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Basses and gear you passed on
- Thread starter SpankBazz
- Start date
D
I was fresh out of the Army in 1992. Visited J. Gravity strings in St. Louis. I asked if they had any Rickenbackers. They brought out a case with a 1979 Fireglo 4005. It looked almost new, and it felt amazing to me. They wanted $900.00. I was too scared to buy it. Very stupid.
I didn't actually 'pass' on it, I really couldn't afford it.. It was in "We Buy Guitars" on W. 48th. St. in Manhattan, around 1974- but I'm not sure on the year. I bought a new Fender P-Bass in 1973, so it seemed like maybe it was just not necessary. Stupid me.
It was $850. used. In that time period, that was a LOT of money for anything. Some used cars were in many cases, around that price! I kick myself now for not putting it on lay-away. That bass was a left handed Alembic Series one- or two, not totally sure- but it had Padauk top, and was like the holy grail to me. I did not have a job at that point, so, stupidly, I just didn't act on it. I wonder where it is now.....
It was $850. used. In that time period, that was a LOT of money for anything. Some used cars were in many cases, around that price! I kick myself now for not putting it on lay-away. That bass was a left handed Alembic Series one- or two, not totally sure- but it had Padauk top, and was like the holy grail to me. I did not have a job at that point, so, stupidly, I just didn't act on it. I wonder where it is now.....
Sometimes we can be big boys and girls and exhibit some self control. I could have snapped these up but logic prevailed. What have you passed on?
Squier Sonic P - People were giving it great reviews and it's dirt cheap. It didn't have the sound I wanted from a P bass, though.
Squier CV 70's Jazz - I used to have a Squier Vintage Modified 70's bass. The second version with the "Fender designed" pickups and I loved that thing. So when I needed to replace it, the CV 70's seemed like the natural choice. I found my #1 (MIM Fender Jazz) and I didn't need the CV anymore. I did eventually buy a Squier Jazz, but not the CV.
Sterling Joe Dart 2 (Jazz), Sterling Joe Dart 3 (P) - I have the Joe Dart 1. I have multiple Jazz and P basses. I would never use them. That JD2 sounds good, though. I love the weight and playability of these basses. Don't judge me if I change my mind.
Carlo Robelli StingRay (The instrument the Joe Dart bass is based on) - Wanted it because it sounds good and is affordable. I don't need it at all, though.
Early 80's Ibanez Blazer P/J - Saw The Free Nationals (Anderson Paak's band) on NPR Tiny Desk. Kelsey Gonzalez had one and he sounded really good on it. I have the P sound covered. Don't need it. There are a couple TB threads on this bass.
Squier Affinity Active Jazz - Another affordable bass with rave reviews. I don't have an active Jazz. Almost pulled the trigger for my birthday. But upon listening closely, it sounds good but doesn't have the bite I need from a Jazz bass.
Squier Mini P - This thing sounds phenomenal and is affordable but, it would be redundant.
Yamaha BB1200 - I have a BB200 and a BB414 (which I pretend is a scaled down version of a BB3000). It would serve no purpose. I just love Yamaha BBs.
Harley Benton JB-75 - I really want it because it sounds great and is affordable, but it would be redundant.
Harley Benton MV-4JB - I don't think these sounds as good as the previous MV edition with the Roswell pickups and Gotoh tuners. I have the P/J from that original MV series and it's phenomenal. The build quality is top notch. The setup is the best I've seen out of the box, needing absolutely no adjustment. I'm a 4 string guy, but I've been thinking about tuning one of my basses to BEAD, which would require a restring. Or I can get one of these in a 5 string.
Recently visited Nashville and did a mini-tour of as many music stores as I could squeeze into the 2 day trip.
So proud! Zero new instruments, amps or pedals were purchased. Just a few stickers, picks and T shirts.
Temptations encountered: a killer sunburst Gibson 00 acoustic, a great-playing Fender Duo-Sonic in Capri Orange, and a Squier mini-P that played surprisingly well.
Oh and 51 Broadcaster worth more than my life
What you lust after and what you need can be too different things.
I've 'loved' basses until I heard them back in live playback and now I know what to avoid.
I've 'loved' basses until I heard them back in live playback and now I know what to avoid.
Got more pics of the Broadcaster? That thing looks sweet!Recently visited Nashville and did a mini-tour of as many music stores as I could squeeze into the 2 day trip.
So proud! Zero new instruments, amps or pedals were purchased. Just a few stickers, picks and T shirts.
Temptations encountered: a killer sunburst Gibson 00 acoustic, a great-playing Fender Duo-Sonic in Capri Orange, and a Squier mini-P that played surprisingly well.
Oh and 51 Broadcaster worth more than my life
1997, could have had a brand new Rickenbacker Chris Squire limited edition for 900.00
Sometimes we can be big boys and girls and exhibit some self control. I could have snapped these up but logic prevailed. What have you passed on?
Squier Sonic P - People were giving it great reviews and it's dirt cheap. It didn't have the sound I wanted from a P bass, though.
Squier CV 70's Jazz - I used to have a Squier Vintage Modified 70's bass. The second version with the "Fender designed" pickups and I loved that thing. So when I needed to replace it, the CV 70's seemed like the natural choice. I found my #1 (MIM Fender Jazz) and I didn't need the CV anymore. I did eventually buy a Squier Jazz, but not the CV.
Sterling Joe Dart 2 (Jazz), Sterling Joe Dart 3 (P) - I have the Joe Dart 1. I have multiple Jazz and P basses. I would never use them. That JD2 sounds good, though. I love the weight and playability of these basses. Don't judge me if I change my mind.
Carlo Robelli StingRay (The instrument the Joe Dart bass is based on) - Wanted it because it sounds good and is affordable. I don't need it at all, though.
Early 80's Ibanez Blazer P/J - Saw The Free Nationals (Anderson Paak's band) on NPR Tiny Desk. Kelsey Gonzalez had one and he sounded really good on it. I have the P sound covered. Don't need it. There are a couple TB threads on this bass.
Squier Affinity Active Jazz - Another affordable bass with rave reviews. I don't have an active Jazz. Almost pulled the trigger for my birthday. But upon listening closely, it sounds good but doesn't have the bite I need from a Jazz bass.
Squier Mini P - This thing sounds phenomenal and is affordable but, it would be redundant.
Yamaha BB1200 - I have a BB200 and a BB414 (which I pretend is a scaled down version of a BB3000). It would serve no purpose. I just love Yamaha BBs.
Harley Benton JB-75 - I really want it because it sounds great and is affordable, but it would be redundant.
Harley Benton MV-4JB - I don't think these sounds as good as the previous MV edition with the Roswell pickups and Gotoh tuners. I have the P/J from that original MV series and it's phenomenal. The build quality is top notch. The setup is the best I've seen out of the box, needing absolutely no adjustment. I'm a 4 string guy, but I've been thinking about tuning one of my basses to BEAD, which would require a restring. Or I can get one of these in a 5 string.
The only bass I passed on I’ve regretted happened back in the 70’s. At the time I was playing an EB3. A fan of our brought her 1970 Fender Mustang and asked me to play it on the gig. I thought is sounded and played great and after I gave her my review, she offered to trade me even up for my EB3.
However, at the time the Mustang was viewed as an entry level instrument, the much more expensive EB3 was considered a pro quality instrument and I declined the offer. Shortly there after at the urging of more than few band mate I was (ahem) encouraged me to buy a different bass as I never got a great sound with it.
This one was for sale here on Talkbass right at the outset of the virus shutdown, and a major source of income was temporarily removed from my equation so I reluctantly didn't pull the trigger. I understand that it sold locally:
It was a standard Adam Clayton repainted by Marty Bell. There's a local painter here in the Bay Area with a great rep, who says he can do it so perhaps if I find the right instrument . . .
It was a standard Adam Clayton repainted by Marty Bell. There's a local painter here in the Bay Area with a great rep, who says he can do it so perhaps if I find the right instrument . . .
I pass on few bases and pedals every day...it's a disease!
There is an absolutely amazing Moon bass at a reasonable price in the TB classifieds that I could buy locally (the seller is only about 30-40 minutes from me and has good feedback). But I don't need it, and had to use BassBuzz's wisdom to shut up and shut down "GAS Guy."
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Just have one more w me playing it, big ol’ —— eating grin in my face
It played really well, btw, which was surprising to me. Also here is a 250k Strat that was for sale at the same shop
Attachments
Didn't jump on either of these and they were gone.
Yeah, I like pink, especially when it's pinker than Shell pink.
Yeah, I like pink, especially when it's pinker than Shell pink.
I can’t even tell you how much I miss We Buy….
There are several that I kick myself over:
1996, a pawn shop in Philadelphia:
Mid 1980s Carvin LB-50 fretless, Koa body, mahogany neck, ebony, unmarked fingerboard. $400. It played beautifully and sounded great but I was on tour at the time and didn’t want to carry another bass around. Dumb. I was 2 1/2 hours from home. I could have gotten up super early and taken a commuter train home to NYC, dropped the bass off at home, been back in Philly by mid afternoon and continued with the tour.
1998-ish, Chelsea Guitars, NYC:
1970s Dan Armstrong clear lucite bass that came with two necks; a fretted and an unlined fretless. It had a custom tweed hard case that held the bass and the extra neck. I’ve never seen one like it before or since. $1,200. The price seemed really high to me at time and I don’t really like that shop very much so I passed. In retrospect, the price was commensurate with the rarity of the bass but it’s too late now.
Early 2000s, Sadowsky Guitars, Long Island City, NY:
I was shopping for a five string Jazz and I didn’t really like what Fender was doing at the time. I tried out a number of boutique J5s and I went to Roger’s shop to see what he had. He had a ton of great basses there but none of the J5s really spoke to me. Before I left he said “I know it’s not a Jazz but you should play this.”
It was a 5-string P-bass, vintage style, Sherwood green, parchment guard, Brazilian rosewood board. It was spectacular. It was sooo good.
At the time I really had my heart set on a J and I ended up buying a beautiful Alleva-Copollo (Jimmy was still here in NYC at the time) which I still have and still really like but that Sadowsky P5…. Wow, what a bass! I should have bought that bass.
Really cool! I’m guessing that was a ‘54 or ‘55 Strat in excellent condition.Just have one more w me playing it, big ol’ —— eating grin in my face
Also here is a 250k Strat that was for sale at the same shop
I am primarily a guitarist, but I own an Epiphone 20th Anniversary model Jack Casady Signature bass guitar that I love. I have only used it to record bass parts in my home studio, so I cannot really justify buying another bass — but for a little over a year, I had some serious gear lust for a fretless Epiphone Zenith bass in the natural wood finish.
Maybe if one of these in good condition had become available during those months, I would have given in to the desire to own one of them, but only if I had more disposable income and storage space, and if I was prepared to undertake the challenge of developing good fretless technique.
(Edited to add: Epiphone discontinued this bass, so I probably would not have been able to purchase a new one.)
Maybe if one of these in good condition had become available during those months, I would have given in to the desire to own one of them, but only if I had more disposable income and storage space, and if I was prepared to undertake the challenge of developing good fretless technique.
(Edited to add: Epiphone discontinued this bass, so I probably would not have been able to purchase a new one.)
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Out of curiosity, what didn't you like about it?
That's one of my "if I ever hit the lottery" basses.
I don't remember exactly, it was years ago, but I think it just wasn't the sound I wanted.
