For some of us here it is sometimes very much is about those exact things. Plunk around in the bass forums some and you'll see threads relating to feelings in music, why you play music and other things that are not gear related at all. We have fun in the bass forums. Genuine fun is had and we often discuss favorite songs, players, our history, strong points and weak points. There is no telling where a thread may go and sometimes they get hopelessly derailed! Sort of like a class reunion where you have so much to say that you jump around from one topic to another and before you know it the initial subject of the conversation is left unresolved.

Sure there are often questions about years of manufacture, authenticity and value of vintage gear now and then, but there are genuinely helpful people on this site too that can help you remedy issues you are having. As just mentioned several apparently lifelong connections between players have been made and there is a special camaraderie among many members of the bass community here. So much so in fact that there are two off site Internet sites devoted to this clique of kindred souls. Some of us communicate by phone and by snail mail also. You can't get more personal than that without actually making an in person visit.

There is far less of the attack and counterattack mentality here that is often seen on other bass forums. That is why I primarily visit the Fender Bass and Bass Amp forums. I have FRIENDS and people I genuinely care about here, and I'm making new friends ALL THE TIME. Funny, but when I scroll down my Facebook friends list, the people I smile the most when I see their names are people I met HERE. So the Fender forum is about gear sometimes, but other times it is about people and life and music and art...and yes....life, love and spiritual things too. Recently a forum member of long standing made a post regarding a very serious illness they are facing, cancer. It is their second battle against the monster. So, you see this is a different forum and a different place and a different mindset than other company sponsored or independent music oriented forums. This forum can be as much about art, music, people and friends as you want it to be. If all you want is gear talk then that is all you will find. You get as good as you give!

Speaking for myself, if someone asks me what is the best this or that for a certain application, they may or may not get an answer that would please FMIC. I'm sure the marketing folks have cringed at some of what I've said about not buying a new this or that and instead fixing the old one or buying something that is NOT FMIC made. The beauty of this forum is that they give people who want to help and network with other players in their genre the opportunity to speak their mind and their heart freely and fairly.

Good fortune to you and yours!

Elix1r, I think that I understand what you said and agree that playing guitar excellently is a bit more important than having an excellent guitar to play, but having both is certainly a good goal to aim for. I have experienced the uniquely unpleasant feeling one gets as they listen to someone boast about their gear, don't let it bug you though it usually only lasts a few minutes and obviously makes the boaster feel better so you are doing a very nice thing by tolerating it, and you never know you may slip up some day and do the same thing. Won't it be nice if everyone over-looks your faux-pa and doesn't call you out. Good kharma and all of that. If I haven't before, welcome to the Forum. We may not agree on everything here but we agree that being here is better than other forums so you have Brothers and Sisters here and we do look out for each other and now you too.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

the guitar player in our jazz band was useing a little 5 watt amp to compete with an entire horn section.it got to a point where it started to screw me up so I brough in my mustang problem solved.THE GEAR YOU HAVE DOES MATTER!!!

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I LIKE PIE!!!!!

IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID,DON'T SAY A WORD...

I'll put my two cents worth in on this one. It is nice to have good quality gear whenever possible. What I really hate to see is for someone to give a youngster just starting to play, an instrument that is not set up properly and would even be difficult for an experienced player to use. A guitar doesn't have to cost $2000 to be a good one. A $200 guitar properly set up can be more satisfying to play than a poorly set up expensive one. I'm going to own the best quality guitar that I can afford and before I ever play it I will install new strings and set it up correctly. Makes all the difference in the world. Same goes for the amp and other equipment, but the bottom line is learn to play it correctly or it really doesn't matter.

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OK, I'll hum a little bit, got it now?

Fine, expensive, vintage. high-priced instruments are made to be played by anyone and everyone, same with cheap instruments. It's just that for some reason players (Including myself for a while) figure you have to pass some kind of proficiency exam to play a high-end instrument and that cheap instruments won't cut it once you get good enough. Play a custom shop like it's a Squier, and play a Squier like it's a Custom Shop. Don't let perceptions of quality/price and whatever else affect the way you approach the instrument. That being said, always opt for an instrument that feels like it was made with spirit and pride, anything less just isn't worth it.

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

Buy the best gear that you can afford at every stage of your personal musical development. It's as simple as that.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

That pretty much sums it up.



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

A very wise old man once told me "it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools!" (miss you gramps)

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

I'm kind of on the other side with this personally. If you are good enough to be pro (actually it doesn't matter whether you're pro or not), you can walk on the stage with anything you want. There's no "they" to tell you you can't. If you really like your Series 10, and you play it like a champ, bring it on stage.

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HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com

How much or how little an instrument costs is immaterial to me,I really couldn't care less. I've been in guitar stores and played guitars that were 1/3 the cost of some others but to my ears and hands had everything that I wanted.I've met my share of gear snobs who have limited edition this and that and own it only for the bragging rights but I class them as first rate poseurs.With any piece of gear the main thing to be interested in is the sound and playibility anything else is secondary.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Well, there's nothing really wrong with that either. I'm not against what anyone wants to use as their main axe of choice. I would have to say though, that we seem to have a difference in what we believe a pro musician to be. Not all pros are on TV or the radio. There are a great many that I'm willing to bet you've never heard of.

BTW, one of the biggest legends of The Grand ole Opry played one of the biggest POS guitars you could ever lay your eyes on.


Willie Nelson's guitar..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mckg0

But hey, who am I to judge? If it's what he wants to play, all power to him. It's a great song regardless. Made me feel good and warm inside to hear that song again.

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HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com

thanks Shredd, a perfect example.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I keep mentioning Jack Pearson as the best guitarist that I've ever been around....he has an old Silvertone that absolutely sings and has the best slide tone ever,he plays it everywhere,along with his G&L's and vintage National Resonator and others....this is a guy who has plaed with The Allman Brothers and everyone from Jimmy Buffett to Vince Gill...those pros would let him come onstage with a cigar box guitar,or a washtub with a broom handle.
Forget this,...you have to have the best to walk onstage with the pros,crap...you haven't been around some of the pros that I've seen.

If you can afford a quality piece of gear to learn on why not buy it. In some cases junk makes it more difficult to learn turning people off. I would never tell anyone to buy cheap gear if they can afford better. Why buy a Piper Cadet to learn to fly when you can afford to buy and learn in a Bombardier Learjet! Your reasoning is senseless.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

There have been a few famous musicians who could afford just about anything but kept going back to cheaper brands.Jeff Healy is one example,he insisted on Squier Strats during his entire career albeit upgraded usually with Evans pups but still they were Squiers.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.