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How to avoid G.A.S?

#63
saabfender said:
Fix up the instruments you have. Mod the living daylights out of each and every one. Spending $100 on a pickup or a bridge will bring the same satisfaction/buzz as a $1000 bass. Shoot, even buying a case to replace a gig bag works.

LSS: Small parts purchases are an excellent way to wean you off thinking you need new gear. It’s like a GAS patch.
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Fortunately my bass is not where the gas is...I've been looking at new cabs and heads
 
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#67
bass hed said:
Money isn't an issue, so that's part of the problem
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Not really. Well, lack of money can obviously be an obstacle to GAS, but from my experience with racing bicycles, climbing dear, diving gear, cars...

At some point you have to decide if you are in it for the desire to own things, or for the desire to have experiences. If you are in it to own things, and money is no object, that's your hobby. Stop buying random stuff and take it to the next level, get some kind of specialty, like a particular era of vintage gear, or a manufacturer, or stuff designed by someone you admire.

I have this with furniture designed by a fellow named Gerrit Rietveld. I have some reproductions of his work, and one original. It sit on the chairs from time to time, but it's about collecting.

The "have experiences" thing is different. No matter how much money you have, you only have so much time. Buying something to unlock a new experience is great, but your focus should be on the experience. When you think of your limited time, you have to start getting picky. If you buy a new bass, but the experience is nothing special, the time you spend playing that thing is taking away from some other experience you covet.

So... If you want to kick the GAS habit, focus on experiences. Maybe make a list. Not, "Buy a Zon Hyperbass," but, "Learn to play Selene passably well." If that's on your list, and thinking about how long it might take you to learn, you will cast a prejudiced eye on other gear that will take you away from your quest.

And if a Hyperbass would help, buy it.

———

Thank you for attending my TED talk. Subscribe to my newsletter for more superficial life advice, delivered with faux gravitas as if it is deep, meaningful insight.
 
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#69
rtslinger said:
I am lucky in a sense, I don't gas for things bass related, my family is constantly trying to figure out what to get me as gifts through out the year
and they always come back to bass related items. Why? Because that is what I do for enjoyment, they know it and they ask me what I'd want if I was going to buy something. Christmas , A new bass from my lovely wife, my son got me a 3 guitar rack stand my daughter got me a set of strings, For my last birthday I got a Sans Amp v2 pedal a IEM system and a bunch of cables and gig bags or an straps. Total in 2018 I got 3 new bass guitars, none of wish I was personally gassing for, but got through this family process :). I am not complaining by any means and rock every bass in my collection, through a rotation process none of them are collecting dust. :bassist:
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Problems like this we should all have ... Oy vey.
 
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#70
Reg Braithwaite said:
Not really. Well, lack of money can obviously be an obstacle to GAS, but from my experience with racing bicycles, climbing dear, diving gear, cars...

At some point you have to decide if you are in it for the desire to own things, or for the desire to have experiences. If you are in it to own things, and money is no object, that's your hobby. Stop buying random stuff and take it to the next level, get some kind of specialty, like a particular era of vintage gear, or a manufacturer, or stuff designed by someone you admire.

I have this with furniture designed by a fellow named Gerrit Rietveld. I have some reproductions of his work, and one original. It sit on the chairs from time to time, but it's about collecting.

The "have experiences" thing is different. No matter how much money you have, you only have so much time. Buying something to unlock a new experience is great, but your focus should be on the experience. When you think of your limited time, you have to start getting picky. If you buy a new bass, but the experience is nothing special, the time you spend playing that thing is taking away from some other experience you covet.

So... If you want to kick the GAS habit, focus on experiences. Maybe make a list. Not, "Buy a Zon Hyperbass," but, "Learn to play Selene passably well." If that's on your list, and thinking about how long it might take you to learn, you will cast a prejudiced eye on other gear that will take you away from your quest.

And if a Hyperbass would help, buy it.

yeah definitely into the experience more than anything. There are alot of amazing basses out there and I was lucky enough to play on some them but my favorite are the four I own. Which is an Musicman Stingray, Fender American 5 String P Bass, a Fender Mex Pj Bass (my favorite out of all of them), and a four string Ernie Ball sub bass which I have it modded for Low B string.

Gonna start back on the lessons on truefire. Always find inspiration there. I learn more in 5 minutes on there then I've known my whole life. Also will start learning a song every other night.

———

Thank you for attending my TED talk. Subscribe to my newsletter for more superficial life advice, delivered with faux gravitas as if it is deep, meaningful insight.
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#73
You could try quitting your job. Having no money to spare for gear purchases really simplifies GAS issues and shortens/brutalizes internal GAS-related conversations.

I have no gear budget these days, and I certainly don't own the best equipment overall, but luckily I have a rig that sounds good to me and seems to be reliable. It just looks weird and mismatched (do a search for the "Janky-A Rigs of Doom" thread...it's full of examples that might help you view your GAS from a different perspective. I'm in there).

So these days my occasional GAS attacks are mostly about lighter and more watts. Neither goal is absolutely essential; I'm not in a gigging situation and even if I was, I'm rural, so I don't need to pack a bass rig on a subway and up three flights of steps. My power amp's 210 watts are just enough to keep up with my bandmates and sound decent, and my cab, rack case and little gear bag aren't hard to carry. My bass is a simple passive 4-string and sounds/feels good to me, and it stays in tune. I don't REALLY need to pack a 500-watt class D amp in my gig bag to avoid carrying one more box-shaped object.

So when I find myself looking at class D heads, like I just did a few minutes ago, I try to remind myself that my tone goals are met and my amp's loud enough and I can still lift it, and maybe I ought to work on some new material to play. It sets me straight for a little while. See? Anyone can do it.
 
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#74
What's wrong with GAS???

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#75
bass hed said:
Omg, I have the worst G.A.S, lol. How do I avoid it? I really love all the gear I am playing through. I just had bought a new bass last year (Mex Fender PJ bass-4 string) and one gifted to me this past summer (5 string American P-Bass). My amp head is only about 2 years old and my speaker cabs aren't that bad either. Although my 4x10 is alittle heavy. Money isn't an issue, so that's part of the problem. I just can't help it. I need help! lmao. I go on here and guitar center, and craigslist everyday. hahahaha, any advise to avoid getting it? I don't want to purchase anything new for this entire year if possible just because I feel like it is a vicious cycle. Is there like GAS Anonymous group? Any advise would be greatly appreciated
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#78
Before you stop the GAS, you need a pair of 112’s or a pair of 210 cabs. I ditched my 410 20 years ago - yes, they’re too heavy AND not tall enough. My first switch was to a pair of 210 cabs - vertical stack! For the last 10 years I’ve been gigging a pair of 112s & sometimes a 212.
 

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