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I love High End Gear!!!!!

Tony G

Tony G

Supporting Member
Jan 20, 2006
11,211
1,650
#1
I love high end gear! I love my MTD 635. I love the way it looks. I love the way it sounds. I love the way it plays. I love my Epifani cabs. I love how light they are. I love the way they sound. I love how they look too. I love my LMII, even though it isn't exactly high end. I love the way it sounds. I love how incredibly light it is. I even love the bumblebee color scheme.

This encompasses my main setup these days. I am not a bass virtuoso. I know how to play, and can hold my own. I will never be able to play like Hadrien Feraud (sp?), Victor Wooten, and a hundred other guys I can think of. But, I very much enjoy playing bass, and very much enjoy using nice gear to do so. I play as a hobby. I have a day job that provides my income. I use that income to spend on my hobby. What a shock!!!


Obviously, this thread is in response to my recent disgust with all the hate in this forum. Some nobody plays high end gear? Oh, he must be a snob. Some amazing player plays with a cheap bass? Ah, he's keeping it real.

Please...get over yourself people....:scowl:
 
#3
OrangeSauce said:
Aww, making me feel bad 'cause i can't afford it now?
J/K, I'm glad you enjoy your gear, you worked for it!
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No need to feel bad. Rock what you can afford! I used to play with a $100 metallic red Vester P/J 4 string, and a small fender combo amp. This was my first setup that I believe I used for about my first 2 years. Things have slowly upgraded to what I have today almost 12 years later.
 
#4
I think you can easily get the job done and sound great with a complete setup (bass, amp, etc) with less than $1500, but if some people have the money to buy a $3000 bass, $1000 cab and $2000 amp, that's fine with me.
Personally I think I like the sound I get out of my Hartke/ Fender setup more than I'd like the sound of a LMII and an Epifani cab, but that's just me.
 
#7
Yep - feels good to have something nice in this world. With 3 kids in a high cost of living area, I have lots of stuff I would call "utilitarian" - it works, but in the end isn't super-nice. I saved for a couple years for my current rig (Sadowsky NYC, TFunk and Epifani 410) and am lovin it. Paid cash outside of my normal budget\saving plan so feel good that nobody's missing out on anything.

I'd consider myself a "weekend warrior" - I have a full time job and life, but have gigs\rehearsal every other weekend. So, I'll never be "great" I guess, but am able to hang with a pretty good band right now. Playing some nice stuff doesn't make me a better player, but makes me feel better about playing if that makes sense.

Funny thing is that I was equally happy with my first bass (a Squier Jazz bass) then as I am with my Sadowsky now. So I'm pretty grateful for all of my gear...
 
#8
Hemispheres85 said:
I think you can easily get the job done and sound great with a complete setup (bass, amp, etc) with less than $1500, but if some people have the money to buy a $3000 bass, $1000 cab and $2000 amp, that's fine with me.
Personally I think I like the sound I get out of my Hartke/ Fender setup more than I'd like the sound of a LMII and an Epifani cab, but that's just me.
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There is no arguing from me that you can get the job done for much less money. I played in bands for years without the high end gear I have listed in my first post. I played a used MIJ Jazz bass, a used GK 800RB, and a used Genz Benz 2x10 and 1x15 for gigs the majority of the last 10 years. My income grew, my fondness for nicer gear grew, and things have been upgraded slowly over the years. However, it was accelerated quite a bit when I found the bountiful resource that is talkbass. :D
 
#10
xgabriele said:
There is no arguing from me that you can get the job done for much less money. I played in bands for years without the high end gear I have listed in my first post. I played a used MIJ Jazz bass, a used GK 800RB, and a used Genz Benz 2x10 and 1x15 for gigs the majority of the last 10 years. My income grew, my fondness for nicer gear grew, and things have been upgraded slowly over the years. However, it was accelerated quite a bit when I found the bountiful resource that is talkbass. :D
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+1 - Talkbass is BY FAR the most expensive piece of gear I own...
 
#12
nothing is better to love it's own gear! highend or lowend.
it's fun, it's love and makes you feels better and maybe play better IMO.

who says that expensive gear belong to pro's only?

gear has nothing to do with skills. nothing to do with keep it real or beeing a snob.

the musician has to keep it real. simple.

cheers
netbot
 
#13
I can't play worth a crap but I have owned high end gear in the past. I can see what makes it High end and do respect it. Being now that I'm playing parts basses through a neo pak, Bag End S15-D and never have been happier with my sound. I think it's all up to individual interpretation. Your sound that is. So if you have something that works for you. Good for you.

Saw a band last night and the guy had a Danelectro DC I think Through one of those Tiny GK combos. He sounded great. Especially considering the acoustics in the bar. Who knew?

Andy
 
#14
I'm with you. I also enjoy high-end gear; I think it sounds and feels better, and for sure it looks better too. Sometimes I think those who put down good quality are rationalizing their inability to afford it. But in perspective, top quality basses are cheap compared to top quality in any orchestral (or even band) instrument I know of.

What I do NOT know is whether anyone who appreciates top quality is automatically a gear snob, or whether a true gear snob has to consider himself superior to anyone who can't afford the best. I'd hate to think I've lost my snob qualifications because I've found a couple of $300 basses I really like!
 
#18
JonathanD said:
Just so long you are not buying diamonds.. good for you.

High end gear normally means fair wages to people that live western civilization...right?

So hoary for good pay.
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I've purchased diamonds for my wife's engagement ring and wedding ring. Nothing terribly extravagant, but diamonds none the less. I guess I don't get what you are getting at?
 
#19
I love high end gear too. I know its extremely lame but cmon, you know all of you sometimes just gaze at your gear and smile. Epifani cabs look so sexy. The only thing i like more than high end gear is sexy player wear/mojo on a high end bass.
 
#20
I'm simultaneously amused and saddened when folks rag on others for what gear they use. It's no different than pissing on someone for the clothes he choses to wear or the beer he drinks. This type of criticism usually says more about the speaker than the subject. Gear choice is just that-CHOICE. It's apparent from seeing pros use everything from Foderas and boutique amplification to lower budget, mass-produced stuff that everyone wants something different, and it'd be pretty dull otherwise. I love my pricey gear for the way it feels and sounds TO ME, in much the same way I like my clothes and furniture in my living room. I don't ask anyone else to wear my clothes or live in my house. I love longscale basses but don't preach my opinions on the shortscale threads-they're happy and so am I. My bandmates were skeptical of my basses at first, but when I sold one of my Dingwalls last week (to make room for another), both the guitarist and keyboard player (who also plays bass) said they were shocked I let such an amazing tone monster go. It's all good to those who see the cup half full, and for the rest, well, there ain't no pleasing them anyhow.
 

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