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69Jazz

69Jazz

Jun 9, 2004
95
94
58
Athens, AL
#1
I have been perusing the classifieds today. Something strikes me above my normal lust for other peoples gear. That is, how in the hell do some of y'all afford all this awesome gear? There are lots of people selling lots of badass gear so they can by other badass gear, non of which I can afford. I don't get it. Surely there aren't that many rocket scientists or doctors or lawyers pedaling gear on talkbass. I would love to just plunk down a grand plus for a Greenboy F115 cab, or snatch up that Lull jazz, or that G. Gould 5. I don't know how some of y'all do it. I make a good salary, and live a comfortable life, and have a few dollars to spend on a bit of gear, but, damn, how do y'all do it?
 
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#3
I agree with Bob, but I'm one who would rather spend less money on something to be able to get more stuff. I saw a Rickenbacker 325 re-issue guitar a couple of months ago for $2800 that I would convert to a sub-short scale bass, but instead, I found a knockoff from China for $290, which allowed me to buy a Rondo 33 bass ukulele to modify into a Fender Jaguar style and another Rondo that I gifted to the other bass player in my uke group.
 
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#9
Higher value gear often holds value better. Scarcity is frequently a factor. Once you've got in with a few pieces, you start flipping to buy the next. I've got a pair of Dunwich pedals that I can basically sell for what I paid for them because you can't buy them on the regular from the builder. Greenboy, Jule, Barefaced, Spector, and other similar brands seem to hold value between their reputation and scarcity. Often gear like Noble or Dingwall can involve long wait times, so the used market has people willing to pay for having the product now.

Personally, I also have a good job, a vasectomy, no girlfriend, no mortgage, no student debt, and a lifetime of disciplined spending habits. I recognize what I can afford, and stay within my means. If new gear comes in, and old piece has to go, unless there is a good reason to keep it.
 
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#10
I guess so. I have never been one to swap and trade too much of anything. Be it cars, or gear, or whatever. I have mostly been that guy that finds the one, or few, bad ass things that work for me and stick with them. I am sure that philosophy probably won't work in conjunction with my lust for some better gear.
 
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#12
About the time I turned 50 I decided I'd worked long and hard enough that relative austerity in the gear department need not last until the grave. I wasn't buying this stuff when I was 25 or 30, I can tell you that. I also don't have top-of-the-line everything... just select things I think are important. I don't need the most expensive this-or-that, but some things I own are expensive.

EDIT TO ADD:

But yeah, monsterthompson makes a good point-- a lot of the buying is really part of buying-and-selling, and trading up down or sideways. It isn't just piling riches upon riches, in many cases. A good investor in any field is always investing the same nugget, over and over... such as investing a chunk of money in a property, improving it, then selling it, and taking that same starting capital and investing it again. Some guys/gals may have a few grand into gear, but are moving parts in and out. The investment remains constant but the form it takes changes.

The truth is, gear can be fun and all, but the greatness of the musical experience, and quality of the music (a concept as much as a sound), has very little to do with gear. A modest investment in good but affordable gear will bring you just as much joy, and the quality of music will be just as great, as someone with the same skills and a pile of gear. I didn't enjoy music any less when I was too strapped to afford any high-falutin' gear.

I think an enthusiasm for fine gear is often more a reflection of the enjoyment of music than it is a cause of the enjoyment of music.
 
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#13
69Jazz said:
I guess so. I have never been one to swap and trade too much of anything. Be it cars, or gear, or whatever. I have mostly been that guy that finds the one, or few, bad ass things that work for me and stick with them. I am sure that philosophy probably won't work in conjunction with my lust for some better gear.
Click to expand...

The time and money lost on depreciation and shipping is just a rental cost of holding gear. For me, buying some pedal and holding it for a month or three, then selling it at a bit of a loss is just the same as having spent money on a movie, or a concert or a nice meal. I have saved enough in my 41 years on the planet, that I can afford to invest a few dollars in gear to play with for a while. If you haven't been buying gear, then you should have savings or investments in other things, which you could liquidate to buy gear if you wanted it.

It's all speculation. I've eyeballed Ric 4003 basses and seen them go regularly for around $1,400. I know I could get one, play it, and flip it for what I paid and only be out the shipping. Of course, if the economy tanks, then I might be out a few ore bucks when the used market goes soft. I've seen Mesa 400+ amps go for anywhere between $600 and $800 bucks. When the used market has a surplus, they move cheaper. As supply gets lean, prices go up.
 
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#14
69Jazz said:
Well I guess I am screwed. I have a 5 and a 7 year old, I have a mortgage, I live a pretty typical suburban life. I am pretty much excluded from the great gear crowd. Oh well, I guess I will continue to play the the gear that I can afford, and lust after the gear that I can't. I am sure I am not the first to ask this question.
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Nope. Not the first. I'll tell ya, nice gear is nice, but the premium you pay for it isn't worth it unless you can afford the cash. For any bit of gear, there's a price point where you just get a different type of nice. For me, once you hit around $1,000 on a bass, you're getting a really nice bass. A $3,000 bass isn't 3 times as good. You're paying more to get specific features that you want and fine tuning feel and sound and look. Your art isn't suffering. It's wood and wires. Setup and good electronics are really worth the money. Everything else is decoration.
 
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#19
69Jazz said:
Well I guess I am screwed. I have a 5 and a 7 year old, I have a mortgage, I live a pretty typical suburban life. I am pretty much excluded from the great gear crowd. Oh well, I guess I will continue to play the the gear that I can afford, and lust after the gear that I can't. I am sure I am not the first to ask this question.
Click to expand...

A high price-tag does not guarantee a "great gear" experience. I've had higher-end instruments feel :meh: in my hands and inexpensive gear that made me wanna :woot: and/or drool. To that effect, I try to find instruments and parts that work best for my hands and ears, "perceived value" be damned!
 
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