If someone shows up to a audition w/Epiphone or Squire...

[duodecim]

...do you automatically dismiss them, not take them seriously or view them with a prejudice? [...]

I wouldn't judge anyone before they've played, and then played some more. I've been playing with crappy gear for years myself, and I have studied classical guitar for 10 years when younger, so – good player or not – I did and do take guitar seriously. I don't know where you're from, but having fancy gear isn't exactly a given even for quite decent players around here.

If anything, somebody's overly cocky demeanour which often comes with hauling too fancy gear for the occasion will make it less likely to pass an audition in many alternative rock and metal bands.

In the end, ultimately only two things matter: can he play (what he needs to), and can we get along with him on a personal level. I just have had bad experiences with "equipment players" (and "equipment sporters" for that matter) on pretty much every occasion I can remember.

I think it would do well to realise that obsession with gear doesn't equal obsession with playing guitar at all. So in one way, I guess I'm slightly on the opposite side of your postulated hypothesis.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

I have seen Steve Hunter play a regular Squier several times. I like the japanese ones alot myself. It would be hard to take someone too seriously if they had a cheap underpowered amp.

 

[King Guitar]

Does anyone here know that the best acoustic guitars ever made were the 1970's Japanese Yamaha's you could get in any pawn shop for a $100 bucks.

My good buddy and vintage guitar kingpin Gil Southworth used to always say that and he owned every martin and Gibson ever made. I always remembered that.

I could care less what someone plays as long as they have their gear whatever it is, dialed in.

Brad

 

[headlessdeadguy]

i have but one instant predjudice when it comes to auditions. no camo shorts. 99.9% of the time that a guy shows up in camo shorts he's a white trash, beer-swilling goon. you better have a full set of teeth and speak in complete sentences if you show up to my gig in camo shorts.

I guess I'm out then.

Yours Truly,
Camo Shorts Wearin, Beer Swillin, White Trash, Headlessdeadguy

 

[strungup]

I went to an audition once that was trying out a bunch of guys the same night. Each person only had 5 songs to play. Its not the way I would have held auditions but it was what it was. I wasn't going to bring a head, cab and pedal board for 5 songs so I borrowed a peavey practice combo for the audition. It sounded ok. I didn't care how I looked I had my guitar in one hand amp in another as I was set up in 30 seconds. I played well (for me anyway) and got called back for a second audition but I got some interesting looks when they answered the door. I don't remember what guitar I took with me.

I have also played with a guy that has equipment most people wouldn't grab if they saw it out on the curb for free and he was a killer player. Way better than I will ever be no matter what I play through.

 

[Anonymous]

...do you automatically dismiss them, not take them seriously or view them with a prejudice?


I was having this discussion with a friend and if someone showed up at at audition for your band with a Epiphone or Squire with a OK amp (not a pro level Diezel VH4 fullstack or anything we will say a 2x12 100watt combo for this example add any brand you want) would you dismiss them sooner than someone that showed up with nice gear

The consensus seamed to be if they dont take their gear seriously its hard to take them seriously as a player. Unless of course there playing is just so outstanding that it makes up for the lack of quality gear. This of course is rarely the case but an exception to the rule.

What say you guys?

I am not trying to turn this into a Epiphone or Squire bashing thread but it seams to be a common brand that is often seen at auditions, that is why I used them as an example.

If the person could play, sing and write killer, their tone was great, they fit the general vibe and image of the band and were cool as a person, I couldn't care less what guitar, amp, etc. they were playing.

Steve

 

[Stratboy151]

I've always said I'd love to go to an audition with one of those beginner Strat-Pack things (cheapo starter guitar with little starter amp in the same awkward shaped box)....and literally carry in the box and open it at the audition and then completely smoke everyone there. Would that not be awesome?! (I know it's a fantasy...I'm just sayin'....)

LOLOLOLOL, unwrap the curly cable and ask if you can quickly watch the included dvd that comes with the package.....then start rocking

 

[Stratboy151]

im actually going to an audition tonite and bringing my line6 spidervalve, not a bad amp by any means but some people see it and assume i suck

 

[anomaly]

My Epiphone LP ain't that bad.

I don't really get why some people are SO picky about guitars... i play just as well on any guitar i pick up. As long as it stays in tune and has decent pickups i'm good to go...

 

[Anonymous]

im actually going to an audition tonite and bringing my line6 spidervalve, not a bad amp by any means but some people see it and assume i suck

you dispel that thought process as soon as you start playing though.

Steve

 

[chunkomatic]

i have but one instant predjudice when it comes to auditions. no camo shorts. 99.9% of the time that a guy shows up in camo shorts he's a white trash, beer-swilling goon. you better have a full set of teeth and speak in complete sentences if you show up to my gig in camo shorts.

I guess I'm out then.

Yours Truly,
Camo Shorts Wearin, Beer Swillin, White Trash, Headlessdeadguy

my prejudice comes from dealing with the inbred, redneck cocksuckers we have here in dallas. i'm sure if i were anyhwere else, my outlook would not be so jaded.

 

[shreder75]

I don't give a shit what gear someone uses. However, you can usually tell within about 5 minutes into an audition if they can play.

Try 5 seconds.

hope you're not that impatient with everything or else you're missing out on well, pretty much everything and anything that is cool

 

[rupe]

I saw a band a few weeks ago whose guitarist played an Epi LP through a Vox AC30CC and had tone to die for. Judging someone on their gear before you hear them play is about as pretentious as it gets.

Wiith a few exceptions, they guys who I know with the biggest and best collections of equipment are some of the worst players...I guess they feel more "legitimate" with expensive gear. If you suck, better gear will simply make you suck more expensively

 

[TTripp]

I don't listen with my eyes.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

If you suck, better gear will simply make you suck more expensively

 

[ctoddrun]

I played with a guy for a while who would bring his blown-speaker'd 50 watt (solid state) Yamaha bass amp and his $200 bass that he got when he was in high school.


Once we started getting more serious, the whole band started upgrading their equipment. Not him. His rig was fine.


He isnt in the band anymore.

 

[jet66]

Absolutely not. You can buy gear all day long, but you can't buy talent and musicianship. I know tons of people with killer gear who can't play for shit.

+1. And the other way around can be just as true. The gear may not be anything you would brag about here, but they still make it sound damn good.

 

[nbarts]

I could care less what gear anyone brings in, but in my experience people with the squiers had been just as god of musicians as their gear. More often than not people with mid class gear are those who feel the music & know how to play. I consider myself a shitty guitar player, but when it comes to actually playing or recording a song I do better than the most of the people I know. I think understanding music is much more important than how someone's fingers move.

 

[JamesPeters]

I've heard some stock Squier guitars (made in recent years) which will hang with any guitar for how good they sound. All you have to do is try enough cheap guitars with the same amp (that you're familiar with) and you will eventually find an amazing sounding one, stock pickups and all. I've done this for friends several times and that's how I choose my guitars, all of which cost $500 or less and are used to demo my amps.

I've also heard many people with elaborate, expensive setups which sound crappy mostly because a "super high end" $3000+ guitar sounds like garbage and ruins the sound of the entire rig.

A good piece of wood is a good piece of wood. The tree doesn't say "Hey, put me in a PRS" or "I'm just a bunch of cheap garbage, use me in a Squier". And as much as some "higher-end" guitar makers lead you to believe they choose their wood for its sound, most of them don't (excluding some smaller-volume boutique builders who actually do their best to test the resonance of the wood in advance). A good sounding piece of wood is not necessarily more expensive than a bad sounding piece of wood either.

It should also be noted that far too many people obsess over "tone" but don't obsess over their playing and how to interact in a band environment. So "good tone" or surface appearances of such doesn't mean the audition will go well, or that even if the audition does go well that the player is a good fit for your band. It's easy to fix "bad tone"--buy a good guitar (which might only cost $200, since you can go to various GCs for a couple days and you will find a great sounding guitar if you keep an open mind about looks/features), and/or buy a new amp. Fixing the player isn't nearly as easy.