People who don't care about gear?!

[baytamusic]

I don't get it at all. They'll just play whatever and don't care. Makes me play like crap to use crappy amps, crappy drums, crappy whatever. Also good gear makes a decent band sound great. I make up for my lack of talent with good gear. ha.

[ironlung40]

I wish I was in that camp. I have bought wayyyyy to much "great" gear.

[Wolfe]

same I wish I was like that, I'm too indecisive and picky

[jason41224]

i've narrowed it down to the difference between impulse buyers and savers. savers (like me) are much more likely to get severe cases of GAS, because they want to research every little detail about their gear and know for sure that what they're getting is the best they can get because they'll save their money that way. impulse buyers, like my other guitarist, will go into Guitar Center to buy a pack of strings, buy a Taylor 114ce instead, and 6 months later, put it up for sale on Craigslist. all while he still plays out of a crappy Vox Valvestate 212 i don't get it either.

[Wolfe]

i've narrowed it down to the difference between impulse buyers and savers. savers (like me) are much more likely to get severe cases of GAS, because they want to research every little detail about their gear and know for sure that what they're getting is the best they can get because they'll save their money that way. impulse buyers, like my other guitarist, will go into Guitar Center to buy a pack of strings, buy a Taylor 114ce instead, and 6 months later, put it up for sale on Craigslist. all while he still plays out of a crappy Vox Valvestate 212 i don't get it either.

I'm quite like that, I save some money an then I go look at gear and then need to know every little detail,If it is the best. thats why I post so many threads asking about pedals i guess

[Ddjembe Mutombo]

I don't understand the guitar players that are way better than me that are still playing out of 50w SS combos and mexi strats.

[baytamusic]

I don't understand the guitar players that are way better than me that are still playing out of 50w SS combos and mexi strats.

That's exactly what I mean right there.

[Wolfe]

I don't understand the guitar players that are way better than me that are still playing out of 50w SS combos and mexi strats.

I know me neither, I also don't get the really, really, absolutely, monumentally, undeniably, preposterously crap guitar players with £2000 amps and guitars and all the best gear in the world, when I see this I say to my self: "it's not fair, I'm infinitely better at playing guitar than you, I deserve the rectifier and the ibanez prestige" but I think it's great when you see great guitarists playing through great gear, it sound divine.

(I wasn't trying to be cocky, i'm not the best player myself, but you get the picture?)

[chimpboyjay1]

I don't understand the guitar players that are way better than me that are still playing out of 50w SS combos and mexi strats.

I know me neither, I also don't get the really, really, absolutely, monumentally, undeniably, preposterously crap guitar players with £2000 amps and guitars and all the best gear in the world, when I see this I say to my self: "it's not fair, I'm infinitely better at playing guitar than you, I deserve the rectifier and the ibanez prestige" but I think it's great when you see great guitarists playing through great gear, it sound divine.

(I wasn't trying to be cocky, i'm not the best player myself, but you get the picture?)

Rectifier and ibanez prestige? Great gear? Ok then...

[OU818]

Gear is nice to have but does not maketh the player. If you think you play like crap on heap gear then you probably aren't playing all that great on the good gear either.

I've played great sounding stuff through a Vox Amplug, Fender G-Dec, Line 6 or Chinese/Mexican whatever strats. My P90 style pickups are made in China for GFS and cost me $30 a piece. I'm not trying to talk myself up here but seriously, if you think that gear makes you a better player then you're wrong.

One of my favourite local players, Lex from Seedy Jeezus, plays random part cheap strats and teles through a Marshall SS Valvestate. Personally I think he sounds infinitely better than most of the guys I see with high end rigs. It's all down to the technique and the ability, not the hardware.

[jason41224]

yes, i totally agree. but while good gear can't make a bad player good, it sure as hell can make a good player great.

[OU818]

yes, i totally agree. but while good gear can't make a bad player good, it sure as hell can make a good player great.

That's it, it's nice to have to help you achieve the tone that's in your head, not to make you a better player. I'll guarantee that Tango would play just as well using an Epiphone as she does using her LP Custom.

[Icarus]

When I was a little younger and I went out drinking at bars and clubs, I would spend a fortune on clothes and s**t to make sure I felt my best and felt comfortable. I now feel the same way about my gear when I go play a show, I like to have confidence that my gear is gonna sound great, helps me relax and concentrate on playing rather than worrying if my tone is ok.

[Ddjembe Mutombo]

I know me neither, I also don't get the really, really, absolutely, monumentally, undeniably, preposterously crap guitar players with £2000 amps and guitars and all the best gear in the world, when I see this I say to my self: "it's not fair, I'm infinitely better at playing guitar than you, I deserve the rectifier and the ibanez prestige" but I think it's great when you see great guitarists playing through great gear, it sound divine.

(I wasn't trying to be cocky, i'm not the best player myself, but you get the picture?)

My playing does not deserve me the gear I have. I am honestly a pretty bad player. Yeah I can hold my own and write good material, but I still make mistakes live. I view myself in the least talented class among actual guitarists. Sure I can play better than some frat bro who plays oasis covers on his Ibanez acoustic... but I don't consider them guitarists... more-so guitar owners. Guitar playing is my passion and I can write some killer tunes, but if you ask me to do anything technical, you will just get a deer in the headlights look from me.

I crave tone, and that is why I don't understand why so many people so serious about their playing don't throw up some extra change for an amp and electric upgrade.

[leopoldbloom]

It is impossible to define a musician as someone who doesn't care about his sound. Though some musicians don't care investing in gear (in GAS they don't trust).

There are lot of reasons for using average (not bad) gear -portability, cost... habit: a musician might be feeling more comfortable with his good-old mexican (strat) girl over his brand new american beauty.

Some people don't believe they can sound better than plugging-on-a-15w-ss-fender (I used to be one of them). Ok, they are wrong.

Learning to use the right gear is part of the game.

A skillful musician can make crappy gear sound like heaven (and he/she knows that). However, a novice should always get fine gear - a good instrument can motivate you to practice and also helps you develop the sense of expression in playing.