My Wife Poses the Ultimate Question

[BigAlBass69]

So after several purchases over the past 18 months, my wife finally said those words that we all really dread, "Do you REALLY NEED another bass?" Now I know this is a running joke for those of us with chronic GAS, but now I actually have to defend myself with a foolproof response (I am in the process of ordering a custom made J-Bass). I am seeking the ultimate stone cold, show stopping, mic drop answer to this question. I like creativity and thoughtfulness with perhaps a sense of humor.

SOOOOOO TBers, lets have it

 

[dbase]

I'm no help to you here... but I've been there. I want a Mesa Prodogy tube head and she says no. You don't need to spend $1700 for an amp. I said I paid that for each new bass I bought.. She: But that's different, musicians should have two instruments... I don't get the logic.. If I can have two basses, why not two amps?? I even offered to sell one bass for the amp.... No sir.....

 

[StevieMac]

 

[Killed_by_Death]

TBH I'm the happiest I've ever been with my gear & that means ONE bass right now!~
It does everything I need it to, but I shouldn't be so lazy & change the strings on it.

 

[charlie monroe]

View attachment 3303647

Divorce papers. Billy has divorce papers.

 

[pablomago]

I have no answer for you. You can sometimes get away with it if they're different; short scale, frettless, five string, strung with flats, strung with round wounds... that sort of thing. But if they're just different colors, good luck. And replying "Well, how many pair of shoes do you have?" will not help at all!

 

[cornfarmer]

Because you can.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Honesty. Do I need another one? No. Will it make me happy? Yes. Can we afford it? Yes.

 

[soulman969]

I am seeking the ultimate stone cold, show stopping, mic drop answer to this question. I like creativity and thoughtfulness with perhaps a sense of humor.

SOOOOOO TBers, lets have it

Well.....if you're gigging regularly and THAT pays for gear you already have your answer.

It's an investment in your profession or part time profession and a gigging bassist need a primary and backup at a minimum. If you record regularly maybe you can even slide in a fretless or a five string if one of the others is not. Here you've established both need and economic benefit.....it's critical.

That's how I managed to grease the skids for a Modulus "fiver" many years ago.

However, if you do not gig regularly or at all unless you can play the old "you can have this if I can have that game" successfully you're more than likely screwed or what you're left with is I don't "need it" but I "want it". Then let us know how that works out for ya' once the bruises heal and you get laid again.

Sorry.....best I can do.

 

[Picton]

You're just borrowing it from your friend. Remember Brian, the guy with all the basses? He said you could borrow this one. Then, once she's used to seeing it around the house, remind her that Brian died the other day and is unlikely to be needing his bass back.

The better response is to get them in mostly the same color. That way, she's less likely to notice.

 

[FunkHead]

I am no help. I am supposed to keep only 2 basses in my arsenal per agreement with wife. But I am at 4 with 2 on the way and two to send out.

 

[ejaggers]

My wife of 36 years told me she was putting her foot down, and if I waste any more money,
that could go into the household, on another bass, she would leave me.
And I said to myself on the way to GC, "Man, I'm sure gonna miss that woman!!!"

057912

 

[Stevorebob]

If you play out regularly, you need what you need. Tonal needs, alt-tuning needs, on-stage spare needs, appearance needs, in-the-shop needs. If you play alone, your wife may have a point.

 

[QweziRider]

I like creativity and thoughtfulness with perhaps a sense of humor.

After dropping coin for her quilting machine last year (capable of full king sized quilts), all I have to do is give my own version of "the look" if she even comes close to hinting about a question of my "needs."

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I need to stop looking in threads with "wife" in the title. I feel sympathy, but I'm also reminded of why I'm single.

 

[40Hz]

If you asked her (in a nonconfrontational way) the reasons why she objects to you getting another bass, that would tell you everything you need to answer her question.

If it's because the money being spent is genuinely needed or could be better used for something else - or it's being financially irresponsible - it's something you need to discuss.

If it's because you're running out of space, it's something to consider.

If it's getting on her nerves, it's probably only the tip of a far deeper problem since couples in solid long-term relationships tend to push down their personal differences until they reach critical mass. At which point they're only waiting for a trigger event (usually something minor and totally unrelated) to finally make it go nuclear. If that's the case it's essential to: (a) find out what the real problem is; and (b) get it worked out.

tl:dr - You don't need a snappy clever comeback. You need to sit down and talk.

Luck.

 

[Spidey2112]

TBH I'm the happiest I've ever been with my gear & that means ONE bass right now!~
It does everything I need it to, but I shouldn't be so lazy & change the strings on it.

Does this mean you're buying another, which has newer strings?

 

[DirtDog]

"You're right honey. I don't need another bass. I've been thinking of getting a motorcycle instead".

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Does this mean you're buying another, which has newer strings?

If you buy a bass from GC or Sam Ash & get a new pack of strings thrown in, they won't ask for those back when you return the instrument 44 days later.

 

[NZBassman]

a few years ago when I had to buy a new bass my Boss at work said it is easier to buy a new bass and ask for forgiveness than it is trying to explain why you NEED a new bass in the first place (he uses this same method when buying new fishing gear)

I've never had a practice amp and 3 years ago I saw one for sale on a popular buy sell website here in NZ (similar to e-bay)- but it came with a cheap beginner Sonic brand bass guitar... oddly enough my wife let me buy it - the amp works well and strangely enough the bass was quite nice to play and had good tone, but wife insisted I sell the bass because "you don't need 2 bass guitars"... I did sell the bass for almost as much as I paid for the bass and amp, so wife was happy