited edition set presenting the wildfowl of Papua New Guinea. They really are quite breathtakingly beautiful.

 

[Oomo]

Another contributing factor I've noticed is that checking out gear is something I can do when I can't play.

 

E.g. travelling to/from work, checking forums during lunch breaks, watching review videos while cooking, etc.

 

If I had more time I'd be far too busy playing/practicing to worry about acquiring more gear (at least that's what I keep telling myself ).

[msb]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

And as if to qualify my above post, I go to scroll through facebook and the first picture that comes up is this one from the, 'Underdog - Obscure, Trashy and Kool Guitars and Amps' group. 

How is this not more exciting and pleasurable than a car? 😁

 

 

… those certainly are obscure , kool and trashy!

[BigRedX]

8 hours ago, Maude said:

And as if to qualify my above post, I go to scroll through facebook and the first picture that comes up is this one from the, 'Underdog - Obscure, Trashy and Kool Guitars and Amps' group. 

How is this not more exciting and pleasurable than a car? 😁

 

 

 

Are you sure that's an actual collection and not the Backlund guitars showroom?