Fired/not recruited for playing the wrong brand.

[Kevan Campbell]

Not fired exactly, but I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t hired after an audition because I wouldn’t sell my Sadowsky and (at the time) Aguilar gear to purchase Fender and Ampeg gear. I understand that to some the sound is important but more often I’ve felt that those were the only two brands non-bassists recognize.

In my specific case I really think that the “play XYZ brand of gear” was a test to see how much a player will accept direction from the main creative driving force of the group, which brings up a whole other host of issues within band interpersonal dynamics.

 

[The Owl]

I had a friend in college who had briefly been in the Bass program at Berklee. He told me he showed up at his first Jazz class with his bass, a Rickenbacker, and the professor told him to get the f#%k out and come back with a "real" (fender) bass. Not really surprising at Berklee in the 70's, I guess, it was All Jazz, All the Time.

More like "All Jazz Snobbery All The Time". I got accepted at Berklee in the 70's. After reading your post, I'm glad I didn't go.

 

[wvbass]

I’m flexible. If I work at Target, I expect to have to wear a red shirt and tan pants. I take this approach with basses and bands, too. Fortunately,I have a bunch of basses I enjoy playing, so it isn’t a big deal for me.

 

[Killing Floor]

TalkBass legend.

 

[KellyC]

Getting kicked out because of your bass is way better than getting kicked out but being asked to leave your bass if it's not too much trouble.

 

[Bass-Babe]

You know, I'd actually like to see someone ripping a Hofner for a technical death metal band.

or how about Victoria D'Angelina rips it hard with Danolectro longhorn for the band Maneskin

 

[Nightsprinter]

or how about Victoria D'Angelina rips it hard with Danolectro longhorn for the band Maneskin

I searched her name on Google Images once to see some live shots. I was not expecting nudity but alas. Very interesting lol!

 

[MegaSwing]

I cannot accurately convey just how silly I would find that.

Especially without a significant payday on the line.

I mean, I even wonder if I could conceal my contempt for such nonsense.

Like, do you want an experienced, reliable, good-sounding bass player or not?

It's a simple game, really.

 

[pfschim]

never happened to me in 50+ years of bands/gigging/sessions. Now, for the record, I always have primarily played a Fender Jazz or a FSO. Never heard of a player in all that time who lost a gig or a session because of their bass.

 

[31HZ]

I'll take "Quasi-Victimhood Narratives That Happen A Lot Less Often Than People Insist They Do" for $100, Alex.

 

[Bass-Babe]

I searched her name on Google Images once to see some live shots. I was not expecting nudity but alas. Very interesting lol!

yes there is that , but she totally rips on those dAnos.

 

[BlueTalon]

Never fired since most of the time people eye pop at my basses. But here's a story no less.

I was playing a with a band, and the vocalist was foaming at the mouth about this one bass player who would be at the open mic we were attending. He knew him personally (from multiple times frequenting that same venue), and thus he kept talking at me about how good this dude's bass is.

I ask him what type, but he doesn't know. But he says "yeah, there's nothing as good as that thing, you should get one", right in front of my bass.

Now, if you look at my pfp, that's a Mayones Viking. It's my main instrument, and I'd put it up against Vic's Foderas. It's perfect for me, and it feels like I'm playing something ancient and druidic, like a piece of living art.

I love my instrument.

But my opinion aside, it's a great bass.

So I show up to the show and I'm waiting to see this unfathomable leviathan with no name. I wanna see how high the mountain goes, how far off greatness is.

I'm looking for this dude and finally he arrives.

He's playing a Sire. A V10 DX to be specific.

Hey, I'm not gonna yuck his yum, Sire's got good publicity, and it's not like he's playing a starter model, it's a mid bracket bass (as opposed to boutique), one of the highest quality instruments in that brand.

But I go "ah. A sire", not mad, but sorta like mmm well that's certainly underwhelming

My vocalist is filling his pants as he's telling me everything that bass can do, and that he's never seen a bass that can "tap the coils", which....my Viking can in fact do (it has Fishman fluence pups, goes between single coil and humbucker, and has the vintage>slap>modern toggle).

So that guys band is done and he comes over to our vocalist who wants to kiss his feet. And our band is next, so the other bassist goes, confidently "I dunno what you got, but would you rather play this?"

I humbly smile and say "I appreciate the offer" before unsheathing my war sword from it's fitted scabbard.

He goes "oh....poopie."

My vocalist only then was beginning to realize that I'm packing heat, and he pretty much never talked to me again. If it wasn't evident, he's no longer my vocalist, and our band unanimously removed him for reasons unrelated to the bass I play.

I visited the Mayones facility in Gdansk, hoping to be able to try out a Viking. Sadly, they didn't have any there. Yours is quite a beautiful one. That's a great story, I would have loved to have been there to see the faces. Someone would have to have a helluva bass to upstage a Mayones, and the people who own such basses would be unlikely to get into an axe-comparing contest with you about your Viking.

 

[_Some Dude]

Not brand specific, but once I was asked a couple times if I had a 5 string, and then they stopped calling me back.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Don’t know who’s Mr Way but that’s a nice looking bass.

 

[logdrum]

This is why I avoid open mics like the plague. Full of judgemental egotists.

I had to play with my buddy. So had to do it. And my left handed drummer friend was there and he rocks. It was actually not bad. A couple was promoting their EP and I ended playing with them.

 

[VicDiesel]

Try bringing this to the next gig.

View attachment 5398160

I showed up with my Steinberger Q5 at my Armenian folk band. Normally I play an Ibanez fretless. I was the only one making a remark about appropriateness, and they told me that they wanted *me* and couldn't care less about my tools. I did roll off the highs some gawdawful amount....

 

[logdrum]

I was also scoffed for my modded Squier in an open mic. I did redeem myself when I started playing.

View attachment 5398357

All Hipshot hardware. EMG JAX5 pickups, BTS preamp and 18v and some TI jazz flats Squier keeps it low-key.I use it often. The neck is a reverse Fluke... Easy to play . Tuned well

 

[KellyC]

I showed up with my Steinberger Q5 at my Armenian folk band. Normally I play an Ibanez fretless. I was the only one making a remark about appropriateness, and they told me that they wanted *me* and couldn't care less about my tools. I did roll off the highs some gawdawful amount....

Crazy how surviving multiple genocidal purges can make an entire culture not sweat the small stuff.

 

[Jay2U]

Driving a Dodge? Oh no! Driving a Corvette? Welcome!
Downright stewped! A band leader shouldn't judge musicians for the gear they play, but for their musicianship instead.

 

[Dlew919]

Ok, I get, sort of, if you’re in a metal band and they want a Hamer or Ibanez for looks. Or a tribute band that does authentic copies.

But apart from that, it shouldn’t matter. I played my Ibanez rb850 in industrial, country, rock, pop, funk, soul, prog, jazz, cabarets and musicals. I recently semi retired it. I now have a 70s cv jazz.

If a band wanted me to get a particular instrument for a particular reason, Id consider it, depending on how many gigs, can I use an extra bass, do I have the finances, and is the band worth joining? Note, this is all before the first rehearsal, so it’s less of a firing, and more of a 'this won’t work'

Of course, try not playing a mandolin with f-holes in a bluegrass band….