Buying back an old bass

[Dr. Cheese]

I know this subject came up last week with a member wanting to buy back a SR5 HH. My response was he may love it or he might remember why he sold it if he gets it back. The bass I am considering getting is one I know well because I had a year or two. I definitely know what I like about and I am not crazy about. The bottom line is that I can get it at a fair price and similar basses are more expensive and some have recently undergone model changes that I don’t like. I don’t need convincing or dissuasion about this bass. I just want the general consensus on getting back with an old flame.

 

[IPA]

At least for me, I have to make sure to ask myself "was it the piece of gear that I liked, or the experience I had when I owned it?" Was I in a band that I had fun in, was I in a good place in my life and I'm trying to buy back a piece of that?

If it's the bass and not the context, then yeah, I'd buy it back. There are a couple that I would absolutely buy back if they came for sale again.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

At least for me, I have to make sure to ask myself "was it the piece of gear that I liked, or the experience I had when I owned it?" Was I in a band that I had fun in, was I in a good place in my life and I'm trying to buy back a piece of that?

If it's the bass and not the context, then yeah, I'd buy it back. There are a couple that I would absolutely buy back if they came for sale again.

I see your point. For me, it is definitely the actual bass.

 

[godofthunder59]

It's a wonderful thing! I've been reunited with a few over the years and it's a special feeling of happiness that I feel every time I pick the instrument up. I traded my 65-66 Hofner in '76 in my bass journey to Thunderbirds,I tracked through several owners and bought it back in 1988 and it will stay in my possession till I croak. A few years ago my 70s Ibanez acoustic showed up at The House of Guitars where I work, I had sold it to the store on 1984 to help finance my move to Boston to be a rock star. You bet I snapped it up!

 

[SteveC]

I have bought my Roscoe Century 6 a total of 3 times. Once as original owner, and then sold and bought 2 more times. Reasons were dumb. First was I just wasn't getting the hang of it. Bought it back the 2nd time because I thought if I gave it more time it'd click. Sold it again as I just didn't use the C string. Bought it back again when it came up for "nostalgia" as it was my first Roscoe order and all that. Sold it.

I also bought a Geddy Lee back a couple times. Just because.

Bought and sold an Avalon a couple times. Same with a REDDI.

 

[woodyng2]

I sold this bass 2 years ago, with instructions for the new owner to call me first,
if he ever tires of it.
I actually got to play it again on a recent visit, and absolutely would buy it back in an instant.

 

[Minimalist]

There is one bass I would buy back because it's and awesome bass and for nostalgic reasons. Bought from a band member in the early 90ties and sold it back to him in 2001 or so after I moved to the US. He asked me because it meant also a lot to him. Recently I found out that he had sold it. I was pi$$ed because he never asked me if I wanted to buy it from him again. It's a 72 p-bass and I got it signed by Bill Wyman.

 

[Rabidhamster]

Id typically only buy a specific bass back if Id sold for money need vs not liking or using it. Exception being a 76 Rick Id buy back for nostalgia, but pricing being what it is thatd be extremely unlikely even if I found the thing again

 

[Lo-E]

I tend to hold on to instruments. If I’ve sold one, there’s usually a good reason I did. Because of that, I’d be very unlikely to buy an instrument I parted ways with once already.

There have been one or two exceptions; basses I sold without really giving it enough thought, but they’re the exception, not the rule. I don’t miss most of the basses (or other gear) I’ve sold.

 

[GretschWretch]

It's a wonderful thing! I've been reunited with a few over the years and it's a special feeling of happiness that I feel every time I pick the instrument up. I traded my 65-66 Hofner in '76 in my bass journey to Thunderbirds,I tracked through several owners and bought it back in 1988 and it will stay in my possession till I croak. A few years ago my 70s Ibanez acoustic showed up at The House of Guitars where I work, I had sold it to the store on 1984 to help finance my move to Boston to be a rock star. You bet I snapped it up!

Gods don't croak; they thunder, by Jupiter.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I voted no, like you said: "he might remember why he sold it if he gets it back. " That is what happened to me about a Fender Jazz, when I got it, (was not the exact one but identical mint cond.)after playing 1 set with it, I remember why I sold the 1st one....

 

[gln1955]

I voted no. If I sell a bass that means it's had its chance and has been sitting unplayed for quite a while. I'd rather spend my money on something different.

 

[wboyd68]

I would buy back my early 90s EBMM Stingray, but that's the only one.

 

[newfuture]

I sold my first bass (Aria ZZB) to fund my second (4001), and was stoked to be able to trade for another of my first many years later.

I would still love to be able to buy back my RIC 2030 Hamburg, but that is probably only because they are stupid expensive relative to how just OK they are these days.

And I should never have sold my Fender "squire series" MIM P. If I could get that back for a reasonable price I would.

 

[micguy]

I don’t need convincing or dissuasion about this bass. I just want the general consensus on getting back with an old flame.

I had nostalgia about my first bass (a Ric 4001) for years. Then I played one in a store. Noisy, pokin' me in the wrong places, the silly pickup cover in the way - it was a less than stellar experience.

Our memories of things past are usually much better than the reality.

 

[iiipopes]

If it were an instrument I had to sell to make a house payment (and there have been a couple of those in the last 25 years), and I was back on my feet with a little disposable income, yes, if I liked it then, I would repurchase it now. I have been able to do that with one guitar.

Otherwise, there would have been a reason I sold it, and I would not purchase it back, as I seldom and rarely sell instruments, but when I do, it's done.

 

[SRGilbert]

Wait, you guys sell your instruments? I thought we were only supposed to buy them and then just hold on to them until we run out of money or room.

 

[Five or Six]

Pro's and con's thing. If the pro's outweigh the con's, go for it. If vice versa, say a final goodbye.

 

[capnjagg]

Most gear I’ve moved on from I don’t really think about with regret. To date I’ve only had two basses where that feeling crept up on me. The first was an Epiphone Thunderbird, that I think was more rose tinted goggles than anything (played it at the start of my first real band). Once I really stopped and thought about that bass’s shortcomings, the feeling subsided. The second was an MIM Jazz bass that I didn’t quite get on with. Hindsight being what it is, I think there’s a lot I could’ve done differently to really make it work for me, but in the end I’d rather spend money on getting exactly what I want than spend the money trying to make an ok bass something that it’s not.

 

[-Stingray]

I won't do the same guitar or bass twice....