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List your "never-sell" axes!

Jefenator

Jefenator

Aug 22, 2008
6,955
10,129
Oregon
www.jeffaddicottglassworks.com
#1
A lot of us TB'ers seem to be pretty fickle with our axes. I know I certainly can be! (Hard to try out new stuff without raising funds & making room.)

But amidst all the buying & selling, there are a few standouts that I know I don't ever want to part with.

What's on your "never-sell" list, and why?



I'll start:

'78 Fender P-bass. It's got my all-time favorite "dig-in" neck and it's THE one I turn to for recording. On account of a bad refin, it wouldn't fetch much cash or trade value. Since it's so invaluable to me, why ever bother?

pbass.jpg


'78 Fender Musicmaster, rewired w/ Aero pickup. Hardware sucks, woodwork sucks. And every time I A/B it with another axe on a gig, the Musicmaster absolutely crushes the competition. Besides, '78 is my lucky year! :smug:

IMG_1007.jpg


Dingwall Afterburner I 6-string. I can't imagine ever finding a better low B. (Or another passive 6'er with series/parallel switching.) It plays & sounds so crazy good, it makes me want to practice more.

dingwall.jpg


So that's what I'm not selling. How about you?
 
#6
My '97 Hohner P/J, because it was my first bass.
My '63 Höfner 185, because it sounds like a 500/1 with much better ergonomics.
My '08 Yamaha BB414, because it's the one I play almost exclusively.
 
#7
These:

Kingwoodtrio2.jpg


Well, not if I can do anything to prevent it - if I lost my job and the family couldn't eat, then I would probably have to sell one of them, but it really has to be serious for me to even consider letting any of these go. Love them to death :)
 
#9
No pictures but,
I;m never selling my

Warwick Corvette Standard 5 (only thing I got out of college and 100k in loans lol)
Vester (no idea on the model it has a PJ setup)
My beat to hell Carrera (first bass)
Gianinni 12 string acoustic (it was my mommy's)
81 american P (if my friend doesn't take it back)
 
#10
Jefenator...that's a mighty fine 6 string bass you've got there.

I will never sell my first bass: Peavey Millenium BXP 5 string.

I just got this Warwick Corvette 6er and I am in awe of it! I don't plan on selling this one any time soon either!


warwick.gif
 
#11
I've been through a metric $%^&ton of basses in the past decade, after having gone 20 years with only one or two basses total. Got to try a lot of different axes and any number of them could have been keepers, especially some of the Rick Turner stuff I owned. But the reality is that I usually play one bass at a time, and if a piece of gear doesn't get used I tend to sell it. About three or four years back I trimmed down to:

Jack Read Custom J
Zon Sonus 5, fretless
Tacoma CB10F

The stability coincided with finding the Zon. Remember: ZON. Kills GAS Dead.

...and last year I snagged a Zon VB4 because international airline travel with the Sonus is a major PITA. That worked out. I brought the Vinny to Europe for two weeks, handled it as my 2nd carry-on, and it never raised an eyebrow. Priceless.

One of those may get sold some day, but I really can't see it. They have proven to be a good fit for my hands, my ears, and my budget. I've toyed with moving one or the other but always come to my senses, possibly learning that finding a real winner is hard... maybe ;)
 
#12
My three NEVER SELL basses are,

1964 Hofner violin bass,body date 24/05/64 bought for £175 in Nov '88.
1989 Squier Precision bass,bought by my girlfriend twice 98 & 08 for £90.
1992 Rickenbacker 4003,bought by same girlfriend in Aug '98 for £650.I am still stunned that she bought me the bass I always wanted.
 
#13
First would be my Parts Jazz. It's a combination of an old Warmoth birdseye neck and a Kubicki body. It's got a set of old EMG's and a bart pre. Other touches are Fender reverse tuners, BadAss Bridge and brass nut. It truly looks, performs and feels as good as any big dollar custom.

Second would be an 80's Yamaha BB1000s. IMHO, it's just the perfect, all around bass.

Third would be my Aria "Primary Bass". It's a better P than any Fender, I've ever played and totally silent for recording. Big FAT P Neck too :bassist:

Last would be my Squier JV series Precision. It's a Fender P done right ;)
 
#17
'05 Lakland CAR 55-02 (my recording bass)
'03 Fender Hwy 1 (been modded to the gills (sadowsky onboard pre, bart 9J1 pickups, schaller tunners) and will never leave)

recently:
'08 Fender CCR P5 (used this exclusively for my last 5 gigs and have determined it is my now go to bass) It will be staying indefinitely.

I usually have 1 or 2 rotating basses though. I currently have a Lakland JO5 that may be staying, but could be on it's way out though. I dunno yet.
 

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