Who here has several guitars and amps but is not in a band?

[philb]

I've been playing the same cover band for a 6 years.
I use all my gear and what I don't use, I sell. I sold a lot of crazy good amps but in the end, it's what inspires me to play.
I now have the best amp/guitar/setup I've ever had and it was incredible playing live a couple of weeks ago.

We practice on Friday and it's great to sip a few beers, laugh and play. We play in bars once or twice a year.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

charvelstrat81, not sure why your thread was deleted but I thought it was intriguing.

You said.

Post subject: Who here has several guitars and amps but is not in a band

I see a lot of guys here and on other forums with some extremely great but expensive gear.
Top dollar amps,guitars by suhr,gibson historics,etc and wanted to see
how many do not play in a band and how did you get the $$$ for such great gear?
Do you use all of the gear you own on a daily basis?
My gear collection is nothing compared to most,
a few USA charvels
a jackson soloist
a les paul
a EVH 5153 50 watter, mesa MK V25 and a JVM1H which i have to get rid of for $$$ reasons.

I currently have two Uberschalls(original & rev blue), Marshall jvm410h, peavey 5150ii, Carvin v3, Orange dark terror, Krank Krankenstein, 9 different cabinets, a dozen guitars and more, not in a band. I work my ass off and get promoted at work to earn a good living to afford these toys. I use pretty much any and all of my gear within a weeks time, sometime in a single day if I have the free time. I'm mostly a hobbyist at this point, I played in bands when I was younger, but musicians are not reliable people for the most part, it seemed like we waited around for the band mates more than we got to jam. I went through a period of nearly no gear with only a small vox practice amp. Now I just like making as much loud and brutal noise as possible without worrying about band drama.

 

[JTyson]

I'm currently in a band, but have not gigged in years. We work on our own stuff and record all the time, but we all have day jobs and not as much time to do music as we would like. Its actually a perfect situation for us aside from wanting to do it more, we get to make any kind of music we come up with, and dont have to do covers or stupid stuff we hate to please whoever is paying. I'm 52 and have a ton of stuff I've gathered over 40 years of playing, several of them gigging every weekend, but I dont play all of it every day, Their's just too much of it to do so I basically use whatever fits the song we are working on at that time. I dont have nearly enough time to practice, and that annoys the crap out of me.
We have no time constraints or deadlines, and we like it that way. We make music solely for the love of making music, and the drummer and bass player I work with are absolutely amazing. We are also best friends so we dont have all the band drama to put up with. We've known each other for 30+ years and have common goals. We would not rule out a festival gig for an oppertunity to play all the stuff we've been working so hard on, but have no desire to get into someone else's time constraints. Having full control over the little time we have has turned out to be a huge asset.
I made my own money and everything I have is paid for. I tend to keep stuff forever. Never been a gear flipper.

 

[romanianreaper]

When I was in the Air Force, I always said that the military was my part time job and that being a guitarist was my "real" job. I played in bands everywhere from South Korea to Nebraska to Hawaii, etc., etc. The past few years I've been just a bedroom player but enjoy doing recordings. I just hooked up with an old friend from high school and we are doing some project songs together. I provide the guitar, bass, and drums (midi files) and he provides the vocals.

I have a great job and continue working that great job so I can keep buying gear.

 

[LowDesertSludge]

I'll bet that the majority are bedroom warriors...I'll also bet that the majority also afforded their gear simply by eating ramen noodles instead of fillet mignon

^^^^^ This
I'm no stranger to "Miss-a-meals" just to keep my hobby going.

I thoroughly enjoy the technical side.

 

[Atropos_Project]

Several guitars, one amp. One keyboard setup, full drumkit, bass rig, several mics, pretty good daw setup, etc. Basically enough to track / rehearse an entire band (minus a vocalist PA), but have been a solo thing for a very long time now. Day job dough used for all of it.

 

[IntenseJim]

how many do not play in a band
how did you get the $$$ for such great gear?
Do you use all of the gear you own on a daily basis?

1. I no longer play in a band.
2. I'm 52 and the Internet gear forum (esp TGP) cliché: M.D. with nice music gear. 10 years of education after college.
3. Play nearly daily for fun and relaxation at home 5 minutes ...90 minutes. I don't use all of the gear on a daily or weekly basis because there is so much of it.

I was in bands for years. The drama of dysfunctional bandmates and the monotony of playing the same songs over and over at rehearsal became joyless for me . I now work afternoons and nights which certainly doesn't make rehearsals or attending gigs any easier. But I get to ski, SUP, or mtn bike every single day.

 

[Mailman1971]

Just a hobby player.....play every weekend with my best bud who has his drum kit over my place.
Had a few amps and crap thru the years.
I get my toys by working my ass off to pay for them.

 

[charvelstrat81]

but musicians are not reliable people for the most part, it seemed like we waited around for the band mates more than we got to jam.

^^^^^^This, this and this!!!!
I left my last band for the very reason. once or twice hey shit happens but every single practice for almost a year!!!???

 

[skoora]

Played in bands steady for 15 years then stopped in 2005/2006. Getting the itch a little now but perusing Craigslist just brings back painful memories of frustration and resentment..
Just moved to Atlanta, so maybe a fresh locale can kickstart something but the traffic is so bad here it really restricts your pool of possible locations to meet at a reasonable time. Plus trying to find people who want to play straight up, hard rock is not as easy as it seams. Ton's of Indie, punk, power pop, post-insert genre here and blues but no-one wants to riff and roll, no frills.
Have 6 amps, some cheap, some not, one 4x12, two guitars (both V's) and 2 basses. Would love to get two more guitars, a strat and a tele and need some more cabs, Want a Fender/vox style 2x12 for certain settings on my Mark V. Will always want more amps. Love amps.

 

[rbc]

I only have one guitar, but I definitely fall into the garage guitar hero, jamming out in the headphones with my drum machine. I have a Peavey Raptor EXP guitar, Rockman Sustainor and Chorus/Delay, along with a Boss DR-3 drum machine. I also have a Peavey Delta Blues 115 amplifier, a bit more conventional than the Rockman gear. I'll probably upgrade the guitar soon.

 

[midnightlaundry]

I look in CL everyweek for a shity cover band. But I think Im at the oldies age because nobody is playing music to whoms band names I recognize. Plus, I have rockstar amps like everyone here that I wanna play thru 4x12 cabs. I think 20 something kids play thru combos with lots of pedals and weird looking guitars Nowadays.

Straight rock songs with guitar solos are not in style anymore.

 

[Scumback Speakers]

I resemble the topic of this thread. Way too many guitars, amps, cabs, speakers, parts...etc. Haven't played out live anywhere in 9 months.

 

[IntenseJim]

is being in band a requirement? I have an ass load of gear and guess what? I don't play in a band but I actually do play all of it and not take just pictures and talk about it all of the time

 

[orionz06]

A few guitars, Gibson and Fender, and a Mesa Mark V:25 and 2x12 with some cool pedals. No band and I play like shit. Makes me happy though. I've found my sound, for now, and it keeps me entertained.

 

[hstlaurent]

A few guitars, a few amps, way too many pedals. I jam with coworkers once in a while. We rent a little studio with a drum set and amps near work.

 

[DG335]

"How many do not play in a band"

I do not regularly play in a band, but do have friends to jam with when I can.

In the age of laptop DAW's bands are not as relevant. You can be your own band.

"How did you get the $$$ for such great gear?"

Seven years in college, two degrees, 15 years in a good career and I still work 2 jobs.

"Do you use all of the gear you own on a daily basis?"

Work, kid, and life... I don't even get to play on a daily basis. Who does? 4 electrics, 2 acoustics, 5 amps, a few pedals, and they all get used regularly. Nothing sits idle too long. Each one brings me stress relief and enjoyment in a different way.



If the musical instrument industry was supported by giging musicians alone, there would not be enough income to support all of the innovators who are pushing the boundaries and improving upon the past.

The world would be a happier place if everyone shared our addiction to music.

 

[DeezDemos]

But I think Im at the oldies age because nobody is playing music to whoms band names I recognize. Plus, I have rockstar amps like everyone here that I wanna play thru 4x12 cabs. I think 20 something kids play thru combos with lots of pedals and weird looking guitars Nowadays.

Pretty much mirrors my local CL.

I'm 46. I quit playing in clubs & such in 2011. Started an 80's rock cover band that only plays at summer events maybe 5 or 6 gigs a year. The gigs are few but a lot of fun, and best of all I use however many 4x12's I want to haul to the gig. No whiny "You're too loud" gigs backed into the corner of some restaurant where they've moved some tables to make a stage area. I'm done with that shit.

And yes I have a ton of gear although most of it is from when I did gig full-time for a living. My GAS didn't matter if I was in a band or not. In fact I think it was worse when I was gigging full-time. The eventual tedium and burnout made me want more new gear for the gig because the gigging part wasn't exciting anymore.

 

[gibson5413]

How many do not play in a band

I have been playing in a band locally for 3 years. We play 4 to 5 shows a year. I do it because it is fun!

How did you get the $$$ for such great gear?

I work in the technology software space. I work my tail off to take care of my family and have enough to budget for gear. At my age I do not spend on things I don't need and don't buy with GAS in mind. In my opinion my gear is nice but I don't have so much that it is coming out of my ears.

Do you use all of the gear you own on a daily basis?

I play all of my guitars and amps every week. I enjoy my gear!

 

[shredhead7]

I'm in the same boat as most it appears. I'm 42 and I just got married and had a child a year and a half ago. I have a ton of stuff, 14 guitars, 7 amps, and as many cabs, a full pa, the works. Around 2007 I got tired of trying to make the original band go after 7 years and jumped to a cover band. That was a lot of work, as I had never done that, so learning 60 songs that I didn't care for was tedious.

After doing that, I realized pretty quickly that was a soulless endeavor. We would play to some packed houses, but ultimately, no one cares about cover bands, they're there for the music and to dance. After we would finish a great song, they would head for the bar for another round. With originals, it was the exact opposite, they never left the front of the stage and would line up to talk to you after the show. Plus, we didn't have to bring a pa and lights, a one hour set and you're off to the party. I quit the cover band after two and a half years and haven't done anything since. The original band wants to get back together, but now I look at the market and it's all changed.

It really is a young persons business and the truth is, as much as I miss the one off event shows and the adulation, I'm really content and happy just jamming by myself or to my iTunes library.