• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Did you ever "downgrade"? By choice or situation?

#21
I sold by far the best playing and best sounding and best balanced bass I ever owned once. But I paid for a semester of school with it. Now I could afford to buy another although the builder is passed and it's unrealistic to replace.

I can't believe I'm saying this. And just as I type it I feel like ordering some pedal just to atone for this advice…

But people are more important than things. And the brand/model can make an object valuable but does not intrinsically make it better. I have no doubt you could find a bass that you love to play for less than the cost of yours. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass, George Dennis, FeltTipPen and 3 others
#25
yeah. In addition to my expensive trumpets from my college days (really nice Bach Strad Bb and C, and a Kanstul Piccolo), I had a sweet 2010ish EBMM Sterling, not the Sterling line, but the Sterling model that was part of the Ball Family Reserve, awesome cherry burst finish, solid rosewood neck, just looked, sounded, and felt amazing.

But, when my post college career wasn't as lucrative as I thought it would be, and I was unemployed, and if I didn't get money before I found a job (and then several weeks for payroll to catch up), I'd be homeless. And I needed a new car. So, I sold almost all my gear so I could buy a beater car to get to work and what not.

Years later, I got a cheap squier vm jazz V, and it's been my main player for over a decade, and I absolutely love it. Yeah, I miss the EBMM but the squier is just as awesome in its own way.

It may suck now but hopefully you get get through this. But, if you were to downgrade, how much would you net in the end? A few hundred? a few thousand? If it's not going to be much, it may not be worth it. Just get some more gigs, teach lessons, do odd jobs with taskrabbit or bacon or something might be better and then you don't have to sell your gear.
 
#26
@DanBass Here's my thoughts... swap the parts back to original and snag a Ibanez or Yamaha P type bass. Then put your favoite parts on that one. You'd gain a good amount of money, and your sound would change only slightly.

I've been there though. Sold a bass for college books. And sold a BTB to buy a Gretsch G2220 and a pedal. Having the Gretsch and the pedal gave me more versatility than just the BTB that was too heavy to stand up with. I snagged a lined fretless yamaha that was used for $100. I was actually quite impressed of it's quality, despite being beat up and 20 years old. It's currently under repairs to get new finish... hopefully.

Some used old basses are great. Keep your favorite pickups and dont sweat it. At the end of the day, basses are just instruments (objects) used to make music. Can you do that on another one? probably. Sentimental value is hard to cut though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass
#28
I've seen quite a lot of "Have you seen this bass??" ads, IE people wanting to buy back a specific bass they sold once upon a time. Not the same model, the actual one.

To me this seems like the start of a story like that. I vote keep it.
 
#29
Yeah, bought my Stingray HH 10 years ago, and it was my main bass for most of those years.

A few years back however, I started collecting low/mid-grade vintage Aria pros. All 6 of the AP basses I've owned had some wear, and sometimes my gigs tend to be rowdy or played in less than ideal environments.

I feel more comfortable rocking those old road worn basses than my nearly pristine Stingray in a lot of situations. They also sounded just as good in the mix to my ears. I'd only consider it a "slight" downgrade at the end of the day anyhow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass
#30
DanBass said:
Been contemplating this for a few weeks.. and while hard, it makes sense, at least to me.

I think.

So honestly, I have not been playing any where near as much as I had been. This is for a myriad of reasons. And I am kinda ok with that at this point of the journey.

I have a 2004 USA Fender P that I love, but given my lack of playing and the fact that I could use the money, (wife out of work, car issues, other general crap) I am toying with the idea of selling it and getting something of lesser value. These lesser-value basses, are not all that shabby these days. I am in one band, nothing crazy, certainly not professional (although I have pride and sound is important obviously lol)... that said, it is not so terrible to me to play something "cheaper".

Bigger picture I guess.

Do I want to keep it? Sure. It is a really nice bass that I've had for a considerable amount of time, holds it's valve, or even increases from what I am seeing.. Upgraded pickups, originals still retained.. It's well cared for and loved, but sometimes, life says "um, other plans pal.."

I guess my reason behind this thread is to inquire if others have been down this road.

Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...

I don't see where selling your 2004 USA Fender P that you love and buying a lesser cost Pacific Rim offering is going to net you enough money to make any kind of real difference in your life. I'd say keep your good P and enjoy it. Life is short ... grab (and hold onto) the gusto while you can.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Iridescentone, Bass Viking, CallMeAl and 1 other person
#33
DanBass said:
Been contemplating this for a few weeks.. and while hard, it makes sense, at least to me.

I think.

So honestly, I have not been playing any where near as much as I had been. This is for a myriad of reasons. And I am kinda ok with that at this point of the journey.

I have a 2004 USA Fender P that I love, but given my lack of playing and the fact that I could use the money, (wife out of work, car issues, other general crap) I am toying with the idea of selling it and getting something of lesser value. These lesser-value basses, are not all that shabby these days. I am in one band, nothing crazy, certainly not professional (although I have pride and sound is important obviously lol)... that said, it is not so terrible to me to play something "cheaper".

Bigger picture I guess.

Do I want to keep it? Sure. It is a really nice bass that I've had for a considerable amount of time, holds it's valve, or even increases from what I am seeing.. Upgraded pickups, originals still retained.. It's well cared for and loved, but sometimes, life says "um, other plans pal.."

I guess my reason behind this thread is to inquire if others have been down this road.

Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...
Not sure what you'll get for your bass, but I'm guessing $1,000 or more.
Plenty of good basses available for $300 or so.
Do it and don't look back.
I've bought several bargain-priced basses, still own a few, and they get the job done and look great doing it!
$375!
Picsart-22-01-27-20-53-10-810.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass, Outtaseezun, j5eugene and 1 other person
#34
I also used to own a few higher-end basses, including two Alembics, a Moonstone and a one-off BC Rich Wave bass. I eventually drifted to a more vintage sound when I started recording more than gigging. And putting together parts basses, which now make up MOST of my collection, a couple of which are my go-to basses.

With parts basses, there's never any "ranking" in my mind of upgrade or downgrade, how much I paid for he parts in total has no bearing on which bass I choose for each musical situation... it's about which one WORKS and SOUNDS best in that situation, not about how much money each instrument cost. I could not care less at that point.

In fact.. it always puzzles me how much players worry about how much the OTHER guy's bass costs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass and DJ Bebop
#35
You said you love it so I would keep it. Its hard to find a bass you love. If you sell your Fender and get a Squier you wont walk away with that much cash all said and done. Will $600 make a huge difference in your life? I would find something else to sell or pick up some extra work to come up with the funds.
 
Last edited:
#36
Haven't been forced to downsize yet. Maybe in the future. These days the popular brand name on the headstock is nowhere near as important as it was in the '60's. Back then it was a guarantee against firewood. Building a mutt back then was tough because the aftermarket parts boom didn't occur until the late '70's. You can order a boutique bass a la carte off the internet to your own specs from various sources, have it delivered to your home in a few weeks, assemble it and have your dream bass for less than a run of the mill pro tier instrument costs.
 
#38
Yes. I had a 1977 Gibson RD Artist that I loved but didn't play because it was so damn heavy, and I couldn't afford to keep it. So I traded the Gibson down for a '78 P bass plus some cash. I needed more money so traded the 78 down for a Lakland Skyline 4-string jazz plus cash. Didn't like that one so traded the Lakland down for a Fender Hwy 1 plus more cash, and that one has been one of my main players ever since. I'm very happy with the Hwy 1, but wish I'd kept the 78.
 
#39
I've had basses pass through my hands that many on TalkBass would consider really nice, higher-end basses.

I no longer have those really nice, higher end basses. Every time I've gotten a "lesser" bass as a backup, I've found myself preferring that one.

Even now, a bass I had intended to be a backup to my "nicer" one is the one I vastly prefer playing and has become my #1. I let my hands be the judge. I'm not a gear snob. My preferred LTDs may not win me awards among the TalkBass elite, but those are the basses I play the most, want to play the most, and am becoming a better bassist with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DanBass

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back