Coming to terms with gear vs reality

[JW56789]

IF your back is to the wall, and it's sell this to keep the lights on, not miss a mortgage payment, etc., the answer is already there. You have no choice. I sold two Alembic fives when my wife's income vanished following unsuccessful back surgery. I far preferred to keep my mortgage current and make regular trips to Publix and take care of her than to keep a couple of basses. No brainer: I can always get another bass sometime, but she's one of one and comes first.

However . . . . . .

IF selling this would make little or no improvement in your financial status, if you're doing OK with the gear sitting in your home, if it really boils down to 'Daddy's Remorse' for having all this My-T-Fine gear and not playing out enough to somehow pay for its' keep, I know what I'd do:

Put it away in a closet, back of the garage, somewhere out of sight and out of mind, and forget about it for 30 or 60 days. If you're in the second case and not the first I mentioned, there is no time limit, no date this decision must be made or the world will stop spinning, the rivers turn to blood, etc.

Then revisit this and see what you think. I've rarely made good decisions when I thought I was under some self-imposed guilt / pressure, I think most people don't. I have no doubt you will have your answer by then.

 

[brianrost]

My rule has always been: Do not sell anything if you cannot replace it for the same amount of money should you need it again in the future.

Don't forget that the resale value of you rig isn't a lot...well under $1000 so depending on your bills, it may not make enough of a dent to be worth selling.

If you are certain you will never again play in a band, of course, sell it.

 

[Planespotter]

Keep the rig. You’ll be back out there sooner than you think. You’ll save money in the long run.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Carrots for me as I’d rather sell the head keeping the cab whilst buying a second hand Ampeg SCDR DI for home practicing...
In the future, after settling all debts, OP may decide which head to buy (the cab will always be good)

 

[chadds]

I couldn’t read the whole thread yet the angst in the first post is palpable.

My take. See yourself differently. Aren’t you a musician who plays bass? How can you not make music?

Having a gig in a band isn’t proof of anything. It doesn’t make you legitimate because you are. Get the gear you want to have to play with your friends or out occasionally and for fun. As your kids age you’ll find more time. Now that’s another thing. It’s hard to tell your kids to get off the couch when you aren’t showing that you have a personal love. That’s one of the best ways to teach balance and responsibility to kids. Being an example of it.

The 8x10 may have been excessive but there is certainly a lot of lightly used pro gear out there that would fit every playing situation from big concert stage to coffee house. 500w +/- and 4x10.

 

[Fun With Dirt]

Definitely not down to the detail, but I have been in this spot where I had to make some decisions on my gear. I have found that GAS isn't so much about being complete but about perpetuating a process that will never complete.

That being said, I had to take a hard look at where I was and what my priorities were. There was a point where I did have to sell off some gear to put something in savings during the building recession 10 years ago. I had to ask myself in that position if I could live with myself if I sold this gear and give my family a little financial padding. Conversely, could I live with myself knowing I had the means to give some padding to my family but, hey, I still got guitar gear. ESPECIALLY since I don't gig regularly. In that light, the answer was easy. Family first. Not 1A/1B. It holds the number one spot all by its self. I love to play. Absolutely love it. ...but I can say goodbye to guitar/bass without regret for my family. In your case, there are just so, so many options available now.

With the Preamp/DI options out there with Darkglass, Orange, etc, you can get the flavor you want without an amp. My entire rig now consists of Preamp/DI pedals. At home, I have a Tech 21 Power Engine Deuce Deluxe for amplified playing and I have my Focusrite Solo for direct recording. All grounds covered.

 

[Goatrope]

I’d sell as much as possible, as soon as possible.

Having lived through a similar “family” hiatus, and not sold anything, a decade later I found my gear to be lacking.

There were so many improvements during that period, and with increasing exposure to the latest and greatest here in TB, it was a GAS relapse.

The problem was, my old gear wasn’t easy to sell by the time I was ready to upgrade.

Oh well. Lesson learned, and passing it on to you.

 

[Fun With Dirt]

The problem was, my old gear wasn’t easy to sell by the time I was ready to upgrade.

I have heard this about big iron. I sold my last big bad nasty tube bass amp about 15 years ago. Sold my last traditionally sized SS bass amp maybe 5 years ago. The trend has been for decades to get smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter. I have embraced that fully over the years. If it were me, amp gone if I can get a buyer.

I am in a spot with my motorcycle. I am not "needing" to sell it in any way. I just don't ride anymore. ...and the bike market is in a slump for big bikes like my Harley Heritage Softail Classic. What makes it worse is mine is a serialized model with paint job you just don't see often and was only available one year on that one model. You'd think that makes it easy to move. Between the market and the expensive nature of it, I may have to come way off what its value was somewhat recently.

 

[Richard Martin]

I suspect that by the time you're ready to gig or even join a band again, your current amp and cabinet will be very, very dated. Sell them and get yourself a nice practice amp. A small Ampeg or Fender. The Fender Rumble 40 Studio is a very cool amp and sounds great.

 

[Goatrope]

I have heard this about big iron. I sold my last big bad nasty tube bass amp about 15 years ago. Sold my last traditionally sized SS bass amp maybe 5 years ago. The trend has been for decades to get smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter. I have embraced that fully over the years. If it were me, amp gone if I can get a buyer.

I am in a spot with my motorcycle. I am not "needing" to sell it in any way. I just don't ride anymore. ...and the bike market is in a slump for big bikes like my Harley Heritage Softail Classic. What makes it worse is mine is a serialized model with paint job you just don't see often and was only available one year on that one model. You'd think that makes it easy to move. Between the market and the expensive nature of it, I may have to come way off what its value was somewhat recently.

Yeah man. For me, it was big heavy solid state stuff, pre class D. Rack-full-O-gear, and heavy, inefficient cabs.

By the time I got back out in the world, class D was kicking off. Neo drivers were a new thing. So light weight was a sought after characteristic, but the new stuff sounded great too.

I did end up back in tube-land, and no regrets there, with some excellent class D backups.

Funny you mention the bikes. I went through that too, but more due to work travel than family. Ended up selling my GSXr1000 and XR650L for less than I should’ve. Now I’m retired and looking at bikes again. KTM 790 Adventure r is on the radar.

 

[lbbc]

I was in a similar situation 40 years ago. I sold all my gear, worked hard at my job and enjoyed being a good dad and husband. But, I really missed playing. When time and money allowed, several years later, I bought a Peavey TBT combo amp and a Peavey T40 and jammed once a week and gigged once a month. During the next few decades, I bought, played and sold gear often while regularly gigging.

Now, kids are all grown and on their own. I am retired from teaching and have a small rig (Acoustic B300HD amp into a Carvin BRX 10.2 4 ohm cab) at our rehearsal space. I gig 2-3 times per month. For home practice, I have an older JamDock with headphones, iPod dock and aux input for computer or any other music source.

My advice is to do what you need to do for your family. Music will always be there when you are ready and able to pursue it.

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

I would sell one cab and the head. Then buy something small, decent sounding and giggable. Maybe a tone hammer. You can Gig with a single 2-10 in a lot of situations.
I don’t know what your bass situation is but if you have more than one or a super expensive bass, you can live with one nice production bass.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Life advice from Musicians. What could go wrong?

"I have relatively light 2x210 killer Mesa Rig w/ Mesa WD800."

Never sell this rig because you don't need it at the moment. It will haunt you. You will regret it. It's paid for and will serve you well. Even if all you ever do is turn it on once in a great while in your own home, it should still satisfy you.

You will always have to deal with the fact that your family's needs will come before yours. You do what ya gotta do. I quit the band dreams and sold my bikes after my son was born but they can't take the music away from me. I still have some OLD gear around the house and have fun with it. The day I can't fret any notes, I'll send all but the one, and make that the wall hanger.

 

[Fun With Dirt]

Yeah man. For me, it was big heavy solid state stuff, pre class D. Rack-full-O-gear, and heavy, inefficient cabs.

By the time I got back out in the world, class D was kicking off. Neo drivers were a new thing. So light weight was a sought after characteristic, but the new stuff sounded great too.

I did end up back in tube-land, and no regrets there, with some excellent class D backups.

Funny you mention the bikes. I went through that too, but more due to work travel than family. Ended up selling my GSXr1000 and XR650L for less than I should’ve. Now I’m retired and looking at bikes again. KTM 790 Adventure r is on the radar.

Nice! I am looking into getting a pontoon boat. I live in a mountain/lake community and it would just be nice to wander on down to the lake and just go hang out on the boat some afternoons.

Best pontoon boat quote ever was from The Great Outdoors with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Dan Aykroyd's character, Roman, responded to John Candy's character, Chet, saying he was renting a pontoon boat.

"Pontoon boat. What the hell you gonna do with a pontoon boat? Retake Omaha Beach?"

 

[Goatrope]

Nice! I am looking into getting a pontoon boat. I live in a mountain/lake community and it would just be nice to wander on down to the lake and just go hang out on the boat some afternoons.

Best pontoon boat quote ever was from The Great Outdoors with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Dan Aykroyd's character, Roman, responded to John Candy's character, Chet, saying he was renting a pontoon boat.

"Pontoon boat. What the hell you gonna do with a pontoon boat? Retake Omaha Beach?"

Ha!

I spent a lot of time in Toccoa, so I know that’s some beautiful country up there.

 

[Jim Nazium]

My $.02:

I try to own gear appropriate to the gigs I have, not the gigs I wish I had or think I might have some day. Many of us (and I've done this myself) have a gig or two with a new band, get excited, and buy a bunch of big gear for the shows that we're sure are just around the corner ... and then they never happen.

As the baby-boom generation ages and stops playing out I suspect that used music gear is going to lose value over the next 10 years, so I don't want anything gathering dust in my house that I'm not using.

 

[Bass Buckaroo]

Hang in there, there's light at the end of the tunnel. My youngest just graduated college, the nest is empty and I now play whenever I want with whatever gear I want.

This thread reminds me of an old joke: What the difference between a musician and a large cheese pizza? You can feed a family of four with the pizza.

 

[pigpen1]

Good day all;

This is as much a journal entry to remind myself of where I have been and where I am going. It took several hours to reflect on and write. If you care to read through it all know that I appreciate it. TLDR is at the bottom. The events that follow happen to correspond roughly with my time since joining this site although I do not directly blame this site for anything. It's fun to joke about GAS, but seriously...
I'm sure this story could apply to the 'Basses' section as well. Perhaps a cautionary tale of just how successful company marketing departments can be? Know that I accept responsibility for my actions.

I guess I'm looking to get something off my chest. In November my wife and I welcomed our first child into the world. He was 5 weeks early but she and him are both doing OK now. We're in our mid 30's and have full time jobs, etc. There were complications in the pregnancy which (to make a long story short) means this was an expen$ive experience for us. This whole situation has caused me to do some soul searching when it comes to gear.

Rewind 10 years ago and I was getting ready to graduate from college and was gigging with some buddy's in a cover band about once a week. In terms of amps I had a Mesa MPulse 600 running thru a Mesa PH410. It was gloriously powerful and, to be honest, probably way overkill for any gig I ever did. I was responsible with it and didn't pi$$ off any neighbors or sound guys. The gear was bulletproof and the experience of being out gigging was something I'll never forget. Perhaps this is what leads to the next section.

Just as we started to get a small following and a steady flow of gigs my guitar player (an old friend from High School) got a promotion at work and I graduated as an elementary teacher soon to find work of my own. Nether of us could commit to the band any longer and the group dissolved. Being a new teacher with very little free time I decided to sell off my rig and pick up a small Behringer Thunderbird amp for practice. Over time I would still get together with my guitar buddy and former band mate at his apartment for an impromptu jam. Soon I traded in the Behringer for a USA Ampeg 1x12 combo (which he still has at his place to this day). Eventually we both get busier with work and he ends up moving into an 11th floor high rise down-town. No more jamming. Eventually I get better work-life balance and start GASing for an actual practice amp with good tone (I had been DI'ing straight into a Focusrite interface for headphone practice). So I go to GC and find one of the last Mesa Walkabouts on Clearance and end up buying it at a great price. That amp was inspiring! Enough so, in fact, that I started looking for another group to play out with. There's a wedding and the purchase of a house sometime in this period of time but I never end up joining another band.

Putting the cart ahead of the horse I end up selling that Walkabout for my 'dream Rig'; the one to end all GAS: an SVT-CL Heritage head and brand new Heritage 810 from Sweetwater because, hey - I have a house/garage now and figure I'll be finding another band playing out again soon -right?

Wrong. I change careers from teaching to data analysis. Budget cuts at work lead to lateral movement within the company to avoid unemployment. I end up working Help Desk as a contractor (under-employed?). Need to manage my income better. I stop my search for a band to join and realize - "HEY! This stuff is heavy! I can't manage this much gear without additional help" -meaning that if I started looking for a band again I would absolutely need help moving gear in order to play out. Suddenly my confidence wains in my ability to ask/trust complete strangers for muscle with this kind of gear. In my mind: the gear became a hurdle to rejoining a band! Plus, Am I even good enough to deserve this level of equipment? Thanks to TB I end up selling the whole rig (read: rent an F150, ask friends/wife for help moving it, transport and deliver to shipping office or buyer, take a bath). I tell myself + wife never again will I be in that type of position with gear.

Still wanting to join a group and play out, I take to researching lighter weight, gig-worthy gear. I remember my experience with Mesa and find Mesa's WD800 along with 2 Mesa Traditional PH 2x10 cabs for a modular 410 rig. Sweetwater sells me these two cabs for a deal just as Mesa completely switches over to the Subway series of cabs. Great! I can split the rig up between a potential band/practice spot and home and combine it together when playing out as necessary. I can lift this gear with relative ease on my own! Now, let's see about a band..

Suddenly, we're pregnant! Same job as mentioned above. Same house. Same friend "let's jam again soon!", still no band. Things come to pass as mentioned in the beginning which is where I currently find myself and, to be clear: family comes first.

It's been 10 years now since I've played out or even, for that matter, really jammed with anyone. I have a 3 month old baby boy. Medical debt sucks. I have relatively light 2x210 killer Mesa Rig w/ Mesa WD800. I don't know guys, I just don't see playing out as an attainable goal anymore? Not even thinking about those threads where people are talking about "is it worth it to gig" and so on. I mean, for my personal situation, man, it has literally been a hotdog dangling on a stick. Maybe someday again in the next 10 years once my son is a little older? But, that line of thinking sounds vaguely familiar...

So, this is my reality. I appreciate and respect the gear I have/had but I don't think I can justify this much firepower for just home practice anymore -especially with a wife, kid, and bills. The WD800 has great tone and a headphone jack and can DI to record with but so can many other options for several hundy cheaper and with cash back in my pocket - I'm having a hard time justifying it to myself. As for the cabs - forget it I guess and let them go? Way too much. Again, cash is king. Could just sock them in a corner and say the same "some day" thing over and over again or use them with the WD800 and barely touch the volume. Seems a waste of power and money though to do that - I don't even care about having that much overhead Gain, especially at home.

I recently saw someone comment on a thread that really made me reflect on things. It read something like this: " It is amazing what you can afford when you stop being a professional."
_______________________________________________________________________

TLDR; kids/life can be a lot of work. I am an average dude who happens to have professional/studio grade gig-ready equipment right now but haven't played out in 10 years and don't see being able to again for minimum another 2-3 if ever?. I'm lucky to practice/play in my home office once a week; probably too much cash tied up in gear. If I record it is for home practice/self betterment only. Leaning towards selling off likely never to rebuy this much unless a situation actually presents itself where this type of gear would be justified. Famous last words?

Anyone ever been through this? Am I nuts to part with this gear? I would like to keep playing. See poll for options I am considering and if you made it this far, thank you for reading.

Stop for a second. You're going to get what $1500 for the head and both cabs? You could probably get $800 for the head and maybe $300 for the cabs. Non-neo cabs are hard to sell and you have to price them low to move them. If you want the head to move we're talking $700. If you are on the verge of bankruptcy/homelessness/credit history ruination, sure cash out. But assuming the medical debt is large, will $1500 really make that much of a difference?

 

[b3panda]

As someone who has a really hard time selling off gear, my advice would be to sell it now. When you get back to having time to play out (and I know from recent experience how that is with the new baby), there will probably be some great new bass rigs that will have made everyone forget all about the gear that we're all going crazy over right now.

 

[Jim C]

If you are on the verge of bankruptcy/homelessness/credit history ruination, sure cash out. But assuming the medical debt is large, will $1500 really make that much of a difference?

I started to post about economies of scale and does X amount of dollars really mean that much?
But for some, $1,500 is a huge amount of cash when times are tough.

I think there can also be some guilt around keeping gear that isn't being used knowing that the money could be used to buy X for the family.

In hindsight, I have some gear that was on consignment years ago that never got bought and I'm thankful that I ended up keeping it. They are all older basses with different personalities.

Bass amps and cabinets have always been easily replaceable to me with the same model.