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The one that got away...

MustangMan78

MustangMan78

Supporting Member
Mar 20, 2021
186
340
Douglassville, PA
#1
What's that one bass that you should have bought, but didn't?

For me, I picked up a Roger Waters P bass in Sam Ash a couple of years ago. This thing was cherry. From the moment I played it (the first notes were the intro to "Money", btw), it just felt "right" in my hands. Keep in mind, this was back when playing bass was relegated to nothing more than an occasional set at an open mic night and I was still learning what a bass was supposed to play/feel like. I couldn't justify the cost for something that was so casual to me at the time and I wasn't a huge fan of any MIM Fender around that period. Sadly, I now know that it was one of those rare finds that I should have bought and will probably never find again.
 
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#3
Bought this one on Reverb but had to cancel the sale, much to my regret.
20190723-111345.jpg

One year later, fate favored me with a better G&L, though, so...
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#4
About three years ago I was in GC and grabbed a Fender Elite P bass off the wall. Definitely above my self determined price limit yet I wanted to try a US manufactured bass.

The neck was amazing! That bass simply felt right. The body had a really nice resonance with every note played. I never plugged it in, hearing it through an amp might have overridden my self imposed price limit.

After more consideration I went back to try it again and it was gone.

There was just something special about the neck profile of that bass that really fit me. Next time one jumps out at like that I won’t let it get away!
 
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#5
Gibson RD Artist , but it was heavy , still regret that though , and I could have picked up several EB3’s back in the day they were going for a song . Back then old basses were cheaper and I saw countless pre CBS Pbasses going for under $400 .
 
#6
MustangMan78 said:
What's that one bass that you should have bought, but didn't?

For me, I picked up a Roger Waters P bass in Sam Ash a couple of years ago. This thing was cherry. From the moment I played it (the first notes were the intro to "Money", btw), it just felt "right" in my hands. Keep in mind, this was back when playing bass was relegated to nothing more than an occasional set at an open mic night and I was still learning what a bass was supposed to play/feel like. I couldn't justify the cost for something that was so casual to me at the time and I wasn't a huge fan of any MIM Fender around that period. Sadly, I now know that it was one of those rare finds that I should have bought and will probably never find again.
Click to expand...
There are tons of P basses out there. Keep trying them out and sooner or later you’ll find something that screams “buy me!”.
 
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#7
Wish I bought that one-off Moses graphite Kubicki X-Factor neck (D-extender slot included) on Reverb, which was on sale at the same time as another vendor was selling a body and another the pickups, and had it all assembled into a rare beast indeed.
 
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#8
A couple come to mind. First was a Dingwall Super J with P/J pickups, which I tried in 2006. To this day it's probably the best bass I've ever played, but the $2,200 price was more than I wanted to spend. But I could have afforded it, so I should have pulled the trigger and accepted residence in the proverbial "dog house" for a couple of weeks.

More recently, I saw an 8 lb. 15 oz. swamp ash G&L L-2500 for sale with the single coil mode AND a quartersawn neck, which are options I want. I liked the blueburst finish too. I thought about making an offer, but wussed out, and now I wish I'd bought it.
 
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#9
Whatever that Ibanez was I played at Guitar Center when I was on vacation in Las Vegas in 2014 for me...

Was maybe a 400 series (QM?)- It was a used bass around $400 or $500.

I couldn't quite bring myself to buy it as it would have been my first bass.

Idk if there was anything "special" about it- It was just sorta like I "clicked" with it.

Skip ahead to last year when I actually started trying to learn and every Ibanez I tried didn't feel anywhere near as close regardless of price range which is why I eventually bought something else.

So, yeah I still kick myself on that one.

It was probably out of my price range and maybe I wouldn't have played much back then had I bought it, but I remember it and I still seriously regret not buying it bc I don't think it was the model I was playing- I think someone at the factory that day just made a really great instrument and hopefully whomever purchased it enjoyed it...

Thanks! \m/
 
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#11
MustangMan78 said:
What's that one bass that you should have bought, but didn't?

For me, I picked up a Roger Waters P bass in Sam Ash a couple of years ago. This thing was cherry. From the moment I played it (the first notes were the intro to "Money", btw), it just felt "right" in my hands. Keep in mind, this was back when playing bass was relegated to nothing more than an occasional set at an open mic night and I was still learning what a bass was supposed to play/feel like. I couldn't justify the cost for something that was so casual to me at the time and I wasn't a huge fan of any MIM Fender around that period. Sadly, I now know that it was one of those rare finds that I should have bought and will probably never find again.
Click to expand...
Gorgeous Gibson Ripper
It was a pristine B stock with case and documentation

The B stock was due to finish being more bleached out than the yellow-ish natural.

I offered $50 less and within an hour it was someone else’s.

Just 2 years or so ago. It was only $1200 and now I look at prices of ratty looking ones that are 1 1/2 to 2 times as much in worse shape.

Still kicking myself.

And this is it.


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#14
B-Mac said:
Gorgeous Gibson Ripper
It was a pristine B stock with case and documentation

The B stock was due to finish being more bleached out than the yellow-ish natural.

I offered $50 less and within an hour it was someone else’s.

Just 2 years or so ago. It was only $1200 and now I look at prices of ratty looking ones that are 1 1/2 to 2 times as much in worse shape.

Still kicking myself.
Click to expand...

I have burned myself multiple times thinking I could get something at a lower price with an offer only for it to be gone.
 
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#16
About 4 years ago I made the biggest blunder ever. I had the opportunity to purchase a 1973
Rickenbacker 4001 MapleGlo with checkerboard binding and the full width crushed pearl inlays for $1400 !
It played and sounded incredible and looked almost new. I hesitated because the tuners had been replaced. I told the seller I'd have to think about it and that afternoon bought a MIJ red Jaguar bass.
The seller called me later that night and said he could do better on the price but half my cash was now gone so I couldn't do it. I cringe when I think about it.:banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
#18
My first Precision when I started playing in the early 80s was a '76 or '77. It was black with a black guard. I don't remember anything particular about it, but I wish I had kept it for sentimental reasons more than anything else.
 
#20
At one time, McMurray Music here in St. Louis had a 1960 Fender Jazz Bass (with stacked knobs) even then they wanted over $4,000.00 for it, but looking back I should have

taken out a loan and bought it. It was in pristine condition and sounded beautiful.
 
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