Are we too quick to settle for second best?

[JimiHWannaBe]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

i cant i just cant spend all my pay from summer on 1 piece of equipment i have to get a bunch of stuff and still have money to spend left over

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

Put simply, I would only gig with quality equipment. I care about tone live and I want to play on something reliable. I watch the equipment I have and I would never let anyone ever mess with my stuff.

Heck, to be honest, I don't think thieves would know anything about my gear :laugh2:. I'm not a believer in "brand names" so perhaps they could think my stuff is crap

I'm in the "second best" sorta situation right now. There are a couple high end models I'm interested in, but I'm not sure what would be the best. There's a cheaper bolt-on that would be a fine guitar because it has great woods, but it looks bad. There's also a more expensive one out there that looks awesome, but I'm not quite sure how it would sound with certain pickups. I'm inclined to go with the better looking, more expensive one even if it may be a gamble. I guess more testing is in order.

After looking at spending around 2 grand for a guitar, getting everything you could possibly want cosmetically, tonally is in order

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

I use non collectors amps, unpopular guitars(Kramer and Wolfgang, not in high regard here) relatively unknown pedals, undesireable cabs.
And I still get some useable sounds.....
I buy things that I can use, I do not buy them because they are valueable to others, or popular.
I have had old beatup Tokai's that I have liked alot more than some more expensive Fenders, I mod the guitars to my likings, the amps I give to the ampwizard I know.....the playing is my own fault.
And the effects...hehe they are not second best.
I use what I have, I worry little about the "right" stuff.
It is not that I do not like vintage and more expensive stuff, it is just not vital for me and how I play.
I wring out as much as I can of the stuff I have.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

I think that's an important thing also.

I've played plenty of really expensive stuff that was just way overpriced.

I've picked up Fender Tele's at Guitar Center that kicked some major tail from the start and would make great guitars, for a fraction of what it would cost for some crazy flamed guitar that has bad pickups in it.

Honestly, if you don't need the cosmetics of something like a Don Grosh Bent Top Custom... you could get a H-S-S Fender Strat or a G&L and with good pickups, it would sound just as good.

Find something that inspires you... then it doesn't matter what tier it's on as far as others think. My Dean Chafin Del Sol inspires the heck out of me and it can be bought on eBay for really cheap. IMHO, I like it more than the Gibson semi-hollows I've tried. Plays and sounds killer and with the pickup upgrade I'm getting done, it'll definitely be a keeper.

With all that said, I'm finally at the point where I want a guitar that can do it all very well (versatility from one instrument is difficult), be unique and sound great. Sometimes, when you know specifically what you want, it seems crazy after a while to not save up the extra dough for it.

 

[Jaganath]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

I think if it plays comfortably and gives you the sound you want, it doesn't matter if it's a $3,000 Les Paul or something you knocked up in woodshop.

There's always the issue of quality though and 'you get what you pay for', but I think the high end manufacturers always use that to their advantage and push their prices way up. (What our marketing guys would call 'value perception' - like, would you buy a Les Paul if the going price was $100?, probably not because your perception of their value would be that they must suck if they're being sold at that price).

I always wonder about amp prices, take the JCM 800 series - awesome amps, but how much are they really worth? If you think about the materials used, what's inside them and how they're put together then the prices start to look ridiculous. You're paying for demand and reputation more than anything.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

Jeeze if we never settled for second best and always waited for the absolute best we'd never get married...

'Best' here seems to be 'most expensive', 'highest resale', etc. I don't define it that way...but then for me guitars are pretty utilitarian- like a hammer. If it does the job I want it to, thats all that matters.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

Yeah, it depends on how you look at it.

As a player, I've used whatever I could afford or swindle my way into. As a player, I'm not too much of a gear snob, and just grab what's around me that moves me.

After turning gear into a hobby/obsession, where I view a lot of it as "poker chips", my views might be ultra snobbish. Just like the guy who's into high performance autos, boats, planes, or guns. Now, it's not necessarily about "what I need." Now, I just move stuff around, and only come outta pocket, slightly.

 

[seanguynj]

Re: Are we too quick to settle for second best?

2nd best? i went to GC today and played a 550 dollar schecter. played much better than my 1500 les paul. good gamed hahahaha