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Do you take a bass on holiday?

BAG

BAG

May 5, 2014
7,502
17,070
New Zealand
#1
I do..... it's a beater bass short scale I hacked up with a jigsaw. I take it on any holiday of more than a few days. Going overseas I take the neck off and it fits in a medium sized travel bag.

And it's times like this that make it worth it. Plunking away to some favorite songs with a view like this with a really nice beer, after spending a day walking in some amazing scenery. Priceless!

This shot is from our accommodation in the town of Pohara in the South Island of New Zealand.

20211019_173147.jpg
 
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#4
John the Bassist said:
Yes, unless it's altogether impractical. I don't have a short-scale beater bass though, and have therefore always had to carefully transport a full-sized bass. That short-scale of yours looks great and is a great idea!
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It started life as a Greg Bennett Corsair short scale I bought for around $80 (US$). A bit of jigsaw work, some poly-filler, a rattle can of spray paint and it was good to go with a total outlay around $100 (US$). It actually plays and sounds decently and years ago I even used it at a gig for a set.
It looks better in the photos than in the flesh with a completely crappy paint job that has never really set properly. If I leave it in a hot car in its gig bag it needs to be peeled out of the gig bag. It's been left outside by the fire overnight at parties and still helps put a smile on my dial in out-of-the-way places.
 
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#6
When I go on vacation, it depends on where I am going and who I am going with? If I’m going somewhere with my family then I normally will not bring any gear unless I’m going back home to San Diego, with them. When I’m with my family that is our time together and because of that I don’t mind taking a break from playing to give them my time and commitment. But if I’m going back home with them then I might bring 1 or 2 basses because I may have one of the churches whose worship teams that I used to play on possibly ask me to fill in for old times sake. Or, I may have friends doing studio work and they may ask me to do some playing or maybe even do some jamming with them also, for old times sake.

When we go back home to see everyone my wife and kids are okay with me visiting friends, playing on one of my old worship teams again while I’m out there and/or doing any studio work or playing with friends because my wife and kids realize that I have lots of family and friends to catch up with and they also know that anytime that we go anywhere else on vacation I don’t hardly ever take any gear to play with. But going back home for me is kind of the exception to the rule.

The only other time that I may consider taking gear on family vacations is if any friends’ bands that are touring and will be in a different city that we are visiting, then I would consider bringing a bass or two if we were going to go to one of the shows and whatever band that it was that I knew may possibly ask me to sit in for a song or two. But that would probably be the only times and occasions that I would take any gear on vacation with me.
 
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#9
BAG said:
It started life as a Greg Bennett Corsair short scale I bought for around $80 (US$). A bit of jigsaw work, some poly-filler, a rattle can of spray paint and it was good to go with a total outlay around $100 (US$). It actually plays and sounds decently and years ago I even used it at a gig for a set.
It looks better in the photos than in the flesh with a completely crappy paint job that has never really set properly. If I leave it in a hot car in its gig bag it needs to be peeled out of the gig bag. It's been left outside by the fire overnight at parties and still helps put a smile on my dial in out-of-the-way places.
Click to expand...

Sounds like for not too much money, you've gained for yourself a bass with quite a bit of character :D
 
#10
Bassist Jay said:
When I go on vacation, it depends on where I am going and who I am going with? If I’m going somewhere with my family then I normally will not bring any gear unless I’m going back home to San Diego, with them. When I’m with my family that is our time together and because of that I don’t mind taking a break from playing to give them my time and commitment
Click to expand...
See, for me, most holidays with my family involved music of some sort. It didn't really matter where we went we would play music together at some stage. I first got onto bass when I bought an ABG to jam with my daughters as they became very accomplished guitarists and vocalists quite young. I quickly realised at our first camping jam that an ABG is basically useless acoustically with two or more guitarists and vocals. I thought that If I bought or built a small travel bass, combined with a Roland Cube battery amp, it'd take up less room than the ABG and I could be heard. It might only get used once or twice a year, but it's worth it...... especially on those occasions where an unexpected jam has happened and really clicked!

Now that my girls have grown up, the wife enjoys an hour or so to read a book while I play some music.

mongo2 said:
No.

I did once a long ago but I didn't play it...lesson learned.
Click to expand...
Better to have and not need or use, than to need and not have available.

John the Bassist said:
Sounds like for not too much money, you've gained for yourself a bass with quite a bit of character :D
Click to expand...
This ^^
It's really a pretty crappy bass, but the neck and pickup are decent, it holds tune, and I don't have to worry about it getting damaged.

Would you be able to leave your bass in a car in direct sunlight for hours without being concerned of damage or theft at all? You can with something like this!
 
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#17
I used to, but not so much in the last few years. It tends to take away from time spent visiting with the family members that I went there to see.

When I did, I’d usually bring one of my less expensive Basses, such as a Ray 34, or a Squier P Bass.
 

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