He likes like one of my old buddies...PooPoo MaGoo! Exactly like him....We went to prom together tripping on Acid with some Goldschlager, zima Wine Coolers, Mad Dog 2020 and some beer Icehouse I think! And of course some Ganja! But my point is he looked so much like PooPoo it wasn't even funny! Cept PooPoo couldn't play and just really wanted to play and be a rockstar like me and Nick. So bought DJ crap! Just like everyone else!
This has a certain appeal for me, :). But then I am mostly telling myself this on my own channel all the time, self-therapy. So thanks for stepping in and handling this "session" for me Fluff. I feel (a little) better already.
I immediately thought of you when he was making his closing points - Practice > Gear It is something I wish I had figured out when I was younger and making tons of money. Blew A LOT of it on gear which I later had to sell. Starting over again with much lower end stuff and not a lot of cover for how sloppy I actually played forced me to clean up my approach.
sometimes the feel of the *right* thing new to you can inspire - dig out the stuff on the bottom of your pile, if you have one, and rediscover why you loved them in the first place. That happens to people all the time when they go "well I really should pass on some of the stuff I haven't played in months" and then suddenly they don't have anything for sale because they started playing their old stuff again - sometimes people sell their *newer* gear off because they fall back in love with their old stuff and the new items then become unplayed :-)
It also doesn't have to be new or old gear that inspires you. Most of the time it is just the fact that you're not hearing the same sounds. Maybe just going and listening to something else can greatly inspire you.
If your songs are good and your performance is tight no one gives a shit apart from guitarists in the audience standing at the back with their arms folded.
Lesson for the kids... Be happy with what you have because other people have less than you do or they cannot afford what you are currently taking for granted.
It's ok to be unhappy, if it makes you work towards the things you want in life. Don't just be happy, because others have it worse. Try improving your situation. And if you are happy, try making other people happy, especially those that are less fortunate.
dude. I respect that you're open about being homeless. I was homeless and had a drug habit the size of a small country. A lot of people forget where they come from, and pretend it never happened. Props my dude.
I doubt it's anything close to 99%. The strat this guy started with would have been a massive step up from the pawn shop Peavey I started with. I'm not convinced anybody could have made that thing sound good.
Completely agree with that. Not gear-wise limitation but if it weren’t for Tony Iommi’s fingers and down tuning to play the guitar we wouldn’t have doom metal sooner or even at all
PAF > Dimed Marshall or practiced unplugged. You play dynamically or sound like crap. And tons and tons of band practice. Those were your only options in the 70’s-80’s. Do the same. Guitar>TubeHead>Cab + skills + mates = endless fun KISS theory.
You gotta have the struggle. And you’re a prime example of someone that worked their butt off and is reaping the benefits. But without that struggle I don’t think you’d be as successful as you are today. I think is deeper than gear man because most people only look at the short term comfort over the long term rewards. Awesome video man!
When I was a starting I bought a cheap squire strat. After awhile I wanted fancy and better cause I thought I would play and sound better. My dad told me, "Clapton could make that cheap guitar sound amazing." I still have that guitar, 20 years later.
100% agree. Back when I was touring and poor I made do with cheap gear and wished I had quality stuff. Now I am old and record in my little studio and don't play out, I can afford all the new shiny I want but basically choose not to. Ironic isn't it.
This! This is legit. I remember back when I was a teenager and I had Samick Silvertone Strat copy and a Crate SS amp, I never cared about gear, I just played! My first band, we all had crappy equipment but we loved making MUSIC!! Now, 20 years later, I’ve kind of come back to that point. I have a simple amp, a couple guitars, and I just PLAY. This video is spot on!!! Cheers!
You also weren't FLOODED with gear pictures/videos and gear ads from social media back when you were playing that strat. You were just jammin' with your boys. Everyone is now inundated with everything on UA-cam and Instagram. This was needed.
that's why personal responsibility, accountability and agency are important. we're inundated with consumerism constantly, girls and women especially. In the US, 80% of consumer spending is controlled by women, the shows, media, advertisers, and entire industries, etc. all know this, and target girls and women.
Oh really? Ever been to a guitar store? Or read a guitar magazine? If you were even vaguely into guitar back in the 90s that was what you did, and guess what.... ads EVERYWHERE - and usually ones that couldn’t even show you how the gear sounded in any meaningful way. Gear lust has been around since the 60s, and people have always wanted easy ways to sound “better” because that’s how humans are.
@@adamsteelproducer I think it is different now a days when kids follow people on social media, respect the individuals and look up to them, and those individuals are marketing products while being in rooms that are surrounded with high dollar gear. I will agree that people have been chasing for decades though.
As someone who does music full time and has done the gear grind for years... Use what inspires you to play Buy the best you can afford at the time Get the right tool for the job and learn how to use it Great job Fluff, this should help alot of people get what they need.
5:08 *”great tools won’t make you a great carpenter”*. So true!! Unless you are a doctor or lawyer 🤣. There is having quantity and there is having quality. Ryan?! You have both my good man!!
I've known for a while that practice and learning songs is what I need to work on, but when the G.A.S. is real and one has the means, buying new shiny gear is hard not to do... Kinda caught in a loop. Gotta break the cycle.
This is the problem with music these days we have lost passion due to being inundated with so much gear that we don't just sit down and write a kickass record we write something lame and expect the gear to make it up to be incredible
The thing with gear is that it has never been this easy to find and acquire gear. I wouldn't have half myself without reverb and affirm. I would had never found my bass without the resources we have now.
No matter what effect I use I end up play the same things. For me. I’m a student of the guitar. Pedals are to emphasize. Tone is in your hands. Great Chanel.
Wow, I've never seen "Jack White" and "amazing music" in the same sentence before. Unless the sentence is "Jack White never has and never will make amazing music".
Know exactly what you mean! Make due with what ya got and keep improving your craft! The shiny stuff will come and go, write a great tune and make a great recording and it will live forever!
Great points Fluff! Not just for the "younger" players either, I find myself trailing off onto the new shiny rabbit whole every once in a while, when I really just need to sit my old ass down and practice more! Nice work
I love this episode. I'm 52 yrs old I have played through many different configurations of amps and pedals, eventually going all rack with a Peavey Rockmaster pre amp and a Boogie 50/50 power amp with a variation of effects and gates. But that was years after playing through gear that I could afford and still had a great sound. It's a maturing experience.
Every syllable of this was accurate. Thank you. While I do relate to a lot of what you said here, I don’t rent storage room to keep the things I’m not currently using!! Ha ha!! Keep doing what you do. It’s phenomenal and people benefit from your experience.
The general thesis of this video is amazing and spot on, younger players especially need to hear this, but all players benefit from this message because it's very easy to fall into the train of thought that new means best.
Been really enjoying your videos as of late Fluff. You add wisdom and experience not a lot of others see or realize. Best thing that could happen to me was growing up poor, made me realize if you're smart enough you can make any thing work with research and trial and error. Now I have enough gear to open up a small shop. Keep up the great work!
Gear is fun, but constant gear lust is a burden. Sometimes, working for and obtaining the perfect instrument (or amp, or bike, or house, etc) can totally cure gear lust, to the point where you no longer desire alternatives. I saved for and bought a guitar in 1997 that was so perfect for me that I played it exclusively for 20 years. I didn’t even really think about another guitar for two whole decades. That guitar is a part of me now, and always will be.
Had this conversation over the last year. Through the 1980’s I had 2 guitars, a wah, an SD1 and a marshmall JCM800. There was very little choice but I was happy with that tone for the decade… then, coming into the 90’s and beyond it was like the supermarket for guitar players opened! Choices, choices and more options. I went thought £1000’s of gear on a quest and to be honest I think my playing suffered. Too much buying and tweaking to get “that tone” when it was already in my hands. I’ve now come full circle to an EVH 50 watt head and a couple of Boss pedals. No more option paralysis or being blinded by shiny things. Just good simple tone and much more playing. Just my journey since 1981…. Good post Fluff 🤘
I worked in some of the best studios in the world and have been lucky enough to work on all types of gear. But ever since covid put us on lockdown for the last year I been kind getting off on doing more with less. I find it more challenging and rewarding to focus on taking whatever in front of me and doing something amazing. So I totally agree with you on great performances , great song writing, and let me add one more "master the gear you already own".
My first guitar was a Squier Strat. The frets were sharp, the neck was rough, and the bridge saddle screws were too long the string action was unadjustable. It wasn’t until I got an Epiphone SG that I understood the joy of playing when your gear doesn’t suck.
GREAT video and VERY IMPORTANT topic, nowdays music/audio marketing is savage 'cause all the tools we can get and the easy way to get them, it's very important to think about what tools fit for our own purpose instead got for the new stuff just because it's new and bunch of people made a video about it (sometimes that helps btw). Love this kind of videos, keep crushing it man, cheers from Venezuela.
This video is a godsend! Thank you fluff for speaking the truth. I tell this all the time to new musicians or friends of mine that wanna step into some what of a musical space. It’s not about the gear you have it’s what you learn about and can do with the gear you have! 9 times out of 10 it’s something you want not something you need! I learned that by going on a plugin binge only to find out that the list of plugins I actually really needed was far less than I initially thought.
I remember my first band. Started out through a Peavey practice amp and after a few shows, we bought our first stack: and early 70's 50w Hiwatt and a Marshall cab. Keep in mind, this was the 90's and Hiwatts were dirt cheap. We made the most of what we had. I think that whole rig cost around 600 Canadian. We honed our songwriting on relatively cheap gear and had the times of our young lives doing it.
I love you Fluff! I have been playing guitar for quite some time now. I never been in a band or anything, I just play at home, jam with friends etc. It really hit me when you said that before, you were not able to buy the things you have right now. I have been playing my very first guitar ever since, changed pickups, bridge, tuners etc because it got so rusty after years. This year I was able to buy my first "pro gear / guitar" and it made me so happy.
Thanks for this video, is very similar to what I tell my kiddo. Shiny/expensive/new won't make you good, even if you can afford it, you still have to work your ass out, even if you have talent, you still have to work to get better at anything you want to do. I guess that's part of the problem with a lot of kids these days, they get the best "something" just to realize they still suck and then get depressed.
Bravo Fluff, I remember the old videos when the room was mostly just walls. Long road of hard work 🤘🏽😎 O and I promise not to do another one riff song with Anthony 😂
i always like to invest in custom made stuff. the tone is always out of this world. and of course sometimes i'll drop money on a brand new brand name item that has stood the test of time
That's so true!! Let start by buying YOUR GEARS that you can afford. Work, practice, and take lessons with the gear that you started with, before looking into buying new gears. Please be patience and not rush into buying all the HOTTEST gears that come out every so often.
Perfect. I think that as you get older and more experienced, you understand what you really need versus want. We all want it all, of course. But you start to focus on the things that will get you to a little better place. It helps you sound a little better, saves you some work. More tailored to your gigging needs etc.
Sometimes the performance is better when we fight against our gear just a little. When we work a little harder to sculpt the sound we want with our hands instead of gear.
This is... One of the best videos you've done. I'm not always a fan of every video because there's a lot of stuff that's way more than I'll spend on gear or nothing that I'm interested in, I'm a fan of your faq videos or gear in the affordable range.... but this one wins man. I will never judge or shame people that want 20 amps and dozens of guitars, if they love it them I'm happy for them and that's awesome you've worked hard and gotten what you want. What I can't handle is people that buy 3k dollar guitars and boutique amps that think it'll make them better or get them attention. Spend that money on lessons and make the most out of the gear you have, then show us all how you can tear shit up on a 500 dollar guitar and an hx stomp!
The photo of 15 year old Fluff is priceless.
Straight Outta Dawson's Creek
He likes like one of my old buddies...PooPoo MaGoo! Exactly like him....We went to prom together tripping on Acid with some Goldschlager, zima Wine Coolers, Mad Dog 2020 and some beer Icehouse I think! And of course some Ganja! But my point is he looked so much like PooPoo it wasn't even funny! Cept PooPoo couldn't play and just really wanted to play and be a rockstar like me and Nick. So bought DJ crap! Just like everyone else!
Muff
This has a certain appeal for me, :). But then I am mostly telling myself this on my own channel all the time, self-therapy. So thanks for stepping in and handling this "session" for me Fluff. I feel (a little) better already.
Your channel is healing for a lot of us because you talk about this kind of stuff all the time. The perspective reset.
I saw the title and immediately though of 5 watt world.
@@Dirge4july same! 🍻
I immediately thought of you when he was making his closing points - Practice > Gear It is something I wish I had figured out when I was younger and making tons of money. Blew A LOT of it on gear which I later had to sell. Starting over again with much lower end stuff and not a lot of cover for how sloppy I actually played forced me to clean up my approach.
Just remember, you can quit whenever you want to
I agree, but man when you’re in the dumps of artistic depression, a fancy new piece of gear can really inspire you to get back into it!
sometimes the feel of the *right* thing new to you can inspire - dig out the stuff on the bottom of your pile, if you have one, and rediscover why you loved them in the first place. That happens to people all the time when they go "well I really should pass on some of the stuff I haven't played in months" and then suddenly they don't have anything for sale because they started playing their old stuff again - sometimes people sell their *newer* gear off because they fall back in love with their old stuff and the new items then become unplayed :-)
@@russellzauner
It also doesn't have to be new or old gear that inspires you. Most of the time it is just the fact that you're not hearing the same sounds. Maybe just going and listening to something else can greatly inspire you.
You ain’t wrong! 😀
Maybe for commoners. Learning a different instrument or playing different genres of music help you out of ruts and help you grow.
my uncle is a carpenter and he always said "a bad worker always blaimes the tools ... a good worker works with anything he have "
"If a Line 6 Spider is all you have, then play what you have." - Glenn Fricker... Yes, THAT Glenn Fricker.
Not enough caps lock 😁
And Glenn would be proud
Just open insane preset!!!
If your songs are good and your performance is tight no one gives a shit apart from guitarists in the audience standing at the back with their arms folded.
Lesson for the kids... Be happy with what you have because other people have less than you do or they cannot afford what you are currently taking for granted.
It's ok to be unhappy, if it makes you work towards the things you want in life. Don't just be happy, because others have it worse. Try improving your situation. And if you are happy, try making other people happy, especially those that are less fortunate.
so true 👍
Amen
I totally agree sir
@@Pfaeff I think he was meaning dont take your situation for granted and be grateful for what you have.
“Calm waters never made a skilled sailor”
dude. I respect that you're open about being homeless. I was homeless and had a drug habit the size of a small country. A lot of people forget where they come from, and pretend it never happened. Props my dude.
“You just need to practice more.”
And there it is.
1000% support this video message. If you wanna get better and make it known...work your ass off! Thank you Fluff.
Gear matters when it allows or doesn’t allow you the creative freedom of playing the thing. Huge thumbs up on the
Strung Out sticker!
This is one of your best videos. This should be shown to every musician starting out.
I like that you keep your guitars in your murder room.
"Great tools don't make you a great carpenter", wise words indeed.
that storage locker is heaven for any guitarist
The wife making him pay a fee insteada keepin at the house is not tho😅
Yaaasss!!
@@infinidominion that's how she'll get him to buy a bigger house. ;)
next time on Storage Wars...
@@infinidominion That's how you don't end up single :)
Yes to this. I've been gigging for decades. 90% of the gigs I could have shown up to with a tube amp and a decent guitar and been just fine.
99 percent of us have everything we need to create great music. every limitation is an opportunity for creativity
Well said
I doubt it's anything close to 99%. The strat this guy started with would have been a massive step up from the pawn shop Peavey I started with. I'm not convinced anybody could have made that thing sound good.
Completely agree with that. Not gear-wise limitation but if it weren’t for Tony Iommi’s fingers and down tuning to play the guitar we wouldn’t have doom metal sooner or even at all
Today I learned Fluff keeps a Go Pro running in his storage locker 24/7.
EVH is another good example. He made those Franken-Strats to work good enough for him and I think it turned out pretty good. 😉
PAF > Dimed Marshall or practiced unplugged. You play dynamically or sound like crap.
And tons and tons of band practice. Those were your only options in the 70’s-80’s. Do the same.
Guitar>TubeHead>Cab + skills + mates = endless fun
KISS theory.
Shiny new Gear is sometimes really helpful, rarely essential... But always fun.
You gotta have the struggle. And you’re a prime example of someone that worked their butt off and is reaping the benefits. But without that struggle I don’t think you’d be as successful as you are today. I think is deeper than gear man because most people only look at the short term comfort over the long term rewards. Awesome video man!
When I was a starting I bought a cheap squire strat. After awhile I wanted fancy and better cause I thought I would play and sound better. My dad told me, "Clapton could make that cheap guitar sound amazing." I still have that guitar, 20 years later.
I think I saw a video once of Satriani with a cheap guitar and it sounded great of course lol dad is wise
Thank you for sharing your experience of being broke and homeless; it gives me hope for better days one day...
100% agree. Back when I was touring and poor I made do with cheap gear and wished I had quality stuff. Now I am old and record in my little studio and don't play out, I can afford all the new shiny I want but basically choose not to. Ironic isn't it.
Great video! You almost sound like a counselor from a GAS Rehab... you did a great job identifying what’s actually important for gear.
This! This is legit. I remember back when I was a teenager and I had Samick Silvertone Strat copy and a Crate SS amp, I never cared about gear, I just played! My first band, we all had crappy equipment but we loved making MUSIC!! Now, 20 years later, I’ve kind of come back to that point. I have a simple amp, a couple guitars, and I just PLAY. This video is spot on!!! Cheers!
You also weren't FLOODED with gear pictures/videos and gear ads from social media back when you were playing that strat. You were just jammin' with your boys. Everyone is now inundated with everything on UA-cam and Instagram. This was needed.
that's why personal responsibility, accountability and agency are important. we're inundated with consumerism constantly, girls and women especially. In the US, 80% of consumer spending is controlled by women, the shows, media, advertisers, and entire industries, etc. all know this, and target girls and women.
Oh really? Ever been to a guitar store? Or read a guitar magazine? If you were even vaguely into guitar back in the 90s that was what you did, and guess what.... ads EVERYWHERE - and usually ones that couldn’t even show you how the gear sounded in any meaningful way.
Gear lust has been around since the 60s, and people have always wanted easy ways to sound “better” because that’s how humans are.
@@adamsteelproducer I think it is different now a days when kids follow people on social media, respect the individuals and look up to them, and those individuals are marketing products while being in rooms that are surrounded with high dollar gear. I will agree that people have been chasing for decades though.
This is the equivalent of a rich guy saying money doesn't matter. It's laughable
I love this video, I have never been able to afford big awesome gear. This gives me hope, honestly.
Fluff: “Gear doesn’t matter.”
Also Fluff: “Buy gear with my links.”
Lol. Just kidding. I love your videos, perspective, and experience. Thank you!
I found that amusing..lol
I don't need another guitar etc, I need to make more music
Rinse
Repeat.
1: creativity first, gear second
2: work hard
3: help the needed whenever possible
As someone who does music full time and has done the gear grind for years...
Use what inspires you to play
Buy the best you can afford at the time
Get the right tool for the job and learn how to use it
Great job Fluff, this should help alot of people get what they need.
YES. THIS
5:08 *”great tools won’t make you a great carpenter”*. So true!! Unless you are a doctor or lawyer 🤣. There is having quantity and there is having quality. Ryan?! You have both my good man!!
1:15 Your hair made you look like a backing guitarist for Hanson
I was thinking ball boy in tennis or football in the 70's
I've known for a while that practice and learning songs is what I need to work on, but when the G.A.S. is real and one has the means, buying new shiny gear is hard not to do... Kinda caught in a loop. Gotta break the cycle.
One of your best Fluff. Parkway have always sounded phenomenal. Love your work.
This feels like throwback RBG vlog content. Love it!
This is the problem with music these days we have lost passion due to being inundated with so much gear that we don't just sit down and write a kickass record we write something lame and expect the gear to make it up to be incredible
The thing with gear is that it has never been this easy to find and acquire gear. I wouldn't have half myself without reverb and affirm. I would had never found my bass without the resources we have now.
Amen to that Reverb and affirm is a godsend. The minute petrucci decides to sell his old gear on reverb is the day I go bankrupt
No matter what effect I use I end up play the same things. For me. I’m a student of the guitar. Pedals are to emphasize. Tone is in your hands. Great Chanel.
So true! I argue with my rythem player on gear. He wants the newest most expensive gear, but you can't buy talent.
You can buy talent, it’s called fiverr
@@PooNinja or the entire music industry
I love my cheap - get in the door gear. Almost everything I have was $40 average per item.
Love the vlog style videos! I appreciate the effort you put into the storage space scene.
The story of your first guitar told a story of love for music. Thank you for that :)
Such a great perspective! Proud to see the growth you’ve had
this applies to everything in life...except toilet paper. never compromise with that.
Facts!
Truth!!!
Pretty inspirational. Thanks, Fluff
For decades, Jack White put out amazing music on a rig that probably cost $500.
Wow, I've never seen "Jack White" and "amazing music" in the same sentence before. Unless the sentence is "Jack White never has and never will make amazing music".
@@Sandman60077 You must be that guy that no one likes.
@@yungstaben7675 he’s definitely jealous cuz he probably spent thousands of dollars to sound like ass 😂
@@Sandman60077 You crack me up. Very Funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@Sandman60077 Dont worry about the Haters, fuck Jack White
This is an interesting spin on the whole "size doesn't matter " thing.
Preach!
In that vein people should stop gear hating!
If someone can only afford a squire, that doesnt mean they cant out-play you!
Never sell your first guitar. Modify it when you have the money. Show some love to it. Make it the beast that it was meant to be!
You are right that great tools don’t make you a great carpenter.... but I still want all the stuff
I have that same Strat.... I got it as a college graduation present in '96. I played it forever and still have it too.
Gear definitely doesn't matter but damn it's fun getting new stuff and hoarding!
Know exactly what you mean! Make due with what ya got and keep improving your craft! The shiny stuff will come and go, write a great tune and make a great recording and it will live forever!
That word at the end nailed it, practice more! Nice storage locker of gear! Like, wow!
Gear do matter, but talent and skills matter more. Love your stuff! ❤️🤘🏻
Gear is the HOW, music is the WHAT, and creativity is the WHY. This sentence is in reverse priority order.
This is a really good way of illustrating a point, Fluff. Well done, man.
Great points Fluff! Not just for the "younger" players either, I find myself trailing off onto the new shiny rabbit whole every once in a while, when I really just need to sit my old ass down and practice more! Nice work
Strung out sticker on a strat... Chef kiss
I can agree with all of what you said and also relate to your struggles to get to where you are now.
Sometimes a new piece of gear your lusting after can inspire you to play better!!!
This was a wonderful video Fluff. Thank you man. Seriously.
I love this episode. I'm 52 yrs old I have played through many different configurations of amps and pedals, eventually going all rack with a Peavey Rockmaster pre amp and a Boogie 50/50 power amp with a variation of effects and gates. But that was years after playing through gear that I could afford and still had a great sound. It's a maturing experience.
This video is amazing Fluff!
Very, VERY well said!
Every syllable of this was accurate. Thank you. While I do relate to a lot of what you said here, I don’t rent storage room to keep the things I’m not currently using!! Ha ha!! Keep doing what you do. It’s phenomenal and people benefit from your experience.
The general thesis of this video is amazing and spot on, younger players especially need to hear this, but all players benefit from this message because it's very easy to fall into the train of thought that new means best.
WELL DONE! Its not a new message, but its the only message that really matters. You cannot buy talent through gear. You have to PRACTICE. A LOT!
Right on brother fluff. Not about the gear it’s about the art we make with it. That’s what matters sometimes it helps to remember that thanks man
Been really enjoying your videos as of late Fluff. You add wisdom and experience not a lot of others see or realize. Best thing that could happen to me was growing up poor, made me realize if you're smart enough you can make any thing work with research and trial and error. Now I have enough gear to open up a small shop. Keep up the great work!
much love fluff! this is something that needs to be said. A podfarm and superior 3 license can still fucking rip if the songs are good!
Gear choices are a never ending quest for tone and that is what inspires me and my playing.
It’s not the gear you have but the noise you make with it🤘🏻
this is gold. thank you for sharing and reminding us man 🤟🏼
This is almost certainly a beard files episode in all but name.
Gear is fun, but constant gear lust is a burden. Sometimes, working for and obtaining the perfect instrument (or amp, or bike, or house, etc) can totally cure gear lust, to the point where you no longer desire alternatives. I saved for and bought a guitar in 1997 that was so perfect for me that I played it exclusively for 20 years. I didn’t even really think about another guitar for two whole decades. That guitar is a part of me now, and always will be.
Wise person once said,” you don’t need more guitars, you need guitar lessons “. With at that said, I do think good QUALITY gear is important.
Had this conversation over the last year. Through the 1980’s I had 2 guitars, a wah, an SD1 and a marshmall JCM800.
There was very little choice but I was happy with that tone for the decade… then, coming into the 90’s and beyond it was like the supermarket for guitar players opened! Choices, choices and more options.
I went thought £1000’s of gear on a quest and to be honest I think my playing suffered. Too much buying and tweaking to get “that tone” when it was already in my hands.
I’ve now come full circle to an EVH 50 watt head and a couple of Boss pedals.
No more option paralysis or being blinded by shiny things. Just good simple tone and much more playing.
Just my journey since 1981….
Good post Fluff 🤘
I worked in some of the best studios in the world and have been lucky enough to work on all types of gear. But ever since covid put us on lockdown for the last year I been kind getting off on doing more with less. I find it more challenging and rewarding to focus on taking whatever in front of me and doing something amazing. So I totally agree with you on great performances , great song writing, and let me add one more "master the gear you already own".
My first guitar was a Squier Strat. The frets were sharp, the neck was rough, and the bridge saddle screws were too long the string action was unadjustable. It wasn’t until I got an Epiphone SG that I understood the joy of playing when your gear doesn’t suck.
GREAT video and VERY IMPORTANT topic, nowdays music/audio marketing is savage 'cause all the tools we can get and the easy way to get them, it's very important to think about what tools fit for our own purpose instead got for the new stuff just because it's new and bunch of people made a video about it (sometimes that helps btw). Love this kind of videos, keep crushing it man, cheers from Venezuela.
This video is a godsend! Thank you fluff for speaking the truth. I tell this all the time to new musicians or friends of mine that wanna step into some what of a musical space. It’s not about the gear you have it’s what you learn about and can do with the gear you have! 9 times out of 10 it’s something you want not something you need! I learned that by going on a plugin binge only to find out that the list of plugins I actually really needed was far less than I initially thought.
I remember my first band. Started out through a Peavey practice amp and after a few shows, we bought our first stack: and early 70's 50w Hiwatt and a Marshall cab. Keep in mind, this was the 90's and Hiwatts were dirt cheap. We made the most of what we had. I think that whole rig cost around 600 Canadian. We honed our songwriting on relatively cheap gear and had the times of our young lives doing it.
I love you Fluff!
I have been playing guitar for quite some time now. I never been in a band or anything, I just play at home, jam with friends etc. It really hit me when you said that before, you were not able to buy the things you have right now. I have been playing my very first guitar ever since, changed pickups, bridge, tuners etc because it got so rusty after years. This year I was able to buy my first "pro gear / guitar" and it made me so happy.
Thanks for this video, is very similar to what I tell my kiddo. Shiny/expensive/new won't make you good, even if you can afford it, you still have to work your ass out, even if you have talent, you still have to work to get better at anything you want to do. I guess that's part of the problem with a lot of kids these days, they get the best "something" just to realize they still suck and then get depressed.
I feel like I needed this. There are a lot of people talking about GAS but not so much how to solve or cure GAS.
Bankruptcy will cure it lol
Bravo Fluff, I remember the old videos when the room was mostly just walls. Long road of hard work 🤘🏽😎
O and I promise not to do another one riff song with Anthony 😂
Fluff me boi. You're looking good. Keep doing what you're doing.
Play what inspires you, not what is the most expensive. Loads of gear is no good if you never use it.
And not only practice but EXPLORE! Be curious and creative, the most seemingly limited thing can have so much potential
i always like to invest in custom made stuff. the tone is always out of this world. and of course sometimes i'll drop money on a brand new brand name item that has stood the test of time
That's so true!! Let start by buying YOUR GEARS that you can afford. Work, practice, and take lessons with the gear that you started with, before looking into buying new gears. Please be patience and not rush into buying all the HOTTEST gears that come out every so often.
I learned that...if it sounds good, it is good.
Perfect. I think that as you get older and more experienced, you understand what you really need versus want. We all want it all, of course. But you start to focus on the things that will get you to a little better place. It helps you sound a little better, saves you some work. More tailored to your gigging needs etc.
Sometimes the performance is better when we fight against our gear just a little. When we work a little harder to sculpt the sound we want with our hands instead of gear.
ssshhh....don't tell the retail industry this!
I am lusting after that Studio Desk!!!!!
The Argosy Halo. Awaiting your reaction to the price on Sweetwater. 🤣
This is... One of the best videos you've done. I'm not always a fan of every video because there's a lot of stuff that's way more than I'll spend on gear or nothing that I'm interested in, I'm a fan of your faq videos or gear in the affordable range.... but this one wins man. I will never judge or shame people that want 20 amps and dozens of guitars, if they love it them I'm happy for them and that's awesome you've worked hard and gotten what you want. What I can't handle is people that buy 3k dollar guitars and boutique amps that think it'll make them better or get them attention. Spend that money on lessons and make the most out of the gear you have, then show us all how you can tear shit up on a 500 dollar guitar and an hx stomp!