Is having too much gear bad?

[lfmn16]

Getting a particular sound, tone, etc., is much different than thinking it will make them a better player. I've personally never met anyone that thought they'd be a better player as a result of something more expensive or "nicer". In some instances it's true though. If you have an old ass guitar with a broken truss rod, and the strings sit a half inch off the fretboard, a new guitar will most certainly make you a better player.

+1

A new instrument will make you a better player IF there is something about your current instrument that is holding you back.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Getting a particular sound, tone, etc., is much different than thinking it will make them a better player. I've personally never met anyone that thought they'd be a better player as a result of something more expensive or "nicer". In some instances it's true though. If you have an old ass guitar with a broken truss rod, and the strings sit a half inch off the fretboard, a new guitar will most certainly make you a better player.

Oh come on - there are countless threads on whether having a better bass will make you a better player.

 

[godofthunder59]

Um no. No such thing. Buy as much as you want.

 

[BurningSkies]

I have too many basses and amps. And I really should get rid of some things. But, most of my stuff is special.... 1952 P, 1954 P, 2x 1969 Tele Bass, 1968 Tele bass, '63 P, and lots of 1960's and 1970's Ampegs B-12, B-15, B-18. I am afraid that once they're gone I will kick myself for the rest of my life.

Yep. You will. And none of these are 'go out and buy off the shelf to replace' when you decide it was a mistake. But you'll have one hell of a viking funeral pyre.

 

[Jim Nazium]

If you're charging your new gear on credit and paying interest on it then yes, it's a problem.
If you're not saving money for your old age because of your new gear then yes, it's a problem.
If your significant other thinks it's a problem then yes, it's a problem.
If all of your other bases are already covered then no, it's not a problem.

That's pretty much what I think. If your finances are in good shape (given your age and life situation), then buy whatever you want. I just cringe a bit when I look in the TB classifieds and I see a top-dollar custom bass for sale because "my car needs a new clutch" or "my dog needs surgery" or "I'm on furlough and I haven't got paid for two weeks", etc. Using music gear as emergency savings is a bad idea.

I know it sucks to be young and struggling financially. I've been there. I know that it seems like buying a fancy new bass will make you happy. It won't. I've done it. If you're not sure whether it's the right decision, you can always ask yourself this: "Would I recommend to a really good friend in the same circumstances that he buy this"?

 

[BurningSkies]

+1

A new instrument will make you a better player IF there is something about your current instrument that is holding you back.

I had an experience earlier this week that I've had before. I grabbed my old Jazz bass (haven't gigged it since something like 2003), and gave it a once over. I got the relief where it should be, checked the saddle height and tweaked a couple down a little bit and did the intonation. It's totally playable not not as low and fast as my other basses. Could someone spend some time and really work on getting super low action on it? Maybe? Is it worth it though? It also has jumbo frets which I've come to like less and less, etc. I keep it for sentimental reasons, but at the best of it's abilities it is nowhere as able as some of my other basses.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I was listening to a Rick Beato video on how much gear you actually need, the cost and use of it, etc. It got me thinking on how people (at least in the US) spend their money.

I don’t understand why having $20,000 worth of musical gear has a stigma that you have to justify but having a sports car, an unnecessarily large house, motorcycles or any other hobby seems to not turn any heads.

I drive a 2004 Honda that is reliable because I just want my car to work well and take me from A to B. I put all my “fun” money into gear because I love playing, owning and sharing the experience of music even if I wasn’t gigging regularly.

Why is there a stigma around music gear, even among pros, when it seems people spend money in many other things that fall in the same category?

I, too, spend way to much on gear and I have way too much of it. Nobody needs 12 basses, 5 guitars, and 7 amps, but I have them because I like gear. I don't care whether anyone else approves or not.
If someone starts a conversation on this or on what gear I use, I tell them I'll play whatever you buy for me.

 

[kosmicwizard]

This is totally subjective, look how much gear Josh at JHS pedals has, then look at how much gear Keith has at 5 watt world. Both of these guys have YouTube channels, but they have totally different goals. Josh can do top ten any type of effect or amp in X wattage range and have all of them on hand for us to hear, whereas Keith intentionally sold off his gear in order to "make the most music with the least gear possible."

Imho, there shouldn't be a stigma around this, i have more issues with having an exotic car as a daily driver for a bumper to bumper commute to and from work than I do with having a garage full of music gear and an at home recording studio. Cheers.

 

[JKB1957]

In a word, "no."
If you have the money, the space, and an understanding spouse, go for it.

 

[jbhaugh]

"The engineer can have all the slide rules he wants."

Thank you. I hadn't thought of slide rules since my undergrad days. They were a sort of badge of honor/rite of passage item for budding engineers. Of course, that was during the Johnson administration. To clarify, I mean the Lyndon Johnson administration.

I would be very impressed and curious about your secret to longevity if you were talking about the Andrew Johnson administration. In that case I would think you would like something like this guy:

 

[Gyver]

nope.

 

[bassballs27]

We enter this world with nothing and leave it with nothing.
If you feel you have too much gear, sell it until you feel you have enough.
If you feel you have to little or haven't experienced enough, don't rob yourself of experiencing a little more.
If you can't afford more gear sell or trade your current stuff.

It takes years for someone to figure out they own too much, too little, or just enough of something.
I think the takeaway is realizing how fortunate you are to own the gear you have.
There are many others that can't afford to own it, don't have the time for it, or can't even play it.
The power of the potential that musical instruments and gear have over someone can be alarming too.
Doesn't everyone want to be a rockstar? Reality to some but a dream for many.
Musical instruments and gear help make the dream tangible.
It's good to have dreams and inspiration.....so why not own musical instruments and gear?

 

[chazsundance]

I find that having too much gear takes away from the creativity in certain settings because you start to second guess yourself or start over thinking things as far as what gear I should use, maybe that other piece is better, maybe I should try something new... etc etc. I feel like having a couple options is good ( couple basses, few pedals, maybe a couple amps) but simplicity really does equal freedom.

I also think there are two types of people. People who love gear and the whole processes of exploring, researching, and then buying that gear. And then people who look at instruments and gear as just a tool to use to get to the end result, Music/song. My guitarist is an incredible musician, he could care less about new gear or more gear. What he has works and almost anything you stick in his hand he gets results with. He sees it as just another tool.

 

[Old Fart]

I have a lot of gear and don’t play very well at all. When I was active in Skeet, Trap and other competitive shooting, we used to say, “fear the man with only one gun, he knows how to shoot it.”

Ha! Honestly, I think playing skill/experience and equipment inventory are likely negatively correlated. I know many non-gigging musicians with TONS of expensive gear, and busy gigging musicians with only minimal gear. I also have a personal friend who was national skeet shooting champion. A LONG time ago. And finally:

For much of our lives we think the more stuff we have the happier we will be. Then we discover the opposite is true. I have way too much stuff. I think I was never happier than when all my stuff fit on my motorcycle.

 

[lfmn16]

In a word, "no."
If you have the money, the space, and an understanding spouse, go for it.

+1

I find it ironic that some of the people who think you have too much gear don't think twice about spending $40,000 on a car they don't need, or $5 for a cup of coffee, or $200 a month for cable/internet, or $1,200 for a phone, or $3,000 for a computer, and about 100 other things that add up to real money.

 

[baileyboy]

I think it's only bad to own lots of gear if it's at the expense of more important things, like supporting your family, kids, etc. Since I'm a minimalist I live a "less is more" existence, therefore, I own a pretty basic amount of gear.

 

[2F/2F]

IS there a "stigma around music gear?" If there is, I've ever noticed. Most people love it IME.

 

[Jack Butler]

It really is a very personal decision. If owning 20 basses makes you happy, then you should have 20. Personally, I'm a little too OCD to have that many because I like to keep them all in perfect playing order, and while I like to tinker, 2 basses and 2 guitars is kinda the sweet spot for me. More than that starts to become a burden. I generally adhere to 1 in 1 out these days, so if I do see something I think I need, I'll get it. If I love it I'll move on of the 2 I had, if not I'll send the new purchase on to the next person.
As far as the amount of money spent on a hobby, it's still 100% about the person and what brings you joy so long as you can afford it. If you're single and want to live in a cheap apartment with a roommate, and spend half your yearly income on a Fodera or 2 and that makes you happy, nobody's business but yours. Part of the comparison could be, that the cost of entry to electric bass is lower generally than some other hobbies. You can get a good P-bass and a solid gig-worthy amp for 1,000 or less. But if your hobby is Italian motorcycles, a boat for marlin fishing, or 60's Corvettes, the minimum cost of entry is significantly more. So if you spend $30k on music gear, it can look like overkill. But you probably can't even get into the old Covette game for $30k.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

if you have the money, I don't see a problem w/ buying extra stuff. if you're broke and spending your money on music gear that you don't need, then yes there is a problem.. but it's not my business to tell you that.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

who cares what people think?