My struggle is selling basses "I know I couldnt get at that price again if I ever wanted to".
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Anyone ever have a problem "thining the heard"?
- Thread starter jimmyb
- Start date
My big problem is dealing with shipping costs and people who want to return instruments after purchase. The last instrument I sold was a high dollar guitar that I had my tech check over before sale. Sold through Reverb, wound up taking guitar back essentially because the buyer got it and realized that a solid rosewood guitar is heavy. Cost me $600. Never again. I’ll only sell local.
My daughter can do as she pleases when I’m gone. I’m sitting @ 20 basses, 43 guitars.
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I don't have this problem, but you, my friend, have a problem with spelling.
I’ll share three thoughts on this… the first is that the “collection” cycle is all relative. At one point had one bass… then I wanted a fretless… so I had two. The I wanted to upgrade one, so I ended up with three… and then I found a beautiful short scale (the only bass i really wish I hadn’t sold)… but now I was at four basses and barely played outside the house. Having four basses, I was overwhelmed with guilt and asked the usual questions to myself… why do I need so many? Am I ever even going play them regularly? Why did I spend all this money? Where am I going to put them all?
This lead to me selling some and a series of turning instruments over in order to find “the best fit” for my needs… more of a trial and error type period. This of course lead to a series of upgrades and sweet deals which ultimately ended up tuning into a “collectors” phase. I now have 9 basses… with very little if any guilt at all.
I’m probably going to sell at least one… maybe two in the near future. Not because I don’t want to keep them… they’re all really amazing pieces… but because of a rationality that says it is cathartic (as mentioned in other posts).
The second thought speaks to what others have said before about the elimination process… focus on the ones you want to keep most. The funny thing with this is that I have really no problems deciding if I could only keep one bass to keep but… if I had to pick two or three… I can’t come to a conclusion lol.
The last thought echos some other comments as well. Without playing live regularly, I find myself collecting gear and chasing tone significantly more, rather than actually learning and playing. For a few years, I was playing with a band live on weekly basis… during this time I essentially played only one of my basses the entire time, and no pedals at all. Just straight into my amp or what ever amp was provided…and you know what… during this time, my mindset was completely different. I actually wanted “player grade” gear or rather didn’t care if the bass I was playing became “player grade” … which it didn’t … it’s still perfect lol. And I also found my “collection” cumbersome and even annoying at times. I had not time or interest searching for, negotiating for, and acquiring gear that I want going to use. I guess the old adage of “idle hands…” applies here. I actually really enjoyed that phase more than the collecting phase and am shifting back towards that again now.
but hey we’re human… and music and gear is fun so what are you going to do! Let’s just be thankful Talkbass is here to provide us all with a therapeutic outlet!!
This lead to me selling some and a series of turning instruments over in order to find “the best fit” for my needs… more of a trial and error type period. This of course lead to a series of upgrades and sweet deals which ultimately ended up tuning into a “collectors” phase. I now have 9 basses… with very little if any guilt at all.
I’m probably going to sell at least one… maybe two in the near future. Not because I don’t want to keep them… they’re all really amazing pieces… but because of a rationality that says it is cathartic (as mentioned in other posts).
The second thought speaks to what others have said before about the elimination process… focus on the ones you want to keep most. The funny thing with this is that I have really no problems deciding if I could only keep one bass to keep but… if I had to pick two or three… I can’t come to a conclusion lol.
The last thought echos some other comments as well. Without playing live regularly, I find myself collecting gear and chasing tone significantly more, rather than actually learning and playing. For a few years, I was playing with a band live on weekly basis… during this time I essentially played only one of my basses the entire time, and no pedals at all. Just straight into my amp or what ever amp was provided…and you know what… during this time, my mindset was completely different. I actually wanted “player grade” gear or rather didn’t care if the bass I was playing became “player grade” … which it didn’t … it’s still perfect lol. And I also found my “collection” cumbersome and even annoying at times. I had not time or interest searching for, negotiating for, and acquiring gear that I want going to use. I guess the old adage of “idle hands…” applies here. I actually really enjoyed that phase more than the collecting phase and am shifting back towards that again now.
but hey we’re human… and music and gear is fun so what are you going to do! Let’s just be thankful Talkbass is here to provide us all with a therapeutic outlet!!
I suppose it’s different when you haven’t developed a habit of constantly evolving your collection and retaining every instrument. That speaks to who you are. Changing your approach is all you.
I’ve managed to experience at least 300 basses in my time, if not more. And I did that without ever retaining more than 12 instruments at any given time. That however took up a lot of time and effort at the time but I enjoyed it. I’m down to just 4 instruments now, 2 are listed in the TB classifieds…but I’m not planning on thinning down to two basses, just possibly trying out a few more.
I suppose if you can ask yourself, what’s your plan? What do you want to do? What would you do with the proceeds of the sale? What motivates the change? Space? Once you’re able to answer those questions clearly, you’re ready.
Good luck!
I’ve had trouble because shipping is such a pain that I’ll abandon the effort and just tuck the stuff back into the closet.
I have 3 great basses I don't play. I have thought about selling them, but can't convince myself to go through the effort. I am talking about highly sought after Birdsong and Warwick basses. I could get good money. But the idea of messing with it has kept me from moving forward.
I guess that means I don't really want to sell.
I guess that means I don't really want to sell.
Until I read this I was thinking about getting rid of some. But I only have 8 so I guess I’m good.
Not for me. I only play my top 2 basses usually so it’s not hard at all. If it’s a great bass I have a really hard time wanting to buy another so I don’t usually have more than 3 at any given time. 2 good ones and a beater I don’t mind loaning out or throwing in the back of a car.
My criteria to keep some music stuff is very simple : did I use it within the last 2 months ?
If the answer is yes, I just keep it.
If the answer is no : I get rid of it.
The only thing I keep and pretty much don’t use it is my back head amp just because I want to make sure my buddies don’t get in trouble because of me if my main head fails.
A friend of mine owns 62 guitars and he always has about half a dozen of them that need to be repaired or adjusted, can’t stand that !
I actually own 5 basses and that allows me to play all my different styles of music so good enough.
I’m only missing a Rickenbacker 4001 or 4003 but it won’t happen cause I hate their ergonomic.
If the answer is yes, I just keep it.
If the answer is no : I get rid of it.
The only thing I keep and pretty much don’t use it is my back head amp just because I want to make sure my buddies don’t get in trouble because of me if my main head fails.
A friend of mine owns 62 guitars and he always has about half a dozen of them that need to be repaired or adjusted, can’t stand that !
I actually own 5 basses and that allows me to play all my different styles of music so good enough.
I’m only missing a Rickenbacker 4001 or 4003 but it won’t happen cause I hate their ergonomic.
I've been working on thining the herd for the past couple of years. Problem is, it keeps growing back to its original size.
Unfortunately I am very well aware of sellers remorse and can tell too many stories of basses I sold that I wish I hadn’t doing the now personally dreaded ‘thinning the herd’. Now it comes down to if a bass just doesn’t feel right or if it ‘fights me’ before I consider selling it. Otherwise I keep it.
Not to mention the exorbitant fees involved with the major selling platforms and shipping on top of that.
Attachments
If I were going to stand pat with my great instruments, and I’ve had plenty by now, I would have started 40+ years ago. The sense of adventure must outweigh the feeling of loss.
In reality, only one or two were truly unique, and they’re the only ones I view as irreplaceable.
In reality, only one or two were truly unique, and they’re the only ones I view as irreplaceable.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I still would go TB classified first, and hope for a local sale first. More likely to get a serious buyer, and more likely it's going to a good home. OP, have you considered looking at an auction house that deals in instruments?
40 seems just crazy to me. I get nervous about 5. Just do it. Keep a Pea, Jay, Ric and a Ray. At least one 5 string. Sell the rest. Go on a vacation with the profits and you will feel a lot better
