A dose of perspective on GAS

[Bunk McNulty]

Washtub Bass Yo!

 

[P. Aaron]

Hope that youngster keeps at it. We need him and many like him to play instruments and stay off the devices.

 

[P. Aaron]

Then there’s Fulu Miziki…

‘We like the sound of PVC tubing’: Fulu Miziki, the band who make music out of trash

Tone wood? How about tone plastic? But it’s a sad situation.

I could never play that well. I've had too much formal training.

 

[KevinDBassist]

Last night I had a bad bad case of GAS for a Geddy jazz bass . Searching through sites with a fever . Then I picked up my humble Precision bass with Rotos and ran through a practice routine . Different techniques pick , finger style , positions at the heel of the neck to the bridge complimenting the song . It sure relieved those gas pains for the two hours I had fun practicing and reminded me of why this is my one bass that has stayed with me . This thread makes me grateful for what I do have .
p.s the Geddy is still a want .

 

[stringthrough]

I've come to the conclusion that every bass (and guitar) I GAS-ed for and acquired eventually became "just another" utility bass. As they say, wanting is more powerful than having.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Then there’s Fulu Miziki…

‘We like the sound of PVC tubing’: Fulu Miziki, the band who make music out of trash

Tone wood? How about tone plastic? But it’s a sad situation.

They make me think of an African Parliament-Funkadelic.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Last night I had a bad bad case of GAS for a Geddy jazz bass . Searching through sites with a fever . Then I picked up my humble Precision bass with Rotos and ran through a practice routine . Different techniques pick , finger style , positions at the heel of the neck to the bridge complimenting the song . It sure relieved those gas pains for the two hours I had fun practicing and reminded me of why this is my one bass that has stayed with me . This thread makes me grateful for what I do have .
p.s the Geddy is still a want .View attachment 5004792

For me wanting new basses is not something I worry about. It’s part of my personality. I love to eat, but I have dropped nearly 60lbs (96kgs) once I realized how much knee trouble the weight was giving me. The same principle applies to prudence when I see something I like in the music store.

 

[eddododo]

It is humbling to hear this kid on his home made guitar. It is a great reminder that can you play is much more important than what you play.

It’s good and fine to be a gear head, but remember that only hobbyists spend more time on their gear than on the craft.

 

[J Wilson]

GAS was cured forever once I really and truly realized that I am going to sound like me on any reasonably solid instrument. They don't play themselves, and their is no secret power that somewhere, somehow, with THAT bass, I will change from Clark Kent to Superman.

It's head, heart, and hands.

 

[tlc1976]

I’m satisfied with the gear I have. When I want to experiment with sounds or whatever, I don’t feel bad because they’re not high end instruments with high resale value.

I like looking around at gear just as much as everyone else. But my main focus is get the house paid off sooner. No house payment = earlier retirement. Earlier retirement = more time to play bass.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I’m satisfied with the gear I have. When I want to experiment with sounds or whatever, I don’t feel bad because they’re not high end instruments with high resale value.

I like looking around at gear just as much as everyone else. But my main focus is get the house paid off sooner. No house payment = earlier retirement. Earlier retirement = more time to play bass.

Sounds good to me!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Videos like that have helped me with enjoy the simplicity of two basses with just a rumble amp and some off brand pedals. I see many artist from West Africa and Northern Africa make some of the best music ever. Most of the gear they have isn't the best but the way they play is amazing. There was a drummer I believe in Malaysia or Indonesia forgive me if I got any of those locations wrong, I must look him up on youtube when I get the chance but he had a kit made of pretty much garbage but played really well and awesome. He was donated a real drum kit but plays his DIY kit still and sounded just as good on both. There was also a boy I follow on instagram who repairs snare drums and drums and made a business out of it in Nigeria and it's amazing to see him play some complex awesome stuff on vintage gear he has restore. It's humbling and makes me thankful but also want to put in the work to let limitations breed creativity.


This is the West African group I am referring to. There are many more like them and they are all amazing same with all over the world.

It's also humbling if you ever read into some origins of musical history. Much of early Carolina folk was using older instruments on hand. Same with Irish session music, it was peasants who had very little musical education hence why some older players play pancake style fiddle in a not so perfect way but sound amazing, tin whistles, tenor banjos etc. Many use another instrument I love the Anglo-Concertina which was a cheap toy at the time and also accordions that lack tuning in B/C which are now standards and expensive in those genres! Sicilian-folk also used mandolins and played a much different style of classical Italian and was viewed as wrong or not the way it should be played. I can go on and on about musical history how our ancestors or at least origins of music was played on cheaper instruments but now today these songs and artist have become standards. At lot of people also in folk genres or cultural music of their country or culture almost always rock one instrument, it shows that what has worked for their ancestors and culture is all they need. This is of course a generalization but I rarely see hardern session Scottish or Irish players have 20 fiddles or concertinas, it's just not needed once you invest in one, it works! Same with Hawaiian music... it was music that took western American folk and kept it simple and used open tunings and everyone stuck with one instrument etc... I can go on for hours and I doubt anyone would read this... XD!

To sum up. Thank you for posting this, if anyone research their idols, or history of some music genres they will see much of them used simple, or what was consider not great gear but made history and make music. Also some instruments with folk or cultural origins are simple and many pro players have no need to own tons of models. Look up any folk music, Irish, West African, Hawaiian etc. Have a great day all, stay humble and creative!

The cats!
I've been listening to them for a while.

 

[Bassic_desires]

@Dr. Cheese A salient lesson to all.

 

[jvanoort]

Then there’s Fulu Miziki…

‘We like the sound of PVC tubing’: Fulu Miziki, the band who make music out of trash

Tone wood? How about tone plastic? But it’s a sad situation.

This was fun, thanks for sharing.

But why is it a sad situation? They don't seem to think it is? It does not seem to hold them back?

 

[mhartman29]

The truth bombs in this thread are..... Depressing.

 

[Pedullist]

With a variety of basses you can practice your adaptation skills.

Also, this is my hobby and buying gear is part of the hobby. I don't see it as a waste of money or time, because I'm having a ball doing it and this more valuable to me than money. The excitement of getting a new bass, getting to know it, learning how to deal with weak spots or how to get the best sound out of it, using it in recordings, noticing how the different sound and feel changed your playing style a bit, hearing myself explain to my wife why this bass is so much different from the other ones ('darling, it's gréén! Come one, pay attention!')...it's all so enjoyable.

Yes, one bass can be enough. But meh.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

With a variety of basses you can practice your adaptation skills.

Also, this is my hobby and buying gear is part of the hobby. I don't see it as a waste of money or time, because I'm having a ball doing it and this more valuable to me than money. The excitement of getting a new bass, getting to know it, learning how to deal with weak spots or how to get the best sound out of it, using it in recordings, noticing how the different sound and feel changed your playing style a bit, hearing myself explain to my wife why this bass is so much different from the other ones ('darling, it's gréén! Come one, pay attention!')...it's all so enjoyable.

Yes, one bass can be enough. But meh.

One size does not fit all. For me, gear obsession got in the way of me getting better. For others, it was not a problem.

 

[Pedullist]

I do recognize some of that restless feeling you get if you don't take the time to get to know the new instruments/gear well (what if I try this on another bass?). Getting to know a new instrument (or waiting for the brown truck) is not the same as knowing it really well and play it without thinking. And playing without thinking is the final goal. Also, time spent on looking for (and buying) new gear can't be spent on playing.

But indeed, each person is different. To be honest I don't think I would play or practice so much more if I had just one bass. In my case more is more, I think. One bass each year....is it obsessive?

 

[Polfuste]

This was fun, thanks for sharing.

But why is it a sad situation? They don't seem to think it is? It does not seem to hold them back?

African Slipknot !!! Xellent !

 

[groovaholic]

For me, gear obsession got in the way of me getting better.

I've fallen into this rut too; new gear scratches that itch for immediate gratification because it almost always gives you a different sound/feel/vibe. And rather than focus on our playing, the practice routine turns into time to turn knobs, experiment with settings, change strings, etc.

So that was me: focused on my sound and my gear more than on my playing...but a few recent experiences told me it was time to return my focus to playing.

The first was the Chicago-area TalkBass get-together last month.
There was an insane quantity of amazing gear there - and none of it resonated with me like the stuff I already have. It made me realize there's no realistic chance that I'd just stumble upon something better, either at a shop or online. Other players can be completely honest when they describe gear as "amazing" but that's no guarantee it will appeal to me.

The other thing at the GTG was the players - hearing them, I realized that I've gotten complacent and rely on the same patterns way too much.

Galvanized by that experience, I brought my bass with me last week when I was visiting my mom.
While there, I looked up the guy I took lessons with many years ago and signed up for a lesson.
That lesson brought me full-circle and cracked open a lot of those ruts I've been relying on.

It gave me something better to do in my practice time than turn knobs and change strings...