2026 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

Do it! 

 

41 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Fill your boots ears

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

[bass_dinger]

22 hours ago, Si600 said:

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

2 hours ago, Geek99 said:

There is a sire acoustic for sale in marketplace 

 

As is my very own Boulder Creek 5 string acoustic bass, 34" scale length....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bass_dinger]

3 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

 

Pick the colour that looks most like earwax, and horrify the audience.

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by bass_dinger

[Stub Mandrel]

7 minutes ago, bass_dinger said:

 

Pick the colour that looks most like earwax, and horrify the audience.

 

 

 

You've seen the colour of my earwax!

[ezbass]

53 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

[Mrbigstuff]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

Genuine and common sense tip. You want something that can be easily found on a dark stage floor/ back room. For something so expensive, they’re easily lost. 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

 

How many dB attenuation can I get with one Jelly Belly?

 

Will two Jelly Beans double the attenuation? 

[ezbass]

8 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

How many dB attenuation can I get with one Jelly Belly?

 

Will two Jelly Beans double the attenuation? 

One jB per bean, but they work on the same principle as dBs, so you’d need 3 for double attenuation  

[Richard R]

31 minutes ago, ezbass said:

One jB per bean, but they work on the same principle as dBs, so you’d need 3 for double attenuation  

 

Use three in your ear and, no matter what chords you start with, you will end up in A&E!

 

[ezbass]

20 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

Use three in your ear and, no matter what chords you start with, you will end up in A&E!

 

👏👏👏

[ezbass]

10 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Genuine and common sense tip. You want something that can be easily found on a dark stage floor/ back room. For something so expensive, they’re easily lost. 

^^^^This, therefore, go white, silver or yellow. 

[neepheid]

Earwax colour?  Never need to clean them if you can't see the wax...

 

OK, that was gross, sorry.

 

Hearing aid beige would be quite ironic and meta...

 

OK, I'm done.

[Richard R]

9 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Hearing aid beige would be quite ironic and Meta...

 

Keep ruddy Zuckerberg out of it!

 

[Stub Mandrel]

10 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Genuine and common sense tip. You want something that can be easily found on a dark stage floor/ back room. For something so expensive, they’re easily lost. 

 

That is eminently sensible... I went with plain transparent as I don't want to draw attention to them, which I may regret.

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

That is eminently sensible... I went with plain transparent as I don't want to draw attention to them, which I may regret.

To be fair, the transparent ones do have a silvery aspect to them, when not being worn, you should be fine.

 

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Hearing aid beige would be quite ironic

I had no colour choice with my Elacins and, whilst not NHS beige, they do lean in that direction.

[TrevorR]

14 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

I like my  blue UE11s… it’s a case of do you want to go discreet —> clear or choose a colour you like. I’m blue for my in-ears and clear for my general ear plugs (as they might get used in civilian life as well as playing).

 

[Lozz196]

14 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

 

12 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Genuine and common sense tip. You want something that can be easily found on a dark stage floor/ back room. For something so expensive, they’re easily lost. 

I went for the orange ones because of this.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, TrevorR said:

I like my  blue UE11s… it’s a case of do you want to go discreet —> clear or choose a colour you like. I’m blue for my in-ears and clear for my general ear plugs (as they might get used in civilian life as well as playing).

 

 

 

Mine will be used for work from time to time as an alternative to over-ear protectors when feasible.

[BassAgent]

16 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

 

Now I have decision paralysis!

My hearing protection is white. Last week I received my new IEMs and they are purple and have my initials on them. Love it.

[neepheid]

I have a scenario to run by you all (and I'm just speculating at the moment) - I have a Yamaha SB500S with a knackered neck pickup.  I didn't break it, it arrived that way, it's second hand, it's no longer in production.  I have the broken pickup with someone just now attempting to repair it, but should that fall through what would be the collective's thoughts regarding ways forward?  You can't realistically get an exact replacement pickup for the current, broken one, but it is basically a J pickup in a bespoke Yamaha housing, because Yamaha.  If the broken pickup is unsalvageable, would I get a pass from the jury if I was to get a Tonerider or something similarly inexpensive to replace it with?  It's not like for like (other than dimensions), but I wouldn't be using this as an opportunity to procure some fancy, boutique pickup.  I just want the bass to work properly again.  I hope the OG pickup gets repaired successfully, that is deffo Plan A, just formulating a Plan B...

 

Thoughts?  No wrong answers (including "wait until next year, play your other basses")

[Stub Mandrel]

Essential repair?

[Soraa]

Count me in for Tier 1, and tentatively Tier 2. I’ve got everything I need, so the focus this year is on practicing, maintenance, and making music rather than chasing new gear. I’ll log any allowed consumables and genuine repairs, and resist the grey areas. I‘m thinking to do some records of faceless video.

[SimonK]

58 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I have a scenario to run by you all (and I'm just speculating at the moment) - I have a Yamaha SB500S with a knackered neck pickup.  I didn't break it, it arrived that way, it's second hand, it's no longer in production.  I have the broken pickup with someone just now attempting to repair it, but should that fall through what would be the collective's thoughts regarding ways forward?  You can't realistically get an exact replacement pickup for the current, broken one, but it is basically a J pickup in a bespoke Yamaha housing, because Yamaha.  If the broken pickup is unsalvageable, would I get a pass from the jury if I was to get a Tonerider or something similarly inexpensive to replace it with?  It's not like for like (other than dimensions), but I wouldn't be using this as an opportunity to procure some fancy, boutique pickup.  I just want the bass to work properly again.  I hope the OG pickup gets repaired successfully, that is deffo Plan A, just formulating a Plan B...

 

Thoughts?  No wrong answers (including "wait until next year, play your other basses")

 

My non-binding, totally unauthoritative view would be this is like for like (or as close as you can get) so would count as a repair. If, however, the new pickup has additional fancy features like making the bass groove so much that girls notice and want to snog you (isn't that why people change pickups?), then it counts as an upgrade.