2023 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Richard R]

I suppose none of the above is actually in the signal chain except the XLRs, and cables and leads might be considered as consumables. 

I would say you're in, but I refer to my previous disclaimer 😁

[Richard R]

I have to be in Manchester later this month, with an evening meeting followed by a whole day on site.  I had cunningly planned to take the prior half day off, so I could drive up at lunchtime then mooch around Johnny Roadhouse Music and spend some money. 

Now some bright spark has arranged meetings so I can't leave the Midlands until gone 2pm, which seriously limits the mooching time ☹️

[Gasman]

It's a shame that I can't get a negative gear abstinence credit to offset against a future 2023 purchase! Just sold my Fender Anniversary Jazz V via Andy Baxter...

[Simon C]

Happy Birthday to me.  I was hoping to get to the end of March and give a Q1 report.  But...St.Patrick's Day which also happens to be my birthday looks to have intervened.

My eldest son has given me a Guitar Guitar voucher.  I think it would be wrong not to buy something with it, just to try and last the year.  I can't get strings as I bought some last week - so don't need them.  Nothing is broken on any of my basses.  The only thing that may stay within the rules, whilst also being worthwhile spending of the voucher is: "Maintenance/setups that only involve work on existing aspects of your bass (ie no purchasing a preamp to add to it)".  I've been thinking of getting a professional set-up on my fretless for some time.  

 

But... if I do buy something else with it that's not in the rules, it does release me to buy a bass to fill the remaining gap on the wall - silver linings.

Edited March 17, 2023 by Simon C

[Grahambythesea]

@Simon C would a new strap break the rules? One can always use them and you’re bound to have one where the strap button hole has got worn and loose.

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, Simon C said:

Happy Birthday to me.  I was hoping ...

 

  ... and sod the abstinence if there's something that gives you a Birthday Buzz. 

[Machines]

I'm out, managed a whole week more than last year. This cost me £80 as Gear4Music B-stock, it's now repaired and am quite happy with it, looks way better than the website pics.

 

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/RedSub-Coliseum-Fanned-Fret-5-String-Bass-Blue-Burl-Burst/31J3?_gl=1*j1qqvl*_ga*MTQyMjAyMDYwMi4xNjc5MDU3MjIy*_up*MQ..

 

[Richard R]

7 minutes ago, Machines said:

I'm out, managed a whole week more than last year. This cost me £80 as Gear4Music B-stock, it's now repaired and am quite happy with it, looks way better than the website pics.

 

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/RedSub-Coliseum-Fanned-Fret-5-String-Bass-Blue-Burl-Burst/31J3?_gl=1*j1qqvl*_ga*MTQyMjAyMDYwMi4xNjc5MDU3MjIy*_up*MQ..

 

£80 - that's a very good deal. What was the damage that made it B-stock?

[Dad3353]

4 minutes ago, Richard R said:

£80 - that's a very good deal. What was the damage that made it B-stock?

 

The frets were all parallel. 

 

...

 

 

[Machines]

23 minutes ago, Richard R said:

£80 - that's a very good deal. What was the damage that made it B-stock?

 

A few scuffs, missing headstock binding (about an inch), and neck crack on rear around 5th fret. It was fairly jagged but the neck was still stable under quite a lot of tension, so I've filled and sanded it and it's barely noticeable now. A few weeks ago I sold my Dingwall NG3 as 2 Dingwalls was too much money sat around, I won't pretend this is on the same league, but it does scratch the same itch the NG3 did tonally.

 

Here's how it came, the missing binding is painted black and not obvious anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

[Simon C]

2 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

@Simon C would a new strap break the rules? One can always use them and you’re bound to have one where the strap button hole has got worn and loose.

I feel in my case it would.  2 of the 3 straps are new.  And the very old one (10+ years) is still in really good nick and well secured with strap locks.  

 

Maybe new strap locks to prolong the life of the straps might be possible.  I'll see if I can square that with the rules and my conscience 😁.  I think the pro set-up on the fretless is feeling like the way to go though. 

Edited March 17, 2023 by Simon C

[Grahambythesea]

Would a new guitar contravene the rules, it wouldn’t be a bass after all. I haven’t bought one yet, but was seeing if I could trade one of mine for something different. Ultimately I need to reduce the number guitars as they don’t get much use and I probably only need one ( or maybe two).

[Simon C]

On 27/03/2023 at 18:05, Grahambythesea said:

Would a new guitar contravene the rules, it wouldn’t be a bass after all. I haven’t bought one yet, but was seeing if I could trade one of mine for something different. Ultimately I need to reduce the number guitars as they don’t get much use and I probably only need one ( or maybe two).

Looking at the rules, I would say you would be fine for the tier 1 challenge (bass) but not for the tier 2 (other instruments).

[Paolo85]

Right, that's quite humiliating! After failing here before the end of February and going into a buying spree, I committed to abstinence again here

 

I was about to sell a bass. Sell, not buy! It's a beautiful Squier Affinity PJ with KiOgon loom and Wilkinson pickup, whose neck has given me a lot of aggravation. Tired of not being able to use my string of choice because of truss rod issues, I was about to post it here for sale, not for very much given the neck. As I opened Basschat to put it for sale, I saw a Fender Modern Player Jazz neck for £150...

...clearly, that was a sign from the sky thay my bass had to become a bitsa! I could not go against the will of whoever inhabits the sky? Or am I mad?

 

 

 

[Quilly]

On 28/03/2023 at 21:41, Simon C said:

Looking at the rules, I would say you would be fine for the tier 1 challenge (bass) but not for the tier 2 (other instruments).

I also bought a telecaster recently and had sleepless nights wondering was I in or out of the gear abstinence program 😂

[Simon C]

8 hours ago, Quilly said:

I also bought a telecaster recently and had sleepless nights wondering was I in or out of the gear abstinence program 😂

It’s oft’ said that a sentence from me can put people to sleep😄.

[Simon C]

End of Q1 report:

 

All was going well, but then I received a voucher for GuitarGuitar for my birthday from my eldest son (there is more on this in the thread above) .  After a bit of rules reading, soul searching and thought, I spoke to GuitarGuitar and have booked my fretless in for a set-up.  I'm happy this is covered by:  "Maintenance/setups that only involve work on existing aspects of your bass (ie no purchasing a preamp to add to it)".  So I'm still in - unless of course any of you interpret the rules differently and wish to eject me 😉.

 

I'm still looking at the (almost) empty space on the wall (it's currently sporting a ukulele that no one has played for years) and thinking it needs filling.  But I am enjoying my 3 basses.  Ah, conflicts.

 

I think I'm good until July time when we may get paid a work bonus (no birthdays or Christmas to navigate this quarter).  I'll start looking at how I can spend it on cycling or skiing gear though in order to help manage the risk of an impulse bass buy.

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, Simon C said:

End of Q1 report:

 

All was going well, but then I received a voucher for GuitarGuitar for my birthday from my eldest son (there is more on this in the thread above) .  After a bit of rules reading, soul searching and thought, I spoke to GuitarGuitar and have booked my fretless in for a set-up.  I'm happy this is covered by:  "Maintenance/setups that only involve work on existing aspects of your bass (ie no purchasing a preamp to add to it)".  So I'm still in - unless of course any of you interpret the rules differently and wish to eject me 😉.

 

I'm still looking at the (almost) empty space on the wall (it's currently sporting a ukulele that no one has played for years) and thinking it needs filling.  But I am enjoying my 3 basses.  Ah, conflicts.

 

I think I'm good until July time when we may get paid a work bonus (no birthdays or Christmas to navigate this quarter).  I'll start looking at how I can spend it on cycling or skiing gear though in order to help manage the risk of an impulse bass buy.

 

I bought Lego and a watch to soothe the need to acquire shiny things, if it helps...

[chris_b]

My #1 and backup gear have remained the same since 2019.

 

A couple of amps and a bass have come and gone, but nothing was worth keeping. Even so, I guess that excludes me from the program.

[Simon C]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

I bought Lego and a watch to soothe the need to acquire shiny things, if it helps...

I'm currently wearing a crap digital watch in sea foam green (nice colour, matches my short scale headless bass).  I bought it for €9 in a Portugese supermarket last summer to get me through the holiday after I destroyed the one I took out with me after a mishap with the battery, o ring and the hotel swimming pool.  So a new watch is a good shout.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Simon C

[Quilly]

I think this is the hardest part or the year , spring , when you’re bored

and what new gear.

[Quilly]

I dusted off my Ashdown Spyder and a  fender precision that I’m barely playing for a loud rehearsal last Sunday for the first time in ages. I’m doing mostly acoustic stuff so this was a welcome change , it felt great, as good as having new stuff again.

[Gasman]

I’ve just fallen off the wagon after 15 weeks - a very nice dark grey Musicman 2004 Bongo 4 is on its way via Reverb. Yes, I have sinned, but how can something so wrong feel so right?

[DTB]

For those that are about to sin, take comfort from the lyrics of the song Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow, “It’s not having what you want, It’s wanting what you’ve got.”

Works for me, sometimes lol. 

[Merton]

I’m still in, somewhat surprisingly.

The only thing which could rejoin me now is the Stoneham valve project coming to fruition this year, otherwise my plan is to stay faithful to the challenge