How important is expensive gear? (from SMG)

[hasbeen]

I'll stick my neck out here. For me, at least, he doesn't have a valid point at all. Don't most people feel more inspired when their gear feels and sounds good? I'll stick my neck out further and say the more one feels inspired, the better one plays. THAT to the audience should be palpable.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Hmm... no reason the Line6 guitar combos can't sound good. So odd criticism.

I have seen non-musicians walk out of a gig because the backline sound was bad, but it does have to be bad, as people have paid money so are loathe to lose out on that sunk cost.

Some cheap gear can get you good tone. I got compliments on the 'Wire' like guitar tone I got from a 10W solid state guitar amp with 8 inch speaker cranked to within an inch of its life (no overdrive pedal, just cranked - very aggressive), and a friend got compliments on his 'chunky organ tone' which was a 1970s Bontempi through a cheap overdrive pedal...

But some cheap gear sounds awful!

 

[lbbc]

I don't play dives anymore (due to the material we play and our acoustic/electric configuration) and I do take my expensive stuff out and play. IMHO, gear isn't meant to sit at home and not get used. I don't play my expensive gear for the purpose of impressing the general audience or other musicians that may be in the crowd....I do it for me. It feels right and sounds good. When I was younger, I played on whatever I could afford (usually crappy gear) but practiced my ass off and got better. When I could afford better gear....I got it. He is right though, audiences really don't care about tone...they care about recognizing songs, being able to dance (or jam) to what you play and how much you are "getting into" the music!

 

[TripleDouble]

Master Clickbaiter.

edit: master(click)baiter.

 

[DwaynieAD]

I started a tally of tbers that missed the point, but my pen ran out of ink.

 

[twinjet]

But yeah, unless your bass amp is farting like a bulldog on beans, and is loud enough, the audience likely won't notice.

This unfortunate truth is what drives me nuts. I hear whatever tonal qualities I do, whether it's a growly or warm tone - it'll make me melt. But if I try to explain it to anyone else, they can't even tell an electric from a double bass... So they just look at me like "ok dude". I cry on the inside.

 

[DWBass]

SMDH. Some of you guys are taking this guy way too serious! Yeah his delivery was a bit caustic but also humorous. He has valid points. I don't think he's saying 'don't' buy expensive gear but is saying don't obsess over expensive gear or don't buy it in an effort to be a poser. How many times have we seen a band and checked out the gear. We say 'nice gear' but when they start playing we say 'damn, they suck'! We've all experienced it. But who are we? Musicians. The average music listener doesn't care about how much the gear cost. Just that they sucked!

Play through gear you like though. I will.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I started a tally of tbers that missed the point, but my pen ran out of ink.

His point has some validity, even if the examples of poor and boutique gear and his delivery are off. I understand he is trying to be humorous, I just think he misses the mark a little. Perhaps that isn't his fault, just all the other rants on the intertubes.

What next: Richard Dawkins versus the Pope in a series of ranting expletive-laden video blogs?

 

[Worldeeeter]

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.

This guy really is an asshat. I agree that you play through what you can afford, but I do not care at all if other people know how much my gear costs. Over 25 years, I have gone from a $350 bass rig (all included) to two $3000+ bass rigs. The music is for the audience; the gear is for me.

 

[RustyAxe]

This is the Humor section? The only thing funny (to me) about this thread is how defensive everyone gets about their personal choices. I don't need (or want) a $3000 bass or $5000 amp/cab to enjoy making music. Someone else evidently does. Why should I care?

 

[FlatwoundFunk]

...expensive gear isn't important says the YouTube douschebag with $10,000 worth of gear sitting next to him to record a 5 minute YouTube rant.

Right or wrong, I buy and play what I buy and play because I like it. Yes, it really is that simple.

Remember: "It takes a rich man to tell you that money can't buy you happiness"
FF

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Tempest in a teapot. Although I can think of at least two occasions in the last 25 years when someone in the audience (in both instances, a drunk bass player) complimented me on my tone.

 

[RustyAxe]

Tempest in a teapot. Although I can think of at least two occasions in the last 25 years when someone in the audience (in both instances, a drunk bass player) complimented me on my tone.

It's funny, I get comments on my tone often. Ironically, it's usually when I'm using my GK MB200 and GK STL-8 cab! Just last night, at an open mic, someone commented on how great my bass sounded (I was using the house back line amp). It's a bass I bought specifically for open mic nights, so I don't worry about someone screwing up my gigging basses. It's a Squier Jaguar I bought used for $80 and did a great setup on.

 

[VWbug]

It seems to me that folks are missing the point.

I think he's talking to kids starting out and that's a crowd that will blow off a Bass Whisperer easy going type guy but will not so easily, with a guy who's in your face coarse metal head.

Folks seem way too defensive about justifying their choices. He's a guy talking to kids, not adults with the bucks to buy whatever they want.

 

[s0c9]

I like quality gear. I can usually find better quality in a US made $100 item than in a $10 Chinese item.

What about both when the price is $100 ?
I know I'd buy US made..but?

 

[JimmyM]

It seems to me that folks are missing the point.

I think he's talking to kids starting out and that's a crowd that will blow off a Bass Whisperer easy going type guy but will not so easily, with a guy who's in your face coarse metal head.

Folks seem way too defensive about justifying their choices. He's a guy talking to kids, not adults with the bucks to buy whatever they want.

I'm not usually too defensive unless someone gets all pompous or yelling at me. Like this guy. OK, so he's not yelling at ME, but he's clearly talking down to everyone who is listening to his rants.

 

[Frank77]

I'm not usually too defensive unless someone gets all pompous or yelling at me. Like this guy. OK, so he's not yelling at ME, but he's clearly talking down to everyone who is listening to his rants.

My thoughts exactly. I like "angry" comedy à la Bill Burr, Lewis Black, etc., but this guy is not remotely funny...so if he's trying to be funny, he's missing the mark. And if he's trying to be informative, he's also missing the mark by a mile because of his delivery.

 

[Marial]

I like my expensive gear. I like my cheap gear. I buy gear I like. For me.

What was the point?

 

[Big Hoss]

Tempest in a teapot. Although I can think of at least two occasions in the last 25 years when someone in the audience (in both instances, a drunk bass player) complimented me on my tone.

Interesting... I have a similar compliment count on my "sound" from audience members, except they were guitarists. Both times were sub gigs, and although I never drink when practicing or just jamming with friends, I put down a couple (literally 2) tequila shooters each time just to calm a bit of pre show jitters.

Both times I got the complements, I was playing my Squier Affinity Jazz, through my Rumble 500 combo + 210 stack and no effects.

There's a guy locally that gigs on and off, with a blues band, he might be a TBer for all I know, he gigs a relatively road worn no name on the headstock Fender-ish black P bass, through an old Behringer 1x15 combo. I am pretty sure his P bass was the one I saw in a pawn shop in about 2002 for $50.00, some of the road wear damage looks familiar. And that Behringer Ultrabass amp is one of the aluminum cone ones, kind of a Hartke copy ish sort of thing, the cover is torn and beat, no wierd sounds from his gear, no scratchy pots, no buzz, no, none of that junk. Just good solid tone. And I bet he has less in his entire rig, than I do in my SX with fresh pickguard, and Amplug 2 to practice with.

It's not really about the price tag of your gear, although many TBers seem to think that a high dollar instrument helps them play better. Maybe they play better on a high dollar instrument to justify the cost, I don't know. Or maybe they are seeking something very different tone wise than what I am looking for.

And have any of you seen the total lowball "junk" many buskers use?

No, the best gear only goes so far, you MUST have the skill to use that gear, and I can guarantee outside of fellow musicians, as long as the gear you are using does what it is supposed to, nobody in the audience, except maybe your insurance guy, gives half a hoot about the name brand on your stuff, or how much you paid for it! They just want to hear us play, and play well.

The most honest answers I have seen in this thread are those that say they buy the expensive gear because they want it for them, and they can afford it. No fault there, more power to ya bro. I just feel sorry for the guys that spend mega bucks on high end gear under the illusion that it has some magical properties that makes their hamfisted lackluster approach to playing the bass Geddy Lee / Chris Squire awesome overnight. For that it takes time, practice, and education to develop. Not just dumping a bucket of cash on a boutique gear vendor.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

If I took expensive gear out I wouldn't enjoy myself as I'd be too worried out the gear, so moderately cheap gear works for me.