All the gear and no-eye-dear

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1441714496' post='2861084']
Hmm, could that be a bit of a "light the blue touchpaper and stand well back" moment from Milty there?
[/quote]

It [i]may[/i] be a reference to the occasional short sailing trips organised by the cancer charity for him and other young people who are either undergoing treatment or in remission.

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441732817' post='2861331']
It [i]may[/i] be a reference to the occasional short sailing trips organised by the cancer charity for him and other young people who are either undergoing treatment or in remission.
[/quote]

Indeed, and I hope he has a good time. I was just entertained at the notion of knowingly starting off a contentious thread just before going away for a few days, so that he has something entertaining to read through on his return.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Beer of the Bass

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1441733181' post='2861343']
Indeed, and I hope he has a good time. I was just entertained at the notion of knowingly starting off a contentious thread just before going away for a few days, so that he has something entertaining to read through on his return.
[/quote]

Sort of fire and forget? Perhaps...

Anyway, things to see, people to do. Back later.

[Slipperydick]

I read somewhere that John Lennon was scheduled to play on TV somewhere. Someone from the TV station rang to ask what kind of amp he would need.

"One that works" he said.

[paul h]

I think Milty is the new Xild...Sildd...Xildde...Nige

Judging people on their choice of gear is worse than fat racism.

[mcnach]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441286405' post='2857556']
I know we like to sit around and chew the fat about gear - What's best for gigging, what's best for recording, what's best for this amount of money, what's best for metal. And I've long since held the view that, actually, nobody cares. The majority of an audience when you play live won't care. Other musicians might, but are you writing music to please other musicians?

I had the experience recently of playing with many fantastic musicians, who played on various qualities of instruments. The instruments were completely sidelined by sheer raw talent and songwriting/performing ability. Nobody was interested in talking about which year Fender stopped making their switches out of bakelite, or what bass is best for metal. Everyone got stuck into the music without pretentiousness.

So what compels us to still talk about what instruments and backline we need to play the crow & fiddle on a gloomy Saturday evening? Does it make any difference to the punters? What if you spent £500 on a bass, and £500 on an amp - Wouldn't that be good enough?

And in video format - metal guy yells and swears (that's your warning)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSiv45KEFGY[/media]
[/quote]


I liked the video, I agree with pretty much all of it

[mcnach]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1441287316' post='2857569']
I don't think anything he says in the vid is not what everyone already knows, really.
[/quote]

Of course not, but what I liked best was the "don't be discouraged by lower quality gear". I think that's a point well worth repeating. It seems to me that there is a lot of emphasis put on gear, and younger guys starting to play may feel some pressure to spend cash they don't have to buy that holy grail of amp/guitar (I know a couple of guys who certainly got too stressed out about gear that way)... or treating their guitar like sh*t (in public, not when alone) because it was only a lowly "crappy" Squier. It's sad that they are made to feel that way (a certain amount of stupidity may be a factor too... but we're all afflicted by some degree of stupidity as a teenager ) when the truth is their instruments will do the job.

[megallica]

This has got to be the most pointless topic i have ever seen, and by god has there been some pointless ones. I just don`t understand it. Asking what the point of expensive kit is, which differs, because some people only have a few hundred pounds, and others have thousands. If i buy a £1000 bass, i would say that is expensive. Others might think that £500 is too much, where the other side of the scale, £5000 is acceptable. When people offer their views, it just seems that if you have a made in USA Fender, you are a snob because a Squire would do the job just as well.
I hope that some people have never watched Metillica at Glastonbury, because they would be outraged with Robert Trujillo swapping basses every 2 songs or so.

Might be different tunings used throughout their set plus Trujillo has his warwick endorsement and will have to advertise his signature model

[ivansc]

An interesting little side note here.

I bought my first (used) bass guitar in 1963 for 60 GB pounds.
Sold it a year later for 60 GB Pounds to buy a guitar. Lost the bass gig, got a guitar gig.

It was a 1962 Fender Precision.

Since then I have owned two decent basses and a load of marginal crap or stuff I was given.
Because I was pro and had things like a mortgage to pay and a family to support.
So no fancy gear, just whatever I could get away with to play the gig.
When I first arrived in Nashville in 1980/1 I didnt even own an amplifier.

Since I "retired" in 2006 I have treated myself to a real Gibson ES335 and 1962 AVRI Precision bass.
Couldnt afford them when I was making my living playing, but to be brutally honest I dont sound any different on them than I did on my old klunkers.

Edited September 9, 2015 by ivansc

[lojo]

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1441836261' post='2862292']

Might be different tunings used throughout their set plus Trujillo has his warwick endorsement and will have to advertise his signature model
[/quote]

I wonder if many bassists with endorsers actually prefer other basses , I saw a guy play recently who had a status endorsement , he played 90% of the gig on a fender jazz , only picked up the status for a few songs

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1441950213' post='2863143']


I wonder if many bassists with endorsers actually prefer other basses , I saw a guy play recently who had a status endorsement , he played 90% of the gig on a fender jazz , only picked up the status for a few songs
[/quote]

There was a moment a few years ago in tennis where one or two of the top pros were using rackets by one manufacturer sprayed etc to look like their sponsors kit. Perhaps more difficult with guitars but I am sure there are a few who meet your point.

[colgraff]

I like the guy in the video's t-shirt.

[mentalextra]

What is the criteria for describing yourself as 'pro' bass player? Does a 'pro' have to play more hours compared to a weekend warrior? I'm guessing that plenty of young guys have given up work to dedicate themselves to going pro and sitting at home with the [i]Wal[/i] waiting for the phone to ring

[TimR]

I think the thread got derailed very early on with lots of righteous indignation. This is the bit that quite interests me in the original post and hasn't really been answered.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441286405' post='2857556]

So what compels us to still talk about what instruments and backline we need to play the crow & fiddle on a gloomy Saturday evening?

...
[/quote]

Edited September 11, 2015 by TimR

[ivansc]

In my book, "pro" means it is your primary source of income. End of.

A pro attitude is a different thing entirely.
I know a lot of seasoned Pros who DONT have that, which is a shame.

[ezbass]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1441965295' post='2863276']
I think the thread got derailed very early on with lots of righteous indignation. This is the bit that quite interests me in the original post and hasn't really been answered.

"
So what compels us to still talk about what instruments and backline we need to play the crow & fiddle on a gloomy Saturday evening?"
[/quote]Because that's what the likes of BC are about - gear talk. We are mostly all anoraks and nerds and it gives us pleasure.

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1441966239' post='2863290']
Because that's what the likes of BC are about - gear talk. We are mostly all anoraks and nerds and it gives us pleasure.
[/quote]

Exactly that. There are many more musicians out there who just pick up something that works and makes the sound they want, then gig it for years without any further thought. Generally these are not the same people who spend time on bass forums.

[Telebass]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1441966504' post='2863295']
Exactly that. There are many more musicians out there who just pick up something that works and makes the sound they want, then gig it for years without any further thought. Generally these are not the same people who spend time on bass forums.
[/quote]
Exactly.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1441833630' post='2862246']
I liked the video, I agree with pretty much all of it
[/quote]

Me too, I can't fault his reasoning (apart form the final T-shirt message).

[dand666]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1441964999' post='2863268']
What is the criteria for describing yourself as 'pro' bass player? Does a 'pro' have to play more hours compared to a weekend warrior? I'm guessing that plenty of young guys have given up work to dedicate themselves to going pro and sitting at home with the [i]Wal[/i] waiting for the phone to ring
[/quote]

Well, for me, music is my full time job. I work on contracts on ships throughout most of the year, and when I'm back in the UK, I do corporate events, weddings and sessions when I can.

If you've given up your day job to pursue a career in music, then why aren't you a pro. You're trying your best, and kudos for giving it your best shot.

Edited September 11, 2015 by dand666

[mrtcat]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1441950213' post='2863143']


I wonder if many bassists with endorsers actually prefer other basses , I saw a guy play recently who had a status endorsement , he played 90% of the gig on a fender jazz , only picked up the status for a few songs
[/quote]

I once built a 4x12 guitar cab for a chap who had a Marshall endorsement deal. It was essentially internally a replica of his mesa boogie cab dressed up to look like the Marshall cab he was meant to use
use. The Marshall cab was an absolute pile of junk with horrible cheap vintage 30s (a really naff version which appeared to be made specifically for Marshall) and the build quality was diabolical. He refused to play with it hence asking me to make him a fake.

[Rich]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1441950213' post='2863143']
I wonder if many bassists with endorsers actually prefer other basses , I saw a guy play recently who had a status endorsement , he played 90% of the gig on a fender jazz , only picked up the status for a few songs
[/quote]
That's crackers. I wouldn't even dream of endorsing a bass unless I liked it so much I could barely put it down.

[TimR]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1441968049' post='2863318']


I once built a 4x12 guitar cab for a chap who had a Marshall endorsement deal. It was essentially internally a replica of his mesa boogie cab dressed up to look like the Marshall cab he was meant to use
use. The Marshall cab was an absolute pile of junk with horrible cheap vintage 30s (a really naff version which appeared to be made specifically for Marshall) and the build quality was diabolical. He refused to play with it hence asking me to make him a fake.
[/quote]

That's a perfect real world example for this thread.

It's not about the name, it's not about the price, it's about the quality and not all gear is built the same. Yes, gear is generally better now than it was but there are still manufacturers who live off their reputation but manufacture in China without the proper quality control. The problem is the variance between manufacturers, even between different models (particularly of group electronics) from the same manufacturer but from different factories.

[ubit]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441286405' post='2857556']
I know we like to sit around and chew the fat about gear - What's best for gigging, what's best for recording, what's best for this amount of money, what's best for metal. And I've long since held the view that, actually, nobody cares. The majority of an audience when you play live won't care. Other musicians might, but are you writing music to please other musicians?

I had the experience recently of playing with many fantastic musicians, who played on various qualities of instruments. The instruments were completely sidelined by sheer raw talent and songwriting/performing ability. Nobody was interested in talking about which year Fender stopped making their switches out of bakelite, or what bass is best for metal. Everyone got stuck into the music without pretentiousness.

So what compels us to still talk about what instruments and backline we need to play the crow & fiddle on a gloomy Saturday evening? Does it make any difference to the punters? What if you spent £500 on a bass, and £500 on an amp - Wouldn't that be good enough?

And in video format - metal guy yells and swears (that's your warning)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSiv45KEFGY[/media]
[/quote]

Right at the start he says the better gear sounded better, so even though no one cares in the audience , you're gonna sound better with good gear!

[TimR]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1441986668' post='2863588']


Right at the start he says the better gear sounded better, so even though no one cares in the audience , you're gonna sound better with good gear!
[/quote]

That's a strange thing to say. It's kind of self evident. Better gear is better.

Until you define what 'better' is, it's a silly statement.