I hear what you're saying, but I do find having several different basses helps me keep practicing. That's just me though.
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Taking Stock And Just Playing What I Have
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I can appreciate the good Dr's situation and salute his impulse to appreciate/play what he has. I went through a gear reassessment earlier this year myself which luckily was not driven by any financial issues. Something I found useful was to do a physical inventory of the gear I have and place an estimated value on each piece.
I had to scratch my head a bit to remember some of the gear that I have in various rehearsal spaces, and the valuation process was kind of interesting in an eye-opening way. I also realized that I was less of a bass accumulator, and way more of an amp/cab accumulator .. but on reflection that does match up with the fact that I am very happy with my 3 working basses and feel very little impulse to seek more instruments.
The result of doing that work caused me to sell off items that just did not get used, as well as simply justifying keeping some items "just because". I'm still on the fence with a few items, but I have definitely reduced the herd ... and bolstered the gear fund in the process.
I'm not a collector at all, I try to have gear that gets used/gigged and its an ongoing process to keep on that path.
its good to think about all your stuff from time to time and consider if you really need it .. or certainly if you really need more.
I had to scratch my head a bit to remember some of the gear that I have in various rehearsal spaces, and the valuation process was kind of interesting in an eye-opening way. I also realized that I was less of a bass accumulator, and way more of an amp/cab accumulator .. but on reflection that does match up with the fact that I am very happy with my 3 working basses and feel very little impulse to seek more instruments.
The result of doing that work caused me to sell off items that just did not get used, as well as simply justifying keeping some items "just because". I'm still on the fence with a few items, but I have definitely reduced the herd ... and bolstered the gear fund in the process.
I'm not a collector at all, I try to have gear that gets used/gigged and its an ongoing process to keep on that path.
its good to think about all your stuff from time to time and consider if you really need it .. or certainly if you really need more.
I am so glad the "sick for a Sadowsky" disease is in remission for you, Doc. I've had to fight that one, too.
I have a crap load of basses. Not sure any have been life changing. Seems to be more about how they sit in the mix. My favorite is not always what's desired by my band. So I've pretty much gotten used to playing whatever they want. They want to see Mm or fender or Warwick on the headstock. I'm just fine with that.
Knives and swords are ok if they're being used to adjust bridge saddles, pry open battery box cover plates, or scrape CA glue off the painted surfaces.
I feel the same. I envy the person that has one bass and an amp. They are focused on the music and not gear. I have recently felt the same as you. Thin the herd and play what I have. I find myself actually playing more than lusting over pretty colors of the same bass I already own.I have spent more time talking about motorcycles in Off Topic than I have talked about basses. I think life has burned me out on bass GAS. There have simply been a bunch of things this summer that have sucked up money, so working towards any sort of boutique purchase has ground to a halt. The funny thing is that I could have my Carvin SB5000 or my Sire V7 and my Pedulla Pentabuzz and be happy just playing in the choir and home alone.
The funny thing is that I have some other things that I love to collect, and I have sort of burned out on that too (no specifics because of TB rules.) I think the idea of always wanting the new thing has just gotten old for me. I want to enjoy what I have, and not worry about what else I can buy. This may just be a phase, but playing music, instead of worrying about buying another bass is a nice change of pace for me.
Good luck man, GAS is a B word to get rid of.
Interesting, I'm in 4 different bands and over 30 years and I've never had any band mate ask me for a specific bass to play, all great musicians but perhaps "name brand" illiterate. Although they have asked me to bring a particular bass that was a certain color before "yeah that cool brown one"
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
That sounds like no way to live to me, lol. But really, I'm about there myself. If I had unlimited disposable income, or ANY disposable income, there are definitely things I would buy. But having no money has definitely helped to cure my gas, lol. And to buy another bass, I'd have to sell one to raise the funds. And I don't have any basses I'm willing to part with currently and probably not ever. So there goes that idea. My gas has been cured out of necessity, not by choice. But I am fortunate to have 3-4 mid-level basses that I love playing, plus my Lull P5, which has cured the need for any other PBass, and all the pedals I can justify owning at the moment. Especially since I'm not even playing out currently. But that doesn't keep me from looking. I will never . . . stop . . . looking.
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I play with a REALLY young group of talented musicians. But they are overly conscious of names brands IMO. That being said ... typically they have expensive tastes. ( don't we all ).
My Alien Audio has killed a lot of my GAS. It's really versatile and covers just about any need. Well, I guess that's not entirely true because I have a short scale Alien Audio 5 being built. I've sold a lot of my basses and still have a few left, but I could survive with just the Alien.
^This is me.^
I don't have a lot of basses but I have some nice middle of the road basses as well as a couple cheap-o's. I'm a big guy and once I owned a Squier Bronco and some less than kind souls said as big as I am they looked like little toys. At 67 I no longer care about opinions-- dang it, I want at least ONE high quality 30" scale. I'm thinking something like a Warmoth G4 30" with passive Bartolini P-bass pickup with one volume and one tone. Ultralight hardware.
I'm thinking in order to get that I should be selling off a couple basses that are starting to feel a little uncomfortable to me. Someone 30 years younger might get a lot better use out of them-- I'm not worried about taking a loss on them. I want them to be appreciated and used.
Funny. I got the opposite ... what is that old beat up thing??? Oh it's a '60s Fender??? It must be great??
Not to say " I told you so " ,....but,...... I told you not to sell your DJ5,... I've owned 3 and sold/traded off 2. I regret getting rid of both. Congrats on coming to a place where you don't "need" to find the next cool bass your brain tells you you've just "got to have" ! But, if you come across another dj5 for a good price,.... buy it! It's such a great all around workhorse. I found mine, a Korean model with aero's for $600. It's NEVER going away!
Since I play and collect basses my door is always open for new purchases. In the other hand, what I have right now serves me very well... And I can make any workable bass sound good.
Acquiring new gear is a low priority to me. If an opportunity arises, fine. If that doesn't happen , fine.
Meanwhile I just spend my time studying and playing.
Acquiring new gear is a low priority to me. If an opportunity arises, fine. If that doesn't happen , fine.
Meanwhile I just spend my time studying and playing.
It took me about a year and a half of buying and selling basses and amps to figure out what I like and get the ones I can finally call keepers. It can be expensive and you can lose some serious money selling what you found you didn't want to keep if you aren't careful. I look at it as the cost involved for the equipment learning curve. Once I got past that and felt like I have what I want the GAS starts to subside. I do feel like it's something I needed to go through to get to that point and I'm happy with what I have and don't feel a need for anything else.
At some point you get so many basses you cannot rotate through them all. I still play every one I own. It's a tough job, but I'll suffer through!!! I just don't want to give up any ...
I miss the set and forget aspect of a passive Jazz Bass. Once I finally pick up my Geddy Lee, at least I will have a passive four, you were right about me regretting selling that bass. At least the guy who bought it really loves it.
I am looking at any immediate purchases now. I don't see that much spare income for a long time.
I have spent more time talking about motorcycles in Off Topic than I have talked about basses. I think life has burned me out on bass GAS. There have simply been a bunch of things this summer that have sucked up money, so working towards any sort of boutique purchase has ground to a halt. The funny thing is that I could have my Carvin SB5000 or my Sire V7 and my Pedulla Pentabuzz and be happy just playing in the choir and home alone.
The funny thing is that I have some other things that I love to collect, and I have sort of burned out on that too (no specifics because of TB rules.) I think the idea of always wanting the new thing has just gotten old for me. I want to enjoy what I have, and not worry about what else I can buy. This may just be a phase, but playing music, instead of worrying about buying another bass is a nice change of pace for me.
I'm in a similar place. It's a strange to be said by someone who is is having a bass built for him right now (to replace a bass I loved but was too heavy), but I really am content with what I have. Just playing what I have is great and I just don't have the desire to own more.
I really resonate with your suggestion that much of the contentment comes from regular opportunities (Church and country band) to play out.
No new bass is as satisfying as playing live.
