Knowing That's It's Not the Gear--and KNOWing

[Bongo Boy]

So folks who've been around here for a few years may remember that I've bitched on-and-on about what a piece of crap my Gibson ES-135 is and how much I hate this piece of ****. But every now and then I take it down off the wall and put up with it's bitchy personality and noisy bridge, etc., because well, I'm stuck with it and will never sell it for half of what I bought it for. It's been about 4 months or more since I've even taken it off the wall.

Over just the past two days I've been plugging this thing in to my THD and doing exercises, blues riffs and classic rock chord practice. Suddenly it seems to be behaving remarkably well, sounding wonderful, and putting a major smile on my face. The guitar hasn't changed, but something has.

Hmmmm. Sure glad I didn't smash this piece-o-crap into the floor like I've been tempted to do so many times. Do you suppose it's not the gear that makes the music?

[metalprep6969]

What are you talking about, everyone knows that tone ISN'T in your fingers

\m/

[rmuscat]

** bucket of ice cubes over head **

lol

i know what you mean .... very shocking experience!


in fact that's why i promised myself no expensive guitars, no JEM's or JS's for me until "that day"

i smell improvement in the air though .... well done bongo boy

[Malcolm]

The golf shops have for years been telling us that all we need is a different club. The X-92A with a 10 degree loft will be the answer to all my problems. I finally decided that most of the problem was not in the clubs........

[oRg]

For the most part a great guitarist doesn't depend on the gear to make him sound good. He depends on himself and his hands.

[Koala]

Use the force Bongo!

[Leviathon]

I will certainly agree with you BB... I wish that when I started playing about a year and a half ago that I would have taken the time and recorded my hackish like playing and submitted it for everyone's unpleansent listening pleasure and now record something so that myself and everyone else can hear the difference. It's not the guitar that is changing (even though I do have a new, at least new to me, guitar) rather the player that is changing...

And this website has contributed mightely to that betterment of my ability. So much that I am playing weekly at my church in our very contemporary band and actually getting some spots where I can solo occasionally...

[Jergason]

While I am sure the average person that hears me doesn't care about the new pickups I bought with slightly lower output, or that I switched speakers, or re-strung my guitar, it sure does make it more fun to play if you LOVE the way your setup sounds!

More seriously, I don't like it when people make it seem like any upgrades to your gear at all are wasteful self-indulgence. I am definatly glad that I have a nice guitar, because although people say it's all in the technique, and I will sound the same on some $100 Korean guitar and a 10 watt practice amp as nice American made guitar and a quality tube amp, I am not good enough yet. I have heard all the stories about Eddie Van Halen playing on someone's gut-bucket into a tin can and still sounding the same, but I can't see that happening with me.

[metalprep6969]

Don't worry Jergason, if gear wasn't important, people like John Petrucci and Eric Johnson wouldn't be so anal about it now would they?

\m/

[Skeletor]

I thought it was my guitar too until someone who can really jam picked it up and destroyed that theory.... Now I know it's my amp =)

[Bongo Boy]

I thought it was my guitar too until someone who can really jam picked it up and destroyed that theory.... Now I know it's my amp =)

Good one, Skeletor!!

[oRg]

lol...yeah, I know what ya mean. i mean I know I can play like Rusty Cooley and Francesco Fareri but my amp makes this noise and it sounds horrible...it's broken...lol.