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wise words about G.A.S.


t_e_l_e

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Good, if short, piece. Tip of the iceberg, really. Still, I don't think I can argue with anything he says. On the third hand, I'm still an idiot with too many guitars.

 

But (bullish*t rationalization coming up) I think I've perhaps made a tiny bit of progress in that the last four guitar purchases I've made have been at seriously ridiculous discounts. Three of the four could be sold for a profit at any time... That really is true, but as a justification for indulging GAS it's pure nonsense. It wouldn't be much of a profit, really - barely enough to justify the PITA of selling instruments. What gets me spiraling every time is coming across a hugely reduced price for a guitar I'm attracted to but do not need. My tiny brain fixates on that shiznit, and I know pretty much from first sight that I'm eventually going to cave.

 

There's really no reason at all for me to have more than four guitars max: One acoustic for standard, one for open G, and ditto two electrics. And I can't really argue that I "need" more than just one acoustic guitar and nothing else (I lived on one guitar for years). Yet I have four electrics (for an acoustic player who does not perform anymore and never performed with an electric, ridiculous) and five acoustics. There are people on this forum who have multiple times the number I own (which makes me feel a bit better - schadenfreude, anyone?). But speaking only for myself, I am clearly just stupid and insane.

 

 

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Of his four points, the one I agree with the most is the one about not accepting cheaper substitutes. I've been making that same point for many years. It's better to save up and get what you really want than it is to trade in something else you still like (and later regret it), or settle for something that's "kind of like" what you really want. It always costs you more in the long run because you will usually end up dissatisfied and sell the substitute (at a loss) and get what you really wanted to begin with.

 

That's not to say there isn't a place for less expensive instruments. I have several modestly-priced instruments that I really like. It's also unreasonable to expect a beginner or someone who only plays occasionally to run out and buy a custom shop instrument, and there are a lot of different options out there so that people should have no problem finding something appropriate for their needs and that will meet their expectations.

 

And while I agree with the writer that gear is not a substitute for skill and practice, there are times when specific pieces of gear can make a difference, or make it easier for a skilled musician to get certain sounds or a certain level of sonic quality (speaking also as a recording engineer here...) that they may be looking for and that would be difficult to get without it. If you've spent years learning the basics of how to mic things using nothing but SM57's and cheap preamps and someone hands you a stereo pair of Telefunken ELA M251E condensers and a couple of nice ribbon microphones and some great preamps, it's going to make a huge difference in your recordings in almost no time...

 

Don't get me wrong - I do agree with the writer of that article about the importance of spending time on improving your skills - the gear alone is never going to do that for you, and if you don't know what you're doing with the gear, no matter how good it is, it's kind of like handing the keys for a sports car to a three year old. Neither you or they are going to be able to really do anything with it, or use it to its full potential.

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Of his four points' date=' the one I agree with the most is the one about [i']not accepting cheaper substitutes[/i]. I've been making that same point for many years. It's better to save up and get what you really want than it is to trade in something else you still like (and later regret it), or settle for something that's "kind of like" what you really want. It always costs you more in the long run because you will usually end up dissatisfied and sell the substitute (at a loss) and get what you really wanted to begin with.

 

I agree with this in principle, though it has to be recognized that for most people this may not be an option. If what someone really wants is a Les Paul Custom, there are a lot of people who realistically may never in their lifetime be able to afford one.

 

Having said that, in a similar discussion on HCAG several years ago, someone posted something I've never forgotten (though I can't recall who actually wrote it). The thrust of it was that in general, it usually makes the most sense to buy guitars either at the low or high end of the pricing spectrum. It's in the middle where people usually get themselves into trouble wrt satisfaction, because it's the mid-range that people are usually "settling" for in lieu of the unattainable. Really not much different from the article's thesis.

 

In my own experience, this has proven to be very accurate. I currentlyown a $300 Yamaha acoustic that was my only guitar for a few years when things got horrible financially. I've always been very satisfied with it because of its stellar bang for buck. It's made well, plays great, sounds like a guitar, and I never had to worry about dinging it, though I'd never have considered it a "beater." I still love this guitar. I also have a Martin M-36 which, although not a high-end boutique guitar, is all the acoustic guitar I've ever aspired to - my dream acoustic, basically. Thankfully my dream acoustic isn't an Olson or a Goodall... All the guitars I've been much less satisfied with and ultimately sold for a loss were mid-price instruments that weren't quite what I wanted (Martin D-1, D-15M, Taylor 310).

 

Pure GAS is another matter. My Strat is all the electric guitar I've ever aspired to... But that didn't stop me from buying a LP Special Double Cut and, more recently, a LP Standard T - the latter more or less because I've always wanted a proper LP (though I enjoy playing Strats more) and the price was kind of irresistible. And your review of the 2017 Standards didn't exactly cool off my GAS. :philpalm:

 

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don't allow gas to suffocate you.It took me many a long time , hard work and sustained frugality, a lot...to "build" what I enjoy...Sacrifice , little drugs alcohol loose women cigs sacrifice. My wife of 45 years...best old thing ever imho frugality pays, well it did for me . How can you actually miss "things"that may actually harm you. Difficult , for me, to comprehend, maybe

 

 

the Devil made me do it...guitaring , no good for you...maybe ...am I wrong ?

 

I don't believe I am, maybe well definitely maybe OK ? no guitars are Angelic...maybe all guitars... need a "choir" , , solo just wont do , for me...you ? :) :)

:)

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RbxBRyC.jpg

 

all his fault definitely :)

 

 

about 1/3 maybe :) play all them a lot ..... believe :) each and every one :)

just the Gibson/Epiphones have more of them too :) a "few" "others" , you have "seen" the "others" , maybe ? am I wrong ?

 

what do you think ?

 

manic/depression ? maybe? manic elation , definitely :) each and every day :) really :)

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mom , i like that $29.00 OK , if you learn to play it :) oh boy oh boy :) :) :) ....still learning ok ?

nl7u4sA.jpg

 

 

a lot $ for a 6 yo good mom really definitely and dad rip :( $ 29 lot of $ then in 2017 $ how much ? case was another $ 7.50, books , picks , pitch pipe, extra strings small fortune maybe $50 back then what's that in 2017 $ anyone ?

3 $ for a half hour lesson each week, during "school" time (not summer) for a half a year 6-7 years old _ taught me to appreciate Paganini :) dig ? Juliard grad great teacher :) check the vid all the way through thanks :)

satan=music maybe check this vid , the devil ... I can';t make young woman faint ,yet :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV5wDqJ5WU4

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lucky ? maybe more like hard work and aspiration more than a "hobby" bad investment so many my decision happy with it today tomorrow...who knows ? maybe definitely better than smoke and pee pee imho much much better :):) but that's just me not luck science

 

 

 

off the soapbox :) works for me really :) :)

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