2025 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Geek99]

27 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Oh I’ve been well out of this since January 😆

Yes but late January, at this rate you’ll be going gear-.purchase-free all year **
 

** assuming that you live until 2097 of course 

[ezbass]

After completing the abstinence challenge last year, I am now a broken man. Other than the stand I bought for my EUB, which was the equivalent of a more comfortable strap, I have no GAS. Let me say that again, NO GAS! Sounds good, yes? Well it isn’t, I hate it! I used to love pointlessly drooling over new gear, looking to see where I could try it, how I could justify buying it. All gone, even guitar GAS, which was always on hand, has dwindled to a mere cursory glance at guitar shop, websites.

 

To summarise, everyone go and buy something now, save yourselves, no one should feel like this. 😩

 

What do you mean, that’s not the point of this thread and challenge? I’m doing everyone a favour, surely?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

😉😁

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

After completing the abstinence challenge last year, I am now a broken man. Other than the stand I bought for my EUB, which was the equivalent of a more comfortable strap, I have no GAS. Let me say that again, NO GAS! Sounds good, yes? Well it isn’t, I hate it! I used to love pointlessly drooling over new gear, looking to see where I could try it, how I could justify buying it. All gone, even guitar GAS, which was always on hand, has dwindled to a mere cursory glance at guitar shop, websites.

 

To summarise, everyone go and buy something now, save yourselves, no one should feel like this. 😩

 

What do you mean, that’s not the point of this thread and challenge? I’m doing everyone a favour, surely?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

😉😁

 

Bollox - there'll be something living rent-free in your head... just buy it, you're gonna die some day. 

 

Morbid, perhaps, but that's the exact logic I used when I bought my Greco bass.  Carpe diem and all that shizz.

[ezbass]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

Bollox - there'll be something living rent-free in your head... just buy it, you're gonna die some day. 

No, it’s true, there’s nothing and it’s been nothing for quite some time - it sucks.

 

I know that a new band, with particular sonic/aesthetic requirements could cure this, but it’s slim pickings.

[msb]

Decided a Diamond compressor might be a good thing to have , but haven’t bought one yet. Not in any panic , wouldn’t be used for gigs , if I saw a great deal I’d probably jump. 
Levy used to make a gorgeous leather gig bag , not currently in production , if I saw one come up for a good price I could lose it there. Otherwise I’m good. My musical emergency fund is flush , so I’m ready should anything surface. I check the classifieds on a regular basis and haven’t been tempted. 

[ezbass]

6 minutes ago, msb said:

Decided a Diamond compressor might be a good thing to have , but haven’t bought one yet. Not in any panic , wouldn’t be used for gigs , if I saw a great deal I’d probably jump. 
Levy used to make a gorgeous leather gig bag , not currently in production , if I saw one come up for a good price I could lose it there. Otherwise I’m good. My musical emergency fund is flush , so I’m ready should anything surface. I check the classifieds on a regular basis and haven’t been tempted. 

€252 + shipping and local taxes gets you a Maruszczyk leather gigbag, less (€226) if you go for black.

 

https://www.public-peace.de/guitar-bass/gigbags/e-bass-bags/

[wavemaker]

I had an almost fail last week when the thoughts about a used Warwick Thumb available locally started to become intrusive … However, this led me to a revelation while spending the weekend rebuilding the electronics of another beautiful piece of bubinga (one I actually own), as well as rehearsing and practicing with it. 

 

My tastes in basses really have become a double-edged sword for my finances: Most instruments simply aren’t even intriguing to me. But whenever something tickles my fancy juuuuuust right, more likely than not, it’s a matter of four figures.

 

And then, it hit me: Whenever I buy something, I‘m not only adding an awesome unique bass to my stable of awesome unique basses - I‘m actually taking another awesome unique instrument off the market. And I don’t want that, at all - I want others to experience awesome unique basses, as well. 

 

And with that thought, G.A.S. was gone. Anyone want to recommend me for that swedish medal?

[SimonK]

I'd forgotten about this thread, and now bought a further three more cabs since my first "fail" on 11th February... certainly much happier with having the cabs and not being in the abstinence club!! 😈

[Geek99]

I am, as my friend from Dundee would say, seeing my jacket on a shaky nail right now. I’ve sold a much loved bass, and a much desired cab to Pay some bills as discussed with @neepheid and I’m down to one bass and no cab. Tempted by a sire 5 string and a squier 40th p 😇🤞and I know that puts me in failure territory for the first year ever 

 

both are postable or collectable within distance of my winterfell hovel

Edited Tuesday at 17:43 by Geek99

[King Tut]

Well pedal toppers or not I’m definitely out now as I purchased a pink Sire fiver from here at the weekend!

[Stub Mandrel]

On 05/03/2025 at 00:38, neepheid said:

 

OK, I'll bite.  Why?

 

I keep a strap, lead and tuner in the case with all my main basses, so I can grab one, a head and a cab and know I gave all the essentials.

[Stub Mandrel]

I have realised buying basses is just a justification for going to shops to try out lots of nice instruments and gear.

 

How can I do that and not buy...

[neepheid]

7 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I keep a strap, lead and tuner in the case with all my main basses, so I can grab one, a head and a cab and know I gave all the essentials.

 

Ahh, strict adherence to one bag.  Got it.  A strap for every bass, that tracks.  For everything else, I have a pedalboard, so there's a tuner on there, and cables/wireless bugs go in the bag with it too.

[Obrienp]

I am feeling proud of myself for having resisted the temptation of a number of Barefaced cabs that have been listed on BC. I have developed a procrastination coping mechanism: I sleep on it and by the next day some other BCer has jumped in and removed the temptation. I don’t think it would work if a LFSys cab came up again.

 

One of the bands I am in used Plug Studios in Norwich for a rehearsal yesterday. There was an anonymous 4 x10 (alternative speaker cloth on it) powered by a Peavey Max 800 in our rehearsal room and it sounded brilliant. It has really given me GAS for a 4 x 10 but one I can lift easily, which kind of restricts the choice in the affordable range. A BF Four10 is out of my league, ditto a GR Bass but the newish Markbass MB58R 4 x10s look tempting. Fortunately, there are very few reviews on them out there, so that is controlling the GAS at the moment.

[TimR]

I'm still in.

 

Considered a DMX lighting controller pedal following a thread the other week, but luckily someone posted in this thread and I remembered I don't need one. 

[Geek99]

I think I’m likely to be out after many years of success. 
 

I wouldn’t be buying if a) I hadn’t needed something to make a difficult inheritance “mine” and b) hadn’t needed to sell a loved bass whilst waiting for the money to arrive and c) a good price 

Stop laughing @AndyTravis 😁

 

Edited yesterday at 17:13 by Geek99

[AndyTravis]

42 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I think I’m likely to be out after many years of success. 
 

I wouldn’t be buying if a) I hadn’t needed something to make a difficult inheritance “mine” and b) hadn’t had to sell a lived bass whilst waiting for it to arrive and c) a good price 

Stop laughing @AndyTravis 😁

 

I’m glad you’ve bought it, genuinely messaged Lee after some wine…

 

”Trav, you know you don’t use 5’s” 😂😂😂

[Geek99]

30 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I’m glad you’ve bought it, genuinely messaged Lee after some wine…

 

”Trav, you know you don’t use 5’s” 😂😂😂

That stopped you ? Whilst you were “channelling the force” ** 😳

 

a euphemism for “pissed” and “purchase-focused” in one amalgamated emotional state

Edited yesterday at 17:25 by Geek99

[Mrbigstuff]

8 hours ago, Geek99 said:

I think I’m likely to be out after many years of success. 
 

I wouldn’t be buying if a) I hadn’t needed something to make a difficult inheritance “mine” and b) hadn’t needed to sell a loved bass whilst waiting for the money to arrive and c) a good price 

Stop laughing @AndyTravis 😁

 

Congrats it was a great price 

[miles'tone]

I'm out, but at least I made it far past January this year! 

I swapped my Jet P bass for a CV Mustang bass. 

I'm happy and at least I didn't spend any money!

Loving my new tubby little funk stick 👌 

[fretmeister]

Yesterday I discovered that my family have clubbed together to get me a Line 6 HX Stomp for my birthday, which is in a few weeks.

I have wanted one for some time. It wasn't solicited, but they did know I want one. It's been in my Amazon wishlist for about 3 years! 

 

Is that a fail?

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, fretmeister said:

Yesterday I discovered that my family have clubbed together to get me a Line 6 HX Stomp for my birthday, which is in a few weeks.

I have wanted one for some time. It wasn't solicited, but they did know I want one. It's been in my Amazon wishlist for about 3 years! 

 

Is that a fail?

 

No, you did not prompt this (I don't think having it on a wishlist counts), it is an unsolicited gift, you weren't involved in any way, so I think you're good.  Nice family, lovely gift, enjoy!

[Geek99]

13 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

No, you did not prompt this (I don't think having it on a wishlist counts), it is an unsolicited gift, you weren't involved in any way, so I think you're good.  Nice family, lovely gift, enjoy!

Agreed

 

 

[fretmeister]

5 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

No, you did not prompt this (I don't think having it on a wishlist counts), it is an unsolicited gift, you weren't involved in any way, so I think you're good.  Nice family, lovely gift, enjoy!

 

I was properly surprised - my eldest arranged it. It's expensive so she spoke to pretty much everyone who would have got me a gift: wife, other kids, parents, brother, even the Mother in Law!

 

Funnily enough this challenge is making me think about the stuff I have but hardly ever use - and thinking about selling to make some room in the house. I've got 8 basses and I really only play half of them, I've got so many pedals but again only use my favourites. Some are cheap, others expensive but it's kind of dead money sitting there. Even for guitar use, it's usually just a fuzz, vibe, delay and that's about it - cliché Hendrix but I like it.

 

It's giving me an extra layer of thought - almost moving instantly from "Looks fun to I want it" to "Yeah, but I'll probably sell it within a year"

[Geek99]

32 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

I was properly surprised - my eldest arranged it. It's expensive so she spoke to pretty much everyone who would have got me a gift: wife, other kids, parents, brother, even the Mother in Law!

 

Funnily enough this challenge is making me think about the stuff I have but hardly ever use - and thinking about selling to make some room in the house. I've got 8 basses and I really only play half of them, I've got so many pedals but again only use my favourites. Some are cheap, others expensive but it's kind of dead money sitting there. Even for guitar use,

You were doing so well until this point …

 

last night I was asked to fill in on an open mic night, which would be great except they wanted me to play the toy bass. 🤮