Anyone get grief for playing expensive gear?

[glocke1]

Im not even sure where to begin with this one so I'll get straight to it.

Anyone ever get grief for playing expensive basses?

I play Alembics, I own 2 series basses and a stanley clarke signature deluxe. I've sacrificed ALOT of things to be able to own these, and they were bought with my own money. I'll also admit they were expensive, but since I bought them used they were not as expensive as they could be.

I play them because I like the way they sound, and like the way the allow me to play. I've owned and played over a dozen basses since I started playing at 16 years of age, and always strived to find the sound I wanted. Clean, dry, woody and articulate, and to me that means Alembic.

In the band I am currently playing in I've noticed some snarky comments here and there regarding expensive instruments, people who own multiple instruments, etc.

This all peaked last night at practice. I had my alembic there as usual, and after about 90 minutes of rehearsal one of the friends of the people in the band started talking trash about my basses and how much they cost in a pretty obnoxious manner.

Im a pretty mellow guy, but have a low tolerance for people being assholes. After enduring about 20 minutes of what were essentially insults from this guy I packed up my gear and left.

Anyone else here that plays expensive gear run into this? I really don't get it. I have not always been in a position where I can afford such nice equipment, and for much of my playing "career" I only owned one bass (a 72 jazz) and 1 amp, and when I was at that point in my life I was playing with guys that had all the expensive gear and never felt jealous, angry, or whatever you want to call it...I think I actually felt lucky to know someone who owned and played that stuff so I had chance to see and hear instruments I normally would not run into.

[Jazz Ad]

I can't say it ever happened to me.
Sometimes a bit of surprise when they ask for the brand of my basses and I say they are custom models, that's about it.

[SlingBass4]

Never be concerned with the thoughts of others when it conflicts with what you have worked hard to attain. NO guilt in playing nice gear...especially when it was acquired to please yourself and satisfy your vision of what fine equipment should look, play, and sound like. Life is short and we only go around once - enjoy the fruits of your labors, yet remain gracious to those who understand nothing about you. Perhaps any retaliation and/or revenge would be to make the best music you can

[GBassNorth]

I've heard similar comments when playing my Alembic or Pedulla basses. The comment I heard the most from one of the guitards was "look, he's got him a piece of furniture". Obviously it was something he had heard at one time he was just repeating it because he thought it was funny (he wasn't smart enough to come up with that one on his own). However, as I looked around the practice studio at the 10 plus guitars and basses others had brought I did notice that there was not one highly figured stained gloss wood top in the room, except mine. So it did kinda stand out as bling compared to the others.

Needless to say I did cave a bit and brought one of my Fender type basses to the next practice. It fit in with the rest of the bands instruments and they all thought it sounded and looked great. Of course I didn't tell them I only paid $1500 used for my Alembic and about the same for my Pedulla but the new bass I was now bringing to the gigs was a custom designed and built bass that cost me over $4000.

Morale of the story - fitting in with the look and feel of the band has some level of worth, likewise compromising your standards has some level of cost. It's up to you to determine is the cost is worth it. In my case, it was no big deal I had other "go to" basses that fit the bill. Your situation may be different.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by glocke1

Im not even sure where to begin with this one so I'll get straight to it.

Anyone ever get grief for playing expensive basses?

I play Alembics, I own 2 series basses and a stanley clarke signature deluxe. I've sacrificed ALOT of things to be able to own these, and they were bought with my own money. I'll also admit they were expensive, but since I bought them used they were not as expensive as they could be.

I play them because I like the way they sound, and like the way the allow me to play. I've owned and played over a dozen basses since I started playing at 16 years of age, and always strived to find the sound I wanted. Clean, dry, woody and articulate, and to me that means Alembic.

In the band I am currently playing in I've noticed some snarky comments here and there regarding expensive instruments, people who own multiple instruments, etc.

This all peaked last night at practice. I had my alembic there as usual, and after about 90 minutes of rehearsal one of the friends of the people in the band started talking trash about my basses and how much they cost in a pretty obnoxious manner.

Im a pretty mellow guy, but have a low tolerance for people being assholes. After enduring about 20 minutes of what were essentially insults from this guy I packed up my gear and left.

Anyone else here that plays expensive gear run into this? I really don't get it. I have not always been in a position where I can afford such nice equipment, and for much of my playing "career" I only owned one bass (a 72 jazz) and 1 amp, and when I was at that point in my life I was playing with guys that had all the expensive gear and never felt jealous, angry, or whatever you want to call it...I think I actually felt lucky to know someone who owned and played that stuff so I had chance to see and hear instruments I normally would not run into.

So far, I have not had any negative comments of the kind you describe, directed at me.

[glocke1]

Originally Posted by GBassNorth

I've heard similar comments when playing my Alembic or Pedulla basses. The comment I heard the most from one of the guitards was "look, he's got him a piece of furniture". Obviously it was something he had heard at one time he was just repeating it because he thought it was funny (he wasn't smart enough to come up with that one on his own). However, as I looked around the practice studio at the 10 plus guitars and basses others had brought I did notice that there was not one highly figured stained gloss wood top in the room, except mine. So it did kinda stand out as bling compared to the others.

Needless to say I did cave a bit and brought one of my Fender type basses to the next practice. It fit in with the rest of the bands instruments and they all thought it sounded and looked great. Of course I didn't tell them I only paid $1500 used for my Alembic and about the same for my Pedulla but the new bass I was now bringing to the gigs was a custom designed and built bass that cost me over $4000.

Morale of the story - fitting in with the look and feel of the band has some level of worth, likewise compromising your standards has some level of cost. It's up to you to determine is the cost is worth it. In my case, it was no big deal I had other "go to" basses that fit the bill. Your situation may be different.

I've actually thought about that.
They rest of the guys play instruments that are much less expensive. The kicker is that I sold some rather expensive vintage jazz basses to help fund my purchase of Alembic basses, in some cases the jazz basses were more expensive than the Alembics. I hate the idea of not playing my Alembics, I mean there is a reason I sold other gear to get these after all.

The funny thing is that the drummer (we rehearse at his house) literally has a house full of gear of all kinds, amps, sound systems, 4 drums sets, he probably easily has 20k-30k worth of gear that he himself owns.

[yodedude2]

based on your story, it sounds like your bandmate's friend is feeling very, very insecure about themself.

or there's some sort of de facto class warfare going on. cheers, ron

Originally Posted by glocke1

Im not even sure where to begin with this one so I'll get straight to it.

Anyone ever get grief for playing expensive basses?

I play Alembics, I own 2 series basses and a stanley clarke signature deluxe. I've sacrificed ALOT of things to be able to own these, and they were bought with my own money. I'll also admit they were expensive, but since I bought them used they were not as expensive as they could be.

I play them because I like the way they sound, and like the way the allow me to play. I've owned and played over a dozen basses since I started playing at 16 years of age, and always strived to find the sound I wanted. Clean, dry, woody and articulate, and to me that means Alembic.

In the band I am currently playing in I've noticed some snarky comments here and there regarding expensive instruments, people who own multiple instruments, etc.

This all peaked last night at practice. I had my alembic there as usual, and after about 90 minutes of rehearsal one of the friends of the people in the band started talking trash about my basses and how much they cost in a pretty obnoxious manner.

Im a pretty mellow guy, but have a low tolerance for people being assholes. After enduring about 20 minutes of what were essentially insults from this guy I packed up my gear and left.

Anyone else here that plays expensive gear run into this? I really don't get it. I have not always been in a position where I can afford such nice equipment, and for much of my playing "career" I only owned one bass (a 72 jazz) and 1 amp, and when I was at that point in my life I was playing with guys that had all the expensive gear and never felt jealous, angry, or whatever you want to call it...I think I actually felt lucky to know someone who owned and played that stuff so I had chance to see and hear instruments I normally would not run into.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by glocke1

Im a pretty mellow guy, but have a low tolerance for people being assholes. After enduring about 20 minutes of what were essentially insults from this guy I packed up my gear and left.

Leaving the entire, "what are a bunch of non-band pinheads doing at a band rehearsal?" question aside.....

I would say you have an enormous tolerance for assholes. I would have ignored the first comment and totally shut that mouth down after the second.

[Bassmickeyd]

The guy razzed you because you had an $$ bass?

What?

Either you're hanging out with the wrong crowd or maybe the guy didn't like you playing? ....
How old are you?

[glocke1]

Trust me, it was all I could do to keep from getting up and laying the guy flat. But I have better things to do than to confront or try to reason with a drunk. I could tell I was getting to the point where I was about to deck the guy so I figured the best thing to do was to just leave.

[Beej]

It'll be a cold day in hell when I get bothered by some idiot's personal insecurities about my purchases or income. I worked hard to be where I am.

This is just straight up jealously/envy and nothing more. You're broke and jealous of my Infiniti, so I should be driving a clapped out Corolla to practice?

And a +1 to why you would even let a non-band member into practice...

[glocke1]

Originally Posted by Bassmickeyd

The guy razzed you because you had an $$ bass?

Yep.

What?

Originally Posted by Bassmickeyd

Either you're hanging out with the wrong crowd or maybe the guy didn't like you playing? ....
How old are you?

Im 43....these guys are all my age or older. Unfortunately this is the only game in town available at the moment. Im looking for something else, but in the area that I am in the pickings are slim.

[Sliderbass]

…and not yours. 100% right thing to leave before it got physical. People just amaze me with their ability to be stupid and insensitive.

[Nev375]

Just come up with some good comebacks:

Expensive? This is the cheapest instrument I own. All the basses that cost 10 grand or more I leave at home.

I know. It's amazing the things you can buy when you don't blow your money on pot and booze.

You're right. I probably AM charging your mom too much. Tell you what, I'll start giving her 10% off on my next visit for being such a loyal customer.

Furniture? Doesn't your family still sleep on the floor? What would you know about furniture?

[pacojas]

OP, it's not the cost of the bass,... it's the fact that it's an Alembic. they just get people riled-up for some reason.

[JohnMCA72]

Originally Posted by glocke1

..one of the friends of the people in the band started talking trash about my basses and how much they cost in a pretty obnoxious manner.
...

Being not terribly mellow & no doubt considerably smarter than the person highlighted above, I would have come up with an appropriately humiliating come-back.

Speaking of person(s) highlighted above, as somebody else noted, 1) what on Earth are "friends of people in the band" doing at a rehearsal, & 2) what on Earth are such people doing opening their pie holes at all, for any purpose other than to breathe (air that belongs to the band, by the way, which the guests should be humbly grateful to be allowed to share)??????? "Friends of people in the band" at rehearsals, even if they aren't douche-bags, at best get in the way of work.

It should not have been you who packed up & left. Any "friends of people in the band" who cause any sort of distraction should immediately be asked to leave. If I were in a band that had "friends of people in the band" like that attending rehearsals a 2nd time (give 'em one strike & a warning) I'd be gone for good.

[TBrett]

Originally Posted by JohnMCA72

Being not terribly mellow & no doubt considerably smarter than the person highlighted above, I would have come up with an appropriately humiliating come-back.

Speaking of person(s) highlighted above, as somebody else noted, 1) what on Earth are "friends of people in the band" doing at a rehearsal, & 2) what on Earth are such people doing opening their pie holes at all, for any purpose other than to breathe (air that belongs to the band, by the way, which the guests should be humbly grateful to be allowed to share)??????? "Friends of people in the band" at rehearsals, even if they aren't douche-bags, at best get in the way of work.

It should not have been you who packed up & left. Any "friends of people in the band" who cause any sort of distraction should immediately be asked to leave. If I were in a band that had "friends of people in the band" like that attending rehearsals a 2nd time (give 'em one strike & a warning) I'd be gone for good.

+1000! Also surprised your bandmates didn't put an immediate stop to their friend's mouth.

[jdthebassman]

who cares, they are jealous because you care about your sound. I have never encountered this before. you should buy a carl thompson bass just to piss them off LOL.

[twbassman]

How can you not play expensive equipment (not knocking Squire and student basses)? Even the Fender Made in America P-Bass is $1200. I don't know about you, but that's a lot of money to me.

Take your ball and go home. LOL

[stratovani]

You're a better man than I, Gunga Din! After taking all that abuse I would have seen how far he could have walked with an Alembic stuck up his a$$!