Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

[Dave Locher]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

I think some of you guys have overshot the point. I don't think you need to understand how to rebuild a guitar or the theory of how pickups work. I'm talking about BASIC maintenance like how to adjust a truss rod, or checking and setting the intonation. You know, the basics of making it playable?

Someone compared it to a vehicle. No, most people don't know how to change their oil, but they do need to know how to adjust their seat and set the mirrors.

As for amps, continuing with the car analogy, imagine you get into the car with someone and they've got the heat on in the middle of summer. When you mention it and suggest turning on the A/C they say, "Oh I'm not really sure what any of those knobs or buttons does so I don't want to mess it up by changing them. I know the key goes in this thingy here and when I turn it the car turns on. That's all I know about how this car works."

Oh, yeah I don't get that either! Good lord, spend an hour turning knobs on your amp, people!!
These are the same "players" who can never seem to get their guitar in tune even with a tuner.

[nexion218]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

Oh, yeah I don't get that either! Good lord, spend an hour turning knobs on your amp, people!!
These are the same "players" who can never seem to get their guitar in tune even with a tuner.

"Thats mah sound. I use special tuning"

[allbutromeo]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

Well, I have built some of my own guitars and amps, and do all my own maintenance, wrote books on scientific and engineering subjects, but the microwave? Forget it.

Just be happy it's just the microwave and that VCRs are all but extinct. Setting the microwave clock is like building a fuzz pedal from a kit, the VCR is like building a modern high gain channel switching amp with no instructions.

[Bronze Buzzard]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

One of my best friends is that way. One of the best players I know, but has no clue how to actually use his gear.

An example is the volume on his guitar. I've tried to show him 100x to roll off the volume for a lower gain tone. He always runs too much gain on his amp, and even Skynyrd gets played with a heavier gain. If he would just roll back on that guitar volume, he'd be alot closer to the tone he needs.

I even rewired his LP to 50s wiring to show him how the tone and volume work together, and they still stay wide open for every song.

It doesn't anger me, but does make me laugh a little. He would sound so much better if learned why those knobs are there.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

Some people are too busy making music to worry about resistors and capacitors.

But I don't know any good player who doesn't know how to use her volume and tone controls.

I doubt that there are any world class players like that.

[Erlend_G]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

Yeah...

There are all kinds of people in this worlds; even to extremes-
guitar players, or not.

I think it's good to be able to atleast adjust your guitar and amp, like intonation, action, and using the tone controls-
but even better if you could know how your amp works, why it sounds like it does- and even being able to build an amp or guitar!!

I remember getting angry one time, when a guitar store asked 40 dollars to change the strings, when a young boy came in with his guitar.
I'd teach him how to, for free!!

-Erl

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Those of you who don't know how your equipment works - why?

I started doing some of my own setup work back when I started touring in the mid-'70s. Wasn't a luthier on every corner then, no internet, but some good magazines with helpful information. Started making my own cables for a while after reading about the cable Jerry Garcia was using. The Dead were not a favorite band of mine, but they were WAY ahead of their time AFA technology.

And with the Boogie amps I play, it's almost necessary to read the owner's manual to understand all the features. I've met guys who are so intimidated by all those knobs, and one guy wrote code for a living! And another guy had a tech job with Intel.

I have my limits...there's certain things I won't do, like frets and nuts, but I do most of the guitar maintenance myself.

Bill