Is GAS over for me?

Gear Aquisition Syndrome is a serious disorder.... FX etc

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by godgrinder »

Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:I have often wondered why us amateurs (generally speaking) always generally have GAS to some extent; many of us change our gear as often as the average person changes his underwear. On the other hand when you look at many Pro guitarists many of them prefer to play just one or two guitars & amps that they've had since year dot :?
For touring musicians they would usually have found a few setups that work the best for them on the road. What they buy and use in their own time (or even when recording) can be another story, and they don't usually log onto gear forums to discuss about it.
Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

ElBaconi
Stagg
Stagg
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:57 am
Has liked: 1 time
Been liked: 2 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by ElBaconi »

When the wife started popping out kids I found the resulting poverty virtually killed my GAS overnight

For a lot of folks (myself included) I reckon GAS is a direct result of boredom - I used to find that when things were quiet at work I'd spend a lot more time on forums and that browsing stirred up my GAS juices. I seriously think 75% of all GAS is internet induced. Now I just surf porn and I haven't bought any new gear in over a year :-)

You are probably right that gigging again has reduced GAS, you simply have something else to focus on

User avatar
telefiend
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1283
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:41 am
Location: Wellington
Has liked: 218 times
Been liked: 109 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by telefiend »

Pedals all sound the same, electric guitars are all planks of wood with magnets, amps are amps :mrgreen:

I don't know about GAS fading as you become more professional, because there are a bunch of pros that are crazy gear obsessed. Watch any of those gear rundowns on youtube and it's like listening to a bedroom forum geek.

I had a comparable gear obsession with cameras for a year or so (35mm) and it actually faded as I got better. Now I have the one body and lens that I use for everything and couldn't care less about getting anything else. Similar with guitars - have realised that I sound the same through whatever I play, so I'm giving up chasing any sort of magic machines and trying to concentrate on getting technically better.

User avatar
sizzlingbadger
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8241
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:12 am
Location: Wire Wrapper
Has liked: 1200 times
Been liked: 1398 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by sizzlingbadger »

Ed, you should never have sold your Mark V though it was a keeper. I know where you can get another one at a very good price.
Tube amp and guitar tones straight from 1958… amazing how believable the sounds were back then, even without the modellers...

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Bg »

godgrinder wrote:
Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:I have often wondered why us amateurs (generally speaking) always generally have GAS to some extent; many of us change our gear as often as the average person changes his underwear. On the other hand when you look at many Pro guitarists many of them prefer to play just one or two guitars & amps that they've had since year dot :?
For touring musicians they would usually have found a few setups that work the best for them on the road. What they buy and use in their own time (or even when recording) can be another story, and they don't usually log onto gear forums to discuss about it.
dunno, a few login here once in a while to remind us of their latest sponsorship deals :)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

User avatar
Molly
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 24937
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:17 pm
Has liked: 2482 times
Been liked: 2794 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Molly »

telefiend wrote:... have realised that I sound the same through whatever I play, so I'm giving up chasing any sort of magic machines and trying to concentrate on getting technically better.
This is sort of where my head's at. Getting kind of indifferent to the gear. Just want to do something.

User avatar
Slowy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 22638
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Orcland
Has liked: 1011 times
Been liked: 2465 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Slowy »

Think you've answered your own question, Ed. You have sampled widely and accumulated a collection of some of the finest working guitars on the Planet. You don't realistically have many places left to go without changing your playing style, (Coltrane-Ed? Segovia-Ed?) Alternatively, you could become a collector or restorer of historical artefacts. This is a very cool path and virtually guarantees an infinite supply of food for the GAS monster.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Bg »

Molly wrote:
telefiend wrote:... have realised that I sound the same through whatever I play, so I'm giving up chasing any sort of magic machines and trying to concentrate on getting technically better.
This is sort of where my head's at. Getting kind of indifferent to the gear. Just want to do something.

You should get yourself into a covers band. If you think the northern circuit was tedious, you should try april sun, why does love do this to me, long train running, the gambler et al....
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

null_pointer
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3674
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:37 pm
Location: The Tron
Has liked: 162 times
Been liked: 410 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by null_pointer »

Wagon Wheel. Kill me now.

User avatar
telefiend
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1283
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:41 am
Location: Wellington
Has liked: 218 times
Been liked: 109 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by telefiend »

You could always go down the acoustic rabbit hole, start going on about Brazilian rosewood and scalloped bracing

User avatar
Slowy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 22638
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Orcland
Has liked: 1011 times
Been liked: 2465 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Slowy »

telefiend wrote:You could always go down the acoustic rabbit hole, start going on about Brazilian rosewood and scalloped bracing
Herringbone, Engleman vs Adirondack, bone vs fossil ivory, 12 vs 14 frets, forward bracing, can we live without Honduran Mahogany? Is a dreadnaught suitable for fingerpicking? Yaddayaddayadda.

Been there. Only difference from electrics is a fine acoustic sounds good every time you play it.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by Bg »

never sounds good when I play it ;)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

User avatar
telefiend
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1283
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:41 am
Location: Wellington
Has liked: 218 times
Been liked: 109 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by telefiend »

Slowy wrote:
telefiend wrote:You could always go down the acoustic rabbit hole, start going on about Brazilian rosewood and scalloped bracing
Herringbone, Engleman vs Adirondack, bone vs fossil ivory, 12 vs 14 frets, forward bracing, can we live without Honduran Mahogany? Is a dreadnaught suitable for fingerpicking? Yaddayaddayadda.

Been there. Only difference from electrics is a fine acoustic sounds good every time you play it.
Hearing someone say 'adirondack' makes me shudder for some reason.

User avatar
JHorner
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3167
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:45 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 394 times
Been liked: 488 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by JHorner »

Bg wrote:never sounds good when I play it ;)
Image

No wonder.

User avatar
snitchez
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1301
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:03 pm
Has liked: 26 times
Been liked: 36 times

Re: Is GAS over for me?

Post by snitchez »

give it a season. GAS will return. doesnt go away for good!

Post Reply