Downsizing

[Dincrest]

I'm 45 and am at that stage when I'm taking a good, long, hard look at life and establishing a sense of what's really important, what really matters.

Basses and gear are great. Shiny toys are always fun to play with. But it takes a perceptive mindset to realize that what's more important is the music we create with our gear than the gear itself.

But this is TalkBass. GAS never quite dies and we're probably some of the worst enablers of it. I say that with a chuckle and a twinkle in my eye.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I need to correct one thing. I would probably always have at least four basses because my wife gave me an SBMM Stingray 5 HH. That is a good thing because I like Stingrays and that bass gets good Stingray tone.

Im so glad you corrected this. I came back to bring it up. I watched a video of you playing that bass. It has that StingRay bounce. It's a good bass and carries sentimental value that is priceless .

 

[eddybuzzard]

You can cheat death but you can’t cheat GAS

Sure, the hive loves that speak, but you know it's not true

We've all known folks that would strongly disagree

 

[NeckPickup]

Hi Doc. I’m three years older than you and seem to be taking the opposite tack from your decision to thin the herd. As I’ve started planning my retirement, I’m hoping (God willing) to focus more on playing music as one of my main diversions. In fact, I’ve already seriously increased my woodshedding. Whether this is a band, recording project or more lessons, or some combination remains to be seen, but in any case, this will involve going through some new instruments, because the three I have don’t fulfill all my needs, as my musical interests have broadened.

I see retirement as a time to pursue any dreams you may not have been able to fulfill earlier in life due to career, family responsibilities, etc. There are obviously financial constraints to consider once you’re living on your retirement nest egg, but you only go around once, and I still have a burning passion to be the best player I can be.

Whatever you’re passionate about, be it music, travel, family time, focus your retirement time and resources on that. So I totally understand the decision to thin your collection, and I hope you find happiness and fulfillment however you spend your time. But hopefully it still includes some time for playing!

 

[57pbass]

Good luck with your purge. I’m 66 and have been slowly unloading things. We recently sold our home that we lived in for 35 years and downsized to a smaller more convenient less maintenance living situation. I never have to shovel again or worry about the boiler breaking down..
We never gave much thought to the amount of stuff we had accumulated over the years since the house was never really cluttered…but when we had to pack it up and decide what we were going to take along ..it was a massive project. We are at the tail end of that and have donated/sold and trashed lots of things.
My goal is to minimize as much as I can since all the stuff just weighs you down.

 

[Moving Pictures]

My G&L JB2 Tribute was a gift that I wanted to like but never did. The finish is great. It’s light. Plays fine. Just that the cheap electronics made it sound blah. I just got it back from the shop with custom wound pickups, vol/blend/tone wiring (never cared for vol/vol/tone) and a fresh set up. Going to gig it next weekend. It sounds like a completely different bass. Can’t wait to gig it.

This is exactly why I moved my Tribute JB2. The electronics are it’s Achilles heel.

More on topic, I’m have been downsizing my collection and will continue to do so. I’m down to 7 from 12 and will end up around 3-4 going forward.

 

[BassyBill]

I’m just going to stick with the thirty or so I already have.

 

[Acoop]

How many times have I said that and it didn't last. ... Sell two then buy one. ...

 

[higain617]

My reticence revolved around kids in college and some bad luck with a car I bought. I also needed to give up pocket knife collecting. Even cheaper nice knives are fairly expensive these days. Dropping $45-$275 on pocket knives regularly adds up to a lot of money. If all goes well (that is a big if,) I should be in great shape when I retire, financially, and that will be the time to roll with some cash to a cool bass I want. If I leave this world before then, I will have much bigger regrets than not buying a given bass.

I love pocket knives but have never amassed a collection. That sounds cool. I still carry around the Kershaw that I bought years ago.

 

[micguy]

I am downsizing my gear this year.

Who are you, and what have you done with Dr Cheese?

 

[Ostie]

You can cheat death but you can’t cheat GAS

Or the IRS.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Who are you, and what have you done with Dr Cheese?

 

[57pbass]

I am downsizing my gear this year. I will be 64 is about seven weeks, and just don’t want to pile up stuff anymore. Tomorrow is not promised to anybody, but the actuarial tables are really against me keeping a bass long enough for it to look relic’ed. I am not ruling out a retirement bass in 2.5 years when I retire, I do not want more than three basses anymore under any circumstances.
For what it’s worth, I plan to stop collecting pocket knives too and I have been doing that longer than any other hobby I have.

With regards to the pocket knives… is there a knife in the same category as lets say a WAL BASS ?
Long lead time, pricey and awesome etc..

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I figured your Sadowsky fretless would stay, but I'm surprised that your MTD Super 5 didn't make the cut.

The MTD is a great bass. The neck is wonderful and the finger or pick tone is great. I like more scoop in my slap tone, though. Heck I have already remembered that I can’t let my Stingray go because my wife gave it to me. I may keep the Super 5 too. That would give me 5 basses, more than I want, but won’t be the end of the world either.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

With regards to the pocket knives… is there a knife in the same category as lets say a WAL BASS ?
Long lead time, pricey and awesome etc..

Certainly, customs can go into the thousands. I sold off a bunch of my knives around 2007. I took a loss and still made over $3K at a knife show.

 

[Ostie]

I have seven basses. For many years, while raising kids and working every day and saving for college tuition, I was frugal and only had one bass. Those days are past, and now I have sone extra disposable income. I have seven basses. I don't need them all but I like them all, and I have no problems paying the mortgage, so no plans to downsize. I do have one guitar for sale right now, with a buyer lined up. My youngest daughter has asked that I leave one instrument to her, not because of the money, but because of the memories of the times she came to hear me play. I guess I owe her that. The rest will be up to my wife or other kids or grandkids to deal with.

 

[kodiakblair]

I am downsizing my gear this year.

That's my plan as well.

Clear out everything except my own builds, a few of them can go too.
I don't care about making a profit, breaking even would do for me

 

[Jeff Scott]

No clue about pocket knives. I did not know they are a thing to collect.

Something to whittle away the time with, I suppose.

 

[B-Mac]

I am downsizing my gear this year. I will be 64 is about seven weeks, and just don’t want to pile up stuff anymore. Tomorrow is not promised to anybody, but the actuarial tables are really against me keeping a bass long enough for it to look relic’ed. I am not ruling out a retirement bass in 2.5 years when I retire, I do not want more than three basses anymore under any circumstances.
For what it’s worth, I plan to stop collecting pocket knives too and I have been doing that longer than any other hobby I have.

I swear I recall you posting this a year or so ago? I must be clairvoyant.

Just enjoy yourself and your basses and don’t fret over tomorrow.

 

[singlemalt]

About this point, I’m thinking, “I shoulda ordered the 20 yard container.”

I set up tables and doors on saw horses so it looked like a garage sale, except everything was free. “I see you looking at that, take it away!”

It took my wife and me five solid days to clean out the FIL’s place. We gave away cars, furniture, appliances, and the rest went into the next 10 yard container.

I kept a rolling tool box and most of the tools. There was so much junk.

After five days we were able to hit the road for home, the six hour drive home in two vehicles. Talk about wiped out.

But the place was empty and listed for sale.

Don’t leave a mess for the kids.