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How much does your 'significant other' affect your gear choices?

#101
What happened to the guy who traded in the MIM Fender Jazz his wife got him as a gift for a 15" cab??? Don't hear from him much anymore...:ninja:

My gf knows I love Fenders, she's gotten me books, and is always pointing out a Fender when we see one watching TV or something. She knows how to properly identify a real 1962 Precision as she was with me when I got mine, all the way down to the clay dots, slab neck, and period correct tuners.

kinda cool.
 
#102
(Un)fortunately, my wife is quite knowledgeable when it comes tog gear. She prefers that I don't get the same thing more than twice. I tend to try and retry and never learn. She also warns me against 4 strings as I never keep them and prefer 5 string basses. She knows I don't need a big rig and was surprised to hear I was debating a 410 again since we now have a van to haul it.
 
#103
My wife has the MEMORY of an elephant. (You have to careful with wives and elephants comparisions). So, whenever I start contemplating trading off something for something I "need", she always reminds me of all the reasons I told her I "needed" the thing I am planning to trade.

Sometimes, this is really helpful, and she is absolutely right. Other times, I think it's just her way of telling me "I know you are full of s#^!, but I love you anyway."

Either way, I end up doing what I want to do. I do make every effort to be responsible.
 
#104
My dog doesn't care what I use, as long as there's room for her to ride along.

IMG_1537.jpg
 
#106
Lets see the last few music purchases I made.
Went to GC sat down with a VM Jazz, loved it!
She bought it for me right there.

next purchase
went to GC played on a MB CMD 102p and after she had seen me lusting over them online for months, wouldn;t let me leave the store without it.

She very supportive and i get little complains from her especially with having a metal band take over the house two nights a week.

SHe influences me in alot of things mainly gicving me pushes as I'm far too frugal on my own.
 
#109
Call me a big fat puthy, but I always ask first before I buy anything. I look at it as OUR money, not just mine. Back when I was playing alot more it was easier to get her permission. Now that I dont play as much, it's a little harder. I pretty much have to sell something to get something new. It's not really a big deal tho, as I have pretty much everything I need (GASP!). She's real supportive, and usually gives in and lets me buy.

BnB
 
#110
My wife's been very supportive of me. This year, I decided that I want to get back into music after a 12 year absence. Equipment-wise, I wanted to a) get some of my old gear from my parents' place (opposite side of the country) and b) acquire some new gear. Around April/May, she fronted the money to ship my Ampeg. In August, we went to a local music store & I lusted after a Warwick Thumb BO 6. She haggled with the store clerk and got a really great deal, then she fronted the money. (Both instances have been repaid.) In October, I found a really great deal on a Conklin GTBD-7, of which I paid. The bass delivery actually arrived on my birthday (in the large cardboard box). She decided it should have a decent case. I read terrible reviews of the Groove Tools cases, so she ordered official case directly from Conklin.
 
#113
Mine is pretty amazing. Never complains about the space or the money that my gear consumes, even though I don't bring in much income from music these days. Her father was a pianist, and built pipe organs for a hobby (!!!), which probably helps. She says that I get cranky in a particular way when I'm not playing enough, and will actually push me to get out and play.

A few years ago, I was lusting after a baritone acoustic guitar, but left it alone because of the cost (I wanted a high-end one). She quietly commissioned my luthier buddy to build one for me, and had it delivered the following year, on my birthday. It has roughly doubled in value since then- maybe I should let her make all my purchases!

I realize how fortunate I am, and try to respect that, by always letting her know what's going on before I make a trade or purchase. I also avoid buying gear when I know that we really can't afford it- I figure that if I never test her veto power, she's less likely to start exercising it...
 
#115
My wife is very supportive of my gear buying and music making, but I do have to be a big boy and temper my g.a.s. with some personal introspection regarding my current financial situation at any given moment, along with " Do I really need this?"

What I will never do is to put myself in a position of sacrificing my home and marriage to my own selfishness, and yes I do know the the insanity of g.a.s. syndrome. It can hit you into a state of insensibility just as much as a coke addict wanting their next fix. Fortunately one can master g.a.s. with a healthy dose of reality and common sense if applied by self discipline, and that has to be worked for.

Applying self discipline to my gear buying, and letting my wife know what I'm up to, and the why of my desires has led to a much happier relationship between us. I also have applied the practice of selling gear that I ended up not using as much as I thought I would at the time of my initial ' I gotta buy this! ' spasm, to help pay for the next round of toys, as well as moving older stuff that once gave great joy, but isn't being played anymore. Yes, one can keep their favorite toys that have great sentimental value, but you have to know when to thin the herd. It's a balancing act, but the key is to master the art of knowing when to saying no to one's self, while being ready to jump on those deals that are too good to pass up and won't send one into bankruptcy.
 

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