my little rant

kitcar765 · #1 04-13-2006, 04:28 PM

It gets to me a little is seeing old people with massive collections of gear, which never get played often, sweet sweet basses, with over the hill musicians. And you see young musicians, with futures, or at least a small chance at a future, there wholes lives ahead of them, who cant afford brilliant basses, it seems unfair, and although you can argue that some of the cheaper basses made are actually good basses, they will never be anything compared to the higher out-of-reach gear that many older musicians play, some instruments are just cheer quality, it’s a massive shame that these instruments are only available to the often older or rich minority, it’s the way of the world unfortunately, I would love to hear one day of an older past the hill musician to recognise genuine talent and a future in a younger musician, and pass on there valuable instruments, to someone who could actually use them. It just might be me who holds this viewpoint, just having a general rant really.

cb56 · #2 04-13-2006, 04:33 PM

Most musician's I know get better as they get older. But what do I know I'm past the hill

I have good gear because I play gigs and make money. If you want better gear, play more gigs and make more money to spend on gear. Of course you may be competing with some of us past the hill more experienced players for those gigs. Good luck. let us know how it goes.

v-12 · #3 04-13-2006, 04:37 PM

although i do somewhat agree, how many of the "over the hill musicians" started out as "young musicians, with futures, or at least a small chance at a future, there wholes lives ahead of them, who cant afford brilliant basses"? i'd say pretty much all of them! they've earned their gear through life's trials in one way or another; in other words, they have every right to enjoy their gear as anyone else does..... although it would be nice if more people gave more back, but MANY pass on their knowledge through this website, and that shouldn't be overlooked..... just my humble opinion

kitcar765 · #4 04-13-2006, 04:38 PM

lol, i spose my little rant could be used for many things, like cars for example. but im sure many younger players feel the same, its true, playing gets better with age, i guess when im old and when i have more cash im just genna end up with stacks of gear, i guess when the gift of youth withers away, theres always the gear to keep me happy

fookgub · #5 04-13-2006, 04:46 PM

The axe doesn't make the musician, and a great player can make even the worst p.o.s. sound good. The 'old guys' just have more cash to throw around, and that's all there is to it. The ability to own nice stuff has nothing to do with 'earning' it through excellence in a particular area. Go to a golf course some time and watch some of these guys duff around on a $1200 set of irons... it's the same principle.

Besides, serious musicians often have serious instruments regardless of the state of their finances... it's just about budgeting. If owning $5000 worth of gear means you have to take the bus, so be it.

The Golden Boy · #6 04-13-2006, 05:33 PM

I'm going to be a knob here (like when am I not...)

I believe you don't fully appreciate a good instrument until you've really had to deal with a crappy one. The "beginner" instruments that are available now are so much better than the plywood pieces of trash with 2" high action that I learned on. There was a time when "cheap" meant "cheap."

The other side of the coin is that a lot of "younger" people would want these "vintage" or boutique instruments just for the status of having them, regardless of if they met the player's needs. You'll see a lot of 50s and 60s Strats and Teles that have been routed for Kahlers or Floyd Roses with locking nuts added... Instead of getting a guitar that suited the person's needs, they got a "status" instrument and then they "modded" a piece of history to the point of insignificance. I have a '65 Jazz Bass, I still play it out on occasion, but more often than not my G&L suits a live situation better. It's not that the Jazz is an inferior bass and I'm not particularly scared of what could happen to it (although it is in my mind), it's just the G&L is better suited for what I'm doing most of the time. I suppose I could rip out the pickups and install EMGs and rout for a 2Tek bridge, but then it would cease to be what the Jazz bass is.

I know it's a horrible generalization and age discrimination and everything... but when you see guys that have old instruments or boutique things that have "had work done to them" and they're responsible for it, the invariable excuse is "hey, I was just a kid."

Did you ever see pix of my 71 EB-0? The one that's got a route the size of an Olympic swimming pool between the pickup and the bridge? Yeah, I did that. I started doing that when I was 15/16. I can sort of justify it by saying the headstock had been snapped off at least twice before I owned it, but the truth is, I would have done it at the time even if the bass were pristine.

agreatheight · #7 04-13-2006, 05:49 PM

No one is stopping you from buying instruments for those you deem worthy so knock yourself out! Don't have the money? Well, start a foundation, get donations (cash and instruments) and give beautiful stuff to who you think is deserving.

Well, get to it youngster!

Chunk-O-Funk · #8 04-13-2006, 06:54 PM

Spoken like a true adolescent. Bravo! WAM syndrome (what about me)

Now and the next couple of years should be your best time to buy gear if that is what you want to do with your money. You're 17, get a job and go buy some great gear. Start a collection. My first bass was a P.O.S and I didn't get a good bass until I was your age. I was working and living at home. No bills, no worries, except where to spend my money.

The collection of basses I have acquired over the years I have been playing, bought them one at a time, one after the other. All of them paid for with a combination of work and gig money. Mater of fact most of them are older than you and don't like kids either, so they more than likely would reject you if they were given to you.

Point is, There are no old guys with a collection of basses they don't deserve, if they gig with them or not. The majority of us start the same way you have, with some p.o.s. bass and work your way of up from there. Now quit your crying and go get a job sonny.

James Hart · #9 04-13-2006, 07:30 PM

Oh Waaaaaaa!!!!! Poor Poor child can't get the gear he wants

My over the hill Grandfather made more money and played bettter after he was 50 then before. He played the piss out of a guitar till the day he died....

I started on a bass that someone threw out and he picked out of the garbage for me. Pops replaced a snapped off tuning machine and cut some plexiglass to patch the broken pickguard... it had a 3 flats and a nickel round on it for about a year.

I saved birthday, christmas & paper route money to buy a cheap Ibanez Destroyer.

I saved birthday, christmas & paper route money to get a 300 watt Carvin head that was plugged into the 1x15" speaker of my 60 watt combo.

Soon after I saved for a used 4x12 cabinet with 100 power amp built in (guitar cab with heavy duty speakers installed).

The next year I started gigging and working a real p/t job and bought a 1x18" Yamaha PA sub and a new bass.

and so on...

I'm waiting on my 14th bass to be built.... yet I've played bass for 26 years.

I'll tell you who doesn't deserve a bass... the snake that stole my 4x12 + 1x18 rig along with my MapleGlo Ric 4003 (I took out a loan @ 18 years old to buy it... had to make 1/3rd the payments AFTER it was gone!).

puff father · #10 04-13-2006, 08:20 PM

"Youth is wasted on the young."

**Blackbird** · #11 04-13-2006, 08:47 PM

What a freakin' misguided rant.

What's worse? A vintage bass in the hand of an old musician who only plays it in church on sundays, or a similar bass in the house of a collector who leaves it locked in a case where it never gets played?

Sheesh, talk about misguided anger.

Please read my sig. It applies here bigtime.

**Josh Ryan** · #12 04-13-2006, 09:00 PM

Whiners don't deserve great gear.

Steve · #13 04-13-2006, 09:01 PM

So, when you get old and have a pile of nice gear, give it to some kid.

BurningSkies · #14 04-13-2006, 09:02 PM

Boo-freakin-hoo.

Kitcar's got the saggy diaper that leaks.

He can't afford gear that many of us work hard (both at day jobs AND with a bass strapped to us) for...how sad.

Life is sooooo unfair.

ElBajista · #15 04-13-2006, 10:01 PM

+1 on getting a job. If you have a problem with your gear and want (need?) better stuff, then earn it!

I've been working cleaning the house of an older retired couple every saturday for the past year for $40 a day. Not only has working with these people helped me to earn money, but they have taught me so much about life, work, and countless other invaluable things that aren't found in books.

I've also been helping out my piano teacher and her mother-in-law, doing odd jobs and whatnot for $10/hour. On top of all that, this summer I'm going to be helping my piano teacher's husband to build his own music room. He's a drummer and he needs a practice space in his barn suitable for his private practice and jamming with his guitar-playing brother, and some other select people

. Because I've been helping them out, not only have I earned good money, but I've earned some true life-long friends that are genuinely good people. Also, the future prospect of being able to jam with a drummer that lives a whole 3 minutes from my house isn't too bad either.

Every piece of gear you see in my sig. I earned myself. Not exactly the most high-end gear, but definitely not bad for a mere 17-year-old, if I do say so myself.

In a nutshell, Get a job, and quit whining. It's "kids" like you that make guys like me look bad. Thank you for reminding me that biological age and intellectual maturity have nothing in common.

kitcar765 · #16 04-14-2006, 03:56 AM

yeah, just got a job washing up at a local pub, spent the whole of last year washing cars and mowing lawns babysitting, farmwork, etc, and loads of other jobs, now my first rickenbackers on its way, i guess its worth more when you realy have to work hard for it, now that i have got a job, i can buy loads of gear, i had even been missing lunch at school to save up for gear, i spose if someones realy into the music, and they want the gear they have to work for it, thats what im dooing, hopefully when im older, i wont just collect stacks of gear, i will find some young Musician and lend him some of my gear

kserg · #17 04-14-2006, 04:17 AM

Good for you.

bassmonkeee · #18 04-14-2006, 05:18 AM

Congrats on possibly the dumbest thread I've read on Talkbass in about 4 years. You have a lot of growing up to do.

I mean--a lot.

Bunches.

Enjoy the pages and pages of abuse this thread is sure to generate.

kserg · #19 04-14-2006, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmonkeee

Congrats on possibly the dumbest thread I've read on Talkbass in about 4 years. You have a lot of growing up to do.

I mean--a lot.

Bunches.

Enjoy the pages and pages of abuse this thread is sure to generate.

Um... really? Even with NTB, qintar and the group? Or do you not count those anymore because they already surpass human abilities of dumb?

bassmonkeee · #20 04-14-2006, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kserg

Um... really? Even with NTB, qintar and the group? Or do you not count those anymore because they already surpass human abilities of dumb?

To me, this thread is much worse than any story about poop or Nickelback. If kiddiecarwaawaawaa at least mentioned his amazing python arms, or something, I might have been more forgiving.

On a slightly more positive note-

kitcar765, you should seek out a movie called "Logan's Run." I think you would love the society they've built. Everyone is killed at the age of thirty, so they never manage to become "over the hill."