This week I've decided to share a case study on "gear-disease". A disease that I study closely, keeping track of all the latest studies, research, and experiments. Gear-disease, as defined by the webster dictionary, means "a malady or disorder featuring erratic spending behavior on things that the general public would deem irresponsible, unnecessary, or frivolous." I recently stumbled on a sample case that I found very educational (the names have been changed to protect those involved): John goes to pick up his kids from school, and takes a different route than usual. This route just so happens to take John by "Residence of Guitars", a vintage guitar store, where they entice unwary gear-a-holics with their greased and tatted up sexy sales men and women. In the front window of the store, on a make shift throne lies a mint condition 1959 Fender Deluxe, that looks like it's barely been touched since it was made. A virgin, if you will. John sees the store first, and instantly he feels the first rushes of his gear-disease kicking in, then he sees the amp... In a semi conscious stupor John stops the car in the middle of the street (causing a multi car pile up behind him) and walks into the store, eyes dilated like frisbees. Fast forward five minutes, and John is buckling the amp into the back seat of his car, and driving directly to his buddy Skip's house to jam. With the responsibilities of a being a father and a husband forgotten, with no remorse for now having to take out a second mortgage to pay for his habit, and with no awareness of how his gear-disease caused more than a few fender benders, John is a shell of his former self. John's story is a sad tale, but a cautionary one, meant to teach us all a very valuable lesson. Don't buy the 59 Deluxe, buy a 72 Bass Man head instead. It's way cheaper, and almost (maybe) as nice.
Yay new gear!!!!
What new gear do you drool over?
Happy New Year!
This is a fun one with Danny Sierra, worshiping at the alter of Banjo's, Tape-Op, Electro-Harmonics and whiskey after a very productive night of tracking for his new record.
