Downsizing bass collection is depressing

[58kites]

Kite gear can pile up as quick or quicker than basses, and the resale is way worse!
That pic of Honey and you musta' been while on vacation, looks more like Corpus or SPI than Hood.


p.s. My basses have been a whole lot cheaper than my kite gear.

 

[singlemalt]

Stock photo from the web.

Slightly used kite gear is my modus operandi. But used gear abounds here in the hood. And it does pile up. That's what the van is for, even though I tell my wife I need it for work.

Could have snowkited the sandbar today if not for work. There were some guys out there is afternoon.

Not much emotional attachment to kite gear.

It's just stuff, but fun stuff!

Fall easterlies in October:

 

[58kites]

There...that pic is much more "in da Hood"
Used gear is always my way to go with all my toys, I've paid crazy low numbers for my basses.
I've bought a few new boards here and there, and some new kites on bro deals.
If I add up what I've spent on kiting, it is way more than other pleasure items, even buying used gear from day one.
Can barely give away a kite after it's third birthday, it seems.
You are in a used kite gear mecca for sure.
You're wearing a drysuit in October, right?
We get away with a 5/3 or 5/4 right through the winter.

 

[Grumry]

A few years ago I had 5 guitars, 2 full pedal boards and a few amps stolen. That was depressing.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Being someone who likes fresh strings and who thinks basses should be played I honestly can't relate to this.

 

[fourtet102]

Happened to me few times that I had to sell my dream collection of basses and guitars. Thanks to TB classified I was able to rebound every single time. Life and family takes precedence. Sentimental basses are keeper as they can't be replaced too easily although there's always opportunity for new basses with new memories to write around.

 

[singlemalt]

Here ya go, a summer's evening's lingering breeze. Beer on the beach time. Kites dry on the sand. I'm trying to stay positive after weeks of snow shoveling, plumbing issues, flu bugs, and frigid temps. Summer is coming!

5/3's in October, no gloves or hood. Water is still pretty mild in October. Still above 60.
Now until late Spring time is brutal, water temps in the low 40's. That's the time for the drysuit.

Snowkiting was the call today. We've got plenty of snow! And 18 for a high temp.

 

[Interceptor]

My best to the OP. Family > stuff.

I'm pretty close to a purge as well. It is time to go down to one or two basses and one rig. No matter what I have I seem to crank on until it sounds like me. I sure don't need several different things that all get twisted into the same end result. Plus, all I get hired for is low volume work. It is time to let the stuff that gets loud go.

 

[Matthew_84]

I hear you man... We were in a pretty bad hole for 1.5 years and things turned around just a few weeks ago. I already sold most of my gear in that rut, keeping just one bass and an amp for myself.

This afternoon I found out we're going right back into that hole. I'm going to list my amp in the next couple of days. I'm just going to keep my one bass so I can maintain my technique.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Due to family life and financial issues I'm down to my last 2 basses. Both are parts basses that have incredible sentimental value to me. I'm worried that soon, I'll sell my last two and be done for good...*sniff sniff*

I need to downsize but it's not easy choosing what to let go of.

I'm there with you, guys. I'm facing an upcoming, family-healthcare-based purge, too. To that effect, I keep telling myself…

It's just stuff.

…which is true, because…

Family > stuff.

And like Tomis17, if I have to downsize all the way down to one, it's the parts-bass I curated myself that I'll do my best to hang onto.

 

[Lowness]

To be honest, I can't really understand the pain you are going through.

I suggest have a chat to someone like this - he could probably understand your pain.

 

[cnltb]

Downsizing bass collection is depressing
Not liberating?

 

[DiabolicLow B]

I downsized about 10 years ago, it was tough at first but then once I started selling stuff that I never actually used much (if at all) it became very addicting, I ended up selling at least 8 basses, a couple of guitars, multiple amps and pedals, then started looking around the house for what else I could get rid of!

Now I have one really nice bass (Dingwall SJ5) and a cheap Yamaha back up and a great amp set up and it is really all I need.

Good luck OP!

 

[bobba66]

I lost all my gear in pawn shops back in the 80s due to a nasty drug habit. I got over it.

 

[1954bassman]

It is totally depressing thinking about how much I've downsized. Back in '07 I had over 10 basses:
Sadowsky UV70 jazz
MIA Jazz Deluxe QMT
MIA Jazz Deluxe
Ernie Ball SR5
Warwick Jazzman 5
Warwick Thumb 5 BO
MIJ '75 Reissue Jazz
Dean Edge Q5
Ibanez SR500
Custom 3ts jazz parts bass
Custom short scale jazz parts bass
Custom quilted parts bass

Due to family life and financial issues I'm down to my last 2 basses. Both are parts basses that have incredible sentimental value to me. I'm worried that soon, I'll sell my last two and be done for good...*sniff sniff*

Sorry to hear you are having a downturn in your life cycle. I have been there, and still fighting health issues (for years now). A couple of years back I had a collection of about 12 basses. I decided to sell them all but two, and now I try to keep my stable at three. I play 4 or 5 days a week somewhere and all my basses get played every week. When I owned 12, some would go over a year without getting played. I can see some folks that play professionally having a ton of basses, but for me it just doesn't make sense.

Anyway, hang in there, nothing to be depressed about, there will always be more basses if you ever get in a position to buy more.

 

[Dogbertday]

Being forced to downsize your life (not just basses) is always hard. Hope life stuff gets easier.

That being said, downsizing my bass collection helped me really focus on my playing. I have 2 more basses than i really need. One is not worth any $$ at all and the i borrowed 10 years ago and the keeps telling me to hang onto it (so i wont sell it or anything, cause its not really mine).
My advice is, if you can, never sell your last bass. When times have been their worst, playing music helped the most.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

You are grieving the loss of something that was once a very important and valuable part of your life. Grieving is okay. It's all part of the human condition. Grieve away my friend.

 

[Li'l D]

Be thankful you still have basses and health wise you can still play

 

[Treebeard]

Thinning is good man. I think pulling off the most varieties of tones with as few basses as possible a goal nowadays.