2025 Gear Abstinence Thread

[OliverBlackman]

8 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

You’re right 

let’s make Everything at home for free out of wicker and plaited dog hair 

😋

Practice costs nothing 😉

[Velarian]

So, having observed the nuanced debate about foot-switches, cables, signal path and the like, and despite graciously being given a pass, now that I’ve had the Adams speakers for a day or so, I think it’s only right that I declare myself out. It’s clear that these units make recording eminently possible and although this is not something I’ve done so far, I will now indulge a little along those lines. It would be churlish to argue this isn’t gear that is part of the signal path. 

[Geek99]

Imagine. :✨🪄
a cable made of wicker that whilst a tad creaky, and not very good, did not enrage the shamans in the 2025 abstinence thread and bonus point biodegrades 

 

👍

[Richard R]

2 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Were they given, or were purchases made from this retailer prior in order to build points and purchase other items using those points? That would be purposeful and therefore not a gift.

 

For example if I use a credit card provider in order to build points to swap for air miles, I wonder consider that a gift. I’ve purposefully made those purchases with that card to get the reward.

Nope. 

I deliberately use an Amazon card to pay my company travel expenses so I get a bit back on the hotel bills etc. 

I can't then use that to buy bass stuff on Amazon.I nearly put that example in my post explicitly. 

 

Plus the rules only allow unsolicited gifts you didn't choose.

[Richard R]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Or, you know, just stay the f out of shops and online retailers...

 

A bit radical, but it just might work!

 

 

[ezbass]

The 2024 challenge has ruined me! 15 days of 2025 have passed, with me free of constraints and I’ve bought bugger all! I’ve just talked myself out of what would be a tier 2 fail and can’t bring myself to spend nearly £200 on a rigid gigbag for my Mustang. WTF is up with me? This is just wrong. 

[Richard R]

5 hours ago, Velarian said:

So, having observed the nuanced debate about foot-switches, cables, signal path and the like, and despite graciously being given a pass, now that I’ve had the Adams speakers for a day or so, I think it’s only right that I declare myself out. It’s clear that these units make recording eminently possible and although this is not something I’ve done so far, I will now indulge a little along those lines. It would be churlish to argue this isn’t gear that is part of the signal path. 

Most honourable. 

I would call it a Tier 2 fail though, so you're still eligible for Tier 1 if you want?

[Velarian]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

Most honourable. 

I would call it a Tier 2 fail though, so you're still eligible for Tier 1 if you want?

Great, thanks. I’m pretty sure I can maintain tier 1 compliance for the rest of the year. 🙂

[tauzero]

Didn't even manage January. Still, I have a GRBass AT212 as compensation.

[bass_dinger]

On 17/01/2025 at 14:22, tauzero said:

Didn't even manage January. Still, I have a GRBass AT212 as compensation.

In this Challenge, the losers get a bass guitar, and those who win go without for a whole year.

 

Congratulations on your new bass.

Edited Saturday at 16:27 by bass_dinger
losers, not loosers!

[Stub Mandrel]

On 15/01/2025 at 10:50, OliverBlackman said:

Interesting strategy calling loyalty points a gift. I would argue they’re a form of payment and go against the ethos of the challenge.

 

Not really. Loyalty points often expire if not used. As long as no cash other than p&p changes hands I would say it's ok. Like winning a competition.

 

I got this yesterday but paid for it in December so still in!

 

[Stub Mandrel]

On 15/01/2025 at 18:13, ezbass said:

The 2024 challenge has ruined me! 15 days of 2025 have passed, with me free of constraints and I’ve bought bugger all! I’ve just talked myself out of what would be a tier 2 fail and can’t bring myself to spend nearly £200 on a rigid gigbag for my Mustang. WTF is up with me? This is just wrong. 

 

I think my brother (a guitarist) has sucked in a lot of our gas for us... he's planning multiple acquisitions...

[Stub Mandrel]

6 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

In this Challenge, the loosers get a bass guitar, and those who win go without for a whole year.

 

Congratulations on your new bass.

 

It's a cab 😁

[bass_dinger]

12 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

It's a cab 😁

I just looked it up, and it is indeed a cab - and very nice it is too!

 

Congratulations on your new bass cab.

[OliverBlackman]

55 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Not really. Loyalty points often expire if not used. As long as no cash other than p&p changes hands I would say it's ok. Like winning a competition.

 

I got this yesterday but paid for it in December so still in!

 

Cash can also expire if not used 😂 if you win a bass in a competition you’ve bought a ticket to or had to do something in exchange for a chance (SBL or bassbro competitions) then that’s still a purchase, just like using loyalty points. But if anyone wants to half arse the challenge then it’s no skin off my nose.

[SimonK]

40 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Cash can also expire if not used 😂 if you win a bass in a competition you’ve bought a ticket to or had to do something in exchange for a chance (SBL or bassbro competitions) then that’s still a purchase, just like using loyalty points. But if anyone wants to half arse the challenge then it’s no skin off my nose.

 

...we could turn this into a game of "traitor"... who is still in but misleading everyone else that they haven't just purchased a £3k bass... 😎

[OliverBlackman]

4 minutes ago, SimonK said:

 

...we could turn this into a game of "traitor"... who is still in but misleading everyone else that they haven't just purchased a £3k bass... 😎

Haha love that idea! Unfortunately it won’t be me….. or will it 🤔🤣

[Richard R]

Warnibg GAS can strike at any time!

At band practice today the subject came up of "those shaker things from West Africa, joined by string. " The drummer (an exceedingly talented all round musician and multi instrumentalist)  has just posted on WhatsApp that he's found what they are, and where to buy them, and will be ordering some ASAP once he understands what size to buy.

 

This is what they are, illustrated here by the amazingly talented, and equally amazingly named, Licious Crackitt 😁

 

 

 

[bass_dinger]

4 hours ago, Richard R said:

once he understands what size to buy

The correct answer is "every size, eventually." 

 

I know that our Nkush Kash player is counting "1 2 " for the clicks (and the shakes imply 3 4)  but it feels subtly more funky and syncopated than that.  Interesting instrument!

[Richard R]

4 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

The correct answer is "every size, eventually." 

 

I think there is something about having the size so that the catch in your hand is just right. 

Still very cool.

 

[MrDinsdale]

Just had to go on some gear sites looking for some kids drumsticks for my daughter. Managed to buy them without accidentally purchasing any pedals or basses 👌

 

(not that I can afford)

[SimonK]

12 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Haha love that idea! Unfortunately it won’t be me….. or will it 🤔🤣

 

If I start another thread complaining about a divorce you can probably conclude that I failed the gear abstinence challenge as well!

 

[Richard R]

21 hours ago, tauzero said:

Didn't even manage January. Still, I have a GRBass AT212 as compensation.

 

I missed this post. Fortunately I have my spies....

 

Sad to see you drop out, what's the cab like?

 

 

[tauzero]

23 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

I missed this post. Fortunately I have my spies....

 

Sad to see you drop out, what's the cab like?

 

 

 

Very light - more on it at some point in the near future when I've gigged it for the first time.

 

I wasn't able to get Mrs Zero to tell me that if I didn't buy it she'd kill me, so coercion was off the table.

[msb]

I ordered an amp to be built in December , should arrive Tuesday. It’s on the way.