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Do you hang on to your basses for sentimental value

Sonic

Sonic

Lord of the Grump
Oct 6, 2002
524
13
38
Fredericton, New Brunswick
#1
Hey guys,

I was just playing my old Ibanez RB690 and I realized that ever since I got my Warwick, the old girl is just kind of something I beat around the house. It was my main bass from 04 until this year but has gone virtually ignored since I got the Warwick. I then looked at my collection and realized that of the 4 basses I own, 2 serve no practical purpose. The Ibanez will probably never get gigged again (It's got a P-Bass style neck and find it feels like a baseball bat now) and my Dean Edge 1 is kind of like but inferior to my Warwick Corvette Std. in every way.

That said, I can't part with them. The Dean was my first bass and I feel a sense of loyalty to the Ibby. If I sold them, I'd be afraid it'd feel like I'm betraying old friends.

Is this normal? I'm not usually the type of person that personifies objects but I really feel like I owe these basses something.

Do you have any instruments you just can't part with because they mean too much to you?
 
#5
Not me. If they're not getting played, I'm tired of their sound, would rather have something else or whatever, I sell/trade them. I have some that I love that I don't plan on selling, but nothing is set in stone. I have not regretted one trade or sale I've made, and there's been a bunch.
 
#6
:cool:

Sometimes.
I have a 1960 Gibson EBO.
One of 342 made.
It's a wonderful playing and sounding bass.
This bass thru a tube amp and a 2x15 cab is gods voice.
But I never use it now.
King of the closet.
 
#7
I have a couple of basses I don't play actively, but I still know they're good. It's also clear that selling them wouldn't bring much profit, as they're not that desirable. I'd sell in a financial emergency, but unless that happens I may as well keep them.
 
#9
I have about 15. About 7 have not been played in years. Can't bring myself to part with them. I kind of feel sorry for my significant other, if I should kick the bucket first. She ain't got a clue what to do with them and all the amps. It's normal.
 
#10
I've sold a bunch of guitars and basses, but the only one I regret selling is my first working bass. 1st working band, formative gigs, 1st band break up, memories, etc....

It goes way beyond a dollar amount.

I could care less about a 2000 dollar Les Paul that I owned for a while, but I'm still trying to find a 100 dollar Epiphone bass that I cut my teeth on years ago. I sold it for 40 bucks which...... well, I sold it.........

Yes, they're just tools, until you bleed, sweat and cry on them...

Do whatever your heart tells you man.
 
#11
My first bass I bought for $175 at a pawn shop. I don't ever play it any more, but I plan to hang on to it for sentimental purposes.

My other is an Ibanez BTB. Lately I've been hating the sound. it's so dull even with Stainless Steel strings about a month old. Put it on bridge position, pick right on the bridge, crank treble on the amp, nothing works. I bought it for $200 used. It was a gift from my parents, and I'll likely keep it as such, or potentially pass it on to someone in the future. It's worth more to me sentimentally than I would be able to bring in by selling it.

For graduation in a couple of weeks, I will be getting a 2001 EBMM Stingray 5 H in natural finish. This will be my 4th bass, and my 3rd in a natural finish (all by accident). Not only do I love the sound on this one, but it will increase in value over time, and will also be an expensive graduation gift from my parents. I plan to not ever sell this one either. I actually recorded two of my band's songs with the sister bass (same model and year, bought at the same time, but blue finish). They both belong to our producer, and he was looking to sell one, so he keyed me in since he knew how much I loved it.



Other basses that I buy on my own I will consider fair game unless something significant happens to them.
 
#12
Yup, I still have my first bass, a Silvertone P bass, even though the tuners are broken and the bridge is messed up and I don't like the neck on it. I don't think I'd ever want to sell or get rid of any bass I get no matter what...
 
#13
I usually hang on to my gear. I don't have my first guitar ex-girlfriend the 1980s has it. Always wanted it back. Although after reconnecting on the facebook 27 years later (nothing sordid sorry to report), she offered to return it. It's a piece of garbage that her kid plays on. I remembered it being something better, but it's cheapo junk from sears. Probably why I let it go in the first place. Had another German made practice no-name break in the move back to the states. Other than that I still have them all.

First bass I got when I was 15, have mainly restored it. Changed out the electronics and pickups. New pick guard. New bridge and tuners. Need to work on adjusting the strobe and it probably needs refretting. After it's absolutely complete it'll be the bass I use for those one or two off tunings.
 
#15
GZ2 said:
I have about 15. About 7 have not been played in years. Can't bring myself to part with them. I kind of feel sorry for my significant other, if I should kick the bucket first. She ain't got a clue what to do with them and all the amps. It's normal.
Click to expand...
^Funny I was just thinking the same thing today, scary.
to the main op's question I do keep most of the ones I have for sentiment, but like in one thread I started recently I regret getting rid of some.
 
#16
Yep, it's normal. My 1st bass was an ibanez atk 3ex1 gc special that was mispriced. Got it for $200 cheaper than what they were selling for. It was my main bass for exactly one year. Then I got a stingray classic. I never play it anymore. The only time I do play it is when it is too risky to play the ray or ric at a show. Mainly Christmas parades where it's 20 degrees outside, almost snowing, and I'm on the back of a moving trailer with a driver that isn't very steady haha. But, I can't get rid of her. She was my 1st ;)
 
#18
I'm SO guilty of this;

The Fender Strat my parents bought me for Christmas when I was 12 that I nearly fainted when seeing the Fender gig bag under the tree haha.

The Fender P-bass that was my first bass that I traded a Squier and $50 (which seemed like a million back then)

The MIK Squier Jazz Bass that I used to take to NYC when I truly believed my band was going to be bigger than U2 (in case you were wondering that didn't happen)

The P-bass "Blue" that my bass mentor Dale gave me prior to his passing.

Call me sentimental well or just mental!
 
#19
I have bought and sold tons of instruments and amps. Other than regretting selling some only because I could have made more money than I did from them, I have only really regretted selling one guitar. I had the chance to buy it back years later, and I did ... then sold it again a year later when I remembered why I'd sold it in the first place.

No sentiment here, they are just tools to me.
 

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