serious case of GAS

[dfinnegan71]

I've been lurking here a long while, but now need your advise. I am a part time weekend cover/function band bass player with about 20 years under my belt. I have owned almost 40 different basses in that time. In just the last 30 days alone I went from a Lakland skyline 4401 to a G&L tribute L2000 to a Sterling by Musicman Ray 34 and now just today to a Warwick Streamer Standard. Buy, play , sell...repeat.
I think this all started in 1999 when my German Warwick Streamer got stolen at a gig. Iseem to be always chasing that perfect balance of tone n feel.
I love the feel of this new Streamer, but haven't played a gig with it yet. So my question is, what did you do to cure your case? How many basses do you own? Should I just save up and spend $2000 US dollars and get something nice?
As you can see by my latest aqusitions, it's all entry-mid level bass guitars. But I need a cure for this case of GAS, my band mates think I'm nuckin' futs and my wallet hurts.

[Joe Milo]

40 different basses in 20 years is pretty impressive....You never mentioned owning any Fenders.....Have you ever owned a Fender Jazz or Precision bass? Then there is also the Fender PJ's......Then there are the P and J basses by others such as Lakland and Sadowsky to name a few.....

Really sorry to hear that your Warwick was stolen.....How can that happen at a gig? When I'm gigging I'm always close to the band's gear....

[dfinnegan71]

Impressive? My wife disagree's strongly. have owned a Fender Jazz MIM about two years ago. Not bad at all. I had a Mexican P/J deluxe alongside my 1st Warwick Streamer as a back up. It felt like a toy compared to the wick.
The gig was outdoors at an inner city festival and we had to park about 100 yards from the stage. So at load out, we would have one guy in the van aranging the gear and the rest of us walking back and forth. It got lost in the travels back and forth somewhere, somehow. we left and I didn't even notice till we unloaded the van later that night.

[spiritbass]

Simple. Find a few basses that work for you, practice, play and stay out of music stores and TalkBass. Problem solved!

[Joe Milo]

I had a sneaking feeling that was the case about the theft.....I feel your pain......
From what I have read here on TB Warwick guys are a pretty close knit group of peep.....I have always wanted to try a Warwick but being the guy I am I would want to play and then own the expensive Warwicks......If I were to own a Wick I would like a jazz pup configuration with MEC pups..

Currently gassing for a Lakland DJ4 and then a Lakland 44-64 P bass......
I've owned 6 different basses since I started playing at 16 years old....I'm now 44.

Up to you how much cash you want to spend on any certain bass. Only you and your wife know your financial situation and how much you can spend. If it were me, I wouldn't spend 2K on one bass. I would spend 2K on a couple quality used basses that I played and fell in love with....Thats just me.
Spend what you feel comfortable with on a bass that you like. Doesn't matter what us guys here on the forum think of the bass..As long as you like then thats all that matters! When you do get a new bass tho post pics! We all love NBD threads... Happy shopping!

[dfinnegan71]

I like that response, "stay out of the music stores and off TB"
I think the idea of have a couple really good basses that I love is the ticket!

[dfinnegan71]

IS there a bass out there with the feel of a Fender Jazz, the sound of the Stringray and dashing good looks of the woody Warwick's? Today, before my purchase of the Streamer, I played a CIJ Fender Jazz ,Lakeland 44-02, back to the Streamer, than a Fender Sting model and Warmoth P-bass. For the $$ I couldn't go wrong withthe Streamer and I really dig the sound AND fell. But I know in 2 months I'll be thinking I should have bought the "insert name here".

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by dfinnegan71

I like that response, "stay out of the music stores and off TB"
I think the idea of have a couple really good basses that I love is the ticket!

Bzzt. Wrong. Head in the stand stagnation isn't art! The reason we all have GAS is because we are still alive. Still learning and exploring. Still hunting for the perfect we-don't-know-what. Hey, I've seen lots of players who go around doing their gigs with some old beatup bass they got 20 years ago with some under-powered beat up amp from the same era, playing the same old tired licks, grooves and music they played when they bought the stuff. Do I get all excited when I hear them, and start gushing to all my buddies about this exciting new band I just heard? ARE YOU NUTS?

Point is music and musicians change and grow. If you don't do that you might as well give up. And what does that mean? It means if you hear some new thing, you want to know more about it. You want to know if maybe it will make what you are trying to do better. And what better way to find out if the new thing is for you, but to own one and live with it for a while. If it's not for you, that's OK, you can sell it and not worry because NOW you have the knowledge of what THAT thing is all about. And that alone will serve you and your music.

Now your wallet and budget often demand that you use a little restraint. For a while I was getting interested in the idea of a passive Fender jazz 6 string vibe. Could that work? Would it be cooL? But I wasn't about to put it down for a couple Steve Bailey sigs to find out. But then suddenly SX 6er jazz basses appeared for a song. THREE SX 6ers and some mods later and I'm on my way to digging the Fender clone 6er thing. Turns out I love it. So am I hopelessly suffering from GAS? Nay. I saved myself all manner of GAS money compared to a fretted and fretless Steve Bailey! And now I REALLY understand what that particular thing is all about.

I'm sorry but I turned my back on the 4 string Fender clone I started playing bass with a LONG time ago! My GAS is't my shame, it's a reason behind many of the things I now know.

I know, I know, spoken like a true TBer.

[StuartV]

I've been playing bass for almost 3 years (or is it almost 4, now?). I have had 27 or 28 basses. I still have 10 of them - all (the current ones) nice, made in America basses (but only 1 Fender). I haven't really had any GAS in months now.

I think the cure for my GAS has come through 2 things: One, try one of everything that interests you. If you shop wisely and patiently, you can find a nice used example of just about any bass that you can buy for a good price. Try it for a while and then sell it. If you paid a good price for it up front, you'll be able to sell it for what you paid. Often, even make a tiny bit.

And, two, I find that the bass I probably play more than of the others is one that I built myself. A Warmoth J body (absolutely stunning flame maple top with natural wood binding) with an Allparts fretless neck and some SD pickups. It plays great. It sounds great. It is beautiful (to me). It's one of a kind. And, because I put it together, it's extra special to me. All that seems to go together to make it extra satisfying.

I think between trying just about every kind of bass that has caught my interest, and then putting together one that is JUST how I wanted it, that has pretty well cured my GAS.

Well, except for that all black Peavey Fury I bought last month because it was SO cool - and relatively cheap....

[spiritbass]

Too bad these don't really exist:



It is a photoshopped image from the Dingwall Super P thread. The existing model that would be closest to the music man sonically would be a Z2 or Sklar...

[alexlocurto]

Originally Posted by spiritbass

Too bad these don't really exist:



It a photoshopped image from the Dingwall Super P thread. The existing model that would be closest to the music man sonically would be a Z2 or Sklar...

I... I'm not sure I can begin to describe how attractive that instrument is.... O_O

[dfinnegan71]

I like Bassben's idea! I am growing as a musician and need to try out alot of new and exciting sounds. There are a ton of basses I have never even tried out there let alone owned.
I like the idea of building your own with hand selected parts. that could be the ticket....

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by spiritbass

Too bad these don't really exist:

It a photoshopped image from the Dingwall Super P thread. The existing model that would be closest to the music man sonically would be a Z2 or Sklar...

Oh THANKS! Just when I thought I didn't have any GAS for a while!

[Malak the Mad]

Originally Posted by spiritbass

Too bad these don't really exist:

Duh! Of course it exists. It was built by the sheer thoughts and force-of-will of Rod Serling. He used to record the original "Twilight Zone" theme.

EVERY…
SINGLE…
NOTE…
AND…
SOUND!

[mjac28]

You miss the love of your life that you lost in 1999 and you have been running thru these other girls like a drunken sailor you have to find another bass like the one you lost down to the color and then sir you will be happy.

[dfinnegan71]

Ya majac28 you are probably right. It's been a few days since I picked up the Warwick Streamer RB and this thing is really nice. Just had band practice and I am very happy with it. Let's see how long this honeymoon lasts. I think I need more than 2 basses at home. It would be like when I was that drunken sailor. I had about 3 girls I could call up and party with.

[Fair Warning]

I think you are fine. Each bass is an investment, as long as you are buying used, just play it and turn it over when you are ready. If you are smart, it should not cost you anything.

My problem is that I find too many that I like for various reasons (I think I am up to 8 now). Cant see selling any of the hord......

[Pimmsley]

I only just recently joined TB after finding some random threads about gear I was looking at to re-spark the passion... I had stopped playing for 2 years (after playing for 20 years now... OMG how did that happen)... TB had got me all excited about BASS again, can't tell you how excited I am or how cool that is... missed it so badly... Since then I have serviced, setup and re-strung all my basses, practicing like crazy, got into a band again, and bought two new basses !
The vibe I get off TB is like being back at music school, and it's fun as hell ! and the new gear and inspiration has me wood-shedding more than I have in 10 years... how can that be bad ? I just hit 40 (years old) and my mid life crisis seems to be coming in the form of wanna be rock star again... lol

+1 to you finding that one glorious beast that you won't want to put down or move on and add to the collective (resistance is futile)...

Hey Fair warning, I'm up to 8 too, each one is different and loved dearly...

[spiritbass]

Originally Posted by Malak the Mad

Duh! Of course it exists. It was built by the sheer thoughts and force-of-will of Rod Serling. He used to record the original "Twilight Zone" theme.

EVERY…
SINGLE…
NOTE…
AND…
SOUND!

If enough players would pony up for an initial run and Sheldon could leap any legal hurdles to make a few... Okay, I'll stop fanning any real or imaginary GAS flames.

[phillybass101]

Being a member of TB increases GAS. But this is old news. Best case of GAS I've ever had.