Burning through gear. What I’ve learned.

[OrganicZed]

There’s a lot of wisdom from the OP. The one caveat I’d offer is that sometimes great gear pushes your playing in a direction you didn’t think of before. It can be inspiring and spark creativity even if you’ve already figured out your “style.”

That said, I agree that technique is way more important than gear in the tone equation. Mediocre gear and great playing can yield great tone. Great gear and mediocre playing usually yields mediocre results.

 

[TSJMajesty]

sometimes great gear pushes your playing in a direction you didn’t think of before. It can be inspiring and spark creativity

Yamaha SPX90

 

[Chocol8]

sometimes great gear pushes your playing in a direction you didn’t think of before. It can be inspiring and spark creativity even if you’ve already figured out your “style.”

Sometimes crappy gear can do the same thing. Actually, I think more limitations often results in more creativity, and not just in music.

 

[Jarick]

What I’ve learned is because I work in IT and have for 30 years is that anything that uses software or apps to control it puts me in one for two places; endless messing around tweaking and never being happy with the results or an absolute hate of the software which means I don’t use it. (I’m looking at you IK multimedia)
I’ve moved from modellers to Synergy. Not because modellers are ‘bad’ or ‘not good enough’ but because of my reaction to them. I spent a lot of money and as per the thread title burned through a lot of gear before I realised I was the problem not the gear.

Now I need to ensure I don’t start treating the Synergy modules as Pokémon

100% agree. I work on a computer all day and have grown to hate fussing around with a computer while playing guitar. I actually bought a bunch of pedals and amps to get more of an analog experience but honestly I love the flexibility and ease of use of digital. Recently I picked up the Fender Tone Master Pro which really feels like using an analog rig but with a huge color touch screen. No computer needed.

Are you running the Synergy modules through the tube power amp and guitar cabs or are you running them direct? I've always wanted a rig with those things from way back in the Randall MTS days...

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

 

[PhilA]

100% agree. I work on a computer all day and have grown to hate fussing around with a computer while playing guitar. I actually bought a bunch of pedals and amps to get more of an analog experience but honestly I love the flexibility and ease of use of digital. Recently I picked up the Fender Tone Master Pro which really feels like using an analog rig but with a huge color touch screen. No computer needed.

Are you running the Synergy modules through the tube power amp and guitar cabs or are you running them direct? I've always wanted a rig with those things from way back in the Randall MTS days...

I’ve got the Syn20-IR and since I’m band free at the moment I’m running it direct from the XLR out into my interface and monitors.
I like the built in Power Amp trickery and IR’s they feel great to me when playing.
I need to get this into a rehearsal so I can give it a bit of juice. I have no regrets being modeller free now. It suits my needs and brain.