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The one that got away...
- Thread starter MustangMan78
- Start date
When you find a bass that “sings” to you, regardless of the name on the headstock or country of origin, you buy it.
you’re welcome.
you’re welcome.
NicJimBass
Flossin'? I thought your name was Munson!
A Lakland Skyline Joe Osborne 5 I owned for a while. Had the Fralin pickups in it, and had people tell me it was the best sounding bass they'd heard. I sold it for some reason, and haven't been able to track it back down.
I'll admit...that Adam Clayton Jazz was a nice bass. I was the owner who sent it off for the Marty Bell sparkle treatment.
It was a Rickenbacker 4005 for like $500.00 in the late 1970's. I looked at it, thought about buying it, but decided to pass on it because it was a hollowbody bass and nobody wanted hollowbody basses back then.
A natural velvet mid-90's EBMM USA Sterling fretless that was priced ridiculously low in the TB classifieds. I had just bought a different USA Sterling fretless but I loved that natural velvet one for the finish and the year. I just didn't have the cash to swing it after having bought the other one.
I was in a music store in Flagstaff some years ago and they had two basses that belonged to Joel DiBartolo, who was the longtime bassist on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. Those of us old enough to remember might recall that the show’s introduction had a clip of DiBartolo playing his Stingray. They had that bass for sale and it was reasonably priced, but it was sort of a mess. It needed strings and a serious set up, so I passed on it.
They also had his Modulous Graphite 5-string fretless that he used on recordings by Liz Story. It was one of the best fretless basses I ever heard. For unknown reasons, I passed on it, too.
So, I managed to let two great basses slip through my hands at the same time.
They also had his Modulous Graphite 5-string fretless that he used on recordings by Liz Story. It was one of the best fretless basses I ever heard. For unknown reasons, I passed on it, too.
So, I managed to let two great basses slip through my hands at the same time.
Never mind regretting selling basses long after they are gone, what about basses you could have bought but didn't?
Back in 1976 my wife was several months pregnant and we were saving money to build a house on 10 acres we had already bought and paid for. Not bad for being 22 years old.
Then a friend was selling a Fender Precision with a Traynor amp for $500.
Now $500 in 1976 was a significant amount of cash, my wife had just given me a fretless Japanese bass for Valentine's day, we lived in a one-room cabin with no electricity or running water and though I had a steady job, I had no prospect of earning back that $500 playing music so it just wasn't a practical or economically wise thing to do at the time.
He'd had that bass since the 1960s so goodness knows what vintage it was.
So I let it go.
But sometimes I wonder what if...
Back in 1976 my wife was several months pregnant and we were saving money to build a house on 10 acres we had already bought and paid for. Not bad for being 22 years old.
Then a friend was selling a Fender Precision with a Traynor amp for $500.
Now $500 in 1976 was a significant amount of cash, my wife had just given me a fretless Japanese bass for Valentine's day, we lived in a one-room cabin with no electricity or running water and though I had a steady job, I had no prospect of earning back that $500 playing music so it just wasn't a practical or economically wise thing to do at the time.
He'd had that bass since the 1960s so goodness knows what vintage it was.
So I let it go.
But sometimes I wonder what if...
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Back in the late 90's I was still young and single and had a nice chunk of change (for me) in the bank. Took a trip to the old Bass San Diego and played a Fodera Emporer 5 string they had there. I looked in the check book (remember those) and had enough to buy the bass and cover rent/bills coming up but it would have taken me past the threshold I liked to have in the bank and I would have had to start rebuilding the funds. I struggled with it for an hour or so but had to pass. It was an amazing bass.....there are times I wish I would have snagged it and I'll never forget that one.
A lefty Ibanez Roadstar/Roadster from GC used for something like $200.
The old, pre-Soundgear style bodies with crown headstocks, and MIJ.
The old, pre-Soundgear style bodies with crown headstocks, and MIJ.
Ibanez Prestige SR 4000. That particular mode had cosmic black hardware. Now the Prestiges all have gold (which I am not a fan of).
When I was really young I had a Traben Phoenix 5; sounded terrible, played terrible, but looked amazing.
When I was really young I had a Traben Phoenix 5; sounded terrible, played terrible, but looked amazing.
Can't believe that no one's mentioned Gretsch in 10 pages. If I didn't have a Mustang, I'd have one of these: G2220 Electromatic® Junior Jet™ Bass II Short-Scale, Black Walnut Fingerboard, Walnut Stain
This never crosses my mind. I was different back then, and wanted different things than I would today. They had their day, then time and taste and knowledge moves on, so I would not make (or want) the choices I made 10, 20, 30 years ago to be strapped over my shoulder today.
A 1st release Ibanez Iceman and a Rickenbacker with the milky plastic PG where when plugged in, lights underneath would light up as one played.
Both were about $400.00 in the 80’s.
Both were about $400.00 in the 80’s.
