• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ready to be ridiculed...

Can't really get my head around the idea of a 23 year old buying a $5000+ instrument.

I can’t my head around why somebody would see anything in it they would have trouble getting their own head around.

There are no age requirements for owning a bass in a given price range. If you want something that’s legal to possess - and you can afford it - what’s the problem?
 
I'm sure you don't suck and stop worrying if you don't play as well as your bass idols......who really does , right ? I know how you feel , I have sold every bass I have ever had trying to get back to getting down to that "one" bass . I was going to buy a Fodera from Sweetwater and call it a day , but I talked myself out of it and ended up buying a Squier 40th Anniversary P-Bass.......I think I'm happy with my choice . Go and get that bass you want , it could what you have been looking for .
 
  • Like
Reactions: George Dennis
Many years ago I abandoned my search for 'the one' and instead decided that 'the lots' works better for me.

I say this because every bass I own is my favourite, I can't choose one over another. I simply pick the one that best fits the gig. Even basses I didn't immediately gel with became more familiar over time, as I got used to playing them I learned how to coax the best sound out of them.

So 45 years later I'm no longer finicky about nut width and neck shape, weight and action, rather I pick the one that is going to give me what I want on any given day. Sometimes I will take different instruments to the same gig week to week just for a change.

I don't know, everyone is different and if you can find that one bass that does it for you I would be very happy for you.
 
... a bass that is seemingly the amalgamation of all the good parts of the best basses I have owned has come into the picture ...

OK, sounds very cool - but what kind of bass is that?

"This thread is useless without pics" ( etc! ) :whistle:

I'm 45+ years and 200+ basses into my bass guitar playing journey, and 'getting closer every day' to finding 'the ultimate playing machine'. Along the way I've been able to 'make do' with most of them very well. Maybe my next one will really nail it! :woot:

Good for you if you get the bass guitar tool sorted to your liking early on! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I've done the same recently. Got tired of buying and selling. I've set my limit at 5 and they all need to be very unique.
I pulled the trigger on a US MTD that should be ready in a month or two and it's a few grand more than I've spent on any bass prior. I'm just a hobby guy with the funds to nerd out. I lose money on every single purchase and sale, often times hundreds of dollars and usually 30-40% of what i spent. I don't care though, I'm happy and I'm enjoying the journey.
 
OK, so here'a rule (pulled it out of...well, you know). You probably shouldn't spend more in dollars than the number of hours you've practiced, plus 300. Go 1000 hours in? You can buy a nice $1300 bass. Want a Fodera? Practice, practice, practice.

By this "rule" I've more than "earned" the basses I have now. The Rickenbacker I bought when I started? - it was $400 (OK, it was 1978), so by my rule it was a bit of a stretch, but I did persist and actually made money (several times more than the bass cost) with that bass in my college band.

Oh.... and of course, Mr. OP - pics or we don't believe you.
 
Ok,
So through out 2021, nearly 10 bass guitars have come in and out of my possession. at this point all of my childhood "dream" basses have been through my hands and I don't own any of them anymore. a few hit the spot but they also left my possession for one reason or another. Im talking Rickenbackers, American Ernie Balls, Euro, and USA Spectors (probably my favorites of all), as well as Status Graphite.

I don't want to be that guy with 20 basses, i would really like to be that guy that bought a certain bass when he was a young man, and that's still what he's playing in his 60s if God allows me to live that long. but for some reason I haven't loved any one bass to where I feel so attached to it that I cant let it go.

Now, a bass that is seemingly the amalgamation of all the good parts of the best basses I have owned has come into the picture, and as a 23 year old with no business doing this, I just bought it through a payment plan. And its expensive, like, VERY expensive. south of $9k but north of $5k. I cant believe I've done it, but I'm just tired of this endless buying and selling cause no bass quite hits the spot. this one IN THEORY, should offer the best of all my favorite basses in the past. As much as I hate to admit it I've really been spoiled rotten by some of the higher end basses I've owned.

Here's the kicker, I SUCK. I am not a good bassist by any stretch. I barely know any theory, I am *alright* in terms of technique but don't have the musical knowledge to put it to any good use. I've been "playing" bass since I was 12, but didn't really take any seriousness and passion to it until recently. I love music and adore bass, I love to listen to the best musicians out there from prog rock to jazz, and marvel at their mastery in technique and tasteful musicality. I just like nice things (though this is a few jumps over "nice"), and to me, few material things are more awesome than a finely crafted instrument, made with amazing dedication and attention to detail. You feel it when you hold them, and it makes you want to play.

Of course this isn't to say that I wont make an effort to become better at the bass. in fact I want this bass to be my trusty tool in the process of learning more than I ever have. It just feels funny, that for a long while, this bass made to the highest caliber of quality will be played by someone who hasn't even scratched the surface yet.

I am selling my other basses save for one beat up Ken Smith copy that I will use when I'm not comfortable taking a multi thousand dollar instrument somewhere.
Of course theres always the chance I get the bass in hand and decide I don't like it, which is why I bought it new from a reputable shop with a return policy. I wouldn't feel very good doing it, but its the only smart thing to do if you buy such an expensive bass and don't like it.

Not sure I want to say what bass it is I bought because maybe someone here was eyeing it and will be angry it went my way haha.

So, what’s the problem? The whole purpose is to enjoy it for what’s it’s worth to you. And, so what if that value diminishes over time? You move on, likely you get most of your money back out of minus a cost of enjoying having a really nice instrument, just like one would dealing in art, cars and other collectibles. You may even make a buck on it given enough time.

Your skill as a bassist has nothing to do with being deserving IMO. It’s a separated issue altogether. If you want to be a better bassist, you’re going to have to work at it, on whatever bass you happen to have. That is entirely up to you. Best wishes.
 
I've never vibed with the idea that good instruments or equipment must be earned. Maybe it's not fully utilized in the hands of someone less experienced, but the idea that someone must be good enough to "deserve" something based on monetary value is silly to me. As long as your pursuit of gear isn't interfering with you becoming a better musician, I see no issue. We are here for a short time. Don't let other people tell you how to spend your money, if it makes you happy. If you said you were spending $10k on a car, no one would claim you don't deserve a nicer car. Why should it be any different for an instrument?

Im also someone who most would say has nicer gear than I "deserve" based on my skill and how much time I actually spend playing. But the way I see it, music is my main hobby. If I wasn't playing bass, I also would have likely have spent several thousands of dollars on my other hobbies/interests, equalling or maybe surpassing how much I've spent on my bass gear.
 
Last edited:
I don't like hearing you say you suck. There will always be guys on youtube that can play circles around you (and me for sure) but that doesn't equal "good." Good is ephemeral and has more to do with some combination of uniqueness and groove than being able to play fast and flashy parts. Being "good" is about being able to write great parts and songs regardless of technical acumen.

As for dropping that much cash on a bass, I have one bass in that price range but I didn't pay anything for it (nor did I steal it or inherit it). I don't think I would pay as much as you cited but I don't think it is obscene for something built with love and top quality craftsmanship. Hope you like it or can at least get most of your money back on resale.
 
Well, I’m not sure if this was clear in the beginning but I just ordered it a few hours before making the post so I wont have it in hand until a few days from now. But here it is. Can y’all guess what it is? It being red played a bigger part in my decision to buy it than I care to admit, but it’s my favorite color, and it imma spend this much on a bass it better be my favorite color haha.

738169BD-3CC6-4636-9B91-0EB2C05BF242.jpeg