Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
How do you get over GAS?
- Thread starter olias
- Start date
Do you really want a serious answer?
Wanting something is perfectly OK. Buying it on the other hand may or may not be OK.
When I had no money I spent lots of time shopping but little time buying because I had to play a lot of gigs to raise the money. I followed the rule of only spending gig money on gear and bought used all the time. If I needed something for a new gig I sold something that wasn't needed.
As noted above, GAS has been viral thanks to the increasing amateur consumer focus of the MI industry (you didn't think the pros are buying all this stuff I hope). Spend less time on teh interwebz and reading the guitar and bass comix and you'll find the GAS subsides.
Wanting something is perfectly OK. Buying it on the other hand may or may not be OK.
When I had no money I spent lots of time shopping but little time buying because I had to play a lot of gigs to raise the money. I followed the rule of only spending gig money on gear and bought used all the time. If I needed something for a new gig I sold something that wasn't needed.
As noted above, GAS has been viral thanks to the increasing amateur consumer focus of the MI industry (you didn't think the pros are buying all this stuff I hope). Spend less time on teh interwebz and reading the guitar and bass comix and you'll find the GAS subsides.
As I said before, if I wait a while before you buy, GAS wears off for me, and I remember how nice my current gear is. Stuff tends to sound great in the store, it is after I have owned something a while that I realize what I don't like about it.
So long as you are paying your bills and the family is fed, I am not sure what the problem is.
As for Hofner GAS, you are on your own there.
If you already know there is minimal difference between the instruments why buy it? Save up and and get the real deal or consider this.
How much better of a player will it make you? How much better of a player have the other 7 basses made you?
The cure for gas is self control, and good old-fashioned common sense.
How much better of a player will it make you? How much better of a player have the other 7 basses made you?
The cure for gas is self control, and good old-fashioned common sense.
Last edited:
Snobby reply (no offense meant): unless you buy the expensive German one, and consider it your "lifer" - you're just throwing good $$ after bad. Your current one sounds great. You'll buy the cheaper Hofner, and still GAS for the "real" one, but never pull the trigger due to guilt having the other two.
Either keep enjoying what you've got, or pull the trigger on the German one.
Either keep enjoying what you've got, or pull the trigger on the German one.
This....very well said. Most basses I tend to gravitate towards have very unique tones that make my day, but after a month of that one tone it feels limiting and I start to resent it.
Playing in an active band or bands and finding your voice in that context. In other words, you'll be too busy making the gear you have work for the band you're in that you'll forget about buying self-gratifying gear you don't need for bedroom jamming. Sure, I would love a Rick (again), a Bass VI, a vintage Jazz Bass, and a 5er, but I don't need any of those tones for ANY projects I'm working on. I have a nice P bass with light flats and a drop-tuner. It does it all in all settings. When I do get another bass, it will be another P so I can have a backup or similar feeling bass with varied strings, but it will get PLAYED. Make sense?
Living in NYC also cured my GAS big time. Not just the $$ part, but relying on mass transit and small living spaces. I would LOVE a new Bassman rig or similar, but I'll never need that size or power. I have my 3.8lb TH500 and modular 112s for rehearsals and when I actually NEED my own gear and it's more than enough.
I short, I guess pragmatism is the anti-GAS.
Living in NYC also cured my GAS big time. Not just the $$ part, but relying on mass transit and small living spaces. I would LOVE a new Bassman rig or similar, but I'll never need that size or power. I have my 3.8lb TH500 and modular 112s for rehearsals and when I actually NEED my own gear and it's more than enough.
I short, I guess pragmatism is the anti-GAS.
The things that have worked for me include:
- Completely stay away from Talkbass until the GAS subsides. Seriously. Or at least limit myself to the General Instruction forum. The gear-related forums are dangerous places for the GASsy.
- Took lessons.
- Make a list of every piece of gear I have, look at that list whenever I get tempted to buy a new piece of gear, and add every purchase to that list.
- Remind myself of when my son is starting college and what college costs these days.
I haven't been that successful this year but all the purchases were things that would be useful for the band I recently joined. But, before this year's "splurge", I bought a cabinet three years ago and a head about two years before that. So maybe those things have helped at least a little?
- Completely stay away from Talkbass until the GAS subsides. Seriously. Or at least limit myself to the General Instruction forum. The gear-related forums are dangerous places for the GASsy.
- Took lessons.
- Make a list of every piece of gear I have, look at that list whenever I get tempted to buy a new piece of gear, and add every purchase to that list.
- Remind myself of when my son is starting college and what college costs these days.
I haven't been that successful this year but all the purchases were things that would be useful for the band I recently joined. But, before this year's "splurge", I bought a cabinet three years ago and a head about two years before that. So maybe those things have helped at least a little?
I try that to. Especially on larger purchases. Her response is usually, "you only live once, so why not? You should get it." Ugh. She is not much help in the managing money department and I love her dearly for it.
To the OP, good luck on getting through the gas. I thought I was cured and actually had a great 5 years of being GAS free, but I fell off the wagon a few months ago..... Like I fell off hard and have been binge spending on bass gear lately. Making up for lost time I suppose. For me, I hope it subsides soon. For you? I say good luck.
Move to a new home. Curse having to move all the basses and equipment. Run out of time to practice due to all the other moving related accumulated crap and work on getting the new house going (fixing plumbing, fixing sprinklers, yardwork, etc). Oh yeah bass isn't my primary instrument so its temporarily squeezed out.
Last edited:
