How do you decide which bass to sell?

[Mike Sorr]

My decisions are based on weight, frequency of use and quality. I recently traded a tricked out Geddy Jazz for a MTD KZ5. I needed a 5 for a project that had a wide string spacing and wasn't that heavy...BINGO. The Geddy weighed close to 10lbs and as much as I loved it, it was killing my back before the first set was over. I went from 5 basses recently down to two, all based on comfort and usage. If it isn't being used, it's probably being left in the case in favor of something lighter and more comfortable to play. Decision made. Keep the stuff I am playing, let go of the stuff I'm not.

 

[Corey Y]

I usually the pick the one that I like more as an idea than a functional instrument to sell, if that makes sense. Usually that means I have a lot of justifications for owning it, but don't actually use it that much. Last example was a black/black/maple Stringray that I thought looked so freakin cool and sounded great, but I pretty much always choose to play a P bass over it. In a world where I have more money than responsibilities, I'd own 2 of everything I just think is cool and who cares how much it gets played. I do not live in that world currently.

 

[Neveragain55]

This is a good question, and of course the answers are obviously going to sway wildly.

I own 5 basses but quite honestly I could get by with two......hell maybe even one.

Us Americans love having more than what we need (which is silly) but I wouldn't part with any of my basses even though quite honestly I only use two of the five.

The other three are for either novelty or experimental purposes.

If I fell on hard times, and Lord knows I've been there before, then absolutely I'd start offing them in order of whatever I used from the least to the most.

 

[Big Hoss]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I have an older Ibanez SR500 with a few nice upgrades that I really like, but it is my least favored instrument. I have an SR480 that was my first bass I bought new, and it has been a great instrument for a long time, and my recently finished Squier Affinity Jazz bass customized that I know I will never get my money out of. Never intended to. I REALLY want a Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass V as I have tried the Ibanez Soundgear fivers before and didn't care for them nearly as much as the VM Jag I tried...

IF I decide to sell a bass to buy a bass, I know it will be one of the Ibanezes, but which one? They both are so much fun to play, but they are more or less effective duplicates of each other... Ugh...

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

I pick the one that is least functional. Then I put it under the bed. Then I choose the one that is most beat up. I stick that one in the closet. Then I get the heaviest one and keep it at my parents house. I get one more to disassemble to refinish. One is left for practice, and one is left for playing out. Umm ...
What was the question?

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Doesn't matter which one you choose. You'll regret it and want to buy it back anyway.......

 

[Spent]

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.

 

[Ajapses]

Me either. I don't understand the concept of "sell". Do you mean where they place criminals, or a area on an Excel spreadsheet, or..what?

 

[TripleDouble]

Usually by way of inane rationalizations that eventually transform into regrets.

 

[Gnal]

I like Red Four's way of calculating a "favorite" bass ranking.

Somewhat simplified in comparison, the last time I sold/traded a bass I just asked myself, "Would I ever choose this bass to play a gig?" When the answer was no, I had to have a very good reason for keeping it.

In my case, I had three bass's that hit the "No" category. The first, was my first bass ever, so its sentimental. The second, I gigged with years ago, its also sentimental... but not as sentimental as the 1st, it may go eventually. The third, I loved the looks, the weight, the feel, but the tones just did not "tickle my ears". That's the one I sent out, the bass I brought in has the sound my ears like.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

easy: The one you are not playing.

 

[chris_b]

I don't have a one in one out policy. I really don't see the point in having rules like that.

I have 3 basses but only gig one, so it's not difficult to work out which ones would be sold first.

 

[RRDieselbass]

I own 2 basses, my main P bass which is a Japanese 70's reissue with EMG Geezers and a Geddy Lee bridge and I just got a Squier Troy Sanders Jaguar that I installed a Babicz bridge. I can't believe how awesome this new Squier is and it was under $300!
I've been playing for almost 40 years now (really? how is that possible?) and I never ended up being a famous rock star like I always had planned, so my cheap basses work great for where I am in my musical career (writing songs and recording in my living room) I may not even play with a band again, but still love playing bass like I did when I was 13. I think 2 basses have always been the right number for me, a main bass and a backup that is slightly different but basically the same style.

 

[Dave W]

I don't know but I need to figure it out. I really need to get rid of some of mine but can't seem to figure out which one(s) to move out.
I love all of them and the ones that don't get played have the most sentimental value.
It's a quandary. A pickle if you will.

 

[seansbrew]

I sell the ones that don't do anything for me. I recently sold a musicman that was in pristine condition. It, for whatever reason, was uncomfortable for me to play.

I also keep the ones that have sentimental value (there is only one out of seven)

 

[lbbc]

I only keep the one(s) I use most often. With that said, I'm saving the Alembic for one son, the Pushic for another son (both bass players) and selling everything else. I have always regretted selling, but that's part of how I get my "next" bass

 

[Captain Chaos]

Do you guys have a bass that you always come back to?

 

[Muddslide]

I've already responded here but I was thinking...in 35+ years of buying, selling, trading, etc. gear, there are only a very few things I regret parting with.

The problem is, I'm not psychic that way. If I could have seen ahead to the things I now miss I would have tried harder to hang onto them.

On the other hand, say I've owned 60 to 75 basses through the years, and that's probably the ballpark, there are only 3 or 4 I really miss or even think about, so that's not so bad...

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

I sold the one with the worst neck dive. No regrets.

 

[Muddslide]

Do you guys have a bass that you always come back to?

Well, I ended up with ZERO basses off and on between about 2003and 2014 (although much of that time I owned at least one) so I don't really have an old favorite that's been with me through battles or I have a history with anymore.

Now I have 2 plus one project in pieces awaiting a rebuild, but oddly the one I reach for most often is a junker old Japanese P copy.

I would also note that while there have been times I've owned 10 or more basses at once, when I was gigging and recording the most all throughout the 80s and 90s, I frequently only owned one bass and never had an issue making it work in any situation through multiple bands and music styles.

If I ever get back to gigging, and I hope to, I'd probably want a backup though...