"Just bought this bass from a fellow TB'er yesterday, selling it today"

[Mind Eroded]

browsing through the classifieds throughout all these years, I've noticed certain kinds of people. What I am most intrigued by are the guys who routinely do the "buy it today, post it back on TB tomorrow" thing.

Usually these are the guys with the feedback in the 100's who are constantly buying and selling. Typically the explanation is something like "i realized i'm just more of a ::insert other bass model::: kind of guy, so this is back on the chopping block, this is definately one of the best ::insert bass:: that i ever played". These aren't the kind of people who look to make a quick buck off flipping something for profit as soon as they get it, usually they are just hoping to break even. My question is...shouldn't these guys have a general idea of what they want before they pull the trigger on something? Is it just a hobby to try out as much gear as possible and flip it the first chance you get?

Seems alot easier to me to go to a GC, try out a few basses on the wall and see what kind of models you like, rather than buy a bass sight unseen, then realize its not for you and hour into playing it(which in itself, is debatable) and put it right back in the classifieds.

Before I get flamed for being a hater, i'd like to say I have nothing against these guys and love exploring new gear just like any other gearslut on this site whenever the opportunity arises...just making some observations..

[SteveC]

I am one of these guys. There are a number of reasons I do it.

1. The thrill of the hunt. I like to seek out new basses. I'm curious about different builders and their basses. Always looking for my next last bass.

2. Geography - I am isolated from even Guitar Center. other than online, I have a very limited selection to choose from as I am not a fan of Squire, Ibanez, Schecter, you get the idea.

3. Preference - I like to try basses that many places don't stock, unless it's a larger city. Again, see #2. The only way to try is buy online and if it isn't my thing, then sell.

4. The Wait - it's like Christmas. I like waiting for UPS or FedEx to leave me something.

After all those years and all those basses, I have also finally learned what I like - I think. For a passive jazz, I like my Geddy Lee. I am also on the verge of ordering a Roscoe 5 string. After all the 5's I've tried, Roscoe is the most comfortable neck and best B string I have found - for my taste.

[Jim Nazium]

Some instruments, especially the "boutique" brands, can be pretty hard to find even if you live in a big city, so going to a retail shop to try them out isn't really an option. Further, I feel like I don't really know how much I like a bass until I've put my favorite strings on it, set it up the way I like it, and played it through my own amp - without some kid playing "Crazy Train" at 100 watts in the same room.

[nutdog]

[skychief]

Originally Posted by Mind Eroded

Is it just a hobby to try out as much gear as possible and flip it the first chance you get?

A guitarist friend of mine does this. He has a day job. When hes not working his 9-to-5, hes wheeling and dealing guitars and guitar amps. He bids low on ebay but for the incredible volume of bids, he'll actually "win" maybe one out of ten bids.

I have never seen him show up at a gig with the same axe or amp. EVER.

Recently, he acquired a beautiful 60's-something Guild Starfire in immaculate condition. Sounded awesome. He played it at a gig and while we were loading out, I said hey, thats a keeper!! He looked at me, looked at the Guild and said "Eh, I doubt if I'll have this in two weeks."

Spoke to him on the phone a few days later... he told me he already found a buyer for the Starfire.

Its a sickness, i tell ya.

[kai_ski]

Have you been to a Guitar Center recently? They don't stock **** for bassists! Not even the specialty-bass stores have everything I want to test. The only real way to KNOW if something works for you is to own it, rehearse it, and gig it.

These are two very different approaches to gear-trading. The first is an emotional GAS-induced roller coaster, and the second is a wheeler-dealer type who doesn't get caught up in the item, but is after the "best deal." He might get something amazing, but he just keeps the products moving to make room for the next deal.

I wouldn't call either one a sickness, unless they're financially crippling, or threatening their familial responsibilities. You should see some of the garbage that people in america collect. At least music is an activity, not just something you put up on a shelf, stick in a book, or hang on the wall.

Originally Posted by SteveC

I am one of these guys. There are a number of reasons I do it.

1. The thrill of the hunt. I like to seek out new basses. I'm curious about different builders and their basses. Always looking for my next last bass.

4. The Wait - it's like Christmas. I like waiting for UPS or FedEx to leave me something.

Originally Posted by skychief

A guitarist friend of mine does this. He has a day job. When hes not working his 9-to-5, hes wheeling and dealing guitars and guitar amps. He bids low on ebay but for the incredible volume of bids, he'll actually "win" maybe one out of ten bids.

Recently, he acquired a beautiful 60's-something Guild Starfire in immaculate condition. He said "Eh, I doubt if I'll have this in two weeks."

Spoke to him on the phone a few days later... he told me he already found a buyer for the Starfire.

[Mind Eroded]

I hear you concerning the lack of selection at guitar center and local mom and pop shops. However the vast majority of the people I notice with these kinds of tendencies arent buying ken Smiths, Alembics, Foderas, or other custom brands. Its usually your standard issue mass production Fender P's J's, etc...so the whole "I cant try this anywhere before I buy it" theory doesn't really hold up for me

[Bloodhammer]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

These are two very different approaches to gear-trading. The first is an emotional GAS-induced roller coaster, and the second is a wheeler-dealer type who doesn't get caught up in the item, but is after the "best deal." He might get something amazing, but he just keeps the products moving to make room for the next deal.

I wouldn't call either one a sickness, unless they're financially crippling, or threatening their familial responsibilities. You should see some of the garbage that people in america collect. At least music is an activity, not just something you put up on a shelf, stick in a book, or hang on the wall.

I understand all of the reasons to keep equipment coming and going and I don't disagree with it, but IME it makes a band situation frustrating for the folks who have to re-adjust their EQ and gain/volume levels every other practice to fit with the gear filpper's fluctuating tone.

No hate, here. Just my experience.

[kai_ski]

IMO, that's what practice is for...

I don't endorse showing up to a "band" gig with a new piece of gear unless it's been tried and found worthy in a practice setting first.

[Bloodhammer]

I fully agree, but when it's a different setup every practice, it doesn't feel like practice, but like the first time jamming together every time. Every time my ex band mate got a new amp, cab, and guitar (which was about every week or two), we had to spend an hour re-adjusting our own equipment to sound right with it. We got very little actual rehearsing done and we sounded like crap live.

Oh well. There were a few problems with that band and that was just one of them.

EDIT: It was a stoner/doom/shoegaze band if that puts things in perspective. We had more "atmosphere" than riffs.

[SteveC]

I've gigged a bass the first day I've had it. Depends on the bass and the gig.

My sound guy said he hasn't really made any drastic changes at the board for the last 2-3 basses I've used. That says something as well, doesn't it.

[SBassman]

I have been entertained watching this, too.

At the same time, while I don't move that fast, I, too, enjoy
finding the next cool feeling or sounding bass.

I would Never gig with a bass on NBD. Tuning won't be stable.
Intonation won't be right. Action won't be right. Fret ends will probably cut me. I have to date a bass before taking it to a gig.

[jmattbassplaya]

Some people, even on this forum, definitely do it as a way to try to either make profit or to trade up to a better bass. I won't go into the moral dilemma that could be argued here, but I will say it does exist.

Personally, I've bought, sold, and traded a lot of gear here. I do it simply because I'm curious to try things out. I don't like testing things in stores because store rooms rarely mimic a venue's. Likewise, buying here can help you score some wicked deals that can save you a lot of money. And like others have said, GC and the like don't have nearly the selection that I'm interested in trying; and even if they did I'd rather not make the 30 minute trip (one way) out to their store if I don't have to.

[bassteban]

I've done it- in my case it was usually due to impulsiveness. I don't do it so much anymore- more due to lack of finances than new-found wisdom...