2026 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Richard R]

3 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Only if they then burn it (or beat a guitarist to death with it, and then burn it) so no one else is ever afflicted with the agricultural object 

 

They aren't all bad. There is one particular Rickenbacker that I know of which is a truly fabulous instrument, sounds great and is an absolute joy to play.

However the owner has made it clear that she will never part with it, despite growing arthritis in both hands, due to its sentimental value. 

[neepheid]

I've only ever played one Rick, and it was... ok.  Wasn't awful, but didn't blow my hair back either.  Looked nice.  But it never sparked a desire in me to ever own one.

[Obrienp]

6 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

They aren't all bad. There is one particular Rickenbacker that I know of which is a truly fabulous instrument, sounds great and is an absolute joy to play.

 

I always fancied one of the 360 12 strings for some reason. A triumph of hope over experience. My experience with 12 strings being you spend the whole time tuning the things and very little actually playing them!

[Chienmortbb]

In my first band, Thd bassist was a complete novice but had a Rick. 4001 in black and white, it played superbly and I only got my dislike of ricks because of the twin truss rods snd aggressive trademark protection. Still my first experience was good. 

[Suburban Man]

Well, I’ve just bought a rack bag, so I guess a tier 2 fail although it is for the PA amp, not bass gear. 

What’s the verdict? 

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, Obrienp said:

Well, I’ll join under the existing rules then.
 

My ambition is to get down to 5 basses, which requires selling off 3. I sold a couple last year, so I feel I am on a roll. Also sold a BF cab and an amp. Loads more stuff to go to get down to what I actually use. 🥴

This is basschat … 🥴

[Richard R]

2 minutes ago, Suburban Man said:

Well, I’ve just bought a rack bag, so I guess a tier 2 fail although it is for the PA amp, not bass gear. 

What’s the verdict? 

 

We allow straps, so a bag should be OK I would have thought? 

[paul_5]

Hot off the back of last year’s triumph I have had a tier 1 failure this year, as I bought a Chocolate MIDI controller pedal in the first week of 2026. Ah well, there’s always next year!

[neepheid]

25 minutes ago, Suburban Man said:

Well, I’ve just bought a rack bag, so I guess a tier 2 fail although it is for the PA amp, not bass gear. 

What’s the verdict? 

 

Not in the signal chain, an accessory.  I don't think it counts.

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, paul_5 said:

Hot off the back of last year’s triumph I have had a tier 1 failure this year, as I bought a Chocolate MIDI controller pedal in the first week of 2026. Ah well, there’s always next year!

 

Well, someone's gotta be first.  Congratulations!

[paul_5]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Not in the signal chain, an accessory.  I don't think it counts.

Hmm, neither is a MIDI controller *technically*, can I get a steward’s enquiry on this?

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, paul_5 said:

Hmm, neither is a MIDI controller *technically*, can I get a steward’s enquiry on this?

 

Well, you're the one who declared yourself out, I'm just going by what you said.  I don't even know what one of those is, except what the words mean.  Can you give us some detail about what it is and what it is used for?

[Mrbigstuff]

29 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Hmm, neither is a MIDI controller *technically*, can I get a steward’s enquiry on this?

I would like the technical explanation. Under 5000 words though please 😉

[paul_5]

38 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

I would like the technical explanation. Under 5000 words though please 😉

It controls patches on my Line6 M5 multi effects, although it can do lots of other stuff too.

Basically it controls things that are in the signal path.

 

 

[Suburban Man]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

Not in the signal chain, an accessory.  I don't think it counts.

Definitely not even a peripheral part of the signal chain 😁

Failure averted 🙏

[Maude]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Well, someone's gotta be first.  Congratulations!

 

On 14/01/2026 at 21:38, Maude said:

Receiving email showing a new bass. ✔️

 

Remembering there's no council tax or water rates to pay for the next two months. ✔️

 

Being asked by my family what I want for my birthday at end of February. ✔️

 

Being cyber-spied eying up said bass and being offered 10%discount to tempt me. ✔️

 

Realising that all the above put together makes this practically a free bass. ✔️

 

Is that a trigger I hear being pulled? ✔️

 

 

 

 

Not that being first is a win in this thread, but my post above is a confession.

Money has changed hands. A bass is travelling across the sea. 

[Mrbigstuff]

40 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

It controls patches on my Line6 M5 multi effects, although it can do lots of other stuff too.

Basically it controls things that are in the signal path.

 

 

I guess I use mine as an instrument/ keyboard and I see it as an interface in a signal loop in the middle of whatever software holds the sounds.

[neepheid]

14 hours ago, paul_5 said:

It controls patches on my Line6 M5 multi effects, although it can do lots of other stuff too.

Basically it controls things that are in the signal path.

 

 

 

Well, I'm going to be a meanie and call shenanigans on this one.  Was it necessary to make the MultiFX work?  Presumably the MultiFX worked fine before, it was just a bit fiddlier to select stuff?  You could argue that it's not specifically bass gear, but it's being used to control bass gear and you could argue that a Line6 M5 is not specifically bass gear and then where would we be?  It's a T2 fail at the very minimum, and that's if I'm being charitable.  It's creeping into T1 territory because of the use case.  I would also argue that something which manipulates the signal chain IS in the signal chain.  It's not a strap, is it?

 

Seems like an indulgence to me, but maybe I haven't had it explained sufficiently for my pea brain to figure it out.  Happy to hear any rebuttal of the above.

[Richard R]

Splitting hairs is part of the game.

Let's make some analogies:

A new tuner plugged into the bass pedalboard. T2 as an accessory unless a replacement for a failed unit?

 

The mechanical footswitch add-on to my  amp that can either switch between EQ in and Out, or (more usefully) mute the amp, depending on which socket it's pluggged into. Probably T2 accessory as well as it makes life easier?

 

This is a very fancy equivalent of that pedal, so probably T2 as well?

 

Either way a very cool piece of kit 👍

 

[BassAgent]

I think I am out. I just dropped my fretless TRB of at a luthier to have the fingerboard coated. Or does that count as maintenance?

[neepheid]

13 minutes ago, Richard R said:

A new tuner plugged into the bass pedalboard. T2 as an accessory unless a replacement for a failed unit?

 

This example is a T1 for me - it's going on a bass pedalboard.  It's being used with a bass.  There is a certain "spirit" to this challenge which should be upheld, and use case is an important factor otherwise we'd have everyone claiming that every pedal which is not specifically marketed as a "bass" pedal is a T2.  Nah, I'm not having it.  People gotta be honest with themselves.  If you fire bass signals through it, it's a bass pedal.  Come on, you're fooling no-one

 

I know this is a bit of fun, but that is a principle I am going to stick to in any of my adjudications.  Yes, Neep is the mean judge, the one you hope you don't get, the one with the gavel worn down to almost the handle...

 

[neepheid]

14 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

I think I am out. I just dropped my fretless TRB of at a luthier to have the fingerboard coated. Or does that count as maintenance?

 

This smells like preventative maintenance to me.  Nah, I'd be inclined to ignore this.

Edited 2 hours ago by neepheid

[MacDaddy]

42 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

I think I am out. I just dropped my fretless TRB of at a luthier to have the fingerboard coated. Or does that count as maintenance?

 

28 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

This smells like preventative maintenance to me.  Nah, I'd be inclined to ignore this.

 

I'd say "instrument upkeep". 

Like dubbing your boots. 

So fine, still in.

[Richard R]

20 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Like dubbing your boots. 

 

Dubbin' Ya Boots -  sounds like a reggae band from Keswick.