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Does skill = your bass??

#21
buy the gear you want. it wont make you better or worse. I have a Lakland 55-02 coming in the mail I have an acme low b4 cab and a gk fusion 550 head. I have also owned a custom single cut with fancy woods. With all that I am still an average player. But I feel I deserve my gear because I bought it. Its gig ready. Why keep yourself confined to other peoples standards.
 
#22
Grizzly700 said:
Am I right for saying you should buy the best that you can afford? I drop him and find a new guitarist?.
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No. I can afford lots of stuff, and my stable has and still includes basses ranging in value from $40 to as much as a $1200 bass. I could sell all my music gear, and buy a $10,000 Alembic, but I know that is not going to make me a better player.

A great player will make a $40 bass sound great, and if I haven't achieved it by everyone's measure (including my own), it's certainly among the things I'm working toward.

Get rid of your guitarist. Get a grown-up one. There are plenty around.
 
#23
you do NOT need to earn the right to play the instrument you own.

when i bought my first bass it was an american P/j..before that i was playing a borrowed ibanez piece of junk. at the time i wasent "worthy." but eventually i was, and that bass served me well...still wish i never sold it..

but its true that when your better you appreciate a better instrument a bit more.
 
#24
paganjack said:
just tell him the three words that many guitarists hate more than anything:




"Get a Job"
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+1

Dude needs to get his priorities in line. If he wants a Strat and a Marshall stack, the only thing holding him back is himself. It's not like you reach a skill level and the music gods bestow these thing upon you. You work for them because that's what you want... And that shows other key aspects of musicianship- Dedication and perseverance.
 
#25
I'll echo the sentiments already posted. I've been blessed to be in a position where I was able to start out on some great gear. That has squat to do with my skill level or how long I've been playing. It just means that I can afford it.

Just because he's been playing 5 years to your 2 doesn't mean SQUAT regarding skill or "deserved" gear. For all you know, he may have been playing for 5 years but putting little to no time into practice, where in your 2 years you can be practicing your butt off to develop your skills way beyond anything he's doing.

Also, there are guys who can and do play better on less expensive gear than a lot of guys who own more expensive gear.

In short... tell him to go get a job or kick rocks. He needs to keep his focus on improving himself and appreciating what he has.
 
#27
Sounds like jealousy. I don't know if it's necessary to ditch your friend completely, but if becomes an obstacle to the music you make then maybe you should find other people to play with.

As far as whether or not my skill = my bass(es), the tagline I've been using for the last year or so says it all. :p
 
#29
StarscreamG1 said:
Don't think I can really add much to whats already been said. I think its all correct. The guitarist needs to get with it and stop envying other peoples stuff and work on his own playing.

And for what its worth, I wouldn't consider a Geddy Jazz 'mid quality' :p Ive never touched one but if they play half as good as they look..wow and Ive read nothing but great stuff about them. ^_^
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The neck is the smoothest thing I have ever felt. The sound isn't amazing for anything except for Rush music in my opinion.
 
#34
PhilRitter21 said:
I have run into similar predicaments. I play at a local megachurch where people from all situations play. I sometimes feel self conscious when I come to practice with a different bass every time. I have a Stingray, Sterling, a Rick, 2 American Deluxe Fenders, and a Geddy Lee Jazz; and I use them all from week to week. While the other bass players have one $350 Ibanez or a Mexican Fender. I was even called out once because of my tendency to buy upperscale equipment. I only tinker around on guitar, but decided I should have one around the house. So I bought a beautiful Special edition Koa Strat and brought it in to show my friends there. Well, one person was like "Thats nicer than most of our guitars... I thought you didnt even play...?"
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Sounds like a similar situation I was in when my pastor asked me if I ever left any of my gear at church over night. I told him, "No way. This bass here is a $2,000 bass!" He said "$2,000?!?! That's some good wood", and proceeded to punch my bass. Let's just say I was a little upset. Some people....:rollno:
 
#37
You said 'because you can afford it", but... can 'you' afford the better gear you have, or can your parents afford the better gear?


If you've bought it yourself by working and paying for it then great and I see no reason not to tell him exactly what's what and where he should stick his opinion.

However, if your better gear has came to you because your parents have made it available to you, then you really have to understand how someone in a less wealthy situation is going to hold some animosity toward your gear.
 
#39
Skill and gear have no realtion unless the gear is really crappy. You do not earn the right to have expensive gear by your playing ability. You get the gear because you have earned the money and that is where you want to spend it.

I have seen lots of players with killer rigs that sounded like crap due to ability (or lack of).
 
#40
he doesn't need a marshal stack to be able to gig, let him have a greater share in gig earnings a few times on the condition that he uses it to buy him self a gigable amp and guitar £500 budget is plenty. Then when he moans about you having a nicer amp tell him that his sounds fine and that you enjoy having a nice amp.
 

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