Afraid to use your nice gear?

[TheReceder]

I feel like much of this discussion is resting on the assumption that the audience can tell the difference between the 3,000 dollar Pedulla and the 500 dollar Yamaha. Both are completely gig-able instruments, but perhaps a person owns the Pedulla for themselves as a prized possession, and doesn't feel like the audience, the band, or him/herself is being short changed by not bringing it?

Much the same as someone might take a limo to a McDonalds drive through.

BTW, I've driven Limo and people do this more often than most people would expect... I've also driven people to Walmart, and to the Dollar store.

and that leads to the next post.

 

[TheReceder]

I wonder if the reverse was asked. How much of this is gear snobbery? What if the question was "Are you afraid to use your least impressive gear(?), or possibly even own unimpressive gear?

Too bad there isn't a "dislike" selection on this one right?

 

[JGbassman]

I play in various bands, one exclusively with a standard tuned five string, the other using drop tuned four string basses.

My bass choice consists of a five string jazz for the one, and normally a p or jazz for the other. I don’t have any expensive basses any longer, so I just grab which one I’ve been playing at home, or has the freshest strings if I’m going for that sound. I have my favorites, but I always bring two and rotate them out a set or two based on my mood.

Basses are my tools to let my music out. They are meant to be played and enjoyed in my world

 

[lfmn16]

I bought this thing called a case for my bass. I put my bass in there on every break and by coincidence my bass has never been damaged at a gig. There may be a connection.

 

[SLO Surfer]

I buy/own gear with the intention of using it at my gigs. I'd never buy something I wouldn't use at a gig.

That said, I've had an upright bass explode at an outdoor gig due to the climate going from hot/dry and sunny to cold/moist and foggy in one set. So I bought a new, nicer upright bass to be my main instrument and repaired the old bass to use just for those inclimate outdoors gigs. You know, having an outdoor beater and then a nicer indoor instrument. Turns out that three years have passed and I haven't actually brought the old beater "outdoor" bass to any gigs yet and just stick to the new good bass, even outdoors.

 

[lfmn16]

I wonder if the reverse was asked. How much of this is gear snobbery? What if the question was "Are you afraid to use your least impressive gear(?), or possibly even own unimpressive gear?

Too bad there isn't a "dislike" selection on this one right?

Since there seems to be a thread at least once a week with people bragging about their cheap basses, I doubt this happens much.

I hate to think that people are so insecure that they choose the instrument they play based on what other people will think about it.

The most expensive bass I’ve ever owned/played was $4000; the cheapest about $500. Cost never crossed my mind when deciding which one to take to a gig.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Imo people don't realize how strong a bass is made. I take my stuff out anytime anywhere.

 

[buldog5151bass]

95% of the people in the audience would not know (or care) whether you have a Lull or a Squier. Watch your gear, don't brag about how much you paid. Nuff said.

 

[MDBass]

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.

The idea of spending thousands of dollars on something you intentionally avoid using much of the time doesn't make any logical sense to me...at all.

They're creative tools, designed to be used: use them.

Do these people also buy a Benz but still drive their beater 90% of the time?

 

[Turbo Sparky]

Played a "bonafide dive bar" last night...with an DB751, Barefaced 610, and my EBMM Stingray...all still in "show room" condition. Actually, most venues I have played could be considered "dive" bars by someone. As long as the bathrooms are fairly clean, and the ice is cold, well you get the picture.

 

[MDBass]

Imo people don't realize how strong a bass is made. I take my stuff out anytime anywhere.

After jumping into the crowd during a particularly heavy outro riff on my last tour run, I literally threw the bass back up onstage so I could climb up after it instead of running all the way around backstage.

It barely even needed to be tuned up after I strapped it back on

 

[2F/2F]

I buy my guitars to play, and I never consider resale as a factor. I try to take care of them well, but things happen over time, and it's not a huge deal. They are all to play, or they are held onto with the idea that I will one day play them, or for sentimentality – i.e. they used to be my late father's.

Probably a bad thing in the case of my Custom Shop N.O.S. Esquire. This is a made-to-order, ultra lightweight one in Desert Sand with a birdseye neck, not part of a pre-made CS run. In other words, it's one of a kind, and cost a pretty penny (though it was 16 years ago, so nothing like what they cost now). I used to keep it by the bed for easy access. I dropped my alarm clock on it several times, giving it some real weird looking chips. It has other chips from gigging, practicing, etc., but those big-ass alarm clock chips in weird locations really bug me.

See, this doesn't bother me, because it looks natural, and it happened during normal use:

Neither does any of this stuff:

But these giant alarm clock nicks on the front, in bizarre places, bug the hell outta me, because they look like I did a bad relic job (look by the control plate and also up by the forearm filth):

So, I don't keep my ultra nice guitars next to the bed any more. But I definitely own them to play them, and I'm not shy about doing so.

 

[briandavismurph]

I wouldn't take my best gear to an outdoor gig where it will be baking in 110 degree heat and has a good chance of being kicked over or getting stolen if I'm not watching it every second. Same goes for playing dive bars or rowdy house parties. Then again I wouldn't take junk either, just not my nicest or most valuable gear.

To your point. That is exactly what I did two weeks ago with my older precision bass and the finish rubbed against some mosquito repellent in the hundred degree heat and got all smudged and mushed up and now it’s in refinishing I guess I was looking for a reason to refinish it anyways but maybe not under these terms so lesson learned

 

[grimjim]

I have basically duplicate rigs. One at the rehearsal spot and one at home. I take the one from home to gigs so I don't have to carry stuff down three flights of stairs.

As for 5 strings, I do have a guitar that I usually only take to gigs, one for the rehearsal spot again and one for home. But they are all the same guitar, no cheap or crappy guitars for me.

On four strings though, I have one that I take to gigs usually, it's a '79 p-bass and one that I will take to just jam with, a newer p-bass. The '79 only comes out when I'm getting paid.lol

 

[TheReceder]

The idea of spending thousands of dollars on something you intentionally avoid using much of the time doesn't make any logical sense to me...at all.

They're creative tools, designed to be used: use them.

Do these people also buy a Benz but still drive their beater 90% of the time?

A simple answer... Yes. I know people that have vettes that only drive them 4 months out of the year, and that's when they know that its not going to rain. Some people that have nice things want to keep them nice.

Using your car analogy. I have a couple basses that are pickup trucks, a couple vintage Camaro's, and I've got one very nice 57 Nomad. No Lambo's, Porsches, or Bentleys. If I had them... I wouldn't park them at the local Walmart.

 

[IamGroot]

Tommy Tedesco, studio player and member of the Wrecking crew, was the most recorded guitarist in the history. He used pretty much all 2nd tier stuff. Just saying. I guess I am the ignorant one here.

I take low end gear to dive bar or jam sessions as I gotta pee sometime and my good stuff would likely disappear when I was in the klo. The bass tone largely gets lost in the mix when you do blues and covers. We ain't talking Vic Wooten stuff here.

Upscale gigs & restaurants, I take the good stuff as required. Usually a high end 5 string fretted and fretless. Recording sessions, I take everything.

Ditto on Class D amps.

I own three cheap 4 stringers (An Epi T Bird Pro, Epi Beatle Viola Bass & Sterling Sub 4, ) all of which were bought for under $300 plus a EPI Jack Cassady. The Beatle Bass was bought for airline travel and to play in the FSU in my room without the amp. Depending on my mood and the music being played, I will take one or the other.

I practice all of my basses and switching between any 4 string is no big deal. I actually recorded with the T Bird as per the clients request. My actual heavy duty practice bass is a Kaman GTX 53 with non functioning pick-ups. I have been carrying that in hot trunks for years and the neck has not warped. Great neck, 24 fret.

My $$$ upright split after playing a charity gig outside after a hurricane. No more upright on any gigs.

 

[pglaser01]

This, of course, begs the question: what's the best squirrel poop for metal?

Furthermore, is the best and first choice always to Fire the squirrel?

 

[SactoBass]

Furthermore, is the best and first choice always to Fire the squirrel?

Only if he plays the drums!

 

[Deak]

A pit is at least two quality steps above a dive, though... .

Plus, in some instances in a pit, you get to watch a free movie and play along!

 

[TheReceder]

Since there seems to be a thread at least once a week with people bragging about their cheap basses, I doubt this happens much.

I hate to think that people are so insecure that they choose the instrument they play based on what other people will think about it.

The most expensive bass I’ve ever owned/played was $4000; the cheapest about $500. Cost never crossed my mind when deciding which one to take to a gig.

I've been in groups that had people just like that. If your guitar/bass wasn't worth more then 2K they didn't want it on stage. To a degree that's why I went so long with the same instrument and never really bothered with "lessor" basses. Till I started finding instruments that sounded just as good, and after some work on a set up, played just as well at a fraction of the cost. (cue really sappy music....) Eventually I'll own a couple boutique basses, when I do, they'll be played at special occasions, never at the dewdrop in, or blue moon saloon. Might be that because it will be tougher for me to get that kind of instrument that I'll place a higher personal value on it... it'll be more than a tool of the trade... more than just a hammer... it'll be....

my special bass.