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Fired/not recruited for playing the wrong brand.
- Thread starter Nek07
- Start date
I used a Hofner Ignition Club bass strung with nylon tapewounds with a band that covered some RHCP with no issues.
I've played two Teiscos, an EB-200W and an EB200 which I still have. I wish I still had the EB-200W
This I believe is the healthiest way to put it. Anybody taking in a band (and that goes for us, too) is trying to make sense of what they are seeing onstage. Our brains try hard to categorize. If one element is too much out of the things we’ve seen before, it draws attention away from where the attention is supposed to be, which is the music/song.
So as much as it would be nice to be able to play your favorite Dingwall or Steinberger in a roots rock band, it’s just pulling attention away from where it should be.
It’s not completely unlike the concept of trying to “play for the song, not you”. Except it’s about visuals. Which, like it or not, can be important.
I am skeptical. I believe very few people are looking at the instruments. Except people who play that particular instrument.
Eh it’s just very insecure musicians everywhere. If the band don’t work out it’s not because of the music it’s the looks… the brands… we didn’t spend enough. Easy to spot these people. The crowd of non musicians couldn’t give a damn what you play as long as it sounds good.
I once didn't get hired for a band mostly because of my bass . My Gibson EBO was getting converted to an EB3 and a friend wanted me to play some gigs with them . This was in 1972 and I'd only been playing for 4 years . I went to a local pawn shop and bought a really cheap Japanese bass , really bad but playable . We were playing in a dive bar and the band called Ivory Coast came to see me play . I had been highly recommended by their ex bass player . They were going to do a tour and needed someone . They pretty much decided to get someone else and that worked for them and me . I didn't like my sound either but later I ended up getting some really great gigs once I got my gear right .
I voted no but that’s because I’ve specifically selected hear that would never cause me to be shunned in the musical genres I care about.
Stage presence is just as important to the show as everything else. Not more important, but definitely not less important.
As long as you can perform with the stuff during a live show the gear that looks best on stage is better than gear that’s nicer quality but doesn’t fit in.
Including people that don’t fit in is for school, work, polite conversations or get togethers on the town, but not your band.
Stage presence is just as important to the show as everything else. Not more important, but definitely not less important.
As long as you can perform with the stuff during a live show the gear that looks best on stage is better than gear that’s nicer quality but doesn’t fit in.
Including people that don’t fit in is for school, work, polite conversations or get togethers on the town, but not your band.
Meh! If your demographic is ONLY musicians, then by all means pose! Outside of that, no one cares what instrument you're playing and I doubt very seriously it's distracting the listeners unless you're playing some crazy color bass that's lighting up like a Xmas tree. And even then, if the music is killing and everyone is dancing......who cares!
Why not be unique instead of cookie cutter?!?!
I play R&B and there is a national R&B touring band named Maze and their MO is wearing all white. Would you know it, growing up, R&B bands would have their members wearing all white. I hated that mess! Hated it. Makes no sense to me. I refused to do it. Actually I did do it.........ONCE!! Never again! Stop being posers and be yourselves. Music is about being creative. Why can't your look and instruments be just as creative. Stop It!!
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In 50+ years I can honestly say that has never happened to me. Maybe it’s an American thing, this whole “band leader” concept?
All the bands that I’ve been in (some of them pretty damn good too) never has the matter of what bass I play come into question, any more than what make of kit the drummer has or what keyboard the keys player uses.
What did, and does matter is dedication, inventiveness, proficiency, the ability and willingness to get along with three, four, five, however, many people. I’ve never been just an employee - I’ve been in any band for what I can bring to it, for who and what I am, basically.
For instance - a long-time friend of mine, who is a great Hammond player and a pretty damn good bassist too wanted to put a gospel type band together - piano, organ, guitar, bass and drums.....it’s not really my thing, but I thought “why not, it’s something different for me”.
However, at the second rehearsal the drummer was going on about teaching someone a Jaco Pastorius bass solo and the guitarist was talking about wanting to buy a short-scale bass for a project of his....
So, that’s three potential bassists (apart from me) in this band and later I asked “Dave, what the shag (that’s not the word I used, btw, bloody censoring) am I doing here, why do you need me?”. His reply - “you’re exactly the person that I want and need - they can’t do what you can do”.
So, maybe that’s just how it is......
All the bands that I’ve been in (some of them pretty damn good too) never has the matter of what bass I play come into question, any more than what make of kit the drummer has or what keyboard the keys player uses.
What did, and does matter is dedication, inventiveness, proficiency, the ability and willingness to get along with three, four, five, however, many people. I’ve never been just an employee - I’ve been in any band for what I can bring to it, for who and what I am, basically.
For instance - a long-time friend of mine, who is a great Hammond player and a pretty damn good bassist too wanted to put a gospel type band together - piano, organ, guitar, bass and drums.....it’s not really my thing, but I thought “why not, it’s something different for me”.
However, at the second rehearsal the drummer was going on about teaching someone a Jaco Pastorius bass solo and the guitarist was talking about wanting to buy a short-scale bass for a project of his....
So, that’s three potential bassists (apart from me) in this band and later I asked “Dave, what the shag (that’s not the word I used, btw, bloody censoring) am I doing here, why do you need me?”. His reply - “you’re exactly the person that I want and need - they can’t do what you can do”.
So, maybe that’s just how it is......
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The attention should be on the music, and that’s all that 99% of the punters care about - they don’t know a Dingwall from a Steinberger from a Wal from a Spector anyway. My wife doesn’t, and she’s been married to bass players for 50 years (me, and her late first husband).
Exactly. My wife has no clue other than the colors of my basses.
I’ll put an asterisk on this comment. I have a Dingwall Super P. I’ve gotten away with using it on some shows…mainly because people don’t pay that much attention. And it mostly looks right.
Oteil Burbridge told a story that when he played at first with the Allman Brothers. Dickey told him he needed to get a jazz bass, saying if it was not a Fender Jazz it was not a bass.
Well !!!!!
Well !!!!!
I just did an image search for Otiel Burbridge, and most of the basses he was playing in the resulting photos were not FSOs.
Case in point...this is a local band where I live.
I will never ever wear this mess! Zero posing for me!!
Case in point...this is a local band where I live.
I will never ever wear this mess! Zero posing for me!!
A dress code doesn't bother me so much. Band has to look like the BAND.
Gotta remember it IS showbiz.
