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ever rent your bass!?

I let a friend use my bass for his gospel album. I didn't ask for any payment. In exchange, though, I did receive album credits in the form of the various thank you's that musicians list on the back...and a free CD.
 
23. toured all over the world. shared the stage with thousands of bands. worked with several engineers/producers. the only time i've ever been wronged was american airlines losing my bass on a european tour. but they compensated me for a rental for the tour and the bass was returned safely to my house. no harm done. i'd also like to think i've never wronged anyone myself, but if someone were to purposely rip me off, id take it out on them tenfold and thats a fact. but going into every situation - musical, business or otherwise - with your guards up 100% of the time, sounds like a terrible way to live if you ask me.

I would rather be cautious on the upfront than have to be vengeful in the end...just my .02

People don't take care of things that are not their own. Our band has a standing rule that anyone that wants to sit in must bring their own bass or guitar...otherwise they don't sit in.
 
I would rather be cautious on the upfront than have to be vengeful in the end...just my .02

People don't take care of things that are not their own. Our band has a standing rule that anyone that wants to sit in must bring their own bass or guitar...otherwise they don't sit in.

speak for yourself there. i'd always take good care of things that i borrowed or rented.

Some guy you don't know calls you up and wants to rent your instrument and you say no. That isn't paranoia, it's common sense.

Actually, some guy i DO know called me up and wanted to borrow an instrument and i said YES.
 
speak for yourself there. i'd always take good care of things that i borrowed or rented.



Actually, some guy i DO know called me up and wanted to borrow an instrument and i said YES.

So you are telling me that if some anonymous guy called you and wanted to borrow that '78 Fender P that you would let them borrow it, no questions asked? You are a better man than me. Let me know next time you are in the SouthEast...I might need a favor. :D
 
So you are telling me that if some anonymous guy called you and wanted to borrow that '78 Fender P that you would let them borrow it, no questions asked?

i'm sorry, how did you get that from this?

Actually, some guy i DO know called me up and wanted to borrow an instrument and i said YES.

but certainly as a TB member, if we got to know each other id let you play the bass. but for all intents and purposes, i don't plan on spending more than 24 hours in Birmingham for any reason. save for that sarcastic smiley, i dont have any real reason to distrust you nor do i think you have the berries to try and rip me off. right? right.
 
I'm just amazed that anyone can think that the common sense of not setting yourself up to get screwed is the same as "living in fear". That's just ridiculous. I don't live in fear, partly because I use common sense and don't lend out easily-damaged valuables. It's that simple.

If I lend a book to somebody, I take into account that I might not get the book back, or it might come back with a crease in the cover and a food stain on a couple of pages. Does that recognition mean I'm "living in fear?" Would I casually lend out the book if it was a rarity worth a thousand dollars? No. When a car rental company rents out a car, they take into account the normal wear and tear of usage--it's written into the contract. They know perfectly well that it is reasonable that the car might accrue some scuffs and small dings from normal usage. They require you to insure the car against larger damage or loss. Are they "living in fear"?

Do you want your bass to come back dinged, scuffed, or stained? Will you require that the borrower of your bass take out insurance against damage or loss? Are any of these perfectly normal business considerations anything remotely like "living in fear"?
 
i'm sorry, how did you get that from this?



but certainly as a TB member, if we got to know each other id let you play the bass. but for all intents and purposes, i don't plan on spending more than 24 hours in Birmingham for any reason. save for that sarcastic smiley, i dont have any real reason to distrust you nor do i think you have the berries to try and rip me off. right? right.

The OP was talking about a stranger borrowing his bass, which is why I was confused on your post. There are a few people on TB that if they needed to borrow my bass I might let them (J and T, you know who you are..haha)

Berries? I have big berries just not the type that go along with ripping anyone off. That's not my gig.
 
yeah i never meant to rent out my bass it was just very funny getting that call! anyway i got some cool pointers from the replies! come to think of it, if i ever have a dozen basses and someone asks for the one i dont really care about i'd give it if i'd like to go to the gig its going for :P but never a bass with so much special history behind it :D
 
I rent out my sound proofed jam room (2 car garage) with nice PA system to local bands by the hour. This includes use of my bass gear and my drummers practice set. I don't rent to everyone however - it more like joining a jam club and paying a fee. Mostly responsible old blues and cover band folks who are professional and respectful. Good way to get some tax free cash in this economy. Everyone is on good behavior because i am much cheaper than what professional rehearsal studios charge. Side benefit is some of my clients will show up at my bands gigs to check us out and vice versa. I don't rent or loan out my main gigging basses however. I don't have an emotional connection to amps and speakers as I do with my basses.
 
Anybody want to rent their children?? that's basically what you're doing by prostituting your gear.:hyper:

I don't even like people playing my gear so you've got more chance of shagging the queen than borrowing something!:spit:
 

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