Dealing with GAS attacks...

[Katastrophe]

One of the things that is cool about this site is talking about different guitars and how they sound...

But now, I've got serious GAS!

Tone's Epi looks great, and I've always wanted a Les Paul...
Spud is getting a Squier Tele, and those look cool...
Nelskie just got his G&L Tribute ASAT...
Iago traveled to a different CONTINENT to get his Mustang...
Then there's the whole Squier '51 thread...
Just found a Hartke mini-half stack amp that looks perfect for my needs for the money...
STILL GASing to build my own Strat type guitar...
But then I look at the Agiles, and they look great (along with the rave reviews on this site) for LP clones, and they have a hardtail 7 string that looks awesome...

Without prying too much into private lives, how is everyone affording the new equipment? Selling off old stuff? Saving up? Extra jobs? Good primary job? No kids?

Please forgive this post if it is considered rude or too prying...

[Tim]

Katastrophe,

Sounds like you are in dire need of one of them there GAStrologist doctors to help slow down the sickness you have acquired. This could lead to some serious harm to your system and the withdrawal symptoms could be just as painful. Be careful in what you choose to do. This is serious stuff and it is contagious. I am already feeling some of the symptoms and I can hardly pay for new strings. I scrapped for the coins to buy the Bad Monkey I just purchased. I must also suppress the GAS in order to save my marriage or I maybe wearing my guitars. Remember old "El Kabong"?

[Nelskie]

Kat - To pay for the better portion of my G & L, I sold my Squier Tele Std. *sniff* I loved that guitar, too, as it was my first Tele-style axe. Anyways - I also had some other stuff lying around (an old DiMarzio p'up, Fender gig bag, and some recording software I didn't use (an old Cakewalk program.) To Ebay it all went. By the time it was all said and done, my auction costs paid for and what not, I only had to dig out an addt'l $75 for my new axe. I'd been looking to upgrade in the Tele dept. for awhile, and pretty much knew what I wanted. When the G & L came up through an Ebay retailer (Neal's Music) with a "Submit Best Offer" option on it, I had the $$, and made an offer. When it was accepted, I pulled the trigger. Ebay is great place to buy & sell gear. If you get something you don't like - chances are there's someone on Ebay who's looking for it. I've had great success buying & selling stuff there. If you need to raise $$ funds for a purchase, I would definitely suggest Ebay as a selling resource.

Indeed, GAS is a chronic condition. Acquiring guitars / gear seems to only breed a desire to get more (as evidenced by my Pod XT purchase a few short weeks later.) All things considered, my suggestion to you would be to scratch that new guitar itch, as there really isn't another feeling like it. There's sooo many good, affordable guitars out there these days - you really don't have to break the bank to get a quality axe. Likewise, there's good deals abound on Ebay all the time. Saw a sweet mid 80's MIJ Squier Strat go for $275 the other day. Dude, that's a DEAL! You could mod that thing out, and it would be a giant-killer.

Anyways - getting that new G & L has really super-charged my playing, and I'm sure a new axe will do the same for you.

To my knowledge, there's only one known anecdote for GAS: buying a guitar! Cheers!

[Tone2TheBone]

Katas-,

I sold one fly rod on Ebay that I bought for my wife because the first time she fished with me she did so well that I gave her one of my high quality rods instead. So I put that up for auction and got what I bought it for originally (I love Ebay). That put the down payment on the Epi. One day a guy here at work just happened to pass by the hallway and asked me if I knew anyone that "did blueprints". I said no we have to send them out to be printed. (He really meant was there anyone around my department that did house plans). After we reworded what he was trying to say I said..."Hey I do plans". This side job will pay for the remaining balance on the guitar.

Normally I finance my fly fishing hobby and music by selling stuff I don't need anymore. But if you can do work or something on the side then you're better off. I was about to sell another fly rod (they're like guitars in price mind you) but a really good friend talked me out of that ridiculous notion and hired me to work on his website. If you can provide some kind of service to someone or an organization I think thats a good way to help relieve the constant pain and pressure of GAS.

[Justaguyin_nc]

I finance my buys with older stuff sold by either losing interest or I just don't want anymore.. also old enough not to worry about the cheaper items (100-300 bucks) seeing all the kids are long gone and I can eat beans when the need is there.. plus the guuurlfriend seems to like to get me things.. As for the REAL USA made labels.. I am not at that stage yet to need one...if ever... heck, Billy Bob Thorton has the bucks.. and he plays squiers...so I guess I can too..

[SuperSwede]

Billy Bob plays guitar?
I really loved "Bad Santa", it was a really funny movie!

I try to sell/trade stuff when I want new music gear.

[r_a_smith3530]

Well, I do all sorts of things, from working side jobs, selling off old unwanted stuff, goin' on the "pork-n-bean diet," and whatever else it takes. I also generally buy stuff used, so I don't pay for the built-in, upcoming depreciation that goes with new gear.

I figure that it's just ecologically sound as well.

My new (well, to me at least) Crate bass amp is a perfect case in point. I sold my old amp, an Ibanez 35 watt practice amp, and to that added money I'd gotten for XMAS, and topped it off with some cash I'd saved by eating dollar store TV Dinners for lunch, and Whamo, a new 220 watt bass amp!

I usually do the same (buying used) with things like CD's, DVD's, and books as well. One of the greatest places on earth has to be Amazon. If you need a music book or performance DVD, check there first. Always look for the "new and used" section when you check on a book or disc. Most of it is just closeout, not really used, but you can save serious coin!

Here's something for your Les Paul GAS!

[Katastrophe]

r_a_, you are a very bad man, very bad!

Thanks for all the tips, guys... I have to be the one person in the country that has never used the 'bay. My wife has an account and we buy all kinds of clothes and stuff for her daughter, CHEAP! I'm definitely gonna have to look into selling some stuff from the house. I've got a whole storeroom full of crap (uh... highly desirable secondhand good condition merchandise) that we just cart around from place to place when we move.

I'd sell off my current collection of guitars, but each one has some sort of sentimental value so that I just can't bear to get rid of 'em. Kind of like visiting old friends when I sit down to play. They're temperamental, and require more maintenance now than they did when new to keep running right. It took me two hours to restring and set up my Charvel last night ($%^$%^% floyds!) but man did it sound good by the time I was done...

[Justaguyin_nc]

Gotta love the bay... I just put a J-Station on there for a 1 day sale... figured it was collecting dust since the Cyber-Champ got here and I need to get a set of noiseless pickups.. hopefully one will take care of the other.... Then when I am ready for the second Cyber-Champ for stereo I will toss the Harmony 410 amp and the pedals on there.. then when I am ready for... oh getting ahead of myself.. darn this buying and selling...

[Spudman***]

I do lots of buying and selling on Ebay myself. Great way to unload and reload, but...I also do Harmony Central Classifieds, and...I was on The Flower Kings forum on Yahoo the other day and someone was selling a nice Rickenbacker bass. No I didn't get it but someone else said they had some studio gear to sell and now I have a near mint set of JBL 4208 studio monitors and amp. Burrrp! Sorry, I guess I still have GAS.

The Flower Kings only American Tour Date for 2006 is in Denver March 11 promoting the new album "Paradox Hotel".
http://members.aol.com/mmusicmann4u/TFKDenver.htm

[warren0728]

i'm getting ready to start selling stuff on ebay (i have a lot of antique cameras and such...any helpful suggestions would be appreciated although that should probably be a new forum thread) and will use the proceeds to buy guitar stuff. Sometimes i give or trade things to get my gear (i sold my peavy rage 158 to help get the epi valve jr.) and if i really end up liking the marshall mini stack i might have to trade my vox in to help defray the costs.

ww

[Nelskie]

WW - Trade in your VOX? Do you realize the repercussions of posting such a statement on this forum? Ha ha ha ha! Hey, if the flak gets heavy, I'll stand behind ya' - I sold my Vox earlier this fall (for the Valve Jr.)

On that Ebay thing: The Ebay website has a tremendous wealth of information about buying & selling items, and before you do anything, I would suggest that you review that information throughly. I would also suggest that you set up a Pay Pal account, as it offers many protective features for handling online transactions. Plus, it offers an immediate sales benefit for other Ebay'ers who use Pay Pal. Like Ebay, Pay Pal has a great website, with a lot of information about using their services (as a matter of fact, Pay Pal is owned by Ebay - FYI.)

Myself, I'm a long-time Ebay'er, and know that there are other Fret.Net members who have also used it successfully (like Mr. New Epiphone Les Paul Tone2TheBone!) Most of my transactions have involved guitars, amps, and other kinds of guitar or music-related gear, and I have yet to say that I've had a bad experience using it. Not only is it a lot of fun, it's also a great way to parlay unused items into $$ for other things - namely GEAR! On the flip side, if you happen to buy a piece of gear that you don't particularly like, you can sell it on Ebay. There's always someone looking for something. The costs of listing an item are very reasonable, and the exposure you get for your item is unmatched.

I think an Ebay "how-to" thread would be a great idea under the "Open Mic" forum, and suggest that you spearhead that operative. I will be happy to monitor the thread, and offer any assistance that I can.

[warren0728]

yeah i've bookmarked the links for all the ebay info...just looking for some insight on tips and tricks that some may have found and how you keep track of sales and such. I'll start a thread later today on this subject so it doesn't get lost in this thread.

ww