I can't believe how much time I wasted chasing gear....

baimun

baimun

Funkasaurus Rex
When you start out playing, you use whatever pawn shop level gear you can afford.....

... but then I spent years and years trying to find THE perfect guitar and THE perfect amp.

Now days, its about comfort and what works for the song, but tone wise? If we do a casino show it's the fender twin or whatever they have that can get a decent clean tone, and then I'm using a Flyrig RK5 but it's the same result. Add a usable crunch tone to that clean sound and then something to boost it for a solo and some delay. That's it. :shrug:

Swaping Guitars and trying out different pedals are fun but it really is all about your fingers and a comfortable neck.
 
Yep. A few years ago, me and some of my best friends got together to jam. I bring my Bogner, my pal plays through his ancient silverface Fender Champ and a Boss DS-1. I was shocked how similar we sounded. Maybe slightly deflated, too, as it REALLY drove home the point that it's not always the gear, but what you do with it.
 
You shut your mouth :grin:

I am actually very happy with my gear now. I think my McFeely and Monkeymatic amp are the longest running combo I have ever owned. I did get the AC-15 but really only because of that sale, I couldn't pass it up and I just built that Musicmaster monster because I really wanted a TV Jones equipped guitar. The only thing I am adding now is the baritone build. I even simplified my board the other day.
 
I have been dealing with GAS myself, lately. In my early days of playing I had cheap guitars and dreamed of owning a Martin, Guild, or Gibson acoustic. Over time I found cheap guitars having better quality, and I tried a raft of Martin guitars; none offered enough to me to justify the expense. Then I tried a bunch of Guild guitars with the same result. I plan a trip to a local Gibson dealer one of these days soon so I can hopefully clear myself of that longing.
 
baimun said:
Comfort... and ease of dialing in a good tone are the names of the game. Quality gear makes it easier, and are reliable. :baimun:
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Surprisingly, that musicmaster monster I just built is the most comfortable guitar I have ever played. Don't get me wrong, it is not replacing the McFeely, but it is a blast to play.
 
Seriously though, we all know this, but it's fun to try out new stuff and acquire new things. For some folks it borders on addiction/OCD, but if they're not hurting others or themselves it's all good.

The only thing Nugent's ever said that I isn't shit is his story about hanging out with Eddie and asking to play his rig. Ted picks up Frankenstein plugged into rig set to Eddie's brown sound...and sounds like Ted Nugent.
 
I have fun with new gear but I'm also at a point where the chinese strat I got from Mrs W will get me through most gigs just fine. I had a couple of students at my January show at The Post who were kind of floored with how it sounded. Then there was the grudging comment along the lines of "I guess its more about how you play then what you play". I have my preferences (the McFeely's and my Les Paul are my favorites and I think they sound the best) and I prefer nicer gear to cheaper stuff but decent technique and an internal concept of what you want to sound like (actually hearing how you want to sound in your head) goes a long way.
 
Mark Wein said:
I have fun with new gear but I'm also at a point where the chinese strat I got from Mrs W will get me through most gigs just fine. I had a couple of students at my January show at The Post who were kind of floored with how it sounded. Then there was the grudging comment along the lines of "I guess its more about how you play then what you play". I have my preferences (the McFeely's and my Les Paul are my favorites and I think they sound the best) and I prefer nicer gear to cheaper stuff but decent technique and an internal concept of what you want to sound like (actually hearing how you want to sound in your head) goes a long way.
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Stop it with your logic, I want pretty new gizmos. :grin:
 
Chad said:
You shut your mouth :grin:

I am actually very happy with my gear now. I think my McFeely and Monkeymatic amp are the longest running combo I have ever owned. I did get the AC-15 but really only because of that sale, I couldn't pass it up and I just built that Musicmaster monster because I really wanted a TV Jones equipped guitar. The only thing I am adding now is the baritone build. I even simplified my board the other day.
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I haven't bought new gear in months, which is also getting close to a personal best for me (in the modern era). Not even a pedal. What the hell is going on? I don't even have GAS right now.
 
Guitar Heel said:
I haven't bought new gear in months, which is also getting close to a personal best for me (in the modern era). Not even a pedal. What the hell is going on? I don't even have GAS right now.
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If it wasn't for my 2 recent builds (I bought the bodies months ago) I wouldn't have gotten any guitar gear either. My board is the smallest it has been in forever.
 
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