Gear minimalism as a thought process...

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beninma
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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by beninma » Fri Mar 11, 2022 8:15 am

Great thread.. this seems like it would get a bunch of people perma-banned on plenty of forums that are much more about the religion of acquiring guitar gear.

I'm a hobbyist. I've got money to burn, but I just can't understand having lots and lots of gear. I'm not a total minimalist. I have 3 guitars. One single-coil with a tremolo, one fixed bridge with humbuckers, and an acoustic. I picked them all for versatility I guess. Getting more would seem to be very diminishing returns. I have 2 amps, a Fender and an Orange. A very wide contrast. More than any other "I should get rid of this" I think about the amps. Do I really need them both? Impossible to decide but if I'm trying to have an identity as a player it's really hard to understand why I wouldn't pick one of the two. They are both extremely versatile anyway, but very different too. I have one pedal board, it's got 11 things on it including looper, rhythm, tuner, and a pitch shifter to eliminate the desire to buy a bass. I have one extra pedal in the cabinet.. it is probably on the chopping block.

More of this stuff just doesn't bring me more satisfaction.. I'm definitely driven by what new stuff I can discover in my playing.

I think it's really easy to fall into the marketing traps the industry + influencers have enabled. Unless you have decided your actual personality is a player who is an Edge or Greenwood like Chameleon constantly leaning on a million effects and contrasting guitars I guess you don't really need much stuff.

I'm probably reactionary too.. I have locally run into lots of hobbyists of very modest ability with silly collections. Lots of mediocre players with 10+ guitars or even 100+ guitars. It feels insanely consumeristic. Not likely to ever be a solid investment. Lots of the collections make no sense. 10 Martin Dreads that all pretty much do the same thing when the player doesn't have much nuance in their playing? 100 electric guitars but only 2 amps and neither of the amps is even great? When we're talking hobbyists that I run into it's almost an inverse relationship between skill and gear collection size, because the gear collection is a massive massive distraction from learning & making music. Some of the worst people I've known are lamenting not getting better but they're buying a guitar every week. The time spent buying the guitar can be more than I spend on all my practicing, and these are busy people with a day job. And a lot of these people don't even make a good effort to maintain the collection, so they can't really pick up any one of the guitars and have it be working great.. it's going to need a setup. A lot of these people I met early on in beginner group lessons. They were in beginner group lessons and already had 10 guitars and the collections started exploding while we were all still taking the classes. (I took them for about 3 years?). Very obvious that the collectors were never getting better and the folks showing up with the same guitar every week were getting better.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by hexes » Fri Mar 11, 2022 12:03 pm

beninma wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 8:15 am

More of this stuff just doesn't bring me more satisfaction.. I'm definitely driven by what new stuff I can discover in my playing.

I'm probably reactionary too.. I have locally run into lots of hobbyists of very modest ability with silly collections.

When we're talking hobbyists that I run into it's almost an inverse relationship between skill and gear collection size, because the gear collection is a massive massive distraction from learning & making music.
I have 10 electric guitars. All but two are fender/squier. all but 1 are single coil. My hobby has shifted from playing music in bands, to tinkering with guitar setups and noodling on a rare afternoon off from work.

Even more I absolutely love building amplifiers. I don’t play live, I don’t record music, I don’t play any better than I did in 2002. Likely worse due to tendonitis. I can’t read treble clef and apply it to guitar. I don’t know modes or theory.

but I am so happy with my hobbies that it doesn’t matter. ‘Skill’ doesn’t equal good music. Skill is a goalpost that is moved depending on who you ask to define it.

I do ultimately agree with many of your points, and I go through waves where I resent that I can’t record music I’m happy with or do SOMETHING with this expensive hobby, but most of the time I just love holding a guitar. it’s the most zen thing i’ve ever discovered.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Nudger » Fri Mar 11, 2022 12:33 pm

johnnysomersett wrote:
Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:34 am
Indeed. I think I'm going to try though and give it a go. I've got plenty of regrets already, what's a few more? I genuinely think I can probably be happy with this:

Jazzmaster
Jaguar
Mustang

VibroChamp
Vibrolux
Bassman
Liked your logic so gave it a try..

1 Strat/Must/Jazz Mashup
2 Duo Sonic
3 Electric XII
4 Danno longhorn Electric Sitar
5 Guild Starfire III

Fender Twin
Fender Princeton - Aint got one :(

Reasoned with myself and decided that the diversity of guitars/sounds as justification.. Though I can tune in similar sounds from 1/2.

Line up may change when I get my Stereo build off the ground..

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Chippertheripper » Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:38 pm

If we’re getting down to things we “need” to have in the quiver, my take is:
Wiggle stick guitar (in my case a jm with wrhb’s)
Tele
335/LP, either will do.

Amps I don’t have a lot of anyways, so I’ll keep the ttc for the house, and ideally acquire a rockerverb 50 head, or OR50, for all live work, knowing I have enough watts. The current r15t is no slouch, although I worry it might not be loud enough in certain venues. In the meantime I’m quite happy with it.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by wooderson » Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:57 pm

Two Jazzmasters - one with traditional JM pickups, one with humbuckers of some kind (WRHBs or Firebirds) - would cover everything I can imagine in my head. I need to finally pick a builder for the latter and then I might revise my stance on minimalism. (alternately, Fender releases the new AO/AVII/whatever Jazzmaster and I get someone to rout one for Firebirds or WRHBs)

I like having a 330-style hollowbody and others but if I was dedicated to minimalism I'd want a pair of offsets, one to kill some of the noise that seems inherent to everywhere I live. Throw in a P-Bass for kicks, too.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Maggieo » Fri Mar 11, 2022 5:26 pm

As is well-known, I love both playing and collecting musical instruments, especially guitars.

One of the things I like about my collection, is they're great objects of art and design, that make for super rad wall decoration. I just love looking at them!!! So, the more, the merrier.

But, when it comes to my playing, I've got a small bunch of regulars, be they guitars, amps, pedals, etc...

So, I get the minimalism of my rig, and the joy of having guitars all around me.
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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by JSett » Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:31 pm

I was out with forumite GaryPtaszek and my wife for some dinner recently and we were discussing this across the table. My wife never questions my purchases, begrudges the space they take up or really even ever take too much notice of it all but she was asking why we're always shifting things around, moving onto new stuff, etc. Me and Gary managed to sum it up into this breakdown which kind of explains it all and I think applies to most of us here that have a lot of, or go through a lot of, gear.

It can be broken down into 3 separate sections:
  • Playing guitar
  • Researching, searching for and subsequently buying guitars/pedals/amps
  • Fixing/modifying guitars/amps/pedals
All three of these, although being intrinsically linked, are separate hobbies. Like collecting records. It's not just about listening to them, searching for and obtaining certain records is a whole act in itself. Buying/upgrading/testing new Hi-Fi equipment is also another hobby (for some). As soon as you realise that your one big expensive hobby is actually just several separate smaller - still expensive - hobbies then the rationale for what we do presents itself automatically.

I do seem to be playing some personal weird biologist-style catch-and-release guitar version of Pokémon recently - Gotta Catch (document and release back into the wild) 'Em All! - but I am gradually winding it down a touch.
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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Nudger » Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:53 pm

Chippertheripper wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:38 pm
If we’re getting down to things we “need” to have in the quiver, my take is:
Wiggle stick guitar (in my case a jm with wrhb’s)
Tele
335/LP, either will do.

Amps I don’t have a lot of anyways, so I’ll keep the ttc for the house, and ideally acquire a rockerverb 50 head, or OR50, for all live work, knowing I have enough watts. The current r15t is no slouch, although I worry it might not be loud enough in certain venues. In the meantime I’m quite happy with it.
This thread is now having the opposite affect on me!
I now "Neeeeeeed" a 335

Ironic or what :D

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Chippertheripper » Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:13 pm

Nudger wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:53 pm
Chippertheripper wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:38 pm
If we’re getting down to things we “need” to have in the quiver, my take is:
Wiggle stick guitar (in my case a jm with wrhb’s)
Tele
335/LP, either will do.

Amps I don’t have a lot of anyways, so I’ll keep the ttc for the house, and ideally acquire a rockerverb 50 head, or OR50, for all live work, knowing I have enough watts. The current r15t is no slouch, although I worry it might not be loud enough in certain venues. In the meantime I’m quite happy with it.
This thread is now having the opposite affect on me!
I now "Neeeeeeed" a 335

Ironic or what :D
That Epiphone inspired by G version could scratch that itch and keep your wallet happy. They are pretty phenomenal. Don’t let the name and the poly get in your way.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by tammyw » Sat Mar 12, 2022 7:46 am

I have a feeling that a better life might lie ahead down the path of minimalism, for myself anyway. Maybe I should just start giving away all my extra guitars.
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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by wotsch » Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:14 am

Thanks a lot for opening this thread I discovered by chance and all of your postings! Same here, I like playing guitar(s), working on them, and trying different stuff (also amps and pedals).

If I had more time, space and money I would definitely collect guitars as I like having them around me. But with 2 children, all the three things mentioned are scarce - for good, anyway.

It also means to be kind of minimalistic, finding the gear I currently "need" or want to get the sound I like. The other stuff I got over the years has to go, for financial reasons and because of the lack of room.

I had a problem with not being able to stop looking for new/different gear, but my wife soothed me with here opinion: it's okay to try different things, as long as I have an eye on the money. So, I think I'll stay on the search for the "perfect gear" for the rest of my life, being quite content at the moment, which is a nice feeling.

BTW: I'm a hobby player, currently without a band. It's just for my own pleasure.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by JPCordingley » Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:38 pm

Here's another perspective. I've never had a great deal of money. Guitars are a luxury purchase. I've recently bought my fifth "regular" electric guitar (seven if you include a bass and Bass VI) at the age of 35 (and three have been sold - and the VI was part-exed to fund the latest purchase). I often find myself GASsing over guitars I'd love to own. But if I'm truly honest I'm not sure if I had more that I'd really use them all. I currently have a Jazzmaster and a brand new Jag - both Squiers and both just as good as the two Fenders I have owned (a MIM Tele and an MP Starcaster). I'd love another Tele because I always regret selling when I was briefly skint in 2013 - I got into offsets after that but I still love Teles. I'd also like Danelectro because they're really fun and have a unique boxy tone. And maybe I'd also want something with humbuckers. But you know what, when I really think about it, if I had all that I'm not sure I'd use them all. I think I actually have all I need between the Jazzmaster and the (new) Jag.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Larsongs » Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:11 pm

For the true minimalist… just play Air Guitar.. LOL!

As a thought process to me it’s nonsense… There’s nothing to think about. If you only want 1 Guitar great.. Just have one Guitar..

But, there’s nothing wrong with having several Guitars..

One is not better than the other.. Just do your thing & I’ll do mine.. Live & let live……

Simple…

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by Sauerkraut » Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:14 am

johnnysomersett wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 10:31 pm
It can be broken down into 3 separate sections:
  • Playing guitar
  • Researching, searching for and subsequently buying guitars/pedals/amps
  • Fixing/modifying guitars/amps/pedals
All three of these, although being intrinsically linked, are separate hobbies.
That certainly describes my situation well.

On a side note, I find it interesting that some people appear to assume up front that this thread is some kind of intrinsic, blanket judgment of people with a lot of gear and then either get defensive or post vacuous truths. I think this was meant to start a discussion of personal motivations/justifications, reasoning behind minimising/collecting. "Wrong" or "right" don't really factor into it. Your personal aims, preferences and reasoning are what's interesting.

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Re: Gear minimalism as a thought process...

Post by superficial » Wed Apr 27, 2022 2:27 am

Agree with the 'different hobbies' idea. Having a massive guitar collection that never gets played seems to me a bit distastefully consumerist and definitely at odds with the ethos of those indie artists I enjoy listening to. For example, Jay Mascis bought a Jazzmaster because he couldn't afford the Strat he actually wanted. Cobain's Jag was (at the time) a ratty old partscaster (parts-guar?). I'm sure there are other examples.

That said, whilst I definitely consider myself a player not a collector, but I do have a few electric guitars and an acoustic. They all do different things, and they all get played over the course of, say, a week. I love playing single coil guitars and if I were to be so bold as to claim that I have my sound, it's definitely a cleanish SC sound. But when you need a humbucker, you need a humbucker. And when I want to pretend to be Hendrix, a Jazzmaster won't quite cut it so I have a Strat, too.

Ultimately, I'm in my 30's in a steady, boring, job. I doubt Cobain would have had much time for me, so maybe I should give up trying to live up to (my perception of) his ideals! If people get more enjoyment from buying, selling, collecting guitars (vs playing them) they won't get any judgement from me :)

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