Is everyone on TB loaded?

[BlueLine1]

HOLY S%!^ !!!!!! Which one was your favorite and why? Thanks,
Alan

[Edward G.]

OP,

Loaded? Not by a wide stretch. Whether we buy too much stuff is a matter of opinion.

The way to indulge in quality equipment and not lose money is to use it to earn money.
Period. Then, when the time comes to sell it, sell it for a price that you yourself would pay.

Buying stuff purely for the "pride of ownership" is a really good way to lose your shirt.

Just my $0.02. To each his zone.

[atomicdog]

Funny question. There are as many stories as there are TBers. I played in a band as a teen. Kept playing off and on for another decade. When I had kids, I picked up a bunch of gear as a work bonus, so my kids would have access to basses and guitars. It worked. I've kept on acquiring gear, partly as a collector, partly as an adult enthusiast, or what some call a hobbyist, though I have gigged and continue to write and record. Some judgmental souls think I have more gear than I deserve. Whatever. Several of my best Fenders were bought on discount (I work in the industry) and are worth more at resale than I paid for them. But the bottom line is that music, including plucking away, helps keep me sane. No apologies.

[atomicdog]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Before the 2nd depression hit I used to own a lot of Ricks ...

Outstanding!

[placedesjardins]

I'm not rich. My last bass was a Yamaha RBX 170. I've never had a high-end or intermediate-level bass. I am kind of shocked when I see photos of 10-plus high-end, custom, $3,000+ basses in one room.

[fourstringdrums]

Oh hell no... For the most part I've sold things to get things, though I'm trying to stop that. I've regretted too many things I've sold off, so right now I'm just trying to buy when I have the cash. In the past I've put a lot on credit and I'm trying to not do that any more. My goal for the new year is to actually get out of the debt I have and then put a little money for spending aside when I have it.

But, I'm not married, have no mortgage (just rent so that's a little cheaper) and no kids so that helps.

[capnsandwich]

I'm the opposite of loaded. I'm poor. I was better off a few years ago when I was working 60-70 hours a week and only had one child. Things have changed and now I have 3 kids. I have 2 VERY NICE basses. I have an Elrick NJS 5'er that's been around the TB block here but has found a home in my house. Originally, the bass cost right around $2,800 brand new. However, with a few mods and some road wear, it's depreciated to about a $1,600 bass which I traded a very well built Valenti J5 for. I miss the Valenti but I did get a great sounding bass out of the deal. The Valenti was about a year's worth of saving up for and I got it custom built to my specs. It was a little over $2,000 with some of the extras I had Nino add.

My other bass, a USA Peavey Cirrus 6 string custom, would be right around $2,800 if you were to pick out all the features mine has on it and have Peavey build it for you brand new. However, there was a shop in Kentucky that had this hanging on their wall for over a year. It was brand new but probably well played from all the people picking it up and playing it in the shop where it was for sale at. I saw it in an Ebay listing and asked the shop to send me more pics. I saw that the bass had a price tag marked at $799 so I asked the guys at the shop if they'd be willing to sell it to me for what they're selling it for. So, I got a $2,800 bass for $834.

The point of my post is that you don't have to be loaded to own nice stuff. You just have to be disciplined to save up for what you want and keep your eyes open for deals that are happening all over. There are plenty of good deals here in the TB classifieds and on Craigslist. You can even find great deals on Ebay sometimes. You just have to be diligent and know where to look. A little luck doesn't hurt either.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by BlueLine1

HOLY S%!^ !!!!!! Which one was your favorite and why? Thanks,
Alan

4 of those Ricks were someone else’s ... At one point I owned all but 2 of those basses. I liked all the Ricks ... These days I am down to 2. The black 4004 with the maple neck in the picture and a monty brown 4004. Both modded into 5 string basses.

But I really like the old 4001 basses, and the 4003 basses and the 4003s5 basses.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Your lucky, I have all but given up on the relationship thing. I have been divorced twice, I have never met any woman that had respect or even understood how music is my life.

I have been dating a real pretty lady 17 years younger than me, professional great job but I can tell already it won't work.

She has been supportive in a weirs way, she has come to many gigs with me , helped me load in sold T -Shirts and CDs at shows. But I feel she still does not "get it".

Last night on Public Television a concert featuring Muddy Waters and The Stones in this tiny bar in Chicago, I think it was from 1982 came on. She told me she was going to bed. I am the biggest Stones fan there is.

To avoid conflict I turned off the show and followed her to bed.

Guys, I'm just sick of it.

Blue

I suggest you get TIVO so you can record what you want and watch it on your own time. No need to involve your partner in everything you do.

You might consider being direct and ask her how she really feels about your music and the all the time it takes. Maybe she has her own hobbies and doesn't want to be your roadie. Maybe it's not her hobby to go listen to you play the same tunes at different clubs. Do you get involved with her hobbies/interests and go along with what she wants?

How about planning activities around your music time that you both enjoy? IMO, I don't think the relationship should be dependent on how much enthusiasm she shows for your music.

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

I suggest you get TIVO so you can record what you want and watch it on your own time. No need to involve your partner in everything you do.

You might consider being direct and ask her how she really feels about your music and the all the time it takes. Maybe she has her own hobbies and doesn't want to be your roadie. Maybe it's not her hobby to go listen to you play the same tunes at different clubs. Do you get involved with her hobbies/interests and go along with what she wants?

How about planning activities around your music time that you both enjoy? IMO, I don't think the relationship should be dependent on how much enthusiasm she shows for your music.

Yep....

[6jase5]

I'm not loaded in my definition, but I'm blessed all the same and have no desire for another bass or amp. It's odd but the collection of tools that I need/want is done.

[ntenny]

I encountered this helpful and very enabling observation in another thread when I was shopping for my first new bass since 1991:

Originally Posted by ole Jason

People seem to be taken aback when you mention spending 6k on a handmade bass but no one cares if you spend 12k on a bass boat.

I've got a whole mess of instruments I'm happy with, but if you added them all up you still wouldn't get that bass boat, so I figure I'm in the clear!

-NT

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Phalex

Every piece of music related gear I own has paid for itself many times over.

Spend a couple of grand on a bass so it can sit on a stand at my house? No way. Spend a couple of grand on a bass that will probably make me 8k or so in the first year or two after it's paid for itself? Heck yeah.

Claw hammer? Ball peen hammer? Get a tool that you like and get to work!

If I played a well-paying gig every night for 20,000 years, my gear still wouldn't have paid for itself. The chimps would probably be done typing the Bible by then.

[Edward G.]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

If I played a well-paying gig every night for 20,000 years, my gear still wouldn't have paid for itself. The chimps would probably be done typing the Bible by then.

Nothing wrong with that if you can keep the boat afloat. Everyone's got a thing. I, for example, try to cut loose everything that doesn't play an active role in gigging or rehearsing.

I have a bud who actually built a barn to hold his instruments and amps, some of which he doesn't even know how to play. He gigs occasionally, but mostly he likes the stuff. I begrudge him nothing.

However, that situation would consume me with uneasiness. Everyone has his/her own thing.

[Rickett Customs]

The key here is priorities.........after all the bills have been paid, depends what I want to save for, some people love to buy clothes, shoes, the latest electronics.......almost anything is obtainable, if you're willing to save for it (or sell off what you have)

[hrodbert696]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Your lucky, I have all but given up on the relationship thing. I have been divorced twice, I have never met any woman that had respect or even understood how music is my life.

I have been dating a real pretty lady 17 years younger than me, professional great job but I can tell already it won't work.

She has been supportive in a weirs way, she has come to many gigs with me , helped me load in sold T -Shirts and CDs at shows. But I feel she still does not "get it".

Last night on Public Television a concert featuring Muddy Waters and The Stones in this tiny bar in Chicago, I think it was from 1982 came on. She told me she was going to bed. I am the biggest Stones fan there is.

To avoid conflict I turned off the show and followed her to bed.

Guys, I'm just sick of it.

Blue

Hm, this is interesting. I love my wife dearly. I also hate about 75% of the music she loves and she hates 90% of the music I love. You don't have to have EVERYTHING in common to have a good relationship.

If I were watching something on TV late and she went to bed, she would mostly be thankful not to have to deal with me snoring. I doubt I'd follow her unless she had that certain special tone in her voice when she said she was headed to bed...

[Jhengsman]

My retirement accounts are being fully funded, the kid has started his career, while the parents need some physical help they have the old fashioned lifetime pensions. Maybe one day congress will call me loaded to renege on the deal and tax my retirement but i am not loaded.

Over the ten years I have been playing again the cost of all my gear, instructional material, and MP3 downloads of songs to learn doesn't add up to the cost of one year of my more destructive "hobby" I had the previous decade.

[leegreenman]

At certain periods of my life, I have definitely spent way more on gear than I should have. Trying to be far more responsible these days.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

I suggest you get TIVO so you can record what you want and watch it on your own time. No need to involve your partner in everything you do.

You might consider being direct and ask her how she really feels about your music and the all the time it takes. Maybe she has her own hobbies and doesn't want to be your roadie. Maybe it's not her hobby to go listen to you play the same tunes at different clubs. Do you get involved with her hobbies/interests and go along with what she wants?

How about planning activities around your music time that you both enjoy? IMO, I don't think the relationship should be dependent on how much enthusiasm she shows for your music.

All good points, as usual it's probably me.

Blue

[widerberg]

Not well off here, and have to siphon off funds a little at a time so as not to tick off the wife