Latest acquisition becomes your ‘go to’

[Guest MoJo]

I was discussing this with a bass playing friend today. We both suffer with this and I can’t imagine we’re the only ones. As a serial ‘gasser’ I’ve gone through countless basses and rigs over the past six years with my current band but after discovering the Fender Rumble 500v3 / P-Bass combination and how it suited the band perfectly, I thought, “That’s it, sorted.” So it was until I bought my BB425. I’ve been taking that to gigs for a few weeks and although it doesn’t quite work with the band in the same way, I’ve been persevering with it until I picked up an SBMM SUB5 for a pittance. The plan was to turn it round quickly for a profit but I couldn’t resist taking it to rehearsal. I found the tighter spacing quite comfortable and the SUB punched through the mix, getting the thumbs up from my band mates. The decision was made to take it to the gig with the BB425 as backup. About four songs in, I realised I’d made a mistake and kept glancing across at the Yamaha. As we started No More Heroes where the combination of the overdrive on the Rumble and the P-bass normally produce a very passable Jean-Jacques Burnel tone, the SUB sounded like a mushy fizz. The second half saw me playing the Yamaha but all the time thinking ‘Why didn’t I bring the P-bass?’ 
Who else abandons the right tool for the job in favour of something new and shiny?

Edited November 2, 2019 by MoJo
Spelling

[TheGreek]

Been there - got to get through the Honeymoon period with everything before you really get to know how good the new item is...Sometimes it's instant, sometimes it's months.

 

[Guest MoJo]

My friend I refer to above has a Sire V7 Mk2 and he says it’s everything he wants in a bass. The tonal options are huge and yet he’s recently been gigging with a Chinese made budget brand Telebass that he picked up on a recent trip to Wales for £100

[ezbass]

Yeah, I’ve been there in the past, but in recent years I’ve bought kit for specific purposes and use them as such. This is not to say that I don’t experiment occasionally.

[dmccombe7]

Yep i do the same. I buy a bass and think its the end of GAS and then after a few mths maybe even a year i realise my old trusty Jazz is still my fav bass. At the moment i'm on my Sandberg VM4 and pretty happy with that. Gives me a tone i wasn't expecting but i like it and it suits the band i'm in. 

Dave

[Lozz196]

I find this principle works for home use but my gigging set-up stays constant. 

[steve-bbb]

My status and my sandberg are my faves but my squier p is usually the current gigging goto

[MacDaddy]

I'm not a collector, so for me it's a case of if I get new gear I want to use it. 

 

[lownote]

What I hate is when GAS persists even after you've found The One.  I've had 40+ basses in 8 years.  Several have been the same models.  I find, I love, then I sell, so I can buy again: three Hohner VI, FIVE Sires, umpteen P basses and clones thereof. How stupid is that? Currently I get all I need from my cheapo Revelation unlined fretless P - but I just know (already getting twinges) it'll have to go.  Then I'll have to buy another.  I am sane - my mother had me tested - but sometimes I wonder. 

[miles'tone]

I find the GAS monster usually rears it's ugly head and goes berserk when I'm not playing so much. 

If I'm busy and happy my SX P bass is just fab. 

[Woodinblack]

I just got a fender Aerodyne bass. Speaking as someone who is pretty well exclusively 5 string, I am not sure how much use it is going to get, but I do like the look of those and it plays really well. If not it will always sell.

[uk_lefty]

3 hours ago, miles'tone said:

I find the GAS monster usually rears it's ugly head and goes berserk when I'm not playing so much. 

If I'm busy and happy my SX P bass is just fab. 

So true! Not having time to practice much and no gigs until 2020 my bass fix is coming from BC, No Treble and ebay. I've placed offers on two great value second hand basses I have no real need for... But I do want my old MiM jazz back, listening to old recordings it sounded the nuts, just a slight cut above the Sire 5 string I also regret selling! 

However I did buy a brand new USA Stingray last year and that is, for me, the ultimate gigging bass it does everything with big brass bullocks. I don't really need anything else. But I want a few more in the stable! 

Edited November 3, 2019 by uk_lefty

[jezzaboy]

7 hours ago, lownote12 said:

What I hate is when GAS persists even after you've found The One.  I've had 40+ basses in 8 years.  Several have been the same models.  I find, I love, then I sell, so I can buy again: three Hohner VI, FIVE Sires, umpteen P basses and clones thereof. How stupid is that? Currently I get all I need from my cheapo Revelation unlined fretless P - but I just know (already getting twinges) it'll have to go.  Then I'll have to buy another.  I am sane - my mother had me tested - but sometimes I wonder. 

I feel your pain brother for I am the same. After next Friday my band is knocking it on the head yet at the weekend I was seriously considering buying a G&L LB 100 P bass costing £1400! And I already have 3 nice P type basses!

[stewblack]

The behaviour @MoJo describes is all part of the GAS. 

I know my favourite bass is my Aria. It's the first one I fell for, had it for years will never part with it. 

So why would I buy anything else? So that for a brief time I can kid myself that the new bass is 'the one'. Which in turn justifies the purchase. 

Self feeding addictive behaviour. Not dangerous unless you plunge yourself and anyone depending upon you into debt. 

I see it as harmless fun. A voyage of discovery. After all even explorers love their home, doesn't stop them travelling. 

[Deedee]

10 hours ago, miles'tone said:

I find the GAS monster usually rears it's ugly head and goes berserk when I'm not playing so much. 

If I'm busy and happy my SX P bass is just fab. 

Exactly this for me. Unfortunately I’m not playing much at the moment so gas goes into overdrive.

As @TheGreek said, it’s those that remain with us after the honeymoon period that count. 

[Guest MoJo]

The GAS is fuelled by the fact that my P-bass is a Camel Journey Bass. Made in the 70's in Japan, it's a great bass with my favourite P-bass neck profile of all time, but THAT name? Camel, I hate it. I thought about removing it but hate to spoil something's originality. I feel much more comfortable gigging with 'Yamaha' or even 'Sterling by Musicman' on the headstock. Does that make me a brand snob? I suppose it does

 

[Machines]

I have analysed my GAS over the last 15 years, and realised that there is no 'ultimate bass' for me that does it all.

I like variety in tone and appearance, so have now got 3 main basses that should give me absolutely anything I need or want (Precision / Jazz / Stingray).

Since getting part 3 of the above, the GAS has died down, but still find myself looking for something to GAS for - the thrill of the hunt etc. Despite the fact anything additional will very likely replicate something I already have.

[[email protected]]

3 hours ago, Machines said:

I have analysed my GAS over the last 15 years, and realised that there is no 'ultimate bass' for me that does it all.

I like variety in tone and appearance, so have now got 3 main basses that should give me absolutely anything I need or want (Precision / Jazz / Stingray).

Since getting part 3 of the above, the GAS has died down, but still find myself looking for something to GAS for - the thrill of the hunt etc. Despite the fact anything additional will very likely replicate something I already have.

I'm in the same boat, when jamming I'm always jumping between old favourites (Precision / Jazz / Stingray). For gigs the latest surprise has been a Fender Flea Jazz bass that I picked up really cheap with a view to selling on. Think it's the pups but it sounds too good to sell!!! It's replaced the Jap '90 jazz that I used for years.

[Ricky 4000]

4 hours ago, MoJo said:

The GAS is fuelled by the fact that my P-bass is a Camel Journey Bass. Made in the 70's in Japan, it's a great bass with my favourite P-bass neck profile of all time, but THAT name? Camel, I hate it. I thought about removing it but hate to spoil something's originality. I feel much more comfortable gigging with 'Yamaha' or even 'Sterling by Musicman' on the headstock. Does that make me a brand snob? I suppose it does

That brand name is a bit unfortunate. It's also a make of American fags, so it looks almost like sponsorship... I wouldn't blame you at all if you replaced it with perhaps a Fender waterslide that's spelt deliberately wrong or something.

My P bass is a 'Westfield' which looks OK to me (although it sounds a bit like another brand of American cigarettes!).

Great thread BTW. 👍

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by Ricky 4000

[MacDaddy]

5 hours ago, Machines said:

I have analysed my GAS over the last 15 years, and realised that there is no 'ultimate bass' for me that does it all.

this is why i had my custom Shuker's built  

[Skinnyman]

10 hours ago, MoJo said:

The GAS is fuelled by the fact that my P-bass is a Camel Journey Bass. Made in the 70's in Japan, it's a great bass with my favourite P-bass neck profile of all time, but THAT name? Camel, I hate it. I thought about removing it but hate to spoil something's originality. I feel much more comfortable gigging with 'Yamaha' or even 'Sterling by Musicman' on the headstock. Does that make me a brand snob? I suppose it does

 

Tell anyone who asks that it's a Doug Ferguson tribute bass......

Edited November 4, 2019 by Skinnyman

[Guest MoJo]

13 hours ago, Skinnyman said:

Tell anyone who asks that it's a Doug Ferguson tribute bass......

   

[Monkey Steve]

Amps and pedals tend to be tools for the job - I've certainly bought pedals knowing that they wouldn't get a lot of use but would be called upon as and when required, and I've bought a "holy grail" or two that didn't live up to expectations, but they get weeded out very quickly - sometimes not even making it to a rehearsal.

But basses and guitars...

I've come a cropper where I've tried to get a cheaper bass as a reserve, to be taken to gigs for use in case of a problem with my main bass.  The worst offender being an ESP LTD B-205 SM (I think, that's from what looks closest from a Google search, I couldn't swear that was the model I got)  Looked great, sounded OK in the shop...fell way short when I got it home and in rehearsals.  Felt flimsy because of cheap hardware, too light for me,  and while the ESP pickups did a pretty good job of handling the low B, they didn't have the character or response I like for my assortment of playing techniques, and it sounded quite anonymous.  Just didn't feel right

Didn't make it past a few rehearsals with one band, then sat lonely and unloved for a while until i tried it with a different band...just the once.  Finally moved it on.

Taught me not to buy reserve basses.  Buy two basses that could be my first choice

I have a worse track record with guitars, actually semi's being the worst of these.  A Rickenbacker 360 (should have got a 330) and a Gretsch Electromatic that looked brilliant but was a pig to play

[chris_b]

I'll only buy a new bass that does something better than my current bass, usually that means it'll sound better. So my new bass always supersedes the old one. The old bass is replaced and becomes the backup.

That's how it's always been from a Fender Precision thru MM SR5, Lakland, Wal and Lull to Sadowsky. Any mistakes, and there have been a few, go on the transfer list immediately.

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

But basses and guitars...

I've come a cropper where I've tried to get a cheaper bass as a reserve, to be taken to gigs for use in case of a problem with my main bass.  

Taught me not to buy reserve basses.  Buy two basses that could be my first choice

 

I was pretty much the same Steve, til I bought a Vintage Tony Butler Signature Precision as a backup to my US Standard Precision, at that point I realised I’d struck lucky and the eternal search for a cheapie was over.