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All the gear and no-eye-dear


MiltyG565
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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1441412197' post='2858790']
You don't have to but you aren't even accepting that others can have valid opinions that are right for them even though they are different from yours.
[/quote]

Show me once where I've said that your opinion isn't valid. The fact is that I see it differently, and you can't seem to handle that without getting all exclamation-marksy.

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[quote name='jonsmith' timestamp='1441413053' post='2858792']
I'd be a bit miffed if a keyboard player insisted on playing a piano part on a Hammond organ, or a guitarist played an acoustic part on a Les Paul through a cranked Marshall stack.
[/quote]

Why? A friend's band once played Sandstorm by Darude in their 4-piece rock band. It wasn't a faithful reproduction, as they simply couldn't make a faithful reproduction, but it sounded great how they did it, and everyone loved it. Isn't there something to be said for sometimes saying "We can't do it how's it's meant to be done, so we're just going to do it our way"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6120QOlsfU

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Ah the age old debate this, for me I play what I like buy what I can afford that can do the job. The fact is for me better gear is my choice of what I consider good sound, reliability and what makes me happy.When I have got better gear does it make me play better?, for me in a nutshell yes, it made me practice more because I justify my purchases in that way.Its whatever motivates you as an individual. That said its just my opinion, it's like an bottom everyone has one.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441407923' post='2858773']
Sure, but then there are people who bring two and three basses to a gig in the pub so they get "the right tone" for a few songs in the setlist, which I find a bit perplexing.
[/quote]

I'll be taking two basses to gigs in the Dog and Duck. Not for tone, but because I need different tunings...and there is one song I just can't play on the fan frets. The stretch bloody kills me!

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441415366' post='2858797']


Why? A friend's band once played Sandstorm by Darude in their 4-piece rock band. It wasn't a faithful reproduction, as they simply couldn't make a faithful reproduction, but it sounded great how they did it, and everyone loved it. Isn't there something to be said for sometimes saying "We can't do it how's it's meant to be done, so we're just going to do it our way"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6120QOlsfU
[/quote]

You're missing my point. If something sounds better with certain instruments and you have those instruments, then why shouldn't you use them? This could even be with a cover where a deliberate choice has been made to change instrumentation from what was on the original recording. If you don't have access to those instruments, then obviously you can't make that choice and you use what you have - that's not something I would criticise anyone for and I'm not saying that it couldn't sound good. But if we as a band have agreed that a certain part sounds better on acoustic and the guitarist has access to an acoustic, I'd expect them to use it. Why wouldn't someone use what they believe are the correct tools for the song when they have them available? Why is that a bad thing to do?

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441407923' post='2858773']
Sure, but then there are people who bring two and three basses to a gig in the pub so they get "the right tone" for a few songs in the setlist, which I find a bit perplexing.
[/quote]

With all due respect, I'd say that's your problem rather than theirs. Whatever it takes for the individual to get the job done and be happy with it. We're all different in one way or another. :)

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I think that any of us could make good music with cheap instruments (especially with the quality of today's cheap stuff) and I agree that the vast majority of the audience couldn't tell the difference. However, to think that pleasing the audience is the only motivation seems a bit, erm, logical; to me that's the sort of question I'd expect to come from a (hypothetical) robot, trying to make sense of something but with little experience of human behaviour.
In the real world, the reason is a cocktail of many motivations. Off the top of my head:

- The belief (arguably misguided, but very potent) that more expensive equals better
- Showing off to others
- Personal satisfaction that you own a handmade/boutique instrument
- You love the way it looks
- You love the way it plays
- You feel that it is correct for the genre/band image
- You wanted to see if they live up to the hype
- John Entwhistle played one and you've lusted after one since you were a teenager
etc. etc.

Note that most of the above have little to do with impressing the audience.
Logical thinking would make Basschat very, very dull :)

Edited by Roland Rock
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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441290448' post='2857618']


Who says it isn't up to the job? It's not about the drill, If you can get a job done with it, that's what matters, is it not?
[/quote]

Fair point, but a professional would be expecting hundreds, if not thousands of jobs out of it. Same with bass gear. If you're touring then the last thing you need is for your gear to crap-out halfway through, with no way to repair or replace it.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441288304' post='2857581']


I have to agree. Besides which, the quality of cheap instruments today is shocking good.

Edit - Also, I've sold many instruments to many beginners and parents buying for their kids. Selling the virtues of tone rarely gains much traction. Parents look at the bottom line, and kids look at what's cool/pretty.



Well there are people who say that they're tools of the trade, and a builder wouldn't go on site with a Lidl drill, so why should they go on stage with, for example, an SX?
[/quote]
I tick,both boxes here then as I go on stage with both my US std jazz, currently rrp £1000 and my modded sx p bass, total cost to me £180. I love both,they play and sound great etc and work well for me and the bands that I play with
i also,have a De Walt drill for diy and a shed load of pro quality tools cause I quite like a bit of woodwork occasionally.

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[quote name='lonestar' timestamp='1441453166' post='2858995']
i also,have a De Walt drill for diy and a shed load of pro quality tools cause I quite like a bit of woodwork occasionally.
[/quote]

I enjoy a bit of woodwork too :) I used to be an apprentice joiner, but left that as the industry generally didn't fit with my values, but I do still enjoy doing a bit of woodcraft, and last year me and my boss made a pretty impressive shop counter. I've been enjoying this guy's tool reviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWv6Pn_zP0rI6lgGt3MyfA

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441454691' post='2859003']


I enjoy a bit of woodwork too :) I used to be an apprentice joiner, but left that as the industry generally didn't fit with my values, but I do still enjoy doing a bit of woodcraft, and last year me and my boss made a pretty impressive shop counter. I've been enjoying this guy's tool reviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWv6Pn_zP0rI6lgGt3MyfA
[/quote]

Thanks Ill have a look at that Milty. I did a furniture making course a few years ago and thoroughly enjoy working with wood.
Im very lucky to have inherited my grandad's planes and saws, they didn't make cheap tools back in those days, and have picked up some very nice chisels and things over the years which are a pleasure to use. Good steel not your cheap Chinese import which have a tendency to break, are hard to sharpen and shred fingers.
Can't beat a nice sharp boxwood handled chisel ! Same comfort factor as playing a well set up bass through a decent amp I suppose.

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[quote name='lonestar' timestamp='1441458803' post='2859041']
Thanks Ill have a look at that Milty. I did a furniture making course a few years ago and thoroughly enjoy working with wood.
Im very lucky to have inherited my grandad's planes and saws, they didn't make cheap tools back in those days, and have picked up some very nice chisels and things over the years which are a pleasure to use. Good steel not your cheap Chinese import which have a tendency to break, are hard to sharpen and shred fingers.
Can't beat a nice sharp boxwood handled chisel ! Same comfort factor as playing a well set up bass through a decent amp I suppose.
[/quote]

But working in our shed only needs cheap Chinese tools.

I don't see the sense in using expensive vintage tools.

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Well, we've now got clear laboratory evidence of what happens if you accidentally combine thread topics.

Adding '[i]Why do people buy expensive gear?[/i]' to '[i]Is expensive gear better?[/i]' and '[i]Do you ever gig expensive gear down the pub?[/i]' results in bangs and smells.

Back to the drawing board.

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[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441465339' post='2859089']
Adding '[i]Why do people buy expensive gear?[/i]' to '[i]Is expensive gear better?[/i]' and '[i]Do you ever gig expensive gear down the pub?[/i]' results in bangs and smells.

Back to the drawing board.
[/quote]

Ah, but I get a better sounding bang and a much nicer smell with quality gear!

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[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1441465339' post='2859089']
Well, we've now got clear laboratory evidence of what happens if you accidentally combine thread topics.

Adding '[i]Why do people buy expensive gear?[/i]' to '[i]Is expensive gear better?[/i]' and '[i]Do you ever gig expensive gear down the pub?[/i]' results in bangs and smells.

Back to the drawing board.
[/quote]

If only we could incorporate "which bass is best for metal" too, we'd essentially have finished Basschat.

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Two basses at a gig?
Yep, I don't want to be mucking about replacing a busted string or flat battery or knackered jack socket halfway through a gig, regardless of how big or small it is.

Would I use a cheap bass?
Nope, I want repeatable consistency and reliability - thats the standard I work to as a musician, and a tool that doesn't support that standard is just a liability.

I don't want it rattling, drifting out of tune or treating intonation anywhere above the 12th fret as optional.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1441482286' post='2859201']
If only we could incorporate "which bass is best for metal" too, we'd essentially have finished Basschat.
[/quote]

It was finished years ago. What we're hearing is just the farting noise that corpses sometimes make.

Over and over and over again. :lol:

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[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1441483834' post='2859217']
Two basses at a gig?
Yep, I don't want to be mucking about replacing a busted string or flat battery or knackered jack socket halfway through a gig, regardless of how big or small it is.

Would I use a cheap bass?
Nope, I want repeatable consistency and reliability - thats the standard I work to as a musician, and a tool that doesn't support that standard is just a liability.

I don't want it rattling, drifting out of tune or treating intonation anywhere above the 12th fret as optional.
[/quote]

So... you bring two superior quality basses because of their reliability, but you bring two in case one breaks? That makes very little sense to me. They're either highly reliable, and therefore only one is required, or they're as fallible as all other basses, and you need two. It can't be both.

Fantastic bit of gear snobbery regarding cheap basses, though.

Also - Broken strings? Dodgy sockets? What the hell are you doing to the bass?

Edited by MiltyG565
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[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1441486007' post='2859246']
"M" when was the last time you gigged? Did you only take one bass? Ever broken a string?

I would assume you take plenty of spare stringpings. :mellow:

I can't find a tongue in cheeck omoticon thingy.
[/quote]

I gigged last week, but on guitar, which is much more prone to breaking strings. I didn't even bring my own guitar. I didn't have a spare either. Got through it just fine.

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1441485658' post='2859243']
I take at least FIVE basses to a gig. Then I get the musos to vote on which one I should use.

Then don't use it.
I find this endears me to my audience. :D
[/quote]

:lol:

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