2026 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Mrbigstuff]

3 hours ago, SimonK said:

I would say band purchases count as a fail - I have periodically taken great delight in buying pieces of PA, microphones, and even stage lights for band usage, and my wife (who is the ultimate authority) has counted all of these as GAS related!

Well if there’s precedent…..

[Mrbigstuff]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

Deffo out. Glad I didn’t enter and embarrass myself again 😆

I want to say how embarrassing it is for you to admit purchase of a 6 string guitar on a bass site, but I have Gibson SG GAS 😂

[msb]

10 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

Umm, look where I live.  There's the internet, couriers and road trips.  That's a dangerous false sense of security you've got there.  My top tip - stay the flock out of of Facebook Marketplace.  That has been the source of many a "damn, that's a good price, and it's only 3-5 hours away..." shenanigans for me.

I’ve managed to stop buying stuff simply because it was a great deal. Now I tend to msg a friend that might appreciate the deal. I’ve been called the expensive friend.

[Shockwave]

I managed multiple tier 2 infringments last year. But managed to stay the course for tier 1 completion. 

 

I fully expect to break tier 2 again. But tier 1 is a possibility NAMM depending....

 

Signing up. 

[Quatschmacher]

7 hours ago, msb said:

I’ve managed to stop buying stuff simply because it was a great deal. Now I tend to msg a friend that might appreciate the deal. I’ve been called the expensive friend.

This is me too.

 

 

[ezbass]

8 hours ago, msb said:

I’ve managed to stop buying stuff simply because it was a great deal. Now I tend to msg a friend that might appreciate the deal. I’ve been called the expensive friend.

I have been described by friends as a bad man in this respect too. Living vicariously through other folks’ purchases is a legitimate way to avoid personally acting on GAS I find.

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

I have been described by friends as a bad man in this respect too. Living vicariously through other folks’ purchases is a legitimate way to avoid personally acting on GAS I find.

 

Does that mean you're in an' a'?  Or are you just staying in the public gallery?

[AndyTravis]

[ezbass]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

Does that mean you're in an' a'?  Or are you just staying in the public gallery?

Oh, go on, add me in and I’ll actually try to fail, which probably means I’ll have another gear-less year.  

[MacDaddy]

I'm thinking of a new EUB build. It will be a custom job and will probably take longer than a year.

If I order it and don't receive it until next year, am I still in?

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

I'm thinking of a new EUB build. It will be a custom job and will probably take longer than a year.

If I order it and don't receive it until next year, am I still in?

 

No, not this year.  You will be out this year, but be OK for next year.  It goes by date of order, not date of delivery.  I appreciate that you probably won't physically acquire anything this year out of the transaction, but it has to be that way round to allow people to complete the previous year's orders and still be in.

Edited January 2 by neepheid

[MacDaddy]

10 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

No, not this year.  You will be out this year, but be OK for next year.  It goes by date of order, not date of delivery.  I appreciate that you probably won't physically acquire anything this year out of the transaction, but it has to be that way round to allow people to complete the previous year's orders and still be in.

 

But I've been thinking about ordering it since last year...

[neepheid]

9 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

But I've been thinking about ordering it since last year...

 

You snooze, you lose?

[bass_dinger]

20 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

No, not this year.  You will be out this year, but be OK for next year.  It goes by date of order, not date of delivery.  I appreciate that you probably won't physically acquire anything this year out of the transaction, but it has to be that way round to allow people to complete the previous year's orders and still be in.

 

Yes, this is probably the best way to do it, and consistent with precedent.  I bought a bass guitar in bits, with a damaged neck in 2022; paid to have a new neck made in 2023; and paid to have the bass rebuilt in January 2024.  The latter two actions were repairs (and allowed), so I was only out once, for the initial purchase in 2022 (rather than out on the day when the bass was completed and playable).

 

  

[jeffjohnson]

Too late

[Stub Mandrel]

Ok. I'm in.

 

Stop sniggering at the back! I only failed on two basses, an amp and bucketload of other gear last year.

[chris_b]

Just picked up 2 Barefaced One10's. Oh well, there's always 2027!!

[Richard R]

@chris_b - you could pledge now and try to be good for the rest of the year.

😉

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

This magnificent instrument arrived on Tuesday. But I'm still in the challenge as I ordered it on the 29th December so it isn't a 2026 purchase!

The red suede strap I ordered at the beginning of the year to go with it is also permitted in the rules of the challenge.

 

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop Firebird in Gibson Garage/ Gibson.com exclusive cherry transparent finish.

 

 

 

It does mean though that this (almost as magnificent) instrument will be on its way out once I find a buyer.

 

 

[neepheid]

51 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

This magnificent instrument arrived on Tuesday. But I'm still in the challenge as I ordered it on the 29th December so it isn't a 2026 purchase!

The red suede strap I ordered at the beginning of the year to go with it is also permitted in the rules of the challenge.

 

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop Firebird in Gibson Garage/ Gibson.com exclusive cherry transparent finish.

 

 

 

It does mean though that this (almost as magnificent) instrument will be on its way out once I find a buyer.

 

 

 

Worth it for the straighter string path past the nut alone... seriously though, it's spiffy looking.

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

This magnificent instrument arrived on Tuesday. But I'm still in the challenge as I ordered it on the 29th December so it isn't a 2026 purchase!

The red suede strap I ordered at the beginning of the year to go with it is also permitted in the rules of the challenge.

 

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop Firebird in Gibson Garage/ Gibson.com exclusive cherry transparent finish.

 

 

 

It does mean though that this (almost as magnificent) instrument will be on its way out once I find a buyer.

 

 

Sexiest looking guitar on the planet IMO. I can’t play them, however. The ergonomics are all wrong for me (that’s my excuse anyway ).

[ezbass]

Oh, great and wise denizens of the Abstinence Thread, what is your thinking about having a bass defretted, in terms of category 1/2 failure?

[tauzero]

3 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Oh, great and wise denizens of the Abstinence Thread, what is your thinking about having a bass defretted, in terms of category 1/2 failure?

 

Too major a modification to be classed as maintenance/setup, unless over 50% of the frets have already fallen out without assistance.

[ezbass]

55 minutes ago, tauzero said:

unless over 50% of the frets have already fallen out without assistance.

 

I don’t know what you mean?  

[Stub Mandrel]

4 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

does mean though that this (almost as magnificent) instrument will be on its way out once I find a buyer.

 

 

Goid job it isn't a bass!

 

Saw this in a pawn shop yesterday... put of by bolt on neck and no probuckers. Thing us I have an Embassy already which does the same job...