Buying expensive gear then regretting it

[Sunset Shalom]

So I have seen a lot of super expensive amps on CR lately, like 1-2K for 50-100 watt guitar amps mostly. This has got me thinking, is it common for people to buy expensive gear then realize they could have got by with less and put the extra $ towards something more useful?

Occasionally I see a super pricey amp that I would actually snag if I had the extra money. Like a Mesa triple rectifier drool But many of these expensive amps don't even have any unique features.

I am not trying to knock people who buy expensive gear. More curious as to what drives people to and how often they end up deciding to re sell em. Name brand stuff holds its value better so that is one solid reason. At the same time if you have a 2,000$ amp and need the cash quick it probably isn't going to sell fast most of the time and seems much more risky to try and flip as well.

As a budget musician I am curious to hear what people think about this...

I see it with expensive instruments a lot too. Is it just from people having excess money?

 

[buldog5151bass]

I think some people like the idea of a fancy piece of gear, an then realize, it isn't the gear that makes the player. Others just like to flip gear, and have the money to do so - kind of like repeated rentals.

 

[Stdjazz4]

I'd only regret it if I didn't use it.

I owned several firearms once, when I got married I didn't go shooting so much so I sold them.

Made out OK.

Like above, just chalked any losses up to a 5yr rental!!

 

[Sunset Shalom]

I think some people like the idea of a fancy piece of gear, an then realize, it isn't the gear that makes the player. Others just like to flip gear, and have the money to do so - kind of like repeated rentals.

That probably sums it up I just find it interesting. Even with gear that only costs a few hundred$ I always try to make sure I will get some use out of it before deciding, usually at least

 

[DigitalMan]

I don't think it is common at all for people to buy something, decide they could have gotten by with less, and sell that thing in order to replace it with a lesser something.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I don't think it is common at all for people to buy something, decide they could have gotten by with less, and sell that thing in order to replace it with a lesser something.

Not replace it with less, but get something, and say "I don't really need that (and my car needs new tires)".

TB also feeds GAS pains. C'mon, we egg each other on to buy what we don't really need.

 

[Sunset Shalom]

I don't think it is common at all for people to buy something, decide they could have gotten by with less, and sell that thing in order to replace it with a lesser something.

Yeah it is not like I can tell how long people have had gear before selling it usually. You could be right and all the stuff I have seen is just finally being replaced/ passed along.

 

[alembicguy]

Usually if you feel regret about a pricey purchase that's just your gut telling you that you couldn't afford it in the first place.

 

[Robert B]

I don't recall ever suffering buyer's remorse after buying musical equipment.

 

[singlemalt]

Could just be bumps on the financial hiways. Stuff happens. Cars break down, dui, divorce, illness, job loss. The list is endless. Band break up maybe?

Need some quick cash, but not so quickly that the seller takes a reaming at a pawn shop.

People buy and sell stuff. It's the economy.

 

[Hand slap]

Not replace it with less, but get something, and say "I don't really need that (and my car needs new tires)".

TB also feeds GAS pains. C'mon, we egg each other on to buy what we don't really need.

Yes!

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

I think people sometimes buy gear that is beyond their level/ability/need. And that's fine. Some folks are just into expensive/super-nice stuff. I buy what does the job and sounds/feels the way I want. I can get that for no more than $1500 for a used bass or an amp. I never even consider spending more, it wouldn't get me anything.

 

[Jrussblues]

I think there are a ton of reasons people sell high end stuff. I got my modulus because thier master builder had a collection just for him and he got tired of seeing his collection sit in the closet. It's not super high end but it is a really cool unique piece and I stumbled across it. I've seen people sell stuff for surgery bills. Sometimes it's a tone hunter that hasn't found that perfect piece and the high end stuff isn't in stores to try so they buy it, don't like it and they sell it to move on to the next piece. A lot of tuff tends to come up for sale around the holidays because people want to free up the discretionary income. Conversely, used gear prices usually shoot up after the new year because people have more discretionary income due to tax returns. That's said, I've also seen a lot of stuff pop up because people need to pay taxes, but prices are still typically higher on the spring than the fall.

 

[Jrussblues]

Also, I've regretted buying more cheap and mid range gear than I have buying nice stuff.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

So I have seen a lot of super expensive amps on CR lately, like 1-2K for 50-100 watt guitar amps mostly. This has got me thinking, is it common for people to buy expensive gear then realize they could have got by with less and put the extra $ towards something more useful?

This is 99% of expensive gear purchases, to be honest.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I had a lot of money invested in gear, but I didn't completely realize just how much until I tallied the cost. I've been slowly selling off pieces and it has been really nice freeing myself of unnecessary gear.

 

[ajschnitzelbank]

I don't think it is common at all for people to buy something, decide they could have gotten by with less, and sell that thing in order to replace it with a lesser something.

I know I am an unusual person, but I am going through this right now, and is not the first time.

I have a Tecamp rig that really kicks butt. But I'm selling it. I don't desperately need the cash or anything, it's just, more than I really need right now.

I did similar with basses. I had a Ken Smith that was great but didn't really speak to me I guess. Plus it was worth a bit. I replaced it with a custom bass that was a thousand dollars less (and Oscar Prat). I sold that one too, and replaced it with a Fender P bass. That one is a keeper.

I also sold my BMW to buy a VW. I just see myself as a VW kind of guy. I'm not fancy or important enough for a beemer. I feel the same way about the Ken Smith versus the Fender: it's just more, um, more me.

 

[ajschnitzelbank]

I had a lot of money invested in gear, but I didn't completely realize just how much until I tallied the cost. I've been slowly selling off pieces and it has been really nice freeing myself of unnecessary gear.

Yeah me too. I think I'm about to sell my backup bass. I have a Fender P, and a Squier jazz with Lollar pickups. I never play that thing, and I really don't need the variety or backup I guess. So that'll be a couple/few hundred bucks my way.

 

[arbiterusa]

is it common for people to buy expensive gear then realize they could have got by with less and put the extra $ towards something more useful?

That's most purchasers of musical equipment. Including me. I just bought the most useful guitar amp I've ever owned, and it's a $100 Marshall MG series combo off Craigslist.

 

[40Hz]

Depends on your tastes and what you're looking at. I personally think the Magnatone Twilighter and Stereo Twilighter are worth every penny (and then some) based purely on my own preferences in amps. But I thought the Fender Twin was overpriced despite costing about half of what a Magnatone goes for.

In my case, it usually takes me a long time to make a major purchase. I research it. I think about it and make it a point to demo it a few times. Then if it's still a go, I think about it some more while I'm putting the money together to buy it. As a result, I've yet to regret any major purchase I've ever made.

Closest I ever came to a regret when it came to music gear was a brand spankin' new Fender Precision that I bought too quickly in the early '80s. I just went into a music store, pulled one off the rack and gave it a two minute tryout because I found myself needing one in a hurry (which is a long and not very interesting story) and I figured how wrong can you possibly go with any Fender PB?

Well... I soon found out. Because I probably got one of the very few absolute lemons Fender ever built. And that's about the only purchase I ever totally regretted when it came to equipment.