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Looking for Big Al for daughter

LawDaddy

LawDaddy

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OK, so maybe you saw the thread about my daughter stealing my Stingray. So we (wife, my parents, and myself) are going in together for a Big Al for Christmas.

I'm looking for a four-string SSS setup, preferably maple board. We have exactly one white Al at the local GC. She plays it every time we go in and is in love. However, she hates white basses. Fairly open on other colors. Mrs. LawDaddy thinks she is partial to the sunburst.

To make this work, I need to trade in one of the Axis Super Sports I have accumulated over the years. Do any dealers do this?

I believe we have a die-hard EBMM fan for the next generation in the making. Looking for help from the Santas on this forum :)

-Tim

BP: There will be an EBMM strap in her stocking ;)
 
jlepre

jlepre

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Why not call your local GC or dealer, and ask if they have stock of the finish you are looking for? I know for a fact GC can do this, and ship to store at no charge.
 
adouglas

adouglas

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Generally speaking you'll get a lot more selling your guitar privately than you'll get from GC.

Having said that, though, I did trade in a bass at my local GC once. I used eBay as a tool... we looked up recent auctions of the same bass on the bay to set a realistic value and I factored some costs I'd have to incur (ebay fees, packing and shipping hassles) to make it worth their while. The result was a fair deal all around.

This might be a useful tool for you.
 
A.J.

A.J.

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We've got a black one with a rosewood board and black pickguard ready to ship to your local dealer if necessary.
 
danny-79

danny-79

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That is to cool, your daughter has taste, nice one :)
(so Stingray not good enough no more lol :p )
 
adouglas

adouglas

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+1 on the awesome. You're definitely starting her off on the right foot!

Words to pass along to your daughter, learned through years of experience and many crappy basses:

Buy quality.
Buy it once and be done with it.
It's expensive, but worth it in the end.
This is something to be kept, used well, and treasured for years to come.


Reading this it has just occurred to me that I've owned my Desert Gold Bongo for longer than any single instrument, ever. When I bought it, it was also the most expensive bass I'd ever purchased. It was money very well spent.
 
adouglas

adouglas

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oli@bass said:
That's not how this addiction works for me... :confused:
Click to expand...

Well, have you ever sold an EBMM bass because you found something better?

Me neither.

The meaning of that statement is that many of us (myself included) have in the past paid more attention to price and perceived bang-for-the-buck than true value and quality. The result is, as often as not, a bass that never gets played and/or soon gets sold at a loss. I went through 13 basses over 26 years before the Bongo. Now I'm done looking for "the one." I found it.

I'm going through this right now with my home. I'm about to buy the house I will grow old in. And as we house-hunt, I'm constantly asking my wife "okay, so this place is more affordable... but do you really want to live in this house for the rest of your life?"

It really puts things in perspective. If we pony up now for the right place we'll be happy forever.

That Big Al will be a keeper and will probably be with that girl far longer than any boyfriend.
 
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LawDaddy

LawDaddy

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Thanks for the input so far. I've done a lot of business through the local GC, I'm sure they'll take care of me. I realize I'll get more on The 'Bay on a trade in, but would prefer to avoid the hassle.

@ADouglas: I'm with you. Been a awhile since I bought a guitar - no accident. Most of my gigging axes are about her age (16). She changes her own strings and meticulously Wonder Wipes the fretboard, it'll be well-kept.
 
Sweat

Sweat

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Nice cool gift , your local GC should be able to do a nation wide inventory search and if they have one can ship it to your GC and I bet they have one close to what you want somewhere out there, mine had a Big Al sunburst 4 sss not to long ago.:)
 
five7

five7

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Drum city/guitar land has a sunburst/maple fb and a rare true gold/maple fb, both at a great price!
 
Double Agent

Double Agent

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LawDaddy said:
To make this work, I need to trade in one of the Axis Super Sports I have accumulated over the years.
Click to expand...

Have you considered selling it in the FS thread here? I am sure that there are a lot of EBMM-lovers on the guitar side of the EBMM forum that would pay far more than you could possibly get in a trade-in deal at GC. It is definitely worth the time/energy spent when you look at how much more money you get.

Look at what other used Axis SS are selling for, lower the price by about $100 and you should sell it fairly quickly. Then, you and the family won't have to come up with as much money for the Big AL. You might even have enough for 2 straps (1 for YOUR bass as well). :D
 
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