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Do You Believe In Sentimental Value?

N

nocontrols

Apr 2, 2011
915
31
#1
I do. My first bass was a Squier P-Bass Special (just like Invalid Link Removed) that I bought in high school. Before the VM and CV series came out and made Squiers more hip, they were kind of hit or miss in quality and didn't have a reputation. I got lucky, though, because this thing lasted and lasted. I played it constantly. I taught myself how to use a solder iron so I could replace the stock pups with Duncan Quarter Pounders. It went with me to college, it went with me to a TON of jam sessions and startup bands, it went with me on a few trips, including a bus trip to NY to audition... and I never got rid of it. I've also played guitar in the past but I sold off every guitar I've owned. I've also wound up trading out or selling a few basses but never that one. It occurs to me that I probably couldn't get rid of it if I wanted to.

It doesn't matter to me how much money it's worth or how much I paid for it or what kind of wood it's made of (I'm actually not even sure... I think it's agathis but the mom and pop who sold it to me new called it alder) or what it's resale value is. I think the actual value of this bass and the value of any bass is the memories I've had and the adventures I've gone on with it.

I just got a new bass... a cheap used American Peavey Fury from a pawn shop via eBay. I love how beaten up it is... I only paid a song for it anyway and I won't sell it. All I can think about now that I have it is that I want to go make some new adventures with it. :) I have to practice and meet some musicians in the new city I live in first but I would love to add some "value" to this thing.

Does anyone else agree? Or am I just imagining things and being overly sentimental to a chunk of wood?
 
#7
madbassplaya said:
i'm sentimental over some things. i still have my first bass and i will never get rid of it. but basses that i buy to try out, i have no trouble selling.
Click to expand...

Sure, I agree with this. I feel nothing for basses that I haven't really put a lot of time and sweat and good music into... even if I really like them a lot, they don't mean anything to me until I put in the effort to make them matter. In a way, sentimental value is the truest value I'll attach to a bass that I own. Anything else, I could give or take. (This is why I'm excited to really use the hell out of my new one)
 
#9
Very few material things have any sentimental value to me, instruments included. My first instrument was an Ibanez Studio dual humbucker guitar, which I received for my birthday in 1981. I played it on stage several times in high school, college, and grad school, including the night my wife asked me out for our first date. A former bandmate used it on stage for several of our best gigs, as recently as 2007. Based on this, it could have had sentimental value.

Thing is, after I'd tried other guitars, especially Strats, I realized I couldn't stand it as a guitar. So, when I finally unloaded it for credit toward a new G&L USA SB-2, I was thrilled.

From this, I've realized I need to love a bass or guitar as an instrument for me to keep it. Sentimental value won't carry the day.
 
#10
I'm only holding on to one thing for sentimental value, my '66 Guild Starfire from my "early days". I've had very many unique and rare instruments since then, many of which I said I would never let go. They're all gone - and I don't miss them. I've learned to enjoy owning them for a certain time, then letting someone else enjoy them.
 
#11
Nedmundo said:
Very few material things have any sentimental value to me, instruments included. My first instrument was an Ibanez Studio dual humbucker guitar, which I received for my birthday in 1981. I played it on stage several times in high school, college, and grad school, including the night my wife asked me out for our first date. A former bandmate used it on stage for several of our best gigs, as recently as 2007. Based on this, it could have had sentimental value.

Thing is, after I'd tried other guitars, especially Strats, I realized I couldn't stand it as a guitar. So, when I finally unloaded it for credit toward a new G&L USA SB-2, I was thrilled.

From this, I've realized I need to love a bass or guitar as an instrument for me to keep it. Sentimental value won't carry the day.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I've also played, and then wound up realizing I'm not very interested in, guitar. The thing that makes me different is that I never really went anywhere with it. All my experience jamming with people, playing live, and generally LOVING music has been through bass and guitars just remained woodshed items that I didn't mind getting rid of. Makes me wonder if I would have hung onto them if I had ever been in a band as a guitarist.
 
#12
For me, it depends on the bass. Like your Squier - my first bass served me very well, put up with my abuse and still is great! Why sell it? Every time I play it I am taken back to my early days in dark clubs and jams.

Congrats on your Fury, by the way. They are really pretty nice.
 
#15
I have sentiments both good and bad about my basses. The good are with my carvins and my L2000. I learned to play FL on the L2000 and the Carvins are my main basses, they sound great, etc.

The bad is with my Rick 4003. I did most of my gigging on 4001's/3's and ruined my left hand on them. My current 4003 (my 3rd and last) lives in its case as a reminder on those rare occasions I get euphoric recall about the gigging days and think about trying gigging again. It's more like an art piece for me rather than something to try to make music with.

LS
 
#19
I have a sentimental attachment to my first real bass,...which is my current and only bass; a Warwick Thumb BO 5er. I've had instruments before it and since then that I was okay with to parting with, but they were mainly budget/import instruments,...or vintage (but not overly expensive). Of all the possessions I've had making the transition from adolescence to adulthood the 'Wick is one of the few I still have (bought in the summer of 2000).

I'm waiting on a new bass for my apprenticeship which will be considerably lighter than my current Warwick thus giving my back a break. I'll have a hand in the actual construction of the bass so that will have some sentimental value as well. I plan on putting the 'Wick up and busting it out for random recording sessions,...home practicing,...etc etc. My new lighter bass will be my main player.
 
#20
Absolutely.

My first bass when I was 16-17 (back in 1979/1980) was a Mako TPB-1 P-bass. Way back then I had the thing electrically gutted and replaced all electronics. Of course a proper setup was mandatory. I played that thing for 10 years and it sounded great. But it was detroyed in a flood, in the early 90's.

So recently, I found a Mako TPB-2 (still wish I could find a TPB-1 in good condition) for $90.00 and had it completely, electrically gutted. Incuding changing out the stock pickups in favor of the Seymour Duncan SPB-2.

All for sentimental and nostalgic value.

It sounds great for a 30+ year old bass. The neck will probably be replaced sometime over the next few months, though.
 

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