2025 Gear Abstinence Thread

[Richard R]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

I regard straps as essential

 

14 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Nah straps are like clothing

 

I didn't read any further!

😳

[Stub Mandrel]

33 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Nah straps are like clothing and aren’t for me a particularly joyful purchase. I’ve had the same ones for an age.

 

I have more straps than basses...

[neepheid]

9 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm in ... glad I paid for a Brassmaster before Christmas!

 

Three possible failures on the horizon:

 

Would like to try a Spectracomp.

 

If your experience is the same as mine, then don't do it - if you try one you'll be out, it's that simple.

[SimonK]

Right lets test the power of this thread - I'm off to Andertons now with my son... I'm guessing buying something for the boy doesn't count 🙂 !

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, SimonK said:

Right lets test the power of this thread - I'm off to Andertons now with my son... I'm guessing buying something for the boy doesn't count 🙂 !

 

As long as it isn't one of these "buying stuff for people that you know they won't like and will give back to you" type scams...

 

[fretmeister]

I'm going to try and save what I would have spent over the year. I really miss having a good 5 string. So that's my plan - Start a fund to save for a Stingray Special 5 string. 

 

Obviously if I win the lottery this abstinence pledge can do one!  

[OliverBlackman]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I have more straps than basses...

I find that crazy! Even when I gigged I just used 1 comfort strap. But now I don’t gig so a strap is there just to stop the bass falling off my lap!

[fretmeister]

1 minute ago, OliverBlackman said:

I find that crazy! Even when I gigged I just used 1 comfort strap. But now I don’t gig so a strap is there just to stop the bass falling off my lap!

 

 

All my instruments have a strap attached all the time. I cannot be bothered to adjust them when swapping. And different straps suit different instruments.

 

If I only had 1 strap then I would definitely be the person who turned up at a gig without it!

[neepheid]

Ahh, in my flurry of before the deadline purchases (some of which are arriving today, yay!) I forgot to order replacement knobs for the T-bird (because I don't really care for the silver and gold stock ones - they have no context to be on that bass).  Oh well, I think I can manage not to scratch that itch for a year...

[SimonK]

...bl**dy wife, unbeknownst to me she told my son that we wouldn't be going on holiday this year if Daddy bought anything from Andertons today. He took the responsibility seriously and told every member of staff I spoke to that I wasn't going to be buying anything this year! So yes I got the repair booked and had a nice chat with Gavin their instore tech, but didn't get to try anything else - mind you I will need to go back up there in a few weeks, alone, when school will have started again...

Edited Friday at 15:41 by SimonK

[Stub Mandrel]

8 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

I find that crazy! Even when I gigged I just used 1 comfort strap. But now I don’t gig so a strap is there just to stop the bass falling off my lap!

 

I have a strap for each bass, chosen onveither aesthetics, practicality (wide and or padded ones for heavier basses), fender ones for fendahs and squiers or just on a whim or because.

 

And for my guitars, ukulele and mandolins.

 

And some spares.

[tauzero]

Still in!

[Quatschmacher]

I’ll play though I may not be in long. Is this just for bass-related gear (i.e. are synths exempt)?

[OliverBlackman]

13 minutes ago, Quatschmacher said:

I’ll play though I may not be in long. Is this just for bass-related gear (i.e. are synths exempt)?

It’s explained on the first page 

[mikebass456]

I'm in! I just squeezed my new Martin short scale acoustic into last year (bought online on Xmas day evening, it arrived Sunday 29th!😁👍).

I'm actually selling some stuff this year (couple of basses, a bass drum mic and maybe a couple of pedals), and have no need for anything new (other than what falls into the consumables category!)

It's still probably going to be a long year though.......😬😬

[OliverBlackman]

3 hours ago, mikebass456 said:

I'm in! I just squeezed my new Martin short scale acoustic into last year (bought online on Xmas day evening, it arrived Sunday 29th!😁👍).

I'm actually selling some stuff this year (couple of basses, a bass drum mic and maybe a couple of pedals), and have no need for anything new (other than what falls into the consumables category!)

It's still probably going to be a long year though.......😬😬

Telling a bunch of addicts there will be gear available is a bit cruel. My first thought was how good kick drum mics can sound for recording a bass cab. I neither have a drum kit, bass cab or the need for any recording but I still wanted it 😂

[mikebass456]

19 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Telling a bunch of addicts there will be gear available is a bit cruel. My first thought was how good kick drum mics can sound for recording a bass cab. I neither have a drum kit, bass cab or the need for any recording but I still wanted it 😂

Yeah - didn't think that one through. Sorry everyone.....😲😆

[Suburban Man]

Just squeezed a wireless system into 2024 (December 29th).  That was close.  

[mikebass456]

26 minutes ago, Suburban Man said:

Just squeezed a wireless system into 2024 (December 29th).  That was close.  

Nicely done! Which system, just out of interest? 🤔

[Richard R]

35 people signed up so far.

 

[paul_5]

On 01/01/2025 at 18:12, Richard R said:

Updated the first post in the thread with the Rules as I understand them 🙂

 

Currently on the starting line - plenty of space left:

@paul_5 - let us know what the compressor sounds like when you've built it

 

It's a Jed'sPeds PCB of thew EQD warden optical compressor. all soldered up and boxed and with a couple of tweaks it's great!

Also, I desoldered the onboard charge pump components and used the 18vdc supply from my power brick, so I'm even further away from the starting line by a handful of components (a 7660S IC, two diodes, and two electrolytic capacitors!)

Oh, I also 'upgraded' the opamp from a TL072 to an LM833 - lovely sounding circuit.

Edited 15 hours ago by paul_5

[SimonK]

Well that was close - very nearly ordered a bass synth pedal but then realised I could get a pretty good synth sound by combining my current fuzz, octave & chorus pedals. Just spent the last couple hours upsetting my family with synthy space sounds - awesome to discover that stuff I already have can be used in a different way and I don't need to buy something new!

[paul_5]

9 hours ago, SimonK said:

Well that was close - very nearly ordered a bass synth pedal but then realised I could get a pretty good synth sound by combining my current fuzz, octave & chorus pedals. Just spent the last couple hours upsetting my family with synthy space sounds - awesome to discover that stuff I already have can be used in a different way and I don't need to buy something new!

Add an envelope filter and you’ve nailed it - I do exactly this!

[Richard R]

10 hours ago, SimonK said:

- awesome to discover that stuff I already have can be used in a different way and I don't need to buy something new!

 

The purpose of this thread, summed up perfectly!

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Richard R

[Quatschmacher]

13 hours ago, SimonK said:

Well that was close - very nearly ordered a bass synth pedal but then realised I could get a pretty good synth sound by combining my current fuzz, octave & chorus pedals. Just spent the last couple hours upsetting my family with synthy space sounds - awesome to discover that stuff I already have can be used in a different way and I don't need to buy something new!

Also experiment with running the fuzz and octave in series vs in parallel, and play around with where in the chain you place the chorus too. Fuzz>chorus + octave will give a different result from octave>fuzz>chorus, as will enabling/disabling the dry signal on the latter setup.