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Do your basses have sentimental value to you?

#61
Yep. My wife gave me my Marcus Miller j-bass when we were in college. Even though I have completely replaced the electronics over the years, it has always been my main axe and will never get traded, sold, or otherwise removed from my roster. I have ancillary basses that come and go (usually just 1 at a time), but the Marcus stays.
 
#66
Yes, a couple are extra special.
My Flying V was the first 'good " bass I ever got. It has been with me since the mid 70s and is probably the only possession I still have from those days.
My 73 P Bass has been through the wars with me and has never let me down.
My 56 P was a very special gift from my immediate family.
 
#67
I think I may have some sort of psychological disorder about this.
I am a very practical person who wants to eliminate as much clutter and useless possessions as possible all the time....as a musician and a craftsman I have too many tools and accessories to maintain and store. Over the past few months I have obsessed over getting all of my unused instruments and pedals out of my life, yet I can't seem to move on it. I want ONE bass and ONE backup; I am down to four but having real trouble moving the final two extras. One of them is the one I've owned for 30 years but it is EXTREMELY heavy and had been chopped, routed and modified into something I will never actually play....like, ever. SOMEBODY should.
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#68
Yes, my G&L l2500 was bought for me by my wife so I'll always have a soft spot for it, apart from the fact it's an amazing bass. Also my backup, a Maverick S5, I played a lot of nice gigs with that one and have thought of selling it several times but couldn't bring myself to do it.
 
#69
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I have an extreme biased and love for my first bass. Bought it when I was 16 with money from summer dishwashing. It's a MIM Fender Precision. It's been on the road with me all over the US, Canada and Into Mexico. It has had a rough life and survived every last bit of it. The back of the headstock is signed by the guys in Rancid. I have never considered getting rid of it and have had many offers on it. I love it way to much. I'll own until the day I die.
 
#70
There is no bass that is 'too good' for you. Buy and play what inspires you to be better. Certainly get a bass that 'works with you'. And while today's 'cheap' instruments are far better in quality than many of yesterday's mid-level instruments, it doesn't mean you have to settle if you can afford better.

First bass I got was an ATK 300 with a horrid setup that was near impossible to play well (before I understood a good setup). Second was a Fender Marcus Miller 5 that felt so heavy it could have been a boat anchor. Tried a Carvin, but it did nothing for me. Then a Roscoe (actually 2) which were nice but not quite 'it', followed by a Zon fretless and fretted (loved the fretless, fretted was meh) and on until I hit a Pedulla and found my personal bass nirvana.

Now I have 2 Pedullas, a Kubicki, a Novaes (Brasilian build), a Parker Fly 5, and a Peavey TL-6. And I'm a hobbyist.

If I was forced to thin the heard the Pedulla MVP5 would be my last bass. The Kubicki 2nd, the Pedulla Pentabuzz 3rd to last.

Your best bass(es) may well be ahead of you and tastes change.

That said, when you think you've found 'the one' I predict you'll be a better player for it.

You're worth it. Get what 'moves' you...

Jereth said:
Something that I have only just realised as I am saving for a new bass (that's too good for my skill level :thumbsup::bassist:) is that I actually hold a quite a lot of sentimental value for the basses I have owned.

I've only owned a small few but I still even have my first bass (a $200 Squire Precision) though it's stored in a case under my bed and I can't imagine what would make me dig it out. Conversely I can't imagine giving it away/selling it though I'd struggle to articulate why

I don't expect many would be as severe as that but is there any basses you own - even though they might not be the 'best', what you're looking for right now or just a cheap old thing - that you just would not want to part with?

EDIT:
Interesting array of responses already!

I think it would be very interesting if people would like to add pics of the basses they do have an attachment to and why! I know I'd like to see them and hear the stories behind them
Click to expand...
 
#71
Some have, others don't. A sentimental value may also grow on you after gigging a lot with a bass,
or writing and playing good bass lines with it.

I remember being very pissed off when a guitarist made my first bass unplayable, because I'd put a lot of work in it to get it functional.
And similar, I felt actually sick when my first fretless was stolen by burglars.
 
#74
I've owned many basses over the past 42 years and know that basses and other gear are just tools, but the answer is YES.. I do have a sentimental attachment to my basses. 1986 Alembic Persuader cocobolo top....probably the best bass I've ever owned. Took me years of saving and searching every classified ad and local music store. In 2013, I had Dave Pushic build my "dream bass" in claro walnut and maple. Both basses are 32"scale and both are in my will to go to my sons (both bassists). They aren't going anywhere...even when I do.
 
#75
Jereth said:
Something that I have only just realised as I am saving for a new bass (that's too good for my skill level :thumbsup::bassist:) is that I actually hold a quite a lot of sentimental value for the basses I have owned.

I've only owned a small few but I still even have my first bass (a $200 Squire Precision) though it's stored in a case under my bed and I can't imagine what would make me dig it out. Conversely I can't imagine giving it away/selling it though I'd struggle to articulate why

I don't expect many would be as severe as that but is there any basses you own - even though they might not be the 'best', what you're looking for right now or just a cheap old thing - that you just would not want to part with?

EDIT:
Interesting array of responses already!

I think it would be very interesting if people would like to add pics of the basses they do have an attachment to and why! I know I'd like to see them and hear the stories behind them
Click to expand...

I was in a very bad car wreck over two years ago. The guy that hit me was texting, blew the stoplight and t-boned my passenger side at about 40 mph. When the insurace settlement came, I bought this Am Std Precision. I used it to vent a lot of pain and frustration (lower back/legs rehab etc.). It became very personal, as physical objects go.

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#78
My MIA Fender Jazz Deluxe has sentimental value because it was a gift from my wife. It originally had a black pickguard. My wife bought me the white pearl one that it currently has. I wasn't completely happy with the sound of the
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active electronics so I had it setup passive with Lindy Fralin pickups overwound 8% to get more mids and lows. My wife also bought them for me.
 
#79
I currently own 25 basses. I've owned about 100. Most of them are (or have been) nothing more than wood, metal, and plastic to me. 3 have sentimental value, and I'll never sell them. One was given to me as a wedding gift from my wife, one was custom made and given to me by a guitar company, one was given to me by a well known and respected bassist who has past away.

My very first bass from when I committed to playing bass instead of guitar has a little sentimental value, too I suppose. It's an Alvarez that I never play, but can't sell because all I'd probably be able to get for it is around $200 tops, and it's worth more than that to me. I guess that means it has sentimental value.
 

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