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Retirement Bass
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I've been jonesing for an Alembic Series I or Series II ever since I first saw one in a catalog ~37 years ago. I'd be perfectly happy to wait another ~15 or so years until retirement to get one...if I thought I'd actually have that kind of money to spend on a luxury bass. Somehow I think I'll have other priorities at that time though!
To answer your question Doc,
I would love to have an early 70's Fender P Bass and a middle 70's Fender jazz bass...
I would love to have an early 70's Fender P Bass and a middle 70's Fender jazz bass...
A Rob Allen MB 2 5 to play for no one but me
But everytime I save up enough money to buy one the price goes up.
Oh, and you guys that say you're not going to retire, yeah I said that in my 50s too.
But everytime I save up enough money to buy one the price goes up.
Oh, and you guys that say you're not going to retire, yeah I said that in my 50s too.
This has been more of my approach to retirement in general - within reason of course. I'd rather go on a nice vacation now and enjoy it.
My retirement bass wouldn't be just one. In fact I don't expect to get one. My wish is more like getting a collection of good basses through my lifetime. I'm in my 20's so I think I'll have enough time to make it come true.
Vintage Fender J
Vintage Fender P
Höfner 500/1 '62
Ric 4003/4001
MM StingRay
Warwick Corvette
And a very special one would be one built by John Kallas, a Jazzmaster bass.
Vintage Fender J
Vintage Fender P
Höfner 500/1 '62
Ric 4003/4001
MM StingRay
Warwick Corvette
And a very special one would be one built by John Kallas, a Jazzmaster bass.
You want my full cv or the short story?
Caltech phd, postdoc, tenure track faculty position, resigned in the middle of my 5th year (giving 6 months notice and finishing my position unlike many other colleagues who bailed with little notice) to do a career change but stayed within academia. Am at 18+ years in academia as faculty, staff, administration (not counting the student side of things). My g/f is faculty at one of the top art colleges in the world so I get to see that side of things, and my mom was 35+ years as tenured elementary school teacher in CA public schools.
Don't want to derail this thread so I'll save my full thoughts about what is deeply wrong with education in this country. Tenure is just one of the factors imho. ymmv.
That's the advice I received from a good friend who's a couple a years away from retirement.
He built his dream house (literally one nail at a time) and it's beautiful and paid for with a kick ass man cave (with a urinal!).
He has a shop with a 4 car garage and a lift where works on his cars.
He has a '32 Ford, a '68 Camaro, and a late model 4x4 all paid for.
His wife is happy (I know because I've talked to her).
So all in all I think it's a good model and one that I'm following...
Being just a few months from becoming eligible to apply for an AARP membership, although I still expect to work for a couple of decades at least after that, I have considered the same for my basses.
After much thought, wranglings & machinations, I have come to the following conclusions:
1) I will not be playing weekend bar gigs on a regular basis, so I don't need the expense of heavy "road" gear;
2) The gigs I do play are varied, with tuba one night, double bass another, and bass guitar a third;
3) The urge to take all sorts of equipment to get the "exact" tone for any particular song is gone. I want to take one instrument to one gig, with a minimum of other equipment, so I don't have to haul any more than absolutely necessary.
4) Even there is no such thing as a do-it-all instrument, there are some really good versatile basses out there.
5) Weight. Weight is key: lightweight alder body, lightweight tuners to eliminate neck dive, etc. I even play a 4-valve tuba instead of a 5-valve, and sold other instruments that were too heavy, like a Les Paul for a semi-hollow Epi Alley Kat that does the same thing for half the weight.
6) Comfort. I don't care how great the instrument sounds. If it doesn't fit my hands and body, as arthritis will eventually creep in, it isn't going to work. Last month I bought a small modeling plane and some sandpaper and went to work shaving down the width of my double bass neck to make sure it fit my hands properly. My custom bass has a custom width and profile neck also.
So...what fits all of this? A single bass (I prefer 4 strings, the OP may prefer 5) in a light wood with light tuners and a couple of good passive pickups. Frankly, a P-J with a humbucking J in the bridge, or 5-string with two soapbars, is still a great player: durable, relatively light weight, customizable to the player & playing style, etc. That's what I've done with my custom fanned fret P-style bass. I anticipate playing it until I just can't hold on to any instrument any more, however many days or decades from now that may be.
After much thought, wranglings & machinations, I have come to the following conclusions:
1) I will not be playing weekend bar gigs on a regular basis, so I don't need the expense of heavy "road" gear;
2) The gigs I do play are varied, with tuba one night, double bass another, and bass guitar a third;
3) The urge to take all sorts of equipment to get the "exact" tone for any particular song is gone. I want to take one instrument to one gig, with a minimum of other equipment, so I don't have to haul any more than absolutely necessary.
4) Even there is no such thing as a do-it-all instrument, there are some really good versatile basses out there.
5) Weight. Weight is key: lightweight alder body, lightweight tuners to eliminate neck dive, etc. I even play a 4-valve tuba instead of a 5-valve, and sold other instruments that were too heavy, like a Les Paul for a semi-hollow Epi Alley Kat that does the same thing for half the weight.
6) Comfort. I don't care how great the instrument sounds. If it doesn't fit my hands and body, as arthritis will eventually creep in, it isn't going to work. Last month I bought a small modeling plane and some sandpaper and went to work shaving down the width of my double bass neck to make sure it fit my hands properly. My custom bass has a custom width and profile neck also.
So...what fits all of this? A single bass (I prefer 4 strings, the OP may prefer 5) in a light wood with light tuners and a couple of good passive pickups. Frankly, a P-J with a humbucking J in the bridge, or 5-string with two soapbars, is still a great player: durable, relatively light weight, customizable to the player & playing style, etc. That's what I've done with my custom fanned fret P-style bass. I anticipate playing it until I just can't hold on to any instrument any more, however many days or decades from now that may be.
THand said:
I already like SB5000s and all you guys are convincing me that it just might be what I need.
nostatic said:You want my full cv or the short story?
Caltech phd, postdoc, tenure track faculty position, resigned in the middle of my 5th year (giving 6 months notice and finishing my position unlike many other colleagues who bailed with little notice) to do a career change but stayed within academia. Am at 18+ years in academia as faculty, staff, administration (not counting the student side of things). My g/f is faculty at one of the top art colleges in the world so I get to see that side of things, and my mom was 35+ years as tenured elementary school teacher in CA public schools.
Don't want to derail this thread so I'll save my full thoughts about what is deeply wrong with education in this country. Tenure is just one of the factors imho. ymmv.
Fair enough, I just wanted know if you actually knew what you were talking about. Clearly you do.
Sorry, ...late to this thread...
The generic answer for me would be a 6 string Fodera Imperial for retirement, but I hope that happens with in the next 2-4 years. It might be that I'll have to revert to 4 strings in 22-27 years when I'm at the retirement age... So, it might be a 4 String Fodera by then, but that would be either Fodera's 50th or 55th anniversary. I hope they are still hand building by then.
I know that for my 40th (only 2 years away) I would like to have a 1973 Fender P bass in sunburst and RW FB with both vintage guards.
The generic answer for me would be a 6 string Fodera Imperial for retirement, but I hope that happens with in the next 2-4 years. It might be that I'll have to revert to 4 strings in 22-27 years when I'm at the retirement age... So, it might be a 4 String Fodera by then, but that would be either Fodera's 50th or 55th anniversary. I hope they are still hand building by then.
I know that for my 40th (only 2 years away) I would like to have a 1973 Fender P bass in sunburst and RW FB with both vintage guards.
Hey, there's a reason to be happy that I'll be 40 in two years! I'll probably stick with a modern bass, but still
Hey, there's a reason to be happy that I'll be 40 in two years! I'll probably stick with a modern bass, but still
What is going to be your "4-0" bass, Mr. Modern Man Marshall?
What is going to be your "4-0" bass, Mr. Modern Man Marshall?
I'm so modern, I'll need to check first with my wife.
I'm thinking of going the other way and selling off the collection. Keeping just a few. Not for income (most basses are a crappy investment) but to just get it simpler.
Well, no right or wrong answer - just opinions (kinda like basses). But hopefully is an informed one.
Related to the real point of the thread, right now my main criteria is weight. I have to go see my ortho guy about ridiculous back pain today (no sleep last night) and per my chiro/pt a lot of the problem is due to the amount of gigging I've been doing. So a pound here or there saved ends up being a big deal. One reason my MB-2 at around 6lbs is probably my favorite bass to play out. As I get older the weight thing is going to be more of an issue. That actually scares me off Fedora as they don't tend to make light instruments as far as I can tell. It did lead me towards Pete Skjold as he can build them light, and Sadowsky is always on the radar.
