liamlw
New member
well done on losing all that weight, keep at it and stay healthy. 
sixstrings
New member
I know what you mean man. Sometimes I get so caught up in chasing gear that one day I realize my picking started getting sloppy or my timing is starting to go off. Then I realize that I've wasted too much time with everything BUT the music and the passion for playing. It's always some shit.
If I'm not focused on gear, I sometimes practice so much that I start losing musicality and have to go back and find my rhythm. Sometimes the distraction is gear.
These days I try to limit my GAS to specific things related to something I'm trying to accomplish. I just wish I could go back and collect all that money I wasted trading/selling/buying gear!
If I'm not focused on gear, I sometimes practice so much that I start losing musicality and have to go back and find my rhythm. Sometimes the distraction is gear.
These days I try to limit my GAS to specific things related to something I'm trying to accomplish. I just wish I could go back and collect all that money I wasted trading/selling/buying gear!
Jakem
Well-known member
Glad to hear that your health issues are gone and that you're doing the healthy lifestyle, Brad!
Last year I got fed up hunting new gear almost all the time and realized I have a great rig and I'll sound like me no matter what rig I'm playing thru. Also taking into consideration that I'm a university student and live in a dorm so the rig's still overkill for me but I think I'll put it in its deserved use someday. Since then I've tried to get guitar GAS but no guitar has caught my attention so that I'd want to buy it and I guess big part of it is that I'm so happy with my RGT3020. Good times...
-Jaakko
Last year I got fed up hunting new gear almost all the time and realized I have a great rig and I'll sound like me no matter what rig I'm playing thru. Also taking into consideration that I'm a university student and live in a dorm so the rig's still overkill for me but I think I'll put it in its deserved use someday. Since then I've tried to get guitar GAS but no guitar has caught my attention so that I'd want to buy it and I guess big part of it is that I'm so happy with my RGT3020. Good times...
-Jaakko
J
just42dave
Well-known member
Awesome man..
Random Hero
Active member
First of all, I'm glad that you're out of the hospital and feeling good again.
I can only say I agree with what you say. I mean, obviously I've never got near the heights of gear whoredom of some guys on these forums but I did cycle through some pretty top end amps pretty quickly. I think I went through two Rectos, two Mark IVs, a IIC+, a Herbert, an Einstein and a 101B in just about a year or so. In truth, any one of those amps would have been just fine. I wish I still had the Ecstasy but it's just not really suitable for my situation right now. I need something of lower power that sounds almost as good wound down as well as up loud. I mean, I know it seems silly considering I bought the Alchemist the other day only to be massively disappointed in how it sounds and thus sending it back but if it didn't sound SO bad and I wasn't convinced it was broken in some way, I'd probably be quite happy with it.
Since I've been ampless for the past few months, I've only really been able to play through a V-Amp or some modelling software whilst I get my shit in order and line up my next actual amp purchase but I've been having just as much fun just working on my playing and concentrating on my studies - which thankfully are also guitar playing. Is the tone great? Nope, but it's more than usable.
I've personally always found it hilarious and kinda cringeworthy when I see guys turn up to bar gigs with huge rack rigs connected to multiple cabs. I mean, OK, play what you want but running a 180w stereo power amp or whatever down on 1 is kinda amusing. To me atleast.
I seem to sound like me - with little tonal nuances - through pretty much whatever I play so considering my situation, aslong as the amp sounds and feels good I'm happy. Gear and tone chasing is fun but as you said, the chase is often more fun than the reality when you realise you're still the same player through whatever you plug in to. Yes, gear can be inspiring - and we all play better when it sounds or feels it's best - but practising and improving is about ten times more rewarding and inspires you better than any piece of equipment ever could.
I can only say I agree with what you say. I mean, obviously I've never got near the heights of gear whoredom of some guys on these forums but I did cycle through some pretty top end amps pretty quickly. I think I went through two Rectos, two Mark IVs, a IIC+, a Herbert, an Einstein and a 101B in just about a year or so. In truth, any one of those amps would have been just fine. I wish I still had the Ecstasy but it's just not really suitable for my situation right now. I need something of lower power that sounds almost as good wound down as well as up loud. I mean, I know it seems silly considering I bought the Alchemist the other day only to be massively disappointed in how it sounds and thus sending it back but if it didn't sound SO bad and I wasn't convinced it was broken in some way, I'd probably be quite happy with it.
Since I've been ampless for the past few months, I've only really been able to play through a V-Amp or some modelling software whilst I get my shit in order and line up my next actual amp purchase but I've been having just as much fun just working on my playing and concentrating on my studies - which thankfully are also guitar playing. Is the tone great? Nope, but it's more than usable.
I've personally always found it hilarious and kinda cringeworthy when I see guys turn up to bar gigs with huge rack rigs connected to multiple cabs. I mean, OK, play what you want but running a 180w stereo power amp or whatever down on 1 is kinda amusing. To me atleast.
I seem to sound like me - with little tonal nuances - through pretty much whatever I play so considering my situation, aslong as the amp sounds and feels good I'm happy. Gear and tone chasing is fun but as you said, the chase is often more fun than the reality when you realise you're still the same player through whatever you plug in to. Yes, gear can be inspiring - and we all play better when it sounds or feels it's best - but practising and improving is about ten times more rewarding and inspires you better than any piece of equipment ever could.
Les Zombie
Well-known member
Hey brad I understand where your coming from and I'm glad you made these changes in your life. Family and health come first and it seems like your on the right track.
Not sure if you know much about me but I also was a huge gear buyer, sometimes I would buy 3 amps at a time and about 50 amps in a 3 year span. It got to the point that I was sick of chasing tone and I really needed to refocus on my playing and get back to having fun. I went back and thought about what was fun for me to play and what amps made me the happiest, I didn't care how expensive or how cheap but I just wanted to find what worked best for me if I was at home or playing a show. So my amp searching is over and I'm back where I was 4 years ago playing a uberschall. For me it's the best amp outhere and for the tones it can't do I have my avenger and 6505+.
It's not the mega 6 amp setup I had for years and they aren't as expensive but I'm the happiest I been since I started playing.
When it comes to guitars once I find one I love I keep them and don't sell them off, I have a bunch now but I play all of them and enjoy them. I love my guitars and recently had to sell one to fund another Ken Lawrence I have on order and it was hard to figure what to sell and even harder the day I had to ship that guitar knowing I won't own it anymore. I have never felt that way selling a amp.
Looking back I sure have spent alot on amps but I had to try them in my own home to see what I really liked and didn't like about them, also by owning so many amps I learned alot about tones and voicings and how to really dial in a amp.
If I didn't buy them I would have thought there was something I was missing out on.
So I am alot like you brad in many ways but I'm playing and having a good time and I don't desire or worry about other amps, who knows what I will feel in a year from now.
Not sure if you know much about me but I also was a huge gear buyer, sometimes I would buy 3 amps at a time and about 50 amps in a 3 year span. It got to the point that I was sick of chasing tone and I really needed to refocus on my playing and get back to having fun. I went back and thought about what was fun for me to play and what amps made me the happiest, I didn't care how expensive or how cheap but I just wanted to find what worked best for me if I was at home or playing a show. So my amp searching is over and I'm back where I was 4 years ago playing a uberschall. For me it's the best amp outhere and for the tones it can't do I have my avenger and 6505+.
It's not the mega 6 amp setup I had for years and they aren't as expensive but I'm the happiest I been since I started playing.
When it comes to guitars once I find one I love I keep them and don't sell them off, I have a bunch now but I play all of them and enjoy them. I love my guitars and recently had to sell one to fund another Ken Lawrence I have on order and it was hard to figure what to sell and even harder the day I had to ship that guitar knowing I won't own it anymore. I have never felt that way selling a amp.
Looking back I sure have spent alot on amps but I had to try them in my own home to see what I really liked and didn't like about them, also by owning so many amps I learned alot about tones and voicings and how to really dial in a amp.
If I didn't buy them I would have thought there was something I was missing out on.
So I am alot like you brad in many ways but I'm playing and having a good time and I don't desire or worry about other amps, who knows what I will feel in a year from now.
Fretburner
Active member
Get healthy and play guitar Brad!
Mailman1971
Moderator
Brad,
reading your post struck a chord with me. I went thru exactly the same thing you did but it was with Electrics.
I was buying and selling them HEAVILY in the 90's. Went thru probably 300+ guitars. I got to the point I wasnt even playing them. Just buying the next better guitar. I spent all my free time on the computer looking for guitars. I would get 2-3 guitars in the mail a week and ship out just as many. It was insane.
Spent in the 6 figures myself. Tons of credit card payments....etc.
Well I forgot about why I was even into the music.
TO PLAY IT......and I wasnt even doing that.
I sold off all my gear but 2 amps and 2 guitars.
We play every weekend and its been.......FUN!
I enjoy it more then ever now and have a killer set up.
Between the new ENGL I just got and that Modded amp from you....the rest can all go to the curb.
I dont tour, I dont do gigs. I just play at my home with a couple of buddies every week. I found my Music nitch.
Glad to see you hit rock bottom on this.
Now pick up that guitar and PLAY!!
Dan
reading your post struck a chord with me. I went thru exactly the same thing you did but it was with Electrics.
I was buying and selling them HEAVILY in the 90's. Went thru probably 300+ guitars. I got to the point I wasnt even playing them. Just buying the next better guitar. I spent all my free time on the computer looking for guitars. I would get 2-3 guitars in the mail a week and ship out just as many. It was insane.
Spent in the 6 figures myself. Tons of credit card payments....etc.
Well I forgot about why I was even into the music.
TO PLAY IT......and I wasnt even doing that.
I sold off all my gear but 2 amps and 2 guitars.
We play every weekend and its been.......FUN!
I enjoy it more then ever now and have a killer set up.
Between the new ENGL I just got and that Modded amp from you....the rest can all go to the curb.
I dont tour, I dont do gigs. I just play at my home with a couple of buddies every week. I found my Music nitch.
Glad to see you hit rock bottom on this.
Now pick up that guitar and PLAY!!
Dan
Mokaccino
New member
Very humble... Health should always be priority number one, and family comes real close. You are on the good path - already 55 lbs are gone, you must feel a lot better man.
You are man enough to admit you have/had some "weaknesses", dude you deserve mucho respect.
That's an awesome post man, I wish you all the best!
You are man enough to admit you have/had some "weaknesses", dude you deserve mucho respect.
That's an awesome post man, I wish you all the best!
kasperjensen
New member
I think that is the best post I have read in here so far...
SO TRUE!
Rock On!
SO TRUE!
Rock On!
guitarnate2000
Well-known member
good for you man.. i know you must feel good.. i posted a few months ago with a few pics of me before and during weight loss.. in another month or two i will be posting some after pics from 350 to 240....
and you know the bottom line is that its forums like this that make it easy to develop the gear bug.. you get in with a bunch of guys like us which is more of a GAS support group and start trading.. takes the whole EBAY crap out of the picture..
I had the same vision a few weeks ago.... i am not touring anymore.. most likely never will again... three full stacks in my house WTF right? i have been slowly settling down into what i call my basics... my Boger xtc. My splawn QR, my LP, 91 PRS CU24 and a few others...
great post though... i am sure there are a LOT of guys on here who can relate...
and you know the bottom line is that its forums like this that make it easy to develop the gear bug.. you get in with a bunch of guys like us which is more of a GAS support group and start trading.. takes the whole EBAY crap out of the picture..
I had the same vision a few weeks ago.... i am not touring anymore.. most likely never will again... three full stacks in my house WTF right? i have been slowly settling down into what i call my basics... my Boger xtc. My splawn QR, my LP, 91 PRS CU24 and a few others...
great post though... i am sure there are a LOT of guys on here who can relate...
L
Lord Toneking
New member
We are all here for you Brad and as Ralph would say, 'We Lift Our Hearts' 
Seriously though
get healthy, stay healthy and continue to rock bro!
I will miss all the build pics an whatnot though
and as Ralph would say, 'We Lift Our Hearts' Seriously though
get healthy, stay healthy and continue to rock bro! I will miss all the build pics an whatnot though
'63-Strat
Well-known member
Big congrats on putting your health first
1
1big1
New member
i'm glad you're out of the hospital.. taking care of yourself.. and resetting your priorities. sometimes you just have to put things in perspective and sometimes things happen that make you do so. that's a healthy attitude to have.
while there are times i wish i could afford some really nice high end gear.. i've come to the realization that there really isn't anything wrong with the stuff i already have. some of it needs some tlc for sure.. but there really isn't any point in replacing it when it comes down to the bottom line. i'm still working on my dsl.. and i will repair it and return it to the fold. i've got a 15 watt project i want to work on after i get the marshall fixed too. a 1964 lectrolab.. a pair of old jensen blue bells and and pair of of 1960's utah's need a new home. i have a friend who has a woodworking shop and is a finishing carpenter. i think it would be alot of fun to get together with him and do some homebrew cab building and put those items to use. i threw together a makeshift rig with those components once.. and to tell the truth.. they sound pretty sweet together. the point is it's not how much you've got.. it's what you choose to do with it.
while there are times i wish i could afford some really nice high end gear.. i've come to the realization that there really isn't anything wrong with the stuff i already have. some of it needs some tlc for sure.. but there really isn't any point in replacing it when it comes down to the bottom line. i'm still working on my dsl.. and i will repair it and return it to the fold. i've got a 15 watt project i want to work on after i get the marshall fixed too. a 1964 lectrolab.. a pair of old jensen blue bells and and pair of of 1960's utah's need a new home. i have a friend who has a woodworking shop and is a finishing carpenter. i think it would be alot of fun to get together with him and do some homebrew cab building and put those items to use. i threw together a makeshift rig with those components once.. and to tell the truth.. they sound pretty sweet together. the point is it's not how much you've got.. it's what you choose to do with it.
dawnofdreamx97
Well-known member
Brad,
I had a very similar experience not to long ago. I had my appendix burst on me, I went for 4 days feeling sick thinking maybe i pulled a muscle. Then dropped to the floor in pain and rushed to the hospital. I had to have a rush appendix surgery and had sepsis. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and almost died, due to the blood infection and a collapsed lung. Shortly after that I developed phlebitis in my legs and got some bad clots that went to my lungs. I still have this condition and will probably fight it until till the day i pass.
Ever since this, life changed.
Second chances are a beautiful thing and I think everyone knows that. I to have since lost about 65 pounds, changed my outlook on life and took into consideration the people and places and wonderful things that surround me. Life is indeed short, and music IS life to many of us here. A lot of the time it is the thrill of getting a new toy, it's the child inside all of us ... Like getting gifts on christmas or whatever your holiday may be. It's also an OCD thing I think, Wanting to know for sure that you are going to sound the best you can, and the fascination of wondering what all these different amps / speakers/ pickups / fx's sound like. (Like having the fastest car in high school, or the hottest girl friend) It's so easy to forget the most important part, PLAYING! WRITING, and PERFORMING the music that we all love so very much, the very same music which inspired us as young kids and intrigued us to play in the first place!! From then on I learned to wake up every morning, go on my porch , take a deep breathe and savor the moment, friends, family and fruits of life, whether they be past, present or future. Moderation is the key...
Brad, you are on the right path man ! Best of luck dude!
I had a very similar experience not to long ago. I had my appendix burst on me, I went for 4 days feeling sick thinking maybe i pulled a muscle. Then dropped to the floor in pain and rushed to the hospital. I had to have a rush appendix surgery and had sepsis. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and almost died, due to the blood infection and a collapsed lung. Shortly after that I developed phlebitis in my legs and got some bad clots that went to my lungs. I still have this condition and will probably fight it until till the day i pass.
Ever since this, life changed.
Second chances are a beautiful thing and I think everyone knows that. I to have since lost about 65 pounds, changed my outlook on life and took into consideration the people and places and wonderful things that surround me. Life is indeed short, and music IS life to many of us here. A lot of the time it is the thrill of getting a new toy, it's the child inside all of us ... Like getting gifts on christmas or whatever your holiday may be. It's also an OCD thing I think, Wanting to know for sure that you are going to sound the best you can, and the fascination of wondering what all these different amps / speakers/ pickups / fx's sound like. (Like having the fastest car in high school, or the hottest girl friend) It's so easy to forget the most important part, PLAYING! WRITING, and PERFORMING the music that we all love so very much, the very same music which inspired us as young kids and intrigued us to play in the first place!! From then on I learned to wake up every morning, go on my porch , take a deep breathe and savor the moment, friends, family and fruits of life, whether they be past, present or future. Moderation is the key...
Brad, you are on the right path man ! Best of luck dude!
jabps
Well-known member
Had the same thing happen to me a few years ago...went through a devastating divorce. At the same time I was experiencing from a guitar standpoint the highlight of my life. Touring, recording and I devoid myself of all the gear I had accumulated and really focused on the playing, writing and touring.
Since then my "gas" has been little if anything. After years of chasing tone...even when I really always had good tone, chasing anything under the sun, never happy with anything I realized that it is a trap...when you lose your partner in life (in my case), health etc... From a musci standpoint, suddenly it makes you re-examine why your playing in the first place. I narrowed it down to 4 guitars, a small rig with a backup rig. Musically, gear...been happy ever since. And though I love checking stuff out...I just really don't have the "want" to buy anything anymore.
Since then my "gas" has been little if anything. After years of chasing tone...even when I really always had good tone, chasing anything under the sun, never happy with anything I realized that it is a trap...when you lose your partner in life (in my case), health etc... From a musci standpoint, suddenly it makes you re-examine why your playing in the first place. I narrowed it down to 4 guitars, a small rig with a backup rig. Musically, gear...been happy ever since. And though I love checking stuff out...I just really don't have the "want" to buy anything anymore.
Gainfreak
New member
This thread is full of inspiration and If anything ever needed to be stickied on this board...This thread should be it.
Congrats to everyone.
Congrats to everyone.
gbsmusic
Well-known member
Nice!! Great post and congrats on being sober! October 5th will be 3 years for me! I'm going to need to hear one of the PT100's, they must sound good if its going to be a keeper! Congrats and I wish you the very best!!
killertone
Well-known member
The forums can be a hotbed of oneupmanship and who's got the most gear?? type contests...it gets pretty ridiculous, actually.
Sometimes it takes some heavy life altering shit (like a serious health scare) to figure out what really matters. When you do, it's easy to to let all that other shit go.
Good for you, Brad. Best wished on your health.
Sometimes it takes some heavy life altering shit (like a serious health scare) to figure out what really matters. When you do, it's easy to to let all that other shit go.
Good for you, Brad. Best wished on your health.
Shark Diver
New member
Wish you the best with your health and family. You are exactly right - nothing else matters. All the peripherals we attach to ourselves are, in the end, useless baggage. Stay lean and mean Marine!
