Sad to see my Martin Bass on eBay

Subject: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 May 01 - 12:59 AM

They say misery loves company! So here I am posting the link to my Martin bass for sale on Ebay. I hate to let this instrument go, but ya know I just don't play it - and I think we need a bouzouki (or maybe an octave mando) ... hmm, maybe there is a silver lining!

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 May 01 - 06:40 PM

Good luck Jed. I hate to sell my prized possessions too...but then I love to buy NEW prized possessions!

Rick

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 May 01 - 06:46 PM

Sad, but bazouzi/ octave mandolas are wonderful instruments (I want one one day and have a pretty good idea what I want). Hope you find one you enjoy and the bass finds a good owner.

Jon

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Jeri
Date: 24 May 01 - 07:19 PM

Any evidence that Rick doesn't currently own every instruments he acquired, other than the ones that exploded?

Here are some nice bazoukis/octave mandolins.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Sorcha
Date: 24 May 01 - 11:19 PM

Yes, but Jed, the flip side is that your bass wants to be played, not just loved. Hopefully it will find a good new home and a Mommie or Daddy that will love it as much as you do and play it too. That is what I tell myself about selling instruments. I sold a dulcimer to a Mudcatter a while back, and knowing that she has a dulcimer that is playable always gives me a warm fuzzy.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Owlkat
Date: 25 May 01 - 04:24 AM

Truth is, an instrument is still just another kind of tool. I used to get all drooly about guitars and banjos and I've spent far more than I should have on things I never played near half enough. Recently I sold a 1965 Martin 000-18. It was a huge relief since it got to a point where it was owning me, and I didn't even play it much or ever take it out of the house. I replaced it with a new Larrivee OM that sounds better, plays better, and cost me a quarter of the Martin's value. Don't sweat it. It's just an axe.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: mkebenn
Date: 25 May 01 - 06:55 AM

Owlkat, I could not disagree with you more, and I hope your Martin found a home that respects her. Mike(whose D-35 comes after wife and family, before boat and Jeep)

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 25 May 01 - 09:05 AM

I appreciate the humor and comments, y'all. I actually expecting the bass may not sell on Ebay. It's a fairly rare player who's looking for one, and I've priced it about as high as it will go ... so maybe it won't sell.

I agree that I'd like to see it played. I had a great time playing it when I was working with some more folk oriented players, but with the Celtic group it just won't get played enough - and we're short a bouzouki (or we may actually use an octave mando). When I was working a day job, I woulda had enough money to have both, but money's too tight right now.

And Owlcat the Larrivee OM does sound and play beautifully, I'm not surprised you switched. While I appreciate fine guitars, I am much more impressed with the sound and the feel of an instrument then its collectability and value.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 May 01 - 08:09 PM

... hmm, well I was hoping no one actually make a viable bid, but the ad's attracted a lot of interest, and a few bids that would take it. Damn! Looks like I'll be loosing a bass (or should I say, "finding it a bettre home). Could a bouzouki be too far away?

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Bluegrass Girl
Date: 31 May 01 - 01:40 PM

Hey Jed!

I too have a Martin acoustic-electric bass to sell. But unlike the other Mudcatters, I have deep feelings for all of our instruments. In our bluegrass band, my husband plays the double bass (and bluegrassers are so hard on any electric use). So we've decided to part with our Martin (though I can't bring myself to put it on e-Bay yet. It's a Martin B540 (1990), the five string custom order bass they still offer. Mine is roseback back and sides, is yours? I have four other Martins, a D-42, SP 000-16R, and my most recent, an HD-28LSV with an adirondack top. I love them all and can't agree that because they are the leader in acoustic guitars (and cost what they should), that they're not as good as the other brands mentioned. Besides, it's the driver, don't you agree?

I'll be very interested to see how you make out on your Martin bass.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 31 May 01 - 03:22 PM

Well girl, looks like there will be very few bids on mine, though I had quite a few looking (over 600). It looks like it'll sell for just about the minimum I would have accepted, so I am not sure if I'm disappointed - but I hate like hell to let go such a fine instrument.

Mine is a B1 model, built in 1998. It has mahogany back and sides, spruce top. This is primarily an acoustic instrument. I rarely plugged it in. When I used it in the studio it was mic'ed, we did not use the pick-up - but the pick-up worked fine. I just can't get over what a great sound the instrument has. No one I've seen with an acoustic bass even comes close, though I'm sure there must be some.

I think this model would be perfect for blue grass. It would stand up to the other instruments very well - but I know that string bass has an important sound all its own, for blue grass.

My regular guitar for shows is a Larrivee Jumbo (J10). I love it. I do like Martins, and have had one or two over the years. Seem the ones I really like are the real damn expensive ones - so I don't suppose I'll be buying one in the near future! I do have a 000 made by Santa Cruz that is based on a popular vintage Martin design. It is a beautiful guitar.

You might try Ebay. I suspect that is about the only wa you will reach enough people with an interest in such a rare instrument as yours. Price it at or above the leve you wish to sell. If it doesn't you haven't lost much.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Jeri
Date: 31 May 01 - 05:07 PM

Jed, sometimes on E-Bay, people tend to swoop in at the last minute so they can get a bid in before anyone has a chance to outbid them. There's still hope for a higher selling price.

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: Bluegrass Girl
Date: 31 May 01 - 07:21 PM

Thanks, Jed. I've marked your bass on e-Bay, so I can continue to watch and hope you'll get a last minute "sniper". Perhaps we'll go that way, too. For now, she's safe and happy in the music room. I guess I have a daydream that someone will get talking about wanting one and I'll have it for them.

We thought it would be perfect for bluegrass festivals -- much lighter to haul than the double base -- but if we amped it, the bluegrass-snobs went nuts, and if we didn't amp it, we had trouble getting up over the booming other instruments (there are always far too many instruments in the "jams").

Anyway, thanks for encouragement, and I hope you get top dollar for your fine Martin!

Bluegrass Girl

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 31 May 01 - 09:21 PM

.. well I see two more bids have come in today, and there's two days left to the auction. I suspect I will get a bit more for it, then my bottom line. It may turn out to be a good deal after all!

Subject: RE: Sad to see my Martin Bass on Ebay
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 11:22 PM

well, the auction's over. I got a good price for it ... presuming we work out the funds and the shipping OK, I guess I'll be saying good bye to that beauty next week sometime.

I'll this thread back up when it's all over to report ion the final issues, for those considering use of the Ebay forum ... but so far it looks like a good deal to me ...

Just as an aside, the buyer told me he spoke to Martin about it. They are now asking 1499 for that instrument (and this is essentially new) and they have a 9 month waiting period. I didn't find a single one for sale anywhere else in the country (I looked before I set my price). So even though I'm happy with my price, he may be getting a great deal. Martin's production instrument for a bass, these days, is a good, but lesser instrument.