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Dilemma- selling a custom bass

M

MikeTREBEK

Jan 25, 2006
3
0
46
Leominster, Mass
www.trebekband.com
#1
First of all, I would like to say hello to all of my fellow bassists out there! I am a few minutes new to this 'site. I've read a lot of the posts on this forum and it is such a great place to be!

Ok, So I have this beautiful 4-string Read Custom bass that I have had since June of 2002. I picked out the wood, helped with some of the design, and waited about 7 months for it to be built. It is probably the prettiest bass I have ever seen. Quilted maple/ebony top, mahogany body, maple/ebony fingerboard. BEAUTIFUL! My problem is that I do not give it enough attention and I basically play my Read Custom 5-string all of the time. The sound of my 5-string is so dark and tight, (Morado top, Mahogany body, Pau Ferro fretboard), and the 4-string is so much brighter and I am unable to come close to the same sound with it. Obviously the woods I had chosen took effect in the sound. It is a slapping machine, but when you want that staccato Jaco-esque or "dirty" sound, the 5-string rocks it. My 5-string is what I like to sound like when playing bass, so I like to use it all of the time.

My question is: Do I sell it? Do I keep it?

Go to: Link Removed, click on Media, under bios click on MIKE and there is a link at the bottom of the page where you will see a picture. Oh, check out some songs while you are at it if you'd like to. Bass solo in "HOPE ROAD" on that very bass!

I would really love to have another 5-string or even a 4-string that can get asimilar sound as my 5.

Any suggestions? I know...it is a tough one.

Thanks!
 
#3
Figjam said:
Do you need the money? If there isnt a reason to sell it and you are only contemplating it because you dont use it, keep it. You never know, your tastes might change. Plus it has sentimental value.
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I'd avoid sales as much as I can, unless I need space or cash, I keep a hold of stuf. like Figjam said, you never know what will take your fancy one day. It's a beautiful instrument though, I must say!
 
#4
Yeah, if I want to buy a second 5-string, (I always want things right away), then I would need the money. But you ar eprobably right about keeping it for sentimantal reasons. I would need to really think about what life would be without that bass. Ugh...what a headache! I have been through so many basses and have had these the longest out of any.

Thanks for the advice!
 
#6
One little exercise you can always try if you're having doubts is this. Leave your bass in a case at the house of a VERY trusted friend for a couple of weeks. Make sure this friend does not allow you access to the bass at all and under zero circumstances to simulate the scenario of selling it.

See how you feel after two weeks. If you ended up missing the bass at the end if this exercise and were happy to get it back, imagine how it would have been had you sold it to a new home permanently and never been able to rock with it again.
 
#8
If you do decide to sell, bear in mind that you'll probably will probably not be able to get anywhere close to what you've paid for it yourself.

A lot of people have suggested keeping it. However, if you are sure that you will not be using it. In such case, it is better to use the money to move on to something which you will actually use.
 

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