Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I have seen the phrase used here often and thought of those things that started an attraction towards musical instruments and gear. It’s not so much of what you have, but what do you remember wanting real bad? If you did finally obtain it, was it a disappointment, or better than you had imagined? What was your best and worse G.A.S. purchase? On the opposite end of the scale what did you have little expectation for, but was pleasantly surprised with?

I remember that Moog had a small synth model they were selling through Radio Shack in the early eighties. It was around $550.00, all of maybe two octaves. I still remember the ad, with Elton John holding one. Although I never owned one, it was what started my G.A.S. for keyboards. I used to visit Radio Shack frequently just to mess around with it, but at the time was well out of my means. Another one I remember that I could never afford at the time, was the Yamaha DX-7.

My best purchases made without realizing their full potential, was a PreSonus Monitoring Station a Zoom MRS 1266 recorder and a M-Audio 4x4 MIDI hub. They all have far exceeded my expectations of their usefulness. My worse impulse buy was a Roland SH-201. The same money could have been spent on much better, more useful equipment.

G.A.S. affects me in many ways. But musically speaking only, I would have to say that my Carvin Nomad has been by far my best G.A.S. exacerbation.
I love that amp. And combined with the Gibson Les Paul Goddess I'm like a kid in a candy factory. I looked at and coveted that amp for what seemed like a looong time, before I actually broke down and ordered it.
On the other hand I've made a lot of small purchases for pedals and stuff that just really were a disappointment in comparison to my expectations.
I could open a shop to sell all the gear I have that I don't use.
Then I could afford ... MORE GEAR !!

I think my worst purchase was a Korg DSS-1 digital sampling synth. There were much better ones out there, & more user friendly, too, & that thing cost me $1,900.

One of the best buys was prolly my Dean acoustic, which is really a sweet-sounding axe.

My worst was a Peavey fretless 4-string. I was going through a pretty experimental phase and, when it came to basses, I wanted one of EVERYTHING! I ordered that bass-and it took like three or four months to come in. The volume and mix knobs were always coming loose, I'm sure I broke the jack a few times (I always do), and it was a hell of a lot more difficult to play than I had imagined! The worst thing was that, oddly enough, I couldn't be creative on it. I would have to write basslines on my fretted bass, and then transfer them onto the fretless.
My best, as much as I hate to admit it, is a no-name acoustic from Wally World. I suddenly found myself desperate to have one, and when the owner of the local music store blew me off, I went straight to Satan's five and dime and bought one. THe best part: I passed the music store owner coming down an aisle-with the guitar in my shopping cart!
That would have been worth it alone, but that guitar really has been invaluable to me: 3 (4) CD's recorded, several bands later, and I tuned it up today and it sounds fantastic-even with my average abilities!

Best purchases:

1) Mesa Triaxis. I remember being initially disappointed until I got some reverb mixed in. Then I was like, "Whoa, f*ck me, this this is awesome". And the versatility just kills... I could never play with a classic head again. There's not enough options.

2) Neck through, string through Ibanez RG. Wanted one forever. Finally bought one. Loved it so much, I bought another. My two favorite axes. I'll never buy a bolt-on again.

3) Rocktron Midi-Mate. Loved it when I bought it, still love it today. And it's built like a tank.

4) Rocktron PatchMate. OMG! I love this thing! Patch my stomp boxes through into midi channels! Run my whole rig with a MidiMate! YES!

5) ISP Decimator (rack mounted): It lived up to all the hype and then some. I'll never use another noise suppression system again. It's the BOMB.


Worst acquisitions:

1) Crybaby Wah. Hated having to click it on and off, it changed the actual tone of my guitar and it was built like sh*t and broke after only a couple weeks of mild use. Junk.



That's it.

I like everything I buy for the most part. Best coup was a Polyphonic Memory Moog. Great little toy that came out of a studio where it had spent the former part of its life. My Warmoth Strats are all loved. I design and build all my own pre amps and power amplifiers along with most of my sound FX. I have several Zoom G2.1u pedals that have really great sound FX in them.

I have so much gear that I don't desire anything I ever see in the stores or in catalogs. And I love every one of my toys. I'm a happy camper. I am no longer an ATC gear ho. No GAS for me.

The proper way to rid ones self of GAS? Just buy everything and get over it.

Only thing worth mentioning is that I once had a Crate G1500 double stack.

THAT AMP WAS SHEER GARBAGE.

I traded it in when I bought my Digitech GSP2101 artist.

THAT RACK EFFECT WAS WORSE THAN THE AMP.

Anyone want to buy a slightly used Digitech GSP2101 Artist? lol

Capt. Scott wrote:Only thing worth mentioning is that I once had a Crate G1500 double stack.

THAT AMP WAS SHEER GARBAGE.

I traded it in when I bought my Digitech GSP2101 artist.

THAT RACK EFFECT WAS WORSE THAN THE AMP.

Anyone want to buy a slightly used Digitech GSP2101 Artist? lol

well when you put it that way?



no.

Fortunately I don't have a G.A.S. but I have F.L.A.S. (fishing lure acquisition syndrome) and I have had a G.D.A.S. (golf disc acquisition syndrome) in the past. The only two things I might like to buy would be a used back-up bass guitar and a few better monitors than I've got, but other than that I really don't care about music gear. What I have works and I'm satisfied with it. I've known a few people who have spent their entire paychecks for YEARS on music gear, primarily guitars and amps. One guy I knew actually owned a townhouse that he used exclusively to house his musical gear. Almost worse than a gambling addiction considering the value of his townhouse plummetted.

OUCH

That being said:


I could drop about 20K ( if I had it to drop ) in a freaking New York Second.

Question is would I spend it on a whole new sound system for the band or more firearms and related stuff. ( or a little of both )

Hummm new Axe or NIGHT VISION SCOPE ??

Yeah ... I like stuff.

Oh sans! You're so decadent!

oh def Night vision scope.. lol

(wipes drool from lip)

Hmm... $20K?

I'd probably buy 3 more guitars. Neck through. I definitely want a PRS:

http://www.prsguitars.com/setorero/index.php

The rest... probably finish out my P.A. I need monitors and mains for my MixWizard...

Actually, if I had $20K, I'd go on vacation with my sweetie...

$1500.00 Spanish lessons, do some MS certifications, maybe $1200.00 plane fair, Costa Rica here I come. I’m tired of living in New Jersey, really, really tired of it. If you get out of the boat, you might as well go all the way.