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When enough is enough

heavyhitter

heavyhitter

Jan 24, 2008
246
0
#1
How much equipment does one person really need? With the economy and finances on my mind it got me thinking. I have 5 Fender basses, one Telecaster guitar, two cabinets, three amp heads and two practice amps. I am not a gigging musician, I am not in a band, I do play some jam sessions with 3 guitarist and a drummer, and I do jam with another bassist from time to time, so I don’t need all of that equipment.

So why do I have it. Simple, GAS! I mean I have had gas so bad that it has kept me up at night and when I did fall asleep I would dream of gear. I scan forums and reviews day and night. I spend more time reading and researching and being on Talkbass than I do playing. Gear is fun, and exciting. I get a rush out of buying new stuff. But in the end, I still have my go to bass, my go to amp. When I think of guys much much better than I ever will be and they play one beat up old axe (Jaco, SRV) I think it is really cool. I mean that instrument becomes like and extension of them.

I seriously looking at selling everything but one amp and one bass. Am I thinking rationally? Or do I need a wakeup call and keep my stuff that I worked so hard for? I think there is no cure for GAS but rather than keep feeding the addiction just stop buying.

How much is too much?

How many of you play just one? (not like one just because you are a beginner but rather you veterans that stuck with one over the years).
 
#3
I have two basses, a Fender Precision and a Michael Kelly fretless 4 ABG. I find this covers a lot of ground. I don't think having just one bass would be as versatile, but if I had to keep one, it would have to be the Precision. But I'd be sad about losing the fretless.

As for all the amps, my little Markbass combo meets every need.
 
#4
Lol what you described is too much, but that's only my opinion :). I can see the point in multiple instruments when each serves a separate purpose or has a specific function. For example, ideally I'd like to own 1 fretted 6, 1 fretless 6, 1 modern 4, 1 vintage 4 or 5 and and Upright. It's probably excessive but each one can be used in a different setting for different styles of music.

If I were you I'd cut down to 2 basses, 1 amp/cab combo, and maybe a practice amp. The money you could save or put towards something a little more different from what you already have.

Also, you could also turn a hobby into a bit of extra cash. Spend $100-ish on getting some business cards made and advertise yourself. That way you can put your gear and skills to work and possibly earn some green doing so.
 
#6
This depends on your needs and requirements. I ask the folowing questions. First, is all of your gear paid for? Secondly, do you have a space issue ie.e your gear takes up too much of your living space? Finally, do you need the money that you would raise by selling?

Assuming your gear is paid for, and the answer to the other two questions is no, then I would keep the gear unless you absolutely sure you will not be using it for the foreseable future.

If you have space or money issues then by all means, thin the hurd. I do not believe in having only one bass. I have heard some pretty flexible basses, but never a single one that cuts it for everything I like to play. Heck, fretless is not my main thing, but I do use it occasionally and I like to play it.

So, I have 4 basses. The first one I ever owned, which does not get played. My 4 string steinberger elite, which is never leaving me. My two other basses are two 6 string Carvins...fretted and fretless. I have no intention of getting rid of them, but I might consider the fretted if someone would make me a good deal on it...say a trade for a Peavey Cirrus 5 or 6.

I have two amps. My main/"big" rig is a rack with a trace Elliot GP12, Korg DTR1 tuner. a BE, and a Crown Powerbase 2 through a Peavey 410TX. I would like to get a nice tube preamp for this rig, but that is the end of it. I also have a Tubeworks combo I use for smaller jams and a little recording (the DI on it sounds good).
 
#9
I have only ever owned one bass, one amp and one cab at a time. That being said, I've gone through a lot of gear over the years. I can see how it might be necessary for guys doing session work to want multiple instruments I guess, but beyond that it does seem strange to me. Probably the main reason I have never had more stuff than I can use is for financial reasons. I just can't justify buying a bunch of instruments when I have one that does what I need it to do. Or maybe my playing is so one dimensional that one of each peice of gear serves my needs.
 
#11
You only have 5 basses!? I wish I could cut down to 5. :D

Life is short, so if you love the basses you have and they get played, then you should have them. If you are holding on to some that you don't play or that aren't really for you, then that's when I would sell. I just sold a beautiful semi-hollow bass because I just wasn't playing it. I felt it needed to go to someone who would use it.

Just my 2 cents. ;)
 
#12
I have too much gear, but I justify it (to myself) like this...

I have 4 cabinets - 1 2x10 at one drummer's house, 2 (a 2x10 and a 1x15) at the other drummer's house and one (a 4x14) in my basement for practice at home and to bring to gigs. Saves me from moving stuff around and killing my car.

I have 3 heads - an Ampeg SVT-CL for gigs and practice at home, a Markbass F1 to keep in my gig bag for practice and for going direct if required and a GK 700RB-II that is left with my 2 cabs at drummer #2's place. The GK is used in my metal band as I like how it sounds.

I have 10+ basses. This is where the "justifying" goes out the window. I have 5 and 6 string Roscoes as I love how they sound and gig them both (maple and wenge boards, too so they sound different), I have a Sadowsky Metro as I like to slap on a 4 string active Jazz, I have 4 and 5 string Stingrays as I love the tone for rock and slap. That's 5 so far.... I also have a '74 P for recording... brings us to 6!:ninja: Beyond that.... a Stu Hamm MIM Fender, a '70's BC Rich Son of a BICH, a VM fretless Squier Jazz, a VM Squier Tele P and a Morgan Monroe ABG... so 11.:eek::D

The Stu Hamm, the Tele P and the BC Rich would be no brainers to get rid of as they aren't really getting played. The ABG gets played a lot at jams in the summer and the fretless is a ibanezcollector relic that I love and also installed MIA Fender PU, so it sounds great. I am not really a fretless guy though...so....:(

So, if I got rid of 3 basses, I would be down to 8. If I had to cut below that? The Stingrays would take a bullet as a Jazz and a Roscoe will do most of what a SR can and the freless would have to go.

My Roscoes aren't going anywhere, nor is my '74 P and I will always have a Jazz bass of some kind. Even if I cleaned house, I would still have 4 electrics and an ABC.

Cabs? I wouldn't lose sleep if I had to lug around a 2x10 and keep my 4x10 for gigs. I could dump 2 of the others I guess.

Heads? I could live without the GK but I am not lugging a 85lb SVT to practice 3 times a week so the F1 stays.

Phew!:D Anyways, I have too much stuff but do gig quite a bit with 3 different bands. If I had to (mainly if I needed the $$$), I would downsize in a heartbeat.

If I stopped gigging... I would likely cut even deeper.
 
#13
smem said:
I have only ever owned one bass, one amp and one cab at a time. That being said, I've gone through a lot of gear over the years. I can see how it might be necessary for guys doing session work to want multiple instruments I guess, but beyond that it does seem strange to me. Probably the main reason I have never had more stuff than I can use is for financial reasons. I just can't justify buying a bunch of instruments when I have one that does what I need it to do. Or maybe my playing is so one dimensional that one of each peice of gear serves my needs.
Click to expand...

Oh yea, I didnt even mention the basses and amps and other accesories that I have sold over the years.

I will be the first to admit I have way more gear than talent. :(
 
#14
I have what's in my signature + 1 crappy Peavy TNT at our practice space. How do I keeep my gas down? By joining another band and learning new songs. I've just spent the last hour trying to get Sade's Kiss of Life tight for a wedding band I'm auditioning for next week. Combine that with my bar band and my family, I don't have time for GAS.

But it did take me a couple years to find the 2 basses I love. Until then I'd go through basses about once a month.
 
#15
I also have "too much gear" but I work hard and have the space and its all paid for. yes I probably have spent too much on it all but really, I know people that blow thousands every year in casinos or spend the same amount on cigarettes.

I have 4 basses, three amps, 4 cabs and a bunch of pedals. I love to mix and match the gear and never get with it. Sure you could get by with one bass and one amp/cab, but variety is the spice of life and there is nothing wrong with having some options in your gear! :)
 
#16
markkoelsch said:
This depends on your needs and requirements. I ask the folowing questions. First, is all of your gear paid for? Secondly, do you have a space issue ie.e your gear takes up too much of your living space? Finally, do you need the money that you would raise by selling?

Assuming your gear is paid for, and the answer to the other two questions is no, then I would keep the gear unless you absolutely sure you will not be using it for the foreseable future.

If you have space or money issues then by all means, thin the hurd. I do not believe in having only one bass. I have heard some pretty flexible basses, but never a single one that cuts it for everything I like to play. Heck, fretless is not my main thing, but I do use it occasionally and I like to play it.

So, I have 4 basses. The first one I ever owned, which does not get played. My 4 string steinberger elite, which is never leaving me. My two other basses are two 6 string Carvins...fretted and fretless. I have no intention of getting rid of them, but I might consider the fretted if someone would make me a good deal on it...say a trade for a Peavey Cirrus 5 or 6.

I have two amps. My main/"big" rig is a rack with a trace Elliot GP12, Korg DTR1 tuner. a BE, and a Crown Powerbase 2 through a Peavey 410TX. I would like to get a nice tube preamp for this rig, but that is the end of it. I also have a Tubeworks combo I use for smaller jams and a little recording (the DI on it sounds good).
Click to expand...

You brought up some good points.
1. No I dont need the money (The sales of the items could pay of a credit card though)

2. I dont need the free up space. (but it wouldnt hurt either)

3. As far as really using them in the future, I use one bass 90% of the time and the other 9%... the rest split the remaining 1%.

Some people have asked why I have 4 Jazz basses. Well...
One has Dimarzio Ultra's with Rounds
One has Dimarzio J'a with Flats
One has Single coils with Very light rounds
One is just ummmm, its just pretty.
and the Pbass, well everyone needs a Pbass right?

The Telecaster just looks awesome hanging on the wall, and I can play a solo on it that that would make Jimi Hendrix slap his mama! Yes, I said "A" solo, Im just a one trick pony on 6 string. I wanted to try out for a band and do that one for my audition to get the job. When they ask "what else I can play" just say "nothing" and pack up and leave.
 
#17
I'm certainly a member of this crowd. But, I play in 2 bands, so I can sort of justify it that way. However, I could surely part with 1 bass, and maybe even 1 rig,...no scratch that, just one bass, I need all my amps and cabs. Besides, it's only 4 total.
 
#20
I have a fretted 4 jazz-style (Lakland), a fretless 4 (Clement), and another fretless 4 (Squier) for basses and one smallish amp (400W with 2 10s). I don't relate well to fivers and the only reason the Squier is still around is that my son wants it when he gets older. So I only actually play a fretted and a fretless 4. Just these two do it very nicely for me.
Quite enough for this hobbyist.
 

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