Selling a bass - how do you feel?

[TKE96]

Well, I feel like I am naked.

 

Last year, I entered into the world of bass guitar with my trusty Yamaha 4 String RBX 284. I played my arse of on it, learned much, got some experience, then I went and cheated on it.

 

I got involved with a 5 string Ibanez. The gentle curves seduced me into this web of deceit. I quickly fell in love with the extra amounts of area to play with on the front side , and I left my four string baby....

 

Sure I kept stringing the 4 string along, kept givin it some lovin when the 5 Stringer wasn't lookin. But my attention was just to much on the 5 string to keep the relationship going.

 

Well, now I have gone and done it. I sold my Yamaha, sending on the beginner's bass. I do feel like I have definitely lost something, but is this normal? Anybody else ever experience this?

[_Sweet Willie_]

I have never sold a bass. I "passed on" my starter bass -- a lovely Ibanez Roadstar II p-bass w/ j-size neck -- to a friend whom I introduced to playing bass. I don't miss it, but I certainly have fond memories of our decade together (and I can always check in on it when I visit my friend!).

[jeremy c]

Just like our first girlfriend, we all feel a special attachment to our first bass.

 

And just like our first girlfriend, some of us later in life search again to find her.

 

Not always the smartest move. Especially if you are married. But you get in a lot less trouble if you rekindle the old romance with the old bass.

 

If I still had my first bass, I would have it bronzed and hang it on my rear view mirror.

[Scoot]

Yeah, when I was young and poor (2 years ago) I'd have to sell old equipment in order to upgrade. Of course I regret it now, the little I got in return for my beginning gear wasn't worth it.

 

I still miss my old Mex J-Bass . . . sounded like crap but I wish I kept it

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

...I "passed on" my starter bass -- a lovely Ibanez Roadstar II p-bass w/ j-size neck -- to a friend whom I introduced to playing bass....

 

My first became a project base that I quickly ruined. I don't miss it. I had my second for 30 years and won't sell it ever.

[patrick_dont_fret]

I still have my first bass. I only bought it a couple of years ago, so no reason to sell. I love that bass, as much as I hated it at first, enough to not sell it, unless I can find a good fretless just like it for cheap. I don't think I'll get rid of it, as much as we've done together. I did buy a nice 5 string, too, though, and I do play it a lot more these days, but when I'm feeling down and out I pick up the fretless. It's just got this sad sound to it, ya know? Anyway, if it wasn't meant to be, you'll know it. If it was, it will come back to you.

[The Bear Jew]

I sold my first basses in order to buy my newest one. They were kinda crappy, and the newest is really nice. I'm glad I sold them. I really don't miss them, but having a back-up might be nice.

[JDL]

I also still have my first bass. I bought a Peavey Dynabass about a year or less then a year later. Ever since I've had major problems with my Peavey. As in other posts, I got the advice to just replace the output jack, which, when I have time to, I will do. But right now I don't have much time, or accessability to a repair shop. I don't know why my Peavey is screwed up, it sucks 'cause I love the bass, hate that it doesn't work right. I use my Fender Squier(169.99) more than my Peavey Dyanbass(299.99). I am tempted to sell the Peavey to get my Ibanez ergodyna EDB600. Why don't people like Ibanez that much? Anyway, back to the subject. . . My Fender is so reliable even at the lowest end of quality, Fender can make a bass that costs $169.99 last for about more than 7 years, it still plays beautifully, never give it up.

 

JDL-peace

[g.]

I collect license plates (well, actually, I make them)

 

 

<-- greenboy ---<<<<      F e e l i n g s . . .

[SteveC]

A couple of them have been tough to let go. I don't feel too badly any more. I have bought and sold so many instruments in the last couple years I hardly have time to get attached to them any more.

[Russfingers]

My first bass was a 70's P bass .I traded for a semi hollow eb-2 by Gibson and had that humbucker rewired and had a phaser switch put on .Souded great.Pumped it through a Danelectro Coral Kilowatt bass amp w/8-12's in one cab!Cool.Still have amp.Added tweeter cross over and use it for keys.I now have 3basses .61 reissue P(custom shop)62 Jazz and a 68 guild starfire(putting on Jack Casidy hardware with switch).I run this stuff through a Hartke 3500 and two 4x10's.Changing to an Eden 1510 400watt combo for my old back.Love the lowdown.

[Mike H.]

There have been a couple that I would like'd to have kept (hindsight=20/20). But as Poomba and Timon said in the Lion King "Akuna-matata"; it's in the past.

[wraub]

Originally posted by Dr Zarkov-Capasso:

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

[qb]...I "passed on" my starter bass -- a lovely Ibanez Roadstar II p-bass w/ j-size neck -- to a friend whom I introduced to playing bass....

 

 

Nah, Tom, I'm not even breathing hard yet.

But seriously, sold my Ric years ago, no regrets. Sold my Ibanez Musician fretless years ago, many regrets.

Now, as Tom states, I have 2 of the same bass, Ibanez Roadstar II 5 strings. So, rather than sell a bass and wind up with more regrets, I got a duplicate of it instead. It's not much of a philosophy, but it works for me.

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[davebrownbass]

What, that old Montgomery Ward POS that I got for $15...blue metallic with 4 pups? Nah...haven't got that bass...sold it to a guy for $15.

 

If I found one, I'd buy it for memory's sake...but only if I could get it for $15.

 

My Second bass...that lovely white Fender Musicmaster....now that's one I'd love to get back. Unfortunately, it was stolen and sold out of a pawn shop.

 

My third bass...the trusty Peavey t-40 I still have...I loan to student's I'm trying to discourage.

 

My 4th bass...a Schechter P-Bass...best bass sound I've ever gotten but I sold it to a friend I was trying to encourage.

 

Then come a succession of basses who each wooed me for a while but just became one night stands 'til I married my Warwick.

 

I have trouble now selling basses. The Schecter Stilleto Deluxe 5 sits lonely in it's bag month after month...hasn't been touched by human hands since February. Somebody it thinking they want to buy it, but I'm having a hard time parting with it. Of course, they are lookin' for a deal. And I'm thinking, "It's my first 5"

 

I'm sorry...haven't been able to go 5 yet.

[Adamixoye]

I am only on my second bass, but I couldn't get rid of my old one. I lent it to my family back in Iowa to use at their church. It's a small church and no one else really knows how to play; but still, I like knowing that it's still there.

 

It was a five-string Samick, which had average feel and below-average tone, but you couldn't beat the paint job...

[...]

I really wish I had kept my first bass. It was an Ibanez SR-500, which had been converted into a fretless by Mike Lull (complete with super-hard epoxy coating on the rosewood fingerboard) and had Bartolini pickups put in. It sounded good for a cheap-ass bass. It was my first bass though... and I sold it because I was poor and in college.

 

The other basses that have come and gone I just don't miss as much (or at all). Let's see, they would be, in order: Hamer 12-string, Peavey B-Quad 5, and Spector NS5XL. OK, I wish I hadn't sold the Hamer.

 

I'd love to have that POS SR-500 still, just so it could sit next to my other bass that just collects dust in the corner; the Modulus Q4 fretless.

[Cup]

Regrets ? I've had a few.....But nothing to do with sound quality etc....The only thing I miss about my old bass (gave it to a friend in Slovenia) is the absolute joy of not caring about it at all. I loved the feeling of abandon. Since I got my new Rickenbacker I'm constantly on egg shells, are the strap locks REALLY secure, how close is that meandering guitarist, will all that grot from the audience take the finish off ??

 

Thankfully, the bass has picked up a few belt buckle stratches and user nicks....but I always polish it (never polished the other one once, any crap was a new sticker zone ) and always respect it in the morning !

 

CupMcMali...This monkey's gone to heaven

[davebrownbass]

Post of the Day to:

 

CupMcMali for the random Frank Sinatra reference.

[g.]

Cupmcmali,

 

In spite of having a raffle MC knock over my Carvin LB75 fretless at a gig last winter and put a couple of big dings in it, and hitting the headstock against walls, ceiling, or cymbals a couple times on small stages, I still watch the radar a little when people are around it, moving, coming close, closer -

[frogman]

My first bass was a B.C. Rich bass. "Platinum Series." It was black with white "crackle" finish. I had it for 3 or 4 years before I "grew out of it" My parents made me sell it before I got a new bass (I was in high school at the time.) I wish I wouldnt have sold it, and Ive been looking for it for the past couple years with no luck. Its not that it was that great of bass... but it has that sentimental value. Ive never seen another bass like it. I have me name written under the control panel, so if I ever come across one I can identify if it was mine. All I have is a picture of it.

[wraub]

Attention all owners of Platinum Series B.C. Rich

Basses-

Please check yours now...

 

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Cup]

Yeah Greenboy...we've only played a couple of big stages, so maybe I was exagerating the meandering guit' but the on the small stages our lead guy (who always ends up there for some reason jokes around saying he should get twice the money, for playing his part and adding random percussion. The drummer has resisted so far..plus it would be a shame to see them fight over nothing.

 

CupMcMali...this monkey's gone to heaven

[Wally Malone]

Originally posted by Cupmcmali:

Yeah Greenboy...we've only played a couple of big stages, so maybe I was exagerating the meandering guit' but the on the small stages our lead guy (who always ends up there for some reason jokes around saying he should get twice the money, for playing his part and adding random percussion. The drummer has resisted so far..plus it would be a shame to see them fight over nothing.

 

CupMcMali...this monkey's gone to heaven

Playing more than one instrument on a gig constitutes what is called a double. It doesn't mean you get paid double but you are doubling instruments. Playing an instrument and singing is a double as well. In union situations a musician who doubles is paid an extra 25% for the first double and 10% additional for each subsequent double.

 

Wally

[jeremy c]

Wally, does that mean if I play a hi-hat pedal with my foot and wear some bells on my wrist in addition to playing bass and singing backup, I can hit up the bandleader for more money?

 

I'm getting over scale already, wow now I'll be able to buy that villa in the south of France that I've been looking at.

[Wally Malone]

Jeremy, I get over scale on the casuals I do as well. The doubles issue comes into play more in the show and symphonic world where the pay is on book scales. On those particular gigs cartage also comes into play.

 

Wally

[g.]

Wally,

 

You should be getting a perk every time you drop the gate on that Kubicki X-Factor as well ; }

[_Sweet Willie_]

No doubt.

[Wally Malone]

Originally posted by greenboy:

Wally,

 

You should be getting a perk every time you drop the gate on that Kubicki X-Factor as well ; }

Also when I kick in the Octabass pedal.

 

Wally

[_Sweet Willie_]

Again, no doubt!