Aimless GAS

[BlackZeppelin]

I am having the worst GAS attack these days - I want a new guitar for no good reason (I have a good selection currently - not a lot of guitars by TGP standards, but I have my bases covered), but I don't want anything in particular (or rather, I don't have the cash to buy my dream guitars and can't come up with a wish list of guitars that I can afford).

What's really bad about this GAS attack, is that I just bought a really nice guitar a few weeks ago - still in the honeymoon phase with it!

I think I am simply addicted to buying guitars.

 

[DCross]

Ive been having the same feelings lately. And of course coming here is like pouring gasoline on a fire.
Trying to focus on playing. And being grateful for the toys I have.

 

[DGTCrazy]

It's an affliction......... I've got some really, really nice gear, but when I see some of the great deals in the Emporium, it's so very tempting to just to go crazy with the PayPal account.

My latest problem is in having two killer Bogner amps (Shiva & Goldfinger), but I've NEVER owned a Marshall.....and they have me so intrigued these days, as the Bogner's are totally comprised of Marshall DNA....and I'd love to have some fun with the Original. There's about 3 different Marshall's for sale that are just killing me right now...LOL Must.....resist.........Must resist.......Must....resist....

 

[BlackZeppelin]

Amp GAS is something that thankfully I have been able to keep under control as of late - there was a time, though, when I was totally amassing an amp arsenal! The worst was when I got addicted to the notion that I (as an electronics neophyte) could mod $200 Chinese amps into boutique quality monsters. That ended in sadness.

I stopped browsing amp message boards and am content now with my two rather inexpensive, under-the-radar vintage amps (a Traynor and a Valco/National). Although, I would really like to have a Matchless SC30, hmmm....

I don't know what's up with my guitar addiction, though. I had a big collection (for me) a few years back - reached a height of 15, including basses and acoustics (which constantly rotated - I was buying/selling/trading constantly) - but then I sold them all off and got down to just three electrics and a bass for a while. Now I have been bitten by the collector's bug again and am slowly adding more.

I have a Gibson Firebird and CS SG Standard, a Fender AVRI Strat, an Epiphone Casino, a Blue Ridge Parlor, a Squier Jazz bass and an Eastwood 12 string, but I still feel incomplete! I mean, I know I need a Tele and a Les Paul - that's a given (haha!), but I keep obsessing over SG/ LP Jr's for some reason. I also want a baritone and a better 12-string, and would like to get a nice dreadnought - but can't decide on which one to buy first (or if I should just hold off and live with what I've got for a while longer).

Baahhh, it's just craziness!

 

[_sjm_]

I've been having the same problem lately. I've got 3 or 4 guitars that I would consider "keepers", and another 1 or 2 for variety. I've got one that I just picked up recently that I'm going to return to GC specifically because I didn't need it and shouldn't have bought it in the first place, but I guarantee that I'll wander around the store and see if anything else catches my eye while I'm there.

It's a sickness.

 

[madhattertcm]

yup - just spent money I barely had to acquire one of the "celeb owned" guitars in the emporium. I obviously need 3 more guitars... *sarcasm*

Luckily my pedal quest has subsided for a bit.

 

[Jesus freak]

Aimless gas? Yes I have it. Im jonesing for a Les Paul and a Marshall combo. Ive ownd 3 Gibsons but never a LP!

 

[bob-i]

That's the problem with being a guitar player, too many choices.

As a sax player, I have several choices too, but it really comes down to a few high end instruments. I choose to play a Yamaha back in the 70's and never looked back. Other sax players tell me "oh it's a ROCK sax" like that's a bad thing.

Guitars though, I have 18, I bring 4-5 6 to every gig, and the one lonely sax.

Then add amps, pedals, cords...

I have 2 mouthpieces and a box of reeds.

Aimless GAS. Just be careful, never trust a fart.

 

[byrdparis]

when I'm feeling like that i go to my guitars and start switching them during session..
i get in love all over again and i could rid of the gas (for a while). if that doesn't help i will try to figure if ant of my axes need some upgrades..
Tuning keys, pickups, nut, caps and pots, refrets\polishing\redress etc.. that also can help me out a bit.

 

[xenophobe]

I cringe when I think of how much I spent on my last GAS attack in the last 60 days. Thankfully, it's mostly over now.

 

[59Bassman]

Do as I say not as I do (as just bought my first guitar in 5 years - a Charvel So Cal)....

I've always suffered from GAS. I love new gear. Don't know why. However, I've had periods where I kept it in check, normally due to money. I don't know that the feeling ever completely subsides. But here's what I've done in the times that I couldn't or didn't want to end up with another guitar:

1. Go to a music store with $10. Spend it on picks. The caveat is that you can't buy more than 2 of any one type, and you can't buy any you already have. I always found that playing with picks could make a huge difference in how I approached playing.
2. Set a limit ($25, $50?) and hit some pawn shops, looking for one pedal. Sometimes picking up an old Boss SD-1 can help subside the GAS for a bit.
3. Spend $25 on upgrades to a guitar you already have. Straplocks, improved knobs, tremolo block, new tone cap, pickguard, etc. Improve the gear you have.
4. Get a funky strap. Your guitars are cool. They deserve a unique strap.

Dunno if these will work for you, but I managed to own one electric, one amp, and one pedal for 4 years by doing the above when I couldn't really have afforded a new guitar or amp anyway.

 

[p.j.]

I am having the worst GAS attack these days - I want a new guitar for no good reason (I have a good selection currently - not a lot of guitars by TGP standards, but I have my bases covered), but I don't want anything in particular (or rather, I don't have the cash to buy my dream guitars and can't come up with a wish list of guitars that I can afford).

What's really bad about this GAS attack, is that I just bought a really nice guitar a few weeks ago - still in the honeymoon phase with it!

I think I am simply addicted to buying guitars.

If you just bought a new guitar a few weeks ago and still want a new guitar I'd say...yikes!!!

PJ

 

[rob2001]

What cured my GAS was realizing that playing the guitar and tone hunting/gear buying are two different actions. But I see it with others and things they are passionate about. I know a guy who thinks he's into woodworking because he bought $5000.00 worth of woodworking gear while the carpenter I know has half of that.

I don't think there is anything wrong with collecting gear as long as it doesn't get in the way of your goals or cause money problems. But looking to gear every time you come across a 'tonal challenge' will only result in option paralysis.

 

[ef_in_fla]

I'm the same way and I try to combat it with more looking and less buying. After all the hunt is a lot of the fun, at least for me. Figure out what you'd like next, do your research, find the best place to buy, take your time. Use CL to swing some trades too, rather than adding to the stable. 1 in 1 out.

 

[revtintin]

What cured my GAS was realizing that playing the guitar and tone hunting/gear buying are two different actions. But I see it with others and things they are passionate about. I know a guy who thinks he's into woodworking because he bought $5000.00 worth of woodworking gear while the carpenter I know has half of that.

I don't think there is anything wrong with collecting gear as long as it doesn't get in the way of your goals or cause money problems. But looking to gear every time you come across a 'tonal challenge' will only result in option paralysis.

I second this. Interestingly, this seems to be something that's not just affecting us guitar players

I have a friend who's bagged more work in magazines and even has his own prints up at private collections - all taken on a beat up canon mid price dslr. then there was the friend who threw 8 grand on something better to take family photos

 

[BlackZeppelin]

I don't know what my problem is, precisely...perhaps just filling some sort of hole in my life with guitars, haha?! I don't have a wife, kids, or car/house payments - just rent and some credit card debt (that needs to be knocked down a bit before I should be buying any more gear).

I spent my afternoon yesterday driving around to 3 different music stores in my area with this burning feeling that I just had to buy a new guitar! Luckily I resisted the urge (actually, I live in a good guitar desert, so there was nothing that really grabbed me - just cheap junk).

I am not on a tone hunt, or anything - I've been playing for almost 30 years and am quite happy with my tone. I am confident in my skills, as well (I have played in pro bands, written many hundreds of tunes, and released several CD's), so I am not trying to compensate in that department, either.

 

[xenophobe]

I don't know what my problem is, precisely...perhaps just filling some sort of hole in my life with guitars, haha?! I don't have a wife, kids, or car/house payments - just rent and some credit card debt (that needs to be knocked down a bit before I should be buying any more gear).

Kinda the same boat. I'm not tone hunting either. I was just basically looking for that 1 new awesome guitar and got caught up in the hunt.

Two of the nicest guitars I bought both had issues and have been stuck at my local luthier, so I've had almost no time on them.

I bought an 8-string on a whim... a friend pasted me the ebay link, I posted a lowball offer not thinking I would get it. Several weeks later, the guy emails me saying I'm local and he doesn't want to pack it for shipping and sent me an offer, I countered and he accepted. So I drove there and basically just looked at this thing wondering WTF am I gonna do with 8 strings? So I brought it home, started noodling around with it. In 15 minutes I was used to the neck. In about an hour I adjusted my main scales to work with 8. It's the most amazing instrument I've ever played.

That mostly ended my gas spree. I bought a 7-string BC Rich Stealth because I've always wanted one and it was cheap, but that's it since then.

Now I have a few guitars I'm not sure about keeping... so I gotta get them all together and play them all for a couple of weeks to see what I'm keeping.

I still want to buy something new, just nothing out there that grabs me at the moment...

 

[cardamonfrost]

Dunno, I had my dream guitar made. I smile everytime I see it, actually, everytime I think about it. Havent wanted to buy another one since. Also, I made a special cab that holds all of them, with nice wood work and glass doors.

It really drives it home that you dont need another when you can look in there, see 4 acoustics, 2 jazz boxes, and 2 rock guitars and one bass. I really dont need those, but the cab would look stupid empty.....

C

 

[Onioner]

The best treatment for GAS, and indeed, the only thing i know that works, is to play what you already have. I know that my GAS is worst when life conspires to keep me from playing. The moment i get to sit down with what i already have i can forget all about that amp i wanted so badly.

Except for speakers. I always want more speakers. Playing doesn't always help. I'll manage to find some new song, or even just a riff, and think "that sounds great, but it really needs X speaker to shine." That's a true sickness...

 

[hollowhero]

The best treatment for GAS, and indeed, the only thing i know that works, is to play what you already have. I know that my GAS is worst when life conspires to keep me from playing. The moment i get to sit down with what i already have i can forget all about that amp i wanted so badly.

Except for speakers. I always want more speakers. Playing doesn't always help. I'll manage to find some new song, or even just a riff, and think "that sounds great, but it really needs X speaker to shine." That's a true sickness...

Lol...the first half of your post is helpful for gas addicts...