I've been thinking recently about the unending compulsion many people (me included) seem to have to buy more guitar crap. We may be perfectly happy with our rig, but there's always the possibility that something else is out there that will magically fix everything.

I really think that there are two competing priorities when it comes to new gear: novelty vs. practicality. Sometimes they go hand in hand, but frequently we buy something not because we think it will work for us, but because it has lots of options and gizmos on it, and we hope something will click with us.

Many times, manufacturers play into this mindset by offering tons of options on new amps, effects boards, etc. The longer we fiddle with knobs, the longer it takes before the novelty wears off and we settle into the question of "does this actually work for me?"

When I think about gear in this manner, it helps me to focus on whether a new piece of equipment actually addresses my needs/wants or whether it's just something that I think might be cool.

What do you think? Agree or disagree?