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Sell Sentimental Bass?
- Thread starter Lowbrow
- Start date
I had a 76 P that was very very sentimental. Sold it here on TB when I was homeless living out of my car. A week later I figured something out. Now when I think about the 76 I am happy because of all the memories of gigging it all over the midwest, but I’m also sad because I don’t have it anymore and that sentimental value is gone. I’m still looking for it and I’ll pay more than it’s worth if I find it again. I personally wouldn’t sell it man, wait for the money to accumulate instead and then buy the bass you want.
I always sell of expensive instruments that aren't making me gig money. It means they aren't being played. It's at that point, a liability...unless, I'm going to start using it again. 2-3 yrs tops. Then, it's likely for sale.
It's always more enjoyable to have something one uses than stuff sitting in a closet.
It's always more enjoyable to have something one uses than stuff sitting in a closet.
In my case newer. Main bass is not the l-1000 series 750, the 5 sting version with the wider string spacing.
That's a great bass. My favorite of the L series. As you seem quite torn, I'd probably keep it for a while longer, but as a general rule, I don't keep basses I don't play.
Maybe my experience will be of interest. There are 3 basses that figure prominently in my early formative bass playing and about which I am sentimental.
-My first, a much-modded MIM P
-An amazing sounding vintage MIJ viola bass given to me by a friend.
-A Carvin LB75f. The first bass I bought for myself and my primary instrument through college.
The only one I still have is the MIM P. It fills the p-bass niche and has too much sentiment to let go.
As for the others, my tastes and ergonomic preferences changed and I wanted these instruments to be played. I sometimes feel a little desire to play them one more time but I do not regret selling them.
Don’t sell it. You’ll regret it. My “sentimental” is currently my only fretted bass. It’s my 39 year old Fender Jazz. The only way I might sell it is to a close relative who I know would appreciate it. Otherwise, I do know a certain high school I would donate it to so that they could use it. It being naturally relic-ed means the kiddies won’t have to worry about nicking it. 
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Both sides of the coin here. I often don't regret moving on from instruments. Usually, if I've made the decision to sell, I've thought it through enough before hand that I'm beyond any doubts. I think in the 22 years I've been playing there is maybe one bass I still think about, and that's out of probably over 100 I've owned, but it's a type of bass I could get back if I wanted. The flip side of it is I own what I consider three sentimentally valuable instruments. The first is a 1989 Fender longhorn Jazz that was originally my father's as he dabbled a bit in bass when he was younger. The bass is has a pretty big flaw in that the truss rod nut is stripped pretty bad and it's not something that's easily replaceable, so neck adjustments aren't the easiest. It's also got some high frets and some dead spots, but even with the flaws, it's never going anywhere. That said, I'll probably get a new neck for it at some point to make it more playable. The second is a 1993 music man sterling. It's quite worn, is finished in the most uninspiring looking red, but I acquired it at 16 and it's been through a lot with me. It's also the first year the model was produced, so again, it stays. The final is a Fodera Monarch "New Standard" I got around when I graduated from grad school, so it's an important milestone instrument so it will be staying with me.
