Selling equipment

[stz]

Ok I'm opening a topic here to discuss the motivation and feeling behind selling equipment, after all as bassists we need to 'feel it' something which my wife doesn't understand and I expect someone here has gone through similar torment.

So do you sell equipment you are currently not using? Do you hoard it obsessively, pile it up and sleep on it at night? Has slightly less strange but still on this topic behaviour strained a relationship for you or if you couldn't give a crap about their feelings (hi five!) your significant other?

I've got two large guitar amps here I don't really use, one large bass amp and one 120W (practice IMO) bass amp neither of which I really use, a bass combo I was going to chop up and turn into a monitor amp for the PA, a PA, 3 basses, 4 guitars the list can go on. All of it could technically go except.

One bass, one electric guitar, one acoustic guitar, one bass amp, one guitar amp, the double bass, the trombone. I think much like getting a hair cut after having 'metal' hair for years selling some of it would be a breath of fresh air. It would also net me some money and stop the clock as far as equipment depreciation goes.

On the other hand I'm full of what ifs. What if I need some of it? What if I want to use an instrument for a recording session? What if I need a backup? I can't sell that, that is my first guitar/bass/gigging instrument. I'm also mightily aroused by some of the pictures on here, where someone in their garage has stacked everything up, rigged it all together into one huge fire hazard and done windmills. That will be me when I can afford a garage, this is my retirement plan!

The main point here is that I'm happy living with a lounge which resembles a dusty studio storage room. If you hate it so much wife throw a blanket over it and tell someone we got a new end table. BUT am I better off getting rid of some of it? Any of you on here been in a similar situation? How did it work out?

[Lazylion]

Years ago I sold a nice Yamaha 12-string guitar in order to keep insurance on my car. I've been kicking myself ever since.

Don't sell! Unless you are absolutely strapped. Don't sell "for a breath of fresh air".

[Bass Mule]

Really depends on what's most important to you and where your priorities are. I can't tell you that. I've sold stuff I regreted in order to pay bills (fretless fender jazz), and I've also sold stuff I should've gotten rid of sooner when it was still worth money (ovation acoustic g*tar). I have two electric g*tars, a mandolin, and two basses that I don't touch anymore, and I still wrestle with selling stuff.

[steve21]

For me, it's tools... Tools I can love, but in the end just tools.

If a tool (For instance now my Ibanez 6 string) doesn't work right FOR ME anymore, I'm going to try to sell it and get a better tool for me.

I sold an instrument that was probably the love of my life for a long time (Says a kid, I had it for a year and a half) because it was time to move on.

Do I regret it now?

Nope!

[SundanceChile]

I just sold the first bass I ever actually had to save up and work my arse off for. Will I miss it? A little bit. Was I ready to move on? Yup. Those are the two big questions you need to ask yourself IMO.

[stz]

Haha! thanks for the replies. I feel like I should start by attending counselling for grief and to help me work through the coming separation anxiety!

I'm going to have a go at selling some of it, I'll start out with a Crate 2x12" GLX, a Peavey 1x15" databass, an Aria P bass copy, a Tobias active 4 string and an Epiphone SG.

[niro]

If anything keeps me from selling my unused gear, it's the hassle of selling it. Luckily I don't have a lot, so it hasn't became a problem yet.

[bassguitar]

I've finally decided to sell a bunch of my recording gear - mixer, drum machine, compressor, MD recorder because I simply don't use it any more. Not much luck with this stuff yet on craigslist. Maybe I'll try and trade it in?

I recently sold my vinyl collection (700+ records) and am trying to sell my turntables and mixer as well.

On one hand it's like selling part of my past, but on the other hand if it ain't getting used and isn't going to really get used much if at all in the future, I might as well get rid of it.

[Deacon_Blues]

I haven't regretted selling anything. I've sold an acoustic Ibanez guitar and a MIM Thinline tele and some other smaller stuff like effect pedals. Actually, I didn't sell those guitars, i changed them in when I bought my second acoustic guitar and later when I bought my bass. I never regretted selling the tele, it sounded awesome but it wasn't my sound. I had a (much cheaper) stratocaster anyway. Nowadays I'd like a Les Paul instead. Wouldn't trade in the strato though, although I haven't really needed it for years. But you never know...

[rob2966]

In general I am in the camp of all you really need is a really good instrument in each category.

My main electric guitar is a PRS Custom 22. I also have a vintage Hagstrom Swede (at the moment I don't think the selling price, too low, justifies getting rid of the Hag, even though I don't use it that much).

My main bass is my new 24F5 Sadowsky. I also have a Pedulla Thunderbass. It is going on the block because, I won't really use it now that I have the Sad AND it is still worth a nice chunk of change.

I have lots of gear - but not too much overlap. Even my two acoustic guitars - one of them is a nice L'Arrivee, the other is a cheapo for camping, etc.

Long story short, if I don't use it AND I can get a nice chunk of change for it - OUT THE DOOR.

Later
Rob

[RedCoatMonster]

I dont have much of a problem selling stuff, if it isnt what Im looking for its out the door ha ha.
But I will admit im a bit fickle, I want one thing one month and another thing the next.
I tend to horde basses if anything I guess.