Is it really your gear that's holding you back?

[byacey]

I think it's good for someone who is truly driven, to play a crappy bass for awhile. This makes them work at getting some tone out of it, and also makes them truly appreciate a fine instrument when they get the chance to play or buy one.

I've seen some guys with an unlimited budget buy an instrument and rig with all the bell and whistles, yet they would still give their right nut to be able to play well. You can't buy talent.

 

[Corbusier]

I sometimes see threads about the relationship between gear and a player's technical abilities. It's usually posed as a a GAS driven thought that goes something like "I think I be able to play better if I could replace my current, cheap gear by buying my more expensive dream gear." There are even threads where people will question whether a Squier is a good enough bass to gig with. Well, I have an unfortunate answer - the problem is not your gear, it's you. Please don't take offense - this applies to me too.

How do I know this?

Well, we're taking our first vacation since the pandemic and we found ourselves passing through Jackson, MS tonight. Luckily, we were able to find out about Hal and Mal's, where on Monday's, they have a special Blues night. It's sponsored by the Central Mississippi Blues Society and it's called Blue Monday.

CMBS Blue Monday (centralmississippibluessociety.com)

We were especially lucky because they only recently resumed this weekly event, and sadly, because Covid is spiking again, tonight was the last one that they'll have for a while. Still, I highly recommend checking this recurring event out when it starts up again if you are in Jackson.

Anyway, it's been a long time since I've seen live music, and this was a real treat. Wonderful musicians playing in a relaxed setting to an appreciative audience - really jazz caliber musicians working within the blues framework. Even better, their bass player was amazing. He was truly inventive and pushed the boundaries of what you'd normally call the blues. Best of all, he played a Squier (with a wonky output jack) through a small Hartke amp. He was more than twice the player that I am, and his gear costs about half what mine does.

Short answer, if he's killing it on budget gear, then it's probably not your gear that's holding you back.

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Hal and Mal’s! Yeah!
If you’re ever in Oxford, Ms check out the bar on the square, Proud Larry’s. A band there is not always playing the blues, but it’s always a great band. Plenty of amazing local talent and I’ve seen Black Joe Lewis and Robert Walter there. Also, when I was in school in Starkville, Son Thomas would play our spring shrimp boils for $50, a fifth of whiskey, and a plate of food. He refused any more money. He said, “To play the blues, you gotta have the blues.” Also, the Clarksdale, Ms (Hwy 41) Blues Festival is supposed to be amazing. I hope that’s not TMI about my home state, but Mississippi does still have the blues and a lot of great music. Most of it is not on the coast.

As for gear holding me back, I don’t think it does. But, not enough practice holds me back. 45 minutes to an hour most weekdays if I’m not going to ignore my wife; and I’m not. Good gear encourages me to practice more. And, I don’t [think I] have to keep buying more/better stuff. This may not work for everybody, but it works for me.

 

[LindaLoveBass]

Great responses here. For me, it's not the price, but the playability. Some basses are just physically painful/not fun to play - often the cheaper ones - but not always. If it feels good to play, and the tone is nice, then I am more motivated to practice which of course makes me better. When I have a crappy instrument, I don't enjoy playing it as much so naturally I don't improve as fast, so to me there is a certain truth in it.

 

[Watchootognbout]

No.
It's not my gear.
It's the lack of long hours of diligent,grueling practice.

 

[chris_b]

The best players are hugely talented, genetically programmed to excel. Natural ability.
The next best players put in the hours, and the number of hours shows.
The 3rd level of players can be inspired by gear, but unless they put in the hours, they won't do their gear justice.
The 4th level of players should take up golf.

I like to think I'm somewhere in the middle of the second level. I own good gear but that's for me. My bottom line is, I play better when I'm with better musicians, and how I play is what gets noticed and gets me the gigs.