Soon after that, my trusty Jazz was sold and I stuck with the Stingray for 8 years. I loved the sound, loved the look... but never truly fell for the fat, thick neck. It just didn't ever feel right in my hands.
Over the past few days things have moved fast - I sold the Stingray to a guy on Basschat for about what I paid for it, then as luck would have it I spotted an almost new MIM Jazz from a 'proper' guitar shop on Ebay - for 205GBP! Only one other guy bid and I pipped him at the end! They described it as 'good condition', but it looks like it's probably never been owned - it still has the plastic on the scratchplate!
The Stingray went out and the Jazz arrived the same day. So, out goes a bass that retails here for 1400GBP+, in comes a bass in the just sub-600GBP range. You know what? I couldn't be happier! A few seconds after picking up the Jazz and playing it, I had a big grin on my face - I truly adore the thin, fast feel of a Jazz neck!! It's really inspired me to pick up my bass again and play it, which is surely a fantastic quality in any instrument.
I thought I'd miss the Stingray, but whilst is was a thing of beauty and incredibly well made, I am 100% sure I made the right decision. Plus, with the money I have gained in this dealing, I can easily afford some new pickups if I'm not happy with the overall sound of the Jazz, with a lump left over to put towards something else in the future... am lusting after an SP410 for example!
Anyone else been lured in by big ticket instruments, then eventually found themselves craving their old, cheap one that fits like a glove?
Just goes to show that more expensive doesn't always mean better.
! I imagine the MIM stuff has better ingredients though.
