Bass Players and Hats - - - 70% of Women Say They Are a Turn Off

[Auguste]

We were at a three band music event (classic rock 60s through the 90s) yesterday and during the intermissions wifey and I asked a total of 30 ladies (aged 25 to older ) what they thought of band members wearing hats.

21 said that hats worn by band members are a turn off - - - reasons - - - really nerdy - - - is their hair that dirty - - - if the hair is dirty then they probably smell - - - looks yukky - - - just not cool

The hats that 'suck' that were most mentioned were fedoras, flat taxi cab style hats and touques (tube hats for you southern boys and girls)

Interesting in that three women said if you have a large bald spot wear a hat

Anyhoo . . . it was a hoot and the answers were surprising . . . nobody told us to get lost when we asked them the questions . . . maybe because the wife and I did it as a couple . . . plus we got to meet a whole lot of people

One of the bass players, a friend, asked us what we doing . . . when we gave him the results he literally ditched his fedora it looked better on his girl friend than it did on him

[onosson]

I wear either a hat or sunglasses 90% of the time I play as I cannot stand stage lights blasting me in the face.

[pasta4lnch]

I have a big noggin' and can never find a hat that doesn't cut off circulation so no hats for me . . . guess that's why I get all the chicks!

[jarrydee]

hats I can handle, but they better not have shorts on....LOL....ahhhh, sometimes theirs a man............sometimes ...........theirs a man!

[j.kernodle]

the only hat I own came with a free bowl of soup.
also you should not wear a hat indoors as it is bad manners.

[bassplayerbob]

I am actually known for always wearing a hat. If i dont, people dont recognize me!! LOL!!



Our disco set


And who can deny this dude....

[Richland123]

I am not a hat guy and never wear one. The few times I wore a baseball cap, I just looked ridiculous.

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by Richland123

I just looked ridiculous.

As do most, they just don't realize it.

(hats that light up just make it worse!)

[Big B.]

I wear a fedora when I play with certain groups and my experience has been quite the opposite. I get endless comments from women about how much they love it and how hot it is. Maybe you are talking to the wrong ladies.

Edit: That being said I only wear the hat when I am wearing a matching suit, ala my avatar. I would never wear the hat without the suit.

[MrLenny1]

Nice hats bassplayerBob.
Hello from NE GTG's past.
I wear a ball cap because I am balding.

[kevteop]

Doesn't it get ridiculously hot wearing a hat on stage?

[Winfred]

Well it's subjective.

Brad Pitt in a hat, women would say he's hot.

Me in a hat = dufus.

[afzoomie67]

Yeah, the few times I wear hats like that, it's when I'm dressed up.

[countrybass007]

Country bands and cowboy hats go hand-in-hand, so I own about a dozen, which are in a sort of rotation at gigs. See www.silverswitchband.com to see how goofy I look all the time on stage. On rare occasions I have worn a ball cap, because hats keep the sweat out of my eyes.

[bryan gibson]

Originally Posted by onosson

I wear either a hat or sunglasses 90% of the time I play as I cannot stand stage lights blasting me in the face.

This +1. Being a "sideman," I'm generally near the side of the stage, closer to the lights. BITD the old Par 56/64 cans would melt your face off. Now we use the newer micro LED thingess-while not near as hot, are very bright/focused when they're 5 feet from your face. Besides, I could never look as goofy as Leon Wilkeson Seriously though, around these parts a ball cap (redneck style, not flatbill) or a subdued cowboy style hat are on the OK list.

[JWP]

wore a hat while in a cover band in the eighties...of course i wore parachute pants as well...but gave them both up and have not wore a hat on stage since...

[Itzayana]

Yeah, I have noticed that what you say is true. Every time I wear my dirty old baseball cap, the one with the orange brown sweat stains around the front, the chics just seem to evaporate.
But not all hats are a bad thing. For instance, when I wear my dark purple Moroccan Fez I become a chic magnet. It's a regular manage-a-plenty.

[kesslari]

I've had more audience attention since I started wearing a hat, including cute girls who ask to have their picture taken with "the dude in the hat". Since I haven't gotten the pics on my camera, I acknowledge that these cute girls do not exist by talkbass rules. Still, they make my little world a bit prettier.

[jaywa]

"Looks good on you though".

[posijon]

I usually wear a Reds cap. On and off stage. Of course, I'm married, so I've already impressed who I needed to.