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Anyone ever have a problem "thining the heard"?

#141
I thinned the heard - 11 seems to be the magic number for me. 6 custom basses / 6 production basses / 1 project bass. This is down from around 21 custom basses. Getting rid of 10 custom bases was hard... but I believe the right thing to do.

The 11 that I have - most I've had for 6 or more years, so they have survived the occasional bout of GAS. I think it would come back if I got rid of any of these.
 
#142
Well, you could look at it as "one" collection...

When I'm have a clear out (of whatever) I pick out what i really want to.keep, and "warehouse" the rest. In other words, that stuff goes at some point.

Or you could apply the burning building test. Which one would you grab?
 
#143
jimmyb said:
Man, I know this sounds pathetic, but I'm really having problems with this.
I'm at the point in my life where I'm fortunate to own every bass I've wanted. I'm also at the point of my life where I'm simply not going to play them all and don't gig nearly as much as I did. And I could also use some space.
So... I have 40(ish) American basses of various vintages.
Each one chosen carefully. Some for specific projects, others just cuz I always wanted one.
So now here we are, a rainy day in Maryland and I decide I'm going to list five. I pick a few out of the rack clean them up, plug them in, make sure they work as they should. And each bass reminds me while I chose it in the first place. "Can't get rid of this one" I keep repeating. Back it goes into the damn rack.
I was only able to choose two today I'd be willing to let go. And that was like pulling teeth.
So... Has anyone else had this problem?
Or am I just f'n nuts?
Click to expand...
Well...
Sorry, but AFAIC, this is a "right handed player" problem. In my case - as a lefty, who really can't play any other way? Since I began my Bass herd in 1988, my problem hasn't been trying to decided which ones to get rid of. It's been finding basses that fill spots in my herd - to Buy. ? Took me 15 years to find my '94 Gretsch Broadkaster. And, except for a couple of conversions, and two 1950's customs? I've never seen another one...
- The "Gibson Thunderbird" spot? I never saw a lefty 'Bird until 2013. And they didn't make any more until 2018...
- The "EBMM 4HH Stingray" spot? I had to wait 'till late 2019 for that one - and it was a Stingray Special. But, I'm not complaining about that...
- The "Hofner Club Bass" spot? Would have been fairly easy to fill - if they made left handed Chinese 500/2s - but they don't. The only ones they do make, are German. Which are fairly uncommon - and very expensive when you find one...
Some others that I waited and waited for? Epiphone waited until 2023 to make a lefty Jack Casady Bass. Which, while some may disagree, I consider being a pretty much hollow-body long scale bass. It finally allowed me to fill that long empty spot. Stuck with a choice between a really cheap bolt neck short scale and a pricey boutique one, I built a Warmoth Mini Precision Bass instead. But, it's a really nice one, so...
The last spot in my herd left to fill, is "Short Scale Lined Fretless". Another bass I had to have made. But, the Birdsong Fusion Bass that's almost finished, will fill that spot very well. And also complete the herd; thus ending my decades long, hair-pulling, frustrating ordeal...
So, sorry; deciding to thin the herd, and choosing which basses have to go, isn't something I can help you with. I have gotten rid of a few basses over the years, but they were ones that were either rightys that I bought for parts, or basses that I replaced when I found one that filled the herd spot better. I currently have 3 basses with no spot to fill, but; one is a project bass; one is just too nice to get rid of; and one - my '73 Rick 4001 - is my favorite, #1, go-to bass. They ain't going anywhere...
But, good luck with whatever you decide needs to go...:cool:
 
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#145
Luckily for me we are limited in our living space being in a small flat; so 4 or 5 guitars and bass is my ultimate limit.
I have 4 guitars and 1 bass and tend to keep it as such.
When I bought my Ric in March, it was not before I first sold my Godin Passion RG4 to finance it and make room. For me if I plan to get a new instrument, one must be first out...
Have not lost any money in my last instrument swapping.
I just buy instruments that will retain its value, I have 3 Gibson I can easily sell for more than what I paid, I love the fact they were increasing in value over the years...
 
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#146
I find it helps to know a good seller.
No two ways about it, selling IS work. Sometimes I have the time & inclination to roll up my sleeves & do it myself.
Sometimes I farm it out with no regrets.
I'm lucky to know a guy who consigns stuff with very fair terms for working musicians. I texted him yesterday and just like that, I have two less basses & one less amp head to stumble over.
So now I'm back down to 10, my longtime target. Feels good!
I may ditch one or three more then pick up something I've been wanting to try but didn't have money or space for. (I did that with my camera lenses this winter - reduced the clutter a bit, had a blast trying some new stuff and even raised a few $$$ for rent.)
 
#149
When it's "thin the herd" time for me, I usually think up a few guidelines (not rules) that are appropriate for the time. Usually they revolve around emotional attachment, nostalgia, the price I paid vs the $$$ I'll get, how the bass plays and how much I enjoy playing it, if it's rare or unique (i.e. if I sell it and want to replace it down the road will I be able to), etc. my advice would be to think up some that work for you and start whittling thru.
 
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#150
Drop1 said:
I dont know your selling history but it sounds like you don't have a ton of experience selling nicer stuff.

Patience is key if you want the items actual value. The more expensive an item, the more patience is required. Put one up for sale at the value you want and wait. I can promise you, if you sell it cheap, eventually someone will come along after the sale and offer you your full selling price. This has happened to me more than I care to admit. But I learned my lesson. Now I just list things and wait it out. People need time to come up with money and with instruments you need the right buyer. They are out there. They just may not be ready in your time frame.
I STILL get offers on items I sold years ago. I've sold stuff for half irs value only to turn around and get an offer for full asking prices days later. Don't be me.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I had a deadline to meet at the time, and I didn’t make it. Had it posted for 3 monthes. It wasn’t a super expensive item, as I don’t really buy anything above $2k. US made GL JB2 for $1k. Anyway, i had to sell before moving out of country, it didn’t, so it ended up getting shipped by land and sea and now resides with me in Portugal.
 
#153
jimmyb said:
Man, I know this sounds pathetic, but I'm really having problems with this.
I'm at the point in my life where I'm fortunate to own every bass I've wanted. I'm also at the point of my life where I'm simply not going to play them all and don't gig nearly as much as I did. And I could also use some space.
So... I have 40(ish) American basses of various vintages.
Each one chosen carefully. Some for specific projects, others just cuz I always wanted one.
So now here we are, a rainy day in Maryland and I decide I'm going to list five. I pick a few out of the rack clean them up, plug them in, make sure they work as they should. And each bass reminds me while I chose it in the first place. "Can't get rid of this one" I keep repeating. Back it goes into the damn rack.
I was only able to choose two today I'd be willing to let go. And that was like pulling teeth.
So... Has anyone else had this problem?
Or am I just f'n nuts?
Click to expand...
It's easier to place them in a trust, and that's it, go on enjoying them and when you are done, someone else has them, TAX FREE!

: )
 
#154
jimmyb said:
Man, I know this sounds pathetic, but I'm really having problems with this.
I'm at the point in my life where I'm fortunate to own every bass I've wanted. I'm also at the point of my life where I'm simply not going to play them all and don't gig nearly as much as I did. And I could also use some space.
So... I have 40(ish) American basses of various vintages.
Each one chosen carefully. Some for specific projects, others just cuz I always wanted one.
So now here we are, a rainy day in Maryland and I decide I'm going to list five. I pick a few out of the rack clean them up, plug them in, make sure they work as they should. And each bass reminds me while I chose it in the first place. "Can't get rid of this one" I keep repeating. Back it goes into the damn rack.
I was only able to choose two today I'd be willing to let go. And that was like pulling teeth.
So... Has anyone else had this problem?
Or am I just f'n nuts?
Click to expand...
I have the same exact problem, and I do the same exact thing when I’m trying to sell.
 
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#156
My biggest problem isn’t having too many basses and deciding which to sell (I do and I’d love to get down to about 1/2 what I have), it’s that I’ve gone away from buying basses to building Frankenstein parts basses which I now have too many of. They’re essentially not even worth the sum of their parts at this point. Many are cool basses but have little real value.

I have a handful of “nice” basses that are valuable and worth $ but most are ones I play/gig regularly. I just can’t stop buying parts and assembling worthless basses…
 
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#157
I don't have that many but also want to sell one or two.
I currently have 2 or 3 that make the cut on gigs so logically, I should reduce to those 3 and cull the rest.
I've got one to go...but still haven't bundled the advert yet.
I think everything is slow moving atm..but then I thought that before Christmas too.

I just need to do it ... its very very likely to never make a gig in the foreseeable...and last went out on a rehearsal 18months ago..since when, I acquired my current two best basses.
 
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#159
msb said:
I’m planning to thin things down a bit. Simply too much stuff. Funny how it accumulates.
Click to expand...
I've got 4 instruments I'll be selling starting this month. One is already gone as of today.
I find it liberating to release some gear to its destiny. Declutters my brain as I don't have to think about it anymore.

Mrs. Hurricane is already quizzing me on what I plan on buying. ;)
 
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#160
I've 10 basses ranging from budgets I've modified to MIJ Fenders. I want a Paranormal Rascal. 10 basses is more than enough and I've decided I want to sell a 5 string Harley Benton HBZ and a Yamaha BBN 4F iii. I stripped the beat up Yamaha down to wood last year and applied Osmo, the headstock I sanded too removing the orginal logo and finishing with Osmo. Now I want to sell it I've spent the last week adding the original decal, and building up with nitro and finishing with a matte lacquer. The neck has not escaped my attention either, I've rubbed it down with 800 grit, and applied it's first coat of linseed today (pic still shows it shiney), when that dries in a week or so, another light sand then a 2nd coat and a sand and a final coat. It will dry matte eventually and I know the wood will be well fed and should last another 20 years with a little lemon or other oil applied yearly. I WAS hoping to sell the BB as a job lot with the HBZ for £300 but that neck is starting to look really nice and now I'm having doubts... :rolleyes: It may be I will offload only the HBZ and spend a lot of money on Mrs Teesee wining and dining and have to fork out an extra £250 for the Para. And I'll still be stuck with 10 guitars:D
 

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