Too precious about equipment?

[nobodysprefect]

[quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1336645088' post='1648764']
I paid good money for my gear and [b]couldn't afford to replace it [/b]so I take good care of it. <snip>
[/quote]

When I take the upright, electric and the Read rig out to a gig, the gear inside my middle-aged volvo costs nearly the same as the car when I bought it. I don't have that kind of money on the bank account very often. Do I want to rely on other people being careful enough around esp. the upright? No way.

[4 Strings]

"I find it astonishing that perhaps 20% of the guitarists and bassist that use the rehearsal studio that I frequent have either no protection at all or just a bin-bag for their instruments."


See? That's the spirit!

Are the 20% youngsters? If so, maybe I'm wrong and just a lot older and move in the wrong circles.

I think I'm now changing the question to 'Are Older People Too Precious About Their Gear'.

[TimR]

I like the £8 pencil analogy. I've done that at work, everybody uses bic biros and wooden pencils. I bought a pen and pencil set (less than £8 though!) everyone knows they're mine and doesn't pick them up and walk off with them. People actually ask to use them rather than just walking up to my desk and walking off with the nearest bic.

Anyway....

I'm not overly careful. I just generally look after stuff, don't throw it onto the stage, into the car or garage, drop it downstairs or smash it into doorways. I've had people help carry gear who don't seem to appreciate, not how much it costs but, how much work goes into finding and buying equipment. My bass is obsolete I'm dreading having to eventually try to find a replacement.

At the other end of the scale our drummer packs his gear away wearing cotton gloves. The acidity of the sweat on your fingers attacks the cymbals. Apparently.

Edited May 13, 2012 by TimR

[risingson]

[quote name='steve&#045;soar' timestamp='1336649716' post='1648850']
Your bridge saddles would suggest otherwise.
[/quote]

You've caught me out Steve! My old jazz was different, it was a total dog of a bass

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1336662432' post='1649127']
Yes. Yes, there is. Regurgitated bouillabaisse when they've gone a little too heavy on the fennel.
[/quote]

makes note to self - flask of campbells cream of mushroom to the next gig

[gjones]

Basschat is the Culprit!!! Years ago you'd buy an amp or guitar and use it until it blew up or wore out. Nowdays if you want to experiment with gear you have basschat, gumtree, ebay etc to offload your gear and buy new stuff from. So you look after it as you never know when you may need to sell it in order to buy something different.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1336897940' post='1652338']
"I find it astonishing that perhaps 20% of the guitarists and bassist that use the rehearsal studio that I frequent have either no protection at all or just a bin-bag for their instruments."


See? That's the spirit!

Are the 20% youngsters? If so, maybe I'm wrong and just a lot older and move in the wrong circles.

I think I'm now changing the question to 'Are Older People Too Precious About Their Gear'.
[/quote]

One of the guitarists I play with doesn't have a case for his guitar, another uses a plastic carrier bag for all his cables and accessories. The drummer doesn't have a case for his drums (though does for his cymbals). All are in their 50s.

Apart from my carpet-covered cabs, all my gear is cased in some way - I've even got a couple of wheeled Peli-cases for cables and misc bits - so everything can be 'thrown' safely into the car.

I don't think it's an age thing.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1336916002' post='1652636']
Basschat is the Culprit!!! Years ago you'd buy an amp or guitar and use it until it blew up or wore out. Nowdays if you want to experiment with gear you have basschat, gumtree, ebay etc to offload your gear and buy new stuff from. So you look after it as you never know when you may need to sell it in order to buy something different.
[/quote]

I think this sort of thing has a lot to do with it.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1336902050' post='1652421']

...At the other end of the scale our drummer packs his gear away wearing cotton gloves. The acidity of the sweat on your fingers attacks the cymbals. Apparently.
[/quote]

Yep, same here but also our drummer sometimes uses a racked kit, won't let anyone touch the chrome because of our acidic fingerprints. I can tell you plenty more of that sort of thing.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1336921509' post='1652726']
One of the guitarists I play with doesn't have a case for his guitar, another uses a plastic carrier bag for all his cables and accessories. The drummer doesn't have a case for his drums (though does for his cymbals). All are in their 50s.

Apart from my carpet-covered cabs, all my gear is cased in some way - I've even got a couple of wheeled Peli-cases for cables and misc bits - so everything can be 'thrown' safely into the car.

I don't think it's an age thing.
[/quote]

Fair enough.

[BILL POSTERS]

I think mostly, apart from the image thing already mentioned, its the re sale value. Where at one time if you bought new, which I couldnt afford to do, the old kit went back to a shop as a part ex, or just got sold cheap. So by the time the likes of me got it it was battered, stencilled, and horribly bodged inside as well usually.

But now we have ebay for re sales, and it seems, at least to me, either young kids financed by doting parents, or old gits spending their redundancy buying new..

I dont mind my kit getting accidentally battered, or worn - long as its me that does the damage.

Edited May 13, 2012 by BRANCINI

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1336916002' post='1652636']
Basschat is the Culprit!!! Years ago you'd buy an amp or guitar and use it until it blew up or wore out. Nowdays if you want to experiment with gear you have basschat, gumtree, ebay etc to offload your gear and buy new stuff from. So you look after it as you never know when you may need to sell it in order to buy something different.
[/quote]
There were always plenty of places to offload gear - the difference was none of them were online and so they were called second-hand shops, or friends, or friends of friends, or ads in the local paper, or ads in shop windows.

And some of us still looked after our gear.

[4 Strings]

Oh how I loved looking round the second hand gear shops. Turning my nose up at that old Selmer and Wem equipment (not that I could afford any of it) which is now covetted.

(There's a difference between looking after gear and being too precious about it.)

[Lozz196]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1336934314' post='1652962']
Yep, same here but also our drummer sometimes uses a racked kit, won't let anyone touch the chrome because of our acidic fingerprints. I can tell you plenty more of that sort of thing.
[/quote]

Similar sort of thing with a mate - he has a pa, but won`t let bands use smoke-machines, as he doesn`t want all of that mess on his gear.

[joeystrange]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1336902050' post='1652421']At the other end of the scale our drummer packs his gear away wearing cotton gloves. The acidity of the sweat on your fingers attacks the cymbals. Apparently.
[/quote]

I'm guessing he never chokes his cymbals whilst playing then? Or does he quickly whip out the polish if he does?

[Ou7shined]

Was watching Guitar Heroes on Beeb 3 (or four) last night and I suddenly realised that 90% of all the guitars and basses on there were all worn, bashed up and chipped or had pup mods etc held in place with gaffa tape etc., I even saw a couple of guitars that were clearly hand painted... like... with a brush. They all did the job and sounded great... well... except Phil Lynott who sounded like he was playing a cardboard box... with a touch of chorus. If those guys could see us now eh, what a bunch of pussies we'd look.

I wonder if, as we now live in a more materialistic world compared to then, there's not more of an obsession about the gear than the music itself? Perhaps it's less to do with age but more to do with the age we live in.

[BigRedX]

There's more information and more choice now (generally at cheaper in real terms prices) and therefore less need to customise and mod.

Edited May 14, 2012 by BigRedX

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1336987024' post='1653456']
. If those guys could see us now eh, what a bunch of pussies we'd look.

I wonder if, as we now live in a more materialistic world compared to then, there's not more of an obsession about the gear than the music itself? Perhaps it's less to do with age but more to do with the age we live in.
[/quote]

Yeah, beat up gear does seem to be a thing of the past, even with old gits. I can remember getting funny looks in Jones & Crossland - Who remembers them ? - years ago for trying to get a Marshall logo to replace the broken one on my SL100 even a few comments about do I want a tin of Pledge to go with it ?

You have a point about it seeming to be more about the gear, at least with some people. Getting a bit like some of the Hi Fi nutters I used to have to deal with, I swear half of them listened more to the quality than to the music on the records they were playing..

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1336993912' post='1653585']
... even a few comments about do I want a tin of Pledge to go with it ?...
[/quote]

Haha fantastic

[dmccombe7]

Gave the roadie a row for sitting on my Bergs first rehearsal. If he wants to sit use the chairs. That's when i realised i was obsessed with keeping my gear in good condition.
Yes if my gear gets a genuine knock i will be pissed off but that's life in a band but i won't accept general carelessness or lack of respect for others gear.
I don't mind putting cups on my flightcased amp rack cause it was 2nd hand and pretty used when i got it for nothing but would never dream of doing it directly on my amps more so in case it got knocked over and killed the amp. Liquid and electrics don't really like each other too much and have a novel way of letting you know they aren't happy - OUCH !!!!!
I also didn't work up to buying good playable gear for it to be ruined by careless roadies or anyone else for that matter. Rest of my band are all pretty conscious of looking after their gear. They have worked hard to get it and what better reason to make sure it is kept in relatively good condition.

Dave

Edited May 14, 2012 by dmccombe7

[TimR]

I think it's more due to how relatively inexpensive gear is now. My first amp and bass were second/third hand or borrowed. Now you can pretty much get a bass for a few Saturday's work in Sainsbury's or 6 or 7 pub gig's pay.

Keeping new stuff looking new is ok up to a point but if you're gigging regularly it soon starts to wear. I think there is just a lot mire new stuff around.

Brian May made his guitar from bits.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1336987024' post='1653456']
Was watching Guitar Heroes on Beeb 3 (or four) last night and I suddenly realised that 90% of all the guitars and basses on there were all worn, bashed up and chipped or had pup mods etc held in place with gaffa tape etc.... If those guys could see us now eh, what a bunch of pussies we'd look.

I wonder if, as we now live in a more materialistic world compared to then, there's not more of an obsession about the gear than the music itself? Perhaps it's less to do with age but more to do with the age we live in.
[/quote]

This is it. Yes, I think we have become more materialistic and you can tell how much we focus on gear compared with music by the numbers of posts on the many gear related forums compared to how many music/technique related posts. I'm guilty myself of a 'New Amp Day' post.

If it wasn't an age thing before I wonder if its become one. For example, my two lads, both proficient players in bands etc, will talk endlessly about players and playing. They know about gear but won't hold for long on the subject. I'm envious as I'm rather opposite.

Perhaps one element is that when I was their age there weren't 50 year olds with group gear (let alone my dad!), people that age were either classical or honky-tonk. Us gear obsessed materialists were still developing.

[Truckstop]

Well nowadays of course it costs a bloody fortune to get stuff repaired!

Back then if you got a chip in your neck or a tear in your tweed you'd know a handful of guys who could sort it out for a pack of smokes and a beer.

Now, you need to send all your gear off or take it to a repair shop for days on end and pay a fortune for the privilege. Ie, it pays to keep your gear in good nick!

Truckstop

Edited May 14, 2012 by Truckstop

[BottomE]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1337001910' post='1653750']
This is it. Yes, I think we have become more materialistic and you can tell how much we focus on gear compared with music by the numbers of posts on the many gear related forums compared to how many music/technique related posts. I'm guilty myself of a 'New Amp Day' post.

If it wasn't an age thing before I wonder if its become one. For example, my two lads, both proficient players in bands etc, will talk endlessly about players and playing. They know about gear but won't hold for long on the subject. I'm envious as I'm rather opposite.

Perhaps one element is that when I was their age there weren't 50 year olds with group gear (let alone my dad!), people that age were either classical or honky-tonk. Us gear obsessed materialists were still developing.
[/quote]

We're just old and boring. Flashy licks and superfast playing are no longer exciting as it is for the young'uns. Also got a bit of cash now that we didn't have when younger.

I had one bass for twenty odd years and wanted to sound like Marcus Miller. Now i have 8 basses and want to sound like me

[4 Strings]

[quote]
I had one bass for twenty odd years and wanted to sound like Marcus Miller. Now i have 8 basses and want to sound like me
[/quote]

Yup, sounds just like me, it was 25years, Stanley Clarke and 5 (one's for sale though, does that make things any better?).