Is It Me?

[goblin]

I couldn't help but notice, but I've been playing bass for around 5 years now, and from gigging and pictures of me playing, people have never had a problem seeing that I was playing a bass. A couple of days I changed my Facebook picture, one of me playing bass at a gig again, and for the first time ever, in the space of a week, I've had 5 people saying "Hey, nice guitar!"

Is it just one of them weeks where once in a life time all the idiots come out of their holes?

Edited January 18, 2011 by goblin

[xgsjx]

What kind of guitar was it?

[Huw Foster]

You could avoid getting annoyed by just assuming they all mean short hand for (bass) guitar? Or am I being too optimistic?

[goblin]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='1093975' date='Jan 18 2011, 03:45 PM']What kind of guitar was it? [/quote]

Fretless Warwick


[quote name='Huwberry' post='1093977' date='Jan 18 2011, 03:47 PM']You could avoid getting annoyed by just assuming they all mean short hand for (bass) guitar? Or am I being too optimistic?[/quote]

Lil too optimistic there, I'm not annoyed, just amazed that I've never had it, and then all of it came at once

[NJE]

[quote name='Huwberry' post='1093977' date='Jan 18 2011, 03:47 PM']You could avoid getting annoyed by just assuming they all mean short hand for (bass) guitar? Or am I being too optimistic?[/quote]

I have been playing bass for 11 years and for most of that time I have always referred to basses as guitars in every day conversation. I don't do it to save confusion for the person I am talking to, it has always been a bass guitar in my eyes so like the quote above I wouldn't put it down to ignorance on the subject. I am sure there are a few bass players who just refer to it as a guitar?

[lojo]

A lot people refer to basses as guitars, and they are, although it is mostly referred to as just a "bass" for sure

Don't get offended when someone without much instrument knowledge just sees it as a "guitar", to them it is, so nothing wrong is meant by it

If you didn't know your hammers, a hammer is a hammer, but a carpenter uses a claw hammer, a bricky a club hammer and so on

Focus on the bit that says "hey NICE g.....r" , seems they are trying to compliment your instrument or playing, so I hope they don't find out you are calling them "idiots"

Edited January 18, 2011 by lojo

[EssentialTension]

If it had strings, my old dad always called it a banjo.

[Cat Burrito]

I expect they're not players so easily forgiven

[flyfisher]

[quote name='lojo' post='1094152' date='Jan 18 2011, 06:01 PM']Don't get offended when someone without much instrument knowledge just sees it as a "guitar", to them it is, so nothing wrong is meant by it

If you didn't know your hammers, a hammer is a hammer, but a carpenter uses a claw hammer, a bricky a club hammer and so on

Focus on the bit that says "hey NICE g.....r" , seems they are trying to compliment your instrument or playing, so I hope they don't find out you are calling them "idiots"[/quote]
+1

I use a screwdriver but a gunsmith would use a turnscrew. Most craftsmen have quite specific names for the tools of their trade. I'd be quite upset if a craftsman called me an idiot just because I didn't happen to know the name of their specialist tools and would regard them as an ignorant moron with no interpersonal skills. A simple, polite , explanation works wonders.

Besides, as a general description, it IS a guitar

[flyfisher]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1094263' date='Jan 18 2011, 07:25 PM']If it had strings, my old dad always called it a banjo.[/quote]
My Grandfather was exactly the same.

[EssentialTension]

... and a harmonica was a trumpet.

[flyfisher]

Er, OK, maybe not [u]exactly[/u] the same.

[goblin]

Okay you all got me there I was really only commenting on how I'm amazed that it's only just happening. But y'know, we all know how amused / hacked off double bassists get when someone makes a Violin comment

[Dom in Dorset]

At Glastonbury last year I was sat on the back of the van practicing for the next gig, (with bass guitar), a woman came up to me and said "what's the name of the bass player in your band?"

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='goblin' post='1094439' date='Jan 18 2011, 08:49 PM']Okay you all got me there I was really only commenting on how I'm amazed that it's only just happening. But y'know, we all know how amused / hacked off double bassists get when someone makes a [s]Violin[/s] banjo comment [/quote]
Corrected it for you.

[goblin]

Oh dear

[EskimoBassist]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1094263' date='Jan 18 2011, 07:25 PM']If it had strings, my old dad always called it a banjo.[/quote]
My granddad still does the same, worse still, he thinks that doing so is amusing!

[E sharp]

I know what you mean , I always say 'bass' , but the bottom line is - it is a guitar (a bass guitar) .

By just saying bass , people may think , "bass what ? Bass clarinet , Sax , Guitar , drum ?"

I don't give it a thought now and the tool analagy is spot on .

We shouldn't get too precious about a word .

[lettsguitars]

a bass guitar is exactly that! a guitar in the bass range. i guess there is no such thing as a bass, as 'a' bass is just poor grammar. 'i play the bass' would make more sense. but 'this is a bass', huh? i presume a standup bass is a bass violin or cello. obviously we all use the bass term cause it's the most popular form of bass instrument.

[TimR]

I think facebook is a bit random on what it 'shows' to people. It seems to put a high importance on telling people that you have changed your profile pic or updated your status, but doesn't always show all your pictures that you publish, usually it only shows one or two from your album.

[Spike Vincent]

Or possibly they could just all be idiots.