When GAS turns into MODgas and hesitancy to buy stuff

[deeaa]

Just pondering that it's funny I don't really have any gas any more for more guitars or anything. Got more of them than I really need, but OTOH wouldn't want to part with any of them unless got insane amounts of money for 'em I've become a miser.

BUT there's like loads and loads of mods still to do. I've modded all my guitars at least some, but there's so much more to do.

I could refinish a few of them, a few could soon benefit from a better nut, on some the bridges are getting a bit worn and could be better, on most of them I could redo the wiring with better quality pots, I'm looking into getting some SS frets and tools to install those...with that I think I've plenty to tinker with for a while. I've also done some amp mods and looking into building a small tube amp kit just for fun and experience, maybe a pedal - although don't need either.

On my buy list there's only a few things left - I need one Gibson 498t pickup, which I'll buy some day when I see one used for cheap, and one 1x12" good quality speaker to replace the 70-80 in my quiet cab, and I could have an empty 2x10" cabinet because I have a couple extra 1x10" speakers lying about.

But that's about it. I don't need or even really want any more guitars, at least for the price they have.

Surely I'd love to get me a USA Dean V with a beautiful top, but since I'd mod the hell outta it anyway for my preference it'd really have to be a custom order and there's NO effin' way I could ever drop thousands into buying a guitar I don't even really need.

Might buy a Faulkner or Hinds Epi V or a Prophecy still, but ONLY if I come across one used dirt cheap.

I guess deep down I'm quite content and happy that I can't really afford (or I could literally but can't justify) buying more or expensive guitars.
Much rather I'd be looking at buying a new EV soonish, or change houses to a better suited one, buy a car for my son, pay off all debts, get a few more robot vacuums, a 70" TV, a new couch, travel around Europe, buy a new RV...everything just seems far more important to get first before putting more money in music gear.

Maybe I'm heading for a mid-life crisis, I'm after all soon 52 and probably getting close to the halfway mark of my life on earth

[SamIV]

I felt the same way a couple years ago. Your resistance might change. Sold all of my less expensive guitars and bought a few higher end models last year. Thought I was happy with amps. Bought a new one last week. By the way, isn’t it time for a new book.

[jtcnj]

I was thinning the herd but somehow the trend has reversed.....

[honyock]

I've stopped buying and started modding more and more this year. Still want to sell a bunch of guitars that I bought that I don't love, but I am waiting for the year to end so I don't have to worry about the BS income tax (1099) requirements that we have here now.

I am bumping up to the stupidly low threshold as it is.

I will probably start doing Facebook/Craigslist in person again instead of Reverb once I get that sell bug after Christmas.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[BatUtilityBelt]

I agree it's not a great time to GAS. IMO, prices are high and offerings are meh. Unfortunately, mods are challenging these days too because parts are not as plentiful as they should be. Just this week I 3D printed a part because I could not get it on the open market. I have no idea how long this trend will continue, but I'm not going to pay insane prices for gear either. Like you, I could be just fine with what I have today.

[Partscaster]

I'm with you deeaa. I dont want for any more guitars or amps.

I still have two incomplete guitar builds:
-one ridiculously light weight pawlonia body to turn into a Nashville Tuning guitar....all light weight strings to add "12-string-like" chime to background of a mix.
- I bought a Sitar bridge and have a mahogany strat body set aside for that.

Then its just some pickup swapping amongst my pup/guitars collection to optimize to my tastes.

I did recently GAS for, and buy, 3 new pedals which turn out to be perhaps the best I've ever tried due to the builders ability to make them feel so amp like sensitive to string attack, and so transparent /translucent. One adds OD with some warm translucent coloration, but like a tinted oil stain where the "grain"/guitar's tone remains, and is even enhanced. One other OD is like clear oil stain that doesn't color, but brings out richness of grain with more clear sparkle along with it's nice drive. The 3rd is a more delicate "compression pedal for folks who dont like most compression". It brings out the singing sustain without squashing the note dimensionality, much. I havent liked using a compression pedal until now.

Lastly, I'm currently listening to more early Mayall bluesbeakers. I've loved the EC Beano Bluesbreaker album for ever. I recently got the next few Mayall/BB albums featuring Peter Green and Mick Taylor as lead guitarists. There are so many cool little licks hidden amongst those songs. I need to absorb them and let them melt into my hands.

A new Fender, Gibson, offset, semi-hollow, etc,.... I dont want them. But i still look at, and read about them.

[glasshand]

I know what you mean. There are a few guitars right now that make me say, "Well, if I won the lottery", but nothing else, really. Amps, ditto.

My pedal GAS is minimal - there are one or two I might pick up for laughs, but really I don't think I am going to find anything life-changing. This may have come from the last pedal I GASsed for, the MXR M75. I thought it sounded great in the Youtube demos, but when I got to try it in person I was seriously underwhelmed.

I think some of it has come from finally having "found my sound": nothing I've tried has sounded better to me than than my Orange CR120H with a Rat to even up the clean and dirty channels. And this after having gotten really excited about a few other amps. And, too, I've looked around at my guitar collection and started to realize that a lot of them don't get much playing time.

[golem]

My rule has generally been that if I can easily sell for what I paid or a little more and I want to try it, buy it.
Granted, I somewhat enjoy selling and trading gear and think I'm somewhat savvy at finding good deals and building relationships with a few key people who are always churning through new gear and want to get more for it than they would at GC or any local shop.

If I wasn't playing that game, I'd understand fully that it probably wouldn't be much of a priority for me. Maybe this year I'll buy my first house and an electric vehicle. I just wasn't enjoying trying to buy during COVID. Everyone wanted you to waive inspections.