Author Topic: You be the judge (Read 342 times)

funkyjazzjunky · « **on:** February 18, 2010, 02:57:22 PM »

I yelled a a man (a stranger) who grabbed my bass between sets. He did not ask, he just started plucking it as if he owned it.

Was I out of line?

jedisan · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2010, 03:02:01 PM »

WTF? No way were you out of line. I would have probably smacked him. How the heck someone thinks that they can pickup someone else's instrument and start playing without asking, is way beyond me. Yep, I really would have smacked him.

edwin · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2010, 03:19:07 PM »

I would have yelled at him. I once had a drunk unzip my gig bag and start playing my David King fretless 5 while I was sitting right there eating dinner. Pretty much everyone at the table came down on him hard. OTOH, I've even been eating dinner at a gig and someone at an adjacent table reached over and started to help himself to my food off my plate. WTF?

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2010, 04:48:32 PM »

FJJ, You were completely within proper decorum and within your rights. Some people have no class and no manners (and probably no clue).
Mike

dluxe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2010, 04:59:09 PM »

Not out of line at all. I had a guy come up to me years ago and ask to play my Steinberger L2. We were going to play Mustang Sally so I let him. It was nice hearing the band from the board. Not too many people ask to sit in when you play the old boat oar.

sonicus · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2010, 07:41:11 PM »

A reprimand was not at all out of line . he had it coming big time !
In many venues that have security personnel he might even be ask to leave or be removed .

poor_nigel · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2010, 10:34:53 PM »

If the police were not summonded to such an event, everything turned out all right in my opinion. I cut children a lot of slack, as they are more important than my basses. If they get a hold of one of my basses, I consider that my fault. Everyone else, however, is on their own. A reprimand for having one of my basses in your hands that I did not hand you is bare minimum you'll get (Alembic Club gatherings would definitely be an exception, but still nice to ask there, too).

Interesting - I almost always bring a Steinberger with me, if playing at a venue alcohol is served at. I very seldom play it. My current one is serial number 639, I believe, and most everything just washes off it with a damp rag. I played many a biker bar in my youth. Never had a lick of trouble at those places. Trouble usually came from drunk, frustrated salarymen (and their good group of drunk friends) who were probably not going to get laid that night. Ah, the good, old daze! It ain't easy being a red-necked liberal.

slawie · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2010, 01:23:50 AM »

You definately were not out of line.
I was wondering how this person got on stage?
Maybe you should have asked him if you could go to his house and borrow his wife for a plucking.

I was playing one evening at a night club that had
no stage so all the punters had easy access to my gear.
One drunk sheila stumbled around and stomped on my bass
breaking the tone switch on the front pick up of my series I.
In effect I could not adjust the tone range on the front pick up for months with all the trouble
trying to get a replacement and even then the resistors were
not the same (discontinued)
In essence I have a somewhat Frankenstein bass although
the damage is unseen. I still know it is not the same as out of the factory.
I was angry on the night and still have some unresolved disconcerting contempt towards her.
Hopefully she had a whoppper of a hangover.

slawie

glocke · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2010, 01:50:12 AM »

You were completely within your rights to yell at him. This kind of thing is a sore topic for me. Just the other week I had the same thing happen. During a break between sets I took my S2 backstage with me and put it in its case. After a few minutes someone who had a few comes backstage and asks if they could just take a peak, so I open the case thinking he just wanted a glimpse. Next thing I know hes grabbing it....I hate to say to people look but dont touch, but thats what I ended up saying. I really don't want someone I dont know jack about touching anything expensive I own.

I even had the husband of a woman who sang in one of my bands do that to my SCSD. I walked into practice and set my case down without opening it up, and go to get something to drink, next thing I know from the other room I hear this guy (who I really didnt know very well) playing my bass through my rig....arggghhh.

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2010, 05:12:53 AM »

If a mutherf***er picks up my bass.....thats when i pickup the nearest Bar Stool!

bassfingers · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2010, 05:56:32 AM »

I commend you on your restraint for only yelling.

sonicus · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2010, 06:11:33 AM »

In the realizaton that there are so many of these individuals that do not know how to act in respect then perhaps we just need to hang signs on our instruments do not touch . I used to play in a band where we always had someone on stage watch ( sometimes a bouncer ) to prevent such occurrences I leave My Fender Bass's parked on a stand on a stage but sometimes not the Alembics , they go back in a case behind my rig and as a result everyone (band mates )gets irritated by me by what they call my OCD , _____LOL ______!

the_jester · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2010, 08:32:38 AM »

FunkyJJ,

I think you must try to scan the situation.

The last thing I'll ever do is yell at somebody when they are holding my bass without my permission.

Like Samuel L. Jackson would say: be like the 'Fonz' and stay cool... because at that point in time, your bass is somewhat a hostage.

So, be cool/stay cool and do what is best to keep the situation from escalating. Do what you can, to make sure your bass is returned without damage.

Then after your bass is safe, and in you care -- speak with kindness and dismiss the situation with a lesson for yourself.

Then yell at the manager(s) who hired the security.

Peace and Love,

Hal-

(Message edited by the_jester on February 19, 2010)

gtrguy · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2010, 11:11:13 AM »

Yeah, don't startle them, they are possibly drunk. Look around for bandmates (backup), then firmly go and tell them to put the bass down. If they refuse, grab it and be ready for whatever. It's a short hop to them to try running out the door with it as well.

I would have a talk with the band in practice and create a rule that no one is allowed to touch any instrument but the band at a gig. Same as the wives/girlfriends at the gig, no touchy, no feely. Any pro musician who might want to play your instruments knows this rule, and you would not want a non-pro touching it anyway.

I once had a mom go up to my mint Mockingbird years ago and let her daughter touch it. Kid ended up knocking it off the stand and putting a small dent in the neck. It ain't worth the risk.

sonicus · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2010, 08:12:14 PM »

You are right Hal, A reprimand after your bass is safe and secure !