A very strange sale

Buy a bass but never play it? Seems kinda... pointless? That's like buying a 13th century Ming vase and not putting flowers in it. Or owning a Monet and not standing in front of it, holding your chin, and saying "Hmmm..." while thinking deep, intellectual thoughts.

 

naw it's more like sending your kids to reform school or jail .

 

I think this is actually becoming more common. I remember reading an article some time ago that chronicled a group of investors from Chicago who had started investing in vintage instruments. I guess when the stock market started to drop, they dumped their stocks and bought a bunch of vintage instruments and their "portfolio's" have killed the stocks they once had. Interesting way to go about it.

 

ART IS ART!!! We all just look and interpret it each in our own way. Must be nice to have the bucks to do that. I know a guy that has a stunning Dingwall as well as an Alembic. The bass he plays for gigs is an old P bass with and added J pickup. Looks very used but sounds nice.

 

Speculation. Maybe you'll be the next Google of bass building.

 

Well, don't put the good strings on!

It's hard to gauge fledgling movements in collecting and speculative acquisitions. Some support artists that are now working and have something new for the market while others popularize old objects that haven't before been known to us regular folks. She may have a great eye and ear (and imagine what else ) and a killer loft space that is well decorated and you'll be a part of that for a long time...I bet until one of her bass player friends comes along and likes your instrument and begs it off of her, then it'll get played.

 

art is art. I had divinity cernunnos built for arts sake. its definately not a play ever gig with type of bass. the oracle, my ritter al lof them actually I still play my beat up 95 warwick fortress MM's I dig, ding, smack and beat the crap out of them If I hit the ritter like that I'D probably cry!

Todd

 

I figure there are a couple ways to look at this, and all of them are highly complementary. First, from what she says, you can pretty much be sure that she's buying it because she likes the look. Good on you, you made a piece of art. Sure it's not going to get played, but it'll still be plenty appreciated (and cared for, no doubt). The second, and much more flattering, way to view the situation is to think of her as an investor. Look at the instruments she's buying, early Fenders. Those are worth loads just because they are from the early stages of the instrument and the company. If she's keen on buying your bass, there's a chance she thinks you might be going somewhere. Personally I'd be willing to let an instrument or two go unplayed if it meant someone thought I was really going to make it as a builder.

It's a lot like a guy I heard about once. He went out in 1969 and bought two brand new Camaros. Then he loaded them onto a truck and parked them for life. Now (or 3 years ago, when I heard the story) he's selling them for $80k a piece (both had 0.3km on the odometers and were in absolutely perfect condition). He saw something in the design and decided to make them into an investment. Sure worked out for him, ifyou ask me. Of course, it helped that the next model year was nasty.

To sum things up, good on you. And also, get me her phone number. A chick who plays drums and collects guitars and basses? Hot.

-Nate

 

IIRC, a 7-string, gold-coloured Ritter Seal (or Jupiter?) is somewhere in a Museum of Modern Art. I don't think he minds it

It's sad that it won't be played for now, but
1.) it's a compliment of a visually stunning instrument
2.) if it's similar to the way those vintage-collectors had, then your bass has a good chance it will be resold later, when there's bigger demand for things like this. Then it might be played, too

 

There's a Warwick Thumb 5 (neck-thru, I believe) mounted to the wall of the Lake Tahoe Hard Rock Cafe. A few instruments down, they've got a Gibson EB-2 and a Hofner Violin bass signed by Paul McCartney.

 

Just be careful of post-eBay sales as eBay will not help you if there are any problems. Many scams occur after eBay auctions expire.

 

You know, I think we really need to see some pictures of this thing!!

 

This reminds me of the way Fodera guitars and Victor Wooten got started...if any of you are familiar with that story....

Yeah, put some pictures up!

-Josh

 

if you put the bass up for sale is because you wanted to sell it and somebody actually bought it, so be happy! Personally, I don't care if they use it as a coffee table. But hey, I guess there might be some of you that are a little more sentimental than I am.

 

Of course its art, look at it! somebody obviously got past thier blue period and is now playing around in pastels.

BTW, whats that fingerboard, as an artist, I'd say vermillion, as a bassist, I'd say daaaang.