The Great Pick/Gear Debate and the Value of the Additional Cost

[Blaze]

Practicing & being passionate about your instrument is priceless

for other things there s Masterca....

[Childbride]

strummy:

my answer to your discussion is this.

we are musicians.

we play an instrument.

we are also human.

it's thursday, for example, and a full moon. we are rumaging in our non-practice time on the internet for the next cool toy, b/c we all experience gas that pepto will not fix. especially in this economy, when everyone is having to count every single penny going in/out of their wallets. the urge to break once in awhile is a maddening, insufferable itch.

we see a peso pick, for example, here in texas. stupid price. but he$$, BG from zz top had one. it's not expensive as a guitar. we had a little extra this month. why not try it. may be fun. [i don't have one, by the way]

we experiment with the money that we have to have toys.

we never truly grow up, especially if you are shiner.

we just have more expensive toys.

[luvmyshiner]

we never truly grow up, especially if you are shiner.

I think I just farted . . .

Wait a minute, what were we talking about????:

[LagrangeCalvert]

An excellent comparison. I remember hearing some of my wife's relatives talking about how much they spent on golf balls. I started laughing, thinking that it was some of the stupid one-upsmanship that her cousins could get into. About 1/2 second later I realized that they were all dead serious. I'm stunned at the amount of money they spend on golf gear and that's not even considering green fees.

I was considering saying that at least with guitars you don't have to wear stupid clothes, but then I thought of some of my favorite guitarists in the 80s . . .

I do have to say in their defense the golf ball is the one piece of gear that will make a difference, a pro or hack....... I spend a lot of money on golf balls. Its the different between a 2-4 over par game and a 7-9 over par game. Trust me, with clubs though, unless you are a pro (have your PGA card...not even a touring pro) the clubs wont make a difference, unless their K-mart clubs.....then spend a little bit more money and get a decent set of clubs.

[hubberjub***]

I'm suprised at how many feathers this thread has ruffled. This has been the most polarized topic I have seen in a while. It is still far more tame than anything I have seen on HC. If you are so bold as to have an opinion on that forum you are immediately confronted with ridicule and profanity. That just reminds me why I like this forum. I enjoy a good debate but we can walk away friends after it's all said and done without seeing the term STFU. I like thefret.net.

[bigoldron]

without seeing the term STFU.

Oooo! You said a worty dird!

Maybe it's time to hijack this thread or move on to something else???!!!

As far as I'm concerned, you're all right. Remember opinions are like b%#*holes, everybody's got one. If I was a drinking man like I used to be, I'd declare it P.O.E.T.S. day and just fugetaboudit!

[Algonquin]

without seeing the term STFU.

Oooo! You said a worty dird!

Strat, Tele, Fender, Unicorn... is Unicorn a bad word?

[Lev]

Remember opinions are like b%#*holes, everybody's got one.

That explains all the GAS around here!

[tot_Ou_tard]

Strummy is it the hype that you are primarily concerned with?

One can become convinced that one NEEDS such & so expensive piece of gear after reading all the raves.

If you happen to actually buy it, it might do absolutely nothing for you or at least nothing near worth it's cost. For another it might.

It is helpful to hear all opinions, including those for whom it was a waste of money, so as to form a well-rounded picture & to help stem the tide of GOTTA-HAVE group-think.

[Tone2TheBone]

Are these V picks only available from the website? I finally looked into them and they "look" cool. Sound cool has yet to be determined. I like the stick to your fingers idea. I listened to their samples and really I could not tell any difference. I might be able to if I had one I suppose.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Are these V picks only available from the website?

Look't what you did Strum! You post that V-picks are expensive overated hype & you get Tone drooling for one. You can't win.

Yes, I believe that currently you can only by them direct from Vinnie.

[Gil Janus]

Look't what you did Strum! You post that V-picks are expensive overated hype & you get Tone drooling for one. You can't win.

Yes, I believe that currently you can only by them direct from Vinnie.

Ah no, there is a list of stores that carry them - Locations

And yes, I own some v-picks, a little pricey, but I like them. :

Gil

[tot_Ou_tard]

Ah no, there is a list of stores that carry them - Locations

And yes, I own some v-picks, a little pricey, but I like them. :

Gil

I stand corrected Gil. Thanks.

I really like Pyramid picks & those are much cheaper.

[Tone2TheBone]

*Googles Pyramid picks*.....

[Algonquin]

*Googles Pyramid picks*.....

Did the same thing

[Gil Janus]

Did the same thing

Me three.

Gil

[tot_Ou_tard]

I'll bet you all thought that they were SHAPED like pyramids.

Nope, they're just standard-style picks, but I like the heavy ones.

V-Pick's are something completely other.

[Spudman***]

Here is a V Pick thread.

[Tibernius]

For the record:

The most expensive guitar I've got was £120. That was the acoustic. Most expensive of the electrics cost £100. My amp(h) cost £90. The multi-effects unit cost £80ish. I think the cable cost £15, both of the straps I've bought cost £15 each. I bought a 25-pack of Planet Waves picks for about £5 a while ago and I've still got most of them left.

I personally would not buy expensive picks unless I was a pro. Because I lose dozens of them and I couldn't afford to. :
Expensive cables on the other hand...with them it's the old point "you buy cheap, you buy twice". And I can tell the difference in sound/signal quality between the cables that came free with some of the guitars and the one I bought.