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Band members on your bass?

C

ChadonBass

Mar 12, 2012
143
27
Pittsburgh, PA
#1
I've seen the thread where people talked about the open stage nights and letting people use their gear.

What about people in your band? Would you let the drummer pick up your bass if the guitar player was playing while you were getting a drink? Our first open stage hosting was just us with a few people that wanted to sing or sit in on drums. The drummer was kind enough to let people play his kit. While one person was playing the drums along with the guitar player from my band, the drummer ran up to me and asked why he wasn't getting sound. I told him I had the mute activated. He then proceded to play my instrument.

I don't have fantastic and expensive stuff, but it's mine. I also greatly dislike touching other people. After he used the bass, it felt weird for a song or two...like it wasn't mine. Do I just let it happen next time, trust the people in my band? It's hard, but I'm not sure on the etiquette in this situation.
 
#2
I wouldn't let everyone use my bass, although it's a really cheap one. Also It's etiquette not to touch other peoples instruments unless asking first.
But in the band, sure. We pick up each others instuments and play on them all the time without asking first.
It do sounds to me like your being a bit over protective and neurotic about the drummer playing your bass. But hey, it's yours so it's your call.
 
#3
It depends on the bass. If its the one I usually bring to practice I could care less, but if its the bass I usually play shows with I wouldn't like it.

There seems to be a kind of unspoken rule that no one plays anyone elses stuff and that's how it works in our band.

Even so, I've told my band mates that I don't want other people playing the "white" bass, but I don't care about the rest. It's your bass and you can set the rules for it.
 
#9
This is one of the reasons why I keep my bass in the case at gigs and rehearsals when I'm not playing it. It only takes one second of not paying attention to ding the headstock on a cymbal. Of course this is particularly perplexing in my case since I have a relic bass. :D

I guess I just don't like anyone touching my bass without asking (I tell strangers no). And I NEVER touch anyone else's equipment without asking, and I rarely ask.
 
#10
I don't mind until they start messing around with the tuning - it's a (possibly unreasonable) pet peeve of time. Pisses me off more than empty coke/beer cans on top of my rack case. I have two basses present for the same reason the guitarist has two guitars - different tunings. When we go to play songs for set A or songs for set B I don't want to take five minutes tuning everything back. Yes, I'm annal enough that 5 minutes wasted time can sour a day once in awhile. Sometimes the guitarist also records demos for younger bands in our space and her prefers they use one of my basses for various reasons, which I really don't mind...as long as they re-tune after. Said guys often thank me later for the loan of this/that/etc....it's fine. Jesus we're all young and broke at some point in life, I like to help...just re-tune.

In line with Chucko's post, if I'm in an exceptionally bad mood before leaving practice I'll pack up the P and just leave the fretless onsite. It's rare anyone wants to **** with it.
 
#12
sometimes TB surprises me...almost everyone considering the debated argument only from a perspective. I mean, everyone is a little bit jealous about their gear, but there other reasons because I do not like to let everyone play my gear. the most important one is responsability...an example. Last summer, big outdoor gig, bass not in the PA (was serving voice and electronic drums), gigged a genz benz streamliner 900 trough bergs 2 x 10. the amp was fairly high and pushed. I know my gear and I was able to adjust EQ and use a proper technique on my 5 string, in order to not go beyond the cab limits. When I was having a rest, a guitarist (friend) grabbed my bass and literally started torturing the low B only with as much rage as he could use. The volume was very high. When I heard the sound-noise I jumped to my amp and did a couple of twists, dropped the bass knob and the volume. I am completely sure that in any other way he would have damaged my cabs, and they are discontinued, neodimium equipped gems...
I asked myself, what I could have done if such a bad thing happened? Ask a life-long friend to pay the bill?
Very, very difficult situation...
this situation could be even more troublish if you do not know the musician who, possibly, could damage things.
maybe I'm obsessive, but an amateur on pro-gear can cause disasters...
 
#14
Interesting thread!

When it comes to punters and patrons or people I don't know touching my gear, that's a big no-no. I don't know what their proficiency or experience with music gear is, and even then it's usually impaired with the consumption of alcohol.

My bandmates is a different story though. Whilst our drummer and vocalist don't bother picking up my bass, both of my guitarist's will pick it up at some point during rehearsals - usually when we are having a break. I don't mind when they do it as both of them cut their teeth on bass and then switched to guitar, so they are proficient and understand the instrument. It also make's for great band dynamics too as all of the stringed section understands harmony and rhythm.

The way that I see it, you wouldn't want to play permanently in a band with people who don't play as good as you do. You want to be in a band with people of equal or greater skill, thus putting you all on an equal tangent. I don't see what the big issue is with many band members and not letting other band members touching their equipment.
I remember when I used to play in a band with a guy who wanted to kill me when I 'touched' his guitar. He had a rule; 'you can touch my wife all you want but DONT TOUCH MY GUITAR!!' So being the stirrer that I am, I called out to him whilst I had one finger touching the body. He lost his mind, lesson learnt. Don't touch his gear.

Band members OK, bar punters bad!!!
 
#15
Here's a picture of my drummer playing my bass......

bdf623ec.jpg
 
#16
I was always brought up to believe in sharing. I have no problem allowing other players(band members or not) to use my bass. However, I always oversee things, and would have no problem shutting them down if I saw anything approaching abuse. Luckily, anyone who has played my stuff has shown me the respect and appreciation not to abuse the generosity.
 
#17
Phalex said:
Here's a picture of my drummer playing my bass......

bdf623ec.jpg
Click to expand...

fist off this made me smile. (totally done this before..also had a kid in the crowd hit my strings while I finger the notes.)

Secondly it really doesn't bother me if any of my band mates pick up my bass, we all play a little of everything with the exception of the lead guitarist...he is the only one who is super specialized...to watch him pick up the bass and stare at it in bewilderment also makes me smile
 
#18
I will let my band members fiddle with my bass due to the fact that I trust them. I do get kind of annoyed if somebody eats pizza or something and then picks up my bass.. I appreciate when people wash their hands before using my instruments.
 
#19
Call me over protective, cautious, smart, a jerk, or whatever, but I don't let anyone I don't know use my gear, especially at gigs. I don't have fancy overly expensive pro gear either, however to me there is just too much risk involved. I often think of the phrase with cars "drive it like you stole it" and relate that to letting others use and play my gear. Sometimes I'll allow band mates or friends to play my bass, but they usually ask first and I am usually around too. Plus I sometimes play the guitarists guitar and the drummers drums so I figure it is only fair.
 

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