What's wrong with me - can't stop shopping :-)

[Feral Feline]

The thrill of the chase is greater than the triumph of the kill.
The joy of the journey is greater than the desire of destination.
Doesn't matter where you get your appetite, so long as you go home for dinner.

 

[FretNoMore]

He who dies with the most toys wins. Shop 'til you drop!

 

[pauljude]

I own 14 basses...not sure why...just like to go to bed at night knowing they are there....crazy I suppose...but they are all beautiful. My secret worry is, someday, who will own these basses?....some are beyond vintage. What will I do with them?...they must go in the hands of well deserved people. I should post this question on the Talk Bass thread.

 

[obimark]

The modern consumer sickness. A difficult thing to fight.

Not taking the time to appreciate and really dig into what you've got,
always thinking there might be something better,
and sometimes a little bit of thinking that better gear would make you a better player.

Try to resist.

This. the internet is partially to blame- there are just so many options. Take shoes for instance- back when I was a kid in the late mid 70s to early 80s, if you wanted a pair of shoes, your Mom would take you to one store. Period. Either K-Mart or Penney's in my case. There would maybe be 1-2 pairs of shoes to try on, you'd make a selection and LIVE with it.
Now- there are 20 online stores selling 300 possible shoes for ANY type of weather or activity. To make matters worse for any given boot/shoe- there are 450 reviews that say it will change your life, and 200 that say it sucks bad.

Basses are similar- we have 20 online music stores, PLUS Fleabay and CL. YOu have this forum where people will tell you daily, that "such and such" bass is the ONLY one worth playing, etc,... we have people going into agonizing detail reviewing bass pedals, pre's, amps, you name it...all to MAYBE sound like a record, that wasn't recorded with ANY of the actual units people claim will sound JUST like the record.

Want Geddy tone from YYZ? you need this, this and this- when in reality he recorded it with a specific mixer/compressor and an amp that you can't even buy any more!! (And 90% of the tone was him WHACKING the crap out of his strings!)

I am down to one custom Carvin JB- and must admit, I like the simplicity like the old days- this is MY bass, I play it. No need to choose.
Can't guarantee that I won't gas for another later- but for now I have bass gas under control. But it isn't easy.

 

[ariwax]

I own 14 basses...not sure why...just like to go to bed at night knowing they are there....crazy I suppose...but they are all beautiful. My secret worry is, someday, who will own these basses?....some are beyond vintage. What will I do with them?...they must go in the hands of well deserved people. I should post this question on the Talk Bass thread.

You really ought to give them to me.

 

[SteveHeissner]

You don't have a problem. You're in a never ending quest for continuous improvement. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

The good: So much experimentation let's you know exactly what's out there when a project requiring something different comes along.

The bad: Where is all of my #@$$%©¢ money!!!?

The ugly: I haven't touched any of my basses in 6 days, but I've narrowed down my search to three basses.

The more I play, the less time I have to worry about my gear, unless there's a legitimate reason for a change. For instance, I'm considering a lighter amp because I'm a wuss and a wireless because I'm tired of kicking my cables away from my feet while dancing and/or head banging on stage.

 

[mojomike001]

I finally stopped shopping for whole basses. Now I've become addicted to buying parts and building them. I think this addiction may be even worse...

 

[gln1955]

For those blaming TalkBass...

Definition of ENABLER
: one that enables another to achieve an end; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences of such behavior

 

[FerruleCat]

All of my instruments are from inexpensive lines like Squier, Epiphone, and SX. But they are of reasonable quality, and I've modded a few of them with great results. I've aimed for a certain breadth; here's where I am currently...

BASSES

• 34" P style (SX Ursa 1 w/ Fender '62 pickup), roundwound
• 34" J style (Squier VM '70s Jazz, stock), roundwound
• 30" Squier VM Mustang, stock, pressurewound
• 30" Rogue VB100 (violin bass), stock, flatwound
• 30" SX Ursa 2 Jr. (jazz style), Duncan QP pickups, Schaller 3D bridge, flatwound
• 30" Squier Bronco, ongoing project bass, Hipshot Vintage bridge (.669 spacing), Artec soapbar pickup, Mustang pickguard w/ custom control plate, roundwound

GUITARS

• Humbuckers: Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop Pro, honeyburst, stock
• Strat Single-Coil: Squier VM Stratocaster, stock
• P-90: Epiphone Les Paul Special II, w/ GFS Mean 90 pickups and Hipshot 6GLO locking tuners
• Acoustic dreadnought style: Yamaha FG730s, stock

My only GAS right now is for a nylon-string classical acoustic guitar, specifically the Cordoba C5. I don't really need it, however, so I'm thinking I should redirect my GAS by purchasing a set of Hipshot 6-in-line locking tuners for my Squier VM Strat, which would be the best tweak to my stable right now.

 

[static0verdrive]

GAS, Talkbass-itis, you name it... we all have it. I TRY to play enough to keep myself offline but inevitably a few beers plus taking a break ends up with shopping online, or on talkbass, which leads to shopping online...

 

[Gougedeye]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome!! aka GAS

Very common amongst bass players. Don't fight it, accept it!

Resistance is futile! I check the classifieds everyday, although I'm not looking to buy something, but you never know, I might find that certain something...

 

[mikeyjm2]

I've got a few too many basses myself, although nowhere near what some people have. What helped me get things in check is asking a few questions before I buy a bass - What am I going to use it for? What does this do that none of my other basses does? What bass am I going to stop playing because I own this one? 99% of the time now I just pass on whatever I'm looking at. It doesn't always work, but I've been GASsing for a Dan Armstrong and Gibson Triumph and every time I think about it I realize that they wouldn't replace my go-to bass and would most likely rarely see any playing time.

+1

I need to work on doing that myself. Right now I have one project bass (FrankenSquire P) about 90% done and parts for another J on the way. In this case it's just because I've not assembled anything myself before so I'm enjoying the hobbyist / homebrewed aspect of it. But as far as buying new, complete instruments I really need to ask myself the questions you ask yourself. I am simply running out of room to put this stuff and I have an aversion to selling.

 

[Lobomov]

Some buy art, I buy guitars. I makes me happy just to look at them and the wife has a chair that cost the same as my most expensive one.
I doesn't matter, if they're ever going to get used. They look good and make me glad

 

[mojomike001]

Some buy art, I buy guitars. I makes me happy just to look at them and the wife has a chair that cost the same as my most expensive one.
I doesn't matter, if they're ever going to get used. They look good and make me glad

One could even argue that basses are art.

 

[5below]

There's no Beano for guitars, so GAS is just a natural state of affairs!

 

[darwin-bass]

Well I'm not really talking about GAS in general but a specific form where I keep shopping for the same thing I just bought.

In the past it has resulted with me buying more than one because I found a great bargain on the 2nd copy after buying the first.

 

[iiipopes]

Yes, I have had excruciating bouts of G.A.S., followed by long periods of calm remission. Fortunately, I can say that every one of my instruments has earned its keep with gig money over the decades.

 

[groovaholic]

I find that my gear-scheming is inversely proportional to how much actual playing I'm doing.
I'm not sure if it's a cause or an effect, but I know that there's a correlation.

Fortunately, I do feel like I've painted myself into a corner, where I know that nothing I could afford would bring me any more satisfaction that what I already have.

The problem is knowledge; the more you know, the more able you are to shape things to your liking:
Is starts the first time you change strings, and you hear that bright clang...
Then the first time you play a bass that's set up properly, and your current bass pales in comparison...

After a couple decades, you've developed an opinion on hex vs. round core -- traditional vs. balanced tension.
And you find yourself modeling components for the crossovers in you cabs and comparing dispersion for tweeter wave-guides.

For your own mental health, financial well-being, and marital bliss -- I would urge you to shop skeptically, buy carefully, and spend wisely.

It's an infinitely deep rabbit hole, and you should be cautious how you approach the edge of it.

 

[nostatic]

Some buy art, I buy guitars.

You can get a twofer