The circle of GAS, and how to get out of it (P-Bass content)

[vincbt]

I've gone at least one year without buying or selling any instruments, which is an achievement in itself, but since the beginning of the year I feel I've been again thinking that I should change my gear and suddenly my playing with improve (or something like that)

 

A few years ago I bought a 71P on this forum. It's been serving me very well, but I keep wondering, with prices going up, if we're now at a point where I should just move it on.

 

 

Thinking that I should also have a less valuable instrument to drag around rehearsal and live venues, I then bought a Sandberg VS4 (again here) about a year ago. Very comfortable neck, perhaps a touch too trebly for my taste.

 

 

What else would one want from a P! Well... enter 2024, suddenly I'm thinking I should really sell both and get a 60s specs P, and of course there happens to be a custom shop in Sherwood green on sale

 

 

When I test the water with my wife she just tells me it looks just like what I have already, and probably she's right. Some part of me thinks if I do start buying and selling again I'll end up regretting both losing the vintage instrument and the very comfortable Sandberg neck, while on the other hand I have this little voice in my head saying it's a great idea and I could just have one P instead of 2. What I definitely don't want is end up with 3 

 

I know I'm not alone out there, so is there a way out of the circle of GAS?? How do you guys stop tinkering and just focus on improving your playing (and not your gear)?

 

 

[police squad]

DON'T SELL THE '71

 

you'll regret it mate. Just keep playing it.

I recently bought a Harley Benton PB-50. After a set up and rolling the fingerboard edges (I did this myself) it is a superb bass and cost £104.00. Great for dragging about when you dont want to use something expensive.

I use it in my Police tribute band but I will also be using for a normal pub gig this weekend

[chris_b]

25 minutes ago, vincbt said:

. . . .  is there a way out of the circle of GAS?? How do you guys stop tinkering and just focus on improving your playing (and not your gear)?

 

If you really want to focus on being a better player you would be doing that anyway. 

 

GAS isn't something you have to do. Buy the best bass you can find, and another as a backup, and just stop!!

[Owen]

7 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

If you really want to focus on being a better player you would be doing that anyway. 

 

GAS isn't something you have to do. Buy the best bass you can find, and another as a backup, and just stop!!

Ban this sick filth!!!!!!!!!

 

He is not wrong though.

[ezbass]

The grass is always greener on the other side. The problem is, when you get there, it’s often the same grass as you already had. You have a good vintage bass, unless there’s something inherently wrong with it, replacing it with another one doesn’t seem a great move. You obviously have a great chassis in the Sandberg, why not swap out the electric components for something more to your taste. This way, you have a nice vintage bass and a backup that you’re happy with and can take out when you don’t feel right taking out the ‘71.

[vincbt]

15 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

If you really want to focus on being a better player you would be doing that anyway. 

 

GAS isn't something you have to do. Buy the best bass you can find, and another as a backup, and just stop!!

The voice of reason  

It is absolutely true, but easier said than done. I think we just have access to too much gear with the forum and all the other websites we can just browse through..

[vincbt]

6 minutes ago, ezbass said:

The grass is always greener on the other side. The problem is, when you get there, it’s often the same grass as you already had. You have a good vintage bass, unless there’s something inherently wrong with it, replacing it with another one doesn’t seem a great move. You obviously have a great chassis in the Sandberg, why not swap out the electric components for something more to your taste. This way, you have a nice vintage bass and a backup that you’re happy with and can take out when you don’t feel right taking out the ‘71.

Fair point - I do need to do a bit of research on the pickups that would go well in the VS4 and probably call it a day with regards to buying more stuff

[Owen]

Or just turn the tone control down?

8 minutes ago, vincbt said:

Fair point - I do need to do a bit of research on the pickups that would go well in the VS4 and probably call it a day with regards to buying more stuff

 

[vincbt]

26 minutes ago, Owen said:

Or just turn the tone control down?

 

Helps a bit in passive mode.  In active it always sounds a bit hi-fi. I will experiment with strings and EQ to see if I can dial it down a bit

[Bolo]

The answer is staring you in the face. Sell the VS4 FIRST and replace it with the 60s spec. Your wife can't tell the difference by her own admission. You'll not have 3 basses and everyone is happy.

[Aidan63]

Is the VS4 a pauferro fingerboard ? 

If you believe in tone from wood then you might think it will always sound different to a rosewood board fender neck - maybe no point changing stuff, just play them, and if they don't give you pleasure then sell them

[martthebass]

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

GAS isn't something you have to do. Buy the best bass you can find, and another as a backup, and just stop!!

Who are you and what have you done with chris_b?

[LeftyJ]

2 hours ago, ezbass said:

You obviously have a great chassis in the Sandberg, why not swap out the electric components for something more to your taste. 

 

I'm inclined to agree with this 

Order a new control plate from Sandberg with just 2 holes, a good 250k volume and treble pot and a .047uF capacitor and a more vintage sounding pickup (the Sandberg pickups with the large pole pieces are inherently bright) and you might be set 

[vincbt]

1 hour ago, Aidan63 said:

Is the VS4 a pauferro fingerboard ? 

If you believe in tone from wood then you might think it will always sound different to a rosewood board fender neck - maybe no point changing stuff, just play them, and if they don't give you pleasure then sell them

It is rosewood, I think the difference is really in the way the pickup are voiced

[neepheid]

Fenders?  Sandbergs?  CS Fenders?  Sounds like first world problems to me

 

[PaulThePlug]

Non-tort Sandberg Plate(s), Passive Vol, and Tone if ya need it, Pure Tone Jack and the Kent Armstrong P pickup in the FS for £35 if its still available - Bargain Makeover!

Edited March 13, 2024 by PaulThePlug

[Reggaebass]

Unless you need the money I’d definitely keep the 71, mine is going nowhere, I don’t know much about electrics but maybe change the capacitor on the Sandberg as mentioned, I’ve done that and it does make a difference, or move the Sandberg on and get a vintage reissue precision for live work, they really are great 

[ead]

@vincbt asking for a friend; can you confirm that you are indeed a bass player and should you be on this forum with radical ideas like this? 

[vincbt]

38 minutes ago, ead said:

@vincbt asking for a friend; can you confirm that you are indeed a bass player and should you be on this forum with radical ideas like this? 

 

My life was different before I hit the For Sale section of this forum a few years back...

[ead]

27 minutes ago, vincbt said:

 

My life was different before I hit the For Sale section of this forum a few years back...

 

I think this would be the case for most of us 

[Jono Bolton]

On 13/03/2024 at 11:11, vincbt said:

I've gone at least one year without buying or selling any instruments, which is an achievement in itself, but since the beginning of the year I feel I've been again thinking that I should change my gear and suddenly my playing with improve (or something like that)

 

A few years ago I bought a 71P on this forum. It's been serving me very well, but I keep wondering, with prices going up, if we're now at a point where I should just move it on.

 

 

Thinking that I should also have a less valuable instrument to drag around rehearsal and live venues, I then bought a Sandberg VS4 (again here) about a year ago. Very comfortable neck, perhaps a touch too trebly for my taste.

 

 

What else would one want from a P! Well... enter 2024, suddenly I'm thinking I should really sell both and get a 60s specs P, and of course there happens to be a custom shop in Sherwood green on sale

 

 

When I test the water with my wife she just tells me it looks just like what I have already, and probably she's right. Some part of me thinks if I do start buying and selling again I'll end up regretting both losing the vintage instrument and the very comfortable Sandberg neck, while on the other hand I have this little voice in my head saying it's a great idea and I could just have one P instead of 2. What I definitely don't want is end up with 3 

 

I know I'm not alone out there, so is there a way out of the circle of GAS?? How do you guys stop tinkering and just focus on improving your playing (and not your gear)?

 

 

The part in bold is irrelevant, given that feel and sound are the two most important factors in buying an instrument. My OH thinks all my basses look the same, even though they're different shapes and colours.

[BillyBass]

40 minutes ago, ead said:

 

I think this would be the case for most of us 

One day at a time.

[NAS Bass]

On 13/03/2024 at 12:11, Owen said:

Or just turn the tone control down?

 

A lot to be said for sticking to one bass and "really" getting used to knowing where all the good sounds are.

 

I've done it with Precisions and I'm still amazed at the variations in tone that I get out of a rather nice Jazz bass

[neepheid]

Eh, variety is the spice of life, especially when like me you don't really give a toss about all the nuance and flexibility, consider that all basses sound "bassy" (apart from Jazz basses *spit*) and just buy basses that look and feel nice...

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, NAS Bass said:

A lot to be said for sticking to one bass and "really" getting used to knowing where all the good sounds are.

 

I`m like that with my fave Precision which I`ve had since 2015, although I`ve had loads of other basses throughout this period this bass is the one which I really know.