2024 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Downunderwonder]

Probably stolen @85 quid.

[Burns-bass]

32 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Probably stolen @85 quid.

Nah. It was a young guy who didn’t play anymore. Happy to share details with anyone who wants it. 

[gjones]

Last year I sold 3 basses but bought a John East J-retro.

 

Does buying a guitar amp count?

 

This year there's absolutely nothing I need bass wise.

 

Count me in...

[neepheid]

22 minutes ago, gjones said:

Last year I sold 3 basses but bought a John East J-retro.

 

Does buying a guitar amp count?

 

This year there's absolutely nothing I need bass wise.

 

Count me in...

 

Interesting question - according to the rules in the linked thread, a guitar amp would not fail your Tier 1 challenge as it's specifically bass gear but would fail your Tier 2 challenge (all musical gear regardless of instrument).  Depends how hardcore you want to be about it.

 

I'll pop your name down.  I'd say if you get a guitar amp, don't bother telling us, it's not news, it's not relevant to this discussion unless you're going for extra credit.  And ultimately, it's just a bit of fun so don't worry too much about it!

[jimmyb625]

32 minutes ago, gjones said:

Last year I sold 3 basses but bought a John East J-retro.

 

Does buying a guitar amp count?

 

This year there's absolutely nothing I need bass wise.

 

Count me in...

I'll give you two months! 🤣

[Maude]

I'm not going to mention the resonator ukulele that I've just been given in pieces for many reasons.... oh bugger! 🙊

[SamIAm]

And I'm out!

 

I snagged a pair of preloved guitar stands here on BC, they were free ... I only had to cover postage so I was going to throw myself on the mercy of the judges.

 

but

 

Then ... somehow ... a MOTU M4 Audio Interface fell into my basket and I bought it (A cracking bit of kit!).

 

Sam x

Edited January 9, 2024 by SamIAm

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, SamIAm said:

And I'm out!

 

I snagged a pair of preloved guitar stands here on BC, they were free ... I only had to cover postage so I was going to throw myself on the mercy of the judges.

 

but

 

Then ... somehow ... a MOTU M4 Audio Interface fell into my basket and I bought it (A cracking bit of kit!).

 

Sam x

 

That's only Tier 2, I think. Not explicitly bass gear. Like the M-Audio Keystation 49e that arrived yesterday.

[neepheid]

5 hours ago, SamIAm said:

And I'm out!

 

I snagged a pair of preloved guitar stands here on BC, they were free ... I only had to cover postage so I was going to throw myself on the mercy of the judges.

 

but

 

Then ... somehow ... a MOTU M4 Audio Interface fell into my basket and I bought it (A cracking bit of kit!).

 

Sam x

 

I concur with @tauzero, not bass specific gear, so I reckon you're still in the main challenge, you can't go for extra credit now though.

[Burns-bass]

6 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

I concur with @tauzero, not bass specific gear, so I reckon you're still in the main challenge, you can't go for extra credit now though.

I didn’t know there were caveats to this! I’m still in but I did buy a replacement switch tip for a guitar.

[neepheid]

4 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I didn’t know there were caveats to this! I’m still in but I did buy a replacement switch tip for a guitar.

 

There is a link in the top post to the rules - I forgot to include it initially, my bad.

 

Copied from there (and edited for year):

 

Tier 1 Challenge
During the calendar year of 2024 (01/01/24 - 31/12/24):
- No bass gear purchases/trades whatsoever, be that amps, pedals, basses, accessories.

Tier 2 challenge (should you play other instruments, engage in music production etc)
- As above, but extended to your other musical gear

Allowances in both tiers:
- Strings (sticks, skins, reeds etc)
- Maintenance/setups that only involve work on existing aspects of your bass (ie no purchasing a preamp to add to it)
- If something breaks through no unusual intervention of your own, and is unable to be repaired, you may replace it.
- Educational purchases, ie tutorial books, lessons, anything that furthers your playing is permitted.
- If you have purchased something in 2023, you are able to take delivery of it within 2024.
- If you have put down a deposit on something before committing to this, which then requires a final payment within 2024, that single payment permitted.

 

Although not mentioned here, precedent has been set in previous years that unsolicited gifts are allowed.  But it doesn't work if you get given money as a gift then you choose to spend that on gear.  Also precedent has been set that decrees that the replacement of broken items must be like for like as near as practically possible - no abusing this with sneaky upgrades.

 

Hope that helps!

Edited January 10, 2024 by neepheid

[neepheid]

Ignore - clicked Reply instead of Edit, d'oh!

Edited January 10, 2024 by neepheid

[Paolo85]

Thought I'd share a nice post from a guy on another forum (for people who play extra-short scale six-string piccolo bass)

 

"Back in my bar band, weekend warrior days, I finally realized buying another piece of gear wasn't going to improve my playing. So when I needed some retail therapy, I would buy a book or video lesson instead. Over time I collected a decent library of materials. Trying to decipher the information laid out in some of the 'must have' tomes [...] I thought I would never get much out of a lot of the material, save for a few basic concepts and ideas that I already understood.
But perserverance has won out. Nowadays, I will often realize a concept has worked it's way into my playing "

[bass_dinger]

I have books that I couldn't use 20 years ago - too complicated, beyond my capabilities, etc.

 

However, when I look at them now, I can use them easily.  I can read the dots, count the beats - and use what I learned when I play. 

[Richard R]

I won a copy of "Yes - Complete Deluxe Edition" at a Bass Bash raffle. It has this on the title page:

 

 

I can follow some of the dots. But four odd time signatures in five bars is hard to count:

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2024 by Richard R
Forgot the second pic

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

My last bass purchase was 23/6, so I'll throw myself in the ring for this year.

I did buy a pedal at the end of 2023, but nothing since. 

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

My last bass purchase was 23/6, so I'll throw myself in the ring for this year.

I did buy a pedal at the end of 2023, but nothing since. 

 

I read @Richard R's post immediately before this one and thought "23/6? That's a really odd time signature".

[Paul S]

I've no plans for any more basses or pedals but I am after a set of lightweight tuners so I won't put my name down.  I could go through some convoluted justification for them as one of the existing ones is rather clunky but I think that would be pushing it.  Failure isn't a word I would use, though.    

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

29 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I've no plans for any more basses or pedals but I am after a set of lightweight tuners so I won't put my name down.  I could go through some convoluted justification for them as one of the existing ones is rather clunky but I think that would be pushing it.  Failure isn't a word I would use, though.    

Tuners are OK surely?

[neepheid]

23 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I've no plans for any more basses or pedals but I am after a set of lightweight tuners so I won't put my name down.  I could go through some convoluted justification for them as one of the existing ones is rather clunky but I think that would be pushing it.  Failure isn't a word I would use, though.    

 

I appreciate your honesty.  This scenario may also have fallen foul of the "sneaky upgrade" part of replacement - replacement of failed parts should be on a like for like (as near as possible) basis.  So for instance if a bass has got some generic, unbranded tuners on it just now, and one of them broke (and I mean "broke" as in cannot hold tune ie. perform the function that a tuner does) one can't go slapping a set of Hipshots on it and expect to stay in...

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Tuners are OK surely?

 

No, they're gear.  And bass tuners are bass gear.  Like for like (as near as possible) replacement of a broken (proper broken, not "I don't like you") tuner is the only exception.

[bassfan]

I am in. I don’t need anything whatsoever. That said if my lakky sells I could be tempted by another uv70 and get it refinished. 🤔

[Burns-bass]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

No, they're gear.  And bass tuners are bass gear.  Like for like (as near as possible) replacement of a broken (proper broken, not "I don't like you") tuner is the only exception.

What about straplocks? 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

No, they're gear.  And bass tuners are bass gear.  Like for like (as near as possible) replacement of a broken (proper broken, not "I don't like you") tuner is the only exception.

Harsh IMHO, but I don’t make the rules 🤷‍♂️

[Mrbigstuff]

10 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

What about straplocks? 

The rules given for tuners should still apply to strap locks. Do you smile or sigh when you buy them. Should be the answer.