The secret steps to get rid of GAS

[pmaraziti]

1. Unsubscribe from "Talk Bass" For sale section
2. Listen to Matt Garrison, Anthony Jackson, Gary Willis or whomever is your idol... it'll make you realise you better practice instead of "thinking how to invest your money in music"
3. Getting a boy/girlfriend... she/he'll shout at you each time you bring a new bass home... it's a powerful deterrent....
4. Buy that favorite bass that will make you definitely a happy bassist....
5. [.....]

Anyone?

[spectorbass83]

That just about covers it.

#3 is pretty effective

Another thing you could do is -
Before making the purchase...ask yourself; do I really need this?
Like, do I REALLY need this vintage 1969 Ampeg SVT head and TWO matching 8x10 refrigerator cabinets?

[cnltb]

I don't "suffer" from GAS much, but my girlfriend never complains when I get new equipment...

[Bassic83]

My wife bought me my last bass. At least she SAYS it's my last bass...

Nowadays, whenever I get bad GAS, I get something to mildly alleviate it, and pay for it out of either band money, bonus money, (all kept in MY OWN DAMN ACCOUNT!) and have it shipped to me at work. Then, on nights when she works late, I take it out of my truck or car, and put it in the garage (usually behind a bunch of other junk). That way, whenever she roots around out there, she may not notice it. If she does, it usually has a fine coating of dust on it, and I can say "Oh, baby- that old thing? I've had that for a long time...notice the dust on it? I don't use it much any more, thanks for finding it! I think I'll use it next gig!"




Don't lie- I know y'all do the same thing!

[Beorht-Dana]

srsly

[bassist 4 life]

I lol at you.
there is no cure for GAS, you know that deep down inside.

haha
lol anyways, number 3 is pretty effective.

[jive1]

Originally Posted by Bassic83

My wife bought me my last bass. At least she SAYS it's my last bass...

Nowadays, whenever I get bad GAS, I get something to mildly alleviate it, and pay for it out of either band money, bonus money, (all kept in MY OWN DAMN ACCOUNT!) and have it shipped to me at work. Then, on nights when she works late, I take it out of my truck or car, and put it in the garage (usually behind a bunch of other junk). That way, whenever she roots around out there, she may not notice it. If she does, it usually has a fine coating of dust on it, and I can say "Oh, baby- that old thing? I've had that for a long time...notice the dust on it? I don't use it much any more, thanks for finding it! I think I'll use it next gig!"




Don't lie- I know y'all do the same thing!

My wife does that with clothes or shoes. She'll get something and it will hide in her closet for months.

Then when she pulls it out, and I say, "that looks like a new outfit". And she'll say with all honesty, "I've had this thing for months".

[pmaraziti]

A bassist friend of mine bought an inexpensive MIM Jazz last week... they had a verbal fight with the wife... she comes back this week with a 70+" Plasma TV... she said "you bought the bass, I boutght this..."

[SteveC]

Have a baby or two, buy a house, a van a ...

[pmaraziti]

Van is good for moving the equipment...

[ForestThump]

Take a long objective look at your bank statement.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Buy the best sounding, loudest, lightest stuff you can and then be done with it. Hope I can follow my own advice!

[Hawaii Islander]

There's NO cure for GAS, only temporary relief!

[lawsonman]

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

There's NO cure for GAS, only temporary relief!

+1 Well said!

[NKUSigEp]

Originally Posted by pmaraziti

1. Unsubscribe from "Talk Bass" For sale section

I'm not subscribed to it...I just check it compulsively

Originally Posted by pmaraziti

2. Listen to Matt Garrison, Anthony Jackson, Gary Willis or whomever is your idol... it'll make you realise you better practice instead of "thinking how to invest your money in music"

I listen to 'em while I'm searching TB classifieds

Originally Posted by pmaraziti

3. Getting a boy/girlfriend... she/he'll shout at you each time you bring a new bass home... it's a powerful deterrent....

Got one...she knows better than to get between me and my bass gear

Originally Posted by pmaraziti

4. Buy that favorite bass that will make you definitely a happy bassist....

Check...filled that void in my soul for a few months, now I'm GASing for a vintage-ish looking P-bass

Originally Posted by pmaraziti

5. [.....]

That's the best suggestion yet! LOL

[Humblerumble]

I don't know what you guys are talking about? GAS doesn't bother me at all. Well at least since I got my Nathan East sig bass about two weeks ago. And of course I couldn't just put any old strap on that bass so I had to order one of the TalkBass Moody straps. Gas what gas? Man an Aguilar 750 head would go well with my Aggie GS410...that way I could just leave the Walkabout head IN the combo and not have to go to all the trouble to take it out and stuff...yea that's it ..

[Infernal Affair]

Take up a drug or some similar addiction. That way you'll spend money on said drug rather than gear, or living expenses, or food...

Seriously though, GAS has never been a major problem for me. I don't think it's something that you just "get rid of," but something you keep under control. Here's some tips:

1. Set ridiculous thresholds for yourself like "I'd only buy a bass if it was a G&L SB-2 in purple or redburst at this price, and only buy it used." If you are incredibly specific about your GAS then it makes the piece of gear much harder to come by, and therefore you'll be tempted less often.

2. Set conditional rewards like, "I'll only buy a piece of gear if I can set aside a certain number of months to budget for it." Or "If I clear this much in my credit card bill then I am allowed to buy <insert gear here>."

3. Keep a limit in the amount of gear you can have at one time. If you're only allotting yourself 3 basses at once, and you GAS for another bass, then you will seriously think about your situation and whether you really need another bass.

As ForestThump said, take an objective look at things, especially your bank account. Getting new gear is fun and sometimes a given. Often we don't just get stuff because it's better than what we have. A lot of it is because we like that Christmas feeling of getting a new toy or gift, or we like to horde things.