Bass Player’s Official Hat Problem

[BOOG]

I have a hat that I love, much like many other people who wear hats.

This hat that I love… You know who else seems to love it? Every other freaking bass player in Boston. If there’s a guy in a band wearing a hat… it’s usually the bass player and… a good portion of the time it’s this same damn hat.

So, I don’t dare wear this hat when I perform anymore because I don’t want to be labeled as one of those “bass player hat guys”. I also don’t want the other bass players in town to think that I am ripping off their style. I’m not here to incite violence. But what I’m wondering is… Has this hat completely overtaken the bass player scene in other towns as well? Is this a problem that needs to be addressed globally? Should we all be writing to our congresspersons?

I’m starting to wonder if there’s someplace where people are buying these hats and, inside the package it includes an instruction manual for playing bass… Which beckons the question… Which came first? The bass or the hat?

Thanks for your help on this. Here is a nice picture of me wearing my hat as a reward for having read to the end.

P.S. If all this post did was inspire you to buy one of these hats for yourself… Shame on you for taking advantage.

View attachment 4967058

Happy to report that our selected headgear evades redundancy. I gotta admit, I have a lot of hats, though. Sometimes I’m wearing one when playing bass and sometimes, I’m not playing bass and still wearing one. Crazy world we live in

 

[Cave Puppy]

 

[Pelagic]

I do wear hats. but not THE hat.

 

[pbass2]

I used to wear those military-style hats back when they were super popular. I still like them, they fit my noggin' well. But my 17-year old told me not to wear them anymore. He said "unless you're Eminem, don't go there". Tough when you have a fashionista in your house.

 

[AcadianBassman]

I never wore hats. Never liked ball caps, etc. I was given a leather cowboy hat for hs graduation that I wore the hell out of and it still hangs on my wall but, unfortunately, no pics survive of me wearing it. Lately, I've been wearing a trilby - a narrow-rimmed fedora. Seems to work. Other than that or a bandana, I don't usually wear hats at all.

 

[kesslari]

No ball or cadet caps for me, thanks. But I do like hats.

 

[Danny O Danny]

Guilty as charged.

Though I do change it up depending on mood...

 

[1st Bass]

I bought this in British Columbia when I was 17, but I have never worn it on stage, as I recall. I usually use hats only to keep my head warm in winter, or to prevent sunburn in summer.

 

[bassicmike]

No hat.

I revel in my hair.

 

[mrjim123]

OP, I think you may have started something. Check out the guitarist at 2:50 in this video (and enjoy a great song):

 

[DJ Bebop]

I'm neither Jewish, Jew-ish, or Boy George but, I do like a wide brim Fedora.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

if i do, it's usually something like this:View attachment 4967694

Dang man! That's like a Marlon Brando Motorcycle hat. Major "Cool" points for wearing that. Great hat!

 

[_Some Dude]

I like an old fashioned flat cap, but I stopped wearing them after seeing various other bass players wearing one.

 

[DJ Bebop]

if i do, it's usually something like this:View attachment 4967694

Dang man! That's like a Marlon Brando Motorcycle hat. Majore "Cool" points for wearing that. Great hat!

 

[Frank77]

I don't know any bass players in my area who has one like yours, so have hat it.

I'm deeply sorry and will see myself out.

 

[Pilgrim]

Been wearing the same Open Road for about 40 years. It's aged into a nicely worn fedora style hat.

An Open Road is always tasteful and always gentlemanly. They also make a very nice fedora when shaped properly.

As the old saying goes, "The guy who works on the ranch wears a cowboy hat. The man who owns the ranch wears an Open Road."

I have been known to wear a Panama on a hot day when playing outside. If I wear a hat while playing, it's usually a black snap-brim fedora with about a 1.5 inch brim.

 

[Shlabotnik]

OP, I think you may have started something. Check out the guitarist at 2:50 in this video (and enjoy a great song):

I think what he's got there is (what we used to call) a Greek Fisherman's Cap, one of my cap's cousins.

 

[mrjim123]

I used to wear a black Fedora in the 70's.

Now I'm 71, and really just started losing my hair in the last year or so. I see a hat in my future. Maybe I'l start a "Recommend A Hat For Me" thread.

 

[MasterMonkeyMan]

I am a man of many hats. Here's a few....

 

[BOOG]

I used to wear a black Fedora in the 70's.

Now I'm 71, and really just started losing my hair in the last year or so. I see a hat in my future. Maybe I'l start a "Recommend A Hat For Me" thread.

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