Gear vs Playing out question

[bigchiefbc]

Oh god, we're in the adding-shit-up stage now? Let's see:

2 main gigging basses: 2000
amp, power soak and cab: 600
covers board: 1450
originals board: 1700

... sigh ...

[dubkitty]

i'm not even going to try and figure out the total over time...it requires too much math.

[misterstomach]

i spent $40 or so on my toaster oven. i really don't use it very much. i've already got a toaster and an oven, but it's nice for cooking something little for a short time or melting cheese on something. but i don't feel the need to justify the expense. i think it's nice to have a toaster oven and i could afford it so i bought one. i think guitar gear is the same way. you don't have to use it in some particular way, such as playing out, in order to justify the expense. it can serve you quite well in your bedroom or garage and as long as your not neglecting something crucial, everyone should feel fine about having the gear that makes them happy. my rig cost me about 5 grand and it took me a long time to buy it, and really it's not a ton of money for what it is. i play out a lot and tour and whatever. i don't make money off my gear in that sense but i use the shit out of it and could easily "justify" it that sense, but i don't think that's how i want to look at my gear and i don't think that's how other people should either. it's obnoxious when people wave their fancy gear around on the internet in everyone's face and buy shit just to show it off and don't fucking use it. and it's obnoxious if you're a gigging musician and wish you could afford the gear that would make things better and some jerk is just bragging about all their cool shit sitting on a shelf, but if you love it and it inspires you there's no reason not to have it if you can afford it. i can't justify my toaster oven, but damn you if i'm gonna get rid of it.

[nightterrors]

Oh God I don't want to talk about how much things have cost...

[theavondon]

i spent $40 or so on my toaster oven. i really don't use it very much. i've already got a toaster and an oven, but it's nice for cooking something little for a short time or melting cheese on something. but i don't feel the need to justify the expense. i think it's nice to have a toaster oven and i could afford it so i bought one. i think guitar gear is the same way. you don't have to use it in some particular way, such as playing out, in order to justify the expense. it can serve you quite well in your bedroom or garage and as long as your not neglecting something crucial, everyone should feel fine about having the gear that makes them happy. my rig cost me about 5 grand and it took me a long time to buy it, and really it's not a ton of money for what it is. i play out a lot and tour and whatever. i don't make money off my gear in that sense but i use the shit out of it and could easily "justify" it that sense, but i don't think that's how i want to look at my gear and i don't think that's how other people should either. it's obnoxious when people wave their fancy gear around on the internet in everyone's face and buy shit just to show it off and don't fucking use it. and it's obnoxious if you're a gigging musician and wish you could afford the gear that would make things better and some jerk is just bragging about all their cool shit sitting on a shelf, but if you love it and it inspires you there's no reason not to have it if you can afford it. i can't justify my toaster oven, but damn you if i'm gonna get rid of it.

I love this. And, toast. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Toast.

[phantasmagorovich]

I am actually cool with lending out stuff to the extreme of kind of expecting people to share their stuff as well. I think constructing a common backline with f ex my guitar amp, your bass amp and the third band's drum set would be perfect. If people brought their own boards, instrument and cymbals and take responsibility if stuff breaks I don't see a problem. I would not let anybody else carry my amp or use it when I'm not there though. I would only let people touch my guitar if an accident happened. Strings breaking would already qualify though. I might restring your guitar while you play a song on mine.

In the end I think we should all be buddies and share. The whole "be a pro and get great gear" thing seems pointless to me. I can afford my stuff because I work a job that has absolutely nothing to do with music. I am not and never will be a pro. I don't expect anybody else to be. I expect people to be considerate, nice persons. That's all I can ask for.

[DarkAxel]

I am actually cool with lending out stuff to the extreme of kind of expecting people to share their stuff as well. I think constructing a common backline with f ex my guitar amp, your bass amp and the third band's drum set would be perfect. If people brought their own boards, instrument and cymbals and take responsibility if stuff breaks I don't see a problem. I would not let anybody else carry my amp or use it when I'm not there though. I would only let people touch my guitar if an accident happened. Strings breaking would already qualify though. I might restring your guitar while you play a song on mine.

In the end I think we should all be buddies and share. The whole "be a pro and get great gear" thing seems pointless to me. I can afford my stuff because I work a job that has absolutely nothing to do with music. I am not and never will be a pro. I don't expect anybody else to be. I expect people to be considerate, nice persons. That's all I can ask for.

nice! someone with a similar mindset to mine

also guys... I play a 1x12" combo so i'm at elast able to move around town, but moving even a small amp to another town 200kms away without a car is some tough shit

[tim]

I play up to four shows a month, but lately it's been like one show/month or none at all. Actually, I record more than I gig, and I think gear plays a bigger part during recording than playing live. It's how I justify having so much gear.