No big mistakes, all learning tools.
Hear, hear. This is the most wisdom I've seen yet on this thread. Regret is just more wasted time. Learn from it and move on and make tomorrow better instead.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What is your biggest "bass mistake"?
- Thread starter FBS1996
- Start date
Hear, hear. This is the most wisdom I've seen yet on this thread. Regret is just more wasted time. Learn from it and move on and make tomorrow better instead.
In terms of bass guitar purchasing/selling, which is what I think the OP was referring to, I would say that buying new has been my most costly error 
.
I've managed to reclaim most of my money (and even made some decent profits
) for used and vintage gear that I've passed on, but each time I buy a brand new bass (thinking, "Ah, at last! This is the bass for me" 
), I always ending up taking a big hit when I tire of it and sell it.
Biggest financial loss was on this Fender Custom Shop NOS '59 P Bass.
I fell for the look of it, but really didn't get on with the (sticky) nitro neck lacquer. The thing is, I suspected this before I bought it, but went ahead and did it anyway (like a dumb-ass :scowl.
.I've managed to reclaim most of my money (and even made some decent profits
) for used and vintage gear that I've passed on, but each time I buy a brand new bass (thinking, "Ah, at last! This is the bass for me" ), I always ending up taking a big hit when I tire of it and sell it.Biggest financial loss was on this Fender Custom Shop NOS '59 P Bass.
I fell for the look of it, but really didn't get on with the (sticky) nitro neck lacquer. The thing is, I suspected this before I bought it, but went ahead and did it anyway (like a dumb-ass :scowl
.
...getting on eBay a bit drunk... Fortunately the 1974 Precision I got is a keeper, but for a while I was the leading bidder on another P at the same time. I think I also was a bit under the influence when I got my fretless conversion G & L L-2000 off eBay. It is heavy, heavy, very heavy, and the ski-jump fretboard has been planed to play OK on fretless, but there is no going back to frets on that neck.
lmao... What happened? Was the gig seriously quiet enough that you fell asleep? Were you on drugs at the time?
Buying on CL is so difficult because it's just crap and you feel like you're wading through a sea of garbage all the time. On the other hand, you can find, amid the rubble, a real gem for short cash. I would never regret a MIA Peavey for less than two hundred bucks.
Selling on CL is hard, too, because people will lowball you and just treat your gear like crap even if it's not. People get pissed if you ask them for more than fifty bucks sometimes.
Lending a bass to a Holy Rollin' bible thumper cuz her daughter wanted to learn bass for the church band. She moved away to Mississippi, taking it with her! STOLEN! So much for the 10 Commandments....and Bible thumpers.
Thou Shalt Not Steal! HA!
Thou Shalt Not Steal! HA!
I have 4 that come to mind.
The first was in 1984 when I left my 1978 Jazz bass at my drummer's house. He ended up selling it because he needed money. He eventually paid me but I have never seen another Jazz with a Sienna sunburst finish. It is the only bass that I wish I still had.
Another was about 10 years ago when I bought a Musicman Stingray. It had dead spots and I hated playing it. I ended up trading it toward an Alembic which I still own.
The third was last year when I bought a used Carvin LB75. It was easily the worst sounding and worst playing bass I have ever owned. The only good thing that came out of it was that I sold it for twice what I paid.
The last one was when I decided to trade my 5 string Alembic for a 4 string. I soon realized that I had been using the low B more often than I thought and regretted making the trade. I eventually bought another 5 string and kept the 4 as well.
The first was in 1984 when I left my 1978 Jazz bass at my drummer's house. He ended up selling it because he needed money. He eventually paid me but I have never seen another Jazz with a Sienna sunburst finish. It is the only bass that I wish I still had.
Another was about 10 years ago when I bought a Musicman Stingray. It had dead spots and I hated playing it. I ended up trading it toward an Alembic which I still own.
The third was last year when I bought a used Carvin LB75. It was easily the worst sounding and worst playing bass I have ever owned. The only good thing that came out of it was that I sold it for twice what I paid.
The last one was when I decided to trade my 5 string Alembic for a 4 string. I soon realized that I had been using the low B more often than I thought and regretted making the trade. I eventually bought another 5 string and kept the 4 as well.
All of my listed mistakes were learning experiences, and valuable ones at that.
1) Learn proper technique and practice daily exercises to develop strength and stamina.
2) Follow my heart and do what I enjoy rather than what I think the world expects of me.
3) Stop drilling holes in my basses.
OK, I lied... I'll never learn to not have gear ADD.
When I decided I wanted to play bass, I asked a friend of mine who played guitar (first mistake, really) what kind of bass I should get. All I was interested in was slapping- this was the late 80s. He suggested I get a Richenbacher or a Fender... Unfortunately, the first bass that appeared in the local classifieds was a Richenbacher and I bought it. Try funking a Ric... Wow, was that hard to pop and sounded like tinny hell...
The guitarist in my first band was from Mass. I asked him what bass would be more appropriate for funking and he recommended a Pedulla. I promptly bought a MVP 5 and was blown away!
After college, I went into Peace Corps and then spent 9 years overseas. Sold the Pedulla like a dumbarse when I needed a little jack while overseas. I have regretted it ever since. I know the guy that I sold it to and have approached him about buying it back. His response was, "No way dude, that is my primary axe." It is like he married my ex-girlfriend...
As such, if you ever have an MVP 5 that you want to sell, you have a likely candidate here.
The guitarist in my first band was from Mass. I asked him what bass would be more appropriate for funking and he recommended a Pedulla. I promptly bought a MVP 5 and was blown away!
After college, I went into Peace Corps and then spent 9 years overseas. Sold the Pedulla like a dumbarse when I needed a little jack while overseas. I have regretted it ever since. I know the guy that I sold it to and have approached him about buying it back. His response was, "No way dude, that is my primary axe." It is like he married my ex-girlfriend...
As such, if you ever have an MVP 5 that you want to sell, you have a likely candidate here.
Selling my Rickenbacker 4001 and my Guild M85 Bluesbird Basses... I wish i had them both back IN THE WORST WAY!!! To a lesser extent selling my first bass, a short scale Framus P bass copy and my original 1973 P Bass that I bought brand new, I did like them both a lot as well...
but here goes! People who grew up with me knew I had a severe alcohol problem in my teens and twenties. My father had purchased a mid to late 70's Burgundyglo 4001 as a gift to me when I was 16. Which I sold to a pawn shop when I was 20 for $40...in the middle of a bender...for more drinking money.
Top that!
*not one of my better judgement calls.
Top that!
*not one of my better judgement calls.
Other than not picking up the bass until later in life (50 y.o.), I'm living my biggest bass mistake now.
About 6 weeks ago, I traded in my 44-02 for a Stingray SLO Special. As much as I enjoyed the Lakland, the neck of the SLO just felt a bit better to my left hand. It was previously owned for less than a week, so was in minty-mint, as-new condition. I jumped on it since I didn't think it would be available for long. (I found out that a week after I bought it, the original owner had come back to the store and wanted it back ... which at the time reinforced my 'good decision'.)
But, the Stingray is just not my thing, I guess. I'm going to make things right this week by doing another trade. Can't decide betw/ another 44-02, a Lakland JO4 or BG4, or a Fender P. This time, one of them will probably have a maple fretboard, though.
I have a 1st rehearsal with my 1st band this Sunday, and I really want to have it over and done with by then.
About 6 weeks ago, I traded in my 44-02 for a Stingray SLO Special. As much as I enjoyed the Lakland, the neck of the SLO just felt a bit better to my left hand. It was previously owned for less than a week, so was in minty-mint, as-new condition. I jumped on it since I didn't think it would be available for long. (I found out that a week after I bought it, the original owner had come back to the store and wanted it back ... which at the time reinforced my 'good decision'.)
But, the Stingray is just not my thing, I guess. I'm going to make things right this week by doing another trade. Can't decide betw/ another 44-02, a Lakland JO4 or BG4, or a Fender P. This time, one of them will probably have a maple fretboard, though.
I have a 1st rehearsal with my 1st band this Sunday, and I really want to have it over and done with by then.
but here goes! People who grew up with me knew I had a severe alcohol problem in my teens and twenties. My father had purchased a mid to late 70's Burgundyglo 4001 as a gift to me when I was 16. Which I sold to a pawn shop when I was 20 for $40...in the middle of a bender...for more drinking money.
Top that!
*not one of my better judgement calls.
Well, at least you're still around to tell the story
. Hope you've got things under control now. It's amazing how differently the human brain works when it's swimming in alcohol - I've also done some very unwise things when 'under the influence'
.
1) sold my 94 svt810e to get 2 2x15 cuz i needed to get lower than my guitard-ists 8 12s in a metal band. shoulda just left the band and kept the gear. took me forever to unload those two 2x15s
2) didn't take a chance to go to europe with band that was getting hot so i could stay in college. shoulda gone to europe.
3) left a band six months before it reformed into one of the more well known metal acts in the country. shoulda stuck it out for six more months. d'oh!
2) didn't take a chance to go to europe with band that was getting hot so i could stay in college. shoulda gone to europe.
3) left a band six months before it reformed into one of the more well known metal acts in the country. shoulda stuck it out for six more months. d'oh!
CamiloDíaz;11072835 said:
Ha! I can relate there. It took me 25 years to finally buy a P-bass. Now it's the only electric bass I pick up.
Latest posts
-
Do stainless steel strings loose there sound quicker than other material- Latest: 5StringBlues
-
-
-
