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NBD - Pre-CBS -OMG

#141
DirkP said:
100? That's not fair. True that they might be playable, but a comparable bass from the same company, although not made in the USA, would cost you 1.467,- Euros.
If you want a made in the USA one from the some company, it is: 4.403,- Euros. And you still would need to buy an amp:)

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retslock said:
In Australia a new Precision depending on the model and where it’s made, will cost between $1,500 and $3,500. Of course you can buy cheaper brands but we’re comparing to a 1954 Precision.
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Please allow me to clarify- I was simply observing that this bass was a significant investment at a time when it was one of the few options available. Nowadays you can get a playable (emphasis on playable) instrument for so little money. I just thought it was worth mentioning how far we’ve come. I didn’t mean any slight towards this bass or any of its owners.

To the OP- a very cool find and I’m very happy for you!
 
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#142
bassist4dalord said:
Please allow me to clarify- I was simply observing that this bass was a significant investment at a time when it was one of the few options available. Nowadays you can get a playable (emphasis on playable) instrument for so little money. I just thought it was worth mentioning how far we’ve come. I didn’t mean any slight towards this bass or any of its owners.

To the OP- a very cool find and I’m very happy for you!
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Thanks for the clarity and yes I agree, we are very fortunate to live in an age when a reasonable instrument can be had for such a small cost.
 
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#145
buldog5151bass said:
Dude made his living playing the bass. That's something 99.876% of us wouldn't mind doing.
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I’ve often wondered how successful I would need to be to replace my current salary and benefits. My hunch is I’d need to be a lot more successful as a bassist than I am in corporate America.

I suspect there’s a level where most people top out at, and then a pretty big hole in the distribution until you reach the folks that do really well for themselves…a rather binary sort of outcome.

If I’m honest, I know that I probably wouldn’t be on the right side of that gap in the distribution as a bass player…of course, if I did make it to the other side of the gap, it’d be pretty spectacular.

Still, I think I’ll keep my day job.

Kudos to everyone who has found their niche - regardless of what it is. If someone hasn’t found it yet, just wait - you’ll fall into it.

Somehow I found myself doing something that tangentially relates to my undergrad and graduate coursework…but really, the most important classes I took relating to my current job were in HS.
 
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#146
g-dude said:
I’ve often wondered how successful I would need to be to replace my current salary and benefits. My hunch is I’d need to be a lot more successful as a bassist than I am in corporate America.

I suspect there’s a level where most people top out at, and then a pretty big hole in the distribution until you reach the folks that do really well for themselves…a rather binary sort of outcome.

If I’m honest, I know that I probably wouldn’t be on the right side of that gap in the distribution as a bass player…of course, if I did make it to the other side of the gap, it’d be pretty spectacular.

Still, I think I’ll keep my day job.

Kudos to everyone who has found their niche - regardless of what it is. If someone hasn’t found it yet, just wait - you’ll fall into it.

Somehow I found myself doing something that tangentially relates to my undergrad and graduate coursework…but really, the most important classes I took relating to my current job were in HS.
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The fact is, it's almost impossible to be a professional musician nowadays, on all levels. It's been headed that way for a while (part of the reason the 1960-70s Tonight Show had such an amazing caliber of musician is they were looking for the steady gig). From national TV/radio to local theater, most venues had live bands. Many shows had live bands.

At ANY level. 30 years ago, the average bar band weekend warrior could easily book multiple gigs per week, making $100+. Venues with live regular music were all over. Today, bands with steady weekly gigs are rare, and not everyone is even getting $100.

I won't even get into how the changes in how most people consume music. Other than the very top echelon, ain't no one buying fancy cars and homes.

We've gone from producers to consumers. Back then, the everage hobby musician had 1or 2 instruments, one amp. Take a look at all the "how many basses/amps do you own" threads here.
 
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#147
buldog5151bass said:
The fact is, it's almost impossible to be a professional musician nowadays, on all levels. It's been headed that way for a while (part of the reason the 1960-70s Tonight Show had such an amazing caliber of musician is they were looking for the steady gig). From national TV/radio to local theater, most venues had live bands. Many shows had live bands.

At ANY level. 30 years ago, the average bar band weekend warrior could easily book multiple gigs per week, making $100+. Venues with live regular music were all over. Today, bands with steady weekly gigs are rare, and not everyone is even getting $100.

I won't even get into how the changes in how most people consume music. Other than the very top echelon, ain't no one buying fancy cars and homes.

We've gone from producers to consumers. Back then, the everage hobby musician had 1or 2 instruments, one amp. Take a look at all the "how many basses/amps do you own" threads here.
Click to expand...

Recorded music definitely made being a musician scalable. Which means you don’t need as many musicians.

I think the internet has definitely made the situation worse, as has technology which has made it easy for people to “make” music without playing an instrument.

Being a musician has a high barrier to entry, combined with a ridiculous amount of competition - some of which is willing to work for “below cost”.

From an economics and industry structure standpoint, it’s even more grim than the picture you paint.

Sort of reminds me of the Freakonomics question of, “If selling drugs is so lucrative, why do so many drug dealers live at home with their mom?”
 
#149
buldog5151bass said:
...At ANY level. 30 years ago, the average bar band weekend warrior could easily book multiple gigs per week, making $100+. Venues with live regular music were all over. Today, bands with steady weekly gigs are rare, and not everyone is even getting $100....
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A drummer I play with regularly tells me one could still (at least pre-pandemic) play seven days a week and twice on Saturday making good money in the Midwest United States with a known quality established Polka Band. "Living Wage" ? I don't know. Peoples' expectations are higher on exactly what that looks and feels like these days compared to 1970s/1980s also. :)
 
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#150
g-dude said:
Does anyone else love how we’re analyzing the history and technique of someone who never made it big?

I sort of feel like a fan club with t-shirts needs to be set up.
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I agree. He played in the same band for over 30 years. This bass only played in one band by one person, Le Roy. He owned a successful night club… he lived his life large!
 
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#153
shadven said:
The bass looks pretty clean and ready to go, but now upon closer inspection it has a fair amount of dirt and grime that is decades old. Would you give it a thorough cleaning or leave it alone? I’m leaning towards leaving it alone. It has such great mojo and it sounds incredible.
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An old TalkBass saying: Keep the grit, keep the funk.
 
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#155
g-dude said:
I mean…it depends on your level of tolerance for that sort of stuff. If you’re grossed out by it, no reason not to clean it.

If you do it in a gentle manner, I don’t see it as an issue.
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I bought a '78 Musicman Stingray that had been gigged lots. Some cool wear marks on it from what was obviously a very different player than I! :)

It really stunk up my studio with the smell of tobacco. The case, the bass, the strings, my fingers after!!!!! Everything stunk like smoke. It was clearly in his smoked in home and smoky bars for the bulk of it's life. I had to clean it as best I could. The case was removed from my basement and I washed the bass down well with fine furniture wood cleaner. I took all the electronics out and wiped down all the fuzzes and gunk to remove the scent. I put it all back together with fresh strings and love it now.

I don't regret it one bit. Now it sits out loud and proud in my studio and I play it whenever the opportunity calls for it. If I hadn't done that it would have remained in the case and never seen the light of day. What's the point in having a player bass with wear on it, as a case queen because you can't stand the gunk/smell?

In the end the owner needs to do what's right for them. Maybe they bought it as an investment, maybe they really want to play it and be inspired by the history contained within the instrument.... Maybe they dig the smell of a smoky bar (I used to), maybe they want to start the second life of said instrument and make it their own with only their own DNA....
 
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#156
g-dude said:
I mean…it depends on your level of tolerance for that sort of stuff. If you’re grossed out by it, no reason not to clean it.

If you do it in a gentle manner, I don’t see it as an issue.
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It is of course a legendarily tongue - in -cheek comment we used when referencing the Motown great James Jamerson and comments regarding old funky basses.
Some of the patina and crud is almost, museum quality as it's pictured yet, as a player, I have mostly newer, meticulously kept basses.
 
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#158
g-dude said:
Recorded music definitely made being a musician scalable. Which means you don’t need as many musicians.

I think the internet has definitely made the situation worse, as has technology which has made it easy for people to “make” music without playing an instrument.

Being a musician has a high barrier to entry, combined with a ridiculous amount of competition - some of which is willing to work for “below cost”.

From an economics and industry structure standpoint, it’s even more grim than the picture you paint.

Sort of reminds me of the Freakonomics question of, “If selling drugs is so lucrative, why do so many drug dealers live at home with their mom?”
Click to expand...
I wish I had taken all my gig money and invested it. I’ve always depended on my day job to pay bills / mortgage etc… if I invested my gig money I would have retired at 50. I tell my son to take his gig money and invest. Of course he does not.
 
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