The Year Without Gear

[Blood_mountain]

If it's used it doesn't count. That's a loophole I just invented.

Haha, that’s how I think too! I am great at creating loopholes. When the new Fairfield pedal was leaked, and I found out they weren’t releasing it until this month, I legit reached out to them to see if I could preorder so that way it would technically have been purchased in 2022.

Alas, it was not to be, and I’m thankful for that, as it’s given me the challenge of trying to get that kind of sound with existing gear.

[Blood_mountain]

I haven't picked up any pedals or related gear, but my cassette tape recorder did stop working, so I'll need to replace that. I guess I need to add a replacement clause to my plan!

[friendship]

I haven't picked up any pedals or related gear, but my cassette tape recorder did stop working, so I'll need to replace that. I guess I need to add a replacement clause to my plan!

Valid imo. I don't regret picking up the acoustic, it's way easier to play than my beleaguered old dreadnought, which is enjoying a well-earned break until I can repair it. Plus the new one's smaller body means my cat can sit in my lap while I play.

[Blood_mountain]

I haven't picked up any pedals or related gear, but my cassette tape recorder did stop working, so I'll need to replace that. I guess I need to add a replacement clause to my plan!

Valid imo. I don't regret picking up the acoustic, it's way easier to play than my beleaguered old dreadnought, which is enjoying a well-earned break until I can repair it. Plus the new one's smaller body means my cat can sit in my lap while I play.

Lap cats are good for mental health, ergo your purchase was one of wellness as opposed to GAS.

[friendship]

I haven't picked up any pedals or related gear, but my cassette tape recorder did stop working, so I'll need to replace that. I guess I need to add a replacement clause to my plan!

Valid imo. I don't regret picking up the acoustic, it's way easier to play than my beleaguered old dreadnought, which is enjoying a well-earned break until I can repair it. Plus the new one's smaller body means my cat can sit in my lap while I play.

Lap cats are good for mental health, ergo your purchase was one of wellness as opposed to GAS.

Can't wait to write it off as a medical expense! [immediately gets audited]

[cosmicevan]

Just got a 3Leaf Wonderlove Deluxe...but it was a trade. Still in bounds!!!

[Gone Fission]

And if I like my existing gear and want to keep it? What if I wanted to trade spare cash for it instead?

[Velcro Bottom]

I went all out and bought the 3-pack of strings.

I am a madman.

[Blood_mountain]

I went all out and bought the 3-pack of strings.

I am a madman.

How extravagant!!

[Paul_C]

Damnit.

Just agreed to buy a very cheap US Telecaster (the pickguard underneath will be on it, not the one with the mini humbucker)

[cosmicevan]

Went for some trades, but wasn't getting tons of bites...but got some cash offer so trading some pedals for cash that I can trade for other pedals and thus not technically buy any more new to me gear. 6 and one half a dozen....amirite?

[Blood_mountain]

Went for some trades, but wasn't getting tons of bites...but got some cash offer so trading some pedals for cash that I can trade for other pedals and thus not technically buy any more new to me gear. 6 and one half a dozen....amirite?

I think as long as you're happy and making music then whatever arrangement you come to with yourself to manage your collecting/acquiring/whatever is cool. I've not really felt the need to get anything additional (aside from a cassette recorder), but my issue is that despite that, I also have not been playing/making/recording much music. That was the intent of the challenge for me; to redirect my attention to using what I have instead of acquiring more. I seem to have successfully extinguished the GAS for the most part, but now need to get myself into the habit of just sitting down and regularly creating.

[friendship]

There was a great deal on a Boss RV-5 locally and I passed it up because my resolve is invincible. Why was I looking at gear on Craigslist in the first place? Mind your business, that's why.

[Blood_mountain]

There was a great deal on a Boss RV-5 locally and I passed it up because my resolve is invincible. Why was I looking at gear on Craigslist in the first place? Mind your business, that's why.

I'm so proud of you.

[niftyprose]

This thread made me think of something I read on the back of an album by last-century Scots acoustic duo The Corries.

The Corries were known for turning up at small venues with half a folk museum's worth of fretted and other instruments. Eventually Roy Williamson of the band got fed up with cramming 17 cases in his car and built two instruments he called 'combolins', which had multiple necks, sympathetic strings and The Whole Nine Yards in terms of performance capabilities.

The result, as he ruefully admitted in the sleeve notes, was that The Corries now carried 19 instruments to gigs.

Type "corries river" into YouTube if you want to hear how it worked out.

Over the last six months I've had a ridiculous amount of fun working out some of the Bach cello suites on a Martin LXM tenor, the cheap but now rather rare four-string version of the Ed Sheeran guitar, and I've started learning concertina on an East German instrument that turned up in the local classifieds. Not sure if I'll actually manage to sell off anything expensive, tho.

Best, NP.