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Am I crazy?

pringlw

pringlw

Guest
Nov 22, 2008
1,708
32
Seattle Area
#1
Interested in a few opinions here.

I need to thin the herd a bit, so I've been thinking about which basses to sell. I have an expensive custom as my favorite go to bass, but it's not right for every setting.

Anyway, when I look at my other basses, there's one that I love the feel of, and I love the sound of it to. After my custom, it's my favorite feeling and sounding bass.

But I'm thinking about selling it anyway because it just doesn't call out for me to play it. I don't know if it's the looks or the brand (which I won't mention because I don't want to start a flame war).

Maybe I could put it this way; if I don't play my custom, usually It's because I look at my other basses and think, yeah I want to play my Fender Jazz tonight, or my Stingray, or whatever. I never think; I'm going to leave my custom behind to play this bass. Sure it plays great and sounds great, but it doesn't play better or sound better than my custom, and it doesn't have the raw mojo of my Jazz or Ray.

So, am I crazy?
 
#2
Sorry, but I almost got a headache reading that post. You like it, but you don't. You like it better than your other basses except for your custom. You like your others except for this one. You won't gig this one over your custom. It is your favorite feeling and sounding bass. After your custom. But you like the 'raw mojo' of your other basses. So how 'bout those Packers, eh?
 
#5
I understand the trepidation, and also understand having to 'thin the herd'. There have been times when I had 10 or 12 basses, and just couldn't justify that many. I now rotate 4, and am good with that. Obviously, you have singled this one out as 'expendable', so you might do the old 'feeler' routine and throw it up on the classifieds to see if you get some bites. Basses are tough to sell right now, so if you get some good offers, it just might be the time to let it go.
 
#6
snyderz said:
I understand the trepidation, and also understand having to 'thin the herd'. Obviously, you have singled this one out as 'expendable', so you might do the old 'feeler' routine and throw it up on the classifieds to see if you get some bites. Basses are tough to sell right now, so if you get some good offers, it just might be the time to let it go.
Click to expand...

^^^ THAT ^^^

IF you don't have to sell (don't absolutely need the money, or can get by with keeping it -DON'T. IF you do......follow the above advice ;)
 
#8
I think he's saying it's technically a great bass but he hasn't been able to bond with it.

I'm in a similar situation, i also need to thin the herd and am having a hard time as my other basses (i have one perfect go to bass) are incredible, tone, build, playability but i haven't connected with them. Then i have a couple of basses which aren't the best sounding or easiest to play which i have bonded with, they just have that vibe to them but yeah they have issues (one with a sloppy B).

To keep the ones technically the best and hope to bond with them or just keep the ones i have bonded with which technically aren't as good ??? Not an easy decision.


snyderz said:
Sorry, but I almost got a headache reading that post. You like it, but you don't. You like it better than your other basses except for your custom. You like your others except for this one. You won't gig this one over your custom. It is your favorite feeling and sounding bass. After your custom. But you like the 'raw mojo' of your other basses. So how 'bout those Packers, eh?
Click to expand...
 
#9
The only advice I can offer is that all other things being equal, I'd sell the ones that would be easiest and/or cheapest to replace if you ever get seller's remorse. I've owned about 20-odd instruments over 38 years, and the only ones I really regret selling were my two Rickenbacker 4001's. I bought them back in the Seventies for a few hundred, but now the new ones are way out of my price range.
 
#10
If you cannot seem to let one go then don't. However if you really have the need to do you should do what you have to do. Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to but is necessary.
 
#11
Eh, it's going to be different for each individual musician.

Some will concern themselves with resale value, others concern themselves with which instrument has the best tone, other's focus on the "prestige" or "hype " or "status" of a certain name brand, other's focus on the instruments that feel and play the best.

Personally for me, it's all about how a bass feels in my hand, against my body and plays smoothly and easily.

Then it's about the tone and mojo. But tone/sound can be easily modified.

I find that often, an instruments Mojo is not only about the tone. The feel, the playability and comfort of an instrument....in my opinion, is a huge part of the Mojo.

Maybe you can think about it for a little while and decide where your priorities or focuses lie.
 
#12
I've been struggling with this, psuedo publicly, for a while myself.

I yearned for Kubicki's for a lot of my career. Then, over the past couple of years, I finally got one of each. I love 'em, and I personally respect and like Phil a ton.

However, I recently picked up an endorsement and find myself playing other basses when gigging hard. In the 1980's I needed the multiple basses, as touring takes a toll on instruments and also your sound evolves. Now, I can use my vintage Danelectro to get every old school tone I need, and my Vaccaro Gen X records like a dream. So, do I need to keep my Kubs, my Steinies, my Kramer, yada yada.

Since things in the current economy drive you to sell for some cash, there is a reason not to have 14 unused basses. However, the sale price today is less then it was just 5 years ago, and in the current economic climate the prices make it hard to part with them. Holding them for another 5 years could yield super returns, or, bass could disappear altogether. Hmmmm....

Truthfully, I could probably live with two good gigging basses, my Gen X and my Dano. Maybe keep one more, maybe a Kub.

Its a hard decision. If you enjoy playing and do enough gigs, you can just rotate them and keep them all in circulation. If not, maybe you need the space.

I feel for ya though, as I'm having a hard time parting with mine. I have offers from tons of offshore buyers, but I struggle to see another great USA made piece of gear leave our land for good.
 
#15
That's a thought.
I remember reading a post recently where someone had several basses and had one real nice gig bag and one nice hardshell and the basses left the house in only one or the other so no storage of extra cases.
Sounded kind of nice and simple.
 
#16
pringlw said:
You know, it's less the money and more the space. And it's not so much the instruments themselves (I put them on the wall in my practice room). It's the darn cases. They are under every bed in the house! Maybe I should just sell the cases and only use gig bags. Or at least several of them.
Click to expand...

I can soooo relate to this! After a basement flood nearly took out 2 Alembics, I put up instrument hangers on my basement walls. Between me and my kids, we have 8 basses and 2 guitars hanging. Now.....what to do with the cases?

I stacked them under the staircase leading down to the basement.


If you still feel you need to sell something, based on what's in your profile and your avatar, I'd keep the custom and sell off two of the basses that are easily replaceable. I've done that a number of times. That's why over the years I've had 3 different Marcus Miller Sigs. People like them so I can sell them. If I REALLY gotta have a Fender Jazz, I can find another MM Sig for $800 or less and know I'll have a bass I'll like.

My customs are MY customs for a reason. They're made to MY TASTES. So I'm keeping them. Just my thoughts......

Peace,

James
 

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