Fired/not recruited for playing the wrong brand.

[Bass Viking]

haven't been fired from a band, but i did audition for a band that didn't select me because i didn't play a fender and wasn't willing to immediately buy one just to join their band. they said that showed i wasn't serious enough

Bands like that should make it clear upfront before auditioning that you must own a Fender so that neither party’s time gets wasted. Just curious, what bass did you bring?

 

[Ritter667]

Sounds like it was all for the better, obviously those bands were populated with oblivious jerks.

 

[Luckydog]

No, but I got a lot of crap for bringing a Thunderbird to a blues gig a few times.

I guess they never heard of Allen Woody?

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

Sounds like it was all for the better, obviously those bands were populated with oblivious jerks.

Potential band name right there.

I guess they never heard of Allen Woody?

Then they'd be among the majority of the general public.

No slight intended against the late Mr. Woody; it's just that most folks probably only know the names of bass players who are famous as singers/songwriters, like Paul McCartney and Sting, or as members of some mega-successful bands, like Gene Simmons in KISS and Jack Bruce in Cream, or possibly John McVie in Fleetwood Mac.

 

[JimmyM]

No, but I got a lot of crap for bringing a Thunderbird to a blues gig a few times.

That I don’t get. Gatemouth played a Firebird. So did Johnny Winter. Isn’t that enough?

 

[bobyoung53]

That I don’t get. Gatemouth played a Firebird. So did Johnny Winter. Isn’t that enough?

It happened two different times about 15 years apart, I don't know why because they sound good. I don't care I'll bring whatever I want. There used to be a lot of Gibsons in blues, lots of EB-0's

 

[bobyoung53]

I guess they never heard of Allen Woody?

I was lucky enough to see him play outside in Burlington VT with Government Mule during the later 90's, great sound and player, he was phenomenal in fact.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I was twice.
The first time, the band I was playing was on an upward trajectory, I was in that band for two years, playing the band owned Squier Mickey Way Mustang Bass when at some point the band leader wanted me to change that bass for a more serious model as we were getting traction. So I brought my Yamaha BB614 just to be laught at, the band leader wanted a Rickenbacker (as the previous bass player used to own...well a cheap copy really). As I said that at that time I could not afford a bass that was two month salary for me, he showed me the door.

Second time, I show up to give a try to a band, nothing too serious, weekend warrior type with a few paying gig a year. I showed up with my Yamaha BB434M and was immediatly told "you do not have a real bass?". That band was loosing gigs because they cant find a bass player and they didnt wanted me to play with them because only Gibson is good enought for them (actual quote).

So I was thinking about that these days (the tread about the guitarist requesting the bass player to change his gear comes to mind, standing your ground) and I wondered if that happened to other peoples. I have noted Bass Brand, but it can be anything really, like people wanting you to play a certain rig.

I wonder if either of those bands ever amounted to anything?

 

[bobyoung53]

Probably got confused watching you play a different fret than what they were doing!

Maybe they were looking for the sloppy, loose string sound?

 

[bobyoung53]

I wonder if either of those bands ever amounted to anything?

Nah, the second one was actually a really good blues guitarist from Canada I met while I was living in Peru, he had already played with a lot of well known blues bands, he was very particular though, heard with his eyes better than with his ears. With most of those guys it's either a Fender, a Fender or a Fender.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Forty years ago next year, I was in a band that mainly played Prince or Prince influenced material. We did a demo and the engineer wanted me to play his P-bass because he and the band said my Rickenbacker 4000 (bridge pickup only) sounded bad. I would have done it, but the action on that bass was sky high and I told him I couldn’t do it. I ended up playing my Ric through a phase shifter turned all the way down.

 

[bobyoung53]

haven't been fired from a band, but i did audition for a band that didn't select me because i didn't play a fender and wasn't willing to immediately buy one just to join their band. they said that showed i wasn't serious enough

Yeah, you can bring a Fender to just about any kind of gig, people know them and know the sound, I don't care cause I likes 'em. I get more crap for almost always bring an SVT than the type of bass I play. People hear with their eyes.

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

Forty years ago next year, I was in a band that mainly played Prince or Prince influenced material. We did a demo and the engineer wanted me to play his P-bass because he and the band said my Rickenbacker 4000 (bridge pickup only) sounded bad. I would have done it, but the action on that bass was sky high and I told him I couldn’t do it. I ended up playing my Ric through a phase shifter turned all the way down.

Doesn't sound like that engineer knew much if he was unable to make EQ adjustments or use outboard gear to correct whatever shortcomings he and the other band-members were so concerned about. Maybe if your Ric had bad intonation or would not remain in tune, that would be a valid issue, but in terms of tone? Get real, man.

 

[dannylectro]

I’ve never been fired from a band for having the wrong bass…but I am sensitive to the message the bass I use for any particular band sends—I’d never, for instance, show up for a gig with an acoustic trio with some exotic six string bass with 15 control knobs, just like I’d never show up for a metal gig with my Martin acoustic-electric.
One amusing note about this: during the 80’s in Boston, I did reply (and ultimately get the gig) to a Bass Wanted ad that stipulated that “bass must have headstock”