Gearstalkers

[Pete Academy]

At your gigs, do you get 'gearstalkers'...folk that, as soon as the doors open, gather at the front of the stage and check out your gear?

Can you admit to being one?

[Hot Tub]

Yup, I am one.

I am ashamed. :ph34r: :blush:

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='756717' date='Feb 25 2010, 08:13 AM']At your gigs, do you get 'gearstalkers'...folk that, as soon as the doors open, gather at the front of the stage and check out your gear?

Can you admit to being one?[/quote]
At a gig a couple of years ago I'd finished setting up - LMII, Ampeg 410, Fender Precision, TU2, Punch Factory - when a guy wanders over and says 'Is that your gear?', I say 'Yes', and he says 'I bet you're one of those people who buys Bass Guitar Magazine'.

[neepheid]

I'm always gear spotting at gigs. It's just another form of geekery

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='756729' date='Feb 25 2010, 08:36 AM']At a gig a couple of years ago I'd finished setting up - LMII, Ampeg 410, Fender Precision, TU2, Punch Factory - when a guy wanders over and says 'Is that your gear?', I say 'Yes', and he says 'I bet you're one of those people who buys Bass Guitar Magazine'. [/quote]

[Bass-ic]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='756729' date='Feb 25 2010, 08:36 AM']At a gig a couple of years ago I'd finished setting up - LMII, Ampeg 410, Fender Precision, TU2, Punch Factory - when a guy wanders over and says 'Is that your gear?', I say 'Yes', and he says 'I bet you're one of those people who buys Bass Guitar Magazine'. [/quote]


Thats very funny!

But TRUE!

[Mykesbass]

Tour managed a Texan Blues guitarist last year - had loads of these, also watching every last move - the band referred to these guys as IBM's - Intense Bearded Men!

[DanOwens]

I do tend to have a peek but some of the people that wanna gear chat with me are light years ahead of myself in the geek stakes.

I tend to fob them off.

Dan

[Marky L]

Yes, I am one of those. It's a shameful business and I'm not proud of what I do!!

Actually I'm not at frothing geek level, but I always scope out what gear is being used, raise an eyebrow slightly and nod in a sage like way. It makes me feel like I'm a little bit more special than the rest of the hoi paloi there.

[Clarky72]

Haha, I'm actually one of those geeks too... I'll always try and do it discreetly so as not to get my mates ripping into me for being a bass bore yet again!

Finding a nice spot right by the stage for your first pint and it just so happens to be right in front of the bassist for a sly peek at his gear usually works

I try not to go and chat with the bassist for fear of becoming that boring beardy bloke who wants to tell you about all the gear he's had over the years when all you want to do is just get set up quickly so you can get a beer in while the drummer spends the next hour mucking around setting up his kit....

[crez5150]

I'm one.... but it tends to be the PA and Mixing equipment rather than whats on stage

[mcgraham]

Not had many. Had one guy come up to me after church who turned out to be Ben who runs bassguitarblog.com who was interested in my Klimt. Other than that, I do get the odd hobby musician coming up to ask 'how many strings do you need?' or 'how many frets does that have?' I usually reply 'this many'

I'm normally the gearspotter, but it's more unintentional now than it used to be. I went to an event recently where there was a band setup beside a screen, but the bassist had his bass on a stand behind the screen. I could only see the very edge of the bridge and bridge end of the bass... and I instantly knew what brand and model of bass it was from the bridge alone. Partly indication of good branding (it was an Alembic Epic) but also sign of geekery on my part.

[Earbrass]

"Gearstalker" - how a bad ventriloquist would describe Sherlock Holmes' hat.

Yeah, I used to be one in my teens - not restricted to bass gear either; keyboards were a particular interest I seem to remember. Mind you, that was back in the 70's - being a gear-geek was a lot easier back then, as there was a lot less variety of gear to spot.

[HMX]

I am indeed. It's the first thing I look for, ashamedly.

[wombatboter]

I noticed that times changed a lot...when I started playing bass many years ago it became a habit that after the gig musicians would check the gear and ask me questions.
Nowadays (since more than ten years) I hardly get any questions anymore, it has become very rare.
In the eighties it was a more bass-orientated time with special basses like Wal, Jaydee and gear like Trace Elliot.
It has become more dull around here and no one is interested anymore, you see the same Fenders and Ampegs everywhere and young bass players seem to be less curious (I would love to know what Epifani is, where it comes from, etc but not too many players have the same attitude)
I still check gear and remember it for years ...

[Dubs]

I love gear stalking It's the first thing I do when I get into a venue - look at what's on the stage! I very rarely actually seek out people to talk about their gear though...

I've reached the point in my band where I've stopped talking about gear because it became a running joke where I'd turn up to practice with a new head almost every other week. They think I'm the ultimate gear slut, but I know I'm not as bad as some on here

EDIT: Played a gig on Saturday where someone was asking me about my gear, but it was difficult to have a 2 way conversation because they didn't really know a lot about the gear I was using but I also went straight into geek mode and didn't fully realise that I was talking at them for 10 minutes

Edited February 25, 2010 by Dubs

[3V17C]

yeah i'm a 'gearstalker' too.. and also I tend to judge a band on the quality/brand/level of gear they have before I've heard them play a note.... any one else guilty of this?! c'mon.. own up!! (my assumptions on said bands are normally correct though it must be said!!)


peace

c

[chris_b]

I get a lot of people asking about the 5 string bass, because they haven't seen one before! I though 5'ers were becoming quite common but it seems they're not.

[Raggy]

[quote name='Marky L' post='756836' date='Feb 25 2010, 10:16 AM']Yes, I am one of those. It's a shameful business and I'm not proud of what I do!!

Actually I'm not at frothing geek level, but I always scope out what gear is being used, raise an eyebrow slightly and nod in a sage like way. It makes me feel like I'm a little bit more special than the rest of the hoi paloi there. [/quote]

Lol, me too!

[cheddatom]

I used to get people asking about the 6 string bass and the huge pedalboard, but that's 'cos they're unusual.

I have on occasion checked out gear, or asked about gear, but only when i've heard it first and become interested that way.

[Pete Academy]

I've had more people come up to me since I started using the Roscoe, presumably because it's quite a rare beast over here. I always oblige if they want a quick go unplugged at the end.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='756912' date='Feb 25 2010, 11:50 AM']I used to get people asking about the 6 string bass and the huge pedalboard, but that's 'cos they're unusual.

I have on occasion checked out gear, or asked about gear, but only when i've heard it first and become interested that way.[/quote]

Unusual? The gear or the people?

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='756919' date='Feb 25 2010, 11:53 AM']Unusual? The gear or the people? [/quote]

Heh the gear!! The people are your usual gearstalkers. To be fair, if I went to see me play i'd probably perv on my pedalboard. It's sexy.

[cetera]

I plead 'guilty' m'lud! lol!

[NJE]

I am a complete unashamed geek/gear stalker.

First thing I do when I know there is a band on is stare until I know what gear they are all using especially the bass player. I am not one for going up and chatting to people though, no need for that. I dont like bothering people and I wouldnt be too keen if someone wondered up to me and annoyed me before playing or got in the wau of the bar after playing.

I went to a John Mayer gig recently and couldnt stop looking at the stage and completely ignored my friends and girlfriends conversation. I spent about 15 minutes looking and then proceeded to tell everyone what guitar sJohn was playing that night, how much they probably cost, what the bass player had and how much I hated both of them for having nicer stuff than me.

I love gear its superb and I have almost as fun learning and reading about it as I do playing.