money made vs money spent

USAJO · #1 05-15-2007, 04:55 PM

I have reached a point where I've spent way more for gear than I ever thought I would. Not complaining. I think forums have a lot to do with this. But even so I have a limit......... I think.
This kinda sums up my philosophy. I buy the best gear I can afford. My thinking is, I take care of it and it will have resale value because it is quality.
For the longest time I owned one used Fender P-bass and a middle of the road amp and cab. The reality is I averaged $100.00 per gig 50 to 70 gigs a year then and today with a much larger investment in gear I avg........you guessed it $100.00 a night. At least at the end of the year when I do my taxes I can claim gear expense to offset income.
The point of this? If I hadn't found bass forums I probably would still be playing my old P.
Anyone else take a different view on this?

Jazz Ad · #2 05-15-2007, 05:00 PM

Forums make you play less and spend more. Indeed.

USAJO · #3 05-15-2007, 05:04 PM

Jazz ad, yes a major point. if I practiced more an read posts and for sale ads less I would definitely be a better player today.

Kael · #4 05-15-2007, 05:07 PM

I've been getting a kick out of playing gigs here recently with my el'cheapo MIM fretless J and a SABDDI (no rig). Kinda like being able to earn as much as the gear I brought is worth in a couple gigs. All the same, I am cruising the fretless for sale ads daily. Damn this GAS thing...

greenboy · #5 05-15-2007, 05:10 PM

My main rig and my jamming rig haven't changed much since I started playing bass in '98. Well, I did get rid of an Alembic F1-X and replaced it with a Peavey Max that I like much better for its tonal flexibility, and I got a V-Bass not too far after it hit the market. Same cabs though.

But I got what I wanted, and short of a cab design based around neos I should hopefully be doing soon to get the same potential with less weight, I am still getting sounds I want at levels that never make me have to beat the bass unless I want to.

All the time I could have been shifting kit, I instead used to learn to get a lot of different tones with gear that research showed would fit my philosophy... And I guess I had my rig paid for ages ago ; }

roger winkler · #6 05-15-2007, 06:46 PM

I started out with a Fender amp and cab back in the 60's, quit playing for 28 years. When I got back into playing I bought a cheapo 100 watt crate bass combo amp. I then went thru lots of combos and basses thru the years. My main playing rig now is a Kustom Groove 1200 head hooked to a DRBASS 212, 600 watt, 4 ohm cab. And folks, I'm not done yet. I want a different head and another 212 cab. To the original poster, I make pretty good money gigging, but nowhere near what I spend on gear in a years time. And it's all because of this forum. My wife just rolls her eye's

when I mention another piece of equipment, but all I can say is, ....THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING MY DAY.

rudedogg · #7 05-15-2007, 07:00 PM

I make extra income gigging, but it is for me a hobby. I love getting paid for a night out, and a couple times a year, i spend the money ive made to buy new toys! All big fun i think,a self supporting hobby. And as someone else said, file taxes as a freelance musician ,as a side business, and the government helps further my self indulgence

John

rudedogg · #8 05-15-2007, 07:04 PM

OH YEA......You all are responsible for me gassing for and purchasing my LMII, which has brought me great joy! Thanx!

John

Daytona955i · #9 05-15-2007, 07:06 PM

I think I spent way less than what my sound would be "worth" especially considering I bought some things used off this website.

jtc_hunter · #10 05-15-2007, 07:07 PM

I am in the same boat. I gig about one Sat. night per month, just to make $ to pay for toys. I am very lucky though, because our band gets $1k per night for a 4 piece. So $250 to drink beer and have fun isnt too bad.

rudedogg · #11 05-15-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtc_hunter

I am in the same boat. I gig about one Sat. night per month, just to make $ to pay for toys. I am very lucky though, because our band gets $1k per night for a 4 piece. So $250 to drink beer and have fun isnt too bad.

AMEN BROTHER!

rodl2005 · #12 05-15-2007, 07:13 PM

Yeah!!! I guess this forum IS resposible for me buying gear, BUT as one above-for the longest time I did have an AVerage set up, then B4 getting on TB I started my "upgrading process".. If I HAD seen TB B4 I started my upgrading ZI may've actually saved myself a few $$$$$ coz I basically went full circle- to wat I had when I was a youngster, But I s'pose I needed 2 try solid state amps & hybrids to show me I really did need an all tube amp after all- Now I've got -as I said- similar gear , BUT it's MUCH better quality & sound IMHO!!! So---Thanx TB & everyone here. I feel I'm pretty well set now & won't need to buy much more-amps & cabs, poss. a bass guitar or FX down the track tho.............. we'll see!!!!!!!! ;-)

nysbob · #13 05-15-2007, 07:30 PM

I'm a cheapskate - I've been using the same rig for the past 15 years (actually my heads have been around for 20+ years)

I'm pretty sure I've made over 100 X my investment in it - probably much more than that actually. It still sounds better than most new stuff to me, and I get no complaints.

Maybe I have some Scottish lineage...

rodl2005 · #14 05-15-2007, 11:03 PM

Oh yeah-- ratio gig $$$ to gear cost. I'd say earned 5x as much in gigs as spent on gear! Been playing paid for 25 yrs Tho!!!! ! ! :-0

lawsonman · #15 05-16-2007, 05:35 AM

I've been playing gigs for over 40 years and my gig dollars haven't even come close to what I've spent on gear.And forums have nothing to do with it.I spent a ton on gear before there was a internet

Dragonlord · #16 05-16-2007, 06:13 AM

Well, I've never made any money from bass, it's strictly a hobby to me (and I prefer it this way). When I started out around 1998 I got a cheap Washburn 4-string and a used crappy little combo. Then I joined a band in 1999, and it wasn't until 2002 that I could afford my Warwick Corvette 5-str. As for amps, I would play whatever there was in the studio. It took me one year to pay off the warwick... as I was a job-less student. So, I finally got a job a couple of years ago... and virtually all my money has gone to bass. With a quick calculation, I have spent almost 10.000 euro in less than two years. Yes, that's a LOT, and I could have my own car by now if it wasn't for all this gear, but I don't regret one bit. It's my hobby, it makes me happy, I have learned a lot in the process, I now have some amazing equipment that makes me smile each time I play and have a much better idea of what tone I like and how to achieve it. Stuff I've bought include: a Dingwall Prima 5, an NS Bass Cello, an Eden WT550 (now sold), a Schroeder 1210R and Mini12R (now sold), a Glockenklang Heart Rock, two Glockenklang Double cabs and a lot of effects and accessories.

Now, to get on topic: yes, I also believe that there should be a limit. I'm starting to set mine; I no longer have bass GAS (although I'll change the pups and preamp on the dingwall). I no longer have gig rig GAS (although I just got the Glock stuff, but so far I love it). I do intend to buy a quality combo for home use, probably a glock (to have the same sound at home) or an ebs. I also intend to buy a wireless system sometime down the road, and I will occassionally be trying out any effects that may draw my attention (none really at the moment).

Everything I bought was based on reviews/recommendations on TB. And yes, I know that I might have been a better player if I played instead of surfing forums, but the question is: would I be indeed playing? This gear chase has renewed my interest in bass and has improved my tone by giant leaps. If I was still playing with the warwick through the usual ampeg (or even - god forbid - behringer) that I usually find in the studios we rehearse, I have no doubt that the only thing that would have kept me going would be my bandmates and the fun we have. Now... I actually really enjoy playing bass. It's a whole different experience. I gave a lot of money, but gained a lot of fun.

Passinwind · #17 05-16-2007, 09:53 AM

When I came onto TB I wasn't gigging much more than half a dozen times a year, not counting the open mikes that I ran. I used homemade cabs and preamps, and had owned only less than half a dozen basses in 35 years of playing. Never had more than two at any one time either. I gigged mostly on my '77 Travis Bean, which I bought brand new in '77. Wifey encouraged me to buy a custom bass a few years back, and I still have it. My boss gave me a bonus that paid for half of it to boot. I've always had gear rotating in and out since I am a repair guy though. I very rarely bought anything new, FWIW.

Post TB? Took a stab at an EUB listed in the classifieds, and happened to hook a decent jazz gig immediately. The bass paid itself off in a few months, so I decided to take a whirl on a few commercial amps and cabs. Figured I might as well look upscale on the bandstand, which turned out to work pretty well for me. I started booking and the band downsized, so my investment to return ratio got a lot better. If you look at the stuff in my profile, it's all been paid for by gigging, with one or two exceptions. I'll sell those for what I have into 'em eventually if they don't start earning their keep though. I don't care at all about gear paying itself off many times over, just has to do so at least once, and fairly quickly.

We had a GTG out here a few weeks ago. I realized that for my purposes the stuff I have right now is darn near perfect. GAS? Not so much. I modify nearly everything I own anyway, so I'm going back to homemade gear as much as feasible. Talkbass is a nice resource for DIY types, which is what brought me here in the first place. I have also found some "real life" friends here. So for me, my technique (music and electronics), mindset, and paychecks have all been aided greatly by hanging on this forum.

pointbass · #18 05-16-2007, 10:30 AM

I was a full time player for a great many years, used to switch equipment now and then, but I didn't have a lot of loose cash laying around to experiment with different gear. Whatever I bought back then had to be immediately functional.

Now, no longer a full time musician but as an extremely active part-timer (I actually played more dates in 2006 than I did during my last year of full-time playing) I have the luxury of messing around with gear more often. But like Passinwind said above, the more stuff I try the more my GAS goes away. My basses are exactly right for me, and the GTG's sure help to reinforce that feeling.

On the money front, I'm way ahead of the curve .... my music income far exceeds my gear expenditures ...