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Do I Deserve a Boutique Bass?

#144
There is no such thing as “deserve.” It suggests there is some arbiter who decides what happiness is worth, and whether each of us has earned enough of it.

If you like it and can afford it, get it.

And maybe even if you can’t afford it. Life is short. There are no pockets in the shroud.

Be happy.
 
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#146
baddarryl said:
Ok so i laid my hands on a Dingwall Combustion and was very impressed. I didn't play one, but the local dealer has an AB1 Afterburner in stock. I am very very tempted by that. I understand the difference among the Canadian basses and they seem worth it. Honestly it's actually rare that I'm in the position to afford one. I am only half joking about deserving it, but I really am a hack. I see players better that me constantly. In fact most seem to be especially among my age. My only real confidence stems from the fact that other people want me to play for them. I have never considered that kind of money for a bass, but that B string is to die for. Even the Combustion makes my Stingray 5 feel like an old clunker! Aaaaaagh!!
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Play the best bass you can afford, and if you're lucky enough to find basses that really fit you all the better. Know also that an AB1 Afterburner may seem expensive by comparison to other basses but it is no more expensive than a midrange upright or trumpet, Pedal Steel, etc.

I have certain reservations about hoarding and collecting, but that's my hangup and there is absolutely nothing wrong with playing a fine instrument. Further, those who purchase these high end basses -especially smaller company instruments- are funding instrument innovation and supporting luthiers, and they eventually feed the used market that folks like me have benefited from.
 
#150
baddarryl said:
Ok so i laid my hands on a Dingwall Combustion and was very impressed. I didn't play one, but the local dealer has an AB1 Afterburner in stock. I am very very tempted by that. I understand the difference among the Canadian basses and they seem worth it. Honestly it's actually rare that I'm in the position to afford one. I am only half joking about deserving it, but I really am a hack. I see players better that me constantly. In fact most seem to be especially among my age. My only real confidence stems from the fact that other people want me to play for them. I have never considered that kind of money for a bass, but that B string is to die for. Even the Combustion makes my Stingray 5 feel like an old clunker! Aaaaaagh!!
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That's actually an easy answer. If you like it and would like to play it, you'll find yourself practicing with it a lot and of course that will raise your skill. But more importantly you'll enjoy playing music on it and that's what endears an instrument to you. I have such a relationship with my '82 maple-neck MIA passive Jazz. Just love it!

And, if you have people that want you to play for them, you must be doing something right. So, if you can "almost" afford it, GET THAT BASS!

I have an attitude about buying things like musical instruments and gear. It's called, "Get the best that you can't really quite afford". That way it hurts when you spend money, but it only hurts once. Then, every time you play it, you'll be glad you spent the extra money for it because it is such a pleasure to play. If you opt for a cheaper bass or just make do, you would be glad you didn't spend the extra money the day that you bought it, but, every time you'd play it you'd be wishing you spent the extra $$ for the one your really wanted. So, it's kind of "it hurts once or it hurts every time I play it." Just get over pain the one time and be glad you did from here on out!
 
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#157
Late to the game and I didn't read all of this thread, so my apologies if I am repeating something someone else has said. But maybe I can add something. Right now I am on the other side of this equation.

It was a long term dream of mine to own a Carl Thompson. I first heard about him in the early 1980s way before Primus hit. Since then, I have owned 4 of Carl's instruments. After 15 awesome years with them, I have just recently put the last of those up for sale.

For me it wasn't so much a question of whether I deserved them or not. It was more about achieving a goal. It was also about learning first hand the difference between a bass costing multiple thousands of dollars and a bass costing a few hundred dollars. There are many differences and I will not go into them. I am sure someone already has.

Now that I have achieved that particular goal, I am ready to move on. Continuing to hang on to the golden ring strikes me in some sense as living in the past. It also strikes me as perhaps closing the door on future opportunities and goals.

I hold not a shred of regret about buying or selling these instruments. I climbed the mountain and found out what it was like. Now I'm ready for the next mountain.

YMMV, etc.
 
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#158
Space Pickle said:
DESERVE'S GOT NOTHIN' TO DO WITH IT
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