G-A GAS-aholics Anonymous

[lmfreeman9]

After this thread:

GAS is Truly a Habit

I would love to have an ongoing discussion about this.
Not really a club, definitely not anonymous, but maybe Dr. Cheese is correct that if you talk about it, you can avoid being misdirected.

[Spinal Tapper]

My name is Dave, and I'm a GASaholic.

My weakness is anything Fender, but mainly great deals on (old) P basses...I've found myself selling things around the house to acquire money for said P basses. My girlfriend is starting to worry, and my band does not share the same GASaholic tendencies as I do...

...I feel alone...

[Quadzilla]

I am sooooo in need of this club and therapy!

[hdracer]

I started out buying basses saying, ok, this will be the last one. But the gass came back when I saw something else, so I got that. I was finely happy with my basses and then, I needed a tube amp, gass. Got that, and was happy for a short while. Now I find myself saying, I wounder how that cab would sound? Now I am chasing cabs! Help!!!!

[FL Knifemaker]

14 basses and several project basses in various levels of progress. I don't have a gas problem though. Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery and I have no interest in recovering

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by hdracer

I started out buying basses saying, ok, this will be the last one. But the gass came back when I saw something else, so I got that. I was finely happy with my basses and then, I needed a tube amp, gass. Got that, and was happy for a short while. Now I find myself saying, I wounder how that cab would sound? Now I am chasing cabs! Help!!!!

I was good for a while, then the EBMM Stingray Classics came out...............Then I found a cool Peavey TL-Five on the Bay

[lmfreeman9]

My name is Mike and I am a GAS-aholic.

I read this great book called ALL or Nothing By Preston Allen it is an autobiographical account of a Florida bus driver who has a gambling problem. "P" the narrator claims that gambling is the mother of all addictions. He describes the thrill of the chase which at least for me is just like GAS. If it would only last, I wouldn't need to buy anything else.

But there's the rub. I can only conclude that I am really chasing something else.

[lmfreeman9]

Let's see if I can go 24 hours without visiting the TB classifieds, ebay or CL.

[j.kernodle]

This is a really interesting thread. I notice some of the behavior in myself. I played one bass for 11 years, and just sold that in the classifieds today. Why? because in the last 18 months, I've bought about 8 basses and a few amps:


Not to mention a couple of guitar purchases and sales. Granted almost everything has been used, and I haven't taken a huge loss on anything, (actually made a profit on one or two)

Yeah, I might have an issue...

[hdracer]

I'm just glad that I am not into peddles & effects. Now them guy have a real problem

[Russell Bergum]

Hi. My name is Russell and I am a GAS-aholic.

I'm hoping that when my new (used) Sadowsky #2913 arrives tomorrow, that I will be OK for a long time.

[shadowtippy]

Hi. My name is Leonard and I'm a GAS-aholic.
I've almost got it under control. I think I'm only bidding on 2 on ebay right now and I passed up buying one a couple of weeks ago.

[Thor]

That is my new word this week.

Talking about the problem with your fellow bassists does help.
Your spouse or s/o need never know.


Helpful tips for dealing with GASfallout:


The Purloined Bass. Yes, in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe's
purloined letter, hiding your bass acquisitions in plain sight is the
easiest method. For those of us with only one bass, an addition
of another is pretty obvious. It is easier to hide an 11th when
there are 10 already in the house. 'Jeez, I've had that for years'.

The Bass Cave Misdirection: All bass packages are received at
work, unpacked, loaded into a gig bag to be deposited in the
bass cave. No need to have any uncomfortable discussion
about 'too many basses' or allude to how many shoes and
purses she has in her closet to get yourself off the hook.

The Swap Move: 'Yeah I swapped that old white
Fender P for this Lake Placid Blue one. Even trade!' Of course,
there never was any old white one, but if you used the first
rule, that shouldn't matter.

Overcoming the Investment Objection: This one is easy,
'Hey, they are doing better than my 401k right now!'

[shadowtippy]

Gasfallout is not a problem for me. I had to tell my gf that I "really didn't need" a bass she was going to get for me. She is great that way(among many other ways.)

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by lmfreeman9

Let's see if I can go 24 hours without visiting the TB classifieds, ebay or CL.

That would be me too

[EricF]

I have posted this a few times, and this seems like another appropriate time. Here's a descritption of GAS so everyone can understand what we're dealing with...

Originally Posted by EricF

GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) is a mental disease that infects a person's mind with un-ending desires, dreams, and fantasies of more/better equipment. This disease appears particualrly rampant among males involved with gear-related hobbies (music, golf, cycling, fishing, boating, motor sports...well, anything, really), but there are also documented cases of females suffering from the same symptoms. To this point, there is no known cure for GAS. The only method currently known to treat the discomfort of GAS symptoms, is for the infected person to purchase the item that is the focus of those symptoms as quickly as possible. Treatment of the immediate symptoms is typically temporary relief only and usually includes feelings of happiness or even euphoria. More often than not, symptoms will return soon after relief of the previous GAS flare-up. Treatment of repeated GAS cycles often reqires more expensive treatment with each re-occurance of symptoms. GAS has been directly linked to financial difficulties and relationship troubles. It is commonly thought that spending a significant amount of time on internet forums related to one's hobby can increase the occurance of GAS symptoms, and may actually be the inital cause of the disease for some people. This fact has not yet been conclusively proven and documented.

[EricF]

I'm on the verge of satisfying my biggest GAS flare-up ever. A while ago, I realized I needed a really big box to hold all my gear, so I found one that is perfect. It's going to take me 30 years to pay the damn thing off. My wife keeps calling it a "house".

[standupright]

Originally Posted by Thor

That is my new word this week.

Talking about the problem with your fellow bassists does help.
Your spouse or s/o need never know.


Helpful tips for dealing with GASfallout:


The Purloined Bass. Yes, in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe's
purloined letter, hiding your bass acquisitions in plain sight is the
easiest method. For those of us with only one bass, an addition
of another is pretty obvious. It is easier to hide an 11th when
there are 10 already in the house. 'Jeez, I've had that for years'.

The Bass Cave Misdirection: All bass packages are received at
work, unpacked, loaded into a gig bag to be deposited in the
bass cave. No need to have any uncomfortable discussion
about 'too many basses' or allude to how many shoes and
purses she has in her closet to get yourself off the hook.

The Swap Move: 'Yeah I swapped that old white
Fender P for this Lake Placid Blue one. Even trade!' Of course,
there never was any old white one, but if you used the first
rule, that shouldn't matter.

Overcoming the Investment Objection: This one is easy,
'Hey, they are doing better than my 401k right now!'

awesome......i think i've gone through each of these.

[SteveC]

There's no hope for me. See my latest threads....

[hdracer]

Oh Jeez, I just found a Used beat up Peavey 215 cab for a steal!!! If I Dura-Tex it & put in some killer speakers, new casters, I will have a nice 215 cab for only....... Help!!!!!!!!!