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GAC 2020 - the 3 nine diet!


Al Krow
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What's this nonsense? Well it's a bit of fun for those of us who find not buying any gear for a whole year nigh on impossible BUT are keen to try to get the most out of their existing gear. 

Last year I often didn't get through 9 days without GAS rearing it's (very pleasant) head. This year I managed 9 weeks. Keen to see if I can go 9 months, so I've dreamt up this "GAC made easy".

How does it work? Well you get to buy whatever you like for the first 3 months of the year with a start date very carefully chosen to include Christmas 2019, New Year Sales and NAMM 2020. And then you quit buying and make the most of your gear for the rest of the year.

The Gear Abstinence Challenge 2020 - the 3 nine diet. Dieting starts March 25th and finishes on Dec 24th, just in time for Christmas, so fill your boots before then 😊 

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(BASS) GEAR ABSTINENCE CHALLENGE 2020 the 3 nine diet! – RULES OF THE GAME

Why? To focus on making the most of the existing gear we have rather than get distracted by the next ‘shiny new thing’.

What’s a fail? Any purchase or trade of new or used bass gear. 'Bass gear' = anything in your signal chain that you use to make or augment your bass sound /tone.

  • basses, amps, cabs, pedals, PA gear (if your bass is DI’d into this)

What’s ok? Anything to look after or organise your existing gear or wear & tear related. Any non-bass gear. 

  • strings, gig bags, leads, pedal boards, PSUs for pedal boards, repairs or identical replacement of existing kit, lessons, software related to existing kit
  • non-bass musical gear (this came under a stricter Tier 2 for the completely hair shirted last year) e.g. music software not related to existing kit, keyboards, guitars, drum machines etc.

By concession: unsolicited gifts of gear where you had no say in the matter!

When? Any purchases between 25th March 2020 to 24th Dec 2020

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Like the full hairshirt challenge and to keep this as a bit of fun, we can keep track of those who sign up and how long they last.

Bassfan (who’s failed his own full hairshirt challenge already!) had the fun idea of having a £5 singing up fee, which we only need to pay up if we succumb to GAS and will be shared between whoever is still standing at the end of the year.

So who’s up for it? @bassfan @dave_bass5 @Sibob @FinnDave you guys back in? 

1. Al Krow (OUT April - Proton pedal)

2. Finn Dave (to show the youngsters how this is not done 😁) [UPDATE - can't believe he's still in this] (OUT May - bass swap)

3. Bassfan (OUT June - a sexy Sadowsky bass)

4. Dave_Bass5

5. Ead (OUT May - Cort A5 bass)

6. PJ Bassist

7. Maude (OUT April - new set of pups)

Edited by Al Krow
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Haha - I know, I'll send you my paypal details over the weekend. So you up for it then?! Won't be the same without you around to take the p*iss out of tease on a regular basis in a manner that is very graciously received on your part! 😁

Edited by Al Krow
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24 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Haha - I know, I'll send you my paypal details over the weekend. So you up for it then?! Won't be the same without you around to take the p*iss out of tease on a regular basis in a manner that is very graciously received on your part! 😁

I am planning to continue as a part of this experiment as 'most conspicuous failure'  - and hopefully will set an example of the perils of failure to our younger members.

Edited by FinnDave
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On 11/03/2020 at 21:16, Dan Dare said:

Does abstinence include buying used stuff?

Indeed it does (i.e. both brand new or used stuff is "new" i.e. different to what you already have, gear).

On 11/03/2020 at 21:35, krispn said:

So what is it you wanna buy before this arbitrary deadline🤣🤣🤣

The three things I got yesterday - haha! Well I thought if I'm going to crash and burn, you may as well do it in style.

I've got a bit more imagination than some (well @FinnDave anyway), so at least I didn't simply go for a new bass, followed by a new bass and just to add a bit of variety, yet another new bass as my third item.

I guess he must like basses...

Edited by Al Krow
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2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I've got a bit more imagination than some (well @FinnDave anyway), so at least I didn't simply go for a new bass, followed by a new bass and just to add a bit of variety, yet another new bass as my third item.

I guess he must like basses...

Hmmm, basses….

Nothing else to buy, except the occasional pick and a few sets of strings -  plus some decent whisky to drink while I relax in the evening contemplating all those lovely new basses….

 

Edited by FinnDave
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5 minutes ago, krispn said:

Ooh what’s ya get? End of year tax dodge?

I'm sure you can probably guess at least one of them, given you told me to get it a couple of days back on a website across the pond!

I'll do a group family photo when all three of them have arrived in a few days.

Edited by Al Krow
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Just now, krispn said:

It’s a 4 string fender p bass with none of that superfluous stuff, just a good solid p bass (and a set of flats) to let the fingers do the talking? 😀

And restrung BEAD 'cos that G string is a bit pointless, right? 😁

Tell you what all 3 bits of kit have come about from starting threads on related gear. SUCH a school boy error...

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Having done the BEAD thing the G wasn’t that vital as the notes were all there a wee bit further along the D string. But I’ll admit most of the choir stuff I was playing on those gigs required more use of the lower notes so it worked really well for me in that context - transposing riffs for altered keys to almost all the original versions. 

So what goodies along with Sire PJ? 

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30 minutes ago, krispn said:

So what goodies along with Sire PJ? 

Not yet arrived yet, but hopefully all en route...

New Gear Day! (20-03).png

In my defence, if such thing exists, it all started when a mint BB2 came up in the FS used a few days back - I've been dithering on and off about getting one for a couple of years...and all three bits of kit together cost less than a visit by Mrs @FinnDave to get her nails done. Just sayin' 😊 In fact, I do believe that Sire has just taken pride of place as the most value for money bass in my herd!

Edited by Al Krow
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Just now, bassfan said:

So you’ve failed the abstinence thread and made up your own rules. 😂😂😂

I’m in, once I know what “hairshirt” is. 😃

It's the sort of garment someone with a fancy Audi estate drives when he is looking to pull.

Welcome to abstinence made easy!

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4 minutes ago, krispn said:

So what’s inspired this rig change? I know you have some very giggable cabs already!  I’m guessing the stomp is sold as it has a heap of ampeg stuff available on it 

More evolution than revolution.

BF SC --> BB2, bigger low end and f response not topping out at 4kHz, whilst still being very portable. Gonna hopefully be noticeably better for you know what...

Yammy BB1025 --> Sire P7 v2 will hopefully deliver something close to that iconic Fender P tone. And, besides, what other bass gives you a variable mid EQ in it's price range? Managed to get Andertons to do me a good deal including the very decent Sire gig bag all in for < £500.

Tech 21 VTDI 'cos @dannybuoy & @dave_bass5 have both been raving about it as their fav Tech 21 pedal (together with a zillion TB'ers) , so I thought I should give it a spin, particularly as Hot Rox are selling them new for not much more than a vgc used one.

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If it excludes strings and leads, I could do nine years.

I’m totally happy with my MarkBass amplification and my MM Stingray, had them for years, nothing barring them falling apart would warrant me replacing them.

If it’s anything relating to my motorcycle, then that’s another matter.

 

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16 hours ago, bassfan said:

So you’ve failed the abstinence thread and made up your own rules. 😂😂😂

I’m in, once I know what “hairshirt” is. 😃

I think he did with the first thread lol.

Ok, im in. Took delivery of a bass today, and brought an amp in Jan so thats me all sorted............😂

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