Owning and parting with Vintage Gear

[pmjos]

A short while ago I made the decision to part with my vintage basses and some amps.

I didn't set out to become a collector but I seem to have been quite good at it and my instruments had built up to a fairly substantial value.

 

I didn't buy them for their investment value I bought them because they were wonderful things to play.

However over time the weight of their increasing value started to bug me.

I found myself worrying about using them, moving them about, turning those 60 year old pots.

I mean one replacement pot and the value drops, a failed winding and say goodbye to enough cash buy a new bass.

 

Love these instruments as I did for many years in the end I actually found it a relief to sell them.

 

Anyone else had this experience?

[Dad3353]

16 minutes ago, pmjos said:

... I didn't buy them for their investment value I bought them because they were wonderful things to play...

 

Over the decades, the stuff I bought has, maybe, changed in commercial value, but it doesn't interest me to even look it up, as I won't be selling any of it, anyway. Good when I bought 'em, and still good all this time later. I'd not hesitate to change a worn-out pot, or have a p/u re-wound; the 'collector' value (if any...) is of no interest to me. I'd rather have my stuff working at its best. 

[Jason Karloff]

My mistake 35/40 years ago was getting the best instruments I could. Then watching them rocket in value and become too valuable to take outside the door. Painted myself into a corner I didn't see coming. 

[GuyR]

I haven’t had that experience, but have similar instruments and would never describe my kit as a collection. They are just my basses.
If the responsibility for stewardship of the financial value and liability for loss or deterioration are an ongoing concern which outweighs the pleasure received from the utility or ownership, then you are sensible to sell. The possessions own you.

 

I could part with a few, although they all get used, but there are a couple that are the best of their type I have played, so effectively irreplaceable. What is the point of selling the best bass or guitar you have played while still breathing?

In the past I have sold very good vintage kit without regret, but only to buy better with the proceeds. 

You must have kept at least one?

[pmjos]

9 hours ago, GuyR said:

You must have kept at least one?

 

I have a 1977 ray but that's it - all the expensive stuff is gone and I feel better for it.

 

Like Jason Karloff says above "Painted myself into a corner I didn't see coming" 

[bassbiscuits]

I’ve got one vintage bass - a 1970 precision bass.
 

It’s a gigging instrument not a case queen - it’s on its third set of frets and has had various repairs to wiring, jack socket etc. It’s an 54 year old bass at the end of the day.
 

But yeah there are gigs and which aren’t suitable for it, and for those I have a cheap and cheerful pair of Yamaha basses instead. 

 

I don’t see the point of owning anything I don’t use, but at the same time I decide whether it’s best left at home for some gigs.

 

[BigRedX]

As I've always said, any gig where I was worried about the safety of my instruments, I would be more worried about my own personal safety, and wouldn't be playing it in the first place.

[cetera]

3 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

As I've always said, any gig where I was worried about the safety of my instruments, I would be more worried about my own personal safety, and wouldn't be playing it in the first place.

Yeah, but you're not likely to get 'opportunistically stolen'....

 

[Happy Jack]

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've yet to have a single piece of gear nicked (except by bandmates 😂) at a gig, nor even felt that the threat existed.

 

The closest I've come was at a pub gig where the drummer wanted to get something from my car so I gave him the keys. Went out to the car park at the break to see the tailgate gaping wide and - sure enough - an amp missing. In all fairness it was entirely the drummer's fault (he continues to deny it to this day), the theft happened because he'd left the boot open, and it very probably had nothing to do with the gig anyway. 🙄

 

I can easily imagine thefts happening to various bandmates I've had over the years who sprint for the door as soon as the last note of a set is played, gasping for a fag. My gear is always in my sight or under the watchful eye of @Silvia Bluejay.

[bassbiscuits]

25 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

As I've always said, any gig where I was worried about the safety of my instruments, I would be more worried about my own personal safety, and wouldn't be playing it in the first place.

I wasn’t thinking so much of places being unsafe - I was thinking more like festivals and multi-band gigs where half the time my kit is chucked in some compound while waiting for our slot etc. 

[Reggaebass]

I narrowed down my vintage basses a few years back , I’m down to just one a 71 precision which I play mostly, I think the wear and tear goes with the territory as they are normally around 50 - 60 years old and that’s the price you pay to play something pretty special , I take mine anywhere because it’s there to be played , I will be buying more if something catches my attention 

[Skybone]

Went through a phase of collecting late 70's/early 80's MIJ guitars, specifically Tokai Love Rock's & Ibanez Artist & Iceman. Great guitars, rubbish guitar player. Bizarrely, didn't buy any basses.

 

Sold them on because I was a bit strapped for cash.

 

I see the point in having them if you're going to play them, but beyond that, it's in the realms of more money than sense.

[spencer.b]

I've sold vintage basses but only cos I'd fallen out of love with them , currently using an all original old p for all my gigs , even sh!tty bar gigs , I justified buying it by saying to myself I'd never leave it home cos it was too valuable, if it picks up another ding then so be it  , don't fly with it mind you , fair play to the OP for selling up cos of the burden , I get that but what I don't get is never gigging them but keeping valuable instruments 

[BigRedX]

I've owned some old and some valuable instruments, but their vintage, rarity or value have never stopped me from taking them to whatever gigs I've found myself playing. For about 5 years I was regularly taking in the region of £15k worth of instruments and equipment to punk and psychobilly gigs. I suppose I have become desensitised to worrying about the value of instruments from having been in synth bands in the 80s when in real terms the value of the equipment I used to gig was considerably more whilst my disposable income was a lot less.

[casapete]

14 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

I wasn’t thinking so much of places being unsafe - I was thinking more like festivals and multi-band gigs where half the time my kit is chucked in some compound while waiting for our slot etc. 

 

Same for me - my 63 P bass means unfortunately too much to me to risk losing it on such events.

Festivals in particular always a worry, that’s why this weekend I’ll be taking a P-Lyte along to

one such event. ( I do use the 63 but only when I can keep it close at all times.)

Always wondered if I was being over protective with it when touring theatres. Then a few years back

a name US band was playing Hull City Hall, and after soundcheck went out to grab food before the gig.

When they came back all the guitars had been filched, and they only managed to do the gig with stuff

borrowed from local musos. My band had an opportunist nick our iPad from the FOH desk at a gig

in Essex once, and no staff at the theatre noticed why he was there before the show.

[asingardenof]

At the start of the first Covid lockdown my company decided to reduce our pay to mitigate any reduction in productivity resulting from us all working from home (after they realised we were all professionals and there was no loss of productivity they very generously gave us half of that reduction back 😐)

 

To mitigate the loss of earnings I had to sell quite a lot of stuff, including a car and some bass gear. The bass I sold was my Squier VM 70s Jazz, which was excellent, and my 1980 Marshall Super Bass head, which was phenomenal.

 

The amp had recently had a full service by the excellent Chris at Tube 'N Truss in Cornwall (if you have a vintage valve amp that needs anything doing to it I can't recommend him enough) so I was hopng to get around £1200 for it, but needs must and I had to let it go for just over £900 to the frontman of a Motorhead tribute, who was very apologetic about getting it for a steal.

 

Much as I'd love to have it back and see what it would sound like gigged through decent bass speakers, I wouldn't appreciate having to carry almost 90lb of amp into some of the venues we've played!

Edited July 11 by asingardenof
Typos

[Burns-bass]

I’ve had a lot of the high price pre-CBS stuff and in the end I’ve not noticed any difference in performance or sound against modern stuff. So much of it is the perceived prestige in owning something old and vintage but 99.9% of your audience doesn’t care a bean. Perhaps there’s something to be said for vintage pickups.

 

I remember showing my dad my candy red jazz bass from 1966. He looked it over and said “looks lovely, but it would be amazing with a new coat of paint…”

Edited July 11 by Burns-bass

[pmjos]

14 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I’ve had a lot of the high price pre-CBS stuff and in the end I’ve not noticed any difference in performance or sound against modern stuff. So much of it is the perceived prestige in owning something old and vintage but 99.9% of your audience doesn’t care a bean. Perhaps there’s something to be said for vintage pickups.

 

I remember showing my dad my candy red jazz bass from 1966. He looked it over and said “looks lovely, but it would be amazing with a new coat of paint…”

 

I agree that nobody in an audience gives a fudge. However, no difference in sound and playability? I have great modern instruments and tonally they get close enough for all general purposes, but they couldn't touch the resonance sustain and just the thickness of tone of some of the vintage instruments I owned. No way. They just don't make 'em from the same stuff they used to, we used it up, especially old growth maple, ash alder & rosewoods. Then there is the aging, can't fake 60 years of seasoning.

 

Having said that My brother has 2010 factory made bog standard jazz bass. It remains one of the best sounding jazz basses I've ever played - why who knows....

[Cat Burrito]

I had two 70s Fender Precisions for a while. My 1978 Mocha Brown one was immaculate. Aside failing to convince the "all 70s Fenders are heavy" theorists on here that they were actually both pretty lightweight, I played them regularly. Times got tight and I sold them both on. I think I must be a bit of a page turner because I enjoyed them whilst I had them but I have never missed them and I wouldn't rush to buy anything vintage again. In fact having been a serious contender for the highest rotator of kit for almost a decade I calmed down massively around 10yrs back and have settled on the same core group of basses now since 2016. Never say never, but I think I am done.

[police squad]

I still gig my older more valuable instruments, if they fit the criteria.

My '73 P bass comes out occasionally

'67 SG jr, which got a lot of use after a car crash left me with bad whiplash because it is so light.

Looking forward to gigging my '64 hofner violin bass, when I get the chance.

But I wouldn't fly with them now and as others have said, as long as I can keep an eye on them at gigs

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, pmjos said:

 

I agree that nobody in an audience gives a fudge. However, no difference in sound and playability? I have great modern instruments and tonally they get close enough for all general purposes, but they couldn't touch the resonance sustain and just the thickness of tone of some of the vintage instruments I owned. No way. They just don't make 'em from the same stuff they used to, we used it up, especially old growth maple, ash alder & rosewoods. Then there is the aging, can't fake 60 years of seasoning.

 

Having said that My brother has 2010 factory made bog standard jazz bass. It remains one of the best sounding jazz basses I've ever played - why who knows....

We’re veering into the age old “do older instruments sound better” - and I’m in the no camp. I really just don’t believe it unless you’re dealing with something like an antique double bass. And they genuinely do make them from the same stuff in mostly the same ways. The idea that manufacturing over time gets worse not better is just silly. I’m talking from experience (but my experience, which of course isn’t universal…)

 

Vintage instruments are mostly about  nostalgia and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever. People also make lots of money from them too, which is also absolutely fine.

[Steve Browning]

My 'oldies' still come out, now and again. More generally, the SVLs do the touring with me and other gigs will get a couple of the other basses.

 

These days, the choice is more about how easily I can see the fret markers!

 

I, too, have done the pre-CBS thing. I wouldn't bother with another one now. My '66 is way better than any of the pre-CBS basses I've owned (or played) - same parts likely as not. The important thing is playability. My other basses (including bitsas) play extremely well and cost a fraction of the price. For me, there's simply no point in owning/using one, when you can achieve the same without the vast outlay. Of course, we each have our own (and valid) viewpoint.

[police squad]

9 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

My 'oldies' still come out, now and again. More generally, the SVLs do the touring with me and other gigs will get a couple of the other basses.

 

 

SVLs?  Are they Simon Law basses?

[Steve Browning]

32 minutes ago, police squad said:

SVLs?  Are they Simon Law basses?

 

Yes. I have a pair of them. Luckily, he's a mate (we play in a band together).

[pmjos]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

We’re veering into the age old “do older instruments sound better” - and I’m in the no camp. I really just don’t believe it unless you’re dealing with something like an antique double bass. And they genuinely do make them from the same stuff in mostly the same ways. The idea that manufacturing over time gets worse not better is just silly. I’m talking from experience (but my experience, which of course isn’t universal…)

 

Vintage instruments are mostly about  nostalgia and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever. People also make lots of money from them too, which is also absolutely fine.

Nothing sounds better because its 'older' agreed. I'm in the if its better - its better camp. I've played a 61 p bass that sounds so rich, full and sweet it makes you want to weep but I have a Moollon P5 and it sounds different  - but beside that 61 it sounds better than most other p's i've ever played.