"This bass deserves to be played." Does it?

[tb-player]

I've noticed that many times, sellers in the classifieds will share the reason their bass is for sale is because "this bass deserves to be played." It’s kind of a curious phrase.

Whenever I read that, I always think, "What does that mean?” Is it just another way of saying, "this bass is worth a lot of money and I'd rather have some cash-in-hand than see an expensive bass just sit there." Maybe it’s guilt for having paid a lot of money and not putting in the time? Or maybe it’s a nice bass that you don’t like but hope someone else will?

I don’t think I’ve ever used that phrase in a listing (I could be wrong on that), but for me, it would be because I'm not vibing with it. I've sold a lot of basses that I just didn't get along with, but the buyers ended up loving them. They just needed an owner who appreciated them more than I did.

When you read “this bass deserves to be played,” what does that mean to you?

 

[Bass V]

''They just needed an owner who appreciated them more than I did.''
isn't that exactly the gist of a seller's contentions?
if you have a bass or two which occupy all your time and likely forever will then those just under that high-set bar are being neglected, time to move'm to someone who may find their forever bass since it was good for you. at least that's my quandary and I doubt I'm alone with a roomful of great basses that need deserving homes after getting a killer P and a P killer.

 

[lug]

I know all of my basses deserve to have a better player play them.

 

[The Ethanator]

I think saying "This bass deserves to be played" is more "I don't enjoy playing this bass anymore and would rather it be in someone else's hands than in a case." Instruments aren't sentient beings and I wouldn't say they inherently 'deserve' anything, but of course we humans like to personify inanimate objects and pretend that they are in fact feeling our own feelings.

Now, is this a psychological defense mechanism protecting our fragile egos from the fact that deep down, we know we just want to liquidate our unused assets so we can buy new toys? I'll leave that to you.

But probably.

 

[LBS-bass]

I just think it's a way of saying that you don't like seeing the instrument sitting around not being played. If you have others you prefer, why not offer it up to someone who might enjoy it?

 

[sleddogn]

Don't forget many of us are backed into the "one in, one out" rule, due to previous bad behavior. That is kinda embarrassing to say in an ad, lol

 

[tb-player]

Don't forget many of us are backed into the "one in, one out" rule, due to previous bad behavior. That is kinda embarrassing to say in an ad, lol

Haha. The most honest response so far.

 

[jd56hawk]

Simple truth is I sold this because it deserved to be played.

Guess what?
It does!

 

[tb-player]

I know all of my basses deserve to have a better player play them.

Haha… I’m sure most of us can relate.

 

[Grinderman]

"This neglected Hello-Kitty bass deserves a better forever home."

"This bass deserves to live in a safer neighborhood with better schools."

"This bass deserves to be loved and held by bigger, stronger hands."

"This bass deserves to be burned as firewood."

 

[E2942]

All I care about when reading ads are the facts.
It bugs me when others come in with "Why are you selling it?".

If it has issues I think it's very unlikely that the seller will mention those as the reason they're selling.

 

[mmbongo]

All I care about when reading ads are the facts.
It bugs me when others come in with "Why are you selling it?".

"I don't want to sell it, as it's the best bass I've ever owned. However, wife give me no choice."

 

[thisheregiraffe]

When you read “this bass deserves to be played,” what does that mean to you?

To me it means: I own other instruments that I play more than this one, so it mostly just collects dust; as a result, I want to sell it to somebody who will actually play it regularly. It’s a shame to not play it.

 

[truand85]

Maybe they're collectors with basses on the wall they just enjoy looking at?

 

[buldog5151bass]

It means they can't think of anything better to say about it.

 

[lomo]

...was only driven to church on Sundays.....

 

[nonohmic]

Maybe it’s guilt for having paid a lot of money and not being able to put in the time?

Here, fixed that for you to reflect the real-world, and not making assumptions about people.

 

[Nuage420]

I know all of my basses deserve to have a better player play them.

As I look in my mirror hahaha

 

[MichelD]

The old Churchillian quote: "Avoid cliches like the plague."

 

[matti777]

Reality is that the bass didn’t make the cut