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How important is expensive gear? (from SMG)
- Thread starter M.R. Ogle
- Start date
My gear isn't crazy expensive - I play what I like because I like it. No illusions that the audience notices the difference.
While I agree with him in this case, this guy is a COMPLETE ASSHAT. He has some rants about clients in his recording studio that totally illustrate why he is a poopy person to work with and will never have anything more than a second rate studio or probably any friends.
Nice shirt though, I have one of those on order.
Nice shirt though, I have one of those on order.
I still dream of a Gretsch x Burberry Plaid Falcon... the ultimate "I have more money than sense" bass.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
My boutique talent pedal cost more than your whole rig. Who says you can't buy skill. Bah.
s0c9
Supporting Member
He's trying to "Howard Stern" it, and lets be honest.. he's contrarian to get clicks and ad revenue.. it's his job. Controversy generates clicks!!
On the expensive gear issue.. it's up to the individual IME.
I personally would not play a $6000 bass on the club/bar circuit on a regular bassis (misspelling/pun intended).
Would I take a $10K guitar rig to the same venues?? .. err.. emphatically NOT!
99% of folk can't tell the difference between a Dumble and a Peavey Bandit.
The other 1% will criticize/compliment whatever you play thru.
If you want to play/use expensive gear, be my guest.
I prefer to use quality gear, and to be honest... one does tend to get what one pays for!
YMMV
He's absolutely right. 100%. No question.
Too bad the guys that really need to hear and understand what he's saying will either:
a) never hear it
b) think it's a bunch of crap if they do happen to hit 'play' on this video by mistake.
Too bad the guys that really need to hear and understand what he's saying will either:
a) never hear it
b) think it's a bunch of crap if they do happen to hit 'play' on this video by mistake.
I've seen some of his videos, and I pretty much agree with you. Some of the things he has to say are valid, though, including this one. Other times he's just being a ranting blowhard.
He's right. TB has its share of beginners and hobby players with $10,000 rigs, though.
My amp costs about $1100, and my 3 basses cost about $1200 altogether (though one is a warmoth that I bought used and is probably made up of at least $800 of parts alone). My 3 pedals costs about $500 total (all new MXR). I'm not a pro but I'm not a beginner. I don't feel my gear is holding me back in any way.
What a ridiculous video. He's right, but it's still ridiculous. Why? Because I don't choose my gear to please the audience. I choose my gear to please ME.
I own nice gear but I've been saying this on drum forums for years. The audience does not know or care whether my snare drum is a $100 used Acrolite or a $650 Black Beauty. I've used both on the same night to amuse myself, my band mates don't even notice.
I played with a drummer for a couple years who always had crappy kits. On recordings you could barely hear the difference between the hi hat and the ride cymbal, and the heads were super old and taped into submission. No matter who was playing that kit, it wouldn't sound good.
OTOH,
I heard a band of high school kids once who played mostly Bush covers and some originals. The bass player had an SVT and ampeg 8x10, and both guitar players had les pauls and mesa boogie half stacks. They couldn't play anything difficult but tonewise they sounded great.
EDIT: are their parents adopting??
OTOH,
I heard a band of high school kids once who played mostly Bush covers and some originals. The bass player had an SVT and ampeg 8x10, and both guitar players had les pauls and mesa boogie half stacks. They couldn't play anything difficult but tonewise they sounded great.
EDIT: are their parents adopting??
I always assumed my GK gear was not "expensive". However, he implies otherwise in this video. Cool! Now I can consider myself a gear snob.
Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
- Sep 5, 2014
- 5,455
- 4,234
- Disclosures
- None
To say he has perfectly valid points is a true statement. To say he is a complete clown in these videos is also a true statement. The guy is flat out a self indulgent jackwagon with an unnecessarily foul mouth. But kind of like watching Troma Team films, he's just so bad it is hard not to watch just to see how bad it will really get...
Let's see. I have, including mods, about $800.00 into my 3 current basses. I have including the covers, and cables, $1K even in my amp and extension cab stack, and $200.00 into my pedalboard not counting velcro.
My instruments don't hold me back. I do occasional subbing, I jam as often as I can. I still consider myself an awful player, but not an absolute beginner either. For ME and MY needs, cheap gear does the trick. For anything I am likely to get into at my age and stage in life, cheap gear is all I will ever need.
And lastly, if I won the mega-power-money-ball-millions game at a half a billion or whatever ridiculous number was out there, at least where I am skill wise now, there is only one higher dollar instrument I am interested in, and it honestly isn't too badly priced, and that is a Fender USA Geddy Lee Jazz...
Let's see. I have, including mods, about $800.00 into my 3 current basses. I have including the covers, and cables, $1K even in my amp and extension cab stack, and $200.00 into my pedalboard not counting velcro.
My instruments don't hold me back. I do occasional subbing, I jam as often as I can. I still consider myself an awful player, but not an absolute beginner either. For ME and MY needs, cheap gear does the trick. For anything I am likely to get into at my age and stage in life, cheap gear is all I will ever need.
And lastly, if I won the mega-power-money-ball-millions game at a half a billion or whatever ridiculous number was out there, at least where I am skill wise now, there is only one higher dollar instrument I am interested in, and it honestly isn't too badly priced, and that is a Fender USA Geddy Lee Jazz...
Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
- Sep 5, 2014
- 5,455
- 4,234
- Disclosures
- None
There is a HUGE difference between cheap gear, and beat to smithereens gear. No matter the price point, your instrument needs to be in good working order to... well work properly and sound good. Blown speakers in say that Ampeg 8x10 would have made it sound like flatulence.
The cost of my gear really has no bearing on what I play / enjoy - I just like nice stuff and I can afford it. Add to that, I try to avoid buying off-shored kit whenever possible/reasonable - and adhering to that principle does cost extra.
yeah, since when is GK in any way "elite"?? It's good gear - but not over the top.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I think a lot of players overthink and overspend on their gear. But that's part of the fun of it.
But yeah, unless your bass amp is farting like a bulldog on beans, and is loud enough, the audience likely won't notice. Remember why Macca chose the bass he did. Seemed to work out ok for him.
But yeah, unless your bass amp is farting like a bulldog on beans, and is loud enough, the audience likely won't notice. Remember why Macca chose the bass he did. Seemed to work out ok for him.
