Any one else feel their gear are too much for their talents & skills ?

[Stone]

I for one think so, I've only been playing for ~3 years I dont gig and really am only a room player/hobbyist, and I look at the gear I have and sometimes wonder all this gear & guitars are way beyond my skill level, and now I'm even close to purchasing a FM3, I am dedicated to my hobby and really enjoy learning and playing , and i spend a lot of time on it, but my gear far exceeds my talents at this point

 

[DrewJD82]

Nope, this stuff lets me expand as a musician as I move along and take interests in different things. Whatever I don't do with it now, there's no telling what I will do with it in the future and that's pretty badass.

 

[jellodog]

For me, I definitely have gear that is too much for my skills. i.e. I'm an amateur and I own some pro-level gear.

But the sounds that I make with the gear bring me a lot of pleasure. I don't spend money on much else, and I've had cheap-ass guitars in the past (for example) that just made me frustrated and sad; to the point that I didn't want to play them.

I have to be inspired to pick up the guitar, and the tones that I get with my current gear inspire me and make me want to pick it up; it's a virtuous circle. I love my EBMM Cutlass and I pick it up every day.

Well that's my penance done for the day! Yes... I have sinned!

I also love my Princeton and FM9 and I'm currently alternating between them depending upon what mood or room I'm in, and what's going on in the rest of the house.

I have quite a few tasty pedals and some other gear, but I could get by with just 1 small tube amp and a guitar if I needed too. I suspect that ultimately that's where I'll end up when I'm older - a simple old man with 1 guitar and small combo amp.

The FM9 is a great Swiss army knife and it can be used in a far more flexible fashion (at any volume or with headphones) than a tube amp. I currently enjoy having both; though.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Even if I only had a cheap 10W solid state amp and a Donner guitar, my gear would exceed my talent.

 

[jellodog]

Even if I only had a cheap 10W solid state amp and a Donner guitar, my gear would exceed my talent.

Aww... man. I don't know if I should laugh or cry!

 

[jellodog]

@Stone

Another way of looking at it is that a lot of hobbies can be expensive.

So let's pick something else. It just randomly picked Windsurfing. You're in Canada, so I found a "package" to get started... here it is:

https://www.windspirit.ca/shop/windsurf/windsurfing-package/windsurfing-package-go-windsurfer-2020/.

$3979 – $4149 CAD, it says.

And you still don't get a wetsuit with that, so you'll need to buy one. You'll probably want some lessons too, and then maybe a roof rack on your car to transport it and of course the list goes on. Maybe you'll drive places and rent a chalet near a lake or the ocean so that you can enjoy your new water-based hobby - more expense.

Lots of people spend thousands on their hobbies.

 

[la szum]

Every Fucking Day!

Music is hard people. It's a struggle-fest, a maniacal marathon, with brief respites were
I fool myself and seem to know what I am doing and accomplish a little something.

Some say there are peaks and valleys on the journey, highs and lows, where we can
question the value of the pursuit. It's ok to be down about it all from time to time.
I have met ZERO musicians in my life who have never been there.

 

[Stone]

@Stone

Another way of looking at it is that a lot of hobbies can be expensive.

So let's pick something else. It just randomly picked Windsurfing. You're in Canada, so I found a "package" to get started... here it is:

https://www.windspirit.ca/shop/windsurf/windsurfing-package/windsurfing-package-go-windsurfer-2020/.

$3979 – $4149 CAD, it says.

And you still don't get a wetsuit with that, so you'll need to buy one. You'll probably want some lessons too, and then maybe a roof rack on your car to transport it and of course the list goes on. Maybe you'll drive places and rent a chalet near a lake or the ocean so that you can enjoy your new water-based hobby - more expense.

Lots of people spend thousands on their hobbies.

Yes this is very true I guess that's one positive way of looking at it tweaking tones and playing do give me great pleasure and I enjoy it so
But im quite a bit over this price though $3979 – $4149 CAD

 

[jellodog]

quite a bit over this price though $3979 – $4149 CAD

Oh for sure. It was just an example starting price - entry level, I suppose; and randomly chosen too!

It's good to try gear out and eventually, you'll probably sell some stuff and settle into what does it best for you and focus on that.

Well... that's the theory anyway

 

[Steinmetzify]

Of course; my main guitar cost $4k and my main amp was $5k.

As a hobbyist this is complete overkill but I dig em.

 

[Stone]

Music is hard people.

Ohhh Fuck yeah, so Damn hard but i enjoy it ...

 

[JiveTurkey]

Every day. My jam room is a stupid pile of (mostly) digital riches. And I actually use this gear to go out and play gigs on semi-pro basis Having great sounding tools at your disposal cannot be underestimated, though; and there are a dumptruck full of other bad habits you could be pursuing. So give yourself some leeway and don't be too harsh on your self-critique \m/

 

[la szum]

Every day. My jam room is a stupid pile of (mostly) digital riches. And I actually use this gear to go out and play gigs on semi-pro basis Having great sounding tools at your disposal cannot be underestimated, though; and there are a dumptruck full of other bad habits you could be pursuing. So give yourself some leeway and don't be too harsh on your self-critique \m/

Yup... give up the sex and drugs part and rock and roll is pretty darn cheap all things considered.

 

[la szum]

I drive cars 20 years old with hundreds of thousands of miles on them, hardly ever eat out, don't gamble, or
go to the bars and drink. I wear clothes that are out of fashion. Don't have boxes and boxes of unopened
items I randomly purchased while drunk and online shopping. Ok, maybe a couple.

There are worse things we can be doing. I am not setting fire to houses and threatening to harm people with
a rotten-ass attitude out on the streets. All the mayehm here is sonic in nature, and delightfully, if not also,
frustratingly, enriching. To me.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I've been down and out, living out of my car, storage units, addicted to bad things, ruining other people's lives.

A few thousand dollars of gear to not be like that is worth it even if I can only play a G and C chord

 

[Fireproof]

Oh for sure!! It’s not even close, LOL.

But at least I don’t have to worry about crappy gear holding me back, LOL.

 

[Orvillain]

Nah, I'm dope as fuck.

 

[duzie]

My gear definitely exceeds my skill !

 

[laxu]

The only requirement for buying gear is being able to afford it. What you do with it is your own business.

I've had gear far surpassing my playing or my ability to use it for ages.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Absolutely not! For me, the simple fact is the gear I've bought in the past 4 years have been the best I've ever owned, and it's been a major source of inspiration, because it's easy to play and sounds amazing, and that's translated into helping me become a much better player than I ever was.

I'll always choose gear that I have to grow into, rather than anything that holds me back because it hampers me, in any way.