I finally found "the sound" but...

[teletwang67]

Originally Posted by Lostinthe50s

Get yourself a jobby job and work for what you want, like the rest of us. Or take the easy route and sell a kidney.

Your argument is greatly flawed. I have no wife or kids to support. Are you suggesting I should quit my job so someone more "worthy" of it can have it?

That's not what I meant. What I was saying is there are people just trying to live, so I'm not going to take jobs away from them so I can get an amp, if I could even find a job at my age.

[ludashoeless]

I'm 14 and mow lawns, you can get a job bagging groceries

[bigmuff113]

Maybe become the Musical instruments guy at a local mom and pop pawn shop

[Warm Gums]

My dad sounds a lot like yours, a bit cautious, and probably not understanding exactly what your goals are.

Since you seem to have some basic modding skills, you might consider going into business for yourself in a small way.
I started "flipping" instruments when I was about your age, haunt yard sales, thrift stores, etc. and start picking up whatever comes your way, clean it up, set it up and sell it, if it's too far gone part it. I mowed lawns to get my start up money, and kept both jobs thru high school, with the occasional paying gig. While in college, I worked part time in a music store, and later was a stage manager for the local concert hall.

You need to get a little plan together, and show your dad where this can go..if you are thinking of college, it can lead to EE, or sound and recording,or business school. if not, music repair, retail, boutique building etc. are options.Explain that most musicians have at minimum a practice /recording amp ( your Champ)and a larger gig/ jam amp for when they play with others ( the Super) This will hopefully show him you are pursuing this in a thoughtful organized way, and just not buying and selling at a loss with no other purpose, than " chasing tone" which is a concept many people find odd.

Keep working in a organized manner with the rig you have now, and with in six months you can set up a studio teaching middle school beginners..
Find a basic "rock" method, learn it inside and out, and you will find that you allways have 3-4 students who are willing to pay $10 a week for a half hour lesson.

That with some flipping and lawns, will net you $ 100 a week in no time, you will be working for yourself, developing organizational and bookkeeping skills, and you will never need say "fries with that.?"

[kelnet]

Originally Posted by teletwang67

That's not what I meant. What I was saying is there are people just trying to live, so I'm not going to take jobs away from them so I can get an amp, if I could even find a job at my age.

Most adults can't afford to live on a McDonald's part-time wage, and so they don't apply for those jobs. However, they are perfect for 15-yr-old boys who want a new amp.
If you don't like McDonalds, there's Subway, KFC, Wendy's, Burger King, and so on. You won't be taking food off anyone's table.

[Fuzzblaster]

Originally Posted by kelnet

Most adults can't afford to live on a McDonald's part-time wage, and so they don't apply for those jobs. However, they are perfect for 15-yr-old boys who want a new amp.
If you don't like McDonalds, there's Subway, KFC, Wendy's, Burger King, and so on. You won't be taking food off anyone's table.

A lot of people I know (parents, friends parents) are applying to get these as second jobs, not to mention more "experienced" college students, etc. Just my two bits...

[Guit-jitsu]

Originally Posted by teletwang67

I paid $100. I'm sure I can get that. And my Strat has GFS pickups, so I could probably get about $275. I'm not trying to get a Super Reverb, I know that would be over $1000. I want a Bassman or Bandmaster, I've seen them for $350 to $450.

It sure is handy having a small amp for practice and studio. If choosing a Bassman or Bandmaster over the SR means keeping the Champ, I would lean that way myself ...

[Ricky D.]

Some of the comments here are pretty harsh considering they are directed at a 15 year old who won't miss a meal if he doesn't get a job. I'd thought this forum was better than that.

[Lostinthe50s]

I started at 12. 15 is old enough to wake up. Work for what you want.

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by Ricky D.

Some of the comments here are pretty harsh considering they are directed at a 15 year old who won't miss a meal if he doesn't get a job. I'd thought this forum was better than that.

I think the comments are directed at the:

I won't take a part-time job to buy some gear, because I might deny someone else who needs the job to eat.

No-one is being harsh, just saying "don't be silly, go out and earn some pocket money and buy your gear".

[Mid Life Crisis]

Originally Posted by kelnet

Most adults can't afford to live on a McDonald's part-time wage, and so they don't apply for those jobs. However, they are perfect for 15-yr-old boys who want a new amp.
If you don't like McDonalds, there's Subway, KFC, Wendy's, Burger King, and so on. You won't be taking food off anyone's table.

Exactly. I bet most adult posters here had a part-time job when they were still at school and spent the money on guitars, beer and cigarettes. I know I did.

The money paid for jobs at fast food joints is priced specifically at young, single kids who just want to earn pocket money. I don't know about where the OP lives but here the staff at these places (maybe except the managers) fit exclusively into this category.

[Warm Gums]

Originally Posted by Mid Life Crisis

Exactly. I bet most adult posters here had a part-time job when they were still at school and spent the money on guitars, beer and cigarettes. I know I did.

The money paid for jobs at fast food joints is priced specifically at young, single kids who just want to earn pocket money. I don't know about where the OP lives but here the staff at these places (maybe except the managers) fit exclusively into this category.

My local FF places employ a number of middle age adults and a few retires,and always have, but mostly on the day shift, when kids are in school.
Still in the present economy, there is some competition from folks who have been out of the work force who are now looking for a second income.
If the OP (or perhaps his parents) is uncomfortable with taking a structured job, I can respect that.
Personally I find FF to be a difficult, situation, hours are unsteady, but once scheduled are inflexible, and it's far too easy to slip into a basic " show up and collect check" mind set.
The people I know who have really knocked it out of the park in some way as a adult, quickly moved on from FF to entrepreneurship in their teens.

[waparker4]

keep the champ, if you're planning on going to college and/ or going to not own a house for a while like me and many other mid 20+/- , you'll want a smaller practice amp the right size for a dorm room or apt, my two cents.

Even after that its generally good to have a small amp that isn't obtrusive.

You could get $100 for it? That's not worth parting with it. In 10 yr when you're looking at $450 5f1 clones ...

[flathd]

When I was 14 I had a paper route, and I still have the Teisco Del Ray I scrimped and saved for.

[telequacktastic]

It's a free economy, you have every right to accept a job offer and spend your money how you want to. I wouldn't let anyone make you feel bad for buying an amp, if anything, I would lie to ppl that asked me "so, what are you going to do with your money from your job, they are fishing for info and I'd lie to them". Just my $.02... you sound like a decent person, and please take this as just my advice because I worked a part time job for 9 months to buy a Marshall half stack when I was 16, so it's like deja vu to hear your story here at the forum.

Good luck sir in your gear conquest!!

[vjf1968]

Originally Posted by chabby

Wow - It's interesting to hear younger folks perspective on jobs.
Iwas born in 59 and started working odd jobs in my neighborhood when I was 10 years old.
Not legal employment, but my pals and I would go door to door asking people if they had any work they needed done. We'd always find someone, at least almost always. Also some good stories came from it, like this cranky old bat that tried to get us to do this humongous weeding and cleanup job for next to nothing. We actually tried, but it was too tough and we politley told her thanks, but no thanks.

But I started working on farms when I was 14. I don't know if it was legal, but my Mom used to load us in her car and make us go do farm work with her. By the time I was 16 I was deeply involved in getting whatever work I could, from part time dishwashing, to driving forklifts in a warehouse. Worked for the forest service fighting fires when I was 18. By then I'd probably had 25 jobs. It was a whole different ball of wax back then. Not only did almost every kid work in summers where I lived, but many worked part time after school or weekends too.

There hardly any of that anymore all the farm work is done by illegal immigrants now and ICE is constantly trying to bust them all. But nobody cares, because these days it almost seems like many kids grow up thinking they are above any job that they didn't have to earn a degree for.
Society seems to be teaching them that.
Thats what happens when you lose your manufacturing base as a country.
We are pretty early in that process still for a history perspective. I think it will be our ultimate demise, unless things change and soon.

Not that I'm against kids having a summer job to earn money and learn structure but it seems society does not value an education nor do they value school sponsored extra circular activities . How many music programs and other non-sporting curriculums get cut in your area?

During the school term a student should really be concentrating on one thing and that is going to school. If they do want a part time job that is great as long as the job doesn’t interfere with the school work. I have known too many dropouts who thought that making money was more important than school and are now stuck in that endless spiral of poverty. There are some who got their GED after dropping out and became very successful but that they are few and far in between.

Let’s not get into ICE or immigrant workers, most Americans are the offspring of immigrants and this country was built almost entirely on immigrant labor. Not many people of the well-to-do were laying down track back in the 1800’s for the Transcontinental Railroad.

[twangplank]

If a more capable adult applies for the job they will hire them anyway so go ahead and look for a job. Most employers would rather have someone with a car and license so if you get the job its because nobody more qualified applied.

[emu!]

Boy, this place can be brutal.

[vjf1968]

Wear a cup.

[kelnet]

Originally Posted by emu!

Boy, this place can be brutal.

Is it brutal to reassure the kid that it's okay for him to apply for a job?