Can I say "No" to sharing my bass at a jam?

[Quackhead]

It's simple. If you're not comfortable bringing a bass out to a gig or loaning it to someone, don't do it. And if you do loan it to someone or let them play it at a jam, my policy has always been, "You break it, you buy it."

[maxpayneatlarge]

One of the advantages of playing lefty I haven't had anyone want to play mine yet.

Chris

[Root 5]

I think it's perfectly acceptable to say "No!"

Lot so of people are idiots with instruments. I once lent a Guild D-25 acoustic to someone and it came back with pick pick scratches on the top!

[ShoeManiac]

It's always a touchy subject to have someone ask if they can play your instrument. I feel far more comfortable saying "NO" now than I did in the past. It's definitely a judgement call, too. If someone I know & like is asking, I'd be much more inclined to say yes. But if I don't? Then I have no problem saying no. If someone presses you on the issue, then it gets awkward. But the fact is that if they knew they were going to a jam, then maybe they should have left the house better prepared. On one occassion this guy really tried to press me on the issue, and I had to get very direct with him and said "Sorry, I just don't let anyone else play my bass".

Now if you're part of the house band for a jam? Then, circumstances might be a little different. When I've filled in at some jams as the house bass player I've brought a "beater bass". Something that I wasn't worried about someone else playing. And I did that a lot more when I was playing a lot of 6 string bass. But it was definitely nice to have that deterrent, because people did NOT want to try playing 6 string bass!

[MrLenny1]

Yes you can say no, but you shouldn't.
Most guys would show up with a bass
but if it's your Jam expect to loan it .

[Chef]

Yes, that is fine. Say it as nicely as you can

When we host blues jams, some folks bring their own basses, some don't.
I usually bring an MIM Pbass for folks to use, instead of my Sadowsky...that way it's a non-issue on my end.

Originally Posted by slick_tu

It hasn't happened to me, yet, but if I go to a jam, and someone asks to try my bass or use it for a song, is it OK for me to say no? Or would that be very bad manners on my part? What is the most tactful way to decline?

I have a Fender Custom Shop P, and I would rather not let someone else play it. After all, most guys probably wouldn't let me fondle their girlfriends if I asked, right?


.

[malthumb]

I kinda see two parallel thought patterns going on here.....

1). Someone who asks because they are curious about your bass. I typically say "have at it" if I think the person is a responsible musician who just wants to experience something they haven't seen or played before.

2) Someone who asks because for whatever reason they find themselves at a jam with no instrument. I will most likely say NO in those instances. This is an indication that they are NOT the responsible musician I describe in 1).

I, as others have stated, am MUCH more likely to say NO to requests to use my rig. I have a few times at church concerts and felt nervous the whole time. Would never do that in a bar or bandstand setting.

[ronlitz]

Originally Posted by hdracer

sure you can say no
and be a dick.

Why would you want to bring a CS Fender to a jam?

I bring my CIJ or American standard Fenders to jams all the time and if asked I let people play them.
If I don't know the person I let them know that if they hurt my bass I will hurt them

I agree completely with Hdracer. I'm surprised by the number of people saying they would never let someone play their bass at a jam, and that people shouldn't even ask, and that they should have brought their own instrument - that's just a very different reality than what I've experienced.
IMO:
- Never take an expensive bass to a jam.
- Assume someone will want to play your bass, and be ready to permit them.
- Understand that if you go to a jam and won't let anyone touch your bass, everyone there will consider you a dick. This can have very real and negative consequences if you have any hope of networking in the local musician community.

[Chef]

^^pretty much. yup.

exactly why I take my MIM Fender P.

[petermuca]

I think it is ok to say no if I don't know the guy. I set up my basses myself and once I let my bass which was set up for light touch (low action, pickups close to strings) to a guy and he started to agresively slap the strings into the pickups... And another story, once I let a guy play my rig and after that I needed to change the speaker... Sad

[YuppyPunk]

I once lent a bass to a guy who I later discovered must've worn a diamond studded belt buckle concidering all the buckle rash and had all the picking finesse of a gorilla on meth concidering all the stratches in the finish. It's a lower end Yamaha, but I gave it to him in new condition and a week later it looked very used. I still have the bass and years later I have hardly added any additional wear to it. It is my constant reminder to never let other people use my stuff.

[malthumb]

Originally Posted by YuppyPunk

I once lent a bass to a guy who I later discovered must've worn a diamond studded belt buckle concidering all the buckle rash and had all the picking finesse of a gorilla on meth concidering all the stratches in the finish. It's a lower end Yamaha, but I gave it to him in new condition and a week later it looked very used. I still have the bass and years later I have hardly added any additional wear to it. It is my constant reminder to never let other people use my stuff.

Turning over your bass to someone for a week is a whole different ball o' wax than letting someone use it for one or two songs during a jam. There are very few people on this earth that I'd leave any of my basses with for a week

[YuppyPunk]

Originally Posted by malthumb

Turning over your bass to someone for a week is a whole different ball o' wax than letting someone use it for one or two songs during a jam. There are very few people on this earth that I'd leave any of my basses with for a week

The kind of person who will abuse your stuff to the point of damage will do so regardless of whether you are present or not.

[Rneckties31]

Not everyone plays the same way and some people have basses set up exactly to their own style/taste. Somebody who plays hard could easily screw up a persons bass.

And as it has been mentioned sweat can ruin strings. I personally do not let anyone even touch my basses without washing their hands first even my best friends. Maybe i'm ocd or maybe i just care about how long my strings last and or wood.

Yes it is perfectly acceptable to say No. If it is rude or not. We payed for the bass not them. We change the strings and maintain the playability. And most importantly we own it. It is ours. If someone cannot respect that then i wouldn't want that kind of person playing my bass anyways.

[Mushroo]

It is good etiquette to share, but by no means an obligation.

I gig primarily with SX & Peavey these days, life is too short to bring expensive gear to a dive bar and then spend the evening stressing about it.

My Pedulla has a big paint chip from loaning it to a guitarist "friend" who proceeded to play it using a quarter coin as a pick!

[Fuzzbass]

Originally Posted by maxpayneatlarge

One of the advantages of playing lefty I haven't had anyone want to play mine yet.

Chris

I've had far fewer requests since I switched to five string!

[travishatcher]

I've seen some replies saying they bring a cheaper bass and that you shouldn't bring your good bass and whatnot. I respectfully disagree.

I bring my favorite bass because I enjoy how it feels over my paddle. That being said, I couldn't imagine wanting to jam on someone else's bass because I might not like the feel, or to not bring a bass on the assumption I could borrow a bass.

It's a call you make, I wouldn't think someone is a dick/jerk/etc. for not letting me use their bass. I don't let people touch mine.

That being said, if I'm hosting or in the house band I have a loaner in the wings, but encourage people to bring their own next time (as they may gotten up on a awhim and didnkt pack)

[travishatcher]

Originally Posted by Fuzzbass

I've had far fewer requests since I switched to five string!

Sometimes I,ll bring my 6 for that very reason, ha

[Fuzzbass]

If I go to a jam, I usually bring a bass that I'd be comfortable lending. My 2005 Sadowsky P5 (see below) is well worn by me -- another ding or three won't matter.

If I want to bring a pristine bass to a jam, then I'd bring a second, less valuable (or pre-relic'd) bass as a "loaner".

If all else failed I would say no, but I prefer to give fellow bass players the benefit of a doubt -- same as Brad Johnson has done at the GTG's I've been to with him: he brought ultra-high-dollar boutiques (including Elrick, Brubaker, and a Fodera AJ Contrabass), and had no qualms about any of us playing any of them.

[elbeau]

I let people use my cab but never my bass or amp unless I invite them to. I don't want people fiddle ****ing with my sound and definately don't want someone fingering my bass unless I know them very well. The only time I'll play someone else's bass is if they welcome me to it. Some people are way looser with their gear... its all up to you.