There is way too much information out there these days. When I played in the 90's I had 1 bass and 1 amp. Didn't feel the need to have any more than that. Now I can sit in my damn living room and look up all this crap and see what all the local stores have in stock, read reviews on every possible piece of equipment. It makes me constantly second guess all my gear, my playing and everything else music related. Always have to try new stuff. Now I have 6 basses 3 amps and I'm not content with any of it. I miss the old days of having to go to the stores and wait for classified adds. It's just too much. I miss having narrow options.
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Too much information now.
- Thread starter Jaredcouture
- Start date
In many ways I completely understand. When I started playing in the late 70's the choices were simple:
Basses - Fender, Gibson & Rick
Amps - Ampeg, Sunn, Acoustic and a few others
...and now there does seem to be endless choices.
BUT...I was never really able to find the sound I wanted. I'm glad that we now at least have available gear that was truly designed for bass instead of a speaker slapped into a cab with (it seems only) the bigger is better mentality.
Basses - Fender, Gibson & Rick
Amps - Ampeg, Sunn, Acoustic and a few others
...and now there does seem to be endless choices.
BUT...I was never really able to find the sound I wanted. I'm glad that we now at least have available gear that was truly designed for bass instead of a speaker slapped into a cab with (it seems only) the bigger is better mentality.
I was thinking that same thing, the other day me and the guitar players i play with were also discussing how everyone now chases "THE TONE", and how for years it was simply a question of does it sound good to you, and is it loud, hell for years my "tone" was just a matter of just being punishingly loud, and that was simply because it was that way so that people could hear you over the guitar and the drums. Truth be told most people that come to see you play won't notice or care what you play it on as long as you can play it well, it's like an arms race amongst musicians and the guys that run the companies that make the things we lust for sit back and laugh at us while the make a mint.
It actually still is just a question of does it sound good to you. You do not have to let yourself buy into any of the other nonsense if you don't want to.
I kind of agree as well. I was very happy playing "local" gear for a long time. I have spent thousands chasing tone. I have enjoyed it - to a point - and learned a lot, but in the end, I kinda wish I had the money back and just supported my local shops. It wasn't that bad for me…G&L, Genz Benz and other stuff above entry level gear.
Here's a little something I've learned about too many choices.
When given too many choices, most people, especially those new to whatever it is the choice involves, will not make any choice.
I have over 200 colors of thread for (fishing) rod building and when someone wants a rod built, in the past I'd lay out all the choices and tell them to pick three. People who had already been through the process would dig in and come up with their choices, the newbies would look for a while, then tell me they'd need to think about it for a while and would get back to me. About a quarter of those who left without making a choice would call back.
These days I ask what their favorite color is and I show them the shades in that, and a couple complimentary colors. If they can't find it there then I roll out the rest.
newbies need to be told what they want or only given an A/B situation or they are more likely to walk away than choose.
When given too many choices, most people, especially those new to whatever it is the choice involves, will not make any choice.
I have over 200 colors of thread for (fishing) rod building and when someone wants a rod built, in the past I'd lay out all the choices and tell them to pick three. People who had already been through the process would dig in and come up with their choices, the newbies would look for a while, then tell me they'd need to think about it for a while and would get back to me. About a quarter of those who left without making a choice would call back.
These days I ask what their favorite color is and I show them the shades in that, and a couple complimentary colors. If they can't find it there then I roll out the rest.
newbies need to be told what they want or only given an A/B situation or they are more likely to walk away than choose.
Sure, I want stuff. But I am content, for the most part, with what I have. Don't let it get to you, man. Life is short.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
One of the things I find fascinating here is the search for a specific "tone." For me, the sound a specific instrument makes through a specific amplifier is an entertaining thing to work with and figure out. I don't feel any need to go on a quest for my specific sound, since whatever comes out at the time is my sound. Sure, I tweak it with whatever controls are available, but that's it. There's no reason to do endless research and have endless GAS for any reason other than the entertainment value of learning new things. I do suffer from GAS off and on, but that's a version of curiosity run amok, nothing more.
I agree to an extent, also. One of the modern day skills is to learn how to filter our information feed.
For instance, when I learned how to take annoying/overposting/political friends from my Facebook Newsfeed, my stress level went down measurably.
For instance, when I learned how to take annoying/overposting/political friends from my Facebook Newsfeed, my stress level went down measurably.
Ask yourself: Are you happy with your playing? Are you happy with your music environment (band, fellow musicians)?
If not, fix that first. Most of the time musicians get involved with tone and technique and forget the bigger picture of why they are doing what they do with music. After a point, it seems easier to try that new bass, amp... whatever rather than get down to the reason you're playing and what you expect from the music (not the gear). The truth is that most competent gear will get the job done musically. Very rarely will doors open if you change from P bass to J bass or vice versa. Get back to the basics of your musical desires and the GAS will diminish.
If not, fix that first. Most of the time musicians get involved with tone and technique and forget the bigger picture of why they are doing what they do with music. After a point, it seems easier to try that new bass, amp... whatever rather than get down to the reason you're playing and what you expect from the music (not the gear). The truth is that most competent gear will get the job done musically. Very rarely will doors open if you change from P bass to J bass or vice versa. Get back to the basics of your musical desires and the GAS will diminish.
TB doesn't help the situation either, just makes you want it more. When I was new to bass in the 90's just bought whatever (A Rogue bass and a Fender amp), didn't care about tone. The internet was still fairly young.
Late 90's got into Billy Sheehan and Yamahas, later discovered I was nothing like sheehan and went back to pawnshop bass and amp.
Got suckered into the internet craze in the mid to late 2000's and have been chasing the tone dragon ever since. (You never catch the dragon) Stopped about a year ago and stopped worrying about tone and such and have cut down the phenomenon known as GAS in half. Now it's only new/flipped stuff every couple months (maybe down to twice a year now) instead of every couple weeks or every month wanting something new to make my tone "better"
Late 90's got into Billy Sheehan and Yamahas, later discovered I was nothing like sheehan and went back to pawnshop bass and amp.
Got suckered into the internet craze in the mid to late 2000's and have been chasing the tone dragon ever since. (You never catch the dragon) Stopped about a year ago and stopped worrying about tone and such and have cut down the phenomenon known as GAS in half. Now it's only new/flipped stuff every couple months (maybe down to twice a year now) instead of every couple weeks or every month wanting something new to make my tone "better"
Not just gear I am like that with everything....takes me a week and a half to decide what new phone to get when my contract runs out....a month to deicde on a tv.....I was never like that in the 80s.
I like having all the options and the never ending search for the holy grail. It's a hobby in itself and I do admit it's quite a big part of my interest in playing.
But sure, it can get you distracted from the actual music making at times.
But sure, it can get you distracted from the actual music making at times.
I agree, there are simply too many choice in everything today. Used to be 1 phone co., 1 elec. co., a handful of TV stations, etc. They say this is the information age and I guess with that comes options. In some things it's good, in others it's not. It can be overwhelming at times. It takes discipline to screen out all of the input. I just think of it as protecting my wallet. Seems there are more ways (temptations) than ever that are designed to separate me (and you) from my money. It's not that any of these choices are better than the one you already made, it's that someone is trying to put the seed of doubt in your mind about it. Don't fix what's not broken and you should be fine.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
My son, who is a trumpet player, has one trumpet and one fluegel horn. He doesn't have an interest in another one of each. He doesn't seem to have any interest in replacing anything he already has. Since he grew up with the internet, maybe he just filters it all out as just so much noise.
Reminds me of that thing they teach in Philosophy class: "Freedom is not a question of unlimited choices but definitive commitment".
lol I played trumpet all through school. There was one music store in town and I always wanted that silver trumpet I the case. Never got it though... That's kinda sad.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I don't miss the old days where the local shops had all the power and if you didn't like the price they would tell you to go and pound sand the classifieds were scarce and the only way to get a deal was the pawn shop or buying from a friend's brother who knows a guy with a cousin who maybe ready to sell.
Now the online stores tell you to pound sand, while the mom and pop stores get eaten by big box. Those pawnshop dealers are no longer dealing, goes for firm whatever they see it for online.
I dunno....I like being able to listen to demos of stuff before I drop a lot of cash on it. It's especially helpful for bass gear because even if you live in a relatively populated area, bass gear is just rare and it's unlikely that your local stores are going to have all the options out there.
That said....right now I have three basses and one amp. I have a P bass with rounds, a P bass with flats, and then a EBMM Sterling for when a I need a more modern sound. My only amp is a GK 1x12 lightweight combo; otherwise I use a direct box. That fits the needs of the clubs I currently play.
I researched the heck out of all that gear before I purchased it, and then I used the web to get good deals on it. As a result, I have only the gear I need, I like all the sounds I get, and I have spent the minimum amount of money needed to get what I'm after.
But in general, the internet is for two things: 1. Porn. 2. Selling stuff. Everything else that happens flows back to those two things. (How do you think TB survives? Ad dollars and money for memberships to sell in the classifieds.)
That said....right now I have three basses and one amp. I have a P bass with rounds, a P bass with flats, and then a EBMM Sterling for when a I need a more modern sound. My only amp is a GK 1x12 lightweight combo; otherwise I use a direct box. That fits the needs of the clubs I currently play.
I researched the heck out of all that gear before I purchased it, and then I used the web to get good deals on it. As a result, I have only the gear I need, I like all the sounds I get, and I have spent the minimum amount of money needed to get what I'm after.
But in general, the internet is for two things: 1. Porn. 2. Selling stuff. Everything else that happens flows back to those two things. (How do you think TB survives? Ad dollars and money for memberships to sell in the classifieds.)
