A Minimalists internal struggles with GAS

[LiptonJigglers]

Oh dear. The problems of the first world never cease to amaze me.

To answer your question, Yes, others do feel the same way as you.

It appears to me that the real issue here is less about the disruption to your philosophy of minimalism and more about the guilt and mental anguish caused by wasted time and money spent on items you don't need because as you say; you don't play live, you're not in a band, you have a bass that gives you your tone, your bass does "everything" you need, you spend more time and money on modding these extra basses, comparing them and cleaning them than actually playing them.
Wish I had the time and money to waste on stuff I don't need. Can live without the mental anguish though. Got enough already.

If you're serious about solving this "weird mental barrier" I guess it's up to you to decide which holds more importance; the philosophy of a minimalist life style or the fetishism of wasting time and money on stuff you don't need or use.
If you're not serious about solving the conflict that arises from philosophical views v fetishism, then it's just wasting more time and money resulting in more, shared mental anguish*.

*Distribution rates of mental anguish may vary.

 

[CallMeAl]

Very much sums up my experience. I’m minimalist in general. I tend to stick to one, don’t like too many options, 3 basses in the house seems like too many… yet I’ve given in to GAS on multiple occasions and bought more than my logical mind would normally allow.

I haven’t bought an instrument, amp or pedal in just over a year now. I sold my 3rd bass and guitar not long ago. I had a wicked GAS attack recently. I was so close… but didn’t buy.

what changed? Who knows! I’ve been through the wringer enough times maybe? I just kept thinking that I know what I like, I always go back to my #1 anyways, always get the buyers remorse after the honeymoon ends. I guess I just got tired of the cycle.

best of luck with you’re gas, you’re not alone!

 

[Phormlyss]

I think having bought "the best" is my issue though, my current bass costs €3000+ so anytime I buy a "backup" or any other bass its usually between €500-€1000, so its never going to match up, then it doesn't get played that much because I already have this bass, then that newer bass gets sold, rinse and repeat.

I've actually experienced the inverse of this. I have an expensive bass that I bought with the intent to "one and done" things back 12~13 years ago. A beat up Alvarez Dana bass I picked up for like $100 a couple years later turned out to be my main player. On paper there should be no comparison between the two but, evidently, my hands can't read. I guess any bass can be "the one" if you use it enough.

Anyway, I guess the major options are: A) accept you're not the minimalist you like to think of yourself as, or B) stop looking at gear.
If you have one bass that does it all for you and then a rotating cast of basses shuffling in and out the door because GAS convinced you to buy then it sounds like you're being taken for a ride by fear of missing out and the simple, yet difficult to abide by, answer is to just stop looking around for new stuff. For as long as you're looking your wandering eye has a chance of stumbling upon a "good used deal". But you have your sound, so you don't really need it and you can always just let someone else enjoy it.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

I see myself as a minimalist in pretty much all aspects of life, I hate clutter and I hate having too many of the same sort of thing that does the same job. For example with consumer electronics (phones, tablets, TVs, laptops etc.) I like having one high quality product for each task and getting the use out of that product for many years until its end-of-life instead of constantly buying cheaper products every year or so.

With instruments, I like just having one bass to do everything, I don't play in a band or do any sessions or anything, I just record at home and I like having "my sound" that my current bass perfectly produces.

At the same time I can't stop looking up basses online, in stores and on used guitar websites, constantly "on the hunt" for something new or a good deal.

The problem is GAS will get the better of me every now and then, easily justified if its a good used deal on something I have had my eye on anyway.

But then I always find that if I have over, say three or four basses, the option paralysis kicks in and I spend more time messing around with them, comparing them to each other, adjusting action, cleaning, thinking about mods etc. rather than playing/practicing... then I usually sell them off (usually at a loss) and keep my number 1.

Whenever I have basses sitting around un-played an unusual sense of "guilt" kicks in and I end up selling.

Am I over-thinking this wayyyy too much or does anyone else have the same kind of weird mental barrier like me?

I should just try get over this and enjoy having multiple basses because I'm not going to win against GAS lets be honest. Maybe stick with a rule of three and no more or something.

Curious if anyone else feels the same.

I can totally relate to this and struggle with it almost daily.

I currently have 10 basses, but really want to get down to 5 or less. However, the majority of my basses have been with me for 10 years or longer (many more have come and gone in that time) so I find it hard to let go of them. I feel guilty that they sit unused, but I think I would feel worse if I sold them and regretted it. There is definitely a sentimental attachment for me.

I think giving yourself a limit is a really good idea and following something like the "one in, one out" rule will allow you to was the GAS a little. Just stick to the rule!

 

[Axtman]

 

[bigdaddybass12]

GAS is a good thing! I will gas over inexpensive basses! But I understand what you mean. I have 3, all are different. This past Father’s Day my wife said to buy a bass I was looking at. $500. But I realized that I don’t “need” it. I wanted it, liked it, but did not need it. I have 2 main players. I play 1 at my indoor gig, other at my outdoor gig,,,,

 

[CryingBass]

I have never met a minimalist on TB before. If I remember correctly...

 

[2thAche]

I have multiple things but anything that doesn't get played will be sold

 

[sethlow3]

Also a minimalist here!

The best thing that eventually worked for me was figuring out what kind of scenarios I’d be asked to play and/or what I like to play when alone. I’m a friggin rocker at heart first and foremost… welp… rockers generally play in at least 3 tunings on most of the recordings I listen to.

I feel like a 4 standard, 4 half step down, and 5 string covers all of that with no worries. I love that I can sit down and play some KISS and Alice and Chains and then pickup of the 5 for some modern R&B or rock. It makes sense for what I like to play and jives with what I am most likely asked to be able to do.

If you find whatever categories make sense for you to quickly get your ideas out with what jives with what style you play, that’s the key. For you you it could easily be something like a P, acoustic, and a fretless.
It could be a J, upright, and hollowbody because you can’t get enough of Jazz.
Just give yourself a bit of soul search there and you’ll know.
Everyone is different.

 

[BazzaBass]

I see myself as a minimalist in pretty much all aspects of life, I hate clutter and I hate having too many of the same sort of thing that does the same job. For example with consumer electronics (phones, tablets, TVs, laptops etc.) I like having one high quality product for each task and getting the use out of that product for many years until its end-of-life instead of constantly buying cheaper products every year or so.

With instruments, I like just having one bass to do everything, I don't play in a band or do any sessions or anything, I just record at home and I like having "my sound" that my current bass perfectly produces.

At the same time I can't stop looking up basses online, in stores and on used guitar websites, constantly "on the hunt" for something new or a good deal.

The problem is GAS will get the better of me every now and then, easily justified if its a good used deal on something I have had my eye on anyway.

But then I always find that if I have over, say three or four basses, the option paralysis kicks in and I spend more time messing around with them, comparing them to each other, adjusting action, cleaning, thinking about mods etc. rather than playing/practicing... then I usually sell them off (usually at a loss) and keep my number 1.

Whenever I have basses sitting around un-played an unusual sense of "guilt" kicks in and I end up selling.

Am I over-thinking this wayyyy too much or does anyone else have the same kind of weird mental barrier like me?

I should just try get over this and enjoy having multiple basses because I'm not going to win against GAS lets be honest. Maybe stick with a rule of three and no more or something.

Curious if anyone else feels the same.

You need to leave TB immediately as it is an Enabler

 

[GreyBeard]

Back in 1995 I bought this white on white MusicMan SR5. Since then I have bought, traded, and sold more basses than I can remember hoping to find something I liked better. I would get this new bass and It would be like a honeymoon for a while and then I would get out the SR5 and play a few riffs and the honeymoon would be over. At this point in time I have 7 basses. The only one I like as well as the old SR5 is a Fender Ultra Jazz V I got 2 yrs ago. Time to sell off some of the others and it will all start over again.

 

[CallMeAl]

Great video here. It’s about guitars but still applies. Love this guys philosophy: “Get the most music out of the least amount of gear.”

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Great video here. It’s about guitars but still applies. Love this guys philosophy: “Get the most music out of the least amount of gear.”

Actually, it's been a while since I watched this.
Keith is very good actually.
Nice video on the history of the Jazz bass.

 

[Appogee]

I'm just like you - except for the "selling" part.
I buy the "one item of gear to rule them all", then I buy some more... and then I don't sell any of it

 

[prndltech]

I have three basses at the moment. Most I’ve ever had. I’d say 2 is a good number!

 

[Snert]

Great video here. It’s about guitars but still applies. Love this guys philosophy: “Get the most music out of the least amount of gear.”

I'm a long time subscriber and big fan of Keith's channel, and try to follow the philosophy of min gear / max playing.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I wouldn’t say that I’m a minimalist, more like a pragmatist.
I like to have things that serve a purpose, and not have a bunch of stuff for the sake of having stuff.
I have 4 basses that I care about, and one that I keep in my truck at work.
My G&L is my “forever bass”, and honestly, probably the one one I need. But need is a funny word because having a bass isn’t detrimental to physical survival - I don’t play bass professionally, so it doesn’t being in any monetary value. But it brings mental value - it keeps me from going frickin’ insane.

I have a pair of Jazz basses, fretted and fretless, which I pieced together over long periods of time and I’m sort of proud of how they came out.

The 4th is my Frankenstein, and it is currently under the knife for yet another surgery.

I do want to get just 1 more….and this one is more for the sake of having one that is just beautiful to look at as much as to play. I’d like something “custom” but not overly ostentatious. Flame maple neck, and maybe a figured top on an ash body. It would be something “nice” as a reward for busting my ass every day just to make ends meet, with no appreciation to be gotten…

 

[djero44]

GAS is weird, and I'm a multi instrumentalist...

I've been drumming much more in recent years as far as performing and projects go, but I'm a bass player at heart. I've been spending way too much time looking at TB classifieds lately, more than I ever have! I think having 2 or three basses is super reasonable. I need a fretless and a fretted, at least. I have a Warwick fretless Corvette that I bought on a whim off of ebay maybe 15 or so years ago. It's the only instrument of any variety that has ever felt like the 'One' to me. I had some pretty serious hand issues for quote a few years, though, and although I am doing much better now, I'm definitely switching to shorter scales for comfort and ergonomics. I'll never sell that Corvette, though, even if I only have it around for recording.

I find myself craving a Fender sound, but I've owned a number of them and never bonded with any of them. I love my Birdsong, but I'm about to sell it back to the TB'er I bought it from (I think it belongs with him).

I'm going to circulate that money into a new (used) bass, and it's exciting! I'll be glad to play more and step away from the classifieds, haha.

I also really want more cymbals. And a pedalboard. Those things can and will wait, though. Gas for me is really about basses.

In an interesting note, I've been making good money renting out my drums and bass rig as backline in recent years. I'm a sound engineer by trade, so it's a nice bonus gig. I've payed off a DW kit and a Markbass head in the last year. I'll probably get another bass head for next season.

However, I'm not even thinking about that now. Just basses. And PA gear. That's different, though, because I make a living with it.

Gas is common. I think it's a multilayered craving, actually, that plays on many levels of our psychology. What do we really 'need' anyhow? That's our realm of agency to choose. I don't relish feeling a privileged white man when I know many people can't even feed themselves and their families. Does this stop me from wanting gear I love? Of course not. I think music is a very important part of life, and if all had was a beat up old bass, I'd be happy with that. The music itself is what really drives me.

It's all relative.

How's that for a tired, rambling post?

 

[SteC]

Being a lefty helps with the gas haha

 

[singlemalt]

Stuff comes and goes. It’s a journey.