Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass The wife... (DB Forum thread)
- Thread starter Ben Mitchell
- Start date
Mine doesn't care as long as the bills are paid, and she sees them being used. Then again, I buy relatively inexpensive basses and refurb them.
First, I doubt she likes being called "the wife." 
In my family though, I am the wife. My dear husband realizes that for the most part there isn't one bass that works for everything. He also heartily supports the fact that I don't bring my nice carved bass to play at parties with drunk college students (even though it's insured).
I think you can definitely justify having two basses as long as one is kind of a back up beater bass. Beyond two, you are definitely pushing it. After I acquired my 4th, I knew I was in trouble. (It helps that I just put one on consignment--not that it will actually ever get sold).
And yes, you have to make sure that all your other financial responsibilities are taken care of first.
Oh, and it's helpful if you don't have or want a lot of other toys. Mostly I'm addicted to acquiring basses and violins, and in general I couldn't care less about knick knacks, jewelry, or new furniture.
In my family though, I am the wife. My dear husband realizes that for the most part there isn't one bass that works for everything. He also heartily supports the fact that I don't bring my nice carved bass to play at parties with drunk college students (even though it's insured).
I think you can definitely justify having two basses as long as one is kind of a back up beater bass. Beyond two, you are definitely pushing it. After I acquired my 4th, I knew I was in trouble. (It helps that I just put one on consignment--not that it will actually ever get sold).
And yes, you have to make sure that all your other financial responsibilities are taken care of first.
Oh, and it's helpful if you don't have or want a lot of other toys. Mostly I'm addicted to acquiring basses and violins, and in general I couldn't care less about knick knacks, jewelry, or new furniture.
Being a bass player is NOTHING in cost to having a boating obsession. One's beloved just has to understand how much worse it could be!!! (it helps if she is musician herself. Mine is not, but then again, someone has to be able to balance the checkbook and get the kids to school on time)
First, I doubt she likes being called "the wife."
In my family though, I am the wife. My dear husband realizes that for the most part there isn't one bass that works for everything. He also heartily supports the fact that I don't bring my nice carved bass to play at parties with drunk college students (even though it's insured).
I think you can definitely justify having two basses as long as one is kind of a back up beater bass. Beyond two, you are definitely pushing it. After I acquired my 4th, I knew I was in trouble. (It helps that I just put one on consignment--not that it will actually ever get sold).
And yes, you have to make sure that all your other financial responsibilities are taken care of first.
Oh, and it's helpful if you don't have or want a lot of other toys. Mostly I'm addicted to acquiring basses and violins, and in general I couldn't care less about knick knacks, jewelry, or new furniture.
We need a flirting "smilie". LOL
I've found that 3 is a relatively easy discussion within the context of not having other expensive hobbies or vices. 4 is on the edge and 5 is hard for even me to justify. Unless I had unlimited income in which case I would have a room full of basses and guitars many of which might be there just to look at. I love functional art.
Here's my spin on "3 makes perfect sense":
> Gotta have the work horse - for me it's a P that I've assembled from components I love.
> A 5'er makes sense too (mine has a P/J setup) - that way I don't have to drop tune and, when traveling light, I can carry just this one bass.
> A hollow body is just fun (to play and to admire) and it's a tone neither of the other two can replicate. I really don't get to play it much outside of the room but being a child of the 70's and having learned via a double bass, I just dig it. A lot.
I'd play 8 hours a day if I could but I can't. When I have had 4 (or 5) basses I found I just did not have enough time to play them all and it felt a bit self-indulgent. With 3 I can give them each the love they deserve, satisfy my tonal desires, and still do the right thing (that is, try real hard) in terms of life's relationships and the demands and responsibilities of the real world.
I disagree. I like having my 7 basses. To me, I'm not into gadgets, watches, or massive firearm collections. Most of my basses I've parted together or bought used. They all have different tones. Some are fretless. Some have active pickups, and some have passive. If I'm getting a second mortgage to finance a bass, then I will consider myself having a problem.
Why do you have to justify at all? As long as its your money that you are earning, spend it however you choose...but if it's your wife's money that you are spending that is a different story.
If it is your money and she is complaining tell her to STFU.
Consider that women spend like $500 on shoes and handbags and crap, what's the big deal if you spend a few bucks on your passion? I would tell her to STFU if she complains.
Well, I need to have a backup bass because things go wrong and occasionally my main bass needs to go to the shop. Having two also gives me some diversity of tone. And the third bass doesn't really count, it is a small Steinberger copy that I use when I travel. Can't really count that one.
Same logic for amps. Gotta have the small portable amp, and then the monster amp that I don't like to move serves as a great back up in case my other goes down. The third one doesn't really count. I'm not sure why, it just doesn't.
It also helps that I buy and sell equipment frequently enough that my wife doesn't really know what I have. As long as I'm paying my bills, she is cool with it.
Same logic for amps. Gotta have the small portable amp, and then the monster amp that I don't like to move serves as a great back up in case my other goes down. The third one doesn't really count. I'm not sure why, it just doesn't.
It also helps that I buy and sell equipment frequently enough that my wife doesn't really know what I have. As long as I'm paying my bills, she is cool with it.
I think we were discussing just double basses??? How many electric basses anyone has isn't a big deal at all (at least when it comes to space issues). I happen to have ZERO electric basses.
I can sort of justify having 3 double basses:
-one nicer carved bass for classical music
-one old cheaper ply bass I've had for 30+ years (it's not worth selling and still sounds good, and is great for taking outside)
-and one hybrid bass that I use for most non-classical groups I play with
And I have NEVER paid $500 for a pair of shoes or a handbag!
I can sort of justify having 3 double basses:
-one nicer carved bass for classical music
-one old cheaper ply bass I've had for 30+ years (it's not worth selling and still sounds good, and is great for taking outside)
-and one hybrid bass that I use for most non-classical groups I play with
And I have NEVER paid $500 for a pair of shoes or a handbag!
A Testore would justify itself. I just have to convince Her that I need to sell the house.
I just give her the old "but this one has one more string than the other" or the "well I need a fretless and a fretted bass" or "I have to have a p and a J for the new gig" Try something along those lines.
MollyKay
Supporting Member
I am not sure I have any reason to chime in other then if you have to justify your purchase because of your money verses her money...that is a hard sell. In our home all money is "our money" and we tend to pull it together. For us pulling in the same direction with both our efforts works better then pulling in different directions. And like Leslie my husband never referred to me "as the wife". We are a team... It is much better for us, and this is after 26 years. Best wishes and hope it works out and you harmoniously acquire your back up bass.
Im my home its "our money" as well and pulled together as equal. The Warden gets to spend the same amount on something else... if I get to spend 200 on a pedal, she can spend 200 getting her hair and nails done. If I spend 1k on a bass, she'll get a coach purse and her car detailed. Its crazy. The problem I have is my wife doesnt really have any hobbies other than staying on my *** about everything, so I have to use hard negotiating skills to bend my way.
And yes, priorities first... bills, then savings, then play.
And yes, priorities first... bills, then savings, then play.
That's what I thought too; I mean the thread is in the Double Bass forum.
I think some people just can't wait for any opportunity to post about having multiple bass guitars.
IMO that's kid stuff; and not even close to the same thing, or the topic.
There is a "big" difference between multiple DB's and just multiple bass guitars. I looked at this thread because I was curious to see how many could rationalize multiple DB's, and why.
Besides, there are already about a million "brag" threads about having multiple electric basses on TB...
I made sure all my family needs are covered: Housing, transportation, food , education, entertainment, saving for rainy days, etc. I save money whenever I can and buy gear whenever I can, she does not really care if I have one bass or 2, the max I have had is 7 , she told me that I need a bigger studio 
My wife works at home so she doesnt get any salary that means that I need to give her extra cash for her needs: dinner with frinds, lipsticks etc etc.
pd: I play electric bass but would be the same if I play DB.
My wife works at home so she doesnt get any salary that means that I need to give her extra cash for her needs: dinner with frinds, lipsticks etc etc.
pd: I play electric bass but would be the same if I play DB.
