Where is all the decent gear ?

[pantherairsoft]

I play my expensive stuff all the time... I played my Roscoe Century Sig last week at an open mic night... That's a seriously gucci bit of kit. No point in owning it unless it's going to get played.

Soundman came up to me afterwards and said "That Warwick sounds amazing" - Oh

[4000]

I've had quite a bit of expensive, boutique kit, but much of it (probably most if I'm honest) hasn't worked as well live as some of the more meat-and-potatoes stuff in the context it's been used in. So I've always gravitated to what works best for me in the particular situation. I suspect many others do the same. Having said that, I've never had a bass I wouldn't gig; that'd be like having a pint glass you never drank from.

Edited August 2, 2011 by 4000

[grahamd]

Absolutely, I play my Sadowsky in some real toilets, but I bought it be played, and it thrills me to gig with. Its not an 'investment' or whatever. Lifes too short!

[bassfan]

[quote name='NJE' post='1322393' date='Jul 31 2011, 07:28 PM']In probably 12 years of playing bass and going to see bands I think once I have seen anyone using something boutique and that includes established bands.

I have been lucky enough to own a couple of boutique basses and noone at any gig or rehearsal has really ever given a monkeys about what I am playing or what my amp is, people dont generally care, but they will comment when my bass sounds good which is because of the gear. They will recognise a Fender or Gibson and try and make small talk like "them Fenders, best guitars in the world they are" but that is about it in my experience. Someone once commented that they had heard of my Mark Bass amp....

I had a beautiful Overwater Jazz and took it to practice, the sax player and guitarist both at seperate intervals said something along the lines of "Cant afford a Fender" or "Fenders a bit too expensive are they" and that sums it up for me. 98% of the musicians I have know or met are happy with established brands and never deviate from that.[/quote]


I second that! I have had the same comment twice about my blue sparkle moduls... "oh, that's a funky coloured fender"

[4 Strings]

Funnily enough, I would say my experience in watching (countless) bands has been different, the bass players seem to have more expensive stuff than me; fancy basses, mainly, amps are sometimes frustratingly crap. The bassists instrument seems to me to be one of the most conscious part of the stage.

[stingrayPete1977]

I take at least £3000 worth of kit to every gig sometimes up to £5000 even at the dog and duck but that's what I bought it for, Playing. I have took just my Jazz and the rig to a rough pub in Erdington a couple of times but that was because we knew other bands had trouble there, normally I wouldn't know and would take the Ray 5 , Genz and another something 4 stringy probably. More often than not the contents of the car I used to get to the gig is worth more than car (no Morris minor jokes )

Stuff is for using so get it out there!

[4 Strings]

You have a Morris Minor? My gear certainly doesn't add up to that sort of value. Cheap Merc estate here, unfortunately, £1k, always worth less than gig gear!

I've always thought a Minor van to be the ultimate transport for a bass player.

Edited August 3, 2011 by 4 Strings

[funkypenguin]

I usually get asked the old favourite "I thought basses only had 4 strings" rather than anything to do with my playing...

My gear is relatively expensive but i use it every gig i play

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='1325707' date='Aug 3 2011, 02:34 PM']You have a Morris Minor? My gear certainly doesn't add up to that sort of value. Cheap Merc estate here, unfortunately, £1k, always worth less than gig gear!

I've always thought a Minor van to be the ultimate transport for a bass player.[/quote]
That's a cracking van shame they are silly money these days, mine is just a saloon so even my cheapest Ray bought new in 2002 cost quite a bit more than the car

[Mace]

My NSCR5 gets loads of comments all the time, mainly from punters who haven't got a clue what it is! I love it as people will come and have a chat as they're intrigued

In my old band I had 2 pedalboards of effects which would get many a stare, altho probably more for all the lights rather than the content of the board?! Or maybe they were thinking why the hell has the bass player got all that stuff going on?!

[janmaat]

I believe the gear must fit the occasion.

Posh gear in a pub makes you look like a twat. Can't stand all these guys rocking up
with their amazing gear and then, not making eye contact with the audience.

If you play tight and look into people's eyes, nobody's going to look at the gear.
If I get comments on my gear, then my gear has stolen my thunder.

Why take high end gear anywhere else but the studio? Unless, of course, it's
a clean proper safe well paid venue, a jazz bar cum restaurant, in other words,
an event to which I'd wear a suit.

Maybe worth saying the gear should not be more expensive than the clothes
you wear on stage??

[chrismuzz]

My most expensive 'outfit' is worth under £400 and that includes jewelery. I'd have a hard time finding a bass and rig for that!

[ThomBassmonkey]

If my gear had to be cheaper than my clothes, I'd be lucky to have an encore bass, never mind an amp, I'm sure lot of people would have the same problem.

Surely if someone looks a twat for not making eye contact with the audience, that's the issue? It doesn't matter what gear they're using...I get compliments on my gear and I enjoy it, it means that it's not just my playing that people enjoy, but I've obviously made wise choices on gear too.

I take over £4,000 of gear to every gig (which is less than I used to) because I payed a lot of money to get a rig and basses I enjoy, I'm not going to leave that at home and have payed so much money to bring it out once every few months for a few days of recording.

[chris_b]

[quote name='janmaat' post='1326618' date='Aug 4 2011, 10:45 AM']....Posh gear in a pub makes you look like a twat....[/quote]
That's a pretty silly comment!

The cost of the gear is the least important thing. If the guy sounds good then his gear is worth it, even if he's looking at his shoes.

[JTUK]

What dives do some people play where they have to consider what gear to take out..rather than how it will sound?

I take the same 2 basses, but switch between a 2x112 or 2x210 stack.
The amp is a whim but since I am playing in an new one..I concentrate on taking that atm.

Don't ask about the value but it would likely be a rack of expensive suits

[Doddy]

[quote name='janmaat' post='1326618' date='Aug 4 2011, 10:45 AM']I believe the gear must fit the occasion.

Posh gear in a pub makes you look like a twat. Can't stand all these guys rocking up
with their amazing gear and then, not making eye contact with the audience.

If you play tight and look into people's eyes, nobody's going to look at the gear.
If I get comments on my gear, then my gear has stolen my thunder.

Why take high end gear anywhere else but the studio? Unless, of course, it's
a clean proper safe well paid venue, a jazz bar cum restaurant, in other words,
an event to which I'd wear a suit.

Maybe worth saying the gear should not be more expensive than the clothes
you wear on stage??[/quote]
Really??????

I mean..........................Really??????

[bartelby]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1326634' date='Aug 4 2011, 11:00 AM']If my gear had to be cheaper than my clothes, I'd be lucky to have an encore bass, never mind an amp, I'm sure lot of people would have the same problem.[/quote]

You're not wrong.
I'm currently wearing £40 of clothes! Free Soundgarden promo t-shirt £15 pair of jeans, £20 for shoes and £5 for socks and shorts!
Not sure how far that would get me gear wise!!

The way I think is why buy expensive stuff if you're not going to use it live.
The most expensive bass I've got, that I bought new, is my Fender Steve Harris P. The rrp is now about £1,400 (granted, it's not up there with Wals), but it was my main gigging bass until my Stingray arrived.
If I could afford a Wal I'd use it in any old sh*thole.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='bartelby' post='1326681' date='Aug 4 2011, 11:51 AM']You're not wrong.
I'm currently wearing £40 of clothes! Free Soundgarden promo t-shirt £15 pair of jeans, £20 for shoes and £5 for socks and shorts!
Not sure how far that would get me gear wise!![/quote]

Sue Ryder, and a Behringer DI box

[umph]

you guys need to start going to doom gigs, theres always loads of gear porn going on

[Bilbo]

I have one bass and one amp. I use the set up at every gig and have done for well over 20 years. What damage there is has occured during load ins/outs and not as a result of the actions of others but by my clumsiness. Nevertheless, the gear all still works. I have had three or four repairs to amps in 30 years and one to a bass. I'd call that reasonable wear and tear, all things considered. Like the OP, however, I have to say I almost never see any boutique gear anywhere, amps or basses.

My kid brother runs a Harley repair shop and tells me most Harley's, certainly the better ones, are owned by middle aged men in the middle of a mid-life crisis who only every take them out when the sun is shining. I can't say the same would apply to bass players but I do sometimes wonder whether there is an unconscious tendency to want to 'buy' a better playing experience rather then earn it by concerted practice. I find that I want the music to be better and have yet to feel that I can attribute any shortcomings in that area to the instrument I am playing (or any of the gear owned by anyone else I play with, for that matter). I find the gear is a tiny part of the equation. They all sound like basses to me

[chris_b]

A Harley is definitely what my midlife crisis is missing!!

[Fat Rich]

I've played plenty of pub gigs with my Status basses (although not recently), nobody paid any attention to the gear only to the music which is fine by me.

I play the gear I play because I like it and it works with my playing style, if it gets bashed that just adds to the mojo of the bass. But I can understand if other people want to keep their posh gear safe.

[oldslapper]

I was at a mates wedding Saturday, evening do was at a small village hall.
Local band turned up and the bass player had a Markbass combo and sandberg PM which I thought was quite a decent rig. Mind you most of the guests were muso's so maybe they thought they'd better bring out the "best silver" in case someone pointed and laughed. We did anyway.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='janmaat' post='1326618' date='Aug 4 2011, 10:45 AM']I believe the gear must fit the occasion.

Posh gear in a pub makes you look like a twat. Can't stand all these guys rocking up
with their amazing gear and then, not making eye contact with the audience.

If you play tight and look into people's eyes, nobody's going to look at the gear.
If I get comments on my gear, then my gear has stolen my thunder.

Why take high end gear anywhere else but the studio? Unless, of course, it's
a clean proper safe well paid venue, a jazz bar cum restaurant, in other words,
an event to which I'd wear a suit.

Maybe worth saying the gear should not be more expensive than the clothes
you wear on stage??[/quote]
Sorry but apart from the first sentence which is completely subjective, that's all rubbish.

Use whatever gear gives the right sound and look and has the best playability for the songs.

And speaking as someone who's not adverse to spending some serious cash on clothes, I'd still find it almost impossible to wear clothes that were more expensive than the basses I'm playing.

[markstuk]

Can you get a bass and rig for £22? :-)

Or shall I posit an alternative. If you spend more on clothes than gear you're more interested in people looking at you than listening to you

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1327346' date='Aug 4 2011, 04:37 PM']Sorry but apart from the first sentence which is completely subjective, that's all rubbish.

Use whatever gear gives the right sound and look and has the best playability for the songs.

And speaking as someone who's not adverse to spending some serious cash on clothes, I'd still find it almost impossible to wear clothes that were more expensive than the basses I'm playing.[/quote]