I have a confession to make

[paulinnc]

I have become so obsessed with gear over the past few years I have hardly been playing any guitar at all. Checking out different amps, effects and guitars etc has really taken me away from playing. Has anyone else ever had that problem?

[eric]

There was an active thread recently about just that .. Can't find it at the moment ... Good insight from both sides

[Jon S.]

I've moved to the opposite camp. I've never been playing and learning more than right now, both with my band and on my own. The most effective way to sound like Jerry is and always will be learning to play like Jerry!

[tapestry]

i have finally found balance between gear fiddling and playing since finding my tone. now, i just want to play more than ever!

[redeyedjim]

Lol, I have yet to attain enlightenment. I have been on an epic gear quest since I decided to get more serious with my guitar playing about a year ago. My playing has improved, but not at the pace that I am acquiring more gear! At some point I will move past this, but at the moment I'm still enjoying the process, bank balance be damned!

Now, if someone of you would just hurry up and buy my old stuff, I could get on with my efforts to buy more new stuff.

[Panicdude]

What kind of old stuff ya got?

[eric]

I am def still at the end of a high gas phase, but here are a couple points that I've taken from other members here

1 Jer woulda sounded like Jer off a gorilla amp. And then we would all be checking out gorillas.

2 Finally getting your tone in a good place after a long bout of gassines, gives your confidence a huge
boost, so you begin to naturally play better because you know it sounds good

3 Just make a conscious effort to play instead of surfing Harmonycentral reviews from 1987
... And 40 other related websites...

4 This may coincide with a guitar playing down time phase ... I always feel that way after I neglect the guitar for a few days...but never more than a few days... For that I would suggest professional help..

[paulinnc]

Glad to see I am not the only one.

[redeyedjim]

What kind of old stuff ya got?

Actually, at this point I think the only guitar-related gear I'm actively trying to sell is a pair of NIB Dimarzio DP101 (DualSound) pickups, as I've sold most of my other guitar-related items. I have some other stuff I'm selling on ebay, but I don't want to spam this group with that stuff. This is all in a quest to buy (yet another) amp and a combo practice amp; y'know, important stuff that I don't really need.

::sigh:: Gear Acquisition Syndrome is real, people, and only your research dollars can keep it in check! Please give today, and give generously!

[Smolder]

I've spent the last five years working to catch up foursome 20 years away (family, jobs, startups, etc). I split time between the technology and playing. The tech part moves much faster and is way easier. The learning continues, but the buying is tapering off. I may pick up a Mac sometime soon, and I'm always looking for old stck jbl's and vacuum tubes... But otherwise I don't foresee many needs.

[hippieguy1954]

As long as you are not sitting admiring your gear day after day instead of playing your alright. It is however a great feeling when you are happy with your tone and don't have thoughts in the back of your mind of how it could be better when playing!

[bpg21]

As far as tone goes, I've found it's best to keep it as basic as possible. A solid body guitar with DiMarzios, JBL speakers, Fender amp. should do the trick for most material. The rest is in your hands and brain. If Jerry had only these 4 elements, he would have (and did) sound just fine.
Even Jerry was always tweaking his rig up till the end. It seems the more he dicked with his sound, the less it appealed to me. .... The law of deminishing returns... My favorite tones are from the 70's where he (and the band) had a real rich organic sound. During the 90's his (and the band's) sound got too synthetic and refined. Sort of like Wonder Bread vs. whole grain.

[Jon S.]

GAS can certainly be a time and money but it's still cheaper and easier for most people to chase and acquire the gear than do the necessary woodshedding - that's why so many of us keep at the former despite the latter delivering far more musically.

It is said that the difference between a human and a rat is that the rat will try the other side of the maze after its third try on first side with no payoff. So what's the moral here - act like a rat?

[TI4-1009]

Guilty.

[hippieguy1954]

Guilty.

"Honest to the point of recklessness" Just kiddin! We all are at one time or another!