Economic conditions effecting your GAS?

K Dubbs · #1 09-30-2008, 06:45 PM

I tend to stick with a few basses once I've found the feel and fit and look and tone that I like out of them.

Also, straps are cheap, cables are cheap, strings are cheap, picks are cheap.

But amps, cabs, FX, etc are not. Considering my budget, they're between expensive purchases and "god I hope I don't have to ever replace this" kinds of purchases.

I like to trade and get new amp stuff as often as I can, but here in the midwest the job market (especially my job) and credit situations are making it harder to get gear.

Is anybody else buying/trading less now that the economy is heading down the toilet?

toytech · #2 09-30-2008, 06:52 PM

I am selling some high end stuff, to replace with less expensive amps and cabs, I don't play out, need money for other things and can't justify keeping them.

magickbass · #3 09-30-2008, 06:59 PM

Unless you are a Wall Street banker, the economy is not headed down the toilet. And if you are a Wall Street banker, then you brought this on yourself so deal with it yourself.

I only make one big purchase a year so nothing has changed for me. I am a single dad of a soon to be 16 year old son so my gear purchases are kept in check by everyday life. I always try to buy amps and heads used anyway. Buying amps to me is like buying a car, let someone else buy it new and eat the depreciation.

bassist4dalord · #4 09-30-2008, 07:11 PM

I bought a new cable, gig bag, bass, amplifier, and strings this summer for a grand total of $450 (but I had a $150 gift card to GC that paid for the bass) and I've been playing for 3 years! It seems kind of crazy that I spent $350 on a complete new set up when I could've kept my old stuff and maybe bought a nicer bass... But whatever, all is said and done and I am 99% satisfied with my gear!!

rodl2005 · #5 09-30-2008, 07:34 PM

Pretty much same ol 4 me.... I'm in Aus tho- so not much diff economy wise! Did buy 2 basses recently A Reggie Hamilton Jazz & an Epi Explorer, but sold a couple to do so. So.....same ol' same ol' . Am trying to get myself 4 'GOOD' basses! IMO 'good' NOT what others/name brands etc consider good. The RH sig. is a beauty, but I've only had it a few days, so Hopefully it's a keeper! IF I DO keep it, that'll make 3 1/2 good ones. EB MM Stingray 5 / Fender Am. Series S1 Jazz / RH sig.Jazz / SX/Parts Precision- this feels & sounds darn good to me, So as soon as I can try a few more precisions(which I love due to simplicity & feel/sound) OR something that I like better It's my keeper 'beater'!!!

Thunderthumbs73 · #6 09-30-2008, 07:38 PM

Didn't have discretionary income before. Don't have it now.

pendergasta · #7 09-30-2008, 07:45 PM

I'm a cheapskate, period. I always spend forever looking for the best deals anyway. The "economic troubles" don't change that fact. I only buy what I need, and I only buy it when I have the CASH to pay for it.

pendergasta · #8 09-30-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magickbass

Unless you are a Wall Street banker, the economy is not headed down the toilet. And if you are a Wall Street banker, then you brought this on yourself so deal with it yourself.

+ 1000!!

RCCollins · #9 09-30-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magickbass

Unless you are a Wall Street banker, the economy is not headed down the toilet. And if you are a Wall Street banker, then you brought this on yourself so deal with it yourself.

I wish I could believe this was true but unfortunately I learned in school how the whole economy is connected.

Lots of folks are in risk of losing their homes over this, and I don't think its fair to tell them to "deal with it".

And now, back to the basstalk!

Visirale · #10 09-30-2008, 07:51 PM

A lot more. I started this year off with a LMII through my mesa 212. Since then I've bought and sold an Avalon U5 and an Aguilar DB112. I've bought and kept a Mesa Titan V12. I've ordered (and paid for most of) a mesa 810 that should be here very soon. Not to mention the Sadowsky I got over the summer... And I'll be damned if I don't own a Mesa Bass 400+ before the end of the year :P.

thedude77md · #11 09-30-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

I wish I could believe this was true but unfortunately I learned in school how the whole economy is connected.

Lots of folks are in risk of losing their homes over this, and I don't think its fair to tell them to "deal with it".

And now, back to the basstalk!

Amen. Utilities are up, gas prices are up, food prices are up. ALL of this will keep going up with the market sinking. It's all interlinked and hitting the $40K-ish a year middle class pretty hard.

As a result, I've sold six instruments in the past few months just to keep up with things. Paycheck to paycheck is not cool yet I am making more $$$ than two years ago.

nonrappingJZ · #12 09-30-2008, 08:31 PM

I'm finding a lot of great deals on used equipment. Of course, I'm not getting crazy with the GAS, but it seems that folks are unloading some of their less-used/broken equipment. I've picked up a backup amp in the last month that was DOA, and I got it fixed cheap.

Myself, I have considered getting rid of a couple of basses because I've got a main and a backup and it seems silly to have more.

I've also stumbled into playing shows that are actually paying for gas to/from all of the rehearsals and shows (not GAS, though), strings, cables, drinks. I finally feel like I'm not losing a fortune just to play.

rollerberg2000 · #13 09-30-2008, 08:50 PM

Just driving back and forth to rehearsals is putting a strain on everyone. I helped our drummer out by filling his tank up when the gas shortage hit Knoxville a couple weeks back (65.00)!!!! Personally, my job and my wife's job are pretty secure unless armageddon hits, but I've slowed down on purchases, focusing on getting out of debt and saving in case we need it.

As others on this thread have noted, there are great deals out there right now if you have the scratch. On music equipment and stocks.

Oren Hudson · #14 09-30-2008, 08:54 PM

[quote=magickbass;6337062]Unless you are a Wall Street banker, the economy is not headed down the toilet. And if you are a Wall Street banker, then you brought this on yourself so deal with it yourself.

You know not of what you speak. Wall Street may be the newsmaker of the economic situation, but it is just the top of the pyramid. And you, my fellow bass brethren, have already been affected by it. Reference "thedude77md"s first paragraph in his post about the price of everythng being up with no end in sight etc. I don't own stock nor have anything to do with Wall Street directly, yet in my business as a real estate paralegal, my income, along with all of my associates had dropped 70% in the last 9 months. That's SEVENTY PERCENT. A tough situation shared by many. I'm pissed with Wall Street as well, so please don't clump me and thousands of others with the "bad guys." I'm happy for you TBers that are humming along pretty good, and I don't mean to be pessimistic, 'cause normally I'm very optimistic, but as of this moment, our US ecomony is near collapse, and there's not ANYONE that is not affected.

I'm of course praying that we Americans can pull out of it as we have done in many situations before, and would hope that everyone would do the same.

NOW THAT I'VE HAD MY SAY, my other say would be to - carry on with thumpin, buying, selling, gigging, GASsing, BSing -whatever makes you happy as long as you can.

dannster · #15 09-30-2008, 09:06 PM

Its great time to be buying! I'll thin the herd once people stop freaking out.

I'm in the bar business and business is good.

Captain_Arrrg · #16 09-30-2008, 09:08 PM

I'm so tempted... Below market interest rates... Devaluation of the dollar... Federal Reserve... Must resist!

I'm still looking for pedals, but as for amps and basses, I'm good for now.

Well maybe I could use a P...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannster

Its great time to be buying! I'll thin the herd once people stop freaking out.

I'm in the bar business and business is good.

How's the saying go? "Good times or bad; Business at the bar is good." Something like that.

Gruntollio Bass · #17 09-30-2008, 09:48 PM

Up until a few weeks ago I was actively buying stuff direct from the USA as the Aussie dollar was nearly on par with the US$. I made a lot of new stuff way cheaper than normal so I took advantage of it.
Now the Aussie $ has deflated a bit in comparrison so my GAS levels have adjusted in line with this and I'm biding my time with some things I was ready to outlay some serious cashola on when the $ was looking good.
As far as the most recent economic crisis goes, this has largely left me unaffected other than loosing some on my superannuation fund which would affect most people I gather.
Other than this if I spotted a good bargain today for something I want, I'd have no second thought about the economic crisis and go spend me some moolah.

Ric5 · #18 09-30-2008, 09:52 PM

Actually the nasty increase in Rickenbackers prices has got me to sell 5 or 6 Rickenbackers in the last year and a half. All of them were money making transactions. I now own more Fender type and musicman type basses.

Georynn · #19 09-30-2008, 09:54 PM

Quite a bit more, but I travel a lot less, and rarely gig.

Its not because of the economy, My drummer took a job that travels a bit more, so i have more time for woodshedding

Dr. Cheese · #20 09-30-2008, 09:58 PM

I plan to save more and hold on to what I have because if credit really gets tight, an extra $200-$600 that might get spent on gear here and there will look really good on a savings account where it can boost my credit score and give me more ready resources in case of emergency.