Gear isn't all that important, is it?

[baytamusic]

Do any of you guys ever get the feeling you put way too much thought into gear? I mean, is it really all that important? Sometimes I think I just spend a bunch of time caring about it and should be spending more time just playing.

[OU818]

Do any of you guys ever get the feeling you put way too much thought into gear? I mean, is it really all that important? Sometimes I think I just spend a bunch of time caring about it and should be spending more time just playing.

No offence meant man but in your case; Yes. Possibly too much time spent on gear

Just find a sound you're happy with and go with it.

[Eddie Famine]

And the sad thing is most people we play for REALLY can't tell the difference between good equipment and crap.
It's just for us.
I'm OK with that.

[Van Cleef]

i haven't been posting here much partly because i have the amps and guitars that like... and i also finally have a pedalboard that suits me...

i really don't have much to say about gear anymore... and i don't want to become one of those sad tragic bastards who ramble on about oxygen free guitar leads and true bypass plectrums etc...

[jason41224]

Do any of you guys ever get the feeling you put way too much thought into gear? I mean, is it really all that important? Sometimes I think I just spend a bunch of time caring about it and should be spending more time just playing.

all the time, i think that. especially when i remember the addage that 90% of tone comes from your fingers, and the other 10% from your gear

i haven't been posting here much partly because i have the amps and guitars that like... and i also finally have a pedalboard that suits me...

i really don't have much to say about gear anymore... and i don't want to become one of those sad tragic bastards who ramble on about oxygen free guitar leads and true bypass plectrums etc...

true bypass plectrums, eh? i prefer buffered plectrums. better transfer of tone from the fingers to the strings

[Van Cleef]

Do any of you guys ever get the feeling you put way too much thought into gear? I mean, is it really all that important? Sometimes I think I just spend a bunch of time caring about it and should be spending more time just playing.

all the time, i think that. especially when i remember the addage that 90% of tone comes from your fingers, and the other 10% from your gear

trouble is, my fingers won't do octave down

[tadaitstyler]

And the sad thing is most people we play for REALLY can't tell the difference between good equipment and crap.
It's just for us.
I'm OK with that.

It's sad how true that is.

Just went to a show where one of the touring bands used a 1st version Spider Valve, and although I thought it sounded harsh and irritating, my wife thought it sounded perfectly fine.

On the other side, when I played shows with my R30, there was always someone there who complimented my tone. If I have to spend $XXXXXX on gear so that me and that one guy in the crowd can tell how good my tone is, I'm ok with that =D

[baytamusic]

Do any of you guys ever get the feeling you put way too much thought into gear? I mean, is it really all that important? Sometimes I think I just spend a bunch of time caring about it and should be spending more time just playing.

No offence meant man but in your case; Yes. Possibly too much time spent on gear

Just find a sound you're happy with and go with it.

I buy and sell equipment for small profits so that's why I always have different stuff. Haha, also gives me a chance to try all kinds of different amps.

[TESLA_EL34]

that's not so easy...
i think there are two sides.

anyway, the crowd you play for does not care for your tone...
but if you love your tone and the stuff you play through, you get more inspiration...
it's all about emotions. it's a deeper field that only musicians can understand!

on the other side, most of the bands that we love are or were involved into tonehunting.
it's hard to keep a balance between the two worlds... most of the bands keep chaning their tone
all the time but they love it and that's what keeps em great. if YOU love your TONE, you'll rock.
simple but true.

i keep saying that some of the greatest songs are made by tonefreaks.
and our ears are also irrated by the high quality productions..
sometimes it's hard to fine a new "tone"... think of pink floyd or led zep.
these guys were TONE FREAK no matter what everybody says.
or why the hell was page paying such amounts of money to pete cornish for his ultimate rig.
i won't mention the "tonehuning" of pink floyd... it's a mess... i think they lost their mind on the way
to their tone BUT it was worth it! i think some of you understand what i mean...

they care for their tone and their equipment, but they would also rock with a 5 watt noname solid state amp,
no matter how crappy it sounds, if it's miced the crowd will like it... but it's not about the freaking crowd.
it's always about the artist! you have to get that. if you love your tone, you'll rock no matter how crappy it sounds.
it's your art and your tone!

most of the coolness comes from the creation of tone. you hear that song on the radio and you think... dollywaggle what a geat tone... i always wanted to sound like that... (TELL ME IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!!!)

if you have a unique tone that inspires you, you feel kind of freaking badass...
and that's why some of the bigger bands CARE so much for their gear.
they seek the moments where their brains got fricked by the sound that they searched for years.
you seek that sound that you hear in your head... it's one circle...

but by the way: never change a running tone!

[bodhi2600]

gear is important. try getting Cream at the fillmore tone on a kent guitar and stewart amp.
in fact, good sound is more important than technique.

you should have the very best gear and teachers you can afford.
then it's time shut up and play otherwise you end up here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK4I-NmeXS4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OU818]

gear is important. try getting Cream at the fillmore tone on a kent guitar and stewart amp.
in fact, good sound is more important than technique.

you should have the very best gear and teachers you can afford.
then it's time shut up and play otherwise you end up here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK4I-NmeXS4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Haha brilliant!

Tag knows tone.
I value his opinion.

[jason41224]

while i agree that tone can inspire you, i don't think it's everything. honestly, the reason i go looking for the best gear possible isn't for inspiration, it's because i wanna reach a place where i don't even have to think about my gear anymore, i can just plug into X Amp and Y Guitar and Z pedals, and when i play and hear the sound in my head, every time.

[indianDYsummer]

A huge portion of the enjoyment I (and I'm assuming most people get) is really loving the sound that comes out of your guitar and amp. Like other people have said, sounding shitty is uninspiring, and so the neverending quest for the your own perfect tone is inevitable if you're trying to get the most out of your hobby!

[Neiloler]

Oh heck yes. I spend too much time sometimes obsessing about it. When I get down to it, I just play and let my feelings come out through my playing, and that's the best tone.

[MaxProphet]

i play a squier. top of the line squier mind you