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Sell my 1972 jazz?

Should I....

  • Sell it

    Votes: 64 48.1%

  • Keep it

    Votes: 52 39.1%

  • Trade it for 30 Glarry basses. They're better than Fender anyway.

    Votes: 17 12.8%
  • Total voters
    133
#61
Just because you're not playing it at the moment doesn't mean you won't want to play it in the future. Similarly, just because your son isn't interested in it now, doesn't mean he won't be in the future. I used to only play 5 string basses, now it's all fours. Tastes can change, and time can create curiosity.
Sell the parts bass and more-easily replaced stuff first.

Also- no carrot option in the poll? supwidat?
 
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#62
The "if you're not using it, get rid of it" people remind me of my wife.
I'm the opposite: I rarely buy something, but when I do, I hold onto it. My father bought me a brand new Strat in 1971, and I still have it, despite playing it about twice in 30 years.
I always know exactly when to sell an instrument: when it consistently lets me down by not sounding like "me." Then a switch goes off, I don't like it anymore, and I sell it.
You have an emotional attachment to this bass. I say, keep it!
 
#66
Although there are rare standouts, the vast majority of 70s-era Fender basses are lackluster instruments at best. I suspect if yours is one of the standouts you would be playing it. The absolutely insane money these mediocre basses bring makes it a highly tempting candidate for liquidation.
 
#67
I used to hang on to stuff because I couldn't bear to sell things that were valuable or rare.

Then about two years ago I came to my senses and realized that if I wasn't using it, then it wasn't rational to just hang on to it.

What was I saving it for? I was just hoarding stuff that my next of kin would eventually have to sell, probably at a loss.

A lot of my belongings have now gone away and I'm using the cash for things that are more immediately useful.

Just last month, I sold a vintage German turbo car that I only drove a handful of times in the past few summers. It was sort of painful to see it go, but let someone else have it, who'll get more use out of it.
 
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#69
birminghambass said:
Hey TB, I have a delima. I have 9 basses and am trying to downsize. I have 4 jazz basses, an amazing 2005 MIA (I've owned almost 30 MIA Fenders, this one is special), an equally amazing parts MIA with PLEKed neck, a USA Geddy, and a 1972 Jazz (black/maple). I've been agonizing over whether to sell the parts J or the Geddy for about a month now. Agonizing because I love and play/gig both equally. The 2005 MIA will never leave my side. It just occurred to me yesterday that I NEVER play the 72 since I got the Geddy and maybe I should sell that one. In fact, the 72 is stored under my bed. I acquired it in 1995 for $700 and figure it's worth about 3K now. The only real reason I can see to keep it is so I can sell it later for a higher price, assuming 70s Fenders continue to rise in value. My guitar/bass playing friends think I'm crazy for considering selling it. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
72
 
#70
I say sell it. Seriously thinking of selling my 73' jazz. Just don't play it anymore.

20200202_093929_HDR.jpg
 
#71
I'm on the side of - if you're not playing it and it doesn't have an emotional charge when you pick it up then sell it.

I've hit a similar point recently - taking a hard look at musical gear (among other things) and if it doesn't meet those requirements it's going.

Put the money in the bank, use it for something you really do want or whatever but I wouldn't keep it as something just sitting under the bed.
 
#75
Manticore said:
Although there are rare standouts, the vast majority of 70s-era Fender basses are lackluster instruments at best. I suspect if yours is one of the standouts you would be playing it. The absolutely insane money these mediocre basses bring makes it a highly tempting candidate for liquidation.
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I HIGHLY agree. Nobody of note has made ANY good music using 70's fenders. OP, please send me your bass and I will dispose of it properly so it cannot leave it's massive scar on the music business.
 
#76
If you're posting such a question here on TalkBass you're likely not convinced you need to sell any of those basses to begin with. You bought that '72 for a reason at some point in the past and unless you actively dislike playing it for some reason or desperately need the money a sale would bring I don't see many arguments for selling it due to not using it. Musical instruments don't typically require that much work to maintain in the average home environment and (usually) cost nothing aside from oiling the fretboard and the occasional new set of strings, especially if they're stored in their cases.

That said, I for one don't see the vintage instrument market ever getting quite as inflated as it was in the past and may likely tend to dive further now that we're in an age as bassists where there are so many great builders and companies that can achieve MOST of the vibe and mojo of vintage instruments along with the benefits and advancements in bass guitar technology and methodology. Respectfully, the greatest value I'm seeing to vintage instruments is use in writing sessions creating new songs and in the studio where such an instrument would be invaluable to channeling the right vibe or energies to help the bassist play the best bass lines and grooves on a track.

I'd vote keep it unless for some reason you really need some money that you can't raise any other reasonably way or you simply want to declutter your home a bit.

P. Aaron said:
Many of them are even more valuable today than when I started selling them but, I don’t miss them because I was not using them. They were possessions that became liabilities in an emergency.
Click to expand...

This is an excellent point. I've managed to scale down my stable to under 10 instruments (including guitars) and though it was fun to have a large amount of instruments, pedals, amps to play with it became an irritation to deal with every time I moved. I personally found a good solution in selling off 15 okay-to-good instruments to redirect that money into 5 great-to-amazing instruments.
 
#80
3D9F403F-2042-49EC-8BEC-88D69A0EF4C9.jpeg
birminghambass said:
Hey TB, I have a delima. I have 9 basses and am trying to downsize. I have 4 jazz basses, an amazing 2005 MIA (I've owned almost 30 MIA Fenders, this one is special), an equally amazing parts MIA with PLEKed neck, a USA Geddy, and a 1972 Jazz (black/maple). I've been agonizing over whether to sell the parts J or the Geddy for about a month now. Agonizing because I love and play/gig both equally. The 2005 MIA will never leave my side. It just occurred to me yesterday that I NEVER play the 72 since I got the Geddy and maybe I should sell that one. In fact, the 72 is stored under my bed. I acquired it in 1995 for $700 and figure it's worth about 3K now. The only real reason I can see to keep it is so I can sell it later for a higher price, assuming 70s Fenders continue to rise in value. My guitar/bass playing friends think I'm crazy for considering selling it. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Don’t be this guy! Listen to your future self for the answer.
 
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