• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ouch this hurts!!!

It was my nephews B-day 3 weeks ago. HE turned 16 and has been playing in a death metal band. im a classic rock country player myself but for what it is there good. He has been playin out of my peavey tnt combo and a decent ibanez sound gear bass I gave him. well fo his bday I bassically cleaned my closet and gave him my peavey mega bass head and a korg tuner i had laying around so I mounted it all in a carvin molded rack i had. didnt have a cabinet that i dont use so I picked him up a well used and beat to death ampeg 410 although beat to death still sounds great ( typical ampeg tolex rash) and has lots of life. so now he has a very desent rig. I thought he would be happy?? well he called me today and said "uncle i jost got back from the music store i traded that old ampeg cab and peavey head for a crate 410 and a crate head" I said " whaaaaaaaat". He said "yea i got a good deal i traded that stuff so now me and and the whole band use crate." I said "bro you got a lot to learn you idot that ampeg cab is worth 300-350 used and the rack was 60 used, peavey head 250 used, and the korg tuner 150 used. and you traded it all for some new crate crap wich is 100 used all day long." so I went to his practice tonight to check it out and that crate rig he has sounds like poop only 200 watts at 4 ohms and the cab is only 8 ohms so he is only pushin 120 watts!!! I told him your gonna regret this when you get some decent gigs. thats when you realize new is not always better than old!! what do you guys think???
 
While many of us will agree that he made an awful trade, brand recognition is huge for kids that age. If he thinks Crate is the bee's knees, ain't nobody going to talk him out of it, especially if the other kids in his band use Crate. Also, while the rest of us seasoned souls can appreciate some good mojo in our gear, kids want everything to be new and shiny.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, yes it is a slap in your face, yes he traded some good gear for some sub-par gear, but he is only 16 and prone to age induced stupidity so he probably thought you'd be as proud of his shiny new crate as he is.
 
that is truly horrifying.... not to mention insulting. he should have consulted you.. or at LEAST done some research... UGH... crate??

Is it me or does today youth take evrything for granted?? mind you im only 25 but I had to work for everything Ive owned music wise and that with having a father who makes his living playing country bass and guitar.But by working for everything i take care of my stuff and treat it with care. So you would think by me giving him semi pro equipment that i never got when i was his age. hed be happy? but no its ugly i want new!!! stupid kids dont know squat!!!!!
 
$700-$800 worth of decent stuff for 120 watts of Crate eh?:crying:

May want to set this kid straight while there's still some kind of grace period or 30-day return policy or something.

Or just let him blow it up trying to keep up with the metal band then tell him "I already gave you a good rig and you traded for that piece of crap so now get a job and buy your own and hope your band doesn't just find a new bass player with some decent gear while you're busy saving your pennies":D
 
$700-$800 worth of decent stuff for 120 watts of Crate eh?:crying:

May want to set this kid straight while there's still some kind of grace period or 30-day return policy or something.

Or just let him blow it up trying to keep up with the metal band then tell him "I already gave you a good rig and you traded for that piece of crap so now get a job and buy your own and hope your band doesn't just find a new bass player with some decent gear while you're busy saving your pennies":D
Ill let him find out on his own. the only money im out is the 200 i gave for that ampeg cab which I bought from a buddy. the rest of the stuff is just stuff i had laying around. really the only item im mad about is the Rack tuner!! I have a couple other back up rigs i could have put that in.
 
Jimmy I would have to disagree with you. Some of us younger ones(I'm 16) do like mojo with our gear. Although I agree most would rather have new. Right now I don't own anything besides cords and strings that are new.

My bad, I should know better than to lump groups of people together.

I guess what I was trying to say was that he probably really did think he was getting a good deal and fell prey to the lure of the "shiny and new" compounded by the peer pressure from his mates. Not every 16 year old has your self-awareness and presence to know what they like and stick to it regardless of what others say. I'm just picturing him showing up to practice and his bandmates saying "wow, why don't you trade that dusty old thing in on something awesome and new!"
 
what upsets me is my nephew had been around music his whole life so he should Know whats good and whats not. ive been paying 10 yeas and my pop had played for for 40. I suspect my nephew was peer presurred by his band mates to trade.


Your peer pressure comment probably has some merit to it. So does crate have some following in the world of metal now or is it just because it's loud, distorted and cheap? Be curious to know what the store is asking for your stuff as compared to the street price of a small crate rig like that. Did he say it was an even up trade or did some cash change hands and who was on the recieving end of said cash. He may just need a lesson in dealing with salesmen as well as peers.
 
WOWS that stinks

big-time.


his buddies probably told him that that amp s*cked because it looked old and looked like crap. So hey i gots an idea, lets go trade it in for that NEW CRATE 4x10 we saw at the store!

and might as well get a MATCHING CRATE head to go with it.

oh god, i can hear that convo now.

BUT, im the same way. I like to play matching cabs and amps.

Its a good thing I like ampeg!
 
My bad, I should know better than to lump groups of people together.

I guess what I was trying to say was that he probably really did think he was getting a good deal and fell prey to the lure of the "shiny and new" compounded by the peer pressure from his mates. Not every 16 year old has your self-awareness and presence to know what they like and stick to it regardless of what others say. I'm just picturing him showing up to practice and his bandmates saying "wow, why don't you trade that dusty old thing in on something awesome and new!"

I totally agree not all kids are morons and we shouldnt group them like that but as a whole todays youth is not very intelligent.