LOL

[Alex]

So I was at GC this morning with my friend, and we were snooping around in the bass corner. (damn bastards only give us a corner!) I picked up a Warwick Corvette 6 and was playing it through an Ampeg rig. It was totally sweet. I turned to my friend and said "Damn, dude. This thing is givin' me CRAZY gas!"

He looks at me like I'm crazy, and says "Dude.....what the F*ck are you talking about?"

I was like "What do you mean"

He says "How does a BASS give you GAS? Are you like munching on it behind my back?"

I bust out laughing. I said "No, man, it means that I like really want it badly."

"OK....."

"It's an acronym for.....uh.....I don't know actually"

Then I realized that I had been saying this for a while and never knew what it stood for. I'm pretty sure that the G stands for gear, but...A S?

Anyone?

Also, on my way out, there was a mom who wanted to get her kid a guitar for Christmas. She was talking to the sales guy and she asked "What would be easier for him to start on, guitar or bass"

Here it comes...

"You should probably start him on bass besause it only has four strings and doesn't have complex chords or anything. I bet that your son could easily pick up bass."

:scowl: :scowl:

 

[fenwickbacker]

I believe it's Gear Aquisition Syndrome.

 

[Indi86]

Correct.

 

[Greg Johnsen]

... that's why I hate some GC sales people.

I had some parents ask me what they though about bass and guitar, and I looked at them. I said "well, does it want to be the cool guy in the back keeping the groove, or the shredder up front that gets all the girls?"

they stare at me, and they say "the guy that shreds up front"

I tell them then he should pick out a guitar, and I could be no help there.

They ask me "isn't guitar harder to start off on?"

I reply "No ma'am, they are completely different, bass is not harder, guitar is not harder, they are just different.

They leave me and I start playing again, and I see them go to a sales person. I can hear everything they're saying.

The husband points to me and tells him that I told them that he should start out guitar. The sales guy shrugs, says thst bass is easier, and then shows them the guitars.

I kept playing after that, but I think GC needs to have more bass players in their sales team, it'll keep the guitar players from lying about us.

for some reason, parents like to ask kids about what guitar they should get for their kid, cause I've been asked alot lately...

Greg

 

[Alex]

I hate the "bass is easier" sentiment probably more than any other bass misconception.

I was thinking about how bass gear is more expensive, and bass players tend to buy more gear, and how there is no music retailer that caters to bassist. I honestly think that someone should open up a music shop only for bass. Call it like "The Bass Place" or "The Low End" or something. Every bassist in America would shop there. Any TB entrepeneurs interested?

I'm sure that even if prices were a little higher, EVERYONE would go there.

 

[ladros2]

I honestly think that someone should open up a music shop only for bass. Call it like "The Bass Place" or "The Low End" or something. Every bassist in America would shop there.

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[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[FriscoBassAce]

Here's another one:

Bass Emporium


Oh and about having GAS....I said that to one of my bandmates not long ago and they looked at me like I was crazy. I wound up having to explain what it meant.

 

[Alex]

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[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

lol, guess I'm not that original.

But I mean like a nationwide chain, like GC. Except....BP or LE

also, are there any of these places in Chicagoland? That would be SWEET!

 

[bassteban]

I for one think bass is at least more rewarding in the short term. It didn't take long before I was playing what seemed to me to be actual music, & as there were not a lot of bass players in my neck of the woods, there were always lots of opportunities to play. I see a lot more kids picking bass as a first instrument, so I think it has shed some of the 'it's like a guitar but not exactly' perception of days(thankfully)gone by.
As for more bass players in GC- maybe they're too busy gigging.

 

[Alex]

I for one think bass is at least more rewarding in the short term. It didn't take long before I was playing what seemed to me to be actual music, & as there were not a lot of bass players in my neck of the woods, there were always lots of opportunities to play. I see a lot more kids picking bass as a first instrument, so I think it has shed some of the 'it's like a guitar but not exactly' perception of days(thankfully)gone by.
As for more bass players in GC- maybe they're too busy gigging.

I think that most people (recently) are picking up bass for 2 reasons:

1. Crap, our band needs a bassist (We've all heard this story many times )
2. Oh, I don't want to get myself into something too complicated...How about bass, this looks easier. Theoretically, it should be 4/6 of the difficulty of guitar......

All of the bassist (my age) that I know started for these reasons. All of them are either terrible players, or don't even play anymore.

I think bass being more rewarding in the short term contributes to people starting for the second reason. I think it's why a lot of my friends quit or don't have the inspiration to keep improving; they think that bass is going to keep being easy, but it's not. Once you go beyond straight 8ths and arbitrary chord progressions that you picked because they sound good, you find a much higher level of difficulty.

 

[Aj*]

I think that most people (recently) are picking up bass for 2 reasons:

1. Crap, our band needs a bassist (We've all heard this story many times )
2. Oh, I don't want to get myself into something too complicated...How about bass, this looks easier. Theoretically, it should be 4/6 of the difficulty of guitar......

All of the bassist (my age) that I know started for these reasons. All of them are either terrible players, or don't even play anymore.

I think bass being more rewarding in the short term contributes to people starting for the second reason. I think it's why a lot of my friends quit or don't have the inspiration to keep improving; they think that bass is going to keep being easy, but it's not. Once you go beyond straight 8ths and arbitrary chord progressions that you picked because they sound good, you find a much higher level of difficulty.

Actually I started because my brother converted from bass to guitar and I realised "Hey, this bass stuff is pretty cool ya know". I had about one lesson from him on the guitar when he taught me smoke on the water then I had a great moment of realisation, that wasn't where I wanted to be musically. A few Jamiroquai CDs later and I was smitten with the instrument.

The closest thing the UK has to GC is Sound Control, fortunatley my nearest store has a bass specialist who is an awesome player and a great guy to just sit and chat with, heck I've had people think I'm a salesman when I'm there because they know me so I can just go try whatever I want. I noticed they shifted some short scale basses lately, hopefully tomorrow a new generation of bassist will start out on the road.

It's a pity people like Bill Dickens, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Stu Hamm, Billy Shehan and the rest aren't more mainstream, whenever I show their stuff to anyone, a jaw drop response is guarenteed, certainly the first time my brother dropped me a copy of Bass Extremes I thought "holy crap! you need to get this good and fast man!"

 

[txbasschik]

Which GC was that? Were in you the Austin store? If so, refer people to a guy there named Fuego. He's an awesome bass player, and very, very helpful in helping beginners pick out a bass. Very knowledable and friendly.

Cheire

 

[txbasschik]

I hate the "bass is easier" sentiment probably more than any other bass misconception.

I was thinking about how bass gear is more expensive, and bass players tend to buy more gear, and how there is no music retailer that caters to bassist. I honestly think that someone should open up a music shop only for bass. Call it like "The Bass Place" or "The Low End" or something. Every bassist in America would shop there. Any TB entrepeneurs interested?

I'm sure that even if prices were a little higher, EVERYONE would go there.

Austin has The Bass Emporium, but it is expensive as all get out. Realllly-really.

On the flip side, it is an excellent place for high-end basses and finding off-the-beaten path strings, and has the best selection of strings for non-4's.

Cherie

 

[cb56]

also, are there any of these places in Chicagoland? That would be SWEET!

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[Alex]

Invalid Link Removed

sweetness

 

[Alex]

ahh, but the its under construction...Ahhhh!!!!! I hope I survive

 

[QzarBaron]

I started on bass because the band I wanted to start with my friend didn't have a bassist. My friend played guitar and I was starting out on guitar, we had a drummer, and then the guy on bass decided not to play with us and the drummer wouldn't play unless he had a bassist (at the time I thought he was just being dumb but now I totally understand what a good rythmn section can do). So I took on bass thinking it wouldn't be too hard to learn and the gear was probably cheaper than guitar. Boy was I wrong. I took the plunge and then it was too late to go back. I regret nothing.

Playing bass is definetly something different. Most of the people I know play guitar. So it is kind of odd to walk into a Sam Ash with some friends and go over to the Bass corner. To them 400 Watts is a ridiculous amount of power... and a 410 is huge.

"Whats that?"
"It's a six string bass"
"Isn't that just a guitar"
"No... It's a six string bass"
"So it is basically the same thing as a guitar"
"No, it is very different from a guitar"
"Why would you make a bass with six strings when you only need four?"
"Why wouldn't you"
"You make no sense"
^I get that a lot^

 

[ModulusFan]

It is easier.

 

[clanner]

totally different instruments yet the same in many respects, my guitarist is pretty good at guitar, I'm pretty good at bass (atleast good enough that they wouldn't fire my friend for fear of me leaving the band) but when we switch roles it just doesn't work, he has a hard time playing bass (to wide spaceing, heavy strings, high action when he plays mine) i have a hard time playing guitar (cramped hand positions, even though i have small hands, small strings, to little spacing for my right hand even with a pick.)

then there is this one kid at my school that is phenomonal at guitar, plays bass on occasion and always puts it into drop-c, doesn't sound bad, but plays it like a guitar)

 

[Alex]

I started on bass because the band I wanted to start with my friend didn't have a bassist. My friend played guitar and I was starting out on guitar, we had a drummer, and then the guy on bass decided not to play with us and the drummer wouldn't play unless he had a bassist (at the time I thought he was just being dumb but now I totally understand what a good rythmn section can do). So I took on bass thinking it wouldn't be too hard to learn and the gear was probably cheaper than guitar. Boy was I wrong. I took the plunge and then it was too late to go back. I regret nothing.

Playing bass is definetly something different. Most of the people I know play guitar. So it is kind of odd to walk into a Sam Ash with some friends and go over to the Bass corner. To them 400 Watts is a ridiculous amount of power... and a 410 is huge.

lol, ya. I tell my guitar friends that my 410 gets 1000 watts and they don't belive me. They're like
"Yeah.....1000 watts........Riiiight...."

or

"Oh, so you plan on playing stadium gigs without using the PA? "

I have to show them the back panel of my amp for them to believe me, and even then they think I like went and got a sticker custom made.

On the flip side, I see guitar ads that are like "now with 80 WATTS " I just can't help but laugh.

"Whats that?"
"It's a six string bass"
"Isn't that just a guitar"
"No... It's a six string bass"
"So it is basically the same thing as a guitar"
"No, it is very different from a guitar"
"Why would you make a bass with six strings when you only need four?"
"Why wouldn't you"
"You make no sense"
^I get that a lot^

I had a similar incident at GC:

I am playing the Warwick Corvette Standard 6 in the bass corner, unamplified. A BASSIST walks up to me and asks "Is that a SIX STRING bass?"

"Yup"

"So it's basically, like, a guitar?"

"No, it's tuned B-C and it's down an octave "

"Oh, ok :scowl: "





I mean, it was a bassist!