Does this REALLY happen?

[electracoyote]

So, a Sadowsky and an SX are pretty much equal - except that they both have something different written on the headstock?

In the right hands, to the average listener, you got it.

 

[funkythumb]

I played with a top notch, guitarist (artist) for 3 years. He got down on me a couple times for my choice in axes. First he said, "you might as well be a guitarist" because I showed up with my 6 six string. Mind you, I played BASS and was not soloing up high all night. I DO have my head screwed on straight.
The next time he dogged my granny apple green Music Man Stingray saying it was a disgusting color and he asked me to put on my other bass that I had brought. Whatever dude!
This guy is an accomplished fusion-ish/blues guitar player who gets local radio airplay and still I heard this outdated verbage coming out of his mouth.
With another trio in which we played instrumental covers of pop, R&B, jazz and fusion, I was asked to not bring my dark blue G&L L2500 because it looked too 80's!!!
These days you really can't show up to a serious audition for an up and coming pop artist with a coffee table, boutique bass. A max of 5 strings and bring something that at least vaguely looks like a Fender and you'll be ok. I never get complaints about my Sadowsky, Lull or even MTD. I still do get weird looks when I bring my Bee basses or my James Tyler. Go figure.

 

[cnltb]

Im also in the UK, and i can tell you that when i used to turn up to auditions with that i got strange looks and few callbacks , now that i take a jazz bass it goes a lot better!

But this humanbase instrument is such a nice and well designed bass!
...and the ones I've tried even sounded good too!
...some people, right?

 

[smcd]

Gear snobbery is rampant, and it isn't limited to younger players. In fact, the worst offenders are those 35 and over.

It's actually kind of a reverse snobbery. Normally, you'd think that snobs would prefer high priced exotica, and look down on pedestrian instruments like Fenders. But it's the opposite - show up with a standard Fender or Gibson and you're ok. Show up with a boutique bass or - worse - any bass with more than 4 strings, and you get loads of attitude.

 

[FritoBandito]

I don't know if I was ever turned down because of my gear, but I've been given alot of stick for being a lefty. Over the years, I've had more than one person tell me that you can't play a guitar left handed.....everything thing is backwards.....it just can't be done!

 

[Johnny Crab]

Never has happened.
Got an SX P/J in case ANYONE ever "demands" that and I have to accept it.
It gets "the sound". Had a 67 P bass for a decade, the SX is VERY close.

The main bass here now(Greco) + Line 6 = a tone chameleon.

 

[TolerancEJ]

I don't know if I was ever turned down because of my gear, but I've been given alot of stick for being a lefty. Over the years, I've had more than one person tell me that you can't play a guitar left handed.....everything thing is backwards.....it just can't be done!

Snobbery for being left-handed? I don't even know where to begin listing successful left handed musicians.

(I'm only gonna list a few as examples. If your favorite isn't mentioned, they were not left off intentionally or overlooked.)
Paul McCartney
Doug Pinnick
Michael Anthony is reported to be left-handed but plays a right-handed bass.
Paul Gray of Slipknot
Jimi Hendrix
Tomy Iommi
Kurt Cobain

 

[Spraeg]

It happened to me once about three or four years ago. I was invited to try out for an ACDC Tribute band. One of the requirements was to send a pic of your gear, so I did. They responded back that I would need to show up with only a Stingray 4 banger. I e-mailed them back that my Millennium 5er could cop Cliff's tone no prob & was/is the only bass I will own or use. After discussing gig volume & $$ per show, I just ended up telling them to look elsewhere and turned down their request to audition for them. In the long run it was the right thing for me.

Tribute acts are a different animal though, many of the more successful and popular ones try to as closely as possible mimic the sound- and more importantly in this case- the look of the original band. There was a Beatles tribute that I saw was looking for a guitarist, but required that the person ONLY play the same guitars and amps as George Harrison, as well as looking and dressing like him. Even my roommate's Zeppelin tribute band, that played a whole of 3 shows (2 of which were in our basement), dressed like Zeppelin and wore wigs- and the instruments are a big part of the look for some people.

 

[FritoBandito]

Snobbery for being left-handed? I don't even know where to begin listing successful left handed musicians.

(I'm only gonna list a few as examples. If your favorite isn't mentioned, they were not left off intentionally or overlooked.)
Paul McCartney
Doug Pinnick
Michael Anthony is reported to be left-handed but plays a right-handed bass.
Paul Gray of Slipknot
Jimi Hendrix
Tomy Iommi
Kurt Cobain

Thanks, and to be honest, Macca is my fav, but I bet just about any lefty bassist/guitarist can tell a few stories about stupid, snobby remarks about being a lefty. Most are just in jest, but some people can be pretty rude and ignorant.

 

[KramerBassFan]

Is that to suggest that bass gear doesn't matter?

No, not what i meant. I meant more along the lines of, i play bass guitar. In my books, its a supporting instrument. So i am supposed to stand in back, and lay down the low end. Not stand up front and solo. But hey, if thats your thing, then more power to you!

I think it is more like " a bass is a bass, no matter what is written on the headstock".

Yes.

So, a Sadowsky and an SX are pretty much equal - except that they both have something different written on the headstock?

In my opinion, yes. A bass is a tool for making music. You can use a $2 hammer to drive a nail, or a $50 fine tuned to your grip etc hammer. You can drive the nail either way. But its all about how you do it.

In a way they are, they are both bass guitars and make the same kind of noise, in the same frequency range, etc. I think that this is the idea which the original poster of this quote had in his mind when he wrote it.

This. Thank you.

All IMHO. No flames please.

 

[wavey davey]

In a way they are, they are both bass guitars and make the same kind of noise, in the same frequency range, etc. I think that this is the idea which the original poster of this quote had in his mind when he wrote it.

Not really

I just wanted to hear the experiences that you've had with regards to this.

Its totally not on my radar when considering bands, or being considered.

 

[chickbassist007]

The last few musicians I played with - I couldn't even tell you the brand of guitars or drums they were using. The only thing I pay attention to is how they sound and how they play and mix with the rest of the group.

I completly agree, i mean I live in Canada, and no one in the music world (well that I'm aware of) would descriminate against someone just cause of the kind of bass they play, its just stupid. all that really matters is if they shred at playing or not.

 

[wavey davey]

Thanks, and to be honest, Macca is my fav, but I bet just about any lefty bassist/guitarist can tell a few stories about stupid, snobby remarks about being a lefty. Most are just in jest, but some people can be pretty rude and ignorant.

Thats just ridiculous! Snobbery over handedness!! The only thing that annoys me about lefties is that I dont have the dexterity to try out thier instruments - and who's fault is that?

Mine!!

 

[spade2you]

Thanks, and to be honest, Macca is my fav, but I bet just about any lefty bassist/guitarist can tell a few stories about stupid, snobby remarks about being a lefty. Most are just in jest, but some people can be pretty rude and ignorant.

I'm actually kind of surprised that this would be an issue with a band. I guess the only gripe they could have is if you had no access to a backup bass. I recall a friend of mine was in a band with a lefty guitarist who only had 1 guitar and frequently broke strings during shows. It was painful to watch them have to take breaks and restring.

 

[funkometer]

Ive been asked many times to bring a fender. It does happen.

 

[lowfreq33]

One artist I played for was constantly complaining about the look of my Tobias 6 string. Said he loved the sound, but hated the way it looks. He even went so far as to a 4 string Fender for me to play on the songs which didn't go below E (which amounted to about 3). I told him to get a Fender 5 and I'd play it all night, but he wouldn't go for it. This was with a Fender endorsement, so a 5'er wouldn't have cost any more than a 4. He even had me play the Fender in the video for a song which clearly rode the low C the whole time.

I never lost a gig over it though.

 

[JonnyAngle]

The last band my drummer got fired from canned him because his drums were not white!

He went on vacation with his wife and showed up to practice and there's another drummer there. They said, "we tried to call you and tell you, but you didn't answer. We want this guy because he plays white drums."

 

[smogg]

Tribute acts are a different animal though, many of the more successful and popular ones try to as closely as possible mimic the sound- and more importantly in this case- the look of the original band. There was a Beatles tribute that I saw was looking for a guitarist, but required that the person ONLY play the same guitars and amps as George Harrison, as well as looking and dressing like him. Even my roommate's Zeppelin tribute band, that played a whole of 3 shows (2 of which were in our basement), dressed like Zeppelin and wore wigs- and the instruments are a big part of the look for some people.

I get what you're saying but, I'm not about to drop $1500 bucks for a bass I would not normally own just for an audition. Then on top of that, I did not feel they had enough work or pay well enough to justify the purchase even if I got the gig.

I know this may sound unreasonable but I actually expect to be fairly compensated for my services. But that topic is for another thread I reckon.

 

[wavey davey]

Maybe there's a market for Bass Masks?

 

[ggunn]

The last band my drummer got fired from canned him because his drums were not white!

He went on vacation with his wife and showed up to practice and there's another drummer there. They said, "we tried to call you and tell you, but you didn't answer. We want this guy because he plays white drums."

How lame.

Either there's another reason (or reasons) they wanted to get rid of him, or they deserve whatever they get.