When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

I have to agree that while this dude can buy whatever he wants, he does set himself up for criticism by going on Youtube to show off his gear.

I have nice gear and I can't play all that well, but you don't see me out there showing off my bad chops to the world on my good gear. I hack away in complete privacy and try my best to get better without purposefully doing it in front of the whole world.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

blueman335 said:
Bingo! And instructional DVD's and books, CD Guitar Trainer, online lessons, etc. Get good, and then buy that expensive guitar, and show off your chops and your guitar in public. You're the whole package. That's when you earn respect.
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I don't think you have to be a good player to deserve good gear. Why torture your ears with bad sounding stuff while you learn? I say start off with something reasonable/cheap and then if you enjoy playing, get something good even if you aren't all that great of a player. Maybe the better gear will help inspire you to play more and learn more. Either way, if you enjoy playing, what does it hurt if you buy good gear? I don't believe there should be a strict hierarchy where a player's ability determines the kind of gear he can or should own.

Sure I'm gonna laugh at the guy with the quilt top les paul playing "Mustang Sally" poorly through his dumble if he's stupid enough to play it publicly, but I would feel like a complete butt-head if I laughed at that same guy while he struggles to learn at home. I'd be just a little hypocritical then wouldn't I?...
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Gr8Scott said:
Either way, if you enjoy playing, what does it hurt if you buy good gear? I don't believe there should be a strict hierarchy where a player's ability determines the kind of gear he can or should own.

Sure I'm gonna laugh at the guy with the quilt top les paul playing "Mustang Sally" poorly through his dumble if he's stupid enough to play it publicly, but I would feel like a complete butt-head if I laughed at that same guy while he struggles to learn at home. I'd be just a little hypocritical then wouldn't I?...
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Right, buy what you want, but think about what you play in public; don't be thin-skinned if you're the butt of some jokes when your finger skills lag behind the price tag of your guitar. In the privacy of your own home, anything goes, and it's no one else's business. Indulge yourself. Onstage people will pass judgement. Your chops are priority #1. No one will say "Yeah he plays like he's got plaster casts on his fingers, but who cares...he's got an expensive guitar!" I love bringing an Epi and playing as well as anyone else there, and getting more compliments on my tones than the guys with the high-end guitars. Underpromise, overdeliver. :naughty:
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

First of all I started by thinking to myself "Man this guy plays really bad" but then I saw that his fingering wasn't all that bad. I now think it's more that he has a REALLY bad phrasing, plus his picking hand could use some help.

As for the whole gear vs chops argument, I am with the crowd that thinks that if it makes you happy then you should go ahead and do what you will.
However, on the other hand, when you go public (like posting several videos on youtube) then you are calling for attention and thus become the target of criticism.

Personally I don't like being the center of attention and even more so when I am not confident of my current level of abilities.
Like Gr8Scott said, I have nice, perhaps way nicer gear than what my chops deserve but you know what, every one of those purchases not only made me happy but allowed me to play better and thus inspired me to keep playing.

I can now play WAY better in my 2000 MiM Strat (a nice guitar by most standards) whose neck I could never jive with but in order to get there I had to first "upgrade" to guitars that didn't make me fight with them and simply allowed me to focus on my playing...
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

If I was the hell of a guitarist I would buy a Jackson custom guitar and a Fryette UltraLead. A lot of money but I could say that I play as good.

Now that I'm not, I'll get a RAN custom guitar and thinking about the Fryette Deliverance. Half the money. Maybe less than half the talent but eh....I'm a sound engineer after all. I care about tone professionally. lol (excuses)

+1 to what makes you happy. "We got only one life" - Dimitris Horn.
 
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Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Im not so sure my argument is even the level of gear now that I think about it. Its more the quantity, rather than the quality. Most of us know that you dont necessarily need a 2000 dollar guitar in order to have something thats playable. I bet paul gilbert would do just fine on a 400 dollar ltd horizon and so would most people who can play. Besides the 5150III, im not sure whats all that high end. Its not necessarily that you are wrong for starting out on a 700 dollar guitar or higher to get the learning process going, but do you really need 10 of them?

I dont even mind people who post youtube vids of their less than stellar playing. Alot of people do it and you always got the option of jumping to another channel, but they guy isnt saying, hey guys, look what im learning. Nothing wrong with that at all but, alot of the videos are in the form of gear reviews and come up that way in searches. Does he really know enough about the insturments to give a good solid opinion?

No? Pick one or 2, even if its a high end PRS and stick with it for awhile, sell the rest and get a good guitar teacher with the cash.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Well, yeah quantity is not for me. Once I get the guitar and amp I want, that's all for me.

Quality on the other hand can make you sound good but up to a point. It's not like the most expensive guitar will sound the best. You just need a bit of knowledge too about it.

I remember a few months ago when I was a sales sound engineer for BOSE in my country. Well, Bose released a really unique piece of live music equipment and I had to do a demonstration to some people. I used my LTD MH-400 and a POD XT on it. I just made my adjustments carfefully. The sound blew us away! The guys (experienced sound technicians) were telling me about the guitar sound that day.

BTW If interested check the "machine": http://pro.bose.com/pdf/pro/tech_data/L1/td_l1_m2.pdf It's monitor and small PA at the same time and you have it behind you instead of in front of you. Strange eh?

001_Bose_L1.jpg


No, I don't work for them anymore....LOL ;) I just thought to mention it cause it's a really unique thing, like from the outer space or something :P. Once we talk about collecting gear, gear collectors would love it.
 
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Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

I don't buy gear with the intention that it's going to make me a better player, or that my skills "deserve" expensive instruments or a lot of instruments. I'm not that dumb -- and besides, I've heard myself play.

In other words, there was never any linkage between my playing and my gear in the first place.

I buy gear for only two reasons:

I'm curious about it and (in a normal economy at least), I get a long enough deal so that can flip it at a decent profit if I get bored with it.

People give me a hard time about having about sixty guitars and basses it until I ask them how their retirement accounts and mutual funds have been treating them over the past three or four years. I don't think I've ever lost money on gear. Most people can't say that about the stuff they spend money on.
 
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Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

I just try to stay faaaaar away from people like that. Either he thinks he's really funny or really good. He isn't and sadly there's more guys like this all over youtube. But oh well what can we do about it eh? Who are we to judge...

I've had some of these dip****s on band audition too. Some people really need a reality check, which I'll gladly give them.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

I had alright gear for the longest time. Nothing crazy, but good enough to learn. A few Godins, a 20w tube Traynor. I only started buying ''nice'' gear when I started gigging on a more regular basis. It started to be Mesa amps, PRS guitars, Gibsons, etc. Now I'm happy with my LP and my Stiletto.

Nice gear is good for two reasons : as long as it makes you happy, and you can depend on it.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Bezmotivnik said:
I don't buy gear with the intention that it's going to make me a better player, or that my skills "deserve" expensive instruments or a lot of instruments. I'm not that dumb -- and besides, I've heard myself play.

In other words, there was never any linkage between my playing and my gear in the first place.

I buy gear for only two reasons:

I'm curious about it and (in a normal economy at least), I get a long enough deal so that can flip it at a decent profit if I get bored with it.

People give me a hard time about having about sixty guitars and basses it until I ask them how their retirement accounts and mutual funds have been treating them over the past three or four years. I don't think I've ever lost money on gear. Most people can't say that about the stuff they spend money on.
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i definitely feel this argument

i have more invested in gear than i should...but i paid low enough prices for all of my guitars to be okay with that.

i'm trying to apply this line of thinking to other aspects of my life: Don't buy cheap, disposable crap...buy things that have value and appreciate.

Vintage guitars and classic cars seem like pretty safe bets. Certain antiques...and of course Playstation 2's cuz those will never be obsolete.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Empty Pockets said:
i'm trying to apply this line of thinking to other aspects of my life: Don't buy cheap, disposable crap...buy things that have value and appreciate.
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Do you have any idea how much money people just flat waste?

You know, that guy who makes good money but is always broke and you can't figure out where it goes and HE can't figure out where it goes? No alimony, no child support, no expensive car, doesn't gamble...?

What about how much people blow on alcohol, tobacco and drugs? It's staggering.

I buy gear when I see a long deal and I hold or do a short flip. BTW, I don't recommend "investing" in vintage or specialty gear because of at least a dozen reasons that will sandbag anyone but a true pro, but when Fender, say, drops a color in their American Standard line and Guitar Center dumps them on sale for 68% off, buy that sucker and you will NEVER lose money on it, even if you use it hard for a few years. Look for the long deals and make your money on the front end.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

blueman335 said:
when you're gigging and jamming, you make a statement, loud and clear, when you show up with high-end gear. Walk in the door with $5,000+ worth of guitar and amp and it draws attention to you and sets expectations. Whether you intend to or not, you're saying: "Look at me." If you play like a hack, people will make fun of you all night.
~~~

Plus, the average bar gig is a smoke-filled room with poor acoustics, and an undersize, crowded stage, playing for a bunch of inebriated people who are not exactly discerning musically. Things get kocked over and broken, beer gets spilled, and you're loading up your gear at 2:00AM in a dark parking lot. Is this the kind of place to lug around a small fortune in equipment? Do what you want, but it makes a lot more sense to play mid-priced guitars at most bar gigs, and if they get damaged or stolen, you don't suffer a major financial setback. Save your best gear for corporate or private gigs. They also pay much better.
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I know a guy... friend of mine... who's day gig isn't playing music, but he plays a lot. Teaches one or two days a week and gigs about once a week too. Its not paying his mortgage, YET he's got some really nice stuff.

A few weeks ago I ran FOH at one of his 'bar' gigs... weekday night, and he brought out a '64 or '65 335 along with his standard pedalboard and a Swart amp. There's quite a few more vintage & boo-teek pieces in his collection.

His whole thing is don't worry about what could happen. Its all insured. He's not a wall street guy... buys pieces one at a time when he gets the deals. He didn't buy the stuff to have it sit in a glass case.

Frankly, all my years of gigging I've seen exactly ONE instrument causality at a bar, or really... any gig. Spilled beer taking out an amp, obnoxious people in the audience calling players on their gear... guitars being smashed?

Never seen it.

Pro players take care of their stuff. You don't have to be a full-time, money making player to act like a pro.

Mr Blueman, your soapbox is old and worn my friend. We all get it. Try something new...

I've got this huge box from a flatscreen TV here if that'll work for 'ya.


Either way, I love the yellow shirt & pink strap with the camera aimed at his crotch. Pure awesome!
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Honestly, it does kind of bother me when people suck and play high quality instruments. But I'm shallow! Why even care about peoples' abilities and how it compares to their gear? On the other side of the coin, I don't care if people make fun of me for buying gear "better than me". They can shove it :cool2:
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

It's a good thing I only ever see him post in The Trading Post. Damn, you guys are brutal.:lmao:

<-------Check the post count!:firedevil
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

SrDeMaFp said:
It's a good thing I only ever see him post in The Trading Post. Damn, you guys are brutal.:lmao:

<-------Check the post count!:firedevil
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Resist the temptation to post!
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

J Moose said:
Frankly, all my years of gigging I've seen exactly ONE instrument causality at a bar, or really... any gig. Spilled beer taking out an amp, obnoxious people in the audience calling players on their gear... guitars being smashed?

Never seen it.
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I've seen lots and some has happened to me -- and I'm fastidiously careful.

It's almost impossible not to ding up your gear on a tiny stage.

I'd never gig with really good, pristine gear. No way.

Transport is another issue, and often a pretty bad one. :(
 
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Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

blueman335 said:
.... If you play like a hack, people will make fun of you all night. .... and we have the right to laugh at them for going in public and not knowing how to use it.
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But wouldn't you do this anyway regardless of what gear they use? Anyone putting themselves out in public draws attention to themselves and opens themselves up to criticism. The gear shouldn't be a factor at all.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

Bezmotivnik said:
I've seen lots and some has happened to me -- and I'm fastidiously careful.

It's almost impossible not to ding up your gear on a tiny stage.

I'd never gig with really good, pristine gear. No way.

Transport is another issue, and often a pretty bad one. :(
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+1. Damage to guitars at gigs isn't a rare thing. Most stages are way too small, with drums, amps, pedals, and mics taking up most of the space. One of the biggest culprits is band members getting on and off stage and tripping over things. Or you turn and a cymbal gouges your guitar's neck. Guitars in stands fall over with a slight bump. It's not a matter of taking care of your stuff; there's just too many guys and gear piled into a corner of a room to be able to go 4 hours without a close call or two, or worse. Gig on a regular basis, and guitars get battle scars. It's different on a bigger stage, but that's not what the average bar has. The bigger the stage, the less room for tables & patrons.
 
Re: When gear addiction long surpasses your ability

sbecker67 said:
But wouldn't you do this anyway regardless of what gear they use? Anyone putting themselves out in public draws attention to themselves and opens themselves up to criticism. The gear shouldn't be a factor at all.
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If they're not tight, I'm not sticking around. But high-end gear and low-end talent bring out more than their share of jokes. May not be fair, but that's what happens. Play good, and everyone there respects you, doesn't matter what your gear is. Play crappy, and an expensive guitar gives them more to complain and joke about.
 
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