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For those with high end basses/gear

#101
I have several things stacked against me:

- live in high cost place
- play bass and keys (2 sets of GAS)
- like to own the best gear, so I can't blame my lack of talent on bad gear

so what do I do?
- like many have mentioned, I have no other bad (drugs, booze, golf) or expensive (golf, women, photog) habits or hobbies
- seek to live modestly (as possible in So Cal), at least well within your means. that's why I live in the IE in a modest home, not OC or LA in a McMansion.
- treat music as a business and keep meticulous records
- try to buy used as much as possible, save the "custom order" for things you will really cherish and will pass on to heirs (learned this the hard way)
- try not to chase the "latest and greatest" (easier said than done)
- don't collect gear, it has to be used for a specific purpose regularly, or it's gone. I only have one bass head, for example.
 
#102
I own a bass that cost more than $3000. I work as a graphic designer in advertising. I just saved up a bit until I was sure of what I wanted exactly, and then had a custom bass built to my specifications. Paid half up front and the other half when the luthier was finished. The only people who will ever play it are the luthier (obviously) and myself. It's kind of my pride and joy. I've wanted a bass like that for decades. I felt it was time to indulge myself, so I did. I'm not remotely rich, but I wanted it, so I made it happen. Totally worth every cent.
 
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#103
I have one bass in the 10K range ('52 P), and 3 in the 5K range and a few more 1 - 2 K range. I buy and sell, save, hold onto, own my own business, get little windfalls a couple times a year, gig professionally, and my music could support my music habit if I was disciplined enough to keep the money separate. And my wife doesn't know exactly what I spend or what that old beater is really worth.
 
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#105
"Hello, my name is B-line and I am a high-end bass gear-aholic."

Yes it's true, I have some-REALLY- nice high-end basses and amps. I do not buy used.
I am a gear snob. I am not at the uber-high end level of 10K+, but I would if I could:roflmao:

I put a value of $50K on my gear for insurance. Some dufuses spend a hella lot more than that on their Gigantor SUV's that block the vision of my 2004 Subaru WRX Sportwagon in parking lots. No offense to dufuses.

See, I drive a 13-year old car, but when I test-drove several new models, inc. the '17 Subies, NO way! I love my car, and will put a billion miles on it if I can.

Of all my mighty basses, my '69 P-Bass- that cost me $400 plus about another 5-6 hundred getting it re-done: Frets, components, re-finish (It was a mess electronically and finish-wise, but a KING as a player.) still reigns supreme in many ways over some of the 2-4K active basses and what not I own. It really is the only bass I need to work and play, but as I said-I'm a (higher-end) gear-aholic.

My only other vise is clothes- I dig G-Star Raw, and Zanerobe, Carhartt WIP, True Religion, etc. duds that cost quite a bit.
But so what? I gotta look cool for the ladies (Who BTW, from experience I can state: Could not care a whit about my Bass(es) as a rule.) SO sad.

So- I don't need a "sponsor" or a lecture, or even a financial advisor.
It's my money; I do what I want with it. And right now- I WANT A 3.5K ESP Custom Shop sooooo BAD!:roflmao:
 
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#107
Lots of things combined here I do make a good living. Spent 4 years making a Great living then got a buyout when an equity company took over (new sadowsky NYC,new deck, new pa system plus extra in the retirement fund). Also bought some basses with inheritance. Don't smoke rarely drink. Have more basses than I admit to on TB...
No competing hobbies own a house in a rapidly increasing market, and my wife plays guitar so also gets some use out of my stuff.
 
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#108
allenhumble said:
Custom instruments take time to build. I use this time to pay for the instrument. No credit cards or loans needed.
Click to expand...

True, but you usually need to give 50% up front.
I waited 2 long Years for my Stevens Slant 4, ($3600 at the time, now about 4.5K)

Worth it??

Hellyeah, both the wait & the Bass!
Michael Stevens is one of THE great luthiers (google!) and his Slant Basses are actually a bargain for how they are built and how they sound. Just ask Roscoe Beck!:cool:
 
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#113
BlueAliceOasis said:
As someone who is going into their senior year of high school, I'd like to let you guys know that y'all are geniuses.
Click to expand...

We already KNOW that! With age, comes Wisdom- If you're smart.

Now, If I could ONLY go back to my Senior Year of High School...

NOOOOOOOOO thanks.
(I had fun though)

Good luck with your future> My advice: Go to College, study your *** off, make lots of $$ to buy high-end gear.

Better yet- DO what YOU wanna do, I'm not a Counselor!:roflmao:
 
#116
I can only speak for myself, but I have a couple of basses that fall into the category and I have them because I was able to find some incredible deals.

In other words, you don't have to pay $4,000 for a $4,000 bass - or anything close to it.

I know some people that aren't well-heeled that have loads of expensive instruments and other gear. They buy nice stuff because it makes them happy and they sacrifice other things to do it. If you like it and its important to you, you can find ways to pull it together.
 
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#119
B-line said:
:bassist:
Wow. Thanks!
Hope all went well at the Eye Doc. I just had some eye issues my own self, but anyway.....

The 3-D effect, if not from your pupils, may be the finish. It's a half-nitro/half-urethane Blue Sparkle Metallic, and the gold p/g kinda deepens things.
Bigger pic:View attachment 1160834

Still 3-D?:roflmao:

From Japan, it's built by TRUTH, Model T4-004 from master builder Norifumi Fukuhara straight outta Aichi Prefecture:cool:.

Truth TO4-004 - Truth Electric Guitar
Link Removed

The hottest pups I've ever heard w/coil split for each pickup X2!!
The rest is 3-band eq w/ master volume and standard V-V-T. Pretty amazing & unique build, also in a J-Style as well.

Enough hijack
(great range of tones too!:laugh:)
Click to expand...
That's a beauty all right! Too many knobs for a P-Bass kind of "keep-it-simple" guy like me! ;) As for my eyes, I'm an old guy (66). I have to see the ophthalmologist annually to monitor my macular degeneration. The good news is that in my case, it's progressing very slowly...
 
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#120
My first taste of a "high end" bass was my Alembic spoiler. My brother found it in a Los Angles classified ad for $250. It was a $3K bass that at the time was worth around $1500. It was being sold by a musician in desperate need for quick cash. So I told (not asked) him to go get it for me. It was like new and I played it for years and quadrupled my investment when I sold it. When I went to 6 string, all the basses I wanted were over $3K. So I built one instead. So for me, I look for used deals or do it myself. That is how I afford a "high end" bass.
 

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