Lending someone your bass

[Guest]

2 hours ago, thodrik said:

got a call from a sound engineer friend asking if I could lend a bass to the bassist of a Bon Jovi tribute band, who had managed to travel from London to the Orkney Islands without bringing a bass

 

Presumably it was in hock? So tough.

[Supernaut]

Those in originals bands know the pain of turning up to a venue and if the promoter is particularly sh!tty, they will sort the gear arrangement there and then at the soundcheck. 

[Steve Browning]

1 minute ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Presumably it was in hock? So tough.

 

Very well played. sir.

 

Rather ignorantly, I was thinking that he probably knew enough people on the island that he could delay any transport off until any damage was fully paid for.

[SH73]

https://images.app.goo.gl/t1bswYe7HxVU7CFGA

Edited November 11, 2021 by SH73
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[Bridgehouse]

I struggle to trust myself with one of my basses let alone anyone else! 

[martthebass]

At a jamnight I'm normally happy enough to let someone use my bass (I normally take a roadworn JMJ Mustang) but for a gig.......it would really depend if I knew them or not.  

I was once asked to loan a Status bass to a guy going before us on a multi-band line up and refused as he was 3 sheets to the wind on God knows what.  My instinct was clearly right as the loan bass he managed to acquire hit the stage floor about 5 numbers in.

[WinterMute]

Back in the 80's I lent my pristine Aria Pro2 P bass to a friend who was appearing in a short run of "Oi for England", the play about skinheads, he was a very decent fellow and I assumed he'd look after it well, it came back with the front and pick-guard scratched to b*gg*ry, turned out he been playing with an aluminium pick. That cost the production company £150 for a refinish and a new pick-guard.

 

I'll lend backline if absolutely necessary, but basses? No.

[leftybassman392]

39 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I take mine as a backup, although it is not as pretty as yours!

 

It's almost certainly bigger though.

[Skybone]

I think the general consensus is "probably not".

 

+1 to "probably not".

 

 

[bassbiscuits]

7 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I would imagine there may be imperfections in the saddles on this guys bass that has caused two strings to go.

Aye. I’ve bust a few bass strings along the way playing fingerstyle - turned out string wear on the bridge saddles had made some sharp edged grooves. 

[E sharp]

 

 

First few minutes is about lending gear out - spot on

 

 

 

[Guest]

I lent my pristine Reggie Hamilton jazz to the bass player in my old band, I’d just done a live audition, playing half the first set so hard to say no. It came back with a six inch belt buckle scratch across the back. Moral of the story? Never lend a bass to someone who plays ‘A design for life’ in 4/4 ! 

[CameronJ]

I hesitate to let friends touch my basses let alone strangers! If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that people have wildly differing standards for how they treat other people’s belongings. Not just music gear either, it applies to everything.

[Bassfinger]

I might get a T shirt made up.

 

"Toucha my bass, I puncha your face!"

 

I habe no sense of humour when it comes to the wellbeing of my beloved basses, but I could chuckle at that.

[Drax]

Technically this guy could finish a gig on two strings. Good mental exercise. 
 

Spare bass is £100 Harley Benton in the boot, would always be happy to lend this. 

[Thunderbird]

I just remembered years ago a shall we say a mate I use the term loosely as I didn't really like him asked to borrow my car so I said sure mind if I borrow your wife (she was rather pretty) he really got upset chucked a wobble and stormed off lol maybe this is how we should handle people who want to borrow our basses lol

[Maude]

My biggest issue with lending a bass out isn't even for the safety of my bass, it's for the hygiene of my strings. 

People do all sorts of nasty things with their hands, I don't want the remnants of their habits ground into the windings of my strings thank you very much. 

If someone used my bass for a whole gig I'd have to put new strings on afterwards. 

Every used bass I buy will get new strings for this reason. 

It may be over the top but there you go, we all have our 'things'. 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

13 minutes ago, Thunderbird said:

I just remembered years ago a shall we say a mate I use the term loosely as I didn't really like him asked to borrow my car so I said sure mind if I borrow your wife (she was rather pretty) he really got upset chucked a wobble and stormed off lol maybe this is how we should handle people who want to borrow our basses lol

 

Could have become very confusing if it was Billy Sheehan you were talking to 😂

[TimR]

1 hour ago, Thunderbird said:

I said sure mind if I borrow your wife

That's not very PC. I hope you're not suggesting you own your wife...

[Thunderbird]

7 minutes ago, TimR said:

That's not very PC. I hope you're not suggesting you own your wife...

No I just lease her it's less hassle lol

[Geek99]

I loaned mine to someone and he actually took care of it, despite being a guitarist. 

[Steve Browning]

I used to gig with a wonderful saxophonist. Whenever people asked to have a go on his sax, he'd listen very intently and politely and say "of course you can". After a brief pause he'd ask the person how they got to the gig. Inevitably they'd reply they came by car. "ok, you can play my saxophone while I drive your car. I've never learned but I've seen it done". Tended to have the desired effect.

[TimR]

40 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I loaned mine to someone and he actually took care of it, despite being a guitarist. 

Your wife? 

[Dan Dare]

On 11/11/2021 at 17:00, WinterMute said:

I'll lend backline if absolutely necessary, but basses? No.

 

You're a braver man than me. My backline's worth more than my bass.

[SuperSeagull]

Bought a second hand Status a while back and my son asked if he could use in a church set he was playing in. When he stepped up and and went to strap it on he missed the strap button, bass hit the floor. I remained remarkably calm, he was distraught, being a status it didn’t even need a retune. No lasting damage done but I fitted straplocks right after.