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Double Bass Bass bummer. What would you do?

#42
Bobby King said:
Thank you all for your suggestions, advice and encouragement!

All of you in the "fix it" camp have persuaded me and I gave Dustin Williams the green light to operate this morning! We're hoping Irmgard (her name) comes back strong!

As they said to Ted Kennedy, "I'm glad you're OK, sorry about the blonde"
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Bobby,

First off, glad all of you were OK after the wreck. I saw Donna's and Jon's posts (along with yours the following day) on CrackFace and felt terrible for you (and Donna's guitar).

There's a few new basses out there that I'd consider owning (if I had no limitations for money) but I'm cool with my old American Standards, comfortable with them and understand how they work and how they suit my playing style. I'd be pretty bummed if they were damaged to the extent of your bass, but I'd have to jump into the same boat as you and get them fixed.

You done good, son. SPBGMA?
 
#46
Repair estimate went up a bit. My current bridge has no adjusters, and will probably need them to adjust with neck reset. Plus various "touch ups". Now estimated at $1380 :eek: Today I put in an application to MusiCares, a Grammy-related organization, for some financial assistance with the repair. They helped a lot of Nashville musicians after the
flood of '10. Maybe they'll come through with a little $$.
 
#47
Bobby King said:
Repair estimate went up a bit. My current bridge has no adjusters, and will probably need them to adjust with neck reset. Plus various "touch ups". Now estimated at $1380 :eek: Today I put in an application to MusiCares, a Grammy-related organization, for some financial assistance with the repair. They helped a lot of Nashville musicians after the
flood of '10. Maybe they'll come through with a little $$.
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I don't understand. Why would they help to cover the cost of your repair? It wasn't related to a general natural (or unnatural) disaster of any kind. Although the situation was very unfortunate, do they step into individual situations to cover what would have, otherwise, been covered by private insurance?
 
#48
I don't think their assistance is limited to victims of natural disasters. I believe that they will give assistance to musicians in need. You have to fill out a lengthy application and submit various documents and information. Then it goes to a committee, your case is reviewed, and they make a decision. In my own case, I don't have insurance for my instruments when they are outside of my home, although after this experience I am likely to change that. I don't think that my request is illegitimate or inappropriate, if they are willing to help, great, if not, I'll have to deal with the expense on my own.

Link Removed
 
#49
Bobby King said:
In my own case, I don't have insurance for my instruments when they are outside of my home, although after this experience I am likely to change that.
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Learning the hard way that a Commercial Inland/Marine policy is a valuable tool for a lifelong working musician. Cost me $600 a year for $80K replacement value in stuff. Covers it for just about anything including some yahoo walking out the door off a stage with it while I'm taking a whizz. Fixed my bass without complaints when the bill was $3500. $250 deductible. No questions.

I set the coverage value for vintage instruments with either my word or appraisals depending on the gear. My policy is with Auto Owners. Over the years they are still ahead, having taken more in premiums than paid out in claims, but it has kept me from getting socked for a big nut several times over the last 25 years. I'll take the slow steady cash out over the gamble of the big hit thought. Keeps me solvent and working and in my house. YMMV.

Fwiw, My home owners will not cover anything I use for being a musician. If you file a schedule C as a musician insurance demands a commercial inland marine and will most often deny claims on homeowners if they audit and figure it out. Again YMMV.

Like most insurance you gamble against yourself, paying yearly small numbers to avoid the big number now and again. Some people would rather gamble the other way and I understand that. It's not how I play it though.

A musician plays enough gigs over a lifetime that eventually they'll get ripped off or have stuff busted up, usually in transport. In my case several times in a lifetime. As lousy as I get paid as a musician I'd rather take the small numbers over time rather than suffer the big hit that slows me down or puts me on the sidelines. All it takes it one call when my stuff is down to make me look bad. "yea man I gotta do that hit on my fender cause my bass is busted, I'm broke, and I don't have a backup" ...click....dead air....no more phone calls from that guy, he'll call another guy next time who has a bass.
 
#54
TPugh said:
Very nice turnaround time too. Seems like it was just a few days ago that I was in Dustin's and noticed it lying on his table where you had apparently just dropped it off. Congrats!

Thomas
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Yeah! It was like 3-4 weeks. No complaints here. Most of the work was done by Dustin's associate, Randy. Great job. They may not be the cheapest in Nashville, but I think that they do the best work, and as you noted, in a timely fashion.

Williams Fine Violins: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#59
Bobby King said:
Hey folks!

Just wanted to give you a little update. I got my bass back from Dustin Williams' shop today and everything's great. It sounds as good as ever, maybe better! Thanks to everyone here who encouraged me to get it fixed, and thanks to MusiCares who gave me a nice check towards the repair bill.
:hyper:
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Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!
 

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