I am emotionally attached to a bass that's taking up space and I don't want any more

[Geek99]

@kwmlondon yep, stingray porn please …

[HeadlessBassist]

21 hours ago, kwmlondon said:

I have a beaten up '89 Stingray 2EQ that I've had for 30 years and have gigged with when I was younger, but I've not really played much in the decades since. I got back inot bass over the past 5 years but I just have no interest in 4-string basses any more so it sits in a case... but... I am finding it it really hard to consider selling. It's the only consistent instrument I've had in my life. I've also been told by other people who have played it what a special instrument it is and how I'd be an idiot if I ever got rid of it, but it's sitting in a case doing nothing which seems awful to me.

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

 

EDIT - we have a very strict one-in, one-out rule with instruments here. This means I have a bass that is taking up the space that could be taken by something I'd actually play.

 

Having said that, I've played a Dingwall 5-string almost exclusively now for 5 years and have zero interest in playing anything else so maybe I'd be swapping one bass I don't play for another bass I don't play. 

 

Hey KWM, I know what you mean very well here. I have several Status basses and really nice ones at that. They rarely come out, but occasionally the right job comes in [like last night] where that agility, power, snap and howl is needed and desired. I've been playing these fantastic graphite instruments for 35 years, but nowadays the decent earnings come from a Live Tribute Show where a simple Jazz bass is the ideal tool. I always know my Status basses are there, and I've got guaranteed offers for a couple of them from other pro players whenever I eventually one day decide to sell them. (One in particular will only be wrenched from my cold, dead hands.)

 

Sentimentality is a part of what we do. We sometimes, after all this manic trading and buying, find one instrument that just fits our hands, [backs], and ears. It's genuinely hard to let go of something that good and highly personal to you. I sympathise. 

 

Btw, did you sell that lovely Hybrid II MIJ Jazz in the end?

 

HB.

 

[Jack]

For the record, I think you should keep it. I'm not a nostalgia inclined person and I'm not overly sentimental but if any inanimate objects have a 'soul' (no I don't know what that means, I'm not religious and I don't think I have a soul) then it's musical instruments and cars. If something has been with you whilst you've made good memories then I think that's important. 

 

What's it worth? I've always wanted a birth year bass and Stingrays are amongst my favourite basses. If you decide it's going then I'd be tempted to buy it, and you can buy it back for the same price whenever you want. 

 

 

Stingray porn, although you'll need to upload your face these days... 

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Jack

[ian61]

I had an early original SR which I played all thru the eighties which I was very attached to even tho it wasn't that great. Then one day in the late 90's I picked up a JV? Squire P bass. Sold the Ray a month later without any qualms at all. Which suggested to me that playability (tone feel etc) in an instrument kinda trumped my emotional attachment.

[kwmlondon]

56 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

Hey KWM, I know what you mean very well here. I have several Status basses and really nice ones at that. They rarely come out, but occasionally the right job comes in [like last night] where that agility, power, snap and howl is needed and desired. I've been playing these fantastic graphite instruments for 35 years, but nowadays the decent earnings come from a Live Tribute Show where a simple Jazz bass is the ideal tool. I always know my Status basses are there, and I've got guaranteed offers for a couple of them from other pro players whenever I eventually one day decide to sell them. (One in particular will only be wrenched from my cold, dead hands.)

 

Sentimentality is a part of what we do. We sometimes, after all this manic trading and buying, find one instrument that just fits our hands, [backs], and ears. It's genuinely hard to let go of something that good and highly personal to you. I sympathise. 

 

Btw, did you sell that lovely Hybrid II MIJ Jazz in the end?

 

HB.

 

This is all super interesting and I’m mulling over carefully.

 

Yes, I did sell the bass for £250 to my friend’s young son. He was/is chuffed to bits with it (the parts are worth way more individually and together make for a brilliant bass and he’s getting on with it great) and I’m really pleased it went to someone who is at the start of their musical life. 

[HeadlessBassist]

1 minute ago, kwmlondon said:

This is all super interesting and I’m mulling over carefully.

 

Yes, I did sell the bass for £250 to my friend’s young son. He was/is chuffed to bits with it (the parts are worth way more individually and together make for a brilliant bass and he’s getting on with it great) and I’m really pleased it went to someone who is at the start of their musical life. 

 

Ah, I meant the 34" scale nice shiny new one.

[Geek99]

3 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Also consider this. I know I'm going against the general "keep it" grain here but a bass like that should be in the hands of someone who will use it. There'll be no shortage of takers and you'll forget about it quicker than you think. From an investment point of view it's already worth more than you paid for it so...

I cast you out, unbeliever

How dare you suggest selling stuff? Don’t you know that all right-thinking basschat members have covered every vertical surface of their hovels** with basses ?

 

MGGA

 

make GAS great again 

 

** there may be a connection here between hovels and having lots of ba…

[HeadlessBassist]

4 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I cast you out, unbeliever

How dare you suggest selling stuff? Don’t you know that all right-thinking basschat members have covered every vertical surface of their hovels** with basses ?

 

MGGA

 

make GAS great again 

 

** there may be a connection here between hovels and having lots of ba…

 

I'm now looking around my Music Room and... "Oh Gawd! He's right..."  🫣

[Geek99]

9 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

I'm now looking around my Music Room and... "Oh Gawd! He's right..."  🫣

Bass players are always right. If we weren’t, we would be playing guitars 

[Terry M.]

18 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I cast you out, unbeliever

How dare you suggest selling stuff? Don’t you know that all right-thinking basschat members have covered every vertical surface of their hovels** with basses ?

 

MGGA

 

make GAS great again 

 

** there may be a connection here between hovels and having lots of ba…

This has made my day 🤣🤣🤣

[HeadlessBassist]

7 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Bass players are always right. If we weren’t, we would be playing guitars 

 

Another excellent point, well made.

[Geek99]

3 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

This has made my day 🤣🤣🤣

I wish someone would make mine. It’s been a totally sugar honey iced tea 48 hours 

[kwmlondon]

42 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

Ah, I meant the 34" scale nice shiny new one.

Are you thinking of someone else? I've never had a new MIJ Jazz. I had a USA '75 reissue once (awful) and a ninteties MIJ that wasn't great, but not a new one.

[kwmlondon]

So, lots of people want to know what we're talking about so I just took some pics and put in imgur

https://imgur.com/a/d3nNSXx

 

And a video

https://imgur.com/a/yEJkPwC

 

Cheers!

 

Edited 8 hours ago by kwmlondon

[HeadlessBassist]

Just now, kwmlondon said:

Are you thinking of someone else? I've never had a new MIJ Jazz. I had a USA '75 reissue once (awful) and a ninteties MIJ that wasn't great, but not a new one.

 

 

Yes, I think a case of mistaken identity! 🤦‍♂️

[kwmlondon]

2 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

 

Yes, I think a case of mistaken identity! 🤦‍♂️

No worries! Counting them up I've had six Jazz basses over the years! 

[kwmlondon]

1 hour ago, Jack said:

For the record, I think you should keep it. I'm not a nostalgia inclined person and I'm not overly sentimental but if any inanimate objects have a 'soul' (no I don't know what that means, I'm not religious and I don't think I have a soul) then it's musical instruments and cars. If something has been with you whilst you've made good memories then I think that's important. 

 

What's it worth? I've always wanted a birth year bass and Stingrays are amongst my favourite basses. If you decide it's going then I'd be tempted to buy it, and you can buy it back for the same price whenever you want. 

 

 

Stingray porn, although you'll need to upload your face these days... 

 

 

Cor! Some absolutely gorgous basses there! Those two 4-strings are very similar to mine, I think my one's just a lot more beat-up but does have the original 80s mute bridge. How much is it worth? I don't know. I don't think it's collectible as it's post-EB and doesn't have the original case etc.

 

I have to admit the idea of selling it with the option of selling / or swapping with the option of getting it back in the future really appeals.

 

The only bass I've played in the past few years in a store that I had proper lust for was a Singray 5 string fretless. Oh. My. Days. That thing sang and thought it was really REALLY hard to play (I'm not experienced with a fretless) it sounded incredible with rounds on it. If I'd had £1800 in my pocket when I was in The Bass Gallery, I may have walked out with that thing!

 

BTW here's pics of my 'ray

 

https://imgur.com/a/d3nNSXx

 

And a video

https://imgur.com/a/yEJkPwC

Edited 8 hours ago by kwmlondon

[Geek99]

14 minutes ago, kwmlondon said:

So, lots of people want to know what we're talking about so I just took some pics and put in imgur

https://imgur.com/a/d3nNSXx

 

And a video

https://imgur.com/a/yEJkPwC

 

Cheers!

 

Keeper 

[jazzyvee]

7 hours ago, Bolo said:

Build an acrylic display case around it. Now it's art, not a bass. 

I have had such a hard time selling this bass. It was my first decent 5 string and I don't play it any more and the interest i've had with offers are no good to me. I'm seriously considering the thought of having it embedded in acrylic to make an actual coffee table bass. I'd take the electronics out of it as they can be used in a  non alembic bass.

An alternative is what I have done many times in the past when tormented by the idea of selling an instrument or gear that I no longer use but have become attached to, Which is give it away to a young musician. I did that with some mesa boogie gear. I have someone in mind who is a young bassist  that I have become a big fan of. But I don't know if they even like alembics so I won't mention it here in case they are a member and I change my mind. Ha.

.
 

Edited 6 hours ago by jazzyvee

[Hellzero]

Looks like a Candy Apple Red Stingray @kwmlondon.

 

If it's the case, I know someone desperately looking for one (not me).

[chris_b]

55 minutes ago, jazzyvee said:

An alternative is what I have done many times in the past when tormented by the idea of selling an instrument or gear that I no longer use but have become attached to, Which is give it away to a young musician. . . . . 

 

. . .  . or you could give it to me. I'm a lot younger than I look. . . .  really!

[kwmlondon]

1 hour ago, jazzyvee said:

I have had such a hard time selling this bass. It was my first decent 5 string and I don't play it any more and the interest i've had with offers are no good to me. I'm seriously considering the thought of having it embedded in acrylic to make an actual coffee table bass. I'd take the electronics out of it as they can be used in a  non alembic bass.

An alternative is what I have done many times in the past when tormented by the idea of selling an instrument or gear that I no longer use but have become attached to, Which is give it away to a young musician. I did that with some mesa boogie gear. I have someone in mind who is a young bassist  that I have become a big fan of. But I don't know if they even like alembics so I won't mention it here in case they are a member and I change my mind. Ha.

.
 

That's stunning!

[kwmlondon]

40 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Looks like a Candy Apple Red Stingray @kwmlondon.

 

If it's the case, I know someone desperately looking for one (not me).

I'm not sure, that sounds more like a solid colour wheras mine's a transparent red finish. It's the exact same thing Kim Deal played, it's basically this

https://captain-guitar-lounge.com/en/product/1983-music-man-stingray-translucent-red-maple-neck-id-4586/ but post Ernie Ball so different name on the headstock.

[Terry M.]

@kwmlondon what are you thinking so far? 99.99% of the suggestions here lean towards you keeping it. I have a suspicion you'll take that advice but then readdress this again in less than a year? 😁 I would NOT be saying this if you still played 4s ☺️

[kwmlondon]

1 minute ago, Terry M. said:

@kwmlondon what are you thinking so far? 99.99% of the suggestions here lean towards you keeping it. I have a suspicion you'll take that advice but then readdress this again in less than a year? 😁 I would NOT be saying this if you still played 4s ☺️

I don't think I want to sell it outright.

 

I think what really appeals is the idea of doing a long-term swap for something that I'd use so it could be with someone who would get good use out of it while I had something that I'd enjoy getting to know.