2025 Gear Abstinence Thread

[neepheid]

Next year's thread appearing soon...

[tauzero]

44 minutes ago, Maude said:

It's now December 31st. I might order a bass in a minute, as a year without buying anything music related just doesn't feel right. My left eye keeps twitching and I've developed stammer. 😁

 

You know you want a Dean 10-string...

[ezbass]

I made another year sans nouveau basses (I don’t know why I’ve gone all French). I hope to not repeat the performance for 2026.

[Twigman]

I failed on December 30th

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Next year's thread appearing soon...

 

AliExpress's new year sale starts at 11pm, so that's an hour to get a Chinese mystery bass before the 2026 thread starts.

[chris_b]

Nothing for 2 years.

 

Next year might be different.

[Richard R]

1 hour ago, Twigman said:

I failed on December 30th

Do tell. 

I shall update the scoreboard later, folks.

[TeresaFR]

I have made it to the end and I'm not even tempted. No, I've not looked at Anderton's sale just yet, but the next six hours can easily be held off for.

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, Maude said:

It's now December 31st. I might order a bass in a minute, as a year without buying anything music related just doesn't feel right. My left eye keeps twitching and I've developed stammer. 😁

He’s not done well as PM…couldn’t you have developed him a bit more? 

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

Next year's thread appearing soon...

It has already shimmered into existence like some kind of not-very-good mirage 

[neepheid]

Just now, Geek99 said:

It has already shimmered into existence like some kind of not-very-good mirage 

 

Special effects budget has been slashed this year, sorry

 

[Richard R]

OK Everyone, I'm going to call it!

The winners are:
@barkin

@prowla

 @paul_5

@NJE

@jimmyb625

@Jono Bolton

@Downunderwonder

@Maude

@TimR

 

The first out awards go to  @SumOne and @Quatschmacher, both out on 5th Jan.

There are too many interesting purchases to award a winner for that so I won't.

Special sneaky award to @Mrbigstuff, who changed his name half way through in order to confuse me. It worked!

 

Over to here now:

 

 

  

[Quatschmacher]

Just now, Richard R said:

OK Everyone, I'm going to call it!

The winners are:
@barkin

@prowla

 @paul_5

@NJE

@jimmyb625

@Jono Bolton

@Downunderwonder

@Maude

@TimR

 

The first out awards go to  @SumOne and @Quatschmacher, both out on 5th Jan.

There are too many interesting purchases to award a winner for that so I won't.

Special sneaky award to @Mrbigstuff, who changed his name half way through in order to confuse me. It worked!

 

Over to here now:

 

 

  

Ooh, I might actually last a bit longer this year given I’m now unemployed. 

[Downunderwonder]

Sorry, missed by a few days this year.

[Stub Mandrel]

4 hours ago, ezbass said:

I made another year sans nouveau basses (I don’t know why I’ve gone all French). I hope to not repeat the performance for 2026.

 

Prevert!

[Franticsmurf]

4 hours ago, Richard R said:

Do tell. 

I shall update the scoreboard later, folks.

Thank you for running it this year. 

[bass_dinger]

I went out in a blaze of glory on 31st December 2025.

 

A 13-note midi pedal board, won on eBay at 4:40pm and a Roland FP-30X  piano ordered online at 9:20pm.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2025 by bass_dinger

[Mrbigstuff]

3 hours ago, Quatschmacher said:

Ooh, I might actually last a bit longer this year given I’m now unemployed. 

Not good but there are jobs out there. I went application crazy everyday for over a month but managed to secure a role just before Xmas that I start in a couple of weeks. Recruiters that I spoke to said January is their busiest time for year

[Quatschmacher]

20 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Not good but there are jobs out there. I went application crazy everyday for over a month but managed to secure a role just before Xmas that I start in a couple of weeks. Recruiters that I spoke to said January is their busiest time for year

I was in my last job for almost 14 years but left due to difficulties at home with my mentally unwell son. These have improved a bit but not sure they’ve improved enough for me to be able to get into a day job on time every day. Haven’t written a CV in ten years either. 

[TimR]

3 hours ago, Quatschmacher said:

I was in my last job for almost 14 years but left due to difficulties at home with my mentally unwell son. These have improved a bit but not sure they’ve improved enough for me to be able to get into a day job on time every day. Haven’t written a CV in ten years either. 

I hope 2026 brings some improvement. 

 

I don't know how old your son is but hope he can get the help he needs. 

[TimR]

I've been itching to buy a new bass all year but may get down halfords next week and buy some emery paper for the frets.  

 

Although I'm really not impressed with the replacement Active preamp I bought. Sometimes you have to call it a day...

[Quatschmacher]

4 minutes ago, TimR said:

I hope 2026 brings some improvement. 

 

I don't know how old your son is but hope he can get the help he needs. 

Thanks. He’s 18 now and ASD. Unfortunately he was on waiting lists for adolescent mental health care and was (eventually) being helped by adolescent social services. However, he got ditched the moment he turned 18, so we had to go through the processes all over again for adult care. He’s definitely doing much better than this time last year, but it’s a constant struggle and has really taken it out of me. 

[Chienmortbb]

12 hours ago, Quatschmacher said:

Haven’t written a CV in ten years either. 

When I was involved in recruiting, I hated reading CVs. They are great if you want to judge someone’s creative writing skills but other than that, marginally better than a day old copy of the Sun when the Andrew runs out. 
 

A well structured application form made it much easier to compare candidates. I hope that you all get the interviews and jobs you want in 2026. 

[Chienmortbb]

Well 2025 was an epic failure as far as gear abstinence goes, partly fuelled by GAS and partly by medical necessity. I had and abdominal operation and was not allowed to lift more than 2.5Kg ( about 5.6lbs for Luddite’s and Americans). Then at the end of my convalescence, I buggered (medical term) my shoulder, hence the U Basses. 
 

As the shoulder improved a bit I went Short Scale. 
 

Basses, 

Fender Fullerton U Bass, later PX’d for

Kala Solid Body U Bass

Hartwood Delta 30” Bass. 
 

Total outlay £350 but eared £300 at gigs I could not have done with a 34”. 
 

Amps/Speakers

 

Wharfedale Pro  Typhon 8AXF x 2

Citronics Casa 10” Subs x 2

Two 1.2m poles

 

Total outlay about £1200. 
 

Sold Mesa Subway £450.
 

So the basses do not count, as they were a medical necessity and the speakers were for the band so cannot be counted. 
 

Based on my twisted logic, I made a £150 profit on bass gear this year, no scratch that, £25. I forgot the cost of the Fullerton. 
 

All in all my bass related expenditure was a small profit. Now I just have to figure out why my savings too a big hit🤔