Beating GAS: share your stories (or pain)

vincechu89

Sad times...

A few months ago I had a major GAS attack (curse you Youtube!!!) and pre-ordered a Masterbuilt Fender Strat...

After going back and forth a million times, I’ve finally cancelled the pre-order as I have come to the sad realisation that I’ll never be good enough to justify owning a £4k+ masterbuilt and would probably have ended up babying the guitar and not playing it anyway...

This will go down as he one that got away *wipes tear away*

Anyone else overcome their GAS and what guitar or amp was it?

sweepy

GAS is a continuous state I'm afraid, once one project ends another begins, hence the ambient loop pedal setup I'm embarking on now, David Torn Curse your hide

Roland

There are people who buy for the joy of ownership, and there are people who are searching for a particular sound/feel. A number of people have said that buying something like an AX8 stopped amp and pedal GAS because there is so much they can do with the unit. That’s certainly been my experience with an Axe-FX, and before that a GT-8.

When it comes to guitars the story is different because there is less that you can change. The changes you can make can’t be A/Bd like patches or pedals. I’m also convinced that, above a certain level, money doesn’t make a guitar more playable or better sounding. My personal answer to that has been to modify, and latterly to build my own.

JerkMoans

Beating GAS?

It’s one of those philosophical oxymorons. Like ‘Legal ethics’.

dazzajl

The most sage and wise @Keefy once reminded me when I bought a Master Built Gretsch and questioned my worthiness, that the world of owning guitars is not a meritocracy. 

Turned out it wasn’t the one for me. I’ve now learned I’m more a simple plank player than a big ol’ hollow body man but I’d happily have another master built if money and opportunity ever line up again with a guitar that fills me with joy to play and own 

JonHosker

Think i have beaten guitar and amp gas...but pedala seems harder to do!!

welshboyo

I am actually GAS free - its slightly disconcerting and I still have pangs of wanting something else but then play what I have and have a quiet "get a grip" word with myself and all is good..

Pedals and Amps were cured by Helix

My real Amp was cured by a Mesa Stiletto

My guitars - there are quite a few, mainly LP's and Strats but my most recent GAS pang was erased by rekindling my 1st love - a Jap Strat - it had been in the attic wrapped in bubblewrap for years, I needed a HSS Strat, had an opportunity to buy the only missing part (scratchplate) from the Classifieds on here and away I went - it must be the most satisfying experience re-building a guitar using all bits from my parts drawer..

Its started out in a sorry state like this:


And ended up looking like this:



Still a few tweaks to be made but completely satisfying!!!

Phil_aka_Pip

@welshboyo the chair has lost its arms too

Flanging_Fred

The best GAS suppressant (I don't think it ever goes away competely) I found was joining a band.  The thought, time and effort spent in learning and improving songs in time for the next gig takes over and sort of blocks out the GAS pangs a little bit.

Having kids and a mortgage also helps as it usually means you're skint.

peteri

For me - moving to Fractal has completely taken away pedal and amp GAS, never expected it to - but on the evenings I want to tinker, there I can - worse case I'll once every few months buy an IR, which is hardly the same thing.

Guitars - that's a different thing, for me - I don't get the 'I'm not worthy' - if I can afford it and it gives me pleasure, that's the point.

What I am careful about is depreciation - most of my guitars I've got the ability to make money on so it's less of an issue, what I do though is make deals with myself, meaning 'if I get this I won't get anymore for the year' - doesn't always work but at least makes me stop and think

Phil_aka_Pip

The only way to beat GAS is, IMO, not to have enough money to support the habit. That can lead you to a turnover of gear (sell to replace), which can only be counteracted by liking what you have too much to sell it despite hankering after more.

kt66

I have a "two out, one in" policy if I want anything new.

sunshinewelly

fractal also had the same effect on me - axe fx 2 was a drug to cure all pedal and amp gas. I have also finally come to the realisation that you dont need to spend £1000's on a guitar to be happy. Both the R9 and masterbuilt strat i had i sold as i found myself favoring an older strat plus i had and my gibson signature T actually sounded and played as well as the R9. So i have kept those 2. i did treat myself to a mini gs to satisfy my acoustic itch and i think i am now cured. I have also kept a PRS cutom 24 but to be honest the s2 cutsom 24 i had for a few weeks (before returning it back to andertons) played just as nice as the more expensive PRS

munckee

I starting playing when I earned very little and had donated stuff, met my wife and reduced playing time accordingly, then had kids and virtually gave up for years.  Since getting back into playing a few years ago I've gone from an acoustic and an electric and a single second hand solid state to three electrics two acoustics two amps and a pedal board.

I've reached the limit of stuff I can get away with keeping in the house and now have to sell to buy so am going to try and slowly just increase the quality of my stuff, as a collector.

I find I need a project whether its researching a guitar, deciding on new pickups etc, modding is my favourite hobby now.  What you do once you have stuff you really like and have modded it all I'm not sure!

HAL9000

kt66 said:

I have a "two out, one in" policy if I want anything new.

Interesting. Been thinking of doing the same thing myself. Currently have five guitars which, I guess, isn't that many compared with what some people here own but still means some don't get played enough to justify holding onto them. As others have already pointed out a new guitar or amp, though it might inspire you, isn't going to improve your playing ability. Also, as has already been pointed out, the fact that there are massively more posts in the gear categories than in the theory and technique ones indicates a lot of us may have gotten our priorities not quite right.

SNAKEBITE

My sister summed it up when she once said "I don't have to justify it, I like nice things".

If you like it then get it, and enjoy it.

SNAKEBITE

@welshboyo What strap is that? It looks fantastic.

powerhand

I’ve survived GAS by being left handed. It takes so long, and is sometimes impossible, to find particular guitars I’m lusting after that it naturally restricts me. I often think that if I were right handed, I would never stop!

welshboyo

SNAKEBITE said:

@welshboyo What strap is that? It looks fantastic.

@SNAKEBITE thats one of my Heistercamp ones

Phil_aka_Pip

HAL9000 said:

massively more posts in the gear categories than in the theory and technique ones indicates a lot of us may have gotten our priorities not quite right.

Yes, people getting rid of the gear they gassed for. Should be playing it.

Roland

munckee said:

What you do once you have stuff you really like and have modded it all I'm not sure!

You keep on modifying it.