Problem?

[Jake]

Is anyone else a compulsive junkie about hoarding amps/pedal/instruments/music/mp3s/vinyl/etc. to the point that it might be a potential problem? Not so much a problem like you're buying delay pedals instead of paying your rent or mortgage, but spending an inordinate amount of free time searching for the next killer deal? Or fixating on something until it's satisfied?

Like right now I have a pretty broad spectrum of guitars, but don't have an SG. So I've been using a lot of energy hunting down the "perfect" SG.


I really don't need an SG.













But I want an SG.






So my question is when does it spill over from "healthy hobby" or "collector" into "addict" or "hoarder" territory? It's got to be before the line is crossed where it's simply a financial or spacial burden, yes? I mean the time and energy spent doing something like scouring Craigslist Musical Intruments could be better spent doing some sort of activity that helps advance humanity in some small, incremental way...right? Like reading some spiritually uplifting literature, or volunteering to help seniors, etc, etc.

[Hemisaurus]

I guess if you're not in debt, not neglecting the rest of your life, and happy with yourself, enjoy.

If you are worried about it, stop.

[xayk]

Yeah, I don't think it's a problem unless it's affecting other things or people in your life. 

I've shifted in the last few years into "will I use it over X" mode, which helps to keep things in check (largely for the sake of my significant other, to be fair.)

[VOLVO)))]

Paging Dean.

[Mr. Foxen]

Went from interest to my main source of income for me. Via my employer trying to stiff me and having to pay me off when I called out their bullshit.

[ryansummit]

thanks to you guys im gettin close
not that there wasnt a huge gaping hole in my addictive personality
that iv drugs used used to occupy
what i learned about gear i learned from my drummer and you guys
most importantly this habit dont hurt noone(except landlord)
theres always someone with $$ that needs the gear your gonna sell when times are tight
its my fucking money and its fun
it takes forever for the electric company to finally shut you off
last but not least
you only need one pair of working rollerblades and one rock band combo pack at a time
so what else you gonna spend yer money on
i dont think its a problem until the gear takes over your girlfriends side of the bed

[clockwork green]

I really envy guys that have that one guitar that is just always with them and is far and away their number 1 like Rory Gallagher's fucked up Strat or Jimmy Page's cherry burst '59. Maybe I'll never have that because I'll never let myself have that because I always want something new like the doubleneck I have on order or the custom Jazzmaster I want to build. The same with amps, I wish I had that bond that was just my signature sound. I'm also bad with keeping pedals I don't use. I have 3 shelves full of boutique pedals I rarely use all because I figure I'll use them for recording one day or I'll help a friend out whose looking for some new sounds. I'm not broke and I still have space so it's not a big problem but sometimes I wish I was more satisfied with what I have so I could focus on writing instead of hunting down new tones but that's also how I do some of my writing. Every piece of gear has a unique song in it.

[VOLVO)))]

I've fallen out of it. I'm so fucking broke, it's funny. I just can't afford to hunt, anymore, so I stopped looking...

At least you can still buy shit...

[The Shocker]

Is anyone else a compulsive junkie about hoarding amps/pedal/instruments/music/mp3s/vinyl/etc. to the point that it might be a potential problem? Not so much a problem like you're buying delay pedals instead of paying your rent or mortgage, but spending an inordinate amount of free time searching for the next killer deal? Or fixating on something until it's satisfied?

Like right now I have a pretty broad spectrum of guitars, but don't have an SG. So I've been using a lot of energy hunting down the "perfect" SG.


I really don't need an SG.













But I want an SG.






So my question is when does it spill over from "healthy hobby" or "collector" into "addict" or "hoarder" territory? It's got to be before the line is crossed where it's simply a financial or spacial burden, yes? I mean the time and energy spent doing something like scouring Craigslist Musical Intruments could be better spent doing some sort of activity that helps advance humanity in some small, incremental way...right? Like reading some spiritually uplifting literature, or volunteering to help seniors, etc, etc.

Hits way too close to home.  Just know you are not alone.

[Jake]

I can tell you, with regard to what Clockwork said, I used to be one of those guys content with one amp & one guitar. It was from about 1997-2005. Then, in May of 2005 my best friend and I were passengers in a horrific car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. About two weeks later, another very close friend of mine passed away. I guess something clicked to the effect of "you only live once" or something, because I've been on a tear ever since with this shit. It's also kind of a rush (or whatever) buying things for well below market value, I guess.

And another point of reference from Clock's post: I also would like to acquire a Jazzmaster.

Goddamnit.

[RacerX]

I'm pretty married to my SG, but the V is getting some playing time these days. I also have an Epi LP Jr. set up for slide.

I'm poor, so I have to be practical. Instead of collecting a bunch of different electrics, I've acquired different types of instruments. I have one lap steel, one acoustic, and one resonator. They all get a lot of playing time, which I doubt would be the case if I had a bunch of different electrics (how often would I play the Strat? The "other" Strat?). I get more use and enjoyment out of each instrument this way.

All that said, if I had the money, though, I'd definitely have WAY more gear than I do.

[dogfood]

I rarely, RARELY, let gear go.  So, even though I've been through thick and thin I still have plenty of gear.  In that sense I'm a hoarder.  I don't endanger my rent payment however.  Most people would call me a bore for such behavior. 

[Demon Lung]

Have you guys seem that hoarders show. I feel for some of those peeps.

[Hemisaurus]

I rarely, RARELY, let gear go.  So, even though I've been through thick and thin I still have plenty of gear.  In that sense I'm a hoarder.  I don't endanger my rent payment however.  Most people would call me a bore for such behavior. 

I'm this. I always know I'm going to regret it, my first bass and amp, wish I had shipped them to the states with me, it would have been an awesome practice amp, little 6W tube into a 12" Fane.

The only gear I let go, is the stuff I'm super sure I'm not gonna miss, like at least 3 years or so sure.

[Andrew Blakk]

I must say that some deals haven't been the smartest and that for some point made the economy a bit straind lol. But I've never ended up in debts or something like that. But I guess nowerdays I pretty much have the guitars, a couple of amps, speakers, microphones + recording gear (etc etc) that I need. Not in an extreme way what so ever but still. Which means that I should be satisfied right...?

Hell no...

But I'm not doing stupid any longer deals at least. 

On the gas list right now:
Some sort of Rockabillyguitar
A Sg
An Orange rig
A Tele/Stratt (A Paisley would be sweet)
A new kick drum mic

Ridicoulus if you think about it.

[clockwork green]

Wow...very interesting about the car accident thing. Oddly enough in October of 2005, my best friend and roommate passed away in her sleep and I was the one to find her.  I had always bought a bunch of gear but I think at that point I went over a year without buying a pedal and I had only bought 1 guitar in the last 2 or 3...but her death definitely opened up a floodgate of buying guitars, amps and pedals and ever other shit I had never been into before (like bikes).  I never really put those two together till you mentioned it.  Thankfully I haven't touched a credit card in 5 years but I definitely bought gear to fill an emotional hole.  When I had a bad day it made me feel better, and when I had a good day I bought stuff to celebrate.  Now I do that with food and still with gear from time to time but I'm only spending the money I have and not adding to my debt. 

[Submarine]

If you go back 40 years or so you had only a few choices for gear.
Fx pedals barely existed. Many of our heroes basically had nimble fingers
and vast imaginations.  Hope that helps to quell your G.A.S.  - probably not.

[rayinreverse]

If you go back 40 years or so you had only a few choices for gear.
Fx pedals barely existed. Many of our heroes basically had nimble fingers
and vast imaginations.  Hope that helps to quell your G.A.S.  - probably not.

yeah. and most of our heroes already wrote all the cool shit with those, so the rest of us unimaginative, slow finger fucks need to use a pedal once in awhile. sue me.
that type of thought should be reserved for old blues lawyer tone purist forums, where they debate the oxygen content in the room making a difference in how a vintage fender sounds.

[Pissy]

I go through phases.

I've been looking for the standards to add to my collection of guitars too. I'm a bass player fer chrissake.

But yeah, American Strat, tele, ES335, genuine plexi, Vox AC30, genuine 59 Fender Bassman I want them all. But I've never went into debt for any of the stuff I do have. 

Wanting all of that stuff isn't enough though. I have a history of not saving my pennies and buying the cheaper knock off copies that have little resale worth. Thus guaranteeing that my gear collection doesn't get smaller.

So I'll look into an Es-335 and end up buying a Washburn HB- 30. Not satisfying my craving for an Es 335 one bit. Vicious circle.

[ryansummit]

did the same thing
ive wanted an sg all my life, even a g400 would suffice
bought the samick,to save $25,and love it
but still want a real sg,the copy is immediate gratification
i think part of it has to do with "purists" telling me i want a real sg
that nothing is like the "real" thing, the other part is ,in reality,some things feel cheap
knowing that theres something better to be had ,that i cant afford this second
is what keeps the cycle going, thank the internet for that
if i already a gibson sg,and someone told me the samick was way better
id be dreaming about samicks ,and buying samick copys
and what of inovation....?dude shut the fuck up already!!...ok

[Submarine]

If you go back 40 years or so you had only a few choices for gear.
Fx pedals barely existed. Many of our heroes basically had nimble fingers
and vast imaginations.  Hope that helps to quell your G.A.S.  - probably not.

yeah. and most of our heroes already wrote all the cool shit with those, so the rest of us unimaginative, slow finger fucks need to use a pedal once in awhile. sue me.
that type of thought should be reserved for old blues lawyer tone purist forums, where they debate the oxygen content in the room making a difference in how a vintage fender sounds.

Um Ray - a little harsh?  Everyone here has gear lust. Just remembering that when I can't afford a new piece of gear I use that as motivation to practice and to write.

[dogfood]

did the same thing
ive wanted an sg all my life, even a g400 would suffice
bought the samick,to save $25,and love it
but still want a real sg,the copy is immediate gratification
i think part of it has to do with "purists" telling me i want a real sg
that nothing is like the "real" thing, the other part is ,in reality,some things feel cheap
knowing that theres something better to be had ,that i cant afford this second
is what keeps the cycle going, thank the internet for that
if i already a gibson sg,and someone told me the samick was way better
id be dreaming about samicks ,and buying samick copys
and what of inovation....?dude shut the fuck up already!!...ok

The gitfiddle I play was manufactured by the Samick Corporation (it took some investigating to find out who exactly manufactured said fiddle) and is sold by a Fort Worth, TX front company, err I mean American company called-Tradition.  Let me put it this way, if you wanted a LP and didn't want to risk the $ because of gigging, etc. Tradition/Sammick builds that fiddle. Thick on the poly of course.  Also, Epiphone used to use these dudes to build their guitars.  I'm speculating here, but no longer-due to cost, only, concerns.  Samick are the big boys of wood these days.  Look into their piano mafioso style dealings...

[The Shocker]

I can tell you, with regard to what Clockwork said, I used to be one of those guys content with one amp & one guitar. It was from about 1997-2005. Then, in May of 2005 my best friend and I were passengers in a horrific car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. About two weeks later, another very close friend of mine passed away. I guess something clicked to the effect of "you only live once" or something, because I've been on a tear ever since with this shit. It's also kind of a rush (or whatever) buying things for well below market value, I guess.

And another point of reference from Clock's post: I also would like to acquire a Jazzmaster.

Goddamnit.

Wow...very interesting about the car accident thing. Oddly enough in October of 2005, my best friend and roommate passed away in her sleep and I was the one to find her.  I had always bought a bunch of gear but I think at that point I went over a year without buying a pedal and I had only bought 1 guitar in the last 2 or 3...but her death definitely opened up a floodgate of buying guitars, amps and pedals and ever other shit I had never been into before (like bikes).  I never really put those two together till you mentioned it.  Thankfully I haven't touched a credit card in 5 years but I definitely bought gear to fill an emotional hole.  When I had a bad day it made me feel better, and when I had a good day I bought stuff to celebrate.  Now I do that with food and still with gear from time to time but I'm only spending the money I have and not adding to my debt. 

My sickness got bad after my son was born.  He is what people used to call retarded.  Now they say developmentally delayed, which makes it sound a little better.  I have that emptiness inside me that never gets filled no matter how much gear I buy.  It does make me feel better for a little while, but it goes away fast. 
It is also combined with the fact that I am a shitty player & each purchase or trade has an element of "this will finally make me play great."  Which never happens.

Man, I feel bummed even talking about it, good thing I have a new guitar coming today!!!

[grimniggzy]

I haven't been able to spend any money on gear lately and it's made me realize all I need are...
my Strat, Precision, Jazz
Ampeg ADA4 & ADA6,
QTron + RAT for pedals,
Sunn Betas & 370 for amps

Everything else I have is overkill
I think I'll be having a fire sale when I actually decide to pull the trigger on a car.

[VOLVO)))]

If I could afford that t-40, It would be on my bed, right now. Fuck I want it.