Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

[tone?]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

i think what the heck we only live once.
of course if you cant afford it then dont. But i really think that almost anyone can afford and amp that is around 3 grand if they save. you know? a friend of mine has so much gear and i wondered how he ever afforded it, but that was the only thing he spend his money on, so he could.

i personaly have spent so so much time playing and practicing and for what?? i dont play in a band, but i play pretty damn good so why not?? It is my hobby and makes me feel great.

My lovely wife actually had to twist my arm so i could order my VHT Deliverance and i thank God she did. i though that i wasnt worth getting an amp like that and she proved me wrong.
we could all get hit by the bus tomorrow so why not enjoy our selves?? that is responsibly, and not at the cost of our families.

I 100% agree with GJ and have said it in the past, if i had saved and bought what i wanted in the first place i would have played waaay more ( its not like i didnt) and enjoyed the piss out of it waaay more. it is a shame that when i was in my 20's that i didnt have the killer set of gear around so i could wail. not like i dont have it in me now, but man when we are in our 20's our blood sure does boil!

i wish i had a killer amp when i was in my blood boiling days!!!

Carpe Diem!

Lots of ****ty amps amount to much more than 3000$. and the benifits arent there either.

think about it. just be responsible

 

[blindedbysilence]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

yes...I have a good friend who gives me a lot of crap because I recently spent over 3k for a guitar, but when I take the time to look at all the crap I have bought and sold, I could have gotten this one a long time ago. He personally has 6 cars and only 2 run because he won't pony up the money for one good car. Get what you want once and be done with it.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I want more Hiwatts and Marshall's + Park's.

 

[Diego]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I don't even know how a $3.000 amp SHOULD sound, let alone know if I'd justify buying one.

 

[walkdmc]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

if you can play and pay, do it! if you think it sounds like its worth 3k, then it can make all the difference to you. just make sure you can still pay for food after you get it

 

[Jonny R]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

It's about average for a decent amp here in New Zealand We get reamed.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I don't use amps or amp sims, even with my electric guitar, so there is no way I could justify this.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

i think what the heck we only live once.

Excactly... know what? I spent ALL the money I had on my amp... why? Cause I like it. I was saving up that money for sooo long... and I knew it was to be thrown out for gear... so... it's ok for me.

i wish i had a killer amp when i was in my blood boiling days!!!

I'm glad I have one... at least imo

 

[MrBlik]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

If I was playing professionally to a high level, then yes.

If I'm just messin' around in the basement, then no.

 

[Kev]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

Remember that almost no one on here can afford an amp like that. So in retaliation of your hard earned money, we try personal attacks. Sometimes it works, usually not.

:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[Koreldyre]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I wouldn't hestitate a second to spend the money to get the right tone. If I felt I could get the quality of tone I get from VHT's, Diezels and Soldanos from $500 amps, I wouldn't be spending the extra money.

Getting tones that give me goosebumps and inspire other people is what excites me. And after playing said amps a while, the difference is night and day. You wouldn't ever want to play a 10-watt travel amp after playing your first 100-w tube combo. The same can be said for top-of-the-line amps.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

No...I cannot justify spending $3000 on an amp. Not when I can buy a great handwired and used amp (like a blackface Fender or Matchless Chieftan) for $1800 or less. Lew

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

If it actually sounds 3 times better than a $1,000 amp, then yeah, it's a no-brainer.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

If it actually sounds 3 times better than a $1,000 amp, then yeah, it's a no-brainer.

I've never heard an amp that sounds two times better, let alone three times better, than my Fender '51 tweed Super, '59 tweed Deluxe, '66 Deluxe Reverb, '74 Super Reverb, or Mission Crusader...although my Matchless Amps might sound a little bit better in some ways!

Lew

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

Well the ecstasy for example has 3 channels that sound great and the fenders have just 1?
So technically that would make it 3 times better sounding...

 

[B2D]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I think in ANY case about $2500 would be my max limit. Sure I'd love a Bogner but I'd pay one grand less and get a used one, not a new one.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

I think in ANY case about $2500 would be my max limit. Sure I'd love a Bogner but I'd pay one grand less and get a used one, not a new one.

Sometimes you can get lucky, I paid nothing near $3000 for my Ecstasy. Just keep your eyes open and your money ready.

 

[B2D]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

Guitarists get off cheap---have any idea what a decent professional-grade violin or cello costs? If it was the killer 5F6A or Hiwatt DR50, absolutely yes (and you'd be getting off cheap at that).

Mike Soldano said something along this line... something like, "Guitarists have it too easy. If you're a Sax player, a good sax starts at $5,000. If you're a Bassoon player, a moderate instrument will cost you $10,000. A $3000 amp may be expensive, but it is not overpriced."


Remember, something is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. And this varies person to person.

Personally it comes down to this for me:

1. Finding the gear that will do exactly what I want and sound exactly the way I want or the closest thing to it.

2. Process of justifying the cost to myself.

3. If i cannot afford the peice or cannot justify the cost (regardless of performance and appeal) then I look for less expensive, yet feasible alternatives.

Example... I can't afford a Bogner Ecstacy. So it came down to what I liked the best for what I could afford. I tried a LOT of amps in from the $700-$1200 price range and the one that suited me the best was a Carvin Legacy, and it only ran me $600 but I REALLY like that amp.

On the other side of the fence, I bought a new Fulltone OCD fr just under $200 because I could afford a boutique overdrive like that and nothing else did the job for me. Bwana.

 

[B2D]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

Sometimes you can get lucky, I paid nothing near $3000 for my Ecstasy. Just keep your eyes open and your money ready.

I don't think I'm gonna pay anything less than $2200, being so close to Los Angeles and all but you're right it is good to keep your eyes open.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Can You Justify Spending $3000 on a "Boutique" Amplifier?

Los Angeles is probably the best place to find used gear......just keep your eye on www.recycler.com everyday, and deals jump out at you.

Bogner Ecstasy $2175
Matchless Chieftain $2000
Marshall Jubilee fullstack $1400
Les Paul Custom Black Beauty $1300!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Martin D-28 in brand new cond. $995
Klon Centaur worth $400.....$240
Fulltone Clyde Deluxe $200

Those are some of the supreme scores I've gotten out of the recycler. Let's face it, people move to LA to be a rockstar, run out of money, liquidate killer gear, and move back to where they came from. Recycler is the dumping ground!