Ever realize you’re just…done?

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

I have a main guitar, and a suitable backup for gigs. I’m satisfied with my modeling solution. Satisfied with my monitoring choice.

So, as excited as I got for a few minutes, I sighed and moved on.

Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

 

I'm not done, but the GAS list is getting much shorter. My problem is that I play electric, acoustic, and bass. A few guitars/basses will be sold/traded to fund something down the pipeline.

 

I'm pretty dialed in with my Kemper + powered Kab. I've had that longer now than any rig. But, I stopped gigging back in 2018 so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. My reference tones are all some flavor of Gibson through Marshall. The Kemper has been the best way to get that tone at acceptable volume levels for my situation. I do toy with getting a tube amp or a second rig but to what end? Unless I'm gigging or I move, I'd never be able to open that up. So GAS has really subsided for me on the amp/modeling front.

For guitars, I'm at 8 electrics with one bass and one acoustic. I don't need 8 electrics for sure anymore, but I hang them in my office/music room so they're art that I occasionally play and tinker with to keep my mod skills going.

I'd like to say I'm done, but I love changing out pickups and doing tweaks to get the perfect tone (for my ears) out of every guitar. That's my obsession and money sink hole...pickups!

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

I have a main guitar, and a suitable backup for gigs. I’m satisfied with my modeling solution. Satisfied with my monitoring choice.

So, as excited as I got for a few minutes, I sighed and moved on.

Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

I’ve been luckier than most. I had a 64 VV, a Tommy Cougar modded 67 SR, Leslie, 2Rock SSS, 72 Hiwatt, and 68 Super Bass…….
Why because we all play and collect to play. Then I realized, most just sit there. I had them because I always wanted them but don’t need them.

Two weeks ago I drove up to Carters in Nashville and dropped everything minus my Marshall off, including lots of vintage pedals.

I just didn’t need them, I loved them all and will always know and cherish my luck at playing through them all, but I didn’t need them

 

I'm not done, but the GAS list is getting much shorter.

This right here.

 

You just ran out of gas.

I'm tired of the revolving guitar store too.

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.…….Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

Yep. About 20 years ago. I’ve owned literally every guitar and amp I’ve ever dreamed of……barring a ‘59 Burst or ‘58 Explorer. I’ve owned vintage Fender and Marshall amps. That didn’t stop me from acquiring more over the years, but it became apparent that I was simply trying to fill a void that didn’t exist. What I really TRULY desired was better chops, more fingerboard knowledge, time in on the instrument, better understanding of what belongs, and what doesn’t. That has taken DECADES to determine, and I’m still learning 40+ years later.

 

So much gear, so little time…
Many times I thought I was done, but no one easily gets rid of the GAS syndrome…

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

In truth there is a difference and a utility in guitar configurations. Plus there has to be that inspiration that comes from hearing Peter Green or Jimi or Jeff Baxter coming out at you that isn't quite there when your not holding their tool. Then the knowledge you gain of how your hand works with various necks, how you can get sustain, feedback, articulation with various pick up choices, whether you use or vibrato or not, staying in tune with bends. Then of course comes the can't explain factor of "I just sound better" on a certain guitar. To me I am just a bit lazy about selling guitars I have moved on from otherwise I think it is always part of the fun to see what luthiers and pick up artists have done. I live about 20 minutes from Chicago Music Exchange here and I can settle a lot of questions pretty easily with an hour in a practice space with a boutique amp. That all being said I just dropped 600$ on some Throbacks to drop into an Epiphone 335 that plays like a 10k 59. Never done is my answer.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty much there myself.

Of course, it would be nice to upgrade my stage monitors, maybe get the Fractal FC-12....and I really do need a Strat......and I don't have a semi-hollow....

Done? Yeah, right.

 

I've grown tired of buying and selling. Been a one-way selling road lately and cutting deeper and deeper into some of the rare ones I said I'd never sell. Lost some interest in the hobby as a whole for some reason. Used some of the money to buy a boat and do that with the kids. Money better spent.

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

I have a main guitar, and a suitable backup for gigs. I’m satisfied with my modeling solution. Satisfied with my monitoring choice.

So, as excited as I got for a few minutes, I sighed and moved on.

Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

You're on the way to where I arrived a year ago or so..."get ready." I think it is caused by a few things...at least for me: 1) I am getting older and need to save and spend my money differently now; 2) I realized that even after finally being able to afford some pretty incredible gear, I am not that much better of a guitar player: it is not what you have and how good it is and how much of it you have...it is about the "time" you put in on WHATEVER you own and play, that makes you the better player that you want to be; 3) Time and necessity of circumstance...as we get older, other priorities just nudge their way into our lives, and I have found myself having less time to play over the last few years...especially due to COVID. My wife started working from home during COVID, and has limited hours where she actually goes into her office anymore. I used to play when she wasn't home, but now she is home all day for three days per week and she is on conference calls all day. So that means NO playing at the volume I want to play at. 4) Inspiration is lacking. I have not heard any guitar player or music that really impressed me for at least a decade, that inspired me to grab my guitar to try to learn what they play, and how to take those skills and that technique to move forward in my playing. I can count the fingers on half or less of one hand, as to what players have impressed me and provided inspiration to move forward with my own playing. I am from the classic rock and Blues era. No one is playing Blues like the original, great pioneers of the genre. And few if any are playing classic rock that is "new." Same old minor pentatonic, or "box pattern", and chord progressions that have been around for 60 years now. 5) Humble resignation: all of the things above tell me that I will never have the time nor inspiration to be as good as I want to be. I am as good as I will ever be. It is a reminder that music is a journey...you never "arrive", you're always "traveling' the road" to "get there", but "there" isn't on the map, despite all the signs and evidence that sometimes you know you are in fact on the "right road", and you're enjoying the journey most of the time. But at some point, you see long stretches in front of you that offer no motivation...no "scenery" to inspire you...just a long stretch of road through the figurative "desert wasteland" of being "average to good", but no signs that you've entered the state of "GREAT." Kind of a bleak answer and assessment...sorry. I am thinking more now about "selling" my gear, and to somehow get it down to just 1-2 guitars and 1-2 amps. That is basically impossible, because each represents a different color or hue on my pallet of tone. It would be like an artist deciding to remove yellow, blue, and red from their pallet, and to paint only in green, black, and white. Pretty limiting, and very boring. Might as well just stop painting altogether.

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

I have a main guitar, and a suitable backup for gigs. I’m satisfied with my modeling solution. Satisfied with my monitoring choice.

So, as excited as I got for a few minutes, I sighed and moved on.

Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

I go through that process almost daily. But I still love to window shop.

 

It's always n+1

 

Yep. My electric rig is all set. I have a decent resonator.
All I need is a good acoustic. (J45, I’m looking your way)

Big thumbs up on the J45. I went from Taylors to a Martin 000-18 then finally a 2022 J45 Standard. Best playing and sounding acoustic I've ever touched. You can't go wrong.

 

You're on the way to where I arrived a year ago or so..."get ready." I think it is caused by a few things...at least for me: 1) I am getting older and need to save and spend my money differently now; 2) I realized that even after finally being able to afford some pretty incredible gear, I am not that much better of a guitar player: it is not what you have and how good it is and how much of it you have...it is about the "time" you put in on WHATEVER you own and play, that makes you the better player that you want to be; 3) Time and necessity of circumstance...as we get older, other priorities just nudge their way into our lives, and I have found myself having less time to play over the last few years...especially due to COVID. My wife started working from home during COVID, and has limited hours where she actually goes into her office anymore. I used to play when she wasn't home, but now she is home all day for three days per week and she is on conference calls all day. So that means NO playing at the volume I want to play at. 4) Inspiration is lacking. I have not heard any guitar player or music that really impressed me for at least a decade, that inspired me to grab my guitar to try to learn what they play, and how to take those skills and that technique to move forward in my playing. I can count the fingers on half or less of one hand, as to what players have impressed me and provided inspiration to move forward with my own playing. I am from the classic rock and Blues era. No one is playing Blues like the original, great pioneers of the genre. And few if any are playing classic rock that is "new." Same old minor pentatonic, or "box pattern", and chord progressions that have been around for 60 years now. 5) Humble resignation: all of the things above tell me that I will never have the time nor inspiration to be as good as I want to be. I am as good as I will ever be. It is a reminder that music is a journey...you never "arrive", you're always "traveling' the road" to "get there", but "there" isn't on the map, despite all the signs and evidence that sometimes you know you are in fact on the "right road", and you're enjoying the journey most of the time. But at some point, you see long stretches in front of you that offer no motivation...no "scenery" to inspire you...just a long stretch of road through the figurative "desert wasteland" of being "average to good", but no signs that you've entered the state of "GREAT." Kind of a bleak answer and assessment...sorry. I am thinking more now about "selling" my gear, and to somehow get it down to just 1-2 guitars and 1-2 amps. That is basically impossible, because each represents a different color or hue on my pallet of tone. It would be like an artist deciding to remove yellow, blue, and red from their pallet, and to paint only in green, black, and white. Pretty limiting, and very boring. Might as well just stop painting altogether.

Very well said, sir
My good friend and brother plays in a corporate band and his abilities are Larry Carlton- EVH.
He’s been my inspiration. There are very very few tho these days

 

I got out of the gear game a long time ago. I realized I wanted to sound like myself, and nobody else, which made owning tons of gear pointless. I also realized that I needed to focus more on songwriting and composition to achieve that goal. In the end, it's about what you play, not what you play through. Good tone is easy. Good notes are hard.

 

I just couldn't help myself, came across a Jackson Mini Bass for $ 100. They MsRP for $ 270, but everyone else has one on sale for $ 190. This one is a Snow White 2019 that has been rarely used a dozen times. Jackson came out with them as a kiddie/traveler 3/4 Bass around that time for $ 169.99, so I figure for $ 100 I'm ahead of the game for getting a pristine one bought at a Guitar Center when it was new. So naturally, I've got to go find a bass amp now. What I was looking at before it was GLarry ($85), Monoprice ($149.99), and those are 34 scale length. I was considering the Luna short & regular scale, those being 30 & 34 scale length bass & oddly no price difference at $239.99. The Luna is Mahogany, the GLarry & Monoprice Basswood. The Jackson is Poplar that weighs in closer to Alder, even has a Maple fretboard instead of Rosewood/Ebony/Walnut. So I think after this I'm definitely done.

 

So I’m poking around TGP and came across an ad for a sunburst Strat at a pretty good price. I got excited then realized…I don’t need it.

I have a main guitar, and a suitable backup for gigs. I’m satisfied with my modeling solution. Satisfied with my monitoring choice.

So, as excited as I got for a few minutes, I sighed and moved on.

Let me guess - that means my TGP card is going to be revoked, right?!?

That's funny I don't remember posting this or ever using jjaaaam as my username. But yes I still feel this way

 

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It is a reminder that music is a journey...you never "arrive", you're always "traveling' the road" to "get there", but "there" isn't on the map, despite all the signs and evidence that sometimes you know you are in fact on the "right road", and you're enjoying the journey most of the time. But at some point, you see long stretches in front of you that offer no motivation...no "scenery" to inspire you...just a long stretch of road through the figurative "desert wasteland" of being "average to good", but no signs that you've entered the state of "GREAT."

I had a forced retirement just as Covid hit. I decided it was time to really study this tool and I have made huge strides and advanced my ear, my voicings, my appreciation of modes and scales and how they amp up your inspiration to play outside of the box..literally! I just turned 70 and I think you have to fight this tendency to say "oh well".. Rick Beato is a great place to start. Get his book and take an hour every day to just learn and study his method. What have you got to lose? I promise like me you will suddenly have a breakthrough and see that you really aren't close to where you might go but you are definitely appreciating the art form and hearing it in a bigger way. My barrier was my commitment. Commit and you will rekindle your passion!