YOU MUST POST if you hate it when people ask to play your bass(es)

[Godbody]

It drives me nuts when a friend of a frien says they play, and want to fool around with my bass and gear. Then they'll start playing 'santeria' or some other garbage I hate, or they'll start popping, and I'll go, "hey! those are expensive strings! don't bust em!" And then I look like a jerk.

Ok...done ranting. Anyone else want a turn?

[Greyvagabond]

Santeria is a great song. Not an easy bass line, either, so your friends are talented (if they can play it with groove, that is!)

[DTSH]

I'm uneasy whenever anyone plays my instruments... I don't know that I hate it though. I think I just stand there like an overprotective parent watching their kid on the playground.

[sarcastro83]

Only people I'll let near my gear are people who will treat it with respect... and who have the understanding that if they break my stuff, the cash that the sale of their organs fetches will be how I'm compensated.

They can fart around with my stuff all they like. They're good people...

[bassandbeyond]

I'm not possessive about my basses. It's just that whenever somebody else plays my bass, the strings immediately go dead. I always wash my hands before playing, but asking others to do so makes me look obsessive compulsive!

[joebingo]

I'm fine if they ask to play my basses.

It's when people just pick em up and start playing that it pisses me off.

[vinxbass]

I don't let anyone play my gear, unless their a bonifide professional and that maybe a few seconds at best. If someone sits in, they have to have there own bass and are not allowed to fool with my amp settings whatsoever - period.

[gweimer]

I don't mind letting people I know play my bass, but having a fan fret is a good way to scare a lot of people off. heh-heh.

[Stingray_EB]

if they earned the money that was used to pay for it they can play it.

[pointbass]

If you're not comfortable with other people playing your bass, don't EVER attend a TB GTG ....

[Baryonyx]

It generally annoys me. If it's standing on the stand ready for a show, no, you're not playing it. If I don't know you, no, you're not playing it. And no, I'm not interested in whatever lick you want to show me.

[awakefie]

I don't much care for it. But then, I usually have to know a person pretty well before I'll let em.

Generally, casual acquaintances do not touch my rig. But then we pretty much have closed practices so it's usually not an issue.

At a gig, no one touches it that isn't in the band or running sound (out of repsect to the sound man, once we've dialed in, I don't want anyone changing the settings but him or me).

We have a guy that used to play college football (lineman, 12'7", 4,280 lbs sort of thing ) bouncing for us. He can be very persuasive keeping people away.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Godbody

It drives me nuts when a friend of a frien says they play, and want to fool around with my bass and gear. Then they'll start playing 'santeria' or some other garbage I hate, or they'll start popping, and I'll go, "hey! those are expensive strings! don't bust em!" And then I look like a jerk.

Ok...done ranting. Anyone else want a turn?

You get upset when they play songs you don't like or pop your strings even though popping won't harm a decent string any more than plucking will? I can see why you'd come across as a jerk.......

Originally Posted by pointbass

If you're not comfortable with other people playing your bass, don't EVER attend a TB GTG ....

My DNA will be on your FBB fretles...........FOREVER......

if they are a respected musician friend i know, then yes, i feel honored if they want to play my stuff. if its some kid i go to school with. NO!!!

[awakefie]

Originally Posted by pointbass

If you're not comfortable with other people playing your bass, don't EVER attend a TB GTG ....

I'd take a bullet for a TBer . Bretheren would be much allowed and ecouraged to indulge (but then I've never been to a GTG).

[afroman]

I had to become kind of a jerk about this topic.
I lent a fellow bass player (not a close friend) my head and cab on a gig a couple of years ago. His bands played after mine so I felt kind of in-the-spot and said Yes.

He ended up blowing 3 speakers on my 410 cab.
I only noticed it once I went home and tried it a couple of days after.
He EQ the amp BASS and TREBLE on FULL!!!

I got so mad I can't even explain.
From then on I never ever lend my gear to anyone.
I let close friend players use my amp but not my cabs, not anymore.

I don't care if I look like the bad guy.

[test dude]

omg, i hate this so much, Im on stage and not even my bass they want to play but my cab, I was like no, and he's like i dont like gallien krueger heads cause they blow up so im like allright whatever, and now i hear he bought so GK stuff, I hate this kid so much. Thinks he's amazing too, but has the guitarist make up the parts for him.

[Baird6869]

I NEVER let anyone touch my high end basses at gigs specifically. When I host jam nights I play a Sadowsky and bring a Squier VM Tele bass for others to use if they don't have a bass with them. If anyone asks to play my Sadowskys, Stingrays or old Fenders, I just politely tell them that bass "X" costs $4000 (or whatever) to replace and I am not comfortable letting others use them.

At my home, my bass playing friends are welcome to play any of my basses provided they are not hammered. A GTG situation would also be fine IMO as most people on TB that I have met are responsible bass lovers!

P.S. I play Santeria at every gig I play. It is a great song! Also, how does popping break strings? I slap and pop all the time and haven't broke a string in 10 years!

P.P.S. My rig is a tank so any bassist is welcomed to try to kill my Ampeg head and Sadowsky Cab!

[spade2you]

Get an unlined fretless. People don't usually mess with those.

[alembicguy]

NOBODY TOUCHES MY GEAR!! Okay sorry about yelling at everybody.