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Crazy trade idea

#41
On a related note, I bought overdrives for years that, while not the top notch kind, they were more affordable, and had all kinds of schemes for making them sound OK on a bass. A couple of years ago, Sweetwater launched their used gear site, and...IO sold off my cheap pedals, and had more than enough to buy a few really nice ones, that don't require...schemes to make them sound good with a bass. The least expensive thing in the long run is...the one you really want, as you won't need to buy another one.

Real quality is always a good value.
 
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#42
I think it would be a little crazy to offload your entire stable without already being pretty confident the bass you are getting really is your "endgame" bass, ideally meaning you have actually already played the exact bass you want to buy or something as close as possible. If it were me and finances in any way permitted, I would probably keep one favorite bass from the current stable for at least a little while after picking up the new one. That is assuming you have one or more basses you particularly like; if you could take or leave all of them, it's maybe not as much an issue.
 
#44
micguy said:
I bought overdrives for years that, while not the top notch kind, they were more affordable, and had all kinds of schemes for making them sound OK on a bass. A couple of years ago, Sweetwater launched their used gear site, and...IO sold off my cheap pedals, and had more than enough to buy a few really nice ones, that don't require...schemes
Click to expand...

My grandfather used to say he was too poor to buy cheap.
 
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#45
I would love to be able to just have one bass, but my bands (and personal vision) require a number of different sounding instruments. Nothing sounds like my Starfire, nothing sounds like a Modulus TBX 6 or my David King fretless 5, but none of them sound like a Fender Jazz or P. So that's 5 basses right there. I have others that I have collected along the way and can't sell for one reason or another (a custom 5 I had made in 1985 served me well for decades, but I doubt I could get more than a couple hundred for it) or I just like them (my modified '68 EB-3).

So, there's no one right answer for everyone.
 
#47
esbanke said:
As I get older and still play a lot of gigs, I find that I’d like to settle into one bass to ride out the golden years. Sadowsky for many reasons has been my thoughts. Would I be crazy to sell or trade several really nice basses for one desert island bass? Curious about thoughts from this crowd.
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Buy that Sadowsky.
Then sell everything after you're 100% sure.
That might take some time to really test that your Sadowsky is "the one and only one".
 
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#49
Totally doable IMHO. I believe that most players overestimate the difference that changing up basses during a performance makes to the sound in the overall band mix. And some of the greatest players (bass and guitar) never vary from what works for them. Personally I've cycled through a bunch of different stuff, but now rely pretty much on one electric bass (Reverend Mercalli) and an upright. With those two, I can cover anything that I'd need to do - rock, Americana, country, blues - and some things that I don't play (punk, metal). Some of my favorite, most talented musicians (Derek Trucks, Tab Benoit, Darrell Scott) only use one guitar and are monsters.
 
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#50
esbanke said:
As I get older and still play a lot of gigs, I find that I’d like to settle into one bass to ride out the golden years. Sadowsky for many reasons has been my thoughts. Would I be crazy to sell or trade several really nice basses for one desert island bass? Curious about thoughts from this crowd.
Click to expand...
This is what I want to do but I can't get myself to do so.

I have a 5 string Sadowsky Metro Hybrid PJ that should be the be-all end-all bass for me, but the jury is still out.
I've been playing mostly 4 strings these days, and it really hasn't gotten that much playing time which sounds a little crazy.

What Sadowsky do you want?

Good luck !
 
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#51
Every bass that I have was at one time a potential desert island bass. Metaphorically speaking, island sands tend to shift from time to time. I'll cycle basses to the back row for a couple of years only to fall madly in love with them later. Disclaimer: Never had a Sadowsky.
 
#55
shirojiro said:
This is what I want to do but I can't get myself to do so.

I have a 5 string Sadowsky Metro Hybrid PJ that should be the be-all end-all bass for me, but the jury is still out.
I've been playing mostly 4 strings these days, and it really hasn't gotten that much playing time which sounds a little crazy.

What Sadowsky do you want?

Good luck !
Click to expand...
P/J or JJ. I have been looking at the metroline 24’s. So many good options
 
#56
bherman said:
Totally doable IMHO. I believe that most players overestimate the difference that changing up basses during a performance makes to the sound in the overall band mix. And some of the greatest players (bass and guitar) never vary from what works for them. Personally I've cycled through a bunch of different stuff, but now rely pretty much on one electric bass (Reverend Mercalli) and an upright. With those two, I can cover anything that I'd need to do - rock, Americana, country, blues - and some things that I don't play (punk, metal). Some of my favorite, most talented musicians (Derek Trucks, Tab Benoit, Darrell Scott) only use one guitar and are monsters.
Click to expand...
Such a true statement. I feel that’s where I’m at right now. I know I can get great tone with one or two staple basses. Why do I have a rack full that never get touched?
 
#57
I wouldn’t trade or sell them all, under any circumstances, and ALL of my basses are nice, but at this point in my life I have more than I ever dreamed.

I would definitely part with as many as it takes to offset the acquisition of a super-high-priced instrument that is entirely a want and not a need.

THAT’S ‘thinning out the herd’, IMO.
 

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