Do you feel apprehensive/worry about spending a large wad of cash on a musical instrument or kit?

ronnyb

You can spend money on far worse things ie cars etc. Buy the right guitars / amps and you'll invariably get your money back when you come to sell plus you've had the pleasure of owning them. Can't say i've ever lost on a musical instrument yet.

Sassafras

I'm proud to spend lots of money knowing that I'm contributing to the economic welfare of my country. I often think tax should be increased as well.

Rocker

Very interesting replies guys.  Some confusion on what exactly a 'large wad of cash' is, I see it as any sum that limits your available free cash for a few months.  Which is why I started with my recent purchase of a Yamaha keyboard.  Priced under €300, it is effectively valueless when I got it home.  Charity shop fodder if it did not work out as I would have to start all over again, in this case €300 down.  I play golf and am very aware of the high cost of golf equipment and its zero s/h value.  Over the next week or two I will be taking a number of golf clubs, which cost way in excess of €1000 to the charity shop.  Either that or throw them in the recycling bin.  Incidentally none of them gave me the additional yardage they claimed.  I might have a chance of winning a case against the manufacturers.......

Teetonetal

Nope. I have one rule, can I buy it outright, now, with cash. If yes then all good. If no, it doesn't get bought.

Very little is worth getting into debt for.

amarok1971

Yes, I can't stop buying core Prsi.. . I have 9 now! The top being an me1. I don't know why o keep doing it but I do. Fwiw I never buy new, I let some other sucker take the hit. I feel guilty for a bit and then reassure myself that I can always sell them, I wouldn't buy them if I didn't have the spare dosh tho. They all come out on rotation for about a fortnight and I love owning, playing and looking at them.

Neill

First, I have one golden rule that I think everyone should follow and that is never borrow money for non essentials.  Unless you are a professional musician that means guitars etc.

Second, if you are dithering about whether to get a cheaper alternative of anything, don't.  By all means get the cheap thing if it's all you can afford, but don't so it simply to save money which you will spend on something else.  If you buy a Squier rather than a Fender you will always wish you had bought the Fender.  If you buy a Fender it's very unlikely you will wish you had bought a Squier.

Lestratcaster

I see each instrument I buy as investment, if its for a band then I'll get the best sounding one I can afford. As I'm a tutor its about reliability and sounding good. I've been lucky with main gigging amps to have got good second-hand deals up to half their RRP. I still have one of the amps now and its getting some good road use. I try not to cheap out with stuff like cables and the like, as the build quality can be rubbish. Plus I'd rather pay a bit more for a good quality cable than keep replacing a shitty cheap one every year or so.

Schnozz

I don't worry about it as I research everything to death and I've always been unhappy with guitars I've bought on a budget (e.g. Tokai Hardpuncher) - It always needs mods or fretwork etc.

I'm talking about £1500 max by the way and not £3000.

sawyer

I think to buy a cheaper alternative to save money is a false economy. Ultimately you won't be happy and you'll eventually buy the Fender/Gibson/etc you really want. Also buy secondhand and you don't lose much money if you come to sell. Your money still in the guitar if you need it. I really want a Gold Top at the minute

jonnyburgo

Well I always look for second hand, the issue I have is that I buy something and then a "real life" issue pops up that requires money, which I then don't have. I couldn't justify a wall full of sweet guitars when I don't gig, or rather I could but my wife couldn't if it meant that we struggled for car repairs, house and kids shit etc. If I had the money for both then no problemo, I'd be a GAS beast.

Neil

I have no problem spending large amounts of cash on myself ................. I'm worth it. 

p90fool

sawyer said:

I think to buy a cheaper alternative to save money is a false economy. Ultimately you won't be happy and you'll eventually buy the Fender/Gibson/etc you really want. Also buy secondhand and you don't lose much money if you come to sell. Your money still in the guitar if you need it. I really want a Gold Top at the minute

This was true for me, I spent ten years gigging a dozen different cheap Chinese guitars, which were all good fun but I never kept them for long. 

I bought my goldtop new at the end of 2012, and it's pretty much all I play. There are chunks of paint missing, it's been refretted, it's on its fourth scratchplate and I've worn through the finish in a few places, but it's paid for itself many times over. 

pintspiller

My worst equipment decisions were when I was younger and preferred to spend my money on booze than gear

matt.drink73

Schnozz said:

I don't worry about it as I research everything to death and I've always been unhappy with guitars I've bought on a budget (e.g. Tokai Hardpuncher) - It always needs mods or fretwork etc.

I'm talking about £1500 max by the way and not £3000.

Ditto! Buy the best you can afford and you'll keep it longer. All the guitars I own at the moment I've bought second hand for the lowest possible price. Do the research on pricing, get one towards the lower end of the spectrum and if you bond with it, perfect, if you don't it's usually easy to get back what you have in it or trade it for something else. Just because you spend a tonne of money doesn't mean you'll love it, but from experience you're definitely more likely to.

Provided that you get something second hand and don't overpay for it, there's no reason to be apprehensive, you'd be very unlucky to lose a significant amount of money. I've had 3 guitars worth over 2k in the last 6 months, I paid mostly cash for the first, swapped it for something else and then swapped that one for the one I have now. Not really lost any cash, but I think I've bonded with this one (for now lol)

matt.drink73

Schnozz said:

I don't worry about it as I research everything to death and I've always been unhappy with guitars I've bought on a budget (e.g. Tokai Hardpuncher) - It always needs mods or fretwork etc.

I'm talking about £1500 max by the way and not £3000.

Ditto! Buy the best you can afford and you'll keep it longer. All the guitars I own at the moment I've bought second hand for the lowest possible price. Do the research on pricing, get one towards the lower end of the spectrum and if you bond with it, perfect, if you don't it's usually easy to get back what you have in it or trade it for something else. Just because you spend a tonne of money doesn't mean you'll love it, but from experience you're definitely more likely to.

Provided that you get something second hand and don't overpay for it, there's no reason to be apprehensive, you'd be very unlucky to lose a significant amount of money. I've had 3 guitars worth over 2k in the last 6 months, I paid mostly cash for the first, swapped it for something else and then swapped that one for the one I have now. Not really lost any cash, but I think I've bonded with this one (for now lol)

richardhomer

Generally - no. I tend to buy used, so I’d be unlikely lose a lot if I had to sell anything. I think I’ve also reached the point where I’m pretty clear about my likes and dislikes, so I’m unlikely to buy something that’s unsuitable.

I think quality is more important than quantity - I play my main Strat almost exclusively - it’s predecessor got nowhere near as much use. I that sense it was worth every penny - and if need be - it could be my only guitar.

If I had more disposable income, there’s the odd thing I’d like - an R7 in particular - but I may be at a point where I never buy another guitar.

JAYJO

I wouldnt mind the chance. If i made a full pan of curry in the morning for tea, by the time i get home its all gone. Gannets leave me nothing. Everything in the fridge is spoken for!. I have a bottle of jack Daniels in the shed and a few left over beers from crimbo.
This is how it works. If i want a guitar for £1000 then i need £2000 . Because the Mrs will want her cut!. 
 She never asks for it but i dont feel i can justify spending that much money on myself so i drag her into it. We just dont tell the kids.
Ive wasted so much money on things i dont really use i shock myself. 
In my 2 year break from playing guitar due to kids and babies needing more attention i went down the camping trip route.
Started with a 6 xl callisto tent and all the gear and progressed to a ford transit camper conversion. I spent a fortune  (as far as my budget is concerned). I swear my knees were knocking when I bought the van . Luckily i need it to drop the baby off at nursery in the mornings so its actually worked out well as i would have needed to purchase a runnaround anyway.ps 
fking thing needed a new solenoid a week later cost me £480. Oh gum tree i love you. .

Kebabkid

I do as over the last couple of years, I don't think I've got it right when I've bought guitars.

I also have this notion, and it's part based on the most I've ever spent on a guitar and also beyond £1200-1400, is there really a discernible difference? I now have a healthy budget for a new Superstrat and I'm on the hunt (I have a post up on this) but I have to say I'm worried as I want to get it right and for it also to be Keeper.

I also totally get what @jonnyburgo says when it comes to the 'real life' and have sold good stuff leaving a working tool to pay for household bills.

Sassafras

I'd feel like a complete sucker and a moron if I bought a solid electric guitar for £8k-£10k or more. That sort of price can't possibly be justified unless it was made of panda bones or mammoth ivory.

Grocer_Jack

jeztone2 said:

No. My father in law spunks massive sums on a new telly every six months. To me musical gear at least some sort of residual value. The only problems are the rough gigs. I almost took the headstock off a PRS at the St Moritz club in Soho. So I bought a Strat to play in the places where space is at a premium.

Yes the St Moritz is pretty narrow isn't it? I gouged my new Tele against the wall there a few years ago and put a nice dent in it.