GAS & poverty. What a crock of ****

[FarFromTheTrees]

I'm sure i'm not the only person on these forums who lives a somewhat financially restricted lifestyle. I'm sure i'm also not the only one amongst us monetarily challenged folks who battles with GAS on an almost daily basis. I dont want much in the way of a Bass...not really. A new Spector Euro LX or Rebop 5 (Cant decide) and a good model used amp and cab combo (markbass or GK) would probably do me for the rest of my days (happily I have all the pedals I need for the foreseeable future). There's no denying how much good quality instruments can improve not only our playing, but our overall sense of musicianship as a whole which in turn helps us to enjoy playing our music a whole lot more. As it is i'm currently stuck with an old Cort and a failing 400w line6 combo & i'm almost certain that having substandard equipment is holding me back somewhat in terms of musical progression and creative expression.

I work full time at a minimum wage job and saving anything after paying all my bills etc is such a struggle. I try my hardest to save but inevitably something comes along which eats into any money I have saved. I go to a lot of small gigs and my mind boggles when I see everyday folks playing relatively high-end instruments. I dont feel envious however, if anything I feel respect for the effort these musicians have likely had to put in to pay for their highly prized gear.

I've had enough of minimum wage jobs, of not being able to save anything remotely substantial and I've especially had enough of low-end gear so in light of that I'm trying to start my own business. I dont know if my business will work, or even if i'll get it off the ground but I pray to the old gods and the new that it will work.

In the mean time i'll keep trying to save for that Spector and amp combo I desire. It may take me several years but i'm confident that i'll get there. I'm not so certain why I felt compelled to post this. I guess we all feel the pinch now and then. I see some outstanding high-end instruments being sold with incredible reluctance on the classifieds sometimes; "I dont want to sell it but my situation dictates that I must". I imagine that must be as tough as it gets, to finally own a dream bass and later, be forced to sell it on.

To anyone else struggling with old, beat-up, cheap and unwieldy gear which sounds nothing like the tone you imagine in your head. Hang on in there, you're not the only one.

Edited June 26, 2017 by FarFromTheTrees

[gjones]

For a long time I was in the same position. Then my financial position improved and allowed me to experiment with different gear. But I well remember the unwieldy bass guitars and heavy, farting, bass amps, that I had to endure for years.

I always recommend buying secondhand, because you get more bang for your buck. But if needs must there is always finance deals to be had if you buy new from big music stores, like GAK or Guitar Guitar.

[skidder652003]

always funded my gas through gigging, 75 P bass? 10 gigs thank you, Ampeg SVT-CL? 7 gigs thank you very much, always justify my needs by working for it.

[LukeFRC]

It's a thing.

There's no real link to either your musicianship, or how far musically the stuff you have now can take you.

A new bass will not make you a better player, it will not teach you scales, it will not understand melody better, it will not groove better, it will not make your band better, it will not make the drummer play in time, it will not make you more attractive.
It's not really holding you back. Unless you let it.

And if you form a band, normally you're playing crappy wee venues, with poor acoutics, and bad sound people, and a guitarist who can't turn down ever - and in the mix the difference between what you have now, and a squier or spector or a fedora are negligible, in that mix. And the drummer still can't play in time.

Form a band, play some gigs, put on your own gigs, make your own wee scene, DIY recordings, fun an attitude, practice, practice some more, and some more, play more gigs, suddenly you've got a bit of a buzz going locally about what you're doing. And it's good, and it's fun, and it's enjoyable and you're playing better and making more good music... and well that old Cort is still going strong. Cos apart from internet forums I don't think music is really that much about the instrument.

[LukeFRC]

- also check this out on another thread - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/307872-funkee-video-playing-basses-worth-from-100-to-10000/

[Ashweb]

Good luck with your new business, what line are you going into, BTW?

+1 to above on choice of bass affecting your playing. This was admirably demonstrated by my instructor who borrowed my Ibanez GSR, and it sang like an angel; when he handed it back to me, it was back to fret buzz and bum notes - definitely a case of operator error unless that bass just don't like me....

[leschirons]

Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad these days. Far from it. The last 15 gigs have all been on an £80 bass, by choice, not necessity. Times are hard for sure for a lot of people, but you can still enjoy playing. It's all about the attitude, not the price of the gear.

[yorks5stringer]

Having the £ to buy a Bass/Basses does not necessarily mean happiness: the 3 new Basses I have bought this year have all had issues and 2 were returned and the one I kept was dented before it reached me.

[bazzbass]

the good news for us that are financially challenged is that budget gear these days is infinitely better than in the past.

I got GAS the other day and bought a new Jazz bass. SX brand , cost $299AU, probably a hundred quid over your side of the pond. great value.

[Dan Dare]

Have to agree with others above. Not having wet dream kit does not adversely affect "musical progression and creative expression" in the slightest. Your Cort and Line 6 (400w? My first amp was 50w) is a thousand times better than what I started out with. Any halfway reasonable modern instrument can be made into a very respectable playing tool with a decent set-up.

At the age of 63, I'm fortunate to be in the position of being able to afford (within reason) what I like. However, I'd swap it all to go back to being in my 20s again, even if it meant going back to being skint. The excitement of discovering music, learning and playing it with friends and figuring out how it all worked was so exciting. I certainly didn't feel "held back" by my instrument. It did the job and that was what mattered.

[bobbytodd]

I own a few fenders and lakland basses but I was into my 40's before I could afford them.but my choice of gigging basses are a modified vmj and a modified j&d jazz atm they feel right and sound right in the bands im in so im happy to gig the cheapo basses.your time will come

good luck with the new venture

[xgsjx]

I know the feeling well. I'd love to be able to just go & buy something like a Dingwall (Ritter Roya is a dream bass for me). Between me & Mrs x, we earn enough, but there's that many other things demanding our hard earned.
We're going on a family holiday in a couple of weeks, which is costing a small fortune (& we don't even have kids!). The spending money alone could buy me a 2nd hand Roya! Though we have been putting a chunk of our wages by for the past 2 years for this & the previous holiday, which was our first abroad in 9 years.
Then when I come back, the car needs it's 1st mot & a service. It also needs 3 new tyres.
Every time one of us gets a bonus or some extra pennies come our way, something always pops up & takes it off me.

So I feel the OP's pain. I've been playing the same Ibanez bass since 1990 (though it is a rather nice bass to play, sounds good & if it had 5 strings, I'd probably only have GAS for a fretless).

How Skidder manages to get gear with so few gigs has me amazed. If I want a new Squier Jazz, 100 gigs. Ampeg SVT CL, rob the bar at a gig.

[Steve Browning]

I know that feeing only too well. I think one of the reasons I have the gear I do is because I have had to sell stuff, over the years, to make ends meet - not a pleasant experience. I know what it's like when th gig money buys a loaf of bread and not a new bass/amp.

Very best of luck with the new venture. If you want any help with VAT then feel free to PM me (I am an ex-VAT man and now in charge of VAT at a company with a good few £billion turnover). It's not much but may save you a few quid as you start up.

As others have said, don't get too hung up on the gear you use. I suspect that your feelings are more to do with your current inability to get anything else principally.

[Yank]

Yes, it's hard when you're wanting better gear, but remember Eddie Van Halen used a guitar that he cobbled together from bits. Like others have said, even the cheap gear today is miles (or kilometers) above what was available years ago thanks to CNC machines. Keep growing and keep your positive attitude.

[Monkey Steve]

Personally I've done OK in the finances vs GAS battle over the years. What I have noticed is that bandmates on far tighter budgets than me have tended to be much more selective and discerning: do they really need that bit of kit, do they really need that name on the badge, etc. And when they have made a major purchase, having had to save up for it, they've tended to take a lot longer to find exactly the right instrument at the right price through scouring the small ads, rather than jumping at the first one they see.

But to echo what others are saying, the better gear doesn't make you a better player - the best argument is that it responds better to a better player than the cheaper stuff. Case in point, an old band of mine had a pretty good but skint lead guitarist and a very average but cash rich rhythm guitarist. The lead guitarist was forever repairing his amp, and scouring eBay for a replacement amp for the set up he really wanted that he could afford, which took some months and eventually he got a broken one that he could repair - he could not have afforded a working version, But he always sounded great, no matter what he played through (as long as it was actually working).

The rhythm guitarist would watch bands on YouTube, and go down to the local music shop to get a new amp or guitar based on what his favourites were playing in the videos, on what seemed like a weekly basis. he was convinced that the new kit was all that was holding him back from being a much better player, and it became a running joke that he'd come in with the shiny new kit, declare that it was the bestist ever and that he'd never need another new amp or guitar, and then within a week or two would start nitpicking and finding faults, and then there'd be a new amp or guitar. he never got any better than bang average no matter how much expensive gear he bought.

So stick with it, don't worry about your current gear (I'm sure nobody else that plays with you does) and upgrade as and when it's practical. Good luck with the new business.

[la bam]

I get gas for certain pedals now and again.

I get round it by having a zoom b3. The unit shows the pedal concerned in digital form as it would be, and give a decent representation of it. So I give that a blast for a few days, and eventually 99% of the time I'm glad I didn't spend the money on the actual physical pedal!

[ambient]

A bass is just a tool.

You'll still sound like you regardless of whether you're playing a £150 instrument or a £1500 instrument.

I did an unexpected dep gig last year, my own bass was in having some work done on it. I borrowed the drummer's £70 Aria fitted with strings that were last changed about the time that invites were being sent out to the last supper.

[cheddatom]

I love setting up a cheap instrument to make it sound good - guitars, basses, drums - they're all fun! I don't have a problem playing the cheap stuff

I did get very poor once and sold an acoustic bass I really loved. I don't think I'll ever sell an instrument again, I still get upset about it. I should have worked harder instead - either to increase my earnings or to cut down my outgoings, but instead I was lazy and sold a guitar and I really regret it.

[Geek99]

The bass isn't holding you back ; I used to think better kit equalled better results but the return isn't proportional to the extra outlay. My 400£ bitsa is better than I am and I'm pretty sure the fret Meisters around here can make it sound better than I do

I was on minimum wage but I did a part time degree at night, it took four years, but I'm better off for it. The answer is in you.

[Guest subaudio]

I'm also living under considerably reduced circumstances these days.
I used to have quite a lot of nice gear, Warwick's, Fenders, GK and Genz Benz, double basses and eub's all paid for with a reasonable wage and all the overtime going for years.

I lost all of it and don't have any bass gear at all now.

Im starting again from scratch and with no income.

For me now gear is about functional, affordable workhorse but still I'm looking at about a grand to get a bass and rig, no idea where that will come from but I'll get there eventually.

You don't need all the best gear to get out gigging but you do need a usable tone, playable action and it's got to be reliable.

One sure fire way to make you feel better about your playing is getting some lessons.
I've played bass for many years now and would still have lessons.
I know they're not cheap but one a month is doable

Edited June 27, 2017 by subaudio

[FarFromTheTrees]

I kind of think my equipment is holding me back, not in terms of playability but in the kind of tone I want. I have my Cort set up well and yes, I can play just as well on that as I could play on a £6k Wal but the tone I get....its just not what I want. Also there's a lack of consistency of tone with my equipment. Some days it sounds pretty good, some days it sounds bloody awful which just adds to the "ugh" factor. It spills over into my band too. I know we'd sound so much better if I had the right tools for the job.

When you cant get the sound you want from the gear you have, it does kind of rob you somewhat of enthusiasm. I'll keep playing and practising of course but I know that if I had the gear to produce the tone I want, i'd feel much more inspired and enjoy playing more. I tried a Rebop 5 through a little mark 500 not long ago and I was blown away by it. Not only by the tone and response (which was insanely good compared to my Cort/line6) but by the overall quality of the guitar and amp too.

I thought this would get a mixed response, and that's fine. Maybe one day with enough practice I'll get to the point where I can make any bass sing but right now, I know which gear I need to produce the sound I want....[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7jJnwEeiU0"]and I will get it.[/url]

[quote name='Ashweb' timestamp='1498518246' post='3325258']
Good luck with your new business, what line are you going into, BTW?
[/quote]

Thanks man. I'm playing it close to my chest at this point as its quite a unique venture so I dont want to say....but its within the realms of health

[quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1498546089' post='3325324']
I know that feeing only too well. I think one of the reasons I have the gear I do is because I have had to sell stuff, over the years, to make ends meet - not a pleasant experience. I know what it's like when th gig money buys a loaf of bread and not a new bass/amp.

Very best of luck with the new venture. If you want any help with VAT then feel free to PM me (I am an ex-VAT man and now in charge of VAT at a company with a good few £billion turnover). It's not much but may save you a few quid as you start up.
[/quote].

That's incredibly kind of you. Thank you very much. I will certainly keep that in mind!

[cheddatom]

[quote name='FarFromTheTrees' timestamp='1498567913' post='3325554']
...Some days it sounds pretty good, some days it sounds bloody awful...
[/quote]

That doesn't make any sense to me? Unless you're talking about the effect of playing in different rooms, which you will obviously suffer with even the fanciest gear

[FarFromTheTrees]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1498568164' post='3325564']
That doesn't make any sense to me? Unless you're talking about the effect of playing in different rooms, which you will obviously suffer with even the fanciest gear
[/quote]

Nope in the same room where I practice. I think that's an issue with my amp though (which needs replaced asap, had it serviced and it made little difference). I've read elsewhere that quite a number of people had the same issue with this particular combo amp which was discontinued some time ago.

Edited June 27, 2017 by FarFromTheTrees

[la bam]

I used to think a better bass and amp would give me the great tone i was after.

Truth is - it doesnt.

A bigger understanding of eq did more for my sound than anything and cost £0.

[Guest subaudio]

You can certainly get a usable sound out of most gear, only one but you can prise it out with experience and practice.

+1 for learning about eq, I'm a mature music student and the no1 thing I see with the younger guys is that they don't work on their sound, but it does take a bit of time to learn.

Do you have a pa where you practice, do you use it for gigs?
You could maybe sell your amp and buy a sansamp or similar and go straight into the pa if its more than just a vocal pa?

Edited June 27, 2017 by subaudio