The thing that gave me GAS kills it now.

[Dr. Cheese]

When I was young and when I was not so young, nothing gave me GAS like seeing a great player play great music. I remember wanting an Alembic because of Stanley Clarke and wanting a Rickenbacker because of Chris Squire. As I got older, the light gradually turned on that let me know that a different bass would not cause knowledge or skill manifest itself in my brain and hands. Over the years, I have gotten better. I'm nowhere near the player I would like to be but at least I blame myself and not my gear.

I think about how much I enjoyed that video I posted in Recordings by Ana Karina Sebastiao. She got my attention initially because she plays a Brazil made Tagima bass like (her basses have really cool paint jobs.,) but listening to her play did not give me GAS. I felt awe and inspiration at her ability.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

I feel ya Doc.
Got a Hofner clone to sound like Macca.....nope.
Tried a Danolectro to sound like Entwhistle....not even close.
Tried this,and tried that....always ended up sounding like,...me.
As a side note, beware of meeting your heros. Its a real crap shoot.

 

[tb-player]

I bought my first nice bass not long after spending an evening with Andrew Gouche in 1989. At the time, he was the M.D. for Bebe & Cece Winans, and they were playing at my college. I was a part of the group that brought them in, so we all got to hang out. He was so gracious. Even though I'd only been playing bass for about 9-months, he showed me everything about his Tobias Classic 5. It was beautiful!!

When I graduated, I saved up and eventually bought my first 'nice' bass, a hand-oiled Tobias Classic 5 (walnut/wenge/alder). I played that bass for so many years. But when I bought it, I didn't think it would make me a better player. What it did was to make me want to play it. Yes, Gouche was a bass hero. And owning the same bass as him made me want to get better. I practiced all the time. I eventually went on to play that bass with 90's gospel worship music icon, Ron Kenoly. I was playing all of Abraham Laboriel's bass parts, and they sounded great on that bass. That was a fun gig & felt like that Tobias came full circle for me.

GAS for me has always been about trying new gear. These days, I feel like I've played everything and I really know what I like. Elrick and Mike Lull basses are it for me. They never made me a better player. But those basses make me want to keep playing. And that works for me.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

When I was young and when I was not so young, nothing gave me GAS like seeing a great player play great music. I remember wanting an Alembic because of Stanley Clarke and wanting a Rickenbacker because of Chris Squire. As I got older, the light gradually turned on that let me know that a different bass would not cause knowledge or skill manifest itself in my brain and hands. Over the years, I have gotten better. I'm nowhere near the player I would like to be but at least I blame myself and not my gear.

I think about how much I enjoyed that video I posted in Recordings by Ana Karina Sebastiao. She got my attention initially because she plays a Brazil made Tagima bass like (her basses have really cool paint jobs.,) but listening to her play did not give me GAS. I felt awe and inspiration at her ability.

You already essentially play the same bass . Unless you're going to gas for that sparkle gold finish ( doesn't seem like your style), you would naturally focus more on the music and her skills.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I feel ya Doc.
Got a Hofner clone to sound like Macca.....nope.
Tried a Danolectro to sound like Entwhistle....not even close.
Tried this,and tried that....always ended up sounding like,...me.
As a side note, beware of meeting your heros. Its a real crap shoot.

So true. I met Esperanza Spalding after attending at least 3 different shows front row center.

I'll never see her live again. But I still recognize her talent .

 

[JRA]

I felt awe and inspiration at her ability.

i feel that regularly, re: lots of players. but don't be so in "awe" that you miss the opportunity to steal a few inspired licks!

 

[ElectricBass72]

My GAS is gone because I don't have room for any more basses.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

You already essentially play the same bass . Unless you're going to gas for that sparkle gold finish ( doesn't seem like your style), you would naturally focus more on the music and her skills.

My point is that she reminds me that the bass was never the issue; it has always been ability.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

So true. I met Esperanza Spalding after attending at least 3 different shows front row center.

I'll never see her live again. But I still recognize her talent .

My biggest bummer was meeting Stanley Clarke during a meet and a greet when he acted like he did not want to do either.

 

[kiripunk]

I know what you mean. Gas still has a huge impact on me, but is not that I want to sound like someone else anymore. I'll never be the player I never managed to become (because I don't want to work my ars off) but I am at peace with myself now. When GAS hits me these days is not because I want to sound like someone in particular, it's just because I figure I could still find a way to make said gear work for me. That is what excites me the most.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

A little Haiku

Endless chase for bass
Fingers seek the magic spark
Comes the setting sun

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

My point is that she reminds me that the bass was never the issue; it has always been ability.

Yep. I got that. My point was that you already have a great bass and that you can appreciate and recognize good bass playing when you see it.


My biggest point was that just because you don't play exactly like someone else , it doesn't mean that you aren't a good player. Everyone that can play an instrument isn't meant to make a living at it. You took joy and appreciation out of the performance . You might not be able to play exactly like her . You'll always sound like you. But it's nice to hear someone playing and instrument that inspires you to play .

 

[J Wilson]

IF only all I had to do was buy an Alembic Brown Bass or a Fodera Anthony Jackson and BOOM I'd suddenly play like them . . . . those things would be back-ordered into the 2050's.

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I had two Alembic fives and NEVER got called to sub for Jimmy Johnson. Three BB5000's and no 'Nathan East can't make it . . . ' calls.

But you know, they can't play like me. As far as I know, though, that's not keeping them awake at night . . . .

 

[kodiakblair]

I remember wanting an Alembic because of Stanley Clarke and wanting a Rickenbacker because of Chris Squire.

I've never really cared what folk play.

First fella I saw playing an Alembic was Pete Agnew in Nazareth, first Ric player would have been Paul Gray (Eddie and the Hot Rods/The Damned). Their choice of bass was just that, a choice. Both could have easily played a P or Jazz bass without any detrimental effect to the music.

One who's playing I like is Mike Burkett (Fat Mike NOFX). Plays every gig with a Danelectro, records every track on a jazz bass

My GAS was fuelled by a much simpler reason, "Darn that looks cool" Thankfully 60 is fast approaching and I've gracefully accepted the days of "looks cool" are passed

 

[Lefty Joe]

When I was young and when I was not so young, nothing gave me GAS like seeing a great player play great music.

I think about how much I enjoyed that video I posted in Recordings by Ana Karina Sebastiao. She got my attention initially because she plays a Brazil made Tagima bass like (her basses have really cool paint jobs.,) but listening to her play did not give me GAS. I felt awe and inspiration at her ability.

Isn't it great to grow up? Well - maybe not *great* - but - smoother. Realizing that actual happiness isn't a state of excitement (which can't be sustained) but a relaxation. Which is arguably pretty great

 

[emilythemartian]

I don't have the bass collecting GAS that some people round these parts have. But the more music I make the more different avenues for GAS open up!

Evolving my palette of sounds is important to me. For example I've recently picked up a flute and a clarinet which I'm learning to play better and putting on recordings.

But owning multiple bass guitars isn't part of that for me, the differences are too subtle overall. I can get more variety of tones by playing a single bass different ways, than I can playing multiple basses the same way.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

When I was young and when I was not so young, nothing gave me GAS like seeing a great player play great music. I remember wanting an Alembic because of Stanley Clarke and wanting a Rickenbacker because of Chris Squire. As I got older, the light gradually turned on that let me know that a different bass would not cause knowledge or skill manifest itself in my brain and hands. Over the years, I have gotten better. I'm nowhere near the player I would like to be but at least I blame myself and not my gear.

I think about how much I enjoyed that video I posted in Recordings by Ana Karina Sebastiao. She got my attention initially because she plays a Brazil made Tagima bass like (her basses have really cool paint jobs.,) but listening to her play did not give me GAS. I felt awe and inspiration at her ability.

These are reasonable things- Alembic and Rickenbackers... are very unique-sounding instruments, and have... very unique feels and playing experiences, so it makes sense to have some GAS for these things. Maybe more reasonable than having a Precision Bass and then seeing someone with a Sunburst one, and then "Hot damn, I gotta have a Sunburst Precision like X" Although I can't quite begrudge that either.

It's not unreasonable to think that the instrument plays some part in making you/allowing you to approach the instrument differently than how you would approach some other bass. Let's use a fun example: McCartney with a Hofner bass, with it's sound and physiology is going to inspire you to do certain things, perhaps in a way that a solid body bass (McCartney's Rickenbacker, Yamaha, Jazz Bass, or Wal 5-string, etc...) would.

Wanting an X because you new or everlasting hero has one, at least on it's face, is a harder argument to make. But there really can be something behind the understandable impulsiveness or attraction.

I hereby give you permission and enable you to enjoy basses of all kinds and have GAS for whatever in your past, present and future (not that you needed my permission) without need for apology, clarification or explanation, so says random Talkbass Member.

 

[MrAB4003]

As I got older, the light gradually turned on that let me know that a different bass would not cause knowledge or skill manifest itself in my brain and hands. Over the years, I have gotten better. I'm nowhere near the player I would like to be but at least I blame myself and not my gear.

This! Once I acquired my first two Rickenbackers, I realized that I had the tone that I wanted. My search for any additional basses was over unless there was something that really wowed me. I improved my bass playing on the basses that I had/have and that kept me motivated to make music more than acquiring new basses.

I moved across the country to the (US) West Coast with my family in early 2016. Seeing how much stuff we had to sell, donate, and trash in the moving process changed my life. I became a minimalist and I learned to appreciate the things that I had/have, including basses. This is why I only have three basses (and one guitar). GAS is still present, but I always talk myself out of buying something that I might regret buying.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

These are reasonable things- Alembic and Rickenbackers... are very unique-sounding instruments, and have... very unique feels and playing experiences, so it makes sense to have some GAS for these things. Maybe more reasonable than having a Precision Bass and then seeing someone with a Sunburst one, and then "Hot damn, I gotta have a Sunburst Precision like X" Although I can't quite begrudge that either.

It's not unreasonable to think that the instrument plays some part in making you/allowing you to approach the instrument differently than how you would approach some other bass. Let's use a fun example: McCartney with a Hofner bass, with it's sound and physiology is going to inspire you to do certain things, perhaps in a way that a solid body bass (McCartney's Rickenbacker, Yamaha, Jazz Bass, or Wal 5-string, etc...) would.

Wanting an X because you new or everlasting hero has one, at least on it's face, is a harder argument to make. But there really can be something behind the understandable impulsiveness or attraction.

I hereby give you permission and enable you to enjoy basses of all kinds and have GAS for whatever in your past, present and future (not that you needed my permission) without need for apology, clarification or explanation, so says random Talkbass Member.

After 45 years of being a total GAS bag, it has been a joy to feel the urge decline as I study and age. I am not totally without GAS. The bass I will most likely get the future is a Sadowsky Modern because is basically an improvement on my Peavey Forum AX because it is two pounds lighter and I love the Sadowsky neck profile. A nice Stingray would be great too, but I it is not a priority for me to buy.

 

[MrAB4003]

When I was young and when I was not so young, nothing gave me GAS like seeing a great player play great music. I remember wanting an Alembic because of Stanley Clarke and wanting a Rickenbacker because of Chris Squire.

Jack Bruce (RIP) was a bass hero of mine in my college years. I was into Cream, hard rock, and power trios at the time. So I acquired an Epiphone EB-3 because I couldn't afford a real Gibson.

As much as I love Jack Bruce, acquiring that bass was a huge mistake! It was the worst bass I have ever owned. I ended up selling it for a loss. It was one of the five basses that I moved across the country. In hindsight, I should have sold it or donated it to my old high school's music department before moving. I would have saved time, money, and weight on the moving truck.