Owning high end gear

[fezz parka]

Originally Posted by Big John

Sorry to sound dumb Skintight- but how ?
Do you mean your hands or your ears ?, I reckon 'hands' = possibly but 'ears' = hmmmmm :)
I regularly play an original Nocaster along with a houseful of Teles and amps BUT 99% of my studio time is spent with a PodII and I have never had anyone mention, complain or even know the difference.
Sometimes an artist or producer feel they need to 'see' that stuff but really, 'golden ears' ?

I agree 1000%.

[Skintight]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

I agree 1000%.

Well that's a mathematic impossibility.

[fezz parka]

Originally Posted by Skintight

Well that's a mathematic impossibility.

All depends where the decimal point is. Ted Williams hit .406.

I own some nice stuff, among the stuff is a '65 Strat and a '66 Super Reverb.

What did I use on this?

Powerglide

[Skintight]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

All depends where the decimal point is. Ted Williams hit .406.

I own some nice stuff, among the stuff is a '65 Strat and a '66 Super Reverb.

What did I use on this?

Powerglide

I'm going to refer you back to one of my earlier posts in the thread as it fits really well here.

"Yeah definitely, "my gear is better than your gear" arguments are a waste of time because it degenerates and also BOTH parties are right because it's THEIR opinion.

I'd love to buy an original 51' nocaster, unaffordable, I'd love to buy a CS NOS 51' nocaster but I have to buy a new boiler, new exhaust, new guttering, other boring stuff so I'm building a partscaster as it is an affordable option and in all honesty I'll probably love it more because I built it, but would I dream of going on a thread and telling 51' Nocaster owners they're all snobs and I've got 'more bang for my £'? No! It's bad form"

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

What did I use on this?

A guitar?

[Chris Browne]

Originally Posted by dada

I've figured out that because I have plenty of high end stuff and could basically buy whatever I want makes me really enjoy the real cheap stuff I have. I think back to when I was a young guy and it had to be Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gretsch. There was no way I could have ever enjoyed anything less no matter how it played or sounded. Now I have the freedom and money to not give a damn about what anyone else thinks and enjoy making a $100 Squier fun to play. Who else thinks that owning high end gear has freed up your mind to enjoy the cheap crap mass produced in Asia? I'm not comparing the inherent qualities of these instruments to each other, but rather the overall satisfaction of proudly sporting a cheap guitar to a local jam and not giving it a second thought. I say this as I have seen my $3k Les Paul's etc. collect dust while I cart out my Affinity or CVC.

I'm sorry if this sounds preachy or sarcastic, but the ability to "not give a damn about what anybody else thinks" doesn't have to result from your financial standing. As a middle class guy I've been humbled many times by working pros who use cheap gear because you simply don't make a lot of money playing music in bars around here.

Maybe the lesson here is that, achieving your consumerist dreams, like "I gotta own a guitar like the one (rock god name here) held in that poster I had in my room when I was 15" ends up being an empty victory.

[fezz parka]

Originally Posted by beep.click

A guitar?

Well, yeah.

[jsal362]

A few weeks ago I went to a casual jam at a friends studio. I walked in and put my AVRI 52 Hot Rod on a guitar stand. I then was asked into the next room over to help out another friend with a software issue she was having on her computer. While in the other room, I heard my old guitar instructor fire up my Hot Rod. He went straight into some amazing blues stuff. I just sat back and really took in the sounds that my guitar was able to make in the right hands. I was very proud to be able to own that guitar. After another few minutes, I just had to go watch. I walked back into the room and there was my 1700 dollar guitar. Still in the stand. While instead, a 12 year old was just killing it on a beat up Squire Affinity. I learned a few things that day. Mostly regarding practice, but also a thing or two regarding gear. While I love my few nice guitars, I couldn't touch that 12 year old with an Affinty, on a bet.

[dada]

Originally Posted by Chris Browne

I'm sorry if this sounds preachy or sarcastic, but the ability to "not give a damn about what anybody else thinks" doesn't have to result from your financial standing. As a middle class guy I've been humbled many times by working pros who use cheap gear because you simply don't make a lot of money playing music in bars around here.

Maybe the lesson here is that, achieving your consumerist dreams, like "I gotta own a guitar like the one (rock god name here) held in that poster I had in my room when I was 15" ends up being an empty victory.

Yes you are right, having money isn't necessary in the "not giving a damn category", but it sure does help a lot. Having a lot of talent helps a whole lot more. That's something I'm still sadly lacking...

[Lee Harvey]

Originally Posted by Chris Browne

I'm sorry if this sounds preachy or sarcastic, but the ability to "not give a damn about what anybody else thinks" doesn't have to result from your financial standing. As a middle class guy I've been humbled many times by working pros who use cheap gear because you simply don't make a lot of money playing music in bars around here.

Maybe the lesson here is that, achieving your consumerist dreams, like "I gotta own a guitar like the one (rock god name here) held in that poster I had in my room when I was 15" ends up being an empty victory.

Words of wisdom...

[jjkrause84]

Originally Posted by Ricky D.

Don't p** on my head and then tell me it was raining. You're half-right, it would be silly if that was what you said. In your reply to my post, you said in part, "...Before you raise the (frankly, racist) argument..." (emphasis added). Make any argument you want, just don't pretend you are preempting an argument I would make when you do so.

That was an insult. If you didn't intend it, just say so.

Sorry, man. Didn't mean it to be personal.

[jjkrause84]

Slightly off-topic but: why is music always such a competition? Why do we have to justify our gear, be it nice or not-as-nice? Why do musos all stand at the back and say "I could play better"? Why can't we all just bask in the fact that playing an instrument, even at a basic level, is a joy that the majority of the population will never know?

I don't have the answers, obviously. Being a non-muso (i.e. just a guy who plays guitar), I find it really striking. My musician friends are all nice people, but they do change as soon as organized sound comes into play. They become judgmental, or defensive, or otherwise negatively emotional. It can be such a bummer sometimes....

[AngelStrummer]

Originally Posted by jjkrause84

Slightly off-topic but: why is music always such a competition? Why do we have to justify our gear, be it nice or not-as-nice? Why do musos all stand at the back and say "I could play better"? Why can't we all just bask in the fact that playing an instrument, even at a basic level, is a joy that the majority of the population will never know?

I don't have the answers, obviously. Being a non-muso (i.e. just a guy who plays guitar), I find it really striking. My musician friends are all nice people, but they do change as soon as organized sound comes into play. They become judgmental, or defensive, or otherwise negatively emotional. It can be such a bummer sometimes....

Could you please define the terms 'muso' and 'musician' as opposed to 'guy who pays guitar'?

Do you mean professional?

I just want to make sure I can fully understand your point.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by jjkrause84

Slightly off-topic but: why is music always such a competition? Why do we have to justify our gear, be it nice or not-as-nice? Why do musos all stand at the back and say "I could play better"? Why can't we all just bask in the fact that playing an instrument, even at a basic level, is a joy that the majority of the population will never know?
....

Welcome to the UK jj !! :) :)

[kelnet]

Originally Posted by Chris Browne

Maybe the lesson here is that, achieving your consumerist dreams, like "I gotta own a guitar like the one (rock god name here) held in that poster I had in my room when I was 15" ends up being an empty victory.

I think the lesson here is, if I want an expensive guitar because it's absolutely gorgeous and it feels wonderful, then I had better not tell anyone on this forum because they'll think I'm either being snobby or trying to emulate a guitar hero.

Frankly, I want a high-end Gretsch because I think they are works of art. I want a Taylor electric because I love the look of the thing. I want a high-end PRS because I love the design. I want a high-end Gibson 335 because of their heritage and complete gorgeousness. However, if I do eventually get any one of those, I'll be sure to take my Squier CV Thinline everywhere I go so that no-one thinks I'm a snob or a dentist.

[Chris Browne]

Kelnet, my post was based on my own experience, chasing guitars for what I ended up realizing were the 'wrong' reasons...many people collect beautiful things and I think that's really important.

[paulvcarter]

The newest Fenders are AMAZING quality and value at $320-50 - I would be using one for gigging if I still played live. Hell, I'd have 2 and sand their necks, beat em up a bit and really enjoy them.

[jjkrause84]

Originally Posted by AngelStrummer

Could you please define the terms 'muso' and 'musician' as opposed to 'guy who pays guitar'?

Do you mean professional?

I just want to make sure I can fully understand your point.

By "muso" and "musician" I meant: professional musician. I'm just a lame-ass with a telecaster (as you know ).

[binkydognose]

Originally Posted by jsal362

A few weeks ago I went to a casual jam at a friends studio. I walked in and put my AVRI 52 Hot Rod on a guitar stand. I then was asked into the next room over to help out another friend with a software issue she was having on her computer. While in the other room, I heard my old guitar instructor fire up my Hot Rod. He went straight into some amazing blues stuff. I just sat back and really took in the sounds that my guitar was able to make in the right hands. I was very proud to be able to own that guitar. After another few minutes, I just had to go watch. I walked back into the room and there was my 1700 dollar guitar. Still in the stand. While instead, a 12 year old was just killing it on a beat up Squire Affinity. I learned a few things that day. Mostly regarding practice, but also a thing or two regarding gear. While I love my few nice guitars, I couldn't touch that 12 year old with an Affinty, on a bet.

Cool story. I have a friend who never knows the key, can't remember how to tune a guitar, but can jam away on any stringed instrument - sounding good mostly. And another guy who doesn't "keep" guitars, just plays whatever is around and is always selling stuff off as fast as he finds it.

[Del Pickup]

Owning high end gear is a means to an end. If it makes the owner/player feel that by owning that particular guitar/amp/pedal that he has become a better player or that he/she is somehow closer to being like their hero then it's possible that the gear in itself may inspire the person to practice more and by doing so will quite possibly become a better player in the long run.

But the converse is equally true. Give a talented person the cheapest instruments and they will still make great music cos the music is inside them and the instrument is only the conduit for the music to get out.