Jerk encounter of the bass kind

IllGottenGain · #1 02-07-2011, 11:17 AM

The other day I was playing my Peavey Cirrus 6 string at a local bass shop, trying out an Epifani PS600 which I ended up buying.

I was just playing around and messing with the settings to see if I liked it when another customer comes over and says, "That looks like a Ken Smith!" I replied, "No, it's a Peavey." At this point his face just goes blank, and I thought the guy wanted to have a conversation. I said, "I was surprised that Peavey makes some pretty good stuff!" He goes, "Some of the models..." Then the a**hole walks away. I don't understand why you can't be a good player to some people unless you're playing a specific bass. John Myung played Yamaha; does that mean he sucks too? Argh. Some people can't get the stick out of their butts.

boynamedsuse · #2 02-07-2011, 11:36 AM

If his face went blank, he obviously didn't know what to say. Maybe he's new to bass. Maybe he was looking for some information on a Ken Smith and thought you could help. Pretty much everyone can recognize a Cirrus, so if he couldn't, that should tell you something.

bassbully · #3 02-07-2011, 11:45 AM

Thats why I play Fender's .. that way you never get that kind of attitude.

johnboy65 · #4 02-07-2011, 11:47 AM

I always get the Peavey and Ken Smith headstocks confused...

If he can't tell the difference from across the room then there's no reason to care what his opinion is.

bassteban · #5 02-07-2011, 11:51 AM

By surmising all that from the look on dude's face, I can only surmise that your are related to my wife. She can detect thoughts in my head that haven't formed yet, then cleverly turn them on me in her evil bid for world domination.

Krispy · #6 02-07-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

By surmising all that from the look on dude's face, I can only surmise that your are related to my wife. She can detect thoughts in my head that haven't formed yet, then cleverly turn them on me in her evil bid for world domination.

Our wive's are related? Who knew. Sucks to be us.

pgolliher · #7 02-07-2011, 12:02 PM

I had a similar experience, but it was with a guitar tech. I brought in my franken-bass for a set up-( 70's p-bass body, warmoth neck, emg P-J pcik ups, badass II) and this kid that is the new tech takes it and says, oh, it's some Fender copy... I knew from his tone that he just thought is was some piece of crap. The shop that I brought it to is definitely known as an acoustic guitar shop, but the old tech they had did some great work. I should have trusted my gut and left, because it was by far the worse set up I have ever received, I know that I do a better job on my own. I learned my lesson and luckily I just found a great bass tech in town- but I will always wonder if the kid did a bad job due to inexperience or if he didn't put time into my bass because it didn't say Fender on the headstock. (oh no, did I just accidently stumble into the Fender decal debate?)

honeyiscool · #8 02-07-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully

Thats why I play Fender's .. that way you never get that kind of attitude.

That's some true shiz.

JimiLL · #9 02-07-2011, 12:12 PM

Who cares. Hes a noob

DRafalske · #10 02-07-2011, 12:13 PM

I had sort of a similar experience a couple weeks ago. My band was playing a bar we play at a lot - our "home stage" if you will. I was playing my new Ric that night, my first gig with it.
Dude who "used to play a little bass back in high school" came up and was just raving on and on about my tone and what a nice bass I had. He even bought me a beer. Now, I agree of course, on both counts

, but this dude was all over my nutz just because I was playing a Ric.
Yes, it's a very nice bass and I'm proud to own it. But jeez man, it's just a bass. My Fender sounds just as *good*, albeit very different.
Gear snobbery goes both ways. He was friendly enough, but annoying just the same.

D

**Staccato** · #11 02-07-2011, 12:21 PM

The guy that walked away may have been an innocent. Or, he may have been part of a newer generation that has a very, very short attention span, and a need for instant gratification...aka the attention span of a gnat!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

Our wive's are related? Who knew. Sucks to be us.

Good one Krispy, it made me LOL. Fortunately, I'm divorced from that one...

IllGottenGain · #12 02-07-2011, 12:27 PM

No, he was middle aged, probably late 40's. I could tell by his tone, like pgolliher said, that he thought it was inferior. I couldn't even think of something snarky to say back, because by the time I realized he just s*** all over my bass, he walked away. The problem is people getting stuck in some mindset that certain brands are better (which some obviously are) and not being open minded enough to realize that there are other good names out there too.

Southpaw5 · #13 02-07-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

Our wive's are related? Who knew. Sucks to be us.

No, they all have that power, maybe its the ring?

Oh no, I think she can read my thought as I type this..

bassgod76 · #14 02-07-2011, 12:43 PM

I remember finishing a gig, and some guy walks up to me, and says, "Nice job man. You should check out Warrior basses. It would compliment your playing style, better."

Now, I know that my EB Sterlings are an acquired taste for some, but what kind of back-handed **** is that?

I told him, "Thanks, but a cheap bass like that would look tacky in the passenger seat of my Lamborghini."

He walked away.

IllGottenGain · #15 02-07-2011, 12:44 PM

jive1 · #16 02-07-2011, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

Our wive's are related? Who knew. Sucks to be us.

Maybe you guys have the same wife?

JC Dillon · #17 02-07-2011, 01:06 PM

You should have played along and said, "Yeah, it's brand new...Wanna try it out?" After he marveled at how well it played and gushed about it's tone and what not, then you could've said, "Oh, wait, this is my PEAVEY CIRRUS that you just lost a nut over! How about that?" Then again, why let a tool like that play your bass in the first place.

bassteban · #18 02-07-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jive1

Maybe you guys have the same wife?

Shhh! Secret

Rickett Customs · #19 02-07-2011, 01:12 PM

He goes, "Some of the models.............Squirrel...........

pathdoc2 · #20 02-07-2011, 01:20 PM

I experienced something about 7 years ago. I was playing in a church, 3000 seats with line array, about as pro of a setup that I've ever seen. I mostly played my MIM p bass and would rarely play a Yamaha. I came across a good deal on a Chuck Rainey model Ken Smith and started playing it. All of a sudden the guitar player who wouldn't as much as look at me for the first year I was there wants to be my new best friend. I know it had something to do with the Ken Smith but for the life of me I can't figure it out. I played the same parts the same way I had always played them but all of sudden got recognition. This seemed to carry over to other musician we played with as well. I just don't get it.