Musicians that buy cheap gear

[BATCAT]

 

In the best of all possible situations, my equipment, no matter what the price tag, is going to be blasted through an ineptly-handled low-end sound system in either an acoustic nightmare of a club or in some non-ampitheateresque open festival field. As long as it's reliable, it will do the trick.

 

 

My thinking tends to go along these lines as well.

[Scafeets]

 

The difference between 'cheap' and 'inexpensive' is important. You can buy inexpensive guitars nowadays that play and sound great. You can buy behringer gear that is cheap and will give you the thrill of gambling without having to step foot into a casino. I'd rather find that hidden gem of an inexpensive guitar that may just need a few tweaks to be really good. Finding something like that and doing a little work to make it great is part of the fun. There's more of a connection to the instrument when you do that than when you do nothing more than open up your wallet and pick a stock guitar off the wall. As for people who would make fun of others for playing a cheap guitar, those people are called 'idiots', and I stopped caring what idiots think a long time ago.

 

+1,000

I'm fortunate enough to have a pretty good collection of guitars, and I do gig with a Music Man, Parker and Taylor. But I also enjoy showing up at a jam with my Agile, RWG, Dean, Korean Parker, project Frankenguitar or one of my other sub$350 instruments and proving that tone and playability is available for one fifth the price of my main players -- or at 5% the cost of some of my vintage instruments.

With great stuff coming out of Korea and a few other places, thanks mostly to CNC and not cheap labor, it comes down to setup and chops more than money.

[Roy Brooks]

Sometimes folks just don't know any better.

[MartinC]

A few months ago, I bought a used Jay Tursner 335 copy with case for 225. It sounded really sweet and played really well. It was also in mint condition, so I peeled off the two bills and was happy as a clam. Two nights ago I was recording at home, and I pulled it out to try to nail a part. Thing kept going out of tune............I grabbed my prs. I'll give it a few more trys, but after that it's e-bay time.

[Tweeter225]

I think it's pretty funny when I play my Oscar Schmidt that I payed $120 for and people come up to me and ask is that a Gibson or a Gretsch. For an inexpensive guitar it plays and sounds great. I also play a custom Heritage and get just as many compliments for the Oscar as the Heritage. Tone is in the fingers. Lee has it when she says that you have to maintain your uinstrument no matter how much you payed for it.

[VertigoSwirl]

If the instrument won't stay in tune, I think that more reflects the player's unwillingness to get a good setup than it does the cost of the instrument. Besides, I've played $5,000 Gibson Historics that had worse intonation than their Epi counterparts. And honestly, do you really think anybody in the audience of a noisy bar with a {censored}ty P.A. is going to be able to tell the difference between a Squier and a Custom Shop Fender?

 

But hey, don't listen to me. Have fun taking your $3,000 axes into smoky clubs with lots of drunk, rowdy morons.

[bigfatmonkeyboy]

I love it when people ask "is that a real Fender?", pointing at my MIM tele. "it sounds great". "yes, that'll be my solid state marshall, and boss knock off pedals, really giving it a boost there"

 

My gear is best described as "workmanlike", but as Lee F says, its maintained.

 

My rhythm guy plays a Les Paul Standard. You can usually find him hovering near the stage in case an earthquake or fat b'stard causes it to fall over.

 

Amusingly, he plays it through an MG100dfx - now thats cheap gear! It still sounds good though, and has never broken down. job done.

[Zurich17]

ouchhhh MG100

 

poor guy

[THBv2.0]

What's the deal with musicians that buy cheap gear? I see this a lot especially with people that can afford it. You would think people would want to put their best foot forward but often they don't. Then you get them always fixing gear, sounds like {censored}, or it is in the shop, or they are trying to tune constantly on stage.

 

Guilty as charged.

 

 

 

I recently bought an Epiphone Dot Studio for the sole reason that it was under $200. I played it once at a gig and probably never will again.

 

 

 

Please forgive me.

 

[Outkaster]

I meant more keyboard players and drummers but this has turned into a guitar thread which is ok.

[wades_keys]

Cheap gear - gotta have it!

 

I picked up a Jackson Dinky for 200$ (used) - alder body, maple fretboard.

 

Had some quality issues - neck wasn't seated right and I could move it around if I grabbed the headstock and yanked.

 

I unbolted the neck, and discovered that there was a big glob of finish in the neck pocket - a good 2mm thick - that was preventing the neck from seating properly.

 

Also the heel of the neck itself was not entirely flat. An hour or so with some finishing sandpaper and a little wood glue and voila!

 

That neck is now as solid as a bolt on, with no more action problems. It gets a real SG like tone now. I also sanded the finish off the back of the neck as I found it too sticky - sucker flies now and I swear the sustain is better too.

 

Cool thing is I can feel the neck vibrating the palm of my left hand now - I really feel a connection to this little beater of an axe now...

 

Other guitarist (occasionally) plays a 200$ OLP (some EVH "Officially Licensed Product") and I swear that sucker looks and sounds an awful lot like the more expensive Wolfgang - put it this way when you switches to his tobacco burst LP Standard (a sweet LP, even by LP standards) - the difference is not that noticeable.

 

Musos are a prejudiced lot - I include myself in that camp - there are some gems out there for little cash but they do need some polishing...

[RupertB]

Price & brand don't mean squat. Functionality & application are the thing.

 

A cheap casio keyboard won't cut it for the parts on most Dire Straits tunes but it's perfect for "Bang on the Drum." $200 guitar that will stay in tune & has been set up reasonably well can, in the right hands, be perfectly good for most applications.

 

What I don't understand are those players, few but they're out there, who insist on keeping poorly functioning gear or gear that is a poor choice for the musical situation, even after the player has started seeing financial benefits from playing. Even if your financial situation at home is tight, if the gigs are starting to pay, keeping poor gear is short-sighted.

[Scafeets]

Then there's the other side of the equation --- the poor bastard who keeps trying to get his "vintage" guitar or amp functioning without a proper repair, overhaul or setup.

[The Real MC]

It all boils down to the right tool for the job.

 

A coffeehouse duo doesn't need a Midas concert mixing console, but any performing musician is not going to get gigs with gear that keeps breaking down because he won't spend the money on reliable equipment.

 

In my R&B band I got tired of the horrible sounding PA and our singer/leader wouldn't invest the money in decent gear, so I made my own PA investment.

[newmaxnew]

I build my own guitars and I often have people approach me at gigs and ask what kind/brand the guitars I play are. I don't put anything on the headstock so I guess that really throws off the brand name snobs.

 

Max

[Gorgon90]

 

I meant more keyboard players and drummers but this has turned into a guitar thread which is ok.

 

 

With your above point in mind and the previous mention of having to shell out 3 grand for an entry level cello, it highlights just how lucky we guitarists are these days, that we can get adequate gear at an extremely low price, certainly compared to other instruments.

 

For

[thriftyshirt]

I'm much more impressed with someone who can wring AMAZING sounds out of cheap gear, through their ingenuity, chops, or creativity.

 

Look at it this way: A $5K LP sounds fantastic, of course it does...it costs $5K. It should sound fantastic.

 

But someone who can make a $250 LP sound like it cost $5K, that's someone who's got my respect.

[Tedster]

What Thriftyshirt said.

[Lee Flier]

 

I meant more keyboard players and drummers but this has turned into a guitar thread which is ok.

 

 

Yeah, it IS harder to defend cheap keyboards (cheap as in "they break down or sound cheesy") or cheap drum hardware. I've seen drummers get great sounds out of cheap drum shells with good heads and good hardware, but if they have a cheap kick pedal that falls apart in the middle of a gig, not so good.

[gtrjones]

I've been gigging weekly with a squier 51 or a MIM tele, through a Bad Monkey. Many of my other rotating backup guitars are under $500, as well. I've never had anyone complain about my playing or my tone, but have had several compliments almost every time out.

 

What I hate are the critics who think they can hear with their eyes...

[ihateyouguys]

 

Other guitarist (occasionally) plays a 200$ OLP (some EVH "Officially Licensed Product") and I swear that sucker looks and sounds an awful lot like the more expensive Wolfgang - put it this way when you switches to his tobacco burst LP Standard (a sweet LP, even by LP standards) - the difference is not that noticeable.

 

 

I've played the same OLP copy, but it was a refurb, so it was seven cheaper.

 

It had one of the best necks I've ever played. The pickups were incredible - neck pickup was soooo smooth with a clean channel and the bridge pickup with an overdriven setting was unbelievable - it had a near perfect balance of drive and breakup, and palm muting chords was a joy.

 

I think the person bought it for around $130- it did need a good amount of setup work, but I did that for free. If it was mine I would have changed the tuners to something better, and knocked down the frets in a couple places, but for about $200 for the guitar + upgrades I would have no problem using that guitar for playing or even recording instead of the les paul I paid $2000+ for.

[BATCAT]

I've been gigging weekly with a squier 51 or a MIM tele, through a Bad Monkey. Many of my other rotating backup guitars are under $500, as well. I've never had anyone complain about my playing or my tone, but have had several compliments almost every time out. What I hate are the critics who think they can hear with their eyes...

 

Another Bad Monkey fan. ($30, damn!)

 

AND... I also have a 51' and a MIM Tele too! The 51 is usually a backup for gigs, though I've used it for recordings to get certain sounds my Tele doesn't get. Have you noticed the bridge pickup in that thing sounds really good?

 

My MIM Tele has a four-way switch, Graph-Tek saddles, and Duncan Antiquity pickups, so I dunno it I can call it "cheap" anymore. I do know it's sound has gotten more compliments than any other I've owned. I'm a big fan of MIM Fenders!

[tucktronix]

 

Yeah, it IS harder to defend cheap keyboards (cheap as in "they break down or sound cheesy")

 

 

No doubt about that. Todays keyboards are less prone to any breakdowns or malfunctions than most other kinds of gear. They require very little in the way of maintenance, nothing outside of proper handling and keeping away from dust and extreme temperatures.

[maybeyes2]

I get really annoyed when people state that they have all this great equipment they paid for and then can't play it at all. As a few have already stated how well you play or sound really has nothing to do with how expensive you equipment is. I have seen a lot of folks put to shame by someone with an inexpensive guitar/amp/effects combination right after they were putting down that same person for their inexpensive equipment. It becomes a snobbery that people like to perpetuate. Sort of like when people try to tell you what you are like by your astro sign or how your hair is cut or by what you where. They are usually way offbase.

 

While I may not be as good as some of you who post on this board I really try and I like my tone to this point. I don't have a basement full of guitars and gear (I'd love to but my girls are still at home and have claimed my basement), but I take care of what I have and continue to practice. I really don't want to spend $3-5K on a guitar either. I love playing, but cannot justify spending that much money on equipment. I am not a pro, I don't tour, I play in a worship band and jam with buddies. I have no intention of being a professional musician. Explored and discarded that route years ago and have no interest in it now. I do however love to play. If you want to buy the expensive equipment be my guest, but back off on the snobbery. I am more impressed if you just get up there do your thing and then if you like what I did compliment me. If I like what you do I will compliment you no matter what gear you are playing with.

 

As someone else alluded to earlier. Some people are slowly working their way up to the better equipment. They pay their dues with what they can afford. I have a lot of respect for that as well. They really don't deserve to have someone act like snob becuase they don't have the more expensive stuff.

 

Well done my rant. Who is next?

[tucktronix]

I get really annoyed when people state that they have all this great equipment they paid for and then can't play it at all. As a few have already stated how well you play or sound really has nothing to do with how expensive you equipment is. I have seen a lot of folks put to shame by someone with an inexpensive guitar/amp/effects combination right after they were putting down that same person for their inexpensive equipment. It becomes a snobbery that people like to perpetuate. Sort of like when people try to tell you what you are like by your astro sign or how your hair is cut or by what you where. They are usually way offbase. While I may not be as good as some of you who post on this board I really try and I like my tone to this point. I don't have a basement full of guitars and gear (I'd love to but my girls are still at home and have claimed my basement), but I take care of what I have and continue to practice. I really don't want to spend $3-5K on a guitar either. I love playing, but cannot justify spending that much money on equipment. I am not a pro, I don't tour, I play in a worship band and jam with buddies. I have no intention of being a professional musician. Explored and discarded that route years ago and have no interest in it now. I do however love to play. If you want to buy the expensive equipment be my guest, but back off on the snobbery. I am more impressed if you just get up there do your thing and then if you like what I did compliment me. If I like what you do I will compliment you no matter what gear you are playing with. As someone else alluded to earlier. Some people are slowly working their way up to the better equipment. They pay their dues with what they can afford. I have a lot of respect for that as well. They really don't deserve to have someone act like snob becuase they don't have the more expensive stuff. Well done my rant. Who is next?

 

Well said, but I think you're missing the point of the OP. I believe that he was referring to folks who's gear constantly breaks down, and that this is a poor reflection on the band.