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How to resist buying another jacket?

Carlos840

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,944
Location
London
Sorry to say that but I also only got one acoustic guitar. It's a custom-made piece. Small but deep body. So it's quite loud and bassy for a small guitar:

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I think the comparison between instruments and leather jackets is quite good actually.
Through my years of playing i have noticed that you find two kind of people, the ones that have one instrument, or maybe a number 1 and a backup, but they mostly use the one for everything.
This isn't usually a question of money, it's just that they prefer to be very close to one instrument rather than share their time between many.

The other kind of people usually suffers from massive GAS, try everything under the sun, and usually end up unable to settle on a single one.

You see the same thing with guns, knives, shoes pretty much everything. Some people want choice, some want the reassurance of having only one and knowing it like the back of their hand!
IMO if you are in the first group of people you will really struggle to find "the one" because there is always something new and exciting coming up.

I love the idea of having only 1 bass, and have it all beat up after 50 years of being my only one, I love the idea of wearing the same jacket for a decade and have it perfectly broken in and having that patina we all envy.
But i love being able to choose what i want to play or wear everyday more.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Variety is the spice of life!

Before i leave for a gig i think of my set list, think of my mood and choose which bass i will play that night.
Yes i could play it all with my P bass and be the guy who played the same instrument his whole career, but i don't see the fun in this.

Same thing with leather jackets. Where am i going, what am i doing, what is my mood, it all influences what jacket i wear.

I agree that it can become expensive, but IMO as long as you can afford it, aren't starving your family or selling your kidneys to buy leather then go for it.
Life is too short not to spice it up.
You sound like my son.
Telecaster or Strat.
Joe Strummer jeans and t-shirt or 50's sharkskin suit.
Gotta love, live and enjoy.
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,883
Location
In the Depths of R'lyeh
I think the comparison between instruments and leather jackets is quite good actually.
Through my years of playing i have noticed that you find two kind of people, the ones that have one instrument, or maybe a number 1 and a backup, but they mostly use the one for everything.
This isn't usually a question of money, it's just that they prefer to be very close to one instrument rather than share their time between many.

The other kind of people usually suffers from massive GAS, try everything under the sun, and usually end up unable to settle on a single one.

You see the same thing with guns, knives, shoes pretty much everything. Some people want choice, some want the reassurance of having only one and knowing it like the back of their hand!
IMO if you are in the first group of people you will really struggle to find "the one" because there is always something new and exciting coming up.

I love the idea of having only 1 bass, and have it all beat up after 50 years of being my only one, I love the idea of wearing the same jacket for a decade and have it perfectly broken in and having that patina we all envy.
But i love being able to choose what i want to play or wear everyday more.

strangely enough I have more musical instruments than leather jackets! But my P-bass is my favourite!
 

A-1

One Too Many
Messages
1,095
Location
Germany
I also think that there's a difference between acoustic instruments like Celli and acoustic guitars because they vibrate more with you. I also have three electric guitars, a Tele, an SG and a semi-acoustic. But I haven't played electric in years.
I've grown attached to my acoustic in a way that I've never been attached to the electrics that I've ever had. It's just a different kind of bond.
With the electric there are many more important factors like the amp and effects and more, I think.
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,883
Location
In the Depths of R'lyeh
I also think that there's a difference between acoustic instruments like Celli and acoustic guitars because they vibrate more with you. I also have three electric guitars, a Tele, an SG and a semi-acoustic. But I haven't played electric in years.
I've grown attached to my acoustic in a way that I've never been attached to the electrics that I've ever had. It's just a different kind of bond.
With the electric there are many more important factors like the amp and effects and more, I think.

True. I have only one classic violin, I have never used my electric one, and when I was playing the bass I was using only my P-bass which I kept on customizing (different pick-ups, bridge, tuners, etc). My hobby was cheaper than the jacket lust I have now.
 
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Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
My son is a Fender guy. Oddly, they just got invited to the LA Gibson showroom for a promotion (using their band) and they still are sticking with the Fenders and Gretch's. The Highway One Tele I had made for him at Manny's in NY some years back. The Strat he got when he traded his Highway One J-Bass I bought him when he thought he wanted to play bass. I've still got a '69 Les Paul (gold & black) back home at my Mom's. Never had the skill, even after trying for years.
If I had been able to make a living at music, I'd be a happy camper! So jackets will have to do. And cars. And motorcycles. :)
 

Harris HTM

One Too Many
Messages
1,883
Location
In the Depths of R'lyeh
My son is a Fender guy. Oddly, they just got invited to the LA Gibson showroom for a promotion (using their band) and they still are sticking with the Fenders and Gretch's. The Highway One Tele I had made for him at Manny's in NY some years back. The Strat he got when he traded his Highway One J-Bass I bought him when he thought he wanted to play bass. I've still got a '69 Les Paul (gold & black) back home at my Mom's. Never had the skill, even after trying for years.
If I had been able to make a living at music, I'd be a happy camper! So jackets will have to do. And cars. And motorcycles. :)

I'm also a Fender guy. The P-bass weighs a ton but this is what bass should feel like!
Don't mention cars. Mine is dying and I have to buy a new one = no jackets for 1-2 years = misery.
 

Superfluous

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,995
Location
Missing in action
Variety is the spice of life!

Before i leave for a gig i think of my set list, think of my mood and choose which bass i will play that night.
Yes i could play it all with my P bass and be the guy who played the same instrument his whole career, but i don't see the fun in this.

Same thing with leather jackets. Where am i going, what am i doing, what is my mood, it all influences what jacket i wear.

I agree that it can become expensive, but IMO as long as you can afford it, aren't starving your family or selling your kidneys to buy leather then go for it.
Life is too short not to spice it up.

Amen brutha!
 

JacketAddict

One of the Regulars
Messages
188
My method: Promise yourself that you will sell off a few others to accommodate the new one. Then "try" to sell them - but don't try too hard. Eventually like most promises you will forget all about it.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,845
Location
East Java
it is a personality trait you're born with
either you're born as a collector or not, for a collector since their main interest is to collect and acquire there is no stopping the only way is just try to define and limit your collection into a very specific theme and stay true to it, or move your interest totally into something else more useful or less painful, for a non collector at worse you'll end up with several jackets in different colors or different styles, it will stop naturally when you cover all you need, you don't really need tips from others.
 

cuchulain

Familiar Face
Messages
95
I'm lucky in that I dislike too much choice, makes me OCD. I have one leather jacket, one North Face shell, and stuff for layering. I have two watches, work watch and diver. One pair of boots and a pair each of black and brown wingtips and that's it. I also feel guilty buying myself things so typically it's easy for me to resist buying temptations.

On my house though I'm out of control.
 
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Bigger Don

Practically Family
I need more reasons and logic fellas...I'm losing ground fast!
Switch to hats...you can get 3-10 hats (maybe more) for the price of a leather jacket. :)

My trick is I have a vice I give up while building a collection. I found that I spend about $50/wk on cigars and cigarettes when I'm smoking. When I'm not smoking I put that money in a separate account.

The last time I stopped I bought 3 nice handguns in about 9 months. Now I'm working on a collection of hats. I guess what's different about me is I will stop and enjoy what I have at a certain level. I expect to slow down on buying hats in about two years, once I have 8-10 straws for summer wear, 10-15 quality felts for cooler times, and a mix of others...then I'll be in maintenance mode and move on to some other hobby...or back to smoking because I do enjoy that, too.
 

Xopher

A-List Customer
Messages
434
Location
Pennsylvania
Hahaha I was just marveling at the fact that most of us seem to have the same weakness for guitars, motorcycles, and jackets. I grew up restoring '60s vintage Triumphs, playing music for a living and spending more than I earn on all three vices. Luckily they all tie pretty well into my music business because I can trick myself into saying a jacket is a business necessity...haven't yet been able to convince myself that NOS mufflers for the 1965 Triumph TR6SR are essential for my music career. I really should find a girl and get married so I have someone in my life to tell me "no" the next time I drool on a Triumph side cover I don't need.
 

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