Do we chase gear too much ?

[Marcus]

Hi Guys,

I've been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting of late and i've been forced to conclude that over the last 5 years the buying (and selling) of instruments has taken priority over the music, i've not progressed much as a player in this time but i've owned lots of nice basses..... !

So what's my hobby ?

Playing Bass or Collecting pieces of wood (sometimes graphite) ?

as of today....... Basses are (to me) what they essentially are : "Instruments"...... to make music with

how do others feel about this ?

Am I the only one who's been affected in this way ?

I feel like saying "I'm Mark and i'm a Bassoholic"

I need to get clean !!

Mark
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[Mike]

[quote name='Marcus' post='50112' date='Aug 24 2007, 01:18 PM']Do we chase gear too much ?[/quote]


Gear? Where? Where did it go?

[Wil]

Well, I must say, I have a tendancy to lust after basses even when I'm going through periods of not playing much. They have a certain mystical quality that makes me want to own them! Like collecting antiques I suppose.

Once I get my hands on the bass I'm after there's always a honeymoon period and then my affections will move onto something else. I'm pretty much expectant now that whenever I buy a bass, no matter what it is, I will eventually become a bit bored with it and want to get something else, but that keeps things interesting I guess!

[The Funk]

I think we all spend a lot of time discussing gear. It's too much if it's detrimental to your playing. Simple as that. The point of it is to improve your playing/sound.

[Mikey D]

I've owned 5 basses and 3 amps in the past 12 years. GAS only comes on with requirements with me. Amp dies? buy a new one. Need an amp with two inputs, sell then buy. Happy with my phil jones rig.

4 string to start on, GAS to be patitucci get TRB6 (I was about 16/17). People don't always like you turning up with 6er so get a 4. Want to add fretless to my sound, sell 4. Don't use low B, so now want five with high C.

I'm a player first and foremost, thus requirements always come first and really at the end of the day if it is playable I don't give a rats ass what it is, as I like to think i sound like me on no matter what I play. However saying that, I do like to ogle sexy bits of bass gear and I do waste a bit of practice time doing so.

[Mickeyboro]

Since buying my Trace combo from a fellow BWer I couldn't be happier amp-wise. I never use effects.

But as far as basses go, I seem to have to go through the card! In the past year I've had CIJ Precision '51, Warwick Streamer 5, MM Sub, Epiphone Thunderbird and Archer Kasim Sulton signature.

Would never sell my '73 Precision though. It's the one I always come back to. Like the wife

[EdwardHimself]

why not ask ped?

haha well i know for a fact i spend a lot more time looking at more musical instruments to buy (not just basses tho to be fair) then actually playing the damn things!

[lowhand_mike]

i've now come to the conclusion of 'if i havent got the money to buy one don't bother looking, don't get me wrong i like to ooogle gear but it's best if i don't then i don't get the hump

[cetera]

[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='50175' date='Aug 24 2007, 02:44 PM']But as far as basses go, I seem to have to go through the card! In the past year I've had CIJ Precision '51, Warwick Streamer 5, MM Sub, Epiphone Thunderbird and Archer Kasim Sulton signature.[/quote]

Mick, what was the Archer bass like? From pics I've seen it looks pretty nice....

[3V17C]

Guilty as charged your honour!

This week i have been mostly looking at jazz basses...before realising that i have actually already got one that i rarely play!

I spend far too much time looking about on the internet etc for cool basses etc - whatever is taking my fancy that particular day. Thing is though - a new bass doesn't make you a better player - it might inspire you to pick up a bit more frequently when you first get it and i guess if its a 'better' bass it might make some things easier to get to grips with but they don't come with extra talent pre installed.

Having said all that I will be putting some bits up on here for sale over the weekend to fund something new! aaargh the circle never ends!

peace

c

[Guest subaudio]

I have started to notice a pattern with my GAS, whenever I absolutley must obtain a six string at all costs it's usually when I'm not playing enough, hopefully I have made note of this and next time just post an add for a new band rather than one selling all my worldy goods in order to buy the 6, they are nice though..........then I will only need ........

I am hopefully going to be aquiring another Lacky 5 but that is a back up, alternate tones bass so Justified.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='3V17C' post='50217' date='Aug 24 2007, 04:03 PM']Guilty as charged your honour![/quote]
Me also... ...but you all knew that anyway. Can't make any excuses for it either. I'm just not a one bass person while I'm playing covers. At my rate, I'm racking up enough gear for an entire teen band except for the Roland TD drum kit... ...give it time though, I am a former drummer.

I do play all the stuff I have, just not very well

[Aussiephoenix]

[quote name='Wil' post='50124' date='Aug 24 2007, 01:28 PM']Well, I must say, I have a tendancy to lust after basses even when I'm going through periods of not playing much. They have a certain mystical quality that makes me want to own them! Like collecting antiques I suppose.

Once I get my hands on the bass I'm after there's always a honeymoon period and then my affections will move onto something else. I'm pretty much expectant now that whenever I buy a bass, no matter what it is, I will eventually become a bit bored with it and want to get something else, but that keeps things interesting I guess![/quote]

Man, this makes so much sense to me its scary...


I remember a time, where a bass was a bass to me... then as I started exploring new instruments and realised that bass was crap, I started lusting for [b]A[/b] better bass...

After I got that, I got curious about WHY that bass was better and started reading up on what makes a decent bass, started exploring new brands, more boutique like brands, etc, and that was it...

for a while, everytime GAS hit, I'd sell off one to buy another, always keeping just the one instrument... its funny how your financial limit seems to increase with every purchase, and suddenly 2000€ isnt really the absurd ammount it seemed a few months ago.

right now, I have 3 basses and I'm building another... these basses fulfill me, but, there's always GAS...
when its not basses, its amps and cabs, when its not that, its pedals, etc... but the worse by far is the basses...

thankfully, my girlfriend understands, and doesnt bother me too much about it... (she would if I bought a sadowsky or a Drozd though, haha.)

Still, sometimes I'm ashamed at my lust for gear instead of focusing on my technique...

[NickThomas]

I've never turned down a gig to stay at home and scour ebay and for sale sections.... therefore , no I don't chase gear too much

[Wil]

My girlfriend rides horses and gets GAS for saddles, even when she has a few anyway. Its human nature I think.

[skywalker]

Two basses, one amp. Plug in and play.

Easy

No GAS, (weeeeeeellllllll not much at the moment)

[metalmaniac]

Personally, id say if you wanna buy more basses than you actually play em.. go for it. I think that instruments (especially custom basses) are things of beauty in thier own respect.
Its like collecting art to me.

I've never heard a collector say.. well im buying more Art than I paint.. maybe I should stop buying art.

Lol thats just my opinion though.. it is a shame if a bass isnt played after all.

[leonshelley01]

Unfortunately, a lack of cash has halted my GAS problem. On the other hand, it means I take far more time reading specs, reviews and trying stuff before I buy now. I used to lose money hand over fist trading guitars. When I upgrade from the GSR200 I'm using currently, I know exactly what I'm going to get: Fender MIM Jazz (or maybe an Ibanez SR500!).

[Johngh]

I've always fought GAS very well until recently when I got massive GAS for a Shuker after playing Doods "Doodle" thats when I ordered my soon to be delivered Headless 6 off Jon.
Then I sold my Status Eclipse that I had for 6 years and bought a Stingray, had all of 3 days when a beautiful Sei 6 came up on the forum, so the Rays gone and I'm now driving myself mad having to wait for the Shuker to be finished and the Sei to be available for collection in 3 weeks when the seller will let it go.
One I have the Shuker and the Sei to go with my Status S2 classic 5er, I'm determined thats it ! I've driven about 500 miles in the last 3 weeks delivering and picking up Basses, and I've had enough. The Sei has always been a dream Bass so that will never go I think

[Alpha-Dave]

I think I'm now at the stage where my gear is more than my talent, but as with all things, that makes me try harder to become better.

I've agreed with my girlfriend that the bass I'm currently having made will be the last one I buy for 5 years, so that should keep my gas down.

I've always preferred investing in wood and strings though as electronics loose their value very quickly (there are a few exceptions, but lets skip over that).

[paul, the]

I get TAS = Tone Acquisition Syndrome.

I've never bought an instrument just because I've liked the look of it or the idea of it. I lust for a nice tone and will happily buy a bass if it looks rubbish but sounds great.

If my taste in tone was eclectic (which it isn't) then I would just stick to one all rounder bass in passive or active according to preference like a Jazz or Stingray for example.

Amp/cab wise I have no emotional connection with them. Unless they've a tuck'n'roll Kustom, shiny Ampeg or an 18" speaker with a silver dust-cap. Besides that, I know an Epifani NYC 212 cab is going to sound lovely, but realistically, it's unfordable. As is a big TE valve head or pre.

[Cygnus x-1]

I know where your coming from, my missus has loads of hand bags (how many do you need?) yet when I look at a bass she say's you've got enough! (I only have 4)
A couple of nights ago I had a dream in which I found a black/white plate Rickenbacker for a stupid insane low price at a car boot sale, all I had to do was to get the few pounds it cost out of my pocket and it was mine! Guess what my pockets were sewn up, the cash was inside but I couldn't get to it!!!!!!!!!! I was getting madder and madder but I still couldn't get to the money. while this was happening someone else bought it, SH*T!!!! as the seller passed it to the buyer it turned into a Geddy Lee sig. Jazz.
I'm not obsessed with 'the master' Geddy, but I may be obsessed with bass!!!

[Mickeyboro]

Cetera

The Archer has only been in my possession a few weeks but it seems a goodie. Bought it on Kasim Sulton's rep cos I'd never heard of Archer (and I still don't know where it was made) but it is a very playable active P/J with P shape neck which looks good too.

I may do a review of it as it's not on Harmony Central or anything. Only downside is a black neck with small white position dots. You don't realise how much you rely on the visual until the spot on your side of the stage falls off in mid song!

Oh, and the rest of the band liked it (which is a first!)

[WalMan]

I've been lucky having upgraded amps slowly but surely over the years, but having used the same bass for the last 20+ years - mind I lucked out with my baby and it was uprated to actives 11 years ago (seems like yesterday, doesn't time fly) so it's not [i]quite [/i]the same bass for all those years!

[Shaggy]

Well, unless you're at least slightly gear-obsessed then you're unlikely to be on this forum. I find basses deeply sexy objects (OK so I have a problem, but at least I know it. Doesn't everyone sleep with their basses?)
I read a review by a guy who said the fave bass he alays came back to was like making music with an old friend, who guided and even taught him how to play better - I guess we're all looking for that "holy grail" bass.
Let's face it, if we all took the sensible attitude to driving we'd all be in Toyota hybrids. Hmmm.....characterless hatchback or my '73 Norton Commando? No-brainer - it's an entirely diferent plane of skill and experience.