stupid gig bag jacked up my basses

[phatduckk]

ok consider this a public service announcement type thing.

about 2 years ago i put down some money on a good gigbag. its nicely padded, got pockets, backpack straps handles, nice brand name etc yada yada. i always use the bag for getting to practices but always use an OHSC when going to gigs. its a convenience thing for me for when im 100% sure of the environment my bass is gonna be in (car, work, car, practice, home)

now fast fwd to about a month ago...

I was playing my SR4 HH at home and decided get the old polish cloth out n clean it up when i noticed that it had a chunk of paint missing near the bridge side strap button. first reaction was "WTF, how'd that get there"... second reaction was ... "Dude, that like a mini version of what happened to my HH Sterling". my HH sterling has some paint rash in the same place which has kinda gotten big now. Id always assumed some idiot friend of mine had dropped it and not said anything and figured it wasnt worth worrying about. but now i was suspicious.

so after a minute I thought - "oh no - the gig bag!". so i look and sure enough. the gig bag's got this rubber nub thing at the bottom so youre bass doesnt get hurt if the butt end hits the ground... well, on the inside of the bag the screw holding the damn nub in place was exposed... so it rubbed the crap out of my basses chipping off the finish!

so i took a quick inventory and the victims are:

BC Sterling
HH SR4
HH Sterling has 2 gashes
and my project parts bass

the blue dawn, HS and 30th are unscathed.

it pissed me off pretty bad for a few minutes till i realized i cant do anything and being pissed wasnt gonna make things better.

anywho. i thought id just post thing real quick just to make sure this doesnt happen to anyone else. make sure to inspect the interior of your cases and gig bags pretty regularly.

i dont mind getting dings just so long as they happen in a cool way. this is just lame.

 

[azzy_wazzy]

Arin, can't you complain to the manufacturer concerned? These are some rather high spec basses and they're not cheap! Even if they don't give you compo of any sort, it'd be good if they were made aware of the defect...

I'm really sorry mate - that sucks. As you say, you need to go out and get some interesting dings now

 

[Randracula]

Quick!!!!! Send the damaged basses to me and buy some new ones for yourself
Seriously though, Arin told me about this a few weeks ago and it really sucks.Pay attention to his warning and check your gig bags everyone!

 

[Dr Stankface]

Ah man, I remember you telling me about that.

Pics of this damage would be brutal but informative if you get a chance.

 

[slucas]

Sorry to hear about that Phatty, and the buttercream too

I never even considered a gig bag other than the one I have for my GK head (but that is a little different). Glad you realize staying upset isn't going to make it better. It would make you bitter but not better. Live and learn I guess, good to see these kind of things posted in respect of your effort to help others avoid the same

 

[phatduckk]

Arin, can't you complain to the manufacturer concerned? These are some rather high spec basses and they're not cheap! Even if they don't give you compo of any sort, it'd be good if they were made aware of the defect...

I'm really sorry mate - that sucks. As you say, you need to go out and get some interesting dings now

ill make sure im extra drunk at my next gig and see what i can do. im not heartbroken about it really. im more of a packrat then a seller & i dont plan on selling these. they still make pretty sounds so its not too big a deal. the one i kinda got sad about was the BC Sterling since its an LE but id previously put a gash in that anyways.

Quick!!!!! Send the damaged basses to me and buy some new ones for yourself

sounds good buddy! ill ship em out asap

i really just wanted to put it out there so it doesnt happen to other folks who are bothered by this stuff more than i am

 

[AnthonyD]

Wow - downright sucks - that's a big hit to a fine collection. Sorry to hear.

Good advice to share - and glad you discovered the problem before it impacted all of your basses!

 

[phatduckk]

oh ya - i forgot to mention. i took a set of plyers to the bag and removed all the metal from it that could potentially poke the insides of the bag (except the zipper). then i tossed it on the groound and kicked it for about 1/2 hour!

revenge was sweet

 

[phatduckk]

Good advice to share - and glad you discovered the problem before it impacted all of your basses!

it was flat out luck that all of em didnt get screwed up. i rotate between em pretty equally.

the HH sterling got "hit" for the first time quite a while before i realized what was going on. honestly... they all should have gotten messed up. id be pretty pissed if the blue dawn got scrathed up. the sr4 hh & the BC are players and im kinda happy theyve got some wounds now. LoL

honestly im most upset about the project bass cuz its a one of a kind thing i put together.

 

[Randracula]

oh ya - i forgot to mention. i took a set of plyers to the bag and removed all the metal from it that could potentially poke the insides of the bag (except the zipper). then i tossed it on the groound and kicked it for about 1/2 hour!

revenge was sweet

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQzIg0CPW5Q"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]

 

[Aussie Mark]

Phatty, thanks for the heads-up. I'll add that to my list of reasons for always using a hard case for transporting basses, next time there's a thread on gig bags vs hard cases

 

[Psychicpet]

REVENGE!

Thanks Rand!

And Phatty, ya, my main gig bag wore the finish off of the tip of my BC bongo... fun times...

 

[saxnbass]

That sucks. Well, nothing you can do about it, is there? I should probably go to work, but I don't wanna (nice thing is I make my own hours ). But yeah, pics would be very informative.

 

[Rano Bass]

What kind of gig bag were you using, if i may ask?

 

[EBMM7181]

I never put my basses in gig bags. I don't wanna risk it. It's hard-shelled cases for me, always.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Phatty, thanks for the heads-up. I'll add that to my list of reasons for always using a hard case for transporting basses, next time there's a thread on gig bags vs hard cases

I'll grant you that a case is preferable to a broken gigbag with exposed finish damaging screws, but that's about it.


Sorry to hear about your basses, Arin. That sucks. Could have been worse, though.

 

[Psycho Ward]

I hate this Phatty, really sorry to hear about it!

 

[beej]

Dude, that licks. I'd be pissed. Good on ya for having a good attitude about it.

(Now burn the crap out of that bag in your driveway with some gasoline.)

 

[syciprider]

They will not stay pristine forever.

 

[ptg]

I was going to stay out of this thread but...

First, sorry to hear about the damage. I hear you 100% that if it had been musically related i.e. some beautiful young woman accosted you on stage forcing your bass into an uncompromising position, well then, yes, that's a little bit of history to carry along with you.

Not to open up a can of worms, but I don't really care for gig bags. I understand people in a big city that have to walk everywhere using them but in a car laying flat or even in the city on the subway, I feel safer with a case. (Bulky as it may be.)

Lastly, I understand why you are upset, but just like another current thread where someone has streaks from cleaning his bass with a certain type of cloth, to me the dirt, grime, nicks and scratches are scars I wear proudly. (Not that I go looking for them.) I know some of you will go but to me my bass is part of me and Lord knows I have enough of my own imperfections.