Afraid to use your nice gear?

[KohanMike]

I'm a collector and a player. I have 19 basses that I rotate through, which all get good amount of play because my seniors ukulele group meets twice a week. When we have an upcoming gig, I pick one and use only that until the gig is done. I don't save one for special use, I use them all. I use a Phil Jones Double Four amp for rehearsal and smaller gigs, and a Carvin MB15 for larger gigs and add an extension 115MBE for larger and outdoor gigs, but at home I practice on a Blackstar Fly 3 Bass rig, which sits on my desk next to my computer. It's all I need for that. I also use it hanging on me for our regular hospital gigs walking from room to room, and my smallest bass uke, a Rondo Music Hadean walnut acoustic and a Musoo solid body I had modified to look like a walnut Rickenbacker (I labelled it a Ukenbacker).

 

[Nephilymbass]

There's three threads running right now that kinda make me shake my head.
Having a cheapo bass you can leave in the trunk, cheapo amp for rehearsal, and 'not using you number 1 for rehearsal'. And one a few weeks ago- Do you bring a beater to gigs, so as not to put any wear on your #1?

First of all, we are going to spend FAR MORE of our time practising (by a factor of 500/1 perhaps) than we will on stage (unless you're Bob Weir) Is that kinda like having 'good dishes' that are only only for guests that never seem to come?
Bad rehearsal amps. Isn't building a great tone PART of rehearsal?
What is the point of owning professional gear, and then being afraid to take it to a gig?
Doesn't pride of ownership carry over to actually USING your good gear?

I've never heard of a carpenter who is afraid of taking his GOOD hammer to the jobsite,
or a scientist that uses cheap testing gear, saving the good stuff for when they really have cured cancer.

My grandmother put plastic covers on her sofa 'to keep it nice' and sat in an uncomfortable puddle of her own sweat for forty years.

Every single instrument, and piece of gear I've ever owned was bought for the sole purpose of being used. Since a $12K Alembic bass was a mere tree, it was built for one purpose- to be used, and if the situation arises- to be used on stage.

You just had to make a thread that my answer is gonna make me look some elitist douchebag lol.

I’ve played many dives with $5,000 basses. I’m more of a anti hoarding, if I’m not going to play it I’m selling it type. Def not the “I left my boutique at home and brought my Mexican p bass type.” There have been some places that looked so shady I never let my basses out of my site, even to the point of wearing a bass on my back in a gigbag and only setting it down when I was sitting down at our merch table and even then it was still in contact with me, leaning up against my leg or whatever. but nah I even sold my Warwick thumb nt6 which was a really nice bass after getting my dingwall because it was too expensive of a bass to be sitting around I unplayed in a closet. I think those types of post are often people who are looking for reasons to be happy with a less expensive gear or use it as a reason to lessen their GAS for expensive gear, not that cheap necessarily means bad. My backup basses are typically in the $300-$500 range and are usually less expensive imports like Mexican fenders, sterling by musicman, or esp. you can get a surprisingly good instrument for less money these days now that basically all production instruments are made mostly by machines. Or that super expensive has to mean better. My Dingwall is an import model (ng2) paid $1800 new for it and I like it so much it beat out the thumb bass for my number 1 slot.

 

[Hounddog]

I bought mine to use. I use my best basses and amps at home while rehearsing, at band rehearsal and at all shows.

 

[eban3]

im not going to bring a 3k bass into a smokey dive bar to make $100 for a night

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I play what I own for the most part. If it’s a gig where I’m not going to be able to keep close watch on my gear, then I’ll go with the production, replaceable stuff. If it’s outdoors I’ll make plans based on the weather, the higher priced gear might stay home. I have a cheaper cab and head that I leave at rehearsal space. If it walks I won’t be as sad as other amps / cabs walking away.

It’s all common sense.

 

[mattj1stc]

I can understand why someone may not always want to bring out their expensive gear. Obviously, if there were a situation where security was compromised, that would be a legitimate reason.

Also, having owned (and gigged) a Dingwall AB-II, I never really feared for my bass being stolen or damaged. However, I did get tired of people asking about it (fanned frets), wanting to touch it, asking to try it, etc. It was never enough of a hassle for me not to use it, but I can only imagine how sensitive someone might be if they owned something even more expensive.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I see someone earlier chimed in with the expensive basses are for collectors and mexi p basses are for real musicians. You know, it is possible play, actually play way and own real gear?

 

[PaulJSmith]

I played a '73 Ric for almost 20 years as my #1. Had a custom 6-stringer made in '03. Cost me $4K. That was a lot of money for me back then, and my initial thought was that I wouldn't play it in bars. I'd keep playing the Ric or the newer '99 Fender Jazz. Once I got the Fishbone, I couldn't put it down. I decided to take it to the gig the following weekend, you know, just in case I wanted to play it live. I decided to start the first set with it ... and it's been my new #1 ever since. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of gigs I've played with the Ric since '03 (the Jazz is a different story). Point is, I almost had myself talked into not playing that bass outside my house, but then slowly saw the flawed logic I was constructing to support such a thought.

That bass has been in some sketchy places, and has already been refinished once by the builder. It was made to be played, and I play it.

 

[WhenTheDrumsStops]

High end gear will also lose value even if you play little on it. So be glad that you have it and make use of it! If you have high end gear hoping that you can make money of it (if you keep it in new condition) then you still will have to hold on to that gear for 30 or so years before it will be worth (a lot) more. I think if you now would have a never used brand new Alembic from 1980 then for a collector it might be worth double price.

 

[Whippet]

There are a lot of people on here who are collectors, not musicians. They spend more time sitting around looking at their possessions than playing them.

you forgot, spending time on TalkBass, turning up their gas meter.

 

[QweziRider]

The only thing I refuse to use my #1 for is sitting here charting. Can't hid the inevitable Sharpie marks so well on seafoam green.

 

[Mastermold]

I always use my best stuff.

 

[mobdirt]

i try and abuse all my basses equally say no to discrimination

 

[Wisebass]

There's three threads running right now that kinda make me shake my head.
Having a cheapo bass you can leave in the trunk, cheapo amp for rehearsal, and 'not using you number 1 for rehearsal'. And one a few weeks ago- Do you bring a beater to gigs, so as not to put any wear on your #1?

Hi Paulabass

I never had enough money to buy cheap and expensive gear.

I will always buy the best gear that I can afford and play it!



Wise(b)ass

 

[Charlie Tuna]

 

[TheReceder]

When it's over 100 degrees I don't sweat all over my best bass. I also don't drag my 810 to practice. I don't plan on buying multiple 810s for all the practice spaces I spend time at.

I played an outdoor event for 15-20,000 people. 90 degrees and expected storms to move through. I brought 2 foundations instead of my best gear. One of the foundations blew over off the stand before the gig, and my guitar player, being the hero he was dove for it.

I asked him why he did that... I've got one more backstage, in a case and a half dozen of them at home. we played the gig, and I got nothing but compliments on the tone of the bass.

I accept that at one point that bass was a tree that squirrels pooped on, but many of the basses I left at home cost more, and if that same squirrel ever tried to poop on those basses again It'd be my goal to kill it.

If it tried to poop on my foundations.... I'd just hope I had my phone ready to record and load it on to youtube.

 

[mobdirt]

no time to see when woods we pass^^

 

[RichardW]

My grandmother put plastic covers on her sofa 'to keep it nice' and sat in an uncomfortable puddle of her own sweat for forty years.

Classic!

How is one's gear supposed to get "road worn" if one never takes it on the road?

 

[soulman969]

I've never heard of a carpenter who is afraid of taking his GOOD hammer to the jobsite,

This is my viewpoint as well. My gear is all "tools of the trade" to be used whenever and wherever it's needed.

I no longer play venues I'd be afraid to take my gear into and haven't for a very long time. I'm less replaceable than my gear and I'd prefer not to risk either of us getting damaged. If there is THAT much risk involved playing some venues or induced by the bands own antics maybe both should be re-evaluated. JMHO

 

[dindinbre]

I got connected to my current and only bass. I would gig with it, but I'd prefer to get another instrument for that. I dont want it to be stolen.