Never hurts to get the word out early.
I myself have a few guitars, amps, etc. I've only been playing for about 2 1/2 years, play mostly for myself and sometimes at my buddy's bar. I won't be home around my stuff until Friday, so I don't have any pictures, but here's a list of my stuff:
Jackson JS22 (black)
Takamine EG440CSTRY electric acoustic
'94 Mexican Tele
10 watt Marshall
Not sure what size Peavey I have, but it's big and loud
Digitech Death Metal Distortion Pedal
and Some kind of Digitech Effects Pedal with like 80 sounds...cheap and old, but fun to mess around with
#S#
Josh
Not bad sir, not bad at all. I myself have a giant Peavey amp, 300 watts of neighborhood destroying power. I can crank it up to drown out a screaming little girl with an earth-shattering scream and its loud enough to possibly break all windows in the house, maybe the houses down the street too. I don't have a distortion pedal right now, but my friend has an echo pedal for when we get together in the garage with the rest of the band.
When we first got that echo pedal my vocalist (Mike) said the best thing ever - "I just FARTED!" with the echo pedal on. I know it sounds immature but the way it was said, and the echo pedal included we all burst out laughing, we didn't get serious until 20 minutes later when we realized that we wasted a lot of time doing stupid stuff.
If someone offered to pay you generously enough for it in February, would you refuse? 
It's part of growing up, being proactive and ambitious enough that all your neighbors know fully you're the one on the block making noise with a guitar is one thing, but realising they fully know your name and even have your cell number now (because you offered it to them) but they never call you to complain (like any normal, non-procrasinating adult would 
) is another.
Just pitch it right - each full Saturday Mr. Wilson offers to keep you busy (and paid, while saving up for your new toy) is one less he has to listen to you playing your guitar next door. Besides, I doubt _most_ your neighbors are too old to apreciate the music from a guitar (or perhaps, this is the reason _why_ they're ribbing at you for choosing the bass 
).
Oh, if someone offered to pay for it in February I wouldn't decline at all, but I already got 40 of the 130 needed, and I am going pretty good at my current rate. I spent about 50 bucks on new CD's and a new string. My neighbors on the West side of the house are totally cool with me, know my name and I think they have my cell phone number. They work a lot though and have enough problems to deal with so I don't bother them much.
But for the part of my neighbors not being to old to appreciate music from my bass, that's kinda the problem. They're all in their late 70's to early 80's and crazy lady 2 houses down doesn't seem too keen on listening to my music.
But if they're ribbing at me for choosing the bass they are asking Satan for a one way ride to hell. The number of guitarists to bassists is ungodly huge. Its something like 16 to 1, the world NEEDS more bass players. If you've ever seen the amount of skill needed to play the bass correctly and effectively is mind-blowing. Any fool can learn how to play the guitar in a year or two, it'd take a genius to learn the bass in that time. (No offense Banshee)
HOWEVER, I did chose the 5 string bass, which is also a lot harder than a 4 string. 6 string bass? HORY CRAP! That'd take more than 4 years to master. Its got a massive fret board and the notes are almost doubled from a 4 string bass. It still makes a nice sound, though I wouldn't give up on my 5 string for a 4 string or a 6 string.
And if you wanna check out the skill that is obtained from playing the bass, check this video out -
http://youtu.be/_yxDUhJrxL8 Nick Schendzielos is the best in the death metal bass industry, and it looks like he's gonna be there for a long time.
