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Double Bass The wife... (DB Forum thread)

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.

You've never been married have you? Or is it that you have...multiple times? :rollno:

Here's how we work it, we each bring money to the table. We have divided up the bills so we each pay about the same amount for bills (even though she makes more than I do.) If we're saving for something specific, then leftover will go towards that, if not, then we can use our own money as we see fit. I don't complain about her buying scrapbooking stuff, or clothes, or whatever she's buying. When I come home and have a new toy and she says, "what's that?" and I say, "a new bass" and she says, "don't you already have like 3?" and I say, "yeah...but this one's different," she just says, "ok.":hyper:
 
I'm actually a lot harder on myself than my sweetie is. We only have so many square feet in our home. To make room, I try to sell off something when I buy a new gizmo. For my new bass, I'm selling the Harley.

It's amazing how many things we accumulate over the years without reassessing how much we actually need in the present.
 
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.

How can anyone disagree with someone else's personal experiences and learnings?
My post purposely did not advise others what they should do or what "the answer" is - only what I've figured out for myself and the harmony of my marriage.
7 is good for you, 3 is good for me. And that's all good, eh?
 
You da man...that definitely would not happen as I love the Harley just as much as my husband loves it. That would be a very difficult choice. I admire your willingness to give up something to get something.

Yes, her mom died recently and she took home a pile of her sentimental things, so I need to make space. We both love the Harley, but life itself moves you more than motorcycles ever will.
 
What I want to know is...

How do YOU justify more than one bass with the warden?

I gave her one of the basses when she showed a little interest.

Seriously though, she's always encouraging me to get another one when I find one I like (and that we can afford).

Being a bass player is NOTHING in cost to having a boating obsession.

We just bought a 1954 aluminum Larson. It's our first boat, bought on a whim 'cause it looked so cool when we drove by. Guess who egged me on about getting it? And she can't even swim. The "where am I gonna put another boat" problem makes the "where am I gonna put another bass" problem seem pretty small. ;)

A boating website I looked at had a "seven day plan to convince your spouse to buy a boat" that included all kinds of psychological pressure to get your S.O. to agree to your wishes. I thought it was a shame that people would feel it's OK to coerce someone they're supposed to love into something that they don't want to do. It's OK to honestly disagree about something. It's even OK to fight over it. It's not OK to purposely try to manipulate your wife.
 
This thread is full of people with lots of bass guitars.... Can't you buy those things for $300 and fit six of them under the bed?:hiding:

I own only one double bass because my wife and I live in a small apartment. I had two basses for about a year, but after while it became hard to justify the space and the 5-6k tied up in a "backup" instrument.... Also, I find going between two instruments with different mensure and setup is a little rough on my playing, so I just end up playing the bass I like better all the time. So I suppose it doesn't take much persuasion from my wife.

Now bows on the other hand...I'm beginning to get a collection of those.
 
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.

Well said and explained!!!
 
I don't.
I spend my money the way I please as long as my contribution to the household bills is taken care of first

+1 This describes our household.

I have way too much stuff, far more than I'll ever need, and I'm downsizing in almost every area.

This is true in our house as well, and selling gear to buy more gear is common for me.
 
My wife was encouraging for my first new bass last year, a fully carved, since the previous one was being sold to raise money.

Last fall, she was encouraging for me to buy a second bass with my hobby income, an Epiphone used for blues and acoustic stuff. She balked at the possible third bass that came up recently, but that didn't work out anyhow.

Generally, she has been supportive about new gear as long as I have the money and occasionally use part of it to get something for her, too.
 
We just bought a 1954 aluminum Larson. It's our first boat, bought on a whim 'cause it looked so cool when we drove by. Guess who egged me on about getting it? And she can't even swim. The "where am I gonna put another boat" problem makes the "where am I gonna put another bass" problem seem pretty small. ;)

.
Hence my boating comment! You don't just buy a boat: you buy a new shed to store it, or pay a storage place, you buy a cover, you buy a new engine once the one that came with the boat poops out (this WILL happen, I promise) then you buy a new trailer, or pay dock fees, then there is boat insurance!!! Not to mention the years of marital counseling and psychotherapy that is soon to follow boat ownership.... Simply point out your boat owning friend's marital troubles, pending foreclosure and bankruptcy, and your wife won't complain at all about dropping $500 for new gamuts because you want to try gut strings AGAIN.:D