I didn't have an Ampeg bass amp...
Two months ago I tried out for (and believe that I nailed) a classic rock cover band. Seems like I'm the only 26 year old who even listens to the stuff, much less plays it. The guys were older - late 40's to mid 50's. What the hell, I've jammed with people twice my age before. So I show up with my Aguilar AG500SC/Agro rig and sit it on top of my Avatar B212 Neo cab (all besides the Agro have since been sold to pay bills) and set it up. I pull out my Spector and plug it in.
I get weird looks all around the room. I know what they are thinking and I have a mental list of answers prepared for them, or so I thought. The so-called leader speaks up first and says, "I thought you said you had 'professional' gear". Slightly annoyed I reply "yeah, this IS professional gear". Then he comes back, "well I dunno about you but everything we're playing was played through Ampegs".
I'm highly annoyed by this - I get out the list and the first 3 bands are Zeppelin, the Who, and Sabbath. I asked him if he knew the bassists for the first 3 bands played Acoustic, Sunn, Laney guitar amps (early Sabbath), and pretty much anything BUT an Ampeg. So we're already off to a really bad start but we proceed and get through a dozen songs and then take a break. We chat it up for a while about the direction of the band and then call it a night. I get an email a day later saying "thanks for coming out but...you sounded good, had great tone and knew what you were doing but you didn't seem like the right fit". Ok, I can handle that.
So fast-forward to the present. Yesterday I got an email from the same guy asking me if I'd join the band. He said he was on the internet and saw that Aguilar was "expensive stuff and that they get good reviews" and that he had heard of Spector but never heard/seen one. Now I know there are certain die-hard vintage purists out there but I think these guys win the prize!
I'd understand if they were looking for a certain sound, but I HAVE that old-school round Fender sound (yes, it can be coaxed from a Spector with old strings, proper EQ'ing, and a little fur). He just wanted a name on a box. So anyways, I turned them down. I don't put up with people who are rude, especially on the first meeting.
Two months ago I tried out for (and believe that I nailed) a classic rock cover band. Seems like I'm the only 26 year old who even listens to the stuff, much less plays it. The guys were older - late 40's to mid 50's. What the hell, I've jammed with people twice my age before. So I show up with my Aguilar AG500SC/Agro rig and sit it on top of my Avatar B212 Neo cab (all besides the Agro have since been sold to pay bills) and set it up. I pull out my Spector and plug it in.
I get weird looks all around the room. I know what they are thinking and I have a mental list of answers prepared for them, or so I thought. The so-called leader speaks up first and says, "I thought you said you had 'professional' gear". Slightly annoyed I reply "yeah, this IS professional gear". Then he comes back, "well I dunno about you but everything we're playing was played through Ampegs".
I'm highly annoyed by this - I get out the list and the first 3 bands are Zeppelin, the Who, and Sabbath. I asked him if he knew the bassists for the first 3 bands played Acoustic, Sunn, Laney guitar amps (early Sabbath), and pretty much anything BUT an Ampeg. So we're already off to a really bad start but we proceed and get through a dozen songs and then take a break. We chat it up for a while about the direction of the band and then call it a night. I get an email a day later saying "thanks for coming out but...you sounded good, had great tone and knew what you were doing but you didn't seem like the right fit". Ok, I can handle that.
So fast-forward to the present. Yesterday I got an email from the same guy asking me if I'd join the band. He said he was on the internet and saw that Aguilar was "expensive stuff and that they get good reviews" and that he had heard of Spector but never heard/seen one. Now I know there are certain die-hard vintage purists out there but I think these guys win the prize!
I'd understand if they were looking for a certain sound, but I HAVE that old-school round Fender sound (yes, it can be coaxed from a Spector with old strings, proper EQ'ing, and a little fur). He just wanted a name on a box. So anyways, I turned them down. I don't put up with people who are rude, especially on the first meeting.
) age group started with crappy gear of an unknown brand, or had to cope with that bad gear used by the other "musicians" in their early steps while they had invested in quality. Having unknown gear was seen as a lack of commitment, cheaping out on the hobby/future profession = bad sign.
