Bass Withdrawal: How long until you feel it?

4 days tops

 

about 5 hours. On my long work days (12 hours), if I forget my bass, I'll call somebody to bring me one from home within 4 or 5 hours.

 

one day... if i am going on an overnight.. i can leave the bass cause ill be home tomorrow... 2 nights.. it's coming with me

if im at home and i haven't played all day it gets picked up at least for a few minutes before i hit the bed... usually while the misses does her nightly routine of face washing, teeth brushing, etc...


i get itchy after 24hours of no bass in my hands

 

What kind of job can you bring a Bass to that isn't a gig that you have to bring a Bass to?

 

Ooooh good topic!

At this point in my life I don't get to play nearly as much as I did in college (9-5 job, social life, other bs...) but I am noticeably more irritable and depressed if I don't have a good jam session for more than 4 days. There was a week I was extremely busy with work, alot of social obligations, some traveling that I didn't pick up any instrument for about a week, and I had lingering anxiety but couldn't figure out why. Finally got to practice with my band (who I'd been unfortunately neglecting) and immediately all the stress and anxiety was wiped away and I left a 5 hour practice feeling refreshed and back to my old self.

I really don't know what people without passions/hobbies do with themselves. I don't think I could play bass professionally (it'd become "work" instead of "fun") but where I'm at now I couldn't live without it as an escape.

 

Spot on! But I currently don't have any professional offers on the table to be honest, but do have some goods shows booked. So I will Rock for fun!

 

I've been in a foreign country for over a week... I need my jazz... *rocks back and forth* lol tbh I've been strumming on an elastic band for a while... Kinda like nicotine gum for smokers...

 

I deployed once for 5 months without taking my bass. WORST DECISION EVER! I ended up buying two while I was deployed because all I did was look on line to subside my withdrawal.

 

Anything after a day and I'm not a happy camper. But it hardly happens; I teach guitar (and bass) 7 days a week, and I like using my bass during guitar lessons. So anything after that and I notice the absence most palpably.

 

I recently went a whole month without playing. That has to be the longest amount time Ive ever gone. I had A LOT going on at the time, though. After a few days I get an itch to jam.

 

I've had four separate occasions when I couldn't play bass for ~6 months because of injuries; most recently, a torn rotator cuff that made it impossible to play bass for more than a year. In total, almost 3 years of forced exile since 1968.

Not my idea of a good time, but I survived. You can, too.

 

If I'm on a vacation or something, I can go a week (although when I get home, I always get real eager to play). If I am at home, doing nothing, I can only go 1 day.

 

4 days tops. I start to really jones for the bass after 2 days.

 

My morning ritual:

First thing,I wake up,go piss,get my mornin' freak on with the ol' lady,then put my coffee on while I turn my stereo on to Rock105 (Our local classic rock station). And no,West Virginia doesn't just have bluegrass/country stations (Don't be stereotypin'!!). That's been my ritual since high school,everyday since my 8th grade year!! For you young bucks,that means I've been doing this since 1980.

My reason? It wakes me up quickly,and puts me in a good mood to start my day. Also,I challenge myself that I'll figure at least the main riff to a song that I may not be familiar with. It also sharpens my "playin' by ear" skills. The ol' ball & chain ain't too fond of it,but,she'll be alright!! Try it,you'll come to enjoy it.

 

um... but how long do you go without playing the bass before you crave it..

 

38 years. Now, that I'm back to it, daily.

iJazz - I needed the right motivation and found it.

 

Yeah - after 2 days I get itchy for it, 4 days = a real craving. When I have to travel overseas for couple of weeks, it makes me nuts.

 

10-12 hours maybe? Even if it's just to figure a lick out that's in my head that I may have heard on my way back home from the grocery store. Hell,I'll pick it up during every TV commercial break while sittin' watching the tube with the ol' lady. That s*** drives her friggin' NUTS!!.

While I'm in my own world playing,the ol' lady sounds like this,to me at least:

Charlie Brown Teacher Speaking - YouTube

 

Since I started playing, the longest I've gone without picking up my bass or one of my guitars was one week.....when my wife and I took the kids to Disney (last year).

Typically if I don't play every day I feel like I missed something...

I have, here and there, gone home at lunch (3.5 miles from home to work) to play. And when I got my Diamond P Custom I brought it to work so I could set it up (we were really slow that day).

Basically, under normal circumstances, 24 hours is my max before I get itchy....