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Is this a normal or weird question to be asked??

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous [BG]' started by SeanO34, Jul 23, 2013.

  1. Jul 23, 2013 #1
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    Ok, so today at work we had a guy in giving us training for a new bit of kit we just bought (a UV printer) and my company is based in Scotland and the guy providing training traveled from London.

    So once we got talking, both discovered we liked music and/or production. After asking what instrument I played (of which I replied bass) his next question was ....

    "What neck do you play/like?"

    Now, not being in an overly active music scene, I don't often meet high quality players (no disrespect to some of the other guys I've met). Is this a normal question to ask??

    Am I being the idiot here? Lol my answer was that 2 of my basses have a rosewood fretboard and 34" scale.

    Basically I feel pretty stupid here and I wanna know if am (haha) or if that's a weird question .... Also, would love to hear any stories of weird questions you've been asked!

    Anyway, thanks in advance!
    SeanO
     
  2. Jul 23, 2013 #2
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    P.s apologies if I've posted this in the wrong topic
     
  3. Jul 23, 2013 #3
    DiabolusInMusic

    DiabolusInMusic Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism

    Dec 22, 2010
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
    Not an unheard of question but definitely a nerd's questions. I am gear nerd but not quite that hardcore though, I am guessing he was a guitar player?

    I once had a guy who insisted on recording a bass I was selling so he could see how well it records. I then asked him if he liked the tone he got while playing it, which he did. I then told him that he can record that tone depending on how good his recording technique was. He didn't take the bass and when he called a few days later asking if he could record it, I told him to call L&M if he wants to rent a bass for recording and never heard from him again.
     
  4. Jul 23, 2013 #4
    bassteban

    bassteban

    Aug 12, 2004
    Northern California
    Musicians are odd. Expect oddness
     
  5. Jul 23, 2013 #5
    TolerancEJ

    TolerancEJ

    May 27, 2010
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Hard to say without actually being there for the conversation, so these are just guesses. Maybe he's asking if you prefer thinner necks (like Ibanez) or the old-style P-Bass/Jazz. There are different shapes as well. He might be asking if you prefer a light satin coated or painted neck.
     
  6. Jul 23, 2013 #6
    alembicbones

    alembicbones

    Nov 10, 2000
    Seattle, WA
    I think your response was perfectly fine. I guess it's a little of an odd question as I would have asked about what kind of "bass" do you like/play. This guy apparently wanted to drill down to the neck specifically. Not totally out of bounds.

    Bones
     
  7. Jul 23, 2013 #7
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    Yeah, I totally would understand the question if we had been talking about what basses I owned in particular lol but no he WASN'T a guitar player, said (and I quote) "I'm a classically trained horn player.... But now I'm mainly into the drum and bass and programming beats".... Strange! Well to answer the question from your perspective, thin neck if possible but I play a 5er and 6er so still adjusting lol
     
  8. Jul 23, 2013 #8
    Nev375

    Nev375

    Nov 2, 2010
    Missouri
    A Londoner asking a Scotsman what kind of neck he liked?

    I'm surprised you didn't answer "Yer mum's!"
     
  9. Jul 23, 2013 #9
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    A Londoner asking a Scotsman what kind of neck he liked?



    I'm surprised you didn't answer "Yer mum's!"

    Haha, guess I wasn't quick enough lol

    The guy was nice chap like, and had he not had a train to catch I think he would of happily stood and talked to me about music/production/etc for ages lol exchanged emails so I can maybe follow him up on his question :)

    Any weird questions from anyone else?? Would love to hear it!
     
  10. Jul 23, 2013 #10
    bassbenj

    bassbenj

    Aug 11, 2009
    THIS ^ !!!
     
  11. Jul 23, 2013 #11
    Dave W

    Dave W Supporting Member

    Mar 1, 2007
    Westchester, NY
    It's a little odd.
     
  12. Jul 23, 2013 #12
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    I think you gave a non-dopey-sounding answer ;)
     
  13. Jul 23, 2013 #13
    mcarp555

    mcarp555 Guest

    Jul 14, 2013
    It's possible you impressed him enough to make him think *you* were the gearhead. So he asked something that he hoped would sound "tech-y" enough to impress you with his vast knowledge. But it just came across as odd. He might have walked away thinking either "Wow, I really sounded like I know my stuff", or "Why did I ask such a lame question?"
     
  14. Jul 23, 2013 #14
    callofcthulhu

    callofcthulhu

    Oct 16, 2012
    If the guy was trying to steer the conversation towards necks for a specific purpose - i.e. "I've been really struggling with the neck on xyz bass that I have and I'm wondering about my other options" - I can dig it, but if it's literally just his preferred music topic and the first thing he thinks to talk about when he meets other musicians, I'd probably have to mark him down as one of the more hopeless cases of gear nerd I've ever encountered.

    Of course, he might be sitting on the train blushing to himself: "'What kind of neck do you like?' God, where did that come from? He must think I'm an idiot!" We've all been there.
     
  15. Jul 23, 2013 #15
    smperry

    smperry Administrator Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 3, 2003
    Bay Area, CA
    umm...Miscellaneous.
     
  16. Jul 23, 2013 #16
    MatticusMania

    MatticusMania LANA! HE REMEMBERS ME!

    Sep 10, 2008
    Pomona, SoCal
    I dont recall having ever been asked that question.
     
  17. Jul 23, 2013 #17
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    Possibly, I like your view on it,
    Makes me sound "tech-y" lol nah to be honest, I love to go into much detail with my basses, always do my homework etc but I wouldn't consider myself a gear head , as much as I would like to!

    Totally, which would of been fine, upon more thinking and posting on here I'm not so much questioning the question he asked, but more of when he asked it, it would totally be a valid question had a conversation about my (or his) specific basses or guitars preceded it lol but then he said he didn't play guitar or bass but horns lol p.s nice touch with original spelling of Cthulhu ;-) big 'Tallica fan by any chance? Lol


    Haha this mean I'm an idiot AND it was a weird question?? Perfectly possible if not likely lol
     
  18. Jul 23, 2013 #18
    Blueszilla

    Blueszilla Bassist ordinaire

    Apr 2, 2003
    The Duke City
    I was wearing a 'Gretsch' t-shirt (a gift) and some young guy started chatting me up about all things music. He let me know, in a not very sublte way, what an amazing player he was. I got the feeling he wouldn't have said anything to me if I didn't have that shirt on. What at first was a question turned into serious self promotion. I thought it a bit odd.

    :meh:
     
  19. Jul 23, 2013 #19
    SeanO34

    SeanO34

    Mar 19, 2013
    Scotland, UK
    That annoys me about people, those who only pick out something distinguishing about you or something (in your case your t-shirt) like your a musician, or what kind of car you drive or whatever, so they can purely speak about themselves! Lol odd, very odd indeed lol