bought a new amp...nothing like I was planning on

nasonm · March 26th, 2008, 09:27 AM

I had been doing the 5E3 dance for weeks now (after saving up about 1K for a new amp).

But I had a moment of clarity yesterday.

I have a new baby on the way (due date of Oct 5). We're not broke but we need to find money each month for some of the bigger bills...

So...I bought a Like New Roland JC-90 for $350 and gave the rest over to my wife to pay bills with. I used to have a JC-120 long ago and it was fine for what I needed (actually it was too loud for what I needed). The JC-90 will be a "basement" amp...should suit my lame attempt at playing Chet Atkins stuff.

Maybe in a few years when the kids are bigger I'll be able to get a 5E3, but for now (like many of you) I need to focus on spending money on the important things in life (like taking care of my fam).

mikespe · March 26th, 2008, 09:44 AM

nansom, this has nothing to do about amps but I have a lot of respect for what you did. That show what a great father you will be and what a great husband you are. Very selfless! I envy you and the family you have!

FMA · March 26th, 2008, 10:07 AM

An admirable display of maturity.
What are you trying to do? Make the rest of us look bad?

Jef · March 26th, 2008, 10:48 AM

Did almost the same thing years ago. Since I wouldn't have a chance to crank an amp at home with a new baby in the house, I bought a 5e3 kit. It was $ 300 at the time. Instead of playing loud, I spent some quiet evenings building the amp, and learning a lot about tube amps and amp building along the way.

nasonm · March 26th, 2008, 11:01 AM

Thanks fellers...

I have a 4yr old daughter, so this will be our 2nd kid (here's Ali playing tele with her daddy)

The fact that Ali loves to play guitar with her daddy (She got a little pink acoustic at Xmas) means the world to me.

Being a dad will always trump playing guitar!

3 Chord · March 26th, 2008, 11:07 AM

Good for you. I too am lucky enough to have others to share my paycheck with. For myself I wanted to upgrade my C30 with a nice old Princeton or the like but have decided to get just a small solid state practice amp to get some "Fendery" cleans at home.

So for less than $200 I will find a decent amp, put the rest of the money to put the kid in Drivers ED and help fund new cabinets for the wife.

And on a side note, even if you can afford new gear, there is nothing wrong with getting good sounds from the gear you already have. It's up to you to get the sounds to come out.

GAS is good for the manufacturer, bad for the average Joe.

I'm sure that Roland will be an excellent amp for what you are looking for. Roland clean is GREAT and the build quality is excellent.

hugo · March 26th, 2008, 11:16 AM

Nasum, way to go man! You have your wife, your kid and your tele. Dude, you already have it all and on top of that you got an amp. Way to go! That's what it's all about boys!! You are a good man, husband and father.

whodatpat · March 26th, 2008, 11:37 AM

Great Choice.

Jim L · March 26th, 2008, 11:57 AM

I hear you!
My two girls are 1 and 4. I've made similar decisions and never regretted them. Fmaily is the priority, guitars are a hobby for me. I was gigging maybe twice a month before our first daughter was born. I actually managed to keep that up for maybe a year. It was "just enough" and never too much. But, the bandleader wanted to gig every weekend, so I stepped aside.

I miss playing out... heck I don't even jam with friends right now. But, my time is spent on much more important things.

I am having a 5e3 being built for me but I sold my Holland lil jimi amp to do it. W/o gig money (what little it used to be) coming in, I can't justify more gear, so I keep my gear limited to two amps. I have 3 electrics. If I wanted another, I would sell one to buy one.

I made a job change last year that has paid off nicely already, but the additional income is going to allow my wife to now stay home with the girls instead of us both working and dealing with the insane daycare shuffle.

At almost 40, it's about time I had my priorities straight!

iowa · March 26th, 2008, 12:46 PM

Good on ya, Nasum. You will never regret spending more on your family and less on yourself.

Jim L. What a huge win for your family that your wife will be a stay at home Mom. Just make sure when someone asks if your wife works that you say yes, she is the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of the Family.

1293 · March 26th, 2008, 12:56 PM

Play it now!

Jim L · March 26th, 2008, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iowa

Good on ya, Nasum. You will never regret spending more on your family and less on yourself.

Jim L. What a huge win for your family that your wife will be a stay at home Mom. Just make sure when someone asks if your wife works that you say yes, she is the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of the Family.

Got that right! I'm betting she will eventually want to do something part-time, for her own peace of mind, but this move will reduce a TON of stress for everyone, including the kids, who definitely feel any of the stress my wife and I may be under.

3 Chord · March 26th, 2008, 01:30 PM

Oh I forgot to tell you, when I got my C30 it was 1993. At that time I sold a mint (and I mean mint) 65 Vibrolux, paid some family bills and picked up the C30. No regrets, not then and not now.

camari · March 26th, 2008, 02:02 PM

My utmost respect for you. It's hard not to get GAS here at TDPRI. It's a sign of a real man to do what you did.

Jenix · March 26th, 2008, 02:10 PM

Good for you. I cant relate really because I have no kids. I just know I'm buying as many guitar things now before I go to college and become broke.

Mojohand40 · March 27th, 2008, 10:12 AM

Not much to add to what's been said. You did good.
well..
Except, congrats!
The Roland JC-90 is a sweet amp for Atkins styled stuff!
and 350 seems like a good price.

nasonm · March 27th, 2008, 08:51 PM

Thanks folks! Nice to know everyone agrees that family comes first!

photoweborama · March 27th, 2008, 11:09 PM

Yep! We do what we do when we gotta do it.
Then when we do do it then we've done it, and done it good!

WisconsinStrings · March 27th, 2008, 11:25 PM

Big mistake! You should have bought that amp!

Just kidding. Good call. Plus you HAD to have scored some brownie points with your wife on that move.

Consider building a 5E3 around that baby's first birthday.

mwaym · March 27th, 2008, 11:27 PM

I hear ya. I got back into playin... bought back my old 60's reissue strat for 200 or so and bought a 12 watt kustom amp with tube pre-amp. Just enought to play around with. Then, I bought my step-son a washburn guitar package and a crate amp with reverb. I shouda bought him some fender stuff, but he wasn't into it!!

Anyway, I wish I couda bought more for me, but the guitar is awesome, and the amp is plenty for our little house... I can use headphones so I don't wake everybody at night !!! I am gonna build a partscaster for myself, though. He has lost interest for now, but who knows when he might wanna play again !!!

March 26th, 2008, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
nasonm Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bangor, Maine Age: 31 Posts: 1,709 16 Photos	bought a new amp...nothing like I was planning on I had been doing the 5E3 dance for weeks now (after saving up about 1K for a new amp). But I had a moment of clarity yesterday. I have a new baby on the way (due date of Oct 5). We're not broke but we need to find money each month for some of the bigger bills... So...I bought a Like New Roland JC-90 for $350 and gave the rest over to my wife to pay bills with. I used to have a JC-120 long ago and it was fine for what I needed (actually it was too loud for what I needed). The JC-90 will be a "basement" amp...should suit my lame attempt at playing Chet Atkins stuff. Maybe in a few years when the kids are bigger I'll be able to get a 5E3, but for now (like many of you) I need to focus on spending money on the important things in life (like taking care of my fam). __________________ "i have learned to just grit my teeth, change the subject, consider their deep total ignorance, fondle the thumb picks in my pocket and go on my way" - bender-freak It's been lonely in the saddle since my horse died

March 26th, 2008, 10:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jef Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Posts: 685 2 Photos	Did almost the same thing years ago. Since I wouldn't have a chance to crank an amp at home with a new baby in the house, I bought a 5e3 kit. It was $ 300 at the time. Instead of playing loud, I spent some quiet evenings building the amp, and learning a lot about tube amps and amp building along the way. __________________ Amplification is not a social dinner, a literary event, a drawing or an embroidery; It cannot be done with elegance and courtesy. Amplification is an act of violence... (Mao Tse-Tube)

March 26th, 2008, 11:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
nasonm Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bangor, Maine Age: 31 Posts: 1,709 16 Photos	Thanks fellers... I have a 4yr old daughter, so this will be our 2nd kid (here's Ali playing tele with her daddy) The fact that Ali loves to play guitar with her daddy (She got a little pink acoustic at Xmas) means the world to me. Being a dad will always trump playing guitar! __________________ "i have learned to just grit my teeth, change the subject, consider their deep total ignorance, fondle the thumb picks in my pocket and go on my way" - bender-freak It's been lonely in the saddle since my horse died

March 26th, 2008, 11:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
whodatpat Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: College Park MD Age: 36 Posts: 272	Great Choice. __________________ What this thread needs is more cowbell. Run Pat Run

March 26th, 2008, 02:02 PM	#14 (permalink)
camari Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Florida Age: 50 Posts: 102	My utmost respect for you. It's hard not to get GAS here at TDPRI. It's a sign of a real man to do what you did. __________________ Remember to listen.

March 26th, 2008, 09:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
mikespe Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western New York Age: 42 Posts: 1,075	nansom, this has nothing to do about amps but I have a lot of respect for what you did. That show what a great father you will be and what a great husband you are. Very selfless! I envy you and the family you have!

March 26th, 2008, 10:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
FMA Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,129	An admirable display of maturity. What are you trying to do? Make the rest of us look bad?

March 26th, 2008, 11:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
3 Chord Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Billings MT Age: 42 Posts: 152	Good for you. I too am lucky enough to have others to share my paycheck with. For myself I wanted to upgrade my C30 with a nice old Princeton or the like but have decided to get just a small solid state practice amp to get some "Fendery" cleans at home. So for less than $200 I will find a decent amp, put the rest of the money to put the kid in Drivers ED and help fund new cabinets for the wife. And on a side note, even if you can afford new gear, there is nothing wrong with getting good sounds from the gear you already have. It's up to you to get the sounds to come out. GAS is good for the manufacturer, bad for the average Joe. I'm sure that Roland will be an excellent amp for what you are looking for. Roland clean is GREAT and the build quality is excellent.

March 26th, 2008, 11:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
hugo Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sarnia,Ontario Age: 49 Posts: 812	Nasum, way to go man! You have your wife, your kid and your tele. Dude, you already have it all and on top of that you got an amp. Way to go! That's what it's all about boys!! You are a good man, husband and father.

March 26th, 2008, 11:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
Jim L Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrimac, MA Posts: 378 13 Photos	I hear you! My two girls are 1 and 4. I've made similar decisions and never regretted them. Fmaily is the priority, guitars are a hobby for me. I was gigging maybe twice a month before our first daughter was born. I actually managed to keep that up for maybe a year. It was "just enough" and never too much. But, the bandleader wanted to gig every weekend, so I stepped aside. I miss playing out... heck I don't even jam with friends right now. But, my time is spent on much more important things. I am having a 5e3 being built for me but I sold my Holland lil jimi amp to do it. W/o gig money (what little it used to be) coming in, I can't justify more gear, so I keep my gear limited to two amps. I have 3 electrics. If I wanted another, I would sell one to buy one. I made a job change last year that has paid off nicely already, but the additional income is going to allow my wife to now stay home with the girls instead of us both working and dealing with the insane daycare shuffle. At almost 40, it's about time I had my priorities straight!

March 26th, 2008, 12:56 PM	#11 (permalink)
1293 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,546	Play it now!

March 26th, 2008, 01:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
3 Chord Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Billings MT Age: 42 Posts: 152	Oh I forgot to tell you, when I got my C30 it was 1993. At that time I sold a mint (and I mean mint) 65 Vibrolux, paid some family bills and picked up the C30. No regrets, not then and not now.

March 26th, 2008, 02:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
Jenix Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Illinois State University Age: 19 Posts: 303	Good for you. I cant relate really because I have no kids. I just know I'm buying as many guitar things now before I go to college and become broke. __________________ USA Ovation * (Big Baby Taylor - SOLD) MIM Telecaster * Vox AC15CC Takamine Classical G series Martin 000C-16RGTE Aura Some people sing in the shower, I play guitar...

March 27th, 2008, 10:12 AM	#16 (permalink)
Mojohand40 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 546	Not much to add to what's been said. You did good. well.. Except, congrats! The Roland JC-90 is a sweet amp for Atkins styled stuff! and 350 seems like a good price.

March 27th, 2008, 08:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
nasonm Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bangor, Maine Age: 31 Posts: 1,709 16 Photos	Thanks folks! Nice to know everyone agrees that family comes first! __________________ "i have learned to just grit my teeth, change the subject, consider their deep total ignorance, fondle the thumb picks in my pocket and go on my way" - bender-freak It's been lonely in the saddle since my horse died

March 27th, 2008, 11:09 PM	#18 (permalink)
photoweborama Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 50 Posts: 1,509 15 Photos	Yep! We do what we do when we gotta do it. Then when we do do it then we've done it, and done it good! __________________ Best guitar photos on the net! photoweborama.com!

March 27th, 2008, 11:25 PM	#19 (permalink)
WisconsinStrings Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arcadia, Wisconsin Age: 37 Posts: 692	Big mistake! You should have bought that amp! Just kidding. Good call. Plus you HAD to have scored some brownie points with your wife on that move. Consider building a 5E3 around that baby's first birthday.

March 27th, 2008, 11:27 PM	#20 (permalink)
mwaym Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: anderson, indiana Age: 44 Posts: 115	I hear ya. I got back into playin... bought back my old 60's reissue strat for 200 or so and bought a 12 watt kustom amp with tube pre-amp. Just enought to play around with. Then, I bought my step-son a washburn guitar package and a crate amp with reverb. I shouda bought him some fender stuff, but he wasn't into it!! Anyway, I wish I couda bought more for me, but the guitar is awesome, and the amp is plenty for our little house... I can use headphones so I don't wake everybody at night !!! I am gonna build a partscaster for myself, though. He has lost interest for now, but who knows when he might wanna play again !!!