Can't afford to be in a band

[Grangur]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1407782967' post='2524016']
I recently spent two years gigging a Squier I bought used for under £100, nobody batted an eyelid. Expensive bass guitars only exist to cater to the customer who likes to spend a lot of money. I'm sure they're very nice but I'll never buy one, for the same reason that I'll never buy a Ferrari.
[/quote]
Hmmm... so you don't like red gear either?

[paulbass]

Hi, i'm very fortunate to have 'top end' gear...its taken me 30 years to get it but i got there. I also been in bands when my children were young and i had very basic kit...i even had to borrow some gear to see me through a gig just to put food on the table for my family as it was more important than having the best gear at that time.
One band i was in the drummer we had sounded awesome and when i entered the room i saw his kit it was held together with gaffer tape!...probably the worse kit ive ever seen but he made it sing. It wasnt even a branded kit.
I still have my first ever bass and i will never part with it,it may not be worth much but to me its priceless as its done 100's of gigs and been in many bands and never let me down...although it needs setting up and servicing now. That piece of wood has introduced me to many musicians and ive made many friends.
Its not what you got its how you use it

[fumps]

My bass & amp cost me less than 400 quid.
Happy with my tone. Love playing
Have no wants or needs above that.

My cloth is cut to my very narrow pocket.

Do I wasn't something higher up? Nah I'm happy with what I have

[ianrendall]

I've had expensive 700W valve stacks, Stingrays, vintage Fenders, Vigiers and all that fluff and I've come to one conclusion that simplicity is best. I think with expensive stuff you'll spend too much time fiddling around trying to get the sound you think you should be able to get just because you've paid so many thousands of pounds. I have a new rule that I will never again own a bass with more knobs than strings. I'm happier than I've ever been with my 77 Squier VM Jazz and soon to arrive 250W TC Electronic combo - all for the very reasonable sum of £350 from this very forum.

[paul_5]

I can't afford not to; I'd go batshit crazy if I didn't.

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1407773688' post='2523860']
Does anyone else get frustrated not being able to afford half decent gear?
I play a Jhs vintage bass and whilst I like it I would prefer something a bit higher quality. My amp set up is just a mixture of second hand Hartke stuff off here or ebay. Last gig my amp head died so I am currently trawling the web looking for cheap second hand heads which I know is a false economy as they probably wont last five minutes. The gigs pay well but that usually gets spent on the kids. Think its made worse that the guitarist and drummer have no commitments so are always buying new gear. I would never expect them to chip in for my gear but cant help getting a bit down about it. I look at prices of decent gear and its like a different world to me.
Anyone else feel the same?
[/quote]

second hand hartke rig and a squier affinity

[stingrayPete1977]

It all depends on your personal circumstances imo, I have some nice gear, nothing mega expensive but at the same time I dont drink much, I dont smoke, im not into clothes or £100 a pair trainers, I dont own a watch, my car cost me less than a grand 5 years ago and is tax and mot exempt. Those all add up to a big saving easily covering a few basses that I use and enjoy at least a few times a week, keeping a double bass and eub in Spirocore strings might just reduce me to jam sandwiches though

[flyfisher]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407790689' post='2524108']
It all depends on your personal [s]circumstances[/s] choices imo,
[/quote]

A pedantic fix, but I agree with you. I know someone who drinks like a fish, never has a car more than two years old and moans about not having any money.

[Doddy]

I've mentioned this before-A couple of years ago I split quite a big show with Paul Westwood (look up his credits-he's
one of the busiest session players in London). I used my Japanese Fender Jazz. Paul's main Bass? A Hohner Steinberger
copy.He sounded great.

[Weststarx]

FINANCE

You can get 0% interest Finance most places like PMT, Guitar Guitar and GAK, thats how I've brought some of my more expensive gear.

[stingrayPete1977]

I suppose the thing I listed are all choices, feeding and clothing children is always going to split hairs though in that respect, you can't exactly get the equivolent of nicotine patches instead can you, Lol.

I work with two nice lads, they started when they were 16 (twins) they save their money and work hard so they had good mopeds, then 125cc bikes, then a car each, then a landrover each for playing around in, another lad that works for a building firm we work for thinks they have it on a plate and he is always complaining that he can't drive never mind afford a car or two cars! But he has tanning injections, slimming pills, thinks nothing of spending £60 on a shirt then getting it ripped the same night pissed up having a fight followed by a few lines, he can't see that night alone would pay for a months worth of driving lessons! I dont care that he is a knob or a coke head, that is his look out but it is not fair that he moans about the twins having a car etc IMO.

Like I said before other hobbies would not bring the OP any money in at all, maybe a small fund in a tin towards some new gear would be an idea, even a fiver here or there from each gig and the £20 you nearly spent on something else then decided not to can go in, it will soon add up IME and more importantly let you know if new gear is what you want more than anything else any spare cash is going on? The people telling you that a Squier bass is all you need is great but the fact you started a little venting thread suggests you would like some new gear to me : )

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1407792078' post='2524128']
FINANCE

You can get 0% interest Finance most places like PMT, Guitar Guitar and GAK, thats how I've brought some of my more expensive gear.
[/quote]
It can be good and a 0% credit card over 30 months or similar is a geat way but I would not suggest anyone gets credit on a forum unless that is the topic the OP asked about, I find it a bit too personal? Why not have a punt on the gee gees instead

If we are being [i]pacific [/i]about it you bought the gear with credit anyway, Ha

Edited August 11, 2014 by stingrayPete1977

[thisnameistaken]

I'd just like to put in a dissenting voice against the suggestion of using credit, although it seems the O.P. is smart enough not to do that anyway.

[Bilbo]

Get what you can afford and make music. It's no more complicated than that. Everything else is a trap. Anyone who judges your worth as a player based on your gear is a tit. I work regularly with a great little player who only had a 335 copy. Another guitar player locally passed away and left him a Gibson ES175. He still a nice little player

[mcnach]

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1407773688' post='2523860']
Does anyone else get frustrated not being able to afford half decent gear?
I play a Jhs vintage bass and whilst I like it I would prefer something a bit higher quality. My amp set up is just a mixture of second hand Hartke stuff off here or ebay. Last gig my amp head died so I am currently trawling the web looking for cheap second hand heads which I know is a false economy as they probably wont last five minutes. The gigs pay well but that usually gets spent on the kids. Think its made worse that the guitarist and drummer have no commitments so are always buying new gear. I would never expect them to chip in for my gear but cant help getting a bit down about it. I look at prices of decent gear and its like a different world to me.
Anyone else feel the same?
[/quote]

I sympathise re: wanting better gear but... you can do a lot with "not-so-good" gear!

You talk about your Vintage brand bass as if it were poor. I have a Vintage Jazz myself. It was my first bass. It's more than adequate, and I have played a few gigs with it myself. I have replaced the pickups, granted, but that's a relatively low cost improvement... and I only did this the second time I owned it. Yes, I sold it, then the new owner used it quite a bit live and recorded with it, then I found him again and I bought it back.
Amps? I even played through a Behringer for while... it was fine! I had a 4x10 Peavey cab that cost me £70. It was heavy, but it worked very well...
I won't go on... Just, don't let the gear get you down. I have spent quite a bit on suff because I had the opportunity, but if not I'd be happy playing the OLP that was my main gigging bass for a couple of years... Or the Squier Jazz I played last weekend (£75 used, plus some replacement pickups), or anything else suitably cheap but decent sounding.

In a way, it's better when you get good results out of budget gear

[mcnach]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1407776249' post='2523904']
What's the problem? You've got a bass that can handle the gig and you can buy a good secondhand amp for
good money. There is far too much emphasis put on owning expensive gear when in reality, as nice as it is, it's
not strictly necessary. I've played gigs on cheap basses and no one cares as long as it works and you play it well.
We've all bought gear for the sake of it but really, the gear is secondary to the playing. Go out, play with your band,
enjoy yourself and if/when you have enough cash you can upgrade if you want but until then play and enjoy what
you have and don't worry about what you think other people think you should be playing.
[/quote]

+1

this is what I meant, but he said it better

[mcnach]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1407777801' post='2523936']
Priorities is right. I've got some OK bass gear, but my car is a running gag to my friends and colleages - a battered 1997 VW Golf. They can't understand why I won't buy a new car. As far as I'm concerned, it works, it does what I want it to do and I'm just not interested in driving around in a shiny new w*nker's car... Audi, anyone?? Oo-er, that's done it - I'm off!
[/quote]

[mcnach]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1407790450' post='2524104']
second hand hartke rig and a squier affinity


[/quote]


and my £75 Squier! (playing at the "Deadinburgh" show a couple of years ago)

[flyfisher]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407792296' post='2524130']
I work with two nice lads, they started when they were 16 (twins) they save their money and work hard so they had good mopeds, then 125cc bikes, then a car each, then a landrover each for playing around in, another lad that works for a building firm we work for thinks they have it on a plate and he is always complaining that he can't drive never mind afford a car or two cars! But he has tanning injections, slimming pills, thinks nothing of spending £60 on a shirt then getting it ripped the same night pissed up having a fight followed by a few lines, he can't see that night alone would pay for a months worth of driving lessons! I dont care that he is a knob or a coke head, that is his look out but it is not fair that he moans about the twins having a car etc IMO.
[/quote]

Yep, the story of most people's lives can be traced to the decisions they make. Won't stop some people moaning that it's not fair though.

[Cat Burrito]

I spent the first 15yrs of my playing career with the same secondhand £50 amp. That amp saw me play the Marquee Club, appear on TV, tour the UK and even play a session for a guitar mag. Kit these days is better than ever & the 2nd hand market allows the keener shopper to benefit from others GAS. Especially around the less sexy items like amps.

Personally speaking, I can't afford [b]not[/b] to be in a band.

[yorks5stringer]

There's hardly a punter (who's not a muso) that can distinguish between a Vintage Bass and a Fender one. Ditto re your Amp. The good thing about Basschat is you get to see and hear about all the other gear out there. The bad thing about Basschat.......

[blue]

A lot of pros move beyond worrying about gear, because they can. They are back-lined with nice stuff and probably only carry one bass and usually can make anything sound good.

Blue

[gadgie]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1407777801' post='2523936']
Priorities is right. I've got some OK bass gear, but my car is a running gag to my friends and colleages - a battered 1997 VW Golf. They can't understand why I won't buy a new car. As far as I'm concerned, it works, it does what I want it to do and I'm just not interested in driving around in a shiny new w*nker's car... Audi, anyone?? Oo-er, that's done it - I'm off!
[/quote]

What's problem you have with people buying good gear or cars or whatever. If they can afford it, then why not? Life is not a dress rehearsal, you only get one crack at it so make the best of it. So if having the latest RS4, or 2 p basses, 1 J bass and a few rics, with a 2000 watt rig that you never leave the bedroom with.....good on yi.
However, I can understand the fustration of needing decent gear to gig with, and struggling to get it.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='gadgie' timestamp='1407798337' post='2524210']
If they can afford it, then why not?
[/quote]

Of course - if they can afford it. But the topic is not being able to afford it, or at least not everything, and having to make choices.

Discreet was just pointing out that he thinks good bass gear is more important to him than his car. As the owner of 13 and 16 year old cars I agree with him and personally would rather spend a month sailing in the Caribbean than buy a new car. But we all have different priorities.

Edited August 11, 2014 by flyfisher

[gadgie]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1407799169' post='2524217']
Of course - if they can afford it. But the topic is not being able to afford it, or at least not everything, and having to make choices.

Discreet was just pointing out that he thinks good bass gear is more important to him than his car. As the owner of 13 and 16 year old cars I agree with him and personally would rather spend a month sailing in the Caribbean than buy a new car. But we all have different priorities.
[/quote]
Yes, I suppose you're right FF. I was sort of refering to his ealrier post in this thread. See below. But, to label a new car as a wan*kers car just because he chooses to drive about in an old car is IMO not right.

"If you can then you don't need a shop full of shiny gear. I'm sure there's a certain amount of 'all the gear but no idea' on this forum just like those fast car forums for people who can't drive, or those golf forums for people who haven't got the first clue about how to swing a club... "