The cure for G.A.S.

[GuitarIv]

Gear Aquisition Syndrome. Every guitar players knows it, most of us had or have it, there are dozens of articles out there focusing on it. What I decided to do here is open a thread and share my top 2 methods I found over the years that work to lessen it or get over it. At least temporarily haha.

Anyway. I'll keep this short.

1.: So you're sitting in front of your laptop and watching videos. Of gear reviews.  And you see all this shiny stuff, people reviewing it, getting amazing sounds blasting out of your speakers. And you are thinking "oh man, I need this amp/guitar/cab". I'm gonna be the next Van Halen, but only if I get that piece of gear. And eventually you go out and buy that piece of gear. Only to find yourself a week later looking at another video and hearing amazing sounds again. Craving for the next purchase, ignoring the fancy new piece of gear sitting in your room you just got recently.

Guess what, the reason the stuff sounds awesome is because most times people reviewing it spent most of their time practicing. I'm not saying a solid piece of gear isn't a part of sounding good, but you could give Gary Moore a cheap Epiphone and an Orange Micro Terror and he'd still sound amazing. Turn off that laptop and go practice!


2.: You're browsing Ebay or your local auction site. You find a guitar here, a pickup there, amps, pedals, cables, picks. They go for soo cheap! This is the deal of my life! I can't refuse that, it's a freakin steal! I need this!

Do you have a guitar that plays and sounds well? Good. Do you have an amp that makes a sound? Good as well. Go practice. Good deals show up all the time and yes sometimes you get a steal by browsing online, but again your time is best spent playing your instrument, plus the more stuff you own the more maintenance costs add up. Strings/tubes/pickups/repairs aren't all that cheap.


The two things that come to my mind off the top of my head. They help me. Everytime I find myself sitting in front of a PC instead of an amplifier I try to remind myself of this. It works.



So what are your experiences/tips? Share, even if it's just a funny and/or ridiculous story.

Cheers!

[gwEm]

What gets me with GAS is the older secondhand gear, often the obscure stuff. I tend to spend a long time researching each purchase.

I have to say though, when the things arrive, most of the time there is indeed no real advantage over what I already have ;)

But there is usually something to like about the gear, I do only get good stuff, so I don't tend to move it on. I need to be better with that.

Occasionally though I'll turn up a gem. I think the best thing I've brought recently is maybe my DopeFX Earth Dweller. I may eventually grow to love my digital Boss GT-1 in the same way.

[GuitarIv]

Yeah I'm finally getting to the point where I really have everything I'll ever need. Unfortunately just like you I have a weak spot for used old school gear... I should throw out my laptop lol

[Plenum n Heather]

I am not a pedal, amp, or guitar collector. I have a few of each, and sell off what I don't use.

Synths, however, is an entirely different story!

[GuitarIv]

Haha, I don't think it's restricted to guitar gear. I even found a site online about G.A.S. by a photographer talking about always upgrading to the newest camera/lense and so on 

[AndyR]

Like with all syndromes (IBS and Menieres Syndrome are the main ones I'm familiar with) - there is no cure

I've learnt over the past few years that the medical world calls something a syndrome when it's an observable thing, but they don't know what causes it yet and they have no cure... just a few theories, observable links, and maybe some treatments or recommendations that might alleviate or reduce the symptoms... (this doesn't mean there aren't bunches of them going hammer and tongs to research it and tie it down to a treatable thing - it's just that human knowledge hasn't got there yet...)

This actually seems to fit my view and experience of GAS very well!

A couple of years ago I learnt to embrace it, to fit myself around it when necessary, and not become too obsessed with it as an issue . Suddenly I found I wasn't experiencing it so badly. I went nearly two years without buying a guitar once... Now, however, when I do experience GAS, I just give in to it... there's possibly a few minutes of pain/remorse, and then it's gone... all back to normal.

I've found that you can lead a full and satisfying life even if you are suffering from severe GAS.

[GuitarIv]

Good approach Andy... never thought about it that way.

I actually just experienced the perfect example of how embracing G.A.S. can lead to something great...

Yesterday I drove out to the countryside to pick up a pair of English made Celestion V30s for a 150 bucks. Ended up in the dudes rehearsal space (in an old barn) where he first offered me a beer and asked me if I wanna jam. There was a friggin wall of amplifiers there, a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Bluesbreaker Combo, a 77 2204 JMP, a Vox AC 30, a Marshall Class 5 and more... heaven.

So I plug in, he does the same and we start jamming a blues. Drummer suddenly knocks on the door and joins us. We went from AC/DC over Hendrix all the way to Led Zeppelin and beyond. Fast forward an hour and a half we are having a smoke and some more beers and they ask me if I'd be interessted to join their band. They are looking for a second guitar player/background voice.

I went ahead when I saw that pair of Celestions online although I actually don't really need them. I ended up finding a band that plays rock n roll and blues and has regular gigs. I don't regret a single thing. Call it destiny? Hahaha. Rehearsal next week 

[AndyR]

Cool! Good luck with it, hope it works out 

[GuitarIv]

Cheers Andy! 

[gwEm]

Cheers Andy! 

my best wishes as well, a new band is an exciting thing!

[GuitarIv]

Cheers Gwem! :)

[Telerocker]

Right Andy, no cure for GAS, only a empty wallet will put a halt for a while.

I must say I didn't buy much stuff the past years. I feel no need to get new guitars as my current workhorses do a fine job. And with three stacks my ampcollection  has reached it's spacelimit in the house too. Last purchase was an EP-booster and a Diezel Schmidt-head, which is a wicked amp.

The only thing I'm gassing on is a old Vibrolux. I really don't need it, but I want it sooner or later. Sadly the good ones got expensive.

[_tom_]

Having my son really put things like gear in perspective! Im downsizing everything now since I rarely have time to play much any more, so really all I need is one decent guitar and an amp I can use at reasonable volume. Will probably get rid of my Laney and get a Code 25 tbh, I can get them for very cheap and they sound awesome to my ears!

Do sometimes have the odd pangs of wanting a new guitar but then weigh up how much I will really use it and what that money could be better spent on. For better or worse, guitar isn't as big a part of my life as it once was. I'm even thinking about jacking the band in since its not really going anywhere and a rehearsal takes up a whole evening where I'd probably better off just playing at home and getting more out of it!