Stories of regret to laugh about

[deepdown]

Well folks, which basses have you held in you hands that gave you the "one that got away" feeling, even years later. I have been playing bass since I was 13 and even way back then:

1) A friend of my neighborhood loved my cheap, pawnshop-found Teisco Del Rey Precision copy. He had a HOFNER bass, old one and he wanted to trade his for mine. I was too much into Vanilla Fudge to even consider getting rid of my solid body, duh!!

On to 1975, L.A.:
Our Band "The Lynch Mob" (LOL) used to set up practice in the back yard, which was visible from the main avenue. In between sets, this guys comes knocking and says that he has a bass for sale. So he brings it in the house and opens the case and a brand new 1975 fender p bass, in sunburst, is sitting there, He says "My parents bought this for me, but I just got a Jazz Bass, so I am selling this: $ 200.00!" , but none of us had money. I did not think of getting this guy's phone # before he left... ...of course, 3 hours later, our guitar player's father comes home and tells me "I could lend you the money and you can pay it out of the gigs! Damn it!

Now it's 1986:
I HELD a real Ibanez Eagle Jazz bass (300.00), black and VERY heavy,in some obscure pawn shop in Central L.A. In the same place, I HELD a Fender Jazz Bass unlike no other, black with black-light paint swirls, flowers and mushrooms, absolutely factory, and the Fender logo was a pink water decal, as I said, under the clear-coat ONE OF A KIND!: $175.00)

Also in 1986: (I will make this short and sweet Add in newspaper: Fender bass for sale: $300.00. So I get to the guy's house and he says " The case doesn't go with it" (?), he points at a really old and beat up tweet case. Next he hands me what I thought was an old telecaster bass, but I look at the bridge first, stamped on it: 4 serial numbers, the all maple , one piece neck had a lot of worn-out, greenish-black spots, as well as the fretboard, obligatory bent G string tuner ear, no knobs or pick guard, no E string, natural body. When I started to ask about it's provenance and I got the "take or leave it" treatment, I realized that this was most likely a stolen instrument, somebody's lovingly played Fender 1952-1953 Precision bass, that ended up in this crackhead's house, so I had to pass on it.

Even now, I think that it was a good decision, knowing myself, I would have tried to to find info on it, thru phone-calls (remember those?), and such an old bass would have most likely be insured and some one (FBI) would eventually come to retrieve it, putting me at risk.

Sometime in 1992, I found a 1962 Precision in a pawn shop in Round Hill, Nevada ($250.00). I rushed home to sell my 1985 Peavey T-40 to a student of mine that had been asking to buy it. I went back the next day and the bass had been sold! ( note to self: Always carry a "deposit" Grant (50.00) bill.

And I share this with you all, for, If you CAN'T LAUGH IT OFF, you will just get nostalgically sad.

[TolerancEJ]

A cousin of mine owned an Ibanez Musician guitar. He didn't play; it was given to him. I borrowed it for awhile and really enjoyed it. It sounded and played fantastic. Sustain held forever, due to it being a neck through guitar. I returned it & asked but he wasn't interested in selling it at that time.

About a year later, he called to say that he wanted sell it. I picked it up & brought it home. I plugged it in, and "poop", nothing but loud clunking sound. I tilted the guitar & looked at it from the side. I could see the friggin' neck bowed back well beyond repair. He must have stored it directly under his window. Definitely did something(s) wrong. I managed to return it and got my money back. But man, that was so upsetting.

Played perfectly the first time. Second time not remotely playable.

[scottbass]

A blood red Rick. The guy who owned it died unexpectedly, and his widow only wanted $300 for it...

[Joe Nerve]

I have to one day lay this to rest. Was about 12 years ago. Got a 75 P bass from a person at work who wanted only $100 or $200 (I don't remember) for it because the neck was kinda shot. I gave it lots of TLC, shimmed the neck, and it still wasn't all that great. It was playable, but with the action as low as I could get it, I wasn't liking it. The rest of the bass was pretty much mint condition. Oh, how this hurts...

Since I knew I was never going to use it, I just wanted to be rid of it, and took $300 bucks from the studio owner I rehearsed at at the time. I'll say no more.

[kdiggity]

Yes, that one is painful, man.

[deepdown]

Yes, it feels GOOD to write about it, and then, get it over with; sort of the old trick of writing bad habits in a sheet of paper, only to crumple it and toss it in the fireplace, to watch it burn away and disappear.

[Samthebassist]

Few years ago...picked up a fretless 5-string Tobias. Jet black, smoooooooth as a baby's butt. Most beautiful thing I've ever played (aside from my peavey I already had). Played it...and the heavens parted. $800 weeelllllllllll within reason. Being a 16 year old these funds were way outta reach.
I saw this bass in parkville, mo. 30 min drive from my house. Came back a few months later after religiously checking the site for it every day to awe in it's beauty. Was still there...still available...still sexy.
Still no money.
Then one day it just disappeared..poof. Out of my life. I'm so bitter about it. I haven't been able to find one like it since. Still search. And nothing

Ultimate sadness

[alembic5]

Had a guy pay me an outstanding debt with a '74 jazz bass. Pretty terrible condition... rattle can black, crappy decals and the like. Stripped off the finish and made it natural. Block inlays in the neck. Ended up trading it for a Warmoth 4 string fretless with a Lane Poor pickup. I kick myself a bit from time to time for that one, but I can't complain too much. I've never really felt at home on a fender, and I'm really blessed with some great basses now!

[Depth_Charge]

It was around 92 or 93, I had been playing maybe a year, and was jamming on a friend of a friends black Steinberger headless bass. Awesome bass. I loved it. It was hard to hand back. Then the guy said I could have it for $800 as he wasn't using it much anymore.

I was a 19yo bum spending my days "learning" bass over working and getting the dole to scrape by. I immediately passed on it because I couldn't afford it, without even thinking how I could source the cash or without trying to strike up a deal with the guy.

Even today whenever I see a headless bass, Steinberger or not, I think back to that jam and regret not taking that bass with me.

[Megazap63]

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

It was around 92 or 93, I had been playing maybe a year, and was jamming on a friend of a friends black Steinberger headless bass. Awesome bass. I loved it. It was hard to hand back. Then the guy said I could have it for $800 as he wasn't using it much anymore.

I was a 19yo bum spending my days "learning" bass over working and getting the dole to scrape by. I immediately passed on it because I couldn't afford it, without even thinking how I could source the cash or without trying to strike up a deal with the guy.

Even today whenever I see a headless bass, Steinberger or not, I think back to that jam and regret not taking that bass with me.

I played a black Steinberger when living in Melbourne around that time (and also on the dole). Played evenly across the neck and had a tight, if somewhat 'clinical' sound. Sold it shortly after when they stopped being the all the rage and I needed the cash but will always regret selling it.

I also had a white trans-trem Steinberger which I ended up selling shortly after acquiring - the trans trem unit turned out to be a pain in the neck (always dropping out of tune) so I don't miss that one at all.

[rtslinger]

Okay I told this story in the past but it still bothers me I was driving on the way to the office and I saw a guitar case at the curb for garbage I knew from the shape it was a Gibson case and the length it had to be a bass! The street is a busy one and I did not want to double park so I saw parking one car up from me so I moved up and started to park and I notice a car stop where I was at first I thought he was waiting for me to finish backing into the space but in my rear view mirror I see him jump out of the car and run over to the case opens it and pulls out a Red EBO or EB3 and my heart just shank! he puts back in the case and puts into his car and zooms by me! So because I was Mr. Freaking Nice Guy and did not want to screw up others rush hour ride I lost a freaking Gibson bass somebody tossed to the curb! Yeah how many of you feel my pain?

[GhostKey]

Originally Posted by rtslinger

Okay I told this story in the past but it still bothers me I was driving on the way to the office and I saw a guitar case at the curb for garbage I knew from the shape it was a Gibson case and the length it had to be a bass! The street is a busy one and I did not want to double park so I saw parking one car up from me so I moved up and started to park and I notice a car stop where I was at first I thought he was waiting for me to finish backing into the space but in my rear view mirror I see him jump out of the car and run over to the case opens it and pulls out a Red EBO or EB3 and my heart just shank! he puts back in the case and puts into his car and zooms by me! So because I was Mr. Freaking Nice Guy and did not want to screw up others rush hour ride I lost a freaking Gibson bass somebody tossed to the curb! Yeah how many of you feel my pain?

. Are you serious? Gibson out for Garbage? Maybe it was wrecked. Yeah, it was probably ruined...

[deepdown]

Originally Posted by rtslinger

Okay I told this story in the past but it still bothers me I was driving on the way to the office and I saw a guitar case at the curb for garbage I knew from the shape it was a Gibson case and the length it had to be a bass! The street is a busy one and I did not want to double park so I saw parking one car up from me so I moved up and started to park and I notice a car stop where I was at first I thought he was waiting for me to finish backing into the space but in my rear view mirror I see him jump out of the car and run over to the case opens it and pulls out a Red EBO or EB3 and my heart just shank! he puts back in the case and puts into his car and zooms by me! So because I was Mr. Freaking Nice Guy and did not want to screw up others rush hour ride I lost a freaking Gibson bass somebody tossed to the curb! Yeah how many of you feel my pain?

Bummer!

[deepdown]

Originally Posted by alembic5

Had a guy pay me an outstanding debt with a '74 jazz bass. Pretty terrible condition... rattle can black, crappy decals and the like. Stripped off the finish and made it natural. Block inlays in the neck. Ended up trading it for a Warmoth 4 string fretless with a Lane Poor pickup. I kick myself a bit from time to time for that one, but I can't complain too much. I've never really felt at home on a fender, and I'm really blessed with some great basses now!

That's how I feel, my ultimate favorite ( after 200 or so basses) is a Tobias prototype, made in Burbank by Mike and the crew in 1992, which was copied in Japan (Tarada factory) to produce the Standard Ltd. (400 only); I hope to have Michael Tobias "number it" next time he is in Northern California. I also love my 1995 Fender Precision, my 1997 G&L SB-1 (to me SB stands for SUPER BASS,lol), and a 2002 Brawley Artemis, among few others.

[gjbassist]

Originally Posted by Samthebassist

Few years ago...picked up a fretless 5-string Tobias. Jet black, smoooooooth as a baby's butt. Most beautiful thing I've ever played (aside from my peavey I already had). Played it...and the heavens parted. $800 weeelllllllllll within reason. Being a 16 year old these funds were way outta reach.
I saw this bass in parkville, mo. 30 min drive from my house. Came back a few months later after religiously checking the site for it every day to awe in it's beauty. Was still there...still available...still sexy.
Still no money.
Then one day it just disappeared..poof. Out of my life. I'm so bitter about it. I haven't been able to find one like it since. Still search. And nothing

Ultimate sadness

I'll bet that was at Bentley Guitar Studio. I had a similar experience their. I found a Warwick bass (don't remember the year or model, but it was German from the mid 90's) I really liked. They had taken it on trade and it had been in the store for a few months. From what I could find out the finish was a rather rare silver metallic sparkle. The price seemed very reasonable but I wasn't familiar with Warwicks so I posted a direct link to the bass here on TB to get more info on it. Went back the next day to put down a deposit and it was gone. Sold to someone out of state who saw it on the internet! That taught me to never put a direct link to something I was interested in on the web for everyone else to see!

[mattplaysdabass]

With this story you have to laugh at to keep yourself from crying. Ok so not really bass but guitar related. When my great uncle died I got his trumpet that he had since he was little. His best friend was a guitarist. Last year my Grandma was talking to the widow of my great uncles friend. She mentioned that his old guitar was for sale if grandma wanted it. My grandma had a look and realised that a Gibson was something I had mentioned to her that I really wanted. The widow said she could have it for $1000 Australia. This is relatively cheap for any high class guitar in Australia, most les pauls are $2000-$4000! Grandma said she would see me and that I would probably buy it. Before she got the chance to tell me, a family member of hers found the old guitar and sold it themselves. What grandma didn't know was that it was a mint condition flame top 1959 les Paul!!!! Man I wish I was there to buy it straight away, but I guess I would've felt bad because it did sell for around $400,000 :-0 and they did manage to buy a new car and house!!!

[rtslinger]

Originally Posted by GhostKey

. Are you serious? Gibson out for Garbage? Maybe it was wrecked. Yeah, it was probably ruined...

I WISH! IT WAS SHINING IN THE SUN LIKE THE DAY IT WAS BOUGHT MAYBE SOME GUY LEFT IT AT MOM AND DADS AND THEY JUST TOSSED IT STILL PUTS A PIT IN MY STOMACH TO TALK ABOUT IT!

[BurnedEdge66]

About a year ago at a local show this guy was playing an Epiphone Thunderbird converted to fretless. Sounded awesome and he was looking to sell it for $200. It was a four string and I really prefer five string basses so I decided to save my money. Then later (after it was sold) I found out he also had it set up to play in drop A, the same tuning my band plays in. I'm a dope.

[pepepu]

Back in 1986 I needed a bass for a jam on a weekend, since mine had a broken string, a friend of one of the guys who hang around with the band gave us a mid '70 fender mustang, it was pretty beat up but playable, took it to my house and had it for a couple of months then went back to my bass with new strings and decided to return the mustang to its owner only to find out that he went to the army, the guy wasn't a bass player and when he gave us that thing it was more like to get rid of it, sometimes I think if I've never returned it, I bet I could still have a vintage mustang, but anyway it's no big deal

[lucas vigor]

Auditioning for Dave Wakeling's band. He was clearly into reggae, ska and dub...and here I was slapping and popping like a wanker!


Didn't get the gig, of course!