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Old 05-07-2007, 11:25 AM
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So we were jamming yesterday at band practice, me with my Smith, and my lead guitarist with his custom shop Jackson. We were in the middle of playing one of our songs. I was standing in front of the drums facing the drummer and the guitarist was standing to my left. We were coming up on the part of the song where he goes into his solo, so he whips around to head over to his pedal board and to my horror, smacks the head stock of my Smith with the head of his Jackson. The shock almost jerked the bass out of my left hand. We didn't miss a beat in the song but I was almost ready to cry. When we finished the song I took a look and there is a slight ding in the finish just below the A string tuning peg. You have to have light glaring on the finish to really see it, but you can feel it if you run your hand over it..

It's really amazing that was all that happened to it because he really smacked it hard. I was worried about the neck having snapped in half or something when it happened as I wasn't looking at him and just felt the violent jerk of the neck.

I just couldn't believe it.. At least he dinged my really expensive bass with his really expensive guitar...

I've had this bass for 6 years. I just racked up ding #2. Not a bad record so far I guess.
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Old 05-07-2007, 01:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner View Post
So we were jamming yesterday at band practice, me with my Smith, and my lead guitarist with his custom shop Jackson. We were in the middle of playing one of our songs. I was standing in front of the drums facing the drummer and the guitarist was standing to my left. We were coming up on the part of the song where he goes into his solo, so he whips around to head over to his pedal board and to my horror, smacks the head stock of my Smith with the head of his Jackson. The shock almost jerked the bass out of my left hand. We didn't miss a beat in the song but I was almost ready to cry. When we finished the song I took a look and there is a slight ding in the finish just below the A string tuning peg. You have to have light glaring on the finish to really see it, but you can feel it if you run your hand over it..

It's really amazing that was all that happened to it because he really smacked it hard. I was worried about the neck having snapped in half or something when it happened as I wasn't looking at him and just felt the violent jerk of the neck.

I just couldn't believe it.. At least he dinged my really expensive bass with his really expensive guitar...

I've had this bass for 6 years. I just racked up ding #2. Not a bad record so far I guess.

My sympathy Bob, and I really, really mean it!

I just noticed a little "belt buckle rash" on the back of my new Smith, and I admit I was slightly depressed for a few minutes ( my wife shook her head at me in disbelief and amazement) so, I hear you!
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Old 05-09-2007, 10:59 AM
Paul Phillips Paul Phillips is offline
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Default the horror

Bob iI know how you feel, Was doing a gig in Richmond Va with my Band, Had my Fretless BSR setting right in front of my drummers kick on the stand. The next thing I here is this tapping sound, I look around and see my drummer useing my fretless head stock as a wood block .I thought i was going to fall off the stage right into the crowd!. But it didn`t hurt the bass at all, Just to see it happened almost sent me to the Hospital doing a Fred Sanford!!!!!, We all got a good chuckle from it!!!!!!
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Old 05-09-2007, 07:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner View Post
So we were jamming yesterday at band practice, me with my Smith, and my lead guitarist with his custom shop Jackson. We were in the middle of playing one of our songs. I was standing in front of the drums facing the drummer and the guitarist was standing to my left. We were coming up on the part of the song where he goes into his solo, so he whips around to head over to his pedal board and to my horror, smacks the head stock of my Smith with the head of his Jackson. The shock almost jerked the bass out of my left hand. We didn't miss a beat in the song but I was almost ready to cry. When we finished the song I took a look and there is a slight ding in the finish just below the A string tuning peg. You have to have light glaring on the finish to really see it, but you can feel it if you run your hand over it..

It's really amazing that was all that happened to it because he really smacked it hard. I was worried about the neck having snapped in half or something when it happened as I wasn't looking at him and just felt the violent jerk of the neck.

I just couldn't believe it.. At least he dinged my really expensive bass with his really expensive guitar...

I've had this bass for 6 years. I just racked up ding #2. Not a bad record so far I guess.
Bob, I feel your pain, when you consider the amount of time it took for Ken to create your custom made piece of art , and to have someone inadvertently damage it, can cause severe thoughts of causing bodily damage to the perpetrator. I commend you on your restraint in this matter.
Al
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Old 05-10-2007, 08:36 AM
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I have a complete sense of humour failure when it comes to gear abuse.

I tore a strip off one idiot on basstalk after he complained that the SWR Triad cab I used to own (who he bought off the friend I sold it to) was crap because it couldn't withstand his onslaught of overdriven bass synth pedals (which forced it to take sub low transients). He'd been sold that cab in mint condition and after he'd finished, it needed a complete reconing. If it was a sensitive cab with a high SPL then it might have been understandable but Triad cabs have a sensitivity rating of something like -98dB so it would have taken some considerable abuse to blow the speakers.

I'm not normally possessive of gear like that, but the guy had started the thread, acting like he was proud of how demanding he was so I couldn't let it one lie. That thread was dead afterwards.

At some shared billing gigs another bass player sometimes used my rig without asking first. Usually its been due to the promoter taking the proverbial and telling the band its OK, so they don't have to hire gear for everyone. I usually tell them noone uses my gear unless I know them already. If I wanted to be asked back, I'll take the promoter aside and tell them what has gone on and that I'm not happy about it. I've even shown them that my gear is being redlined as the other band are performing. If the gear gets damaged then the promoter will get a bill for repairs and my time/travel expenses to/from the tech.

Luckily I've not had any major events with damaging my Smiths apart from a recharger for my phone dropping on my Smith 6 from a shelf, which left a small v shaped ding in the back of the upper horn. Rest of the dings have been from belt buckles and gig bag zips.
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Old 05-10-2007, 01:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronson Hall View Post
My sympathy Bob, and I really, really mean it!

I just noticed a little "belt buckle rash" on the back of my new Smith, and I admit I was slightly depressed for a few minutes ( my wife shook her head at me in disbelief and amazement) so, I hear you!

I've never had this problem since I strap my bass high enough above the belt buckle. Because I am a freak of caution and preventative maintenance, I usually wear my long sleeve baseball shirts when I rehearse. I'm getting to the point now (depending on which bass I use) where I will put the bass back in the case until I am ready to play. When there's activity on a stage, your begging for damage otherwise and once it happens, there's no turning back.
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Old 05-10-2007, 02:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Bishop View Post
I'm getting to the point now (depending on which bass I use) where I will put the bass back in the case until I am ready to play. When there's activity on a stage, your begging for damage otherwise and once it happens, there's no turning back.


Actually, the only other ding on my Smith was due to my always keeping it in the case. I keep it in the case when I'm not playing it as well, and I dinged the edge near the output jack on the latch of the case when I was putting it back in the case after playing. There is no escape. If you use it, it will get dings.
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Old 05-10-2007, 06:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Bishop View Post
I've never had this problem since I strap my bass high enough above the belt buckle. Because I am a freak of caution and preventative maintenance, I usually wear my long sleeve baseball shirts when I rehearse. I'm getting to the point now (depending on which bass I use) where I will put the bass back in the case until I am ready to play. When there's activity on a stage, your begging for damage otherwise and once it happens, there's no turning back.
I used to allow other players whom I didn't know very well to utilize my equipment, bad mistake for sure. Not everyone has the same level of respect for others equipment, they will take your rig to its limits and leave you hanging like a two dollar trick. If your not on a first name basis with the impending band, specifically the bass player, lock it up and pack it up.
It saves wear and tear on your knuckles from taking out the first four front teeth of the idiot who blew your rig.
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Old 06-27-2007, 04:26 PM
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Agreed... whenever the is "shared equiptment" I always talk to the other bass player /players involved. There are strict rules and no right of passage to my gear. For festivals and multiband gigs I have a gator double hardshell case that my basses are in when not in my hands. I commend you for not hurting your guitar player... don't think I could have restrained.
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Old 06-27-2007, 06:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dennis Michaels View Post
Agreed... whenever the is "shared equiptment" I always talk to the other bass player /players involved. There are strict rules and no right of passage to my gear. For festivals and multiband gigs I have a gator double hardshell case that my basses are in when not in my hands. I commend you for not hurting your guitar player... don't think I could have restrained.
Well, He's been like a brother to me for 20 years, so freaking out on him wasn't really in the cards.. As I stated before, it makes me feel a little better that if he was going to ding my $4000 bass, he at least did it with his $3000 guitar..
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Old 06-27-2007, 06:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner View Post
Well, He's been like a brother to me for 20 years, so freaking out on him wasn't really in the cards.. As I stated before, it makes me feel a little better that if he was going to ding my $4000 bass, he at least did it with his $3000 guitar..
Bob, Very true, it does make it a bit easier to swallow.
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Old 07-05-2007, 05:26 PM
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I can't remember how many times my bass has taken some bumps or dings from other things, or the floor (I usually don't use a bass stand - I use the wall or the face of the cab). After all, this bass is working a lot, I can't cry with every new scratch I see on it.. I also have a scratched (unfinished) area where the right hand fingers meet the (oil) finish, In fact I really like this bcause it adds lots of character to my bass (one salesman in a music store even asked me if it's vintage... ). I still have some awesome looking areas (those you can look at for hours after waxing..).

I can just say, don't worry about dings and scratches (I am not talking about serious ones, that can ruin the comfort or working condition of the bass..), just a reminder that you're playing and working hard .

And by the way, I always didn't like people not letting me checking out their axe, so I'll let anyone at least hit a note on it, even if it's just to hear the "woww, never touched a bass like this".

I now have a BSRJ-MW, maybe I will change my way of thinking when I have my BSR-EG.. Or maybe not...
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