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

It is marketing, meant to catch your attention. If it "deserves to be played" then it is surely worth looking at. The more potential buyers that look gives a greater potential for being sold, quickly.
 
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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.

Basically they are saying "I am not selling this bass because there is something wrong." I don't see any problem with phrases used in ads unless the seller is trying to cover up problems.

I have two basses and I play both. At one point I had four basses and two of them didn't get played at all. So I guess it was a situation where that phrase could be accurately used in an advert.
 
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Maybe it’s guilt for having paid a lot of money and not putting in the time?

as i said in my above post… for me it is never about money… always about time.

I have always collected, never sold. Now i am at a point where the size of my collection feels like a burden… and i cant use it all. And if i sell… what goes will be redundancy, or be based on my current cosmetic preferences. I dont buy bad bases. Rather i buy… and over time my tastes in tone and aesthetics mature. Preferences develop.

and we all have different preferences… but sometimes we need a lot of time with an instrument to know what we really like.
 
A combination of guilt and the cold slap of reality. I'm getting older (...who isn't?), gigs are drying-up, and I don't want my surviving family members saddled with the task of parting the stuff out. I've whittled down the inventory to four basses and two amp rigs....combined value is probably less than a motorcycle / import auto / boat repair. It's not really a "deserves to be played" scenario...more like I want the future owner to be overcome by the "wow" factor and of the impression he's stumbled upon the Hope diamond.

Riis
 
A combination of guilt and the cold slap of reality. I'm getting older (...who isn't?), gigs are drying-up, and I don't want my surviving family members saddled with the task of parting the stuff out. I've whittled down the inventory to four basses and two amp rigs....combined value is probably less than a motorcycle / import auto / boat repair. It's not really a "deserves to be played" scenario...more like I want the future owner to be overcome by the "wow" factor and of the impression he's stumbled upon the Hope diamond.

Riis

when i was young and playing in an originals band, a local older bassist sold me his classic ric at a very good deal. I love it and still do. It saw a lot more action. I think he was happy to see a young player have his eyes bug out when first seeing it… and truly wanting to love and play it.

i would rather give a bass away to a young kid who would love it… than sell it to someone who bought it because it was a “deal” and saw it as an investment.
 
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So weird isn’t it. I don’t think I’ve ever asked that question… I’d think it was really rude if someone asked me!

“Uhhhh to buy other stuff? You know, it’s mine and I decided I didn’t need it anymore?”

i got a bass here recently. It was my dream bass/specs… but it sold three times in 2021. And twice three years before that. Sure it had a few dings… bit i had to ask the question. And i asked it to the two prior owners figuring there must be some inherent flaw. Bit one loved it for year and replaced it with a fully custom model of the same bass… the next needed the money and sold many bases… the final that sold it to me did not like the tone. My experience so far is that it is a perfectly fine bass. Just a few dings. But i was nervous… i wont lie… because it was not a cheap bass.
 
i got a bass here recently. It was my dream bass/specs… but it sold three times in 2021. And twice three years before that. Sure it had a few dings… bit i had to ask the question. And i asked it to the two prior owners figuring there must be some inherent flaw. Bit one loved it for year and replaced it with a fully custom model of the same bass… the next needed the money and sold many bases… the final that sold it to me did not like the tone. My experience so far is that it is a perfectly fine bass. Just a few dings. But i was nervous… i wont lie… because it was not a cheap bass.

yeah I guess fair enough in that case, if you’re thinking “this one’s up for sale again!?” - that’d probably make me curious. Although knowing me it’d be curiosity to the point of needing to buy it just to see what was wrong with it… yeah, i’ve never been great with money!
 
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yeah I guess fair enough in that case, if you’re thinking “this one’s up for sale again!?” - that’d probably make me curious. Although knowing me it’d be curiosity to the point of needing to buy it just to see what was wrong with it… yeah, i’ve never been great with money!
Hahah. Yeah curiosity is a thing. And when you operate in the used market… especially the current one… it is easy to buy and sell the same bass at no loss… maybe a gain. So it is easy to buy/sell/try and just flip. Unlike most women, Bases dont complain if you fool around. Many great basses are sold for this reason. (We all have different tastes).

and many bases sold were likely an impulse buy. There were never long term intentions. The bass i got is 100% perfect for me… but it is not the bass for many players.
 
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I've said it.

Back in 2013 I switched to 6 string only basses, leaving my 1966 P Bass unplayed for a couple of years. I finally sold my it in 2015 after keeping it for 34 years at the time as it was not getting played, ever.

That's what I meant by "this bass should be played" bc a 66 P Bass SHOULD be played (and I'm still playing 6s.)
 
I've probably used the phrase.

it's a waste for a fine instrument to get no use.

there are often cases of fine stradivari or similar violins being stored in glass cases because they were purchased as investments. thats what we're trying to avoid.

I guess it means "this is a good one, it's just not in my hands very much."
 
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Yes, I have used that sentence in a still active ad because it's a shorter version of: no, I am not getting rid of it because there's something wrong with it. Ever since I bought a new bass I've used this one only once in a studio session, and that's once in two years. I will use this money to buy a Squier as a J option and keep the rest in the bank account. Since it served me well for more than 10 years I want someone else to play it unless it's Five Finger Death Punch or a nazi Oi band.
Since I would risk a lot of tl;drs I decided to use the shorter version.
 
Why do people feel a need to list a reason for the sale in the first place? Its an inanimate object and doesn't need anything including a good home. :)
Probably to preempt the very common question of “why are you selling it?” Which is code for “you are selling it, so something must be wrong with it… but i don't want to offend you by outright saying it, but i have suspicions.”

my questions are usually, why are you selling, how is the neck, and asking about any damage if not explicitly photographed.
 
So weird isn’t it. I don’t think I’ve ever asked that question… I’d think it was really rude if someone asked me!

“Uhhhh to buy other stuff? You know, it’s mine and I decided I didn’t need it anymore?”

In the days when most buying and selling was local, I always asked why the guy was selling. A direct question has nothing to do with rudeness, it's about the buying and selling chess game and not wanting to end up with a dud.

They never said, I'm selling because it occasionally cuts out! But you'd be surprised how easy it is to spot someone lying about the condition of bass gear, if you look them in the eye and ask a direct question.
 
Probably to preempt the very common question of “why are you selling it?” Which is code for “you are selling it, so something must be wrong with it… but i don't want to offend you by outright saying it, but i have suspicions.”

my questions are usually, why are you selling, how is the neck, and asking about any damage if not explicitly photographed.

Its really none of the prospective buyers business.
 
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