Custodian Of Your Bass?

[Thunderthumbs73]

Do you think of yourself as "custodians" of those particular instruments for the time that you have them?

Will they be passed on to someone else?

Has someone passed an instrument on to you?

And I'm not talking about whether you bought an instrument versus somone "gifting" it to you, or you "gifting" it versus selling it to someone else. That's interesting, but not necessarily my point or main thrust.

I also don't want to get into the "can you play bass in heaven" kind of an angle as that touches on religion, and I hope to stay away from that topic altogether, knowing the potentially explosive nature of it.

Anyway, I'm not into thinking about my own death, but I have thought recently about in 80-90 years, or at a point in which will have exceeded my statistical life expectancy, where my instruments will be, and what circumstances will determine that???

Yeah, I think it's cool to say "I will be buried with this bass" to show that you really love your bass. But is that true? For me, I'm starting to think not. I'm not sure I want to be buried with my treasured Jazz bass. I will die, but I'm not sure I want that bass to die with me. I am the original owner of at least 1/2 of my basses. Despite the fact that there is nobody else who could rightfully claim that they own my instruments more than I do, I am just starting to think about the possibility that despite my ownership, in a larger context, I just might be a custodian of an instrument which could potentially be around exponentially longer than I could ever hope or want to be. Think about those old violins, violas, cellos and basses from the 1700s. Why would I not think but for some terrible disaster or flagrantly violent misuse that my most treasured instrument would be around for as long a period of time?

I tend to think I would "will" my Jazz bass to my wife, as it has been, and likely to forever be the most cherished thing I own. For that reason alone, I think she should have it.

But she's no bass player, and has never expressed even a remote interest in playing it, or any of my other instruments for that matter. And of course, a bass needs to be played to remain in good condition.

What to do?

Mainly:
Are you a custodian of an instrument and currently an owner of it? Or does that instrument end with you? Are you a piece in the puzzle? Or the ending point?

Deep thoughts, by Jack Handy. Discuss!

[steve21]

All my instruments are my tools. Not lifelong buddies.

[jenderfazz]

Yup, when it's time to go, bye bye bass. If I still have a bunch of them on my death bed, I'll prolly hand them down to my (hopefully) musician kids and grandkids.

[scootron]

I'm a lot closer to the end than the beginning, so this is something I have given some thought to. There are some basses that don't have much sentimental value, but those that do will pass to my son. He knows this and which ones have special meaning to me, as well as some other guitars, such as a Martin acoustic and a certain USA Strat. These I will never trade or sell, but will make sure pass down to him, so I guess that with respect to these certain instruments I am more of a custodian than an owner.

The ones that are open to trade or sale, I'm the owner and free to do with what I please.

[Munjibunga]

I pretty much feel that way about everything I own. I figure it all really belongs to my wife and daughter after I croak. Everything except one bass. I have a friend who has let my bands practice at his house for over 14 years. He and his family are some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. He doesn't know it, but it's in my will that when I die, he gets to choose and keep any one bass and amp I own. My wife will probably sell whichever ones my daughter doesn't want to you guys.