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How do you feel with selling your basses?

#81
I've sold lots of basses over the years, and have only missed two of them occasionally, a DiPinto Belvedere semi-hollow and a great MIA Precision with Lindy Fralin pickup. But my G&L SB-2 covers most of their sonic ground with better ergonomics--which of course is why I sold them in the first place! So, on the whole, I don't regret selling them at all.

I am very attached to some of my basses, and the attachment is largely because of how useful they are. I don't expect I'll ever part with my 2003 MIA Jazz, G&L USA M-2500, and G&L USA JB. Do I really need two four-string J-basses? Not really, but they do sound different and I love them both.

Others are more purely practical, like the SB-2. It's amazing, but for whatever reason I'm just not as attached to it. I occasionally think about selling it, but then something happens that makes realize that would be insane. For example, last year I was in a Stones cover band project, and quickly discovered the SB-2 was utterly perfect in that context. My J-basses were fine, of course, but the SB-2 was just better. No question about it.

So I have no problem selling basses I don't use, or that I'm not attached to. For me, the hurdle is just undertaking the hassle of selling stuff.
 
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#82
Let me also add this. I have pretty much quit buying & selling and swapping. The cost of shipping has become prohibitive. Not worth it. Also, my preferences have solidified so I know what I want with no questions. I get it and I'm done.

Mostly.

One advantage to building parts basses is that I can do swaps of pieces (necks, tuners, etc) without having to pay the full cost to ship the whole instrument.
 
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#84
I always think, `I'm not a collector, I'd rather have the $300 I could get for this bass I don't play.` I don't regret churning through cheap basses, fixing them up and experiencing them. I sell them for the next bass, give them to my great nephew, or donate them to my kids` old school. It's part of the fun of basses for me.
But some I hesitate to sell and then I fear slipping into hoarding and greed. I think, `someone should be playing this pretty thing even if I don't play it.' Or can't play it at all like the beautiful fretless and the fine 5-string that now live in my closet. But still, I have not sold or donated them yet. I keep thinking I'll get better with all this covid practice and want to try to learn to play them. But at age nearly 70 that's pretty unlikely.
It shouldn't worry me if they sit in my closet or I if sell them since neither storage space nor a few piddly hundreds of simoleons matters one whit. It's just my mind distracting itself. I'll probably bite the minie ball and sell them to buy a 5th bass I'll convince myself I want (with frets and only 4 strings so I can actually play it!). Definitely a 1st world problem.
 
#85
I have thought about selling my P bass from time to time, if my interests are focused elsewhere. It's a Squier Matt Freeman sig, and although they go for more than MSRP now it would still be difficult to replace with a bass of similar quality if I wanted another P. Plus I do love it.

So I've learned that if I am in an 'off' period with it, to just put it in the closet for a while. Cause eventually I'll come back to it. And I will always want a fretted P around.
 
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#86
nonohmic said:
I have thought about selling my P bass from time to time, as my interests are focused elsewhere. It's a Squier Matt Freeman sig, and although they go for more than MSRP now it would still be difficult to replace with a bass of similar quality if I wanted another P. Plus I do love it.

So I've learned that if I am in an 'off' period with it, to just put it in the closet for a while. Cause eventually I'll come back to it. And I will always want a fretted P around.
Click to expand...
That's the only P I would have if Ibhad one (well, unless it's a really nice Lakland or Lull or something...)
 
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#88
Just checked, I've owned 14 basses since September 1965 and I only gigged 6 of them. The others were a good idea that didn't work out and were eventually sold.

I use one bass for everything and after I've upgraded to a "better" bass, I don't see the need to keep old ones. As I said previously, I'm not sentimental about bass gear.
 
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