2026 Gear Abstinence Thread

[neepheid]

4 hours 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?

 

It's an interesting one, isn't it?  My meanie side instantly thought "fail on all tiers".  It's not a repair (as in it's not faulty just because it has frets when you don't want it to have them), it's a modification.  It would only be OK if you simply yanked the frets out, but I presume the holes where the frets used to be will be filled with something?  That's where it breaks down - those line markers weren't there before.

 

But then I thought on the other hand, you are preventing the purchasing of a fretless bass (or neck) by modifying an existing bass, and strips of wood aren't in the signal chain.

 

I guess my question would be - do you need a fretless for a project or band, or are you just bored?  Intent is important.

[Richard R]

I would say It's a modification not a repair, same as swapping the pickups to get a different sound. The aim of the challenge it to play what you already have, so definitely a T1 fail. Buying a bass for a new project would be too.

 

But the challenge is only to make you stop and think, it's not a religion 🙃

 

[Chadu25]

Count me in for tier 1! I’ll try my best to focus on 1 bass, just play, make music and not think too much about gear and see how far I’ll go. 🤞

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Chadu25

[ezbass]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

I guess my question would be - do you need a fretless for a project or band, or are you just bored?  Intent is important.

No, I don’t need it, but would possibly be doing it to avoid a very attractive fretless P that Bass Direct have.

 

2 hours ago, Richard R said:

I would say It's a modification not a repair, same as swapping the pickups to get a different sound. The aim of the challenge it to play what you already have, so definitely a T1 fail. Buying a bass for a new project would be too.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Chadu25 said:

Count me in for tier 1!

I would concur too, but I thought I’d check.

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, ezbass said:

No, I don’t need it, but would possibly be doing it to avoid a very attractive fretless P that Bass Direct have.

 

 

Well, try willpower first, then try fear of ridicule.  That's my backup coping strategy

 

 

[ezbass]

2 minutes ago, neepheid said:

then try fear of ridicule.

Well over 2 years without a bass purchase, I’d survive  

[Si600]

I'll give it a go for a clean sweep this year. Bear in mind I forget this challenge even exists and buy something I shouldn't.

 

 

Though I am considering an acoustic bass as there may be a genuine need for it this year.

[SimonK]

I suspect I'm a tier 2 fail as of ordering a Swiff IEM last night.

[Stub Mandrel]

Would ear protection count as a fail?

 

Seems a bit shortsighted if we disincentivise safety.

[neepheid]

15 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Would ear protection count as a fail?

 

Seems a bit shortsighted if we disincentivise safety.

 

IEMs are not (solely) ear protection.  Ear plugs are ear protection - and definitely allowed.  The choice to go IEMs is the equivalent to the choice to go wireless, as far as I'm concerned.

[SimonK]

9 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

IEMs are not (solely) ear protection.  Ear plugs are ear protection - and definitely allowed.  The choice to go IEMs is the equivalent to the choice to go wireless, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Yes I have to admit that we've been talking about going IEMs for a while now, just did a firmware update on the desk so we can set monitor levels on our phones, so buying an IEM probably does count as the next step forward albeit not directly bass gear as I will also use it for drums & guitar - hence I figured tier 2!

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, SimonK said:

 

Yes I have to admit that we've been talking about going IEMs for a while now, just did a firmware update on the desk so we can set monitor levels on our phones, so buying an IEM probably does count as the next step forward albeit not directly bass gear as I will also use it for drums & guitar - hence I figured tier 2!

 

Tier 2 sounds about right - it's gear, but it's not specifically *bass* gear.

[BassAgent]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

IEMs are not (solely) ear protection.  Ear plugs are ear protection - and definitely allowed.  The choice to go IEMs is the equivalent to the choice to go wireless, as far as I'm concerned.

Hmmm have to disagree there. I'm in bands where going IEM is not a choice. I also do substitute gigs with bands where going IEM is not a choice. These days you have to have IEMs if you do cover band shows. It's a professional necessity.

[Maude]

8 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

These days you have to have IEMs if you do cover band shows. It's a professional necessity.

 

So is a bass guitar 🫣

[BassAgent]

And I would also argue that if you do not own a bass guitar now, buying one because you have a gig and can't play without a bass, it wouldn't count as a fail  

[Mrbigstuff]

40 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

And I would also argue that if you do not own a bass guitar now, buying one because you have a gig and can't play without a bass, it wouldn't count as a fail  

I would question why you’d have signed up for the challenge in the first place!

[BassAgent]

Excellent question.

[Richard R]

Guys and Gals - it's a bit of fun!

New IEMs are part of PA, so T2 fail under the rules which are quite clear.

 

But so what?

 

If you're pro or semi-pro then buy what you need to do the job to the standard required, but accept that the challenge is as written and not really aimed at you. It's at those of us <ahem> who like buying stuff because it's interesting/fun/cool/collectable or whatever but we don't need it and really should be practicing instead.

@SimonK If your church has just gone IEM and you need to buy a Behringer P1 then it’s still a fail, but nobody here will excomunicate you.

 

[ezbass]

30 minutes ago, Richard R said:

It's at those of us <ahem> who like buying stuff because it's interesting/fun/cool/collectable…

… and hopeless GAS/new gear addiction.

[Geek99]

19 hours ago, Si600 said:

I'll give it a go for a clean sweep this year. Bear in mind I forget this challenge even exists and buy something I shouldn't.

 

 

Though I am considering an acoustic bass as there may be a genuine need for it this year.

There is a sire acoustic for sale in marketplace 

[TimR]

IEMs are an upgrade from normal ear plugs...

[SimonK]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

Guys and Gals - it's a bit of fun!

New IEMs are part of PA, so T2 fail under the rules which are quite clear.

 

But so what?

 

If you're pro or semi-pro then buy what you need to do the job to the standard required, but accept that the challenge is as written and not really aimed at you. It's at those of us <ahem> who like buying stuff because it's interesting/fun/cool/collectable or whatever but we don't need it and really should be practicing instead.

@SimonK If your church has just gone IEM and you need to buy a Behringer P1 then it’s still a fail, but nobody here will excomunicate you.

 

 

Actually I couldn't cope with being tethered to the snake so have bought these: https://www.thomann.co.uk/swiff_audio_wx520_monitor_wireless_system.htm I suppose saying I'm also going to use them when exercising on my indoor trainer is also clutching at straws (consumer bluetooth head phones are for pussys)!

 

Mind you not as bad as last year's glorious T1 fail thanks to a Trace Elliot Stack plus Warwick five string 😎. I have to admit that failing is way more fun than the staying in!