Members J.Paul Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 What's with these premium gear companies that do not have retail?Are we just supposed to buy their products based on a review here (or elsewhere) w/ out trying it or w/ out any FIRSTHAND knowledge or experience? I'm referring to Axess, Axe,......(blah blah, you get the picture) Have you ever made this kind of purchase w/ out ever having tried one yourself? Discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crxsh Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I've done this with 75-90% of the gear I've had in the last year or two. I live in a town where both guitar shops carry Digitech only, one carries entry-level Fenders & Squiers w/ a decent Fender amp selection, and the other w/ some nicer Gibsons and SS Crate & Epiphone amps. That said, I've got to drive 2-3 hours just to play anything else. So I rely a lot on YouTube, reviews, user comments, clips, etc. to get info on gear. I've bought stuff I thought would kill and it sucked. I've bought stuff I wasn't sure about and it was jaw-dropping.... it's hit and miss. I mean, at the end of the day, only playing something through your rig will tell you if it's something you want IMO. Clips and YouTube, reviews and stuff -- all subjective, biased, tainted.... whatever. Those things are good for a general idea, but you've got to get it to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Naterel Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I did it with my Visual Sound H20 the older one I still use it 75% of the time everytime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onyxrhino Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I don't think I tried any of the last 50 or so pedals I've bought before I bought them. I live in a town with {censored}ty music stores though. I listen to clips and read reviews and buy online. It's what I have to do. ....wait, I do remember one pedal I bought a few months ago that I was able to try out before I bought it. It was an old Shin Ei Fuzz Wah. I spent maybe an hour with it in the store before I bought it. I got it home and a week later, one of the fuzz modes started cutting out on me. So, maybe "try before you buy" isn't all it's cracked up to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slashfacepalm Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 Yeah, most of the stuff I own I've never tried. I read alot of reviews, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members revontulet Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 As a rule I would never buy any guitars or amps without trying them out; or atleast trying something very similar... i.e. same guitar, different colour/pup configuration/fretboard (maybe) Mind you, I've broken that rule twice now...my ibanez s2170 I bought blind partially because it looked cool and partly because I wanted a uber thin necked guitar with a floyd. Oh, and my asat which should be in the hands of loobs soon before coming to meeeeeeee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SharkMinusBear Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 You start by buying used gear, because you can almost always sell for the same price you bought it for. It's like the cost of renting movies. Then once you find a type of pedal you like and know the sound you are going for, it's easier to buy stuff without hearing it in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gidude73 Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 Most of the gear I have has not been tried out before I bought it either. I buy it used and if its not for me then I sell it. Crxsh has a good point about hearing it through your own rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuffFuzz Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I never try out gear. Actually the only piece(s) of gear I tried out was my first guitar/amp and my HRD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rogueweez Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 The only gear I try before I buy is guitars. Even if you think you like that pedal or amp at GC, it's not the right environment to be doing any serious evaluations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members H.R. Shove and Stuff Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I would never really buy a guitar or amp without trying it first, as the quality varies a lot. Pedals? Sure, why not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solly Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 The only pedals I have that I was able to try out before I bought them were both my Hardwire Chorus and Reverb pedals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members claytonjohn18 Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 Of the pedals on my board, I've played literally 1 before purchasing. I've yet to flip one I buy though (I guess I can find a love for anything or maybe just got lucky) The internet is solely responsible for this and should be punished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members huskerjohn Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 You start by buying used gear, because you can almost always sell for the same price you bought it for. It's like the cost of renting movies. Then once you find a type of pedal you like and know the sound you are going for, it's easier to buy stuff without hearing it in person. +1. Almost all the pedals in my inventory I got from trades from this and other forums. Out of all the pedals on my board, the Dice Works Muff Diver Finale is the only I bought new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kayzer Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I buy everything without trying it cause when i am able to play it in a shop i dont have my guitar, my amp, my other effects with me and i am sick of music shops and their stupid seller. Okay there are some exeptions like AH or PSG but i dont even live in the USA so i have to buy stuff without trying. Works fine so far BTW... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wilsoneffectsll Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 Most larger stores ect. don't mess with us small boutique guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xtoby44x Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 just zapped in from the future to tell you that we have this thing called ebay where i buy stuff from all the time like high end Guitars, amps, and pedals. you should catch up in like ten years time... :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rushfan Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 You start by buying used gear, because you can almost always sell for the same price you bought it for. It's like the cost of renting movies. Then once you find a type of pedal you like and know the sound you are going for, it's easier to buy stuff without hearing it in person.This. I'm on the tail end of this phase .Trading rocks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blurillaz Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 Haven't tried out stuff except if it's a guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnderMocs Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I played only one of the pedals on my board before buying. Unless you live in a city, you're kind of boned if you wanna try boutique stuff. ProGuitarShop is great because they have a nice return policy. Haven't had to use it though. They're reviews are great and accurate to how the pedal really sounds, and they people here are very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members turiguiliano Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 story of my life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 I just keep hoping I hit the bullseye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members b_nehpets Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 i pm crxsh and ask what he thought about it when he had it (no matter what... he's had it) and why he ditched it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockDaJoJo Posted April 28, 2009 Members Share Posted April 28, 2009 I have literally only tried one of my pedals before I bought it. Guitars stores here suck. I just watch every single clip known to the internetz 5 times before I buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J.Paul Posted May 4, 2009 Author Members Share Posted May 4, 2009 Well; for example, my Axess GRX4 (not available in a retail store )I bought w/out trying because it's a router and doesn't make or create sound. It does what it does. but if I wanted to buy an Axe multi-effects/modeler (which I've heard from multiple folks is the bomb, total state of the art) I'm screwed. This is not only expensive ($1,800 plus) it's also not in retail (can't try it out) makes and creates sound (which is subjective) and I've never played through or even heard one (a year ago when I first heard of the Axe their site didn't have audio) wtf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.