I'm flat broke, but I won't sell any of my basses!!!

Spinal Tapper · #1 10-13-2009, 03:54 PM

Hey fellow TBers...I'm a gigging musician, but also have a full-time job.

I've come into hard times financially and I can't seem to let go of my basses to pay the bills. It's not dyer, I'm not ill or losing my apartment or anything, but I make just enough to scrape by for now. Plus, this isn't the best time in our economy where I will actually get what I want for anything I own...if anything bad happened like my car broke down or I my cat got sick, I'd be totally screwed you know?

Has anyone ever ran into this situation before? Here's a family photo.

I also have a sweet Ibanez Rick-copy that I got for my birthday this year that isn't pictured, but I doubt I'd ever sell that because they're SO hard to find these days.

How do you guys deal? Do you stick it out and hope for the best? Do you sell little things to scrap together cash? Do you sell your larger stuff knowing that you can just buy more later?

Maybe I'm just being a little whiner?

Sorry for the whiny thread, but I'm just kinda bummed out right now. I need some advice - maybe from the older dudes.

REAPER52 · #2 10-13-2009, 04:06 PM

Times are tuff.I have been out of work for over a year for the first time in my life. Its a stuggle but i wont sell my bass or rig either. as a matter of fact i have sold other stuff and traded stuff to get my rig to the level i wanted it to be at , without spending money i dont have...Hang in there its got to get better......When i feel down -i get the Bass out and lose myself for awhile...

Buster Brown · #3 10-13-2009, 04:07 PM

Well, this probably won't make you feel any better, but were I you, I'd do as I did when I was much younger - get another job or two....

works every time!

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #4 10-13-2009, 04:10 PM

Seems like an Off Topic thread to me, so.....

kcole4001 · #5 10-13-2009, 04:30 PM

Been there, I actually had my only bass at the time at a pawn shop for sale for $400 for 2 weeks.
Luckily, no one took the bait, and I got her back.
Tough it out if you can stand it, or if you have to sell, only sell stuff that you know you can find easily to replace, because, you will probably eventually be consumed with the desire to replace those 'ones that got away'.
And keep the best for last, obviously.

I've never actually had to sell one yet, but I see the stories all the time from those who have sold their prized basses and regret it.
You always end up paying more in the end.

toytech · #6 10-13-2009, 04:37 PM

Find another income source. I have been buying bicycles, breaking them down and selling them in pieces for a few extra bucks, not a lot but anything helps. Just an example.

Valerus · #7 10-13-2009, 04:41 PM

Sell your body.

MatticusMania · #8 10-13-2009, 05:13 PM

Make Grilled Cheese Sandwichs.

sometypeofplay · #9 10-13-2009, 05:30 PM

If you don't want to sell equipment, start eliminating other non-essentials in your life. Do you need cable? Do you need to buy brand name cereal? Take an inventory of what you have and what you can live without.

SteveC · #10 10-13-2009, 05:51 PM

Not to be harsh, but none of your basses look to be particularly unique or rare. If you needed to sell you could always buy them back later. Of course, there may be sentimental issues...

You can save a lot of money buying generic, cutting your land line, goign to "basic" cable instead of digital deluxe, etc.

Chunk-O-Funk · #11 10-13-2009, 05:52 PM

There's always sperm donations and selling your body for medical/pharmaceutical experimentation.

GeneralElectric · #12 10-13-2009, 07:22 PM

I sleep on my ex's couch. I have a lot of bass equipment which I could sell and make money enough for rent but I chose not to, since I know the money I could raise by selling gear wouldn't exactly last very long as rent money. So I'm saving the money I have instead.

I don't own much else right now besides my stereo, bass equipment, music collection, and some clothes.

Most of your gear is extremely replaceable though. The Dean, those Fenders. Do you really need 2 Ps and 2 Jazzes?

EDIT: I have a lot of gear, a bit more than you, and I work full time, go to school full time, and still gig actively. As a consequence, I don't have much free time. I do lend out gear to people I know and trust for a small fee. I lent my guitar amp to a friend of mine for one gig last week and he gave me $60 bucks. I have a Rickenbacker on loan to my friend Dan in PA, and I get about 100 bucks a month from that. Even when I don't play my gear it makes me money.

If you're not making money by gigging sell what you don't need. If you make 100 bucks a month playing bass, you don't need that many. I also wouldn't consider you a 'gigging musician' more like a weekend warrior who plays the ocassional bar gig. I made about 700 bucks playing bass in the month of September, plus renting out gear brought me another 250 bucks almost.

Randall · #13 10-13-2009, 07:29 PM

Think of your basses as "cash in the bank" and sell only if needed for a emergency. Only you can play with your money in the meantime. Luckily you have a couple doubles in my mind so you could only sell two and still be a happy bass man lol.

WookieeForLife · #14 10-13-2009, 07:47 PM

If you play bass, can't you use the bass to make money? Join a giging coverband or teach kids for $15/hr. Let them be your tools to make money in long run.

Sartori · #15 10-13-2009, 09:31 PM

Protip: Sell your body, not your basses.

Jk, obviously.

TOOL460002 · #16 10-13-2009, 10:24 PM

sell low buy back high is a bad plan. i cant judge you or your life, but id cut back on what you can and only sell it off if youre forced to (be it bank, hospital, or otherwise).

ive also never heard of anyone putting down "sperm and plasma donor" on an employment history sheet. but, hell, you could be a pioneer man! just stay hydrated and aroused.

popinfresh · #17 10-13-2009, 10:37 PM

I sold an $8000 retail bass for $2k when I needed the money. You deal with it, it's just a piece of wood at the end of the day and you can always buy another.

Jim Campbell · #18 10-13-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOOL460002

sell low buy back high is a bad plan. i cant judge you or your life, but id cut back on what you can and only sell it off if youre forced to (be it bank, hospital, or otherwise).

tru dat....selling low to pay the bills will only buy you a little time and more bills...better to lose the cable,find a part time job,eat at home, ride the bus, etc

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

I sold an $8000 retail bass for $2k when I needed the money. You deal with it, it's just a piece of wood at the end of the day and you can always buy another.

bad move....when you factor in how much in tax and interest you have paid and will pay later when you buy it back.....better to leave it with a trusted relative while you find more money....

popinfresh · #19 10-14-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

tru dat....selling low to pay the bills will only buy you a little time and more bills...better to lose the cable,find a part time job,eat at home, ride the bus, etc

bad move....when you factor in how much in tax and interest you have paid and will pay later when you buy it back.....better to leave it with a trusted relative while you find more money....

I bought it used for $3600-800 from memory, considering I wasn't using it very often, if at all, and knew I wouldn't for a while, I took the cash.

Jim Campbell · #20 10-14-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

I bought it used for $3600-800 from memory, considering I wasn't using it very often, if at all, and knew I wouldn't for a while, I took the cash.

the trick is to figure out how to sell when times are good and buy when they are bad.....