The ultimate destination

[stratovani]

Here in town we're having one of those "electronics disposal" events over at the Town DPW garage, where you can unload you old computers and TVs for a small fee. They're filling up a trailer full of stuff, mostly TVs from what I can see. I got rid of two old monitors and the first computer our family owned, a Compaq tower which we bought as part of a package for $1000 at Staples in 1999. State of the art stuff - a 400 mhz AMD processor, a 10 Gb hard drive, 128 Mb of memory, running Windows 98! It got me to thinking about the impermanence of our things, how even expensive Fodera or Lakland basses will ultimately wind up in the junk heap. Ironically, across the street from the DPW garage is the town cemetery, which is our ultimate destination. Kind of makes me wonder why we invest so much of ourselves in our things when it'll all be junk in short order.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by stratovani

Here in town we're having one of those "electronics disposal" events over at the Town DPW garage, where you can unload you old computers and TVs for a small fee. They're filling up a trailer full of stuff, mostly TVs from what I can see. I got rid of two old monitors and the first computer our family owned, a Compaq tower which we bought as part of a package for $1000 at Staples in 1999. State of the art stuff - a 400 mhz AMD processor, a 10 Gb hard drive, 128 Mb of memory, running Windows 98! It got me to thinking about the impermanence of our things, how even expensive Fodera or Lakland basses will ultimately wind up in the junk heap. Ironically, across the street from the DPW garage is the town cemetery, which is our ultimate destination. Kind of makes me wonder why we invest so much of ourselves in our things when it'll all be junk in short order.

Some things are more permanent, I would venture that the Fodera and Lakland, if properly maintained, have the opportunity to still be used productively for hundreds of years. Not that they will, but they could be.

[stevetx19]

Musical instruments of fine quality don't generally become obsolete. I am comfortable saying that a Fodera will never become obsolete- great basses are great basses. Surely humanity has improved violin making technique that all those dusty pre 19th century models are worthless to musicians, right?

[stratovani]

Everything has a shelf life. Nothing is forever. Sure, expensive items of high quality can last for many years, but given enough time they, too, will be junk. The junk yards are full of the carcasses of what we call classic cars.

[stevetx19]

What i mean is that the sort of technological advancement doesn't seem to have the same effect for aesthetics- artists use the tools that aid their expression. Upright basses didn't become junk with the invention of electric basses. Cars, like computers, can be designed to be sexy, but technology has improved in ways for both that is more rapid than for musical instruments. Sure, midi pads might be able to do everything a bass can, but advancements in the execution of stringed instruments aren't brought about in the same way as computer chips.

You are right, eventually all foderas and laklands and everything else we like will be at the bottom of the junk pile. I just think that when that happens, we will have a greater problem: There won't be any bass players either.

[EBodious]

dude, your thinly veiled attempt to get me to "throw away" my gear is not working.




i agree that we don't need to collect so much stuff in our lives (music gear, excluded). OTOH, is "throwing it away" really getting rid of it? here in iowa most of our unburnable trash goes to landfills in colorado. i can get rid of stuff i have accumulated over the years, but personally, i feel that just cause i sent it to a landfill doesn't mean its stopped being mine. i have just moved out of my sight.

reduce (comes first), reuse (if you already own it), recycle (last resort).

[hover]

I dunno, that which is cared for is ultimately preserved / perseveres / endures. Dunno the ratio, but I imagine for every 20-30 examples of junk classic cars for instance, there's prolly at least one that was preserved and still in service. The sheer number of almost any production make of bass is staggering, and while a great deal will eventually end in disrepair, I don't think that they are at all disposable. Maybe the real bottom-rung stuff, but there's fanboys for all that too (Teisco Del Ray anyone?)

That all said, Computers and other electronic devices simply aren't engineered to endure. I really don't know of any silicon-based devices that will ever establish an "heirloom" status. Most have a planned obsolescence. It was never really in their nature to begin with.

You don't see any "dispose of musical instruments for a small fee" day. There's a reason for that.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by EBodious

dude, your thinly veiled attempt to get me to "throw away" my gear is not working.

Dude, I know you're kidding, but believe me, nothing could be further from the truth. I don't want to tell anyone to get rid of anything, they'll make that decision on their own.

i agree that we don't need to collect so much stuff in our lives (music gear, excluded). OTOH, is "throwing it away" really getting rid of it? here in iowa most of our unburnable trash goes to landfills in colorado. i can get rid of stuff i have accumulated over the years, but personally, i feel that just cause i sent it to a landfill doesn't mean its stopped being mine. i have just moved out of my sight.

reduce (comes first), reuse (if you already own it), recycle (last resort).

I really needed to get rid of this stuff. It was obsolete, sitting in the bottom of a closet gathering dust, and my wife and I are looking to move into senior housing maybe as soon as next year. Those apartments are small, so we really need to downsize before then. Besides, sometimes I wax philosophic when things like this happen!

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by hover

I dunno, that which is cared for is ultimately preserved / perseveres / endures. Dunno the ratio, but I imagine for every 20-30 examples of junk classic cars for instance, there's prolly at least one that was preserved and still in service. The sheer number of almost any production make of bass is staggering, and while a great deal will eventually end in disrepair, I don't think that they are at all disposable. Maybe the real bottom-rung stuff, but there's fanboys for all that too (Teisco Del Ray anyone?)

That all said, Computers and other electronic devices simply aren't engineered to endure. I really don't know of any silicon-based devices that will ever establish an "heirloom" status. Most have a planned obsolescence. It was never really in their nature to begin with.

You don't see any "dispose of musical instruments for a small fee" day. There's a reason for that.

Yeah, when I said that I was thinking in hundreds, certainly thousands of years in the future. I think 50 years from now even my Squier Affinity will probably still be around. Don't think I'll be around, though!

[duff beer]

I put all my useless junk by the road and it's always gone within a day or two. Why take your garbage anywhere when people will pick it up for free??

[EBodious]

Originally Posted by stratovani

I really needed to get rid of this stuff. It was obsolete, sitting in the bottom of a closet gathering dust, and my wife and I are looking to move into senior housing maybe as soon as next year. Those apartments are small, so we really need to downsize before then. Besides, sometimes I wax philosophic when things like this happen!

hey, brother, i didn't mean to come across as condemning your choices. i agree with you, it is not up to me to tell others what to do with their stuff. i was really just speaking for myself, from my recent experience of looking at my garage from a spring-cleaning point of view. i wondered why i have so much crap piled up. my first reaction was haul it ALL away. that's when i realized it would be out of my sight, but not really gone. and thus, it all continues to sit there...

i mostly just try not to acquire more.