Selling or saving rare but unplayed stuff?

[Ceylon]

I imagine many of us have got one instrument or piece of gear that is rare and valuable but that doesn't get played very much. In my case it's the Squier Jarman Bass - the Bass V/Precision middle ground thingie - which I now see selling for around the 1000€ mark. That's serious money to me for what is, admittedly, a cool, rare and seriously well-made instrument. And it's money I could use to upgrade my little home studio setup with enough left to get another bass, or to put towards that 12-string I've been wanting. And the bass doesn't get played a whole lot, mostly because I don't really play the bass other than while recording. I got it cheap when Thomann cleared them out, so it'd be a win for me.

But something inside says I ought to hang on to it simply because I'm not likely to ever get another, and it is cool and unique, and it's likely I'll never need more out of a bass than what I have in this. In light of the offset-ubiquitousness-thread, I'll readily admit I get a kick when a fellow gear nerd goes "whoa, you've got one of THOSE?"

How do the rest of you reason with stuff like this? I'm only working enough to cover studies, rent and other life expenses at the moment, so some extra money would be precious right now, especially for investing in more gear. But in a year's time I'll hopefully be back to working full time, and 1000€ won't make or break me in the same way.

[sal paradise]

Mass-produced guitars, you can always get another.

I’ve sold loads of “won’t see one of those again for a while” guitars. But I like to realise money that’s otherwise unused & no plans to play. Something with a serious vintage I might think a bit differently. But even then I’d probably sell it when I needed money.

[JSett]

I think the bubble on something like the Jarman guitars will burst pretty soon, if it hasn't already. I've seen the Squier Baritones plummet as people get bored and try to recoup their (often ridiculous) buy-in. Lots of discounted ones around on marketplaces and none selling.

I think it only really makes sense for something thats vintage or already considered universally desirable.

I've got a stash of guitars and pedals as a sort-of speculative investment - nothing wildly expensive, just some oddities or rarities - but I often dip into the pile just to liquidate funds for a bigger purchase

[zhivago]

I tend to only keep what I use on a regular basis...the exception being my ZVex collection which doesn't get constant attention, but when it does it is a hell of a lot of fun. It would be really hard to replace them as they are all sparkle versions...especially the Octane 3...so, so rare.

I've never bought anything with a speculative vibe of "it may appreciate", although I have things that did appreciate after a while and it was just a surprise...my Klon Centaur is probably the best example as it's been my main pedal for over a decade and I never think of it as an investment or anything other than a pedal that works for me.

[marqueemoon]

I guess my two best examples of rare/valuable-ish things I have but rarely use are my 1984 Les Paul Studio Custom and my Boss PN-2.

They have sentimental value to me, and in the case of the LP although I have little use for a Les Paul these days it’s the best Les Paul I have ever played. It would be super hard to replace.

Functionally a PN-2 is rather useless in 2023. It doesn’t do a great sine wave tremolo, and if using a click on a recording it’s a lot less fussy to use a plugin for the hard chop/pan thing. Still it’s fun and I played out with it a bunch, so it isn’t pristine/sellable for top dollar.

I’ve let go of several other things I wasn’t using in recent years though and used the money to fund gear I love and use regularly.

Sometimes revisiting an old friend is the way too. My 1966 Vox Cambridge Reverb is back to being in regular rotation after a trip to the tech and replacing the non-original speaker in it with a Celestion Gold.

[mulesing]

Going through this with the Korg Miku Stomp..

I genuinely think it's cool and fun. But it is basically a novelty for me.

[cestlamort]

If you're not into it, I'd just let it go. Kind of like sitting on some collectible LPs or comics or whatever that you never really get around to enjoying. The cliche is that we all overvalue what we already have: if the going rate for that bass is 1000, would you buy it for 1000? How about 800? If "no," just cash out and earmark that windfall for something cool. ("not groceries" as my grandmother used to say. I'll admit that sometimes groceries can be fun though)

[Pacafeliz]

...

I, for one, get you 100%
But i can't give you any advice. Do nothing and you'll end up like me with around 50 guitars. By now i do see it as a real problem.

For example: Do i NEED a Maverick AND a Custom?
No, but if i can, i will and i do. Even if they never get played.
There's always a reason to keep them. Careful

[Ceylon]

Yeah, thanks guys. You're all right of course. Hoarding shit runs in my family so I've gotta watch it with giving in to those urges. Stuff is just stuff after all, even though there's a strong case to be made for a guitar or bass being more than just stuff...

I'll put the thing up for sale and see what comes of it. I wouldn't have paid around the 1k€ mark for it, so if someone desires it enough to do that, I guess it'll spark more joy in their hands.