2023 Gear Abstinence Thread

[zbd1960]

49 minutes ago, 2pods said:

Just don't ask them the price of Double Bass strings 

I know, even more expensive

[Quilly]

12 hours ago, zbd1960 said:

Yes, but we can't afford it! There are some strings I'd like to try, but at around £300 a set, you can't really experiment.

 

My cello is German, dates to around 1900. If I had the money, I'd like a nice C19th English / German / French / Italian instrument. Unless you are very lucky, you'd be looking at prices of £15k and upwards - nice English cellos are very expensive. Forget an C18th instrument, I don't have enough gold bricks for that.

My bow is a basic German pernambuco one cost £450 back in 2011. I've tried bows costing up to £1,500 but not felt there to be much improvement. I've been told I need to spend a lot more than that to see 'real' improvements...  

 

I have had a discussion with my cello teacher about once I've moved house, I might treat myself... but not rushing

Surely there are good Japanese or Eastern European cellos ?

Edited July 8, 2023 by Quilly

[zbd1960]

9 hours ago, Quilly said:

Surely there are good Japanese or Eastern European cellos ?

I'm not aware of any premium Japanese cellos. There is good stuff from Eastern Europe, but you really need to know what you're looking for. A high percentage were mass produced as school and basic student instruments. 

 

Unfortunately, unlike me, instruments like cellos (well good ones) improve with age. One of the reasons I won't commission the making of a cello is once made, it can take years and years (possibly decades) for the sound to develop. In addition, a good luthier might have a 3 year waiting list, a year to make the instrument and prices around £12k upwards 

[Richard R]

I'm out.

 

Free on the recycling thread from the most gracious @jonsparrow91. The truss rod nut is very badly mangled, but otherwise in good nick.

I have an autumn project in mind and wanted a donor 5 string, so this is it. I will see if I can get some adjustment using a torx key, enough to string it B-G and play it, but the project will need a functional truss rod so I have added "remove fretboard and replace truss rod" to the list.

Of course it's not economically viable,  but it will be interesting. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Richard R
Typo corrected

[Pseudonym]

I have met the Tier 2 criteria for the first half of 2023. I am pretty confident that this will continue for the next 6 months. None of this was intentional, however, so I can’t claim any credit for willpower.

[Simon C]

My end Q2 report:

 

I took the fretless in for the “how to spend the Guitar Guitar voucher I was given for my birthday”  set-up. The guitar tech said it was well set up, so just try different strings.  The cobalt strings didn’t work for me, as they had too much friction for slides - so the chromes are back on it.  I liked the sound though so they’ll get on my shortscale some time this year - so I think this just counts as an early replacement string buy.

 

I bought a new watch as suggested by @neepheid somewhere on page 8 of this thread.  I gave the Lego a miss though Neepheid 😊.

 

I tried out a few Fenders from both the US and Mexico (not really doing it for me) and a Yamaha BB434.  The Yamaha did do it for me, but I’d still pick my G&L L2K over it, so I don’t think it is an imminent risk.

 

One of the inputs has gone on my audio interface but unless I start recording bass or keys and vocals in the same take I don’t need 2 inputs, so can’t justify that on replacement of broken gear.

 

I’ve just been told I will get a bonus in July.  It isn’t enough for a new Ferrari or even a Fodera, but it will cover a number of the other boutique bass makers.  I haven’t really thought of anything I “need” skiing or cycling wise so the bonus is the risk.  Maybe I’ll just bank it, do a bit of research (whilst still enjoying my existing gear) and decide whether to order it in early January.  For dramatic effect I could even join the 2024 gear abstinence thread then exit early doors with a picture 😀.

 

Summary:

The new strings will get used this year

Watch bought; Lego declined

Bonus a likely problem but a plan to deal with it.

 

Who else is still in?

 

[jimmyb625]

Nah, although I bought a "replacement cable", it's probably more accurate to describe the Shure GLXD 16+ as a cable replacement 🤣

Oh and Origin Effects brought a new pedal out, which somehow ended up at my house. Not sure how that happened...

[Lfalex v1.1]

Total fail for me.

2 basses

1 cab

1 head

1 set of strings

1 wall hanger

4 tuners and a nut

 

On the plus side, I found an old strap,  so I don't need to buy another (I favour one specific strap per bass)

[Richard R]

The real reason I was intending to go out this year  Roland V-bass and pickup. 😁

 

 

The truss rod nut on the free bass responded to a high quality Allen key of the right size with a ball end, so the hex pickup installed on there with tape for now.

 

The V-bass has some excellent emulations of different basses, but I need to play a lot cleaner than I do.  

Edited October 6, 2023 by Richard R
Spotted a typo

[Quilly]

Do mods count? like bridges, pickups, that kinda thing. 

[neepheid]

15 minutes ago, Quilly said:

Do mods count? like bridges, pickups, that kinda thing. 

 

Yes, it's still gear.  Only exceptions would be unprompted gifts or replacing broken items.

[tauzero]

16 minutes ago, Quilly said:

Do mods count? like bridges, pickups, that kinda thing. 

 

AIUI, mods yes, repairs (replacing like with like) no.

[Simon C]

3rd quarter gone and I’m still in.  I nearly fell off the waggon as I had a Saturday with no one around and was planning a trip to the Bass Gallery in London.  But I didn‘t go.  
 

I am enjoying using and experimenting with all the kit I do have.  I even had a fretless lesson the other day.

 

So just Christmas to navigate now.  Ooh, and the SE Bass Bash.

 

Is anyone else still in?

Edited October 6, 2023 by Simon C

[Velarian]

I’m still in. It’s 15 months since I last bought anything but I’ve seen something I would like so there is a small possibility that I might not make it to the end of the year 😳

[bass_dinger]

On 16/07/2023 at 11:42, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Total fail for me.

2 basses

1 cab

1 head

1 set of strings

1 wall hanger

4 tuners and a nut

 

On the plus side, I found an old strap,  so I don't need to buy another (I favour one specific strap per bass)

 

Good news @Lfalex v1.1 - I think that the strings are allowable...

 

 

[Simon C]

1 hour ago, Velarian said:

I’m still in. It’s 15 months since I last bought anything but I’ve seen something I would like so there is a small possibility that I might not make it to the end of the year 😳

@Velarian I see you are located in West Yorkshire.  I grew up there.  Do you think our lack of purchases may have more to with our fabled deep pockets and short arms rather than will power?

 

(Short arms aren’t great on a bass player).

[Gasman]

As my old man used to say, I’m a fool to myself and my own worst enemy when it comes to resisting temptation, so of course I’m out in a big way. Bought this year - a Bongo 4H, a 5HH, a Harley Benton short scale, a compressor and a boost pedal and a mighty heavy old flight case just in case (!) I get that call to go on a world tour...

 

So, over £3.5K happily spent at the time but the remorse is kicking in hard now; I need counselling before I see that early Tele bass I want but don’t need that will finally destroy my bank account!

[Velarian]

9 hours ago, Simon C said:

@Velarian I see you are located in West Yorkshire.  I grew up there.  Do you think our lack of purchases may have more to with our fabled deep pockets and short arms rather than will power?

 

(Short arms aren’t great on a bass player).

You could be right which is why I’m dithering on the edge of succumbing to GAS. I absolutely don’t need any more gear but when faced with a bargain it’s hard to resist. I’m hoping that dithering a little longer solves the problem. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Velarian

[Richard R]

16 minutes ago, Velarian said:

You could be right which is why I’m dithering on the edge of succumbing to GAS. I absolutely don’t need any more gear but when faced with a bargain it’s hard to resist. I’m hoping that dithering a little longer solves the problem. 

 

Step away from the keyboard, and back to the fretboard...

 

Or, if you live in a scenic bit of Yorkshire, get the boots on and go for a long stomp before the weather turns and you're forced to stay indoors and practice. 🥾

[Quilly]

Still in because I haven't been playing much but starting to browse a bit more than usual lately 🙈

I sold an Ashdown CTM100 last year and ever since I've been drawn to a replacement 100-200W tube head. That Stoneham YI200....Why aye indeed 🤩 

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Quilly

[Velarian]

Well, I dithered and the temptation evaporated, so I’m still in. 🙂

[Richard R]

16 minutes ago, Velarian said:

Well, I dithered and the temptation evaporated, so I’m still in. 🙂

Bravo that man!  Procrastination saves the day!

 

(I bought a strap from the marketplace. I have the bass lead hooked round it, but I don't think that makes it part of the signal chain.)

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Richard R

[Quilly]

I'm Out - Epifani  UL 110 cab, Oh well it was a good year and I sold a 110 elf to partially cover it. 

[Simon C]

Only one month to go ( how exciting 😁), albeit a difficult one if your family buy you music gear (mine do). 

 

I managed to get through the SE Bass Bash in November unscathed.  The raffle was an obvious banana skin that I planned for in advance - hand a strip’s worth of money over but politely refuse said strip (I bet you didn’t know that went on at bass bashes matron) - a shame as there were some good prizes.

Edited December 3, 2023 by Simon C

[Simon C]

I think I've navigated Christmas successfully. The only music thing I was given was a book with Green Day bass scores.  I'll claim immunity under the “Educational purchases, ie tutorial books, lessons, anything that furthers your playing is permitted” allowance on the basis that I've only ever played “ Basket Case” and "American idiot“, that I played both from chord sheets (and didn’t play as per the score, so it has already educated me) and that I didn’t tune down for “ Basket Case". Here's a picture of "Basket Case“ score ( just to show it does exist and in case anyone wants to take it to a judicial review 😁).

 

I'm confident about the next week😜

Edited December 26, 2023 by Simon C