bringing a bass to college

[PatTheAnchor]

So i'll be living in a quad (4 to a dorm), and just wanted to know if it is a good idea to keep a bass and a combo in the room? anyone ever try this? obviously I'll have to talk it out with roommates but I just wanted to know if anyone's even tried doing it.

Really wanted to bring mine to college because I might have the occasional jam and didn't want to have it at home. I could leave it at my friend's gf's apartment but I just think that's rude. I might ask her when the end of summer comes around.

thanks and i'm going to Ohio State by the way.

[WickedPissah]

bring the smallest combo you can get your hands on, or get a headphone amp just to play so you can keep yourself from going nuts.

[tastybasslines]

Originally Posted by PatTheAnchor

So i'll be living in a quad (4 to a dorm), and just wanted to know if it is a good idea to keep a bass and a combo in the room? anyone ever try this? obviously I'll have to talk it out with roommates but I just wanted to know if anyone's even tried doing it.

Really wanted to bring mine to college because I might have the occasional jam and didn't want to have it at home. I could leave it at my friend's gf's apartment but I just think that's rude. I might ask her when the end of summer comes around.

thanks and i'm going to Ohio State by the way.

I don't know how much of a party school OSU is, but I shared a small bedroom with one guy for a year and my Pioneer Mini System, which was badass, got blown out with my 6inch Bazooka tube cause some drunk guy wandered into my room and started blasting my RATM CD on max volume. When I noticed, he was already passed out on my floor.

2.) I bought my first bass and amp as a freshman, my amp was a tuck and roll 15 with silver sparkle padding and heavy duty casters. I got it without a speaker grill, and thank god I put one on, cause it got kicked several times. Still got it.

4 in a dorm room is alot. Now factor that times 4 for everyones friends that will be coming though the door. Then add drunk factor and thieves. I would not buy amazing equipment and keep my room locked! Make sure you tell your room mate this. Or you can also get renters insurance for 10 bucks a month.

But im telling you, someone is going to get drunk and puke in your pad, guaranteed.

[starmoon]

Originally Posted by WickedPissah

bring the smallest combo you can get your hands on, or get a headphone amp just to play so you can keep yourself from going nuts.

Yup, smallest combo would be the way to go.

[tastybasslines]

Originally Posted by starmoon

Yup, smallest combo would be the way to go.

If you might play small college venues, a MB110 would be really small and sound good enough for a light gig.

[Kwesi]

I had an Epifani PS112, a Markbass Little Mark II and four basses in my old dorm and it was a triple, lol (three to one room, 2 in the adjacent room for 5 total in the suite). A small combo or mini-rig should be just fine.

[TOOL460002]

if its not bunk beds, raise your bed up and stow it under there, preferably behind other stuff (throw a blanket over it or something). anything visible is waiting to be ****ed with in a room thatll get that much traffic.

my freshman year the bed frames could be inverted to give you another foot or so, and i kept my 4x10 and 6u rack in there, and that was a tiny two person room.

however, i would first get to know my roommates very, very well, and some of their friends... especially the ones that act like idiots when trashed.

[RBetoGT]

With The buddies It shouldn't be a Problem, The drunken Idiots are...

[hrodbert696]

Pretty much in agreement -- yes, bring it, but remember that you're likely to have drunk people around doing stupid things. Keep it tucked away in a closet or under your bed when you're not playing.

[jmattbassplaya]

I had an Ashdown 2x10 combo in my room. You should be fine.

[PatTheAnchor]

wow, a lot of great responses here.

I don't think I should have too much trouble with drunkards because i'm in what's called "Scholars" housing and the people in Honors & Scholars programs are more academic-oriented. But we're a big party school too lol, so I'll have to see what happens.

My gear is pretty cheap so I don't think I'd take a huge loss if collateral damage occurs.

Thanks guys!

[wdinc01]

Originally Posted by PatTheAnchor

I don't think I should have too much trouble with drunkards because i'm in what's called "Scholars" housing and the people in Honors & Scholars programs are more academic-oriented. But we're a big party school too lol, so I'll have to see what happens.

I'd hate to break this to you, but "honors" kids are the ones who party the hardest. I guess that's how they de-stress from all the studying or something. The University of Florida is one of the top public universities in Florida, as well as one of the top party schools.

When I lived on campus last year, there was a stone bench in front of my dorm that got broken. Everyone in the dorm had to pay for it, and it turns out that it was broken by some idiot in the honor's dorm. So point is, "scholarly" is the equal to "well behaved." People who act stupid will always act stupid, and college really brings out the stupid in people.

That said, it really depends on your dorm and your dorm mates. If you all get your own desk, then that would create a space to keep it at. Along with everyone, its better to get a headphone amp. And if you learn that you can trust your roommates well enough, you should be able to keep it on a stand (I assume you're bring it in a case).

I think more often than not though, everyone will respect your stuff and your space, because they would want the same thing. My roommate when I lived in a dorm was a complete slob, but he never messed with my stuff. If you can though, I'd go to school for a little bit first to feel it out, then decide if you can bring your bass.

[Soul Power]

Get a Roland micro cube. Has built in effects, is small as hell, portable via six double a batteries, several drum loops including a metronome, and decent sound for what it is.

[anyonefortennis]

Also keep your bass in the case and stored in a closet or under the bed. I was a guitar player back in College and one day my Epi Casino had a cracked neck. It sat out on a stand. Still a mystery to this day.

[bassist11]

Originally Posted by wdinc01

I'd hate to break this to you, but "honors" kids are the ones who party the hardest.

As one of those "honors" kids, I personally don't buy this. I lived in the honors housing and the whole 9 yards and there were definitely more non-party people than party people. Yes there are honor kids that party, and yes they might party hard, but I would be willing to bet that overall, honor kids party less than your average business major or the likes.

No offense taken though. We could start a whole new thread talking about that..

It's absolutely true though that it all depends on the people your living with. I brought my basses and combo to college and it worked out fine. I didn't have a crazy roommate and no drunk people in my room. Hearing some of the stories from other dorms though? No way would I have brought my stuff..

[hrodbert696]

You know, while I sounded a note of paranoia and caution earlier, the fact is you'll figure it out. If there ARE wild parties, have the common sense to put the bass and amp away first. If there aren't, well, there you are. Don't worry about it.

[jp58]

Both my roommate and I played instruments my first year, and so I had my beginner equipment there all year with zero issue.

The last 2 and summers, I've lived in an apartment with people I trusted a lot, including a guitarist and a trombone-ist, and we all pretty much left each other's stuff alone.

YMMV, and I would definitely say to give it that week or two to feel them out before bringing anything you would be devastated to lose.

[wdinc01]

Originally Posted by bassist11

As one of those "honors" kids, I personally don't buy this. I lived in the honors housing and the whole 9 yards and there were definitely more non-party people than party people. Yes there are honor kids that party, and yes they might party hard, but I would be willing to bet that overall, honor kids party less than your average business major or the likes.

You're absolutely right. I should have noted that in my experience, they party hard. But I guess everyone parties hard in college. I don't party at all, nor do the people I hang out with (generally), so from my point of view, everyone else is partying. I will say that music kids seem to take pride in how much they drink.

My girlfriend is an RA, and made a point not to work in the honor's dorms. I guess they're harder to handle because they think they're smarter than you. But every dorm is going to have its own dynamic, which changes year to year. When I lived in my dorm last year, it was just constantly people being stupid (so I hear, I was never there), where as this year it remained pretty quite. So again, you'll have to attest your situation before you can feel safe about bringing your stuff. But I'd say that more likely than not, it won't be a problem (unless there's no space for it).

[Downunderwonder]

The serious scholars party infrequently but the intensity goes off the scale.

[jmattbassplaya]

Everyone likes to think they're part of the social group that parties the hardest. Truth is, none of them are.