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Gear Snobs
- Thread starter klejst
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Some of my basses are pretty crappy, though. Crappy in a good way, but I've got more basses that cost less than $500 than a working pro should ownYeah but you have good gear
Playing well on inexpensive gear will ALways sound better than playing like crap on boutique gear, always, Im a gearhead myself I love the stuff but it's pretty irrelevant and quite frankly it's distracting.
Sorry, but that is coming off exactly like something a gear snob would say and is entirely an unfounded prejudice on your part. It's not a matter of not caring what gear they play, it's a matter of what they can AFFORD to play. It is NOT an indicator of skill whatsoever.
I just go from what it sounds like if I'm in the audience.
I don't care what gear they're using.
Sure, if they've got Behr... gear, I'll notice, but, if it sounds good......well I suppose I'd be a li'l more impressed if they make cheap gear sound good.
I have had it happen to me. I was using a (slightly) modded SX P bass & I KNOW I had an ok sound, & someone commented that you HAD to have a +$800 bass to gig live. lol !
I don't care what gear they're using.
Sure, if they've got Behr... gear, I'll notice, but, if it sounds good......well I suppose I'd be a li'l more impressed if they make cheap gear sound good.
I have had it happen to me. I was using a (slightly) modded SX P bass & I KNOW I had an ok sound, & someone commented that you HAD to have a +$800 bass to gig live. lol !
Is this really an issue for people? Why does it bother you if someone has more money to spend than sense to practice? Is it jealousy or what?
I guess I'm too busy trying to think about what I'm about to play to compare myself or my gear to other bass players.
I guess I'm too busy trying to think about what I'm about to play to compare myself or my gear to other bass players.
I don't begrudge anyone's money. I just get annoyed by smartasses. You'd think by this time people my age would have outgrown it, but surprisingly enough, I still run into them from time to time.
Can't say I've bumped into many gear snobs playing bass, it mostly seems to be a guitar player thing. I've heard a lot of incredible players over the years that got a great sound with $500 dollars spent for amp and bass together. I was just as happy playing with my $80 Harmony bass and my Fender Bassman amp as I am today with fancier gear.
I love good gear and do think it's neat to go see a band and check out a nice bass rig on stage. But I am never surprised when a player with crap gear blows me away or a guy with gear to die for is completely forgettable. It's kind of fun to try and guess before you hear them play.
Who ever said being a gear snob has anything to do with whether your playing is badass or not?
Above, ladies and gents, is exactly what people mean by 'gear snob.' I've just never seen it displayed so brazzenly before.
Here, this poor Yamaha edorsed player has been seen on multiple occasions playing through bugera gear, I guess I should turn up my nose and not listen (surely he is awful):
Obviously if it's a bunch of 17 year old high school kids I don't expect them to be playing super nice stuff.
In my experience, usually for the same price as some new behringer gear, you could have much better used gear from someone else. For me part of someone being a great musician is knowing the right tools for the job. The people that ARE serious about it, are going to generally do that research and get that cheap but awesome gear. There are $300 Les Paul killers out there if you know what to look for. My whole bass rig was less than $700 and it's awesome. I forget how much I paid for my bass but it was less than $500, and I have a cool, unusual bass (Kramer aluminum neck, basic "P" electronics) that sounds really good for most stuff. So I'm far from a price or "name" snob (ie you can only have certain brands). Maybe a "quality" snob, but I don't really see that as a bad thing. And it's not like I'm going to go up to someone and just say out of the blue "your gear sucks!".
I actually think it's really cool when you can find the super bargain that no one would expect is awesome, but it is. For instance a long time ago I bought a Pearl Octaver for about $50-60. I was like "Pearl? I thought these guys just made drums?". But I tried it out in the store and it was amazing, so I gladly paid the $50 and I still use it to this day.
To me there's a big difference between quirky and cool esoteric gear with low resale value and just cheap junk.
Bugera's not the worst stuff out there by any means, but a lot of it totally rips off Mesa, etc... which to me just seems tacky. Although to be fair, a lot of Carvin stuff rips off Mesa, but somehow it's cooler when they do it. Probably helps that the Carvin stuff is all USA made and a bit more aesthetically pleasing in general.
In my experience, usually for the same price as some new behringer gear, you could have much better used gear from someone else. For me part of someone being a great musician is knowing the right tools for the job. The people that ARE serious about it, are going to generally do that research and get that cheap but awesome gear. There are $300 Les Paul killers out there if you know what to look for. My whole bass rig was less than $700 and it's awesome. I forget how much I paid for my bass but it was less than $500, and I have a cool, unusual bass (Kramer aluminum neck, basic "P" electronics) that sounds really good for most stuff. So I'm far from a price or "name" snob (ie you can only have certain brands). Maybe a "quality" snob, but I don't really see that as a bad thing. And it's not like I'm going to go up to someone and just say out of the blue "your gear sucks!".
I actually think it's really cool when you can find the super bargain that no one would expect is awesome, but it is. For instance a long time ago I bought a Pearl Octaver for about $50-60. I was like "Pearl? I thought these guys just made drums?". But I tried it out in the store and it was amazing, so I gladly paid the $50 and I still use it to this day.
To me there's a big difference between quirky and cool esoteric gear with low resale value and just cheap junk.
Bugera's not the worst stuff out there by any means, but a lot of it totally rips off Mesa, etc... which to me just seems tacky. Although to be fair, a lot of Carvin stuff rips off Mesa, but somehow it's cooler when they do it. Probably helps that the Carvin stuff is all USA made and a bit more aesthetically pleasing in general.
Careful there, homeboy. As an inveterate gear snob, I take exception to your implication ... the same implication for which I received a two-point infraction.
I think that, when a lot of gear snobs approach you, it's sort of a back-handed compliment. It's as if they're "allowing" you onto their "level" somehow, but still need to maintain their own superiority in some way. They can't do it on the basis of talent/ability, so they use what they can to stay on top (in their own minds).
Anyway, how I deal with them depends on a lot of things. It includes how I feel at the moment, what sort of approach they use, & probably a whole bunch of other misc. factors that can change moment to moment. I usually try not to be rude, at least. Most often I'm a little sarcastic, but try to keep it at a level that isn't too obvious. I often say something to the effect that if I ever get to their ability level (knowing full well that I don't know what their ability level is, because they're not the one playing, & kind of hoping that they'll catch the hint) maybe I'll be able to afford better gear, etc. ("Well, if I were in your league, I'm sure I'd have [drop name of high-end gear maker] giving me gear!") Sometimes I'll ask for "advice" & try to string them along for awhile if I'm not too busy. I try to make sure at least one of us gets some fun out of the exchange!
Anyway, how I deal with them depends on a lot of things. It includes how I feel at the moment, what sort of approach they use, & probably a whole bunch of other misc. factors that can change moment to moment. I usually try not to be rude, at least. Most often I'm a little sarcastic, but try to keep it at a level that isn't too obvious. I often say something to the effect that if I ever get to their ability level (knowing full well that I don't know what their ability level is, because they're not the one playing, & kind of hoping that they'll catch the hint) maybe I'll be able to afford better gear, etc. ("Well, if I were in your league, I'm sure I'd have [drop name of high-end gear maker] giving me gear!") Sometimes I'll ask for "advice" & try to string them along for awhile if I'm not too busy. I try to make sure at least one of us gets some fun out of the exchange!
Maybe I have too nice gear to ever deal with this? One thing I do know: it's a shame to see someone killing it on stage, but the sound isn't there because they haven't maintained their gear- the bass is out of intonation, or one of the speakers in their Bag End cabinet is blown (both things I have heard recently). I have heard people rock all kinds of gear though- a great, great local guitarist used to always use Peavey and just kill it. Guess what? Now he's got some really good gigs, and he switched to Mesa Mk VI's, and he certainly doesn't sound worse for it! It's just more of a good thing now. Also, I think better reliability helps instil a player with more confidence. But if someone sounds good, they sound good- doesn't make a difference what they're playing through. If it is lower-echelon gear, it often is impressive in and of itself (like with the guitarist I mentioned.)
This guy just nailed it. Research, patience, buying second hand and, of course, technique will do the trick for pretty much anyone, and any criticism that still follows your rig even after you've made it sound great is simply irrelevant.
Martin
By not worrying about what other people have or what they think of what I have. It is a free country and you do not have to be able to play your scales at a certain speed to be eligible to purchase bass gear. By the same token...if you think that your expensive gear makes you a good player and look down on folks with less expensive gear for that reason alone (or any other reason)...your a tool and I probably could tell the first time we met and I would not concern myself with what you think from that point on.
Not necessarily. I've seen bands of 17-year-olds with nothing but high-dollar instruments, amps, PA, lights, etc. that gets hauled around in new, high-end cars. Chances are, they didn't earn the cash for their stuff by delivering papers or collecting soda bottles.
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