Musicians and Gear Pragmatism are like Oil and Water. One thing I've learnt from playing the same guitar for 4 years straight, was that once you make it versatile with pickups wiring, if it plays well, and hopefully the guitar neck fits your hand (which mine doesn't but I have no choice, being broke and from a country that has rather weak currency), that's all that really matters. Same with amps, I only use one amp sim suite from Neural DSP (which has 3 amp emulations). I'm so used to it after more than 2 years of usage, I could dial them to taste, and have them fits what I'm jamming to, for the most part. If anyone remembers the whole Digitech Bad Monkey situation, that has proven the point on how silly we guitarists could get at times. Josh Scott had shown us that an overdrive with clever EQ-ing, one could get most tones that we could ever need out of an overdrive style pedal. They might not "feel" the same, due to compression, but it's still an overdrive pedal in the end of the day. Gear advertisements, for the most part, are weaponised "Fear of Missing Out".
Pure wisdom. When I had lots of gear - I created almost nothing but troubleshooting, learning, comparing was endless. All that "audiophile" crap, all those electronic gadgets - I sold it all. I have now just a piano and I never was happier...
I have a complete recording setup with pc, daw, interface, midi keyboard, drumcomputer etc but if I am honest, I enjoy learning to actually play my guitar much more than all that turd polishing. I play my Squier straight into my little amp and it sounds great, cost me 300 euros...
As a photography enthusiast, when I was young, I couldn't buy what I wanted. When I can buy any camera I like, I frantically made retaliatory purchases. When I realized that I had trappped into something, a lot of time and money have been wasted. This video is helpful and is very profound.
Probably the only good video about gear addiction on UA-cam. Concise and correct. Trying to get over it by watching videos about people’s gear buying histories - it’s sort of like getting sober by listening to someone talk about their whiskey connoisseurship. It’s a problem. The problem comes from you, not your gear. You have enough. Just stop buying and go practice. And if you’re tempted to watch a gear video, watch this again and practice some more until the urge goes away.
Thank you for pointing out that this might be a bad habit, a consequential one. Needed this, thanks a lot for your honest and direct words! Appreciate it!
what a truthful, heartfelt, wonderful video from someone who could only benefit from people that have this issue. Thank you for making this video. I am over my GAS but now this video makes me want to buy an Auburn amplifier ....
Thanks very much for your very kind comment. At Auburn we're very conscious of the risk of feeding GAS, so we tend to weed out requests for amplifiers we suspect won't actually get used for making music. Maybe that makes us lousy business people, but we're not really in it for the money. We just like building amps that will be enjoyed and appreciated.
Excellent, honest look at things. Thank you for your candor. I have gotten so much better about this but still fall into that line of thinking sometimes. Life is perpetual, the more you play, the more you enjoy playing and want to play more just as the more you buy, the more you want to buy more. Let’s place ourselves into a cycle of growth rather than a cycle of spending.
Amen, as a young man I would just get what I could get and make it work, then 25 years later I had the means to buy anything I wanted and I went crazy, full circle now and back down to earth.
The sound of sanity. I think the most valuable indicator of the difference between just being an enthusiast on the one hand, and having a bona fide addiction on the other, comes down to what the presenter said about the impact on those around you, and on your relationships with them. Any activity that leads you to neglect your legitimate obligations towards others (or even yourself) has become unhealthy.
Most of my purchases were to find my preferences. Now, I only buy pedals if they do something unique or at least something i don't have. I like using the whole box of crayons. My guitar buying got completely out of hand. I realize I'm being bombarded with targeted ads that reinforce buying any items which caught my eye. That realization helped slow things down. It's certainly an argument for always using a VPN.
When you think you suddenly need a new amp, guitar, pedal, etc., go back and learn all the notes on the fretboard, that will do more for you playing than any piece of gear. If you already know all the notes, well done!
there comes a time when you mature and realize you need more time on the fret board rather than have a device with endless tweaking ability where you're never happy. i practice evry day with just an acoustic or an unplugged electric guitar to learn all the songs i play in a cover band. when i get to band rehearsal, then i plug in and step on pedals or switch guitar pick ups, or channel on amp instinctively to suit the tone in my head.
I really REALLY know what you are talking about. GAS is in my mind burning too. and I do not like it ... currently it is "reduced" to Software-components (like plugins or samples) but it COST still a Lot too. I really want to reduce it. the hardware-"side" of invests are currently low for reason of my space condition (running out of space for an longer while) - I am full in the studio and storage. GAS is an very serious issue for an musican!! and yes I have an familiy and need to be fluent in money. I think GAs is an force that mostly every musican get in in him/her musically life-period. avoid GAS think twice before you buy and before buying check you current bank- and creditcard-account(s) - that can help you to came down (cool down) to the ground of reality before you buy more gear.
I have too many guitars, because my wife says... and I quote "I love to see your face when you open a new guitar!" all I have to do is make sure the magazine is open on the right page on the right table at the right time.. or god forbid she might choose the guitar too.. which have me playing a Hello Kitty in pink sparkle..
@@auburnamplifiers1786 It happened in a guitar shop.. she marched over to me with a Hello Kitty in hand and declared "You need this!!" I talked her down to an Avril Levigne Signature telecaster (Not a bad guitar to be fair!) and then while she was confused I walked her right out the door....
People forget the entire purpose of playing music - to create. When you're jumping on the latest bandwagon and constantly lusting after gear you aren't making music. I've gone back and forth with that myself - and I realize I was more excited and inspired when I had less. It really does suck the joy out of it because you end up pretty much like a junkie - just as he said; the excitement and newness fades pretty quick.
Your question is very valid. For one, Auburn amps are essentially custom made, so they can never be a spontaneous, commodoity-like purchase. I take the time to explore the user's actual needs and build their amp accordingly. If someone wants bells and whistles I know they'll never use, I'll tell them. And if the amps I build are simply too much for that user and situation, I'll tell them that too. Almost all my orders are word-of-mouth. The customer has to wait for their unit to be built. They will receive an heirloom-grade professional tool that they can put to use in a variety of their own real-world situations. This is very different from selling an off-the-shelf gadget to someone who just wants the addictive rush of buying a new thing and getting it NOW, after which it will join their collection of other similar impulse purchases. I hope this answers your question, and I wish you a day full of music.
As most of this is electronic equipment unless people purchase these products there would be no excuse to innovate and produce newer better products. And anyway its my money I buy what I want. Look what people pay for a cup of coffee.
Thanks for your comment, although it's debatable whether most music gear purchases drive technical innovation in any meaningful way. The reverse may actually be closer to the truth. And of course you can buy whatever you want, but it's good to keep in mind that you're also buying what someone else wants you to buy.
@@auburnamplifiers1786 Thanks for your kind reply. But being in the high end audio business starting in 1974 and watching it grow. I'm pretty sure if no one cared about the Precise reproduction of music it would have fallen victim to extinction to cheap Japanese imports at the time. But as humans we are constantly looking to improve our experiences in our short time on earth leaves little time. So I would think this carried over to the Musicians market.I guess I'm saying if you have disposable income you can do what you please but never above your family. You have great content on your channel I hope you have lots more subscribers. Again thank you for a respectful reply. Don't get many of those.
I appreciate you taking the high road as well, and quite agree that respectful dialogue is far too rare these days. Regarding music reproduction sound quality, it has sadly taken a back seat in most contemporary listening scenarios thanks to online streaming services, anything linked via Bluetooth, etc. Those of us who take sound quality seriously are in the minority, and have to be increasingly creative in assembling equipment and systems that satisfy our needs. Thankfully, almost everyone reacts very positively when they hear something done right. My school-age daughters dance like maniacs to the home speakers I designed and built before they were born (and before I ever dreamed of the kinds of music they'd eventually get used for!). @@CKS64
I love this video! Thank God I don't have this problem. I recently bought a bunch of equipment and glad I have everything I need now. It's over and I'm happy. The real problem in our society right now is the people who get busted and have 30 guns and 10,000 rounds of ammo.
I feel like you're speaking a particularly dark end of the spectrum. I agree that you shouldn't have to lie to your partner, and you certainly shouldn't be throwing money away on things you can't afford. If you save money diligently and work with a budget/allowance, then I think it's fine to indulge if this is your hobby. I suspect you're talking about people buying very expensive equipment - several thousands of dollars each. I am in a very fortuitous position to afford, say, a pedal each month. And if I forgo that for several months, I can get an amp or guitar. I enjoy collecting, and I don't let it affect my livelihood - it's a fun hobby. And I get to play all sorts of fun things, which inspires me to practice and write all the time (well, all the time I have to play with guitar! ;)).
Actually, I'm not talking about people who buy 'very expensive equipment' - I'm talking about the habitual acquisition of unnecessary distractions from the pursuit of music, if music was indeed the initial goal. People who get pleasure from regularly buying things they don't need exhibit addictive behavior, which is usually a reaction to some form of deprivation in their past. I know it sounds extreme to compare the harmless habit of dropping a C-note or two in pedals every month, or buying yet another mid-grade guitar, to more obviously destructive addictions, but the root is actually the same. Whole segments of the gear market target this behavior by offering mediocre-to-okay(ish) products at attractive prices. Behringer is a culprit (and a design thief, to boot). Pedals hit a price point that especially feeds this habit. Do you know someone who regularly consumes drugstore novels like they're going out of style, reading for hours at a time, and reacts defensively when they're called on it, citing their enjoyment, the low unit cost, and the sanctity of reading as a pursuit? Bingo. If everyone thoroughly tracked how they spend their time for a month, and asked themselves seriously why they made those choices, their lives would improve enormously, and at zero cost.
I am observing a Social Engineer exploit a individual who's vastly talented.....lead the vulnerable individual down the path like leading a Jackass with a carrot on a stick.....to RUIN !...I'm on the other end trying to get the individuals existing base gear as in AMPLIFIERS...up and running as with MAINTENANCE....because these guys believe that something 50 years old with original parts.....can't GRASP SERVICE LIFE of components. WET chemical items...EVAPORATE. My aspect, I know what it takes to be up 100% and functional...JUST TO BASE LINE START......put the cart behind the horse....not the cart in front of the horse !!! But as you mention FAMILY and spouse......And this is the INSIDIOUS PART because its funneling in VIA the girlfriend as the girlfriend was a band member of the Social Engineer ....BUT the Social Engineer was also a Figure of Authority over the Girlfriend...BECAUSE HE WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER and fixated on this girl and groomed her in the Teacher /Student relationship as they were exposed to each other and the TIME element. The Social Engineer had his band collapse as the Vulnerable individual and the girlfriend got together in their relationship and it became like a love triangle soap opera with the Band Leader/Teacher/Social Engineer (who's married and has a kid)....vowing to get the GIRL BACK....so the premise is to crash the vulnerable individual as Social Engineer wants to break up the relationship by causing the vulnerable guy to fail......Economic collapse buy gear instead of concentration of getting the existing base line of operations up 100%.........SO its gone from CASH to going to credit cards....and a band credit card too. So the end run game is a Music Show in a California Model PAY TO PLAY venue....as a MAKE IT OR BREAK IT scenario with the Social Engineer guiding and pressurizing everything.....and discrediting ME for speaking up.....as he has been manipulating this Girl for years prior to the "couple" aspect in her life. The aspect of a Male Teacher and a Female Student is also in play as it seems there is an exploitive pattern with this Teacher/Social Engineer......as if he gets press...it seems to always involve a female student getting his attention......and he is not employed as a Music Teacher. The ego of this Social Engineer has him listing an online resume where he makes claim to be a Music /Recording Industry executive/Professional and engineer......when he is a full time Public SCHOOL TEACHER. Its one thing to embellish something but then its another to Materially Mis-Represent something.......and nobody fact checks. The girlfriend works on the Vulnerable guy because of the influence of the Social Engineer as a puppet master manipulator......and for what it is...A Narcissistic Sociopath. The Social Engineer went really over the top with sending in his Band Camp guy to proxy manipulate the Vulnerable individual....and to the extent to really get into the guys head......DOSED HIM WITH MUSHROOMS fully knowing that the Vulnerable guy has a previous episode in the past where he had issues that required medical attention....and My Morals & Ethics......my compass is spinning haywire. I am of retirement age, the vulnerable Guy is just over 30 and his GF too, and Mr. Social Engineer & his Band Camp are in their mid 40's pushing 50. But considering being trained to motivate students as a profession, and then using that as a sinister convention to direct a fixation on GEAR in a malevolent application in these circumstances. Its being set up, and the trap is ready to be sprung
"Unless you're super-wealthy...." Wow. Sure, it's a problem for some. But come on... this video is labeling "EVERYONE" who's ever bought a pedal (or 2 or 3 or more) into the same problematic category is a bunch of "hooey." It's like saying everyone who has a beer or two (or three or four) on a Friday night is an alcoholic. If it makes you happy and (very important) is within your means (and the means of your family).... enjoy yourself.... life is too short, you work too hard, enjoy what makes you happy. I'd argue that a pedal or two has made me a better player as it increased my desire to want to play/practice more. You could literally attach a "wasteful or irresponsible spending" moniker to just about anything you buy these days, as everything costly seems to have a less expensive option available.... or you could do what this guy suggests; "just do without." I'd be curious to see how this guy has spent his hard-earned money.... iPhone or Motorola? BMW or Corolla? Steak or burger shack? Starbucks or drip coffee? Premium spirits... or well-brand? Designer hairstyle or SuperCuts? Don't listen to this guy... when you work hard and earn money, you can decide for yourself. Remember these 2 things..... at the end of the day, you can't take it with you.... and secondly, there's a great market for reselling guitar gear at very fair prices. Now if you'll excuse me.... I'm gonna go buy 2 pedals.
Sorry if the video touched a nerve, although that can sometimes be revealing in itself. The message was intended to be not 'don't buy gear' but 'don't habitually buy gear you don't need, especially if it works against your musical and financial well-being'.
I need to watch this video every day for a while.
Better than tiktok :)
He's trying to talk us out of buying amps guitars etc so he can have them all to himself. Don't fall for it.
This is the first comment I've ever received that made me laugh out loud. Thanks very much!
omg haha
Musicians and Gear Pragmatism are like Oil and Water.
One thing I've learnt from playing the same guitar for 4 years straight, was that once you make it versatile with pickups wiring, if it plays well, and hopefully the guitar neck fits your hand (which mine doesn't but I have no choice, being broke and from a country that has rather weak currency), that's all that really matters.
Same with amps, I only use one amp sim suite from Neural DSP (which has 3 amp emulations). I'm so used to it after more than 2 years of usage, I could dial them to taste, and have them fits what I'm jamming to, for the most part.
If anyone remembers the whole Digitech Bad Monkey situation, that has proven the point on how silly we guitarists could get at times. Josh Scott had shown us that an overdrive with clever EQ-ing, one could get most tones that we could ever need out of an overdrive style pedal. They might not "feel" the same, due to compression, but it's still an overdrive pedal in the end of the day.
Gear advertisements, for the most part, are weaponised "Fear of Missing Out".
Thanks very much for your very insightful and well-written comment.
Damn this guy is 100% correct. I need to remember this when I'm watching gear reviews instead of practicing.
Pure wisdom. When I had lots of gear - I created almost nothing but troubleshooting, learning, comparing was endless. All that "audiophile" crap, all those electronic gadgets - I sold it all. I have now just a piano and I never was happier...
I have a complete recording setup with pc, daw, interface, midi keyboard, drumcomputer etc but if I am honest, I enjoy learning to actually play my guitar much more than all that turd polishing. I play my Squier straight into my little amp and it sounds great, cost me 300 euros...
As a photography enthusiast, when I was young, I couldn't buy what I wanted. When I can buy any camera I like, I frantically made retaliatory purchases. When I realized that I had trappped into something, a lot of time and money have been wasted. This video is helpful and is very profound.
As a photographer, this was exactly what I thought. Huge problem with camera gear too
I'm very glad it was helpful. Please feel free to share it with anyone who could use some help.
Probably the only good video about gear addiction on UA-cam. Concise and correct. Trying to get over it by watching videos about people’s gear buying histories - it’s sort of like getting sober by listening to someone talk about their whiskey connoisseurship. It’s a problem. The problem comes from you, not your gear. You have enough. Just stop buying and go practice. And if you’re tempted to watch a gear video, watch this again and practice some more until the urge goes away.
Thanks very much for getting it. We personally wish you a day full of music.
Thank you for pointing out that this might be a bad habit, a consequential one.
Needed this, thanks a lot for your honest and direct words! Appreciate it!
I will definitely not share this with my spouse.... it actually sounds exactly like everything my spouse would say🤣
I love the insights and the "real talk". Cheers!
This man speaks so much TRUTH.
Very cleansing and helpful. Thanks.
You're very welcome, Brian.
Thank you so much 🙏🏼 True words.
Thanks for this great video. Videos like this are changing the way I think about life in a better way
Your positive comment has made my day. Many thanks.
what a truthful, heartfelt, wonderful video from someone who could only benefit from people that have this issue. Thank you for making this video. I am over my GAS but now this video makes me want to buy an Auburn amplifier ....
Thanks very much for your very kind comment. At Auburn we're very conscious of the risk of feeding GAS, so we tend to weed out requests for amplifiers we suspect won't actually get used for making music. Maybe that makes us lousy business people, but we're not really in it for the money. We just like building amps that will be enjoyed and appreciated.
Excellent, honest look at things. Thank you for your candor. I have gotten so much better about this but still fall into that line of thinking sometimes. Life is perpetual, the more you play, the more you enjoy playing and want to play more just as the more you buy, the more you want to buy more. Let’s place ourselves into a cycle of growth rather than a cycle of spending.
Truly an incredible video. You are wise and eloquent. Thank you :)
Very much appreciated!
This is an important and timely video. Thanks!
Amen, as a young man I would just get what I could get and make it work, then 25 years later I had the means to buy anything I wanted and I went crazy, full circle now and back down to earth.
That's great to hear. All power to you!
Fantastic advice.
Every musician should watch this.
Every hobbyist should watch this.
The sound of sanity.
I think the most valuable indicator of the difference between just being an enthusiast on the one hand, and having a bona fide addiction on the other, comes down to what the presenter said about the impact on those around you, and on your relationships with them. Any activity that leads you to neglect your legitimate obligations towards others (or even yourself) has become unhealthy.
Beautifully expressed. Thanks very much for your comment.
Most of my purchases were to find my preferences. Now, I only buy pedals if they do something unique or at least something i don't have. I like using the whole box of crayons.
My guitar buying got completely out of hand. I realize I'm being bombarded with targeted ads that reinforce buying any items which caught my eye. That realization helped slow things down. It's certainly an argument for always using a VPN.
When you think you suddenly need a new amp, guitar, pedal, etc., go back and learn all the notes on the fretboard, that will do more for you playing than any piece of gear. If you already know all the notes, well done!
Guilty 😂
Synths are my bag.
I finally stopped due to space thank God... Now to sell ...
Thanks for the video.. it's brutally honest! Straight to the point on an important issue!
I appreciate the feedback. All the best, Rob
there comes a time when you mature and realize you need more time on the fret board rather than have a device with endless tweaking ability where you're never happy. i practice evry day with just an acoustic or an unplugged electric guitar to learn all the songs i play in a cover band. when i get to band rehearsal, then i plug in and step on pedals or switch guitar pick ups, or channel on amp instinctively to suit the tone in my head.
I really REALLY know what you are talking about. GAS is in my mind burning too. and I do not like it ... currently it is "reduced" to Software-components (like plugins or samples) but it COST still a Lot too. I really want to reduce it. the hardware-"side" of invests are currently low for reason of my space condition (running out of space for an longer while) - I am full in the studio and storage. GAS is an very serious issue for an musican!! and yes I have an familiy and need to be fluent in money. I think GAs is an force that mostly every musican get in in him/her musically life-period. avoid GAS think twice before you buy and before buying check you current bank- and creditcard-account(s) - that can help you to came down (cool down) to the ground of reality before you buy more gear.
I have too many guitars, because my wife says... and I quote "I love to see your face when you open a new guitar!" all I have to do is make sure the magazine is open on the right page on the right table at the right time.. or god forbid she might choose the guitar too.. which have me playing a Hello Kitty in pink sparkle..
If you keep getting new guitars, one of them is bound to be a Hello Kitty. It's just a matter of time. :)
@@auburnamplifiers1786 It happened in a guitar shop.. she marched over to me with a Hello Kitty in hand and declared "You need this!!" I talked her down to an Avril Levigne Signature telecaster (Not a bad guitar to be fair!) and then while she was confused I walked her right out the door....
Better had the value in touchable stuff than $ or a Dig coin, they turn breaker off, you can still have fun with it, enjoy the ride dude.
Damn.. thanks for this wake up call.. ❤
People forget the entire purpose of playing music - to create. When you're jumping on the latest bandwagon and constantly lusting after gear you aren't making music. I've gone back and forth with that myself - and I realize I was more excited and inspired when I had less. It really does suck the joy out of it because you end up pretty much like a junkie - just as he said; the excitement and newness fades pretty quick.
this vid motivated me to practice
This is very good
awesome video man!
Thanks very much!
Is it just me??? I keep hearing Christopher Walken..."...Needs more cowbell!!"
That's a first :)
just bought my new 7 string guitar then I saw this.
In the end you're just fuelling the gas as well with your product right? How are you exempt?
Your question is very valid. For one, Auburn amps are essentially custom made, so they can never be a spontaneous, commodoity-like purchase. I take the time to explore the user's actual needs and build their amp accordingly. If someone wants bells and whistles I know they'll never use, I'll tell them. And if the amps I build are simply too much for that user and situation, I'll tell them that too. Almost all my orders are word-of-mouth. The customer has to wait for their unit to be built. They will receive an heirloom-grade professional tool that they can put to use in a variety of their own real-world situations. This is very different from selling an off-the-shelf gadget to someone who just wants the addictive rush of buying a new thing and getting it NOW, after which it will join their collection of other similar impulse purchases. I hope this answers your question, and I wish you a day full of music.
As most of this is electronic equipment unless people purchase these products there would be no excuse to innovate and produce newer better products. And anyway its my money I buy what I want. Look what people pay for a cup of coffee.
Thanks for your comment, although it's debatable whether most music gear purchases drive technical innovation in any meaningful way. The reverse may actually be closer to the truth. And of course you can buy whatever you want, but it's good to keep in mind that you're also buying what someone else wants you to buy.
@@auburnamplifiers1786 Thanks for your kind reply. But being in the high end audio business starting in 1974 and watching it grow. I'm pretty sure if no one cared about the Precise reproduction of music it would have fallen victim to extinction to cheap Japanese imports at the time. But as humans we are constantly looking to improve our experiences in our short time on earth leaves little time. So I would think this carried over to the Musicians market.I guess I'm saying if you have disposable income you can do what you please but never above your family. You have great content on your channel I hope you have lots more subscribers. Again thank you for a respectful reply. Don't get many of those.
I appreciate you taking the high road as well, and quite agree that respectful dialogue is far too rare these days. Regarding music reproduction sound quality, it has sadly taken a back seat in most contemporary listening scenarios thanks to online streaming services, anything linked via Bluetooth, etc. Those of us who take sound quality seriously are in the minority, and have to be increasingly creative in assembling equipment and systems that satisfy our needs. Thankfully, almost everyone reacts very positively when they hear something done right. My school-age daughters dance like maniacs to the home speakers I designed and built before they were born (and before I ever dreamed of the kinds of music they'd eventually get used for!). @@CKS64
@@auburnamplifiers1786 well you have a new subscriber.
I love this video! Thank God I don't have this problem. I recently bought a bunch of equipment and glad I have everything I need now. It's over and I'm happy. The real problem in our society right now is the people who get busted and have 30 guns and 10,000 rounds of ammo.
I feel like you're speaking a particularly dark end of the spectrum. I agree that you shouldn't have to lie to your partner, and you certainly shouldn't be throwing money away on things you can't afford. If you save money diligently and work with a budget/allowance, then I think it's fine to indulge if this is your hobby. I suspect you're talking about people buying very expensive equipment - several thousands of dollars each. I am in a very fortuitous position to afford, say, a pedal each month. And if I forgo that for several months, I can get an amp or guitar. I enjoy collecting, and I don't let it affect my livelihood - it's a fun hobby. And I get to play all sorts of fun things, which inspires me to practice and write all the time (well, all the time I have to play with guitar! ;)).
Actually, I'm not talking about people who buy 'very expensive equipment' - I'm talking about the habitual acquisition of unnecessary distractions from the pursuit of music, if music was indeed the initial goal. People who get pleasure from regularly buying things they don't need exhibit addictive behavior, which is usually a reaction to some form of deprivation in their past. I know it sounds extreme to compare the harmless habit of dropping a C-note or two in pedals every month, or buying yet another mid-grade guitar, to more obviously destructive addictions, but the root is actually the same. Whole segments of the gear market target this behavior by offering mediocre-to-okay(ish) products at attractive prices. Behringer is a culprit (and a design thief, to boot). Pedals hit a price point that especially feeds this habit. Do you know someone who regularly consumes drugstore novels like they're going out of style, reading for hours at a time, and reacts defensively when they're called on it, citing their enjoyment, the low unit cost, and the sanctity of reading as a pursuit? Bingo. If everyone thoroughly tracked how they spend their time for a month, and asked themselves seriously why they made those choices, their lives would improve enormously, and at zero cost.
Don't buy - play. Sounds simple but every guitar player I know is a gear junkie. Spend the money on (online) lessons instead.
I am observing a Social Engineer exploit a individual who's vastly talented.....lead the vulnerable individual down the path like leading a Jackass with a carrot on a stick.....to RUIN !...I'm on the other end trying to get the individuals existing base gear as in AMPLIFIERS...up and running as with MAINTENANCE....because these guys believe that something 50 years old with original parts.....can't GRASP SERVICE LIFE of components. WET chemical items...EVAPORATE. My aspect, I know what it takes to be up 100% and functional...JUST TO BASE LINE START......put the cart behind the horse....not the cart in front of the horse !!! But as you mention FAMILY and spouse......And this is the INSIDIOUS PART because its funneling in VIA the girlfriend as the girlfriend was a band member of the Social Engineer ....BUT the Social Engineer was also a Figure of Authority over the Girlfriend...BECAUSE HE WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER and fixated on this girl and groomed her in the Teacher /Student relationship as they were exposed to each other and the TIME element. The Social Engineer had his band collapse as the Vulnerable individual and the girlfriend got together in their relationship and it became like a love triangle soap opera with the Band Leader/Teacher/Social Engineer (who's married and has a kid)....vowing to get the GIRL BACK....so the premise is to crash the vulnerable individual as Social Engineer wants to break up the relationship by causing the vulnerable guy to fail......Economic collapse buy gear instead of concentration of getting the existing base line of operations up 100%.........SO its gone from CASH to going to credit cards....and a band credit card too. So the end run game is a Music Show in a California Model PAY TO PLAY venue....as a MAKE IT OR BREAK IT scenario with the Social Engineer guiding and pressurizing everything.....and discrediting ME for speaking up.....as he has been manipulating this Girl for years prior to the "couple" aspect in her life. The aspect of a Male Teacher and a Female Student is also in play as it seems there is an exploitive pattern with this Teacher/Social Engineer......as if he gets press...it seems to always involve a female student getting his attention......and he is not employed as a Music Teacher. The ego of this Social Engineer has him listing an online resume where he makes claim to be a Music /Recording Industry executive/Professional and engineer......when he is a full time Public SCHOOL TEACHER. Its one thing to embellish something but then its another to Materially Mis-Represent something.......and nobody fact checks. The girlfriend works on the Vulnerable guy because of the influence of the Social Engineer as a puppet master manipulator......and for what it is...A Narcissistic Sociopath. The Social Engineer went really over the top with sending in his Band Camp guy to proxy manipulate the Vulnerable individual....and to the extent to really get into the guys head......DOSED HIM WITH MUSHROOMS fully knowing that the Vulnerable guy has a previous episode in the past where he had issues that required medical attention....and My Morals & Ethics......my compass is spinning haywire. I am of retirement age, the vulnerable Guy is just over 30 and his GF too, and Mr. Social Engineer & his Band Camp are in their mid 40's pushing 50. But considering being trained to motivate students as a profession, and then using that as a sinister convention to direct a fixation on GEAR in a malevolent application in these circumstances. Its being set up, and the trap is ready to be sprung
"Unless you're super-wealthy...." Wow.
Sure, it's a problem for some. But come on... this video is labeling "EVERYONE" who's ever bought a pedal (or 2 or 3 or more) into the same problematic category is a bunch of "hooey." It's like saying everyone who has a beer or two (or three or four) on a Friday night is an alcoholic.
If it makes you happy and (very important) is within your means (and the means of your family).... enjoy yourself.... life is too short, you work too hard, enjoy what makes you happy. I'd argue that a pedal or two has made me a better player as it increased my desire to want to play/practice more.
You could literally attach a "wasteful or irresponsible spending" moniker to just about anything you buy these days, as everything costly seems to have a less expensive option available.... or you could do what this guy suggests; "just do without." I'd be curious to see how this guy has spent his hard-earned money.... iPhone or Motorola? BMW or Corolla? Steak or burger shack? Starbucks or drip coffee? Premium spirits... or well-brand? Designer hairstyle or SuperCuts?
Don't listen to this guy... when you work hard and earn money, you can decide for yourself. Remember these 2 things..... at the end of the day, you can't take it with you.... and secondly, there's a great market for reselling guitar gear at very fair prices.
Now if you'll excuse me.... I'm gonna go buy 2 pedals.
Sorry if the video touched a nerve, although that can sometimes be revealing in itself. The message was intended to be not 'don't buy gear' but 'don't habitually buy gear you don't need, especially if it works against your musical and financial well-being'.