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Should I be patient and upgrade?

Should I keep my SR505PB or save for my dream P bass

  • Return the Ibanez and save up for the P bass

    Votes: 70 55.6%

  • Keep the ibanez so I have something nice to play NOW

    Votes: 56 44.4%
  • Total voters
    126
The Wiz

The Wiz

Mar 27, 2013
264
76
Reno
#1
Okay so I cant decide what to do and I need advice. About 2 weeks ago i bought an ibanez SR505PB from guitar center. I started a NBD thread about it awhile ago if you want to see it. Boy it is beautiful and it sounds fantastic. The only problem is, the string spacing is pretty tight, and Im already not much of a 5er guy as it is, so its a bit weird for me to play. That being said, It isnt That big of an issue, and im already getting used to the tight spacing and thin neck. But the thing is, I went to guitar center yesterday and im GASing soooo hard for this p bass. I mean it is literally my dream bass. Its a 1974 fretless P in sunburst with maple board, in great condition, and seems to be all original. The only problem is, its $1499 which is out of my price range to buy straight out. But what I can do, is return the ibanez (I believe guitar center gives 30 days if you buy new) and use the money to put the P bass on layaway. Orrrr, I can keep the beautiful ibanez i have and hope i get used to the spacing. Heres the pros and cons of each

Pros of returning ibanez:
I get to buy my dream P bass
Ill probably keep it forever/very long time
Cured GAS
Plays better than the Ibanez
Sounds better than the ibanez
Its been awhile since ive had a fretless and I miss it

Cons of returning ibanez:
Itll take me awhile to save up the other $1000 dollars to buy it
Until I have it my only bass will be a decent copy p bass
Might miss having a 5er
Fretless is less versatile


Should I return the ibanez and get the P, or keep the ibanez. My heart says to save for the P but my mind says keep what you have.:help::help::help:
 
#2
Those two basses are soooooo different. I think first, you really need to determine what you're striving for musically. Are you a 5 string fretted player or a 4 string fretless player? Active or passive? How about a Fender Jazz 5 fretted deluxe (plays active or passive) as a compromise to yourself?
 
#3
Keep the Ibanez 5er and put the required 10% (I think) down and put the P on layaway.
Then you won't worry about someone else nabbing the P while you get the rest of the funds together. You can then sell the 5er, trade it in on the balance (or not) to pay off the P. Orrr - Keep the Ibanez and work hard to pay off the P. Then you'll have 2 nice basses!
 
#4
A common delima....GAS
When asking, "what should I do"? There are many other things to consider than personal wants.
Factors: How old are you? Are you married? Do you have children? Are you working / student? etc.
Saving up to buy something expensive is much better than using a credit card. But I think buying something that is a financial strain is usually a poor choice. However; If we all only bought things we could afford, most guitar manufactures would be out of business. Good luck with a tough decision. I know I have been no help.
Rocky
 
#5
Twocanbassman, I know these basses are VERY different but like I said im not much of a 5 string player so I prefer a passive 4 string although I do like the active electronics in the ibby. Ive played fretless before and enjoyed it so the P is probably better suited to me. I like your idea tangent music, but you have to put 25% down on layaway which would be hard to come up without selling something to pay for it (which I could do). To RockymcD, Im a very young TBer at age 16 but Im a good bassist and have been playing for awhile now. I buy all my musical gear by myself through my own hard work, and would probably sell my 3 guitars I dont play too often to finish the P bass payment, as well as money from my job. Its a high goal and alot of money for someone my age, but I think i could do it.
 
#6
If the fretless P bass is really your dream bass, I'd return the Ibanez and put the Fender on layaway. You would be a third of the way there. You said that you have a decent P bass copy to play in the meantime and that you've decided that playing a 5er probably isn't your thing. You've owned a fretless before, so you know what you are getting yourself into there.

This seems obvious to me, return the Ibby and start putting you funds toward the fretless P-bass.
 
#8
Have you consider this, keep the ibanez and save up the 1000 you need to buy the P bass with plus an extra 100 or 200, i understand if you dont return it in the 30 day period then you wont get back what you paid but since it'll take a while like you said you get to play a decent bass for the mean time and once you have the cash you can just sell it you might get 100-150 less but thats alright if even if you havent saved up the 100-200 dollars extra it wont take as long to do so and youll have your P bss much sooner and have gotten to play a decent bass for the meantime. Win win sounds like to me man just my thought.
 
#9
Trade in the Ibanez and get the P bass. You can always get another Ibanez someday, you may have a hard time finding your dream bass again. Live the dream, man! A few years ago I traded an Ibanez 5'er for a MusicMan SR5 HH, my dream bass. Now I'm like, "What Ibanez??"
 
#10
Joshywalshy, that would be my first choice. But that P bass just came im my guitar center and nothing stays at mine for longer than a week or 2 which at age 16, is not nearly long enough to save 1000 dollars, so chances are it would be gone.
 
#11
Tonight i went to my GC and returned the ibby. I put my dream p bass on layaway and i now have a month to get the other 1085 dollars together. Wish me luck! Im so excited it plays so good. Its got alot of "mojo" too which i really like :)
 
#12
More basses are always better than just one, besides the SR505PB is the best looking SR505 of the bunch--so much nicer than those brown ones that show every pick mark. When you then save to get your P you will have two different sounding basses.
 
#17
I feel that these days fretted is more versatile. the fretless mwah and growl just seems out of place most of the time . using flats and keeping the sustain tamed can go a long way, though. This is coming from a freelancer/ band guy in Austin's perspective. Seems to me the most versatile bass might be a J- bass with the capability to be noise-free in the neck-pickup soloed position (to approximate a P). And please have it look Fender-y (this is to put the OTHER musicians at ease). Most of them have experienced playing with an accomplished bassist with a boutique 5 or 6 string (with too much treble) and didn't come away from the experience with a good feeling. So many times I've seen too many bassists use a tone more suited for soloing in a situation where support is what's needed. Of course, during my Jaco phase when I was about 23 I would routinely take a fretless to country gigs and use the bridge pickup sound because, well, that's how Jaco sounded. #aak #tonefail
 
#19
Jimill that is in your opinion. Thats not fact at all. Turns out i think im in over my head trying to afford a 1500 dollar p bass at 16. So i canceled the layaway purchas and im going to put the remaining $520 i get back into the bank for college. At the end of the days thats whats most important
 
#20
Just get a nice MIM P bass, like the Classic 50s series. They play good, sound good, and you can never, ever, ever go wrong with a P Bass. Here's why:

Phone rings...
You: "hello?"
Caller: "Hi, we're looking for a bass player for a recording session next week. You available?"
You: "Yes I am, and I'd love to do it."
Caller: "Great. Just make sure you bring a P Bass."
You: "Uh, well I don't..."

You DO NOT want this to happen!
 

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