Goodbye, my Kay...or "what've you sold to buy more?"

[thejumpcat]

Well, I loaded my Swingmaster into a trunk at the Greyhound bus station in Ann Arbor and sent it on its way to a fellow TB'er this afternoon. That was tough. It's really the only upright I've had for the last 12 years.

Now, I'm planning on a new Cleveland, either directly from Arnold and Will or a road trip down to Nick Lloyd's in Cincy. Gotta scrounge up some extra cash now.

In the meantime, my Custom Shop 55 P will do the trick.

Just needed to get that off my chest....

[Matt R.]

I'm an electric bass guy but nonetheless it's hard to say goodbye to a good instrument that has served you well

[tomshepp]

I think you'll be happy with the Cleveland though. I thought long and hard about selling my 68' Guild Starfire and 68' Fender Telecaster Bass when I bought my LaScala. Both of those were great basses, and I'm sure the folks who bought them love em'. But once I did the deal and now when I play the LaScala, I know I made the right decision.

It's tough that money gets in the way and you have to sacrifice one instrument for another. The Cleve will be worth it. The one I played at Arnold's was awesome.

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by thejumpcat

Well, I loaded my Swingmaster into a trunk at the Greyhound bus station in Ann Arbor and sent it on its way to a fellow TB'er this afternoon. That was tough. It's really the only upright I've had for the last 12 years .... Now, I'm planning on a new Cleveland, either directly from Arnold and Will or a road trip down to Nick Lloyd's in Cincy. Gotta scrounge up some extra cash now ...

Hey Pouncin'Kitty . Thanks for unloadin' that. I saw your Kay in The Classies ... Nice Kay. Don't sweat it ... Good Move. I think you are on an Upright Path here. I love Kays ... Owned 2 Now .... But .... I want to sell my '40 Kay O-1 someday and finesse Arnold and Wil into a nice Cleve plywood with a SunBurst Finish (fat chance) for what I like to do. Best Wishes .... You Made The Move and I'll bet you will never look back . Show Us The Pix when the Deed Is Done .

[thejumpcat]

By the way, the TB'er who bought my Kay is Kid Gurry.
Really a cool guy to talk to on the phone and to deal with. It's comforting to know somebody like that is going to be slappin' my old blonde around.

Also, he had Hammond Ashley handle the shipping via Greyhound. Not sure what he ended up paying on that arrangement, but I know it ended up being cheaper than a lot of other methods.

Sniff...sniff..what's that? Smells like a Cleveland (not the city).

[BPeder]

For my Upton Hybrid Deluxe I divested of a '57 re-issue Strat, (the Buddy Holly guitar), a '62 re-issue P-Bass, (the James Jamerson bass), and an original '63 Silvertone single cut dolphin head with single lipstick pup in pristine condition with original hard case. The latter is still hanging on the wall at Willies in the Twin Cities.

I kinda miss the P-Bass but I can get another and I'll strip the finish off the back of the neck on that one too...

This thread could turn into a "what I sacrificed to get my upright" thing. Dude, I'm sure your Kay will be loved well... Let us know how you like the new Cleve and I hope you won't have too long to wait.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by BPeder

This thread could turn into a "what I sacrificed to get my upright" thing.

Sold: Beautiful red 1990 Nissan 240 SX

No regrets!!! In fact, I sold it years ago to move up from a Kay.

[oldfretless]

I know the economy is less than stellar, but with that comes good interest rates. Borrowing $18,000 (bass of your dreams) at 4.25%, the interest is less than 60 dollars a month. Might be time find that "one". Besides, selling really cool stuff in this economy yields less than spectacular results.

[BigOldHarry]

What *does* a decent Kay go for these days?

[thejumpcat]

If you don't know, Swingmasters are the top of the line Kay. Mine was a 1949 in, I think, great shape with bridge adjusters and a really nice upgraded endpin/tailpiece wire. It sounded beautiful for jump blues, but the neck was too skinny for my hands and caused me pain on weeks where I had several gigs.

I was asking $3,800+shipping. We got close to that, and I think both of us are happy with the deal.

I already miss it.

By the way, if any of you get a chance to hear TB's latest supporting member pictured to the left, James Simonson, I highly recommend doing so. He's one of the baddest players around the Motor City.

[Tejano Bass]

B-O-H - check your PM - RE:

What *does* a decent Kay go for these days?

[thejumpcat]

If that's where this thread is heading.....

In my 23 years of professional (semi) playing, I've had a Yamaha acoustic; Rickenbacker 12 string; 75 Telecaster; 57 reissue Stratocaster; Robin Ranger; 62 reissue Stratocaster; Relic Telecaster; 62 Jazzmaster; 52 Les Paul; Gibson ES 125; Silvertone archtop; 62 reissue P bass; 51 reissue P bass; 5/8 Juzek upright; Fender Concert amp; Ampeg Reverberocket amp; Super Reverb amp; Gibson GA 40 amp; GK400 head; GK MB112S; Bag End 15; Carvin 2x10; SWR 4x8; AI Contra combo...heck, that's all my fried brain can recall...

...and I've ALWAYS!!! been forced to sell one piece to get another.

So, right now, after all of the above, all I've got is a 55 CS P bass; GK1001RBII; and an Acme Low B2.

But....that's all I need for tonight's gig!!!!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I've always had to sell something to upgrade. I ended up selling my no name carved Czech bass to get my ply LaScala (the "office bass"), and I had a few misgivings about that. All turned out well in the end, though. I'm more than sure you'll be happy with your Cleveland. Old Kays are cool, but the New Standards play like butter, and sound wonderful.

[PaperbackRyder]

I sold my sweet 2003 Rick 4003 and my warm Martin B15e to aquire my Upton Standard.

Sweet and warm for fat and demanding. Funny how OCD works...

(Kept my old P and J basses....)

[M Ramsey]

First bass was a carved Cremona from the mid-80's made in the Check Republic. I didn't keep it long enough to allow it to develop.

Next was a 1947 Kay M-1 I bought from my buddy Andrew Coleman (now deceased). I kept it from about 1990 until about 2003. A sweet bass.

Then I bought my American Standard #731 built about 1938-1940. It quickly became my new favorite.

Then, I bought a Gretsch Tone King off Ebay from a guy in South Carolina. Basically a Kay C-1 with different plys.

I sold off my Kay which ended up in the hands of a lady bass player acquaintance north of Asheville, NC. I've seen it a few times since then and it's still in good shape.

Then I bought another American Standard #2753 off Ebay near Cleveland, OH. it was hard going back and forth between the scales of the Tone King and the A Standard, so I sold the Tone King.

In my case, I didn't sell to trade up, I bought and then sold off.

I guess I couldn't stand the thoughts of not having at least 2 basses in the house.

[Sam Sherry]

I had a pretty nice guitar collection. During the process of trading-up I parted with:
30s Gibson L-00 mid-size guitar
30s Gibson L-75 archtop/roundhole
1929 Gibson L-4 archtop/roundhole -- Yeah, that was a winner
30s Gibson L-50 archtop
30s Gibson Kalamazoo "No Oriole" mandolin in gleaming blonde
30s Gibson Kalamazoo mini-dreadnaught -- KG-15?
40s Epiphone Triumph
80s Gibson LP Special
1940 Martin O-18 -- badly-retopped and incredible sound; my first acoustic
1970s Gurian deluxe flat-top
And more

I always told Kathy that I wouldn't sell the guitars to pay the bills but that I would sell ALL the guitars to pay ALL the bills. That day came. Out went:
20s Gibson "Snakehead" A mandolin
30s Gibson L-50 archtop
1960 Gibson Melody Maker with custom-fit P90s -- "poor man's LP Special"
1963 Fender Deluxe no-verb
1961 Martin D-28 -- the only guitar I ever missed

The guitar I kept was a small-body dreadnaught I designed and hand-built in the 80s. Needless to say, no-one would buy it.

You can only play one at a time. I sucked on guitar. It was all vanity.

Coda: Last winter I gave in and bought a looks-like-new Eastman archtop / ovalhole. It's very nice. I still suck.

[olivieraleman]

Sam
I bet that L4 was sweet. Ive parted with an L5 Wes Montgomery recently to fund my bass acquisition syndrome.

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

I had a pretty nice guitar collection. During the process of trading-up I parted with:
30s Gibson L-00 mid-size guitar .......

Wow Sam .... That was one helluva Gibson collection. The Gibson Montana Division is right here in my town .... http://www.gibson.com/en-us/division...on%20Acoustic/ . If you still had that collection and came to town .... We would probably make you Mayor (or least give you a key to the city) . Tomorrow night and then again on Tuesday Mardi Gras, I am filling in on bass and playing my Kay for a local Cajun / Creole band. Our guitar player plays a really nice, loud Gibson acoustic that he made himself when employed at the Gibson plant.

[Ike Harris]

Sold quite a few things to get my Kolstein and Hudson bow. Primarily, my 200 year old German bass, bought and sold a 50 Swingmaster, my dad's Gibson 330 and Guild acoustic, my mother's near mint Hamilton piano, two tubas, CC and F. I think there were more things but can't recall everything right now.

Ike

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

I had a pretty nice guitar collection. During the process of trading-up I parted with:
30s Gibson L-00 mid-size guitar
30s Gibson L-75 archtop/roundhole
1929 Gibson L-4 archtop/roundhole -- Yeah, that was a winner
30s Gibson L-50 archtop
30s Gibson Kalamazoo "No Oriole" mandolin in gleaming blonde
30s Gibson Kalamazoo mini-dreadnaught -- KG-15?
40s Epiphone Triumph
80s Gibson LP Special
1940 Martin O-18 -- badly-retopped and incredible sound; my first acoustic
1970s Gurian deluxe flat-top
And more

Ouch. Quite a pile of great stuff. Comes a time for everything though.

As most everyone around here knows I sold off a ton of stuff to buy the Alsatian Queen. SVT's and PA and Lights and basses including a '69 Jazz.

Ya gatta do what ya gatta do. No regrets.

Fwiw I've had 3 Kay basses and sold them all. I have a Plywood Cleveland that was my main and is now the backup bass and I wouldn't have a Kay in it's place no matter what.