Is This an Addiction?

[kena48]

Why must I alway quest for ONE more pedal? ...Even if my pedal board is full, then I ask myself - "Which one could I trade?"

 

[A-Bone]

I tend to see it as more of a compulsion than an addiction.

 

[kena48]

And then your impulse purchase materializes into a better sound. Hey, I don't need or want a flanger. What the heckh is that anyway? Then you get the flanger - ooohh, nice me likey!

 

[Ryan84]

Welcome to the club. Pedals are also a metaphor for life. It's kind of the american way. We always want more, to consume more, buy more. The key IMO is to be content with what you have and grateful. There are people out there who don't have the money to have pedalboards. We can't have them all and we should try to buy in moderation. This is coming from me of course, and I have around 20 pedals lol.

 

[cue311]

I've downgraded the number of pedals, and in doing so upgraded my choices and sound. I am not spending new money on pedals, only money from prior sales. I don't need any of this, but it makes me happy.

Especially fuzz! wooha!

 

[DeVilleDude]

Hear you there, kena48, I got 5 dirt pedals on the board, another half dozen on the shelf, and am gassin' to try the OD11...and the Wampler Sovereign...and the 3 Leaf Audio Proton to possibly replace my big box QTron....and .....all the pedals from about 7 builders....UGH!!!

Me thinks that the same part of my brain that 'needed' to always see the 'next' Dead show back in the day, is also responsible for the feeling/urge that the VERY NEXT PEDAL (or 2) might be THE ONE (or 2)!!!

If there's a support group for this, somebody PM me with the time and place...

 

[Ryan84]

We are also in a state of sensory overload with the marketplace right now. There's mass produced bands, boutiques, clones, vintage pedals for sale on ebay. It's not the simplest time to make pedal purchases. We have all the options in the world and have to differentiate between what we really need for "our own" sound.

 

[harpinon]

Most guys who have hobbies have gear obsessions.
Golf cars fishing hunting boating......you get the idea.
Don't sweat it. Go immediately to the pedal emporium and buy something.
You'll feel much better.

 

[wundergussy]

This is my hobby. I do not collect or obsess about anything else. I'm cool with it.

 

[BEMUSofNrthAmrca]

Not one you should be too worried about.

 

[chrismellotron]

I need another Timmy or something that can perform the same role. It's become a necessity for me to have a pedal that makes the other ones (mainly Gain & FUZZ) come to life. I thank PaulC for this newfound NEED!

 

[kena48]

I will organize a massive support group. Will make sure all the major vendors have booths at the event.

 

[geek-mo]

This is my hobby. I do not collect or obsess about anything else. I'm cool with it.

Me, too. I can stop at any time.

 

[5150user]

Yes. Help me. I think?

 

[AtlMusicMan86]

Heck I just bought another delay that I don't need! But I sure wanted it

 

[voorhiessa]

Prevents our tired old licks from sounding the exact same. Only 90% the same.

 

[jul.brown90]

We only live once my friend ! Have fun !

Heck I just bought another delay that I don't need! But I sure wanted it

 

[chrismellotron]

After rediscovering the cleandestine beauty of the Muff design, I find myself GASn for another Muff variant. My NYC Big Muff > Timmy sounded sweet last night. My EQD Hoof even sweeter.

 

[Ryan84]

NYC Big Muff is an all time classic. I'm really confused as to why I see so many selling used at every Guitar Center. I'll never get rid of mine.

 

[Holzar1988]

Asking a bunch of other addicts if your addiction is OK is definitely a ticket to enablement.

Spoken by someone currently bidding on three pedals ...

In guitar-dom, I think the pedal compulsion is especially dangerous because it's a lot easier to rationalize a hundred here, a hundred there as compared to (usually) significantly more money on more guitars or amps. Plus, they'e so small, you can generally sneak them in undetected, if you want, if spouses/sig. others are paying attention. It's much harder to to that with a new guitar ("I don't remember seeing that purple guitar before ... ") or, say, a new 4X12 ("Hey, why's this cabinet taking up half the room").

That said, there's just something about the search that's so very compelling. And the fact that you can search the forums for hours on end and still learn about some new, under-the-radar company enables he compulsive part of the equation that much more.