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I Ain't Feelin' It

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,327
120,662
Metro St. Louis
#1
Refund time is just about here, and there are some things I could get while leaving something for my wife and taking care of important business, but I am having misgivings about buying something I don't need. I guess I am just getting old. Charles Mingus died at my age, and at my age, my father only had five years left. No, as far as I know my health is okay, but I like what I have, and who knows how many more really productive years of playing I have left? I am really enjoying the challenge of lessons, and picking up little things like hand position that make a huge difference in speed and tone. My teacher even played my Fernandes Atlas, and loved how it played, and he is an endorsed artist with complimentary USA Lakland Joe Osbornes. Of course, my DJ5 is great as is my Forum.

I am not saying my GAS is dead, I am just saying that I feel my perspective is changing with age, and I guess that is just natural. The older I get, the reality that I have a shorter future than past has really hit home. Material things just have a different meaning now.
 
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#4
I understand completely.
I am in the process of completing a fretless Jazz bass build and after that I am done. In fact I will most likely be selling off a lot of gear I've accumulated over the years that I don't/won't use.

Like you, this doesn't mean I won't ever acquire something else but I am only interested in a very few specific things and barring that I feel a much greater desire to "de-clutter" my life as much as possible.
 
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#5
I am evening feeling this with my oldest collecting subject or obsession: pocket knives. I had planned to buy a really nice semi-custom (midtech) pocket knife, but I just don't feel like ponying up the cash. I may get the knife though because I still have knife GAS, and I would rather buy a nice $425 semi-custom knife, than fool around and spend $1,000 by the end of the year on seven or eight production knives.
 
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#8
Dr. Cheese said:
I bought a ton of crap when I was young. I guess that is why the urge is not so strong for me.
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There's still an urge, but I am far more particular. When I was younger, I made moves a a lot more quickly and for not very good reasons. These days, it really takes something special to make me want to change. I'm itching for a passive 4 for the new band, but I have yet to play anything at makes me want to buy it and use it over my Roscoes. There's a certain '59 P bass that I'd take in a heartbeat, but the owner isn't looking to sell.
 
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#9
IMG_0034c.jpg

GAS is over for me. I have all the instruments I want. I may get others from time to time, but nothing is burning. I would like to have a Precision and a Thunderbird, but the thing is, I pretty much always play the 4003 when I play bass.
 
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#10
mellowinman said:
View attachment 1065799
GAS is over for me. I have all the instruments I want. I may get others from time to time, but nothing is burning. I would like to have a Precision and a Thunderbird, but the thing is, I pretty much always play the 4003 when I play bass.
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I played the same old licks on dozens of basses. I am happy learning new stuff on the ones I already have.
 
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#16
If you're being smart about retirement and the current bills are paid with some buffer money in the bank, then the rest is cake. You can't take it with you. But there's nothing that says you have to pick up a new bass. At this point in my playing, most anything I would acquire bass-related is a want rather than a need (obviously aside from strings, cables, picks, or a specific pedal that the gig calls for that I don't already have, etc.). There was a time that I was clearly upgrading gear and that is a pretty easy justification when you are more than a hobby player. But now, I have pro level basses, amps, cabinets, and effects. That's not to say I wouldn't be able to find a utilitarian purpose for a new piece of gear - for example, taking a new combo amp to rehearsals or smaller gigs - but there's no specific situation that demands such a piece of gear that cannot be more than adequately fulfilled by what I already have.

I've never been a materialistic person. Music gear is really the only monetary indulgence that I have, and I always try to be as prudent as I can with any purchase, which usually means finding the best or fairest used deal that I can. :D I live fairly ascetically and try to minimize bills wherever I can.
 
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#17
Dr. Cheese said:
I am evening feeling this with my oldest collecting subject or obsession: pocket knives. I had planned to buy a really nice semi-custom (midtech) pocket knife, but I just don't feel like ponying up the cash. I may get the knife though because I still have knife GAS, and I would rather buy a nice $425 semi-custom knife, than fool around and spend $1,000 by the end of the year on seven or eight production knives.
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I like my $20 kershaw- cuts hay bales just fine.

Also loving my 5-700 Geckos. Life is good!
 
#18
Dr. Cheese said:
It would be nice to leave at least a little for the wife and daughters.
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Agree. Leave that and an album. Go make some music with the stuff you have. It is definitely good enough. Find some guys you like to jam with and make music.

It's funny, I am trying out new drummers for a project and one of the guys could be a good drummer, but he just sits there and thinks about his gear all the time. He has a sick kit, and instead of focusing on making beats feel good, he stops and tunes his kit and asks me if he should get a new china or something else. It really put GAS in perspective for me, because it literally has paralyzed this guy. Not saying that is you by any means, but it was an interesting thing to see in person. I finally just told hime - "dude, life is short. Play the drums and make it feel good. Stop worrying about everything else". Maybe that will click with him at some point, I hope.

Also, in today's world you are not that old. Take care of yourself and focus on health. It's never too late for that stuff. You could easily live a lot longer than you think.
 
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#19
Mid fifties is not that old in today's world. Think of Flea who is about the same age, he's still turning out music with the RHCP, and they sound as good if not better than they ever did.

Playing music keeps the brain strong. Think of all the greats that played into their 80s.

Anyway, you're right, material things like instruments take on a whole different level of value once you've found your tone.
 
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#20
AngelCrusher said:
Agree. Leave that and an album. Go make some music with the stuff you have. It is definitely good enough. Find some guys you like to jam with and make music.

It's funny, I am trying out new drummers for a project and one of the guys could be a good drummer, but he just sits there and thinks about his gear all the time. He has a sick kit, and instead of focusing on making beats feel good, he stops and tunes his kit and asks me if he should get a new china or something else. It really put GAS in perspective for me, because it literally has paralyzed this guy. Not saying that is you by any means, but it was an interesting thing to see in person. I finally just told hime - "dude, life is short. Play the drums and make it feel good. Stop worrying about everything else". Maybe that will click with him at some point, I hope.

Also, in today's world you are not that old. Take care of yourself and focus on health. It's never too late for that stuff. You could easily live a lot longer than you think.
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Nobody wants to be that guy. Being frozen in action because of GAS means you never progress as a player. I picked up my DJ5 last year, and it is still my best bass although I play my other basses a lot.
 
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