Gigging your 'beater' bass (Snob alert)

[Guest MoJo]

I recently picked up an old Ibanez GSR200 (the passive V-V-T version) locally, from a guy who was moving house and just wanted to get shot of it, for £60. I thought it would be a great beater to leave lying around in the house for noodling and running through the set. I cleaned it, dropped on a set of flatwound strings, set the neck relief, the action and the intonation. I can't believe how nice this thing is to play and how well it suits the flats. I can get a proper 'P-bass' tone out of the neck pickup but it's lighter and better balanced than any P-bass I've owned. I know this would suit the band's sound but I just can't bring myself to gig with a £60 bass. I'd rather take my, also recently acquired, Ibanez ATK400, even though it's much harder to get a tone to suit the band on the ATK, purely because it's a gorgeous, expensive looking bit of kit.

What would you do?

[NancyJohnson]

I've got a beater that I use live periodically, this being largely dependent on the level of dive the place is that we're playing (it's an Aria Pro-II Primary - a Precision copy).

Generally though, I'll take a Gibson or my Lull.
P

[Dood]

Good question! Well, my 'looker' bass is also the best sounding and the best for the job (but I guess you'd expect that from a custom build by Shuker) - but that said, I'm really enjoying thrashing the pants off my '76 "law-suit" P Bass. It's a bit dented and looks like it has had a good life. Makes a great sound, but there's also the element of just being able to chuck a lead in any amp and JUST PLAY. I'm getting a lot of joy from that at the moment. In terms of 'getting that tone', having owned my Power Jazz for donkeys years, it never actually got to gig, but since having a respray and new electronics, it has turned in to a superb plug & play instrument, so it will definitely come out to the 4 string gigs. Oh and it looks pretty now too ha ha!!

I am a bit of a snob, but only that I believe in gear that is right for the job. It does what it is supposed to and that's what I want to use and support I guess!

[Dood]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1469622590' post='3099779']
{snip} (it's an Aria Pro-II Primary - a Precision copy).

[/quote]

my 76 is a Aria-Pro 'Professional'. I'm not sure if yours is the same, but I have been very lucky I think. It is an amazing player, even for 40 years old. Actually feels nicer than the current Nate Mendel P, which is based on Nate's own 71 P.

[BigRedX]

I don't really have a "beater bass". After lots of buying and selling my collection is down to 3 Gus basses, a Sei fretless and a Warwick StarBass. All instruments that get used because they look, play and sound right. Cost doesn't come into it at all.

I do also have 3 relatively cheap basses - a Squier Bass VI, an early 60s Burns Sonic, and a Fernandes Pie-zo Hello Kitty travel bass, but they are all speciality basses with a particular use and none of them could really be considered as a sole gigging bass.

Does that answer your question?

[bartelby]

I take whichever bass I've been favouring at the time.
For a while I took my Steve Harris P as the main bass and my JV P as back up.
But recently I've used my Stingray or SB Elite.

[FuNkShUi]

I voted "other" as its a bit of both for me.
I wouldn't gig a bass if it looked the part but i didn't like how it played /sounded.
Equally though i wouldn't gig a bass if it sounded/played great but looked crappy.
On a side note, i couldn't care less what others thought of the way my bass looks. I play a Warwick Streamer primarily, and i know a lot would say they look terrible, but i love it, and i love its sound, so that's what i use.
Are you not using the bass purely because it cost £60, or because it cost £60 and you dont like how it looks?

[JTUK]

The cheapest rig I could take out would still cost £5k to replace but that isn't the reason I wouldn't play dives.
I don't play them because they ARE dives...not because I wouldn't take my kit there.
I wouldn't take ME there

But.... this also opens up other issues which you can get caught up in.

I've taken a few dates to help out a mate and so I'm finding that their booking criteria and mine are way way apart.

If you dep... at what point do you decide not to do a gig and for what reason..
Might be another Topic..

I have what I have because I see the need to have it... it gets used because I want that on the gig.
Fortunately, there is quite a bit of cross over in my basses and the way they are set up..and also the Amp/cabs so
they should be pretty interchangeable.

They are tools and they'll be used on the gig I take.
The question is more whether I should take the gig in the first place

Edited July 27, 2016 by JTUK

[Huge Hands]

The most expensive bass guitar (when I paid for it) is my Sire V7. I take that to all gigs because I love to play it and it gives me all the options I think I'll ever need. It is just a bonus that it looks great (to me) too. I say "when I paid for it", because I guess my Squier JV is probably now worth the most, but wasn't when I bought it second hand in about 1991.

Before that, all my basses were beaters. I've even done gigs with a one I was modding, with no scratchplate, big routs exposed, no knobs and badly sanded off paint to see if I wanted to go any further with it. I did by the way, but wasn't happy with the pickups so it just sits at home! I actually thought it looked quite cool in "development" mode!

I have recently met up with some BassChatters and played some pretty expensive (what i would call) boutique basses. They were lovely to play, but I personally would spend all night panicking about bumping them off a doorway or them being nicked. That's anywhere, not even just in dives that JTUK won't play! Although in the desire to keep gigging regularly, I'm surprised he can be so picky!

Edited July 27, 2016 by Huge Hands

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1469624016' post='3099808']
I voted "other" as its a bit of both for me.
I wouldn't gig a bass if it looked the part but i didn't like how it played /sounded.
Equally though i wouldn't gig a bass if it sounded/played great but looked crappy.
On a side note, i couldn't care less what others thought of the way my bass looks. I play a Warwick Streamer primarily, and i know a lot would say they look terrible, but i love it, and i love its sound, so that's what i use.
Are you not using the bass purely because it cost £60, or because it cost £60 and you dont like how it looks?
[/quote]

It's plain black and is nothing special to look at. The ATK is translucent blue and you can clearly see the grain of the solid ash body through the finish. The one looks 10 times more expensive than the other

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Would an original 50's Fender with 60 years of dings, play wear and nicotine stains be classed as a beater, or would it's vintage status and high monetary value class it as something else?

Personally I think clothes, instrument and amp should be appropriate for the gig and music in question - a designer suit and £10k Ritter would look pretty stupid at a punk gig etc.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1469626381' post='3099830']
Would an original 50's Fender with 60 years of dings, play wear and nicotine stains be classed as a beater, or would it's vintage status and high monetary value class it as something else?

Personally I think clothes, instrument and amp should be appropriate for the gig and music in question - a designer suit and £10k Ritter would look pretty stupid at a punk gig etc.
[/quote]

I wouldn't personally class a vintage instrument as a 'beater', no. The GSR is absolutely appropriate in a pub covers band I'd say, but my ego, I suppose, is telling me that someone who has been playing for thirty odd years should be gigging with something better than what many would consider a 'starter' instrument.

[Grangur]

You're right Mojo. That bass has absolutely no value to you at all whatsoever. It doesn't look the part, it's cheap and there's no point in having a bass if it's not going to be played.

Please send me your account details and I'll PM you my address.


Joking aside; who knows what it cost except you? If it's tatty, that bass can be spruced up and look the dogs bananas. I'd LOVE to get my hands on it. Please, please??

OK, I voted "Other". I did so, because if it looks a dogs dinner I'd work on it. On the other hand, sometimes, it's the image you might want:

http://youtu.be/MYPBF4s8m_Y?t=81

Edited July 27, 2016 by Grangur

[BassBunny]

Personally I don't give a monkeys about what it cost, what it looks like or what it says on the headstock.
If it feels right, plays right and sounds right - It's RIGHT.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1469626820' post='3099832']
I wouldn't personally class a vintage instrument as a 'beater', no. The GSR is absolutely appropriate in a pub covers band I'd say, but my ego, I suppose, is telling me that someone who has been playing for thirty odd years should be gigging with something better than what many would consider a 'starter' instrument.
[/quote]
I find this an interesting viewpoint - Leo designed a bass for the working musician that could be produced cheaply and take a beating, and unless they have sat in a case hidden behind a wardrobe, most older Fenders will have taken a beating over the years. Joe public couldn't tell the difference between a couple of years old squire that has been abused by a teenager and 60 year old fender - they will both look like a tatty old POS to anyone who isn't a music nerd, in fact most of the time joe public can't tell the difference between a bass and a guitar.

Ultimately what is more important, the notes you play(and the way you play them) or the instrument you play them on?

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1469629389' post='3099875']

I find this an interesting viewpoint - Leo designed a bass for the working musician that could be produced cheaply and take a beating, and unless they have sat in a case hidden behind a wardrobe, most older Fenders will have taken a beating over the years. Joe public couldn't tell the difference between a couple of years old squire that has been abused by a teenager and 60 year old fender - they will both look like a tatty old POS to anyone who isn't a music nerd, in fact most of the time joe public can't tell the difference between a bass and a guitar.

Ultimately what is more important, the notes you play(and the way you play them) or the instrument you play them on?
[/quote]

Some very good points, well made, and to answer your question, clearly the later (for the most part). I know the problem lies within me and I need to lose the ego and stop thinking that every musician watching the band is asking themselves, "What's that cheap p.o.s. he's playing?"

[Iain]

The beater - you're not going to get compliments (or laid) on the back of playing a good looking bass. Or playing bass.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1469629389' post='3099875']
Ultimately what is more important, the notes you play(and the way you play them) or the instrument you play them on?
[/quote]

If you play live and put on a show, then both factors are equally important IMO.

[paul_5]

Beater every time!

[Paul S]

I voted 'other' as it depends. I don't always gig a beater bass but I have in the past and would happily again. But if I ever landed a prestigious gig somewhere I would certainly be more conscious of what was on the headstock. So break out the Squier instead of the Westone

[SubsonicSimpleton]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1469631749' post='3099904']
If you play live and put on a show, then both factors are equally important IMO.
[/quote]
I would agree, but what sort of show are we talking about, and does this automatically equate to expensive?

Kiss put on a very big show - Gene Simmons uses cheapo mass produced basses (albeit ones that cort IIRC supply him with in bulk directly) which he then autographs and sells to hardcore fans at the end of each show for an eyewatering amount. Many players on this forum would consider these axe basses as being on par with other starter/low midrange instruments if you removed the celeb tie in and looked at materials, manufacturing facility etc.

What makes Flea interesting to watch - his energetic stage antics or the bass he is playing at the time?

[Woodinblack]

I take the one that plays the best, unless it is a pub that i think might be a bit dodgy, then I take the cheapest!
Not so much any more, as now I only gig the 5s and lack a cheap 5 that I like playing.

[martthebass]

I generally take what is appropriate to the gig.

The 80s band gets the Streamline and the Ray Fretless.
The 70s band gets the Rick (even though it's a -3 not. -1)
Dep gigs at crapholes get the beater......currently a MM Sub Sterling.

[Callumjord]

Personally for me it all depends on the gig, venue and for how long I am playing. If it's a short 2 hour gig at a dive bar I'd be more inclined to take my vintage musicman copy, if I am playing a 3-4 hour wedding I'd be more inclined to take my Yamaha as its more versatile and looks more expensive. There is no real right answer here and really just depends on the person and what you are happy with.

[Skybone]

Try it out at rehearsal, if it works & sounds good, what's stopping you gigging it?

You can always use it as you gig backup anyway.

Your band mates don't need to know how much it cost.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Skybone