There must be something wrong

[VWbug]

GOOD FOR YOU!!!

 

[hsech]

My GAS is put on hold by an occasional trade on the TB classifieds.

 

[Muddslide]

Not just GAS, but I am trying real hard to keep a lid on AS in general--"Acquisition Syndrome" with regards to "stuff" of all sorts.

I've mentioned this on here so many times I imagine people are sick of it, but a flood claimed about 98% of everything my family owned a little over 4 years ago.

It's amazing (and alarming) how quickly "stuff" re-accumulates. I have a family of four, so there will always be a ton of "stuff."

But losing things to that flood--and I lost every book, movie, comic book, CD and piece of music gear (except for one guitar I happened to have with me) that I owned. It made me realize it IS just "stuff." The things we lost that hurt the most are family photos, drawings my kids did, love letters between me and my wife...

Before I buy almost anything these days, I seriously consider how much I want/need it (nearly everything, of course, is a "want" and not a "need.") Will I still listen to this album or watch this DVD years from now? How often will I refer to this book?

I still like my stuff and have a small, tight collection of books on subjects of interest to me, I have re-built (on a far smaller scale) some of my film collection, I have plenty of music to listen to, and I have plenty of instruments to play (one acoustic guitar, one electric, and two basses.)

The only "thing" I feel like I could use is a real bass amp. Little practice amp for the guitar is fine, but I hope to get back to jamming/playing with other people and (hopefully) even gigging again. That won't be possible with my 35 watt practice bass amp.

Unless something completely comes apart and is irreparable, or something gets stolen, catches fire, etc. I doubt I'll ever buy another instrument, as much as I do long for certain basses (ahem...if anyone wants to donate a Ric 4001 or 4003, or maybe an Ovation Magnum I to me, hint hint...)

Minimalism isn't for everyone, and I certainly don't look down or roll my eyes at people who own 50 basses. That's cool for them and I am sincerely happy for them. Basses are cool! I dig seeing people's big collections and NBDs.

But for me, I do believe that in a sense your possessions possess you.

For me personally, back when I DID own a dozen guitars, multiple basses, all manner of pedals and amp gear, etc. I sort of felt like a slave to it all. Worrying about proper storage, regular maintenance, keeping things in playing rotation, keeping things strung and playable, the space it all took up, etc., etc.

For me it became more of a chore than a pleasure just owning that much.

 

[Doublesixes]

At the end of the day it's all about the music, the art that can be produced by the instrument and its amp. Falling in love with bass playing is the beginning of the cycle and it could trigger some GAS, eventually.

 

[bluesblaster]

after I put the Faital speakers in my rig, I just lost interest. Maybe because I play through them and not actually play them?? I am feeling a bit at a loss now.
I have 23 basses currently. down to 5 Modulus'.. Would love to run into a 4 and 5 string fretless, but currently not looking. No real ambition to do so.
Almost feel like selling off 8 or 10 of my basses. Either not unique enough or too unique. I have money, not worried about that.
BTW - At my age, Getting Lucky for me is remembering why I came into a room!! Ha... This whole non-GAS thing kind of sucks

23 ? dude, you need to get yourself to a meeting

 

[Iridescentone]

a

Yeah, you're not SO sure about that of course.

Exactly. It's unclear who the undead are.

 

[Old Blastard]

Well said.

My mom, who was an opera-singing mezzo-soprano and a classical pianist/organist, has Alzheimer's and so far has managed to keep her sense of humor about it at a point when most people of lost theirs. She knows she isn't thinking right and laughs about it all of the time. She has inspired me to understand that humor and the ability to laugh at those things that hurt us is something to be cherished.

For instance, she forgets who she's talking to about every three minutes. The last time I reminded her who I was she immediately asked "did you buy another bass?" and broke into laughter.

So we laugh in those few and far between periods of lucidity when she makes fun of herself and laugh harder when she makes fun of us. The rest of the time we try not to cry.

 

[Muddslide]

My mom, who was an opera-singing mezzo-soprano and a classical pianist/organist, has Alzheimer's and so far has managed to keep her sense of humor about it at a point when most people of lost theirs. She knows she isn't thinking right and laughs about it all of the time. She has inspired me to understand that humor and the ability to laugh at those things that hurt us is something to be cherished.

For instance, she forgets who she's talking to about every three minutes. The last time I reminded her who I was she immediately asked "did you buy another bass?" and broke into laughter.

So we laugh in those few and far between periods of lucidity when she makes fun of herself and laugh harder when she makes fun of us. The rest of the time we try not to cry.

Bless your hearts. She sounds like one strong lady, and she obviously raised a fine man. Holding good thoughts for you, her and all your loved ones.

 

[bholder]

Exactly. It's unclear who the undead are.

I'm fairly certain the surviving Rolling Stones qualify, however!

 

[Old Blastard]

Bless your hearts. She sounds like one strong lady, and she obviously raised a fine man. Holding good thoughts for you, her and all your loved ones.

Mom has always been a hoot and taught us to laugh at whatever situation we're in. I didn't realize how deep that thread was in her personality until she kept getting deeper and deeper into the weirdness. The hardest part was the day we cleaned out her music room and she asked to see the sheet music. She looked it over for a few minutes handed it to me and said "throw it all out. The notes don't sing to me anymore."

Broke my heart.

 

[Muddslide]

Mom has always been a hoot and taught us to laugh at whatever situation we're in. I didn't realize how deep that thread was in her personality until she kept getting deeper and deeper into the weirdness. The hardest part was the day we cleaned out her music room and she asked to see the sheet music. She looked it over for a few minutes handed it to me and said "throw it all out. The notes don't sing to me anymore."

Broke my heart.

I gotta say, and I mean this sincerely--I'm holding back tears. I just cannot imagine. My old man is 80 and his memory (and other aspects of his health) are worsening, but he's still there. He's him, you know? My mother may well outlive all her children. She's made of granite and her great attitude has managed to help keep her youthful.

I feel so fortunate. I really cannot imagine what it must be like for you. I have been so lucky not to have been touched too much by tragedies involving the people closest to me. I've had my knocks, and have lost many friends and family members through the years, but MOM is just...just such a deep, ingrained archetype in a person's life.

I'm sorry, brother, I am rambling. Much mojo and good energy your way.

She may forget, but you will remember.

 

[MoeTown1986]

Happens to me all the time. But, the GAS never really leaves. Just changes what kind of gear I want. I'll get horrible GAS pains for music gear. Buy, trade, and swap a few things over the course of a few months and the GAS is cured. Kinda. That when the GAS pains for firearm stuff comes in. Repeat.

 

[Jack Butler]

So you bought a sunburst P with a tort pickguard?

 

[Muddslide]

It's been brought up before on this and other musicians' forums, including by me, but does anyone here think that GAS is--at least in part--a byproduct of The Internet itself? And if so, to what extent?

I've been playing about 35 years. I have been in bands that opened up for fairly big name acts (at least regionally well known) I have worked in radio and been able to meet and interview a lot of pretty well known music folks, and I booked shows for a couple of clubs in a decent sized metro area for a while. All that to say, being a gearhead geek, I always got to talking about instruments and other equipment with players who were far more Big League than me whenever the chance came up.

All this was stuff I was doing mainly from the mid-80s to the late-90s. Back then, and earlier when I first started playin in the late 70s, I knew very few players who owned more than a couple of instruments.

Even most of the "famous" players I met back before The Internet was so ubiquitous would tell me they took 2-3 guitars or basses on the road and maybe had one or two "special" (often vintage) instruments they kept at their home base, maybe for studio work, maybe just to not expose them to rigors of the road.

I believe people should spend their money where they want, and I don't think there's much cooler than a big collection of guitars and basses--I love seeing Family Pics and NBDs and all...but I have a suspicion that the number of Average Joes who own two dozen plus basses or guitars has increased by many orders of magnitude since the web got to be such an integral part of daily life...

 

[Old Blastard]

So you bought a sunburst P with a tort pickguard?

With flats. Gotta have flats!

 

[Tylersteez]

My mom, who was an opera-singing mezzo-soprano and a classical pianist/organist, has Alzheimer's and so far has managed to keep her sense of humor about it at a point when most people of lost theirs. She knows she isn't thinking right and laughs about it all of the time. She has inspired me to understand that humor and the ability to laugh at those things that hurt us is something to be cherished.

For instance, she forgets who she's talking to about every three minutes. The last time I reminded her who I was she immediately asked "did you buy another bass?" and broke into laughter.

So we laugh in those few and far between periods of lucidity when she makes fun of herself and laugh harder when she makes fun of us. The rest of the time we try not to cry.

I understand where you're coming from. My grandpa had really bad Alzheimer's and we took him in so we could look after him, it sucked watching a man who was a master at wood working and automotive repair completely forget how to turn on his drill press and forget how to drive a car, and forget your name. I moved into the basement and gave him my room so he would be close to the bathroom and kitchen. It was a hard thing to go through but if you can find a way to make those moments easier through laughter then all the power to you,

 

[Joe Nerve]

When I suffer from a lack of gas, I start looking at other instruments. Keyboards, mandolins... sometimes even recording gear. If you keep at it, it will pass and you'll soon find yourself back in bass lust land. I just bought a classical guitar. Really helped keep the gas alive.... plus I'm lovin it:

I had to buy it because the P bass I bought a few weeks earlier did a real number on my bass gas. Trust me, I know what you're dealing with. There are however solutions! Hang in there buddy.

 

[bongostealth]

You better be happy that you currently don't have gas!!! LOL!

 

[LoTone]

I am currently NOT suffering from GAS... What is wrong with me?? I have had GAS for the last 22 years almost without fail without a break.. Searching, hunting, buying, selling, keeping, playing, having holding basses.. Bass after Bass.. I was getting to a point I was thinking I really had a problem. Then about 4 weeks ago, it all stopped. I don't feel like searching for basses, amps, gear, equipment----nothing....
I think something is wrong? This is worrying me.

Maybe you are in your mid life crisis? You are spending all your money on younger women and fast cars?

 

[flam]

I found what I was looking for, so GAS doesn't afflict me much anymore. that being said, I do have a small stable of stuff that I constantly trade, just to try new things.