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Hobbies that cost more than playing bass

S

sanderic

Jun 3, 2011
506
16
#1
So the wife wonders why you have to have a new bass/amp/gizmo/whatever. Why do you half to have such an expensive hobby?
OK, let's give up playing bass and find something else to do, like fishing, $30k bass boat, $30k truck to pull it, storage, insurance, rods, reals, tackle boxes, on and on. Too much?
Try golf, $1500 set of irons, $400 driver, $500 bag, shoes, clothes, $75 greens feed, club membership. Too much?
Lets try hunting, land leases, vehicles, guns, ammo. Too much?
Think Ill just keep playing the bass.
 
#4
Riding and restoring motorcycles or old cars. I don't know how much buying a new harley and pimping it out or restoring an old one would cost, but I'm pretty sure its way over a new alembic money wise speaking.

On the other hand playing video games, joining a bowling team or a softball league is probably cheaper (unless you get injured and have to pay medical bills).
 
#5
Try playing drums!
gotta replace those heads all the time, and that shite is expensive!
And cymbals, too. You hit them all the time with sticks and they break.
and sticks are about $6 a pair, and they last maybe 1 practice & 1 gig.
and you gotta have cases for each drum, etc etc etc.

lots more expensive than bass!
 
#9
I try to look at it on a per-hour or per-day basis. I spent a lot of money on my music equipment, but I practice every day, and play out at least 2x a month. Then I look at people with state-of-the-art skis who only go skiing 2 or 3 weekends a year. Or boats that sit in the slip 45 weeks out of the year, etc. So I feel like a get a good value for my money :)
 
#10
Try photography.

I "went pro" more than 20 years ago so it's been a long time since it was a hobby, but I find that serious amateurs want to have the same gear as pros. A pro grade digital SLR starts at about $3000 and the top of the line models are in the $6000 - $9000 range. If you want to maintain your "state of the art" status they have to be replaced about every 3 years.

Lenses - same story. Figure $2000+ for fast pro zooms.

Then there's the lighting, tripods, cases, computers and software you need to go with it.

Bass playing is downright CHEAP by comparison.
 
#12
dhsierra1 said:
how about horses? Talk about expensive. And potentially dangerous to boot......
Click to expand...

My wife broke her hip horseback riding.

Also, she spent $27,000 on her fanciest horse -- but the bigger budget buster was the monthly expenses: feed and board, lessons, entry fees for shows, equipment/tack, veterinarian, farrier (blacksmith), etc.

Needless to say, this caused a lot of strain in our relationship. :hmm:
 
#13
Anything transportation-based: Cars, horses, boats, planes, even bikes if you do it "right."

You can make anything into an expensive hobby, though; my dad launches model rockets. Not those little Estes ones, either; we're talking some monsters:

2011-05-24_19-02-14_582.jpg


As if the kit and altimeter wasn't pricey enough, I could eat for a month in NYC (or buy a new Squier and a change of strings) on the cost of the propellant it takes to launch that thing.
 
#15
Photography, Jewelry, golf, scuba diving, travel, cycling, professional sports (if you go to the games).....anything you are really into can cost a bundle or not, depending on your approach.
 
#16
Lo-E said:
I've heard that extramarital affairs can be extraordinarily expensive. Recreational drug use, too.
Click to expand...

I may be wrong here, but I believe it's the habitual drug use that gets expensive XD

+1 To the Horses thing, that's the rest of my family's habit and the money I've seen people put into that stuff... Puts anything but a big name major label tour to shame, coach buses and all...
 
#18
Fuzzbass said:
My wife broke her hip horseback riding.

Also, she spent $27,000 on her fanciest horse -- but the bigger budget buster was the monthly expenses: feed and board, lessons, entry fees for shows, equipment/tack, veterinarian, farrier (blacksmith), etc.

Needless to say, this caused a lot of strain in our relationship. :hmm:
Click to expand...
My wife loves horses but she doesn't own one. I have my 4 basses, Amps, etc... and then there's the Hot Rod....My '73 Dart. I have about $6,000 into it including brand new paint job. Lately I have been feeling pretty guilty that I have 2 expensive hobbies and she sacrifices. In fact I am getting ready to sell the Dart and offer to get her a horse. She deserves it. :)
 
#19
Its not as much the cost, as how often you have to replace it. Sure I can spend $1000 on a bass, but in 10 years I could probably get my money back out on it. With good care I can play that bass the rest of my life. New wakeboard or new bike every year. You're talking about $500-$2000 and then in 5 years they are worth nothing, and are old technology.
 

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