A Tale of Two Crises: GAS or Mod Fever

[smitty_p]

smitty_p There is one other point to the Tom Morello story which Is the key and that is, the piece of crap custom guitar he’s talking about is the one one that he played through all of Rage Against the Machine. He didn’t throw it and get something else.
He tried to mod it until it became what he wanted and when he realized that it was never going to play or sound how he wanted it to he decided to stop and just concentrate on writing music instead.

Thanks, I see a bit better where's he's coming from. And, I get it. Perhaps, I was picking at his verbage a bit too critically.

I see his basic point that even if you have gear that you dislike, it doesn't keep you from making good music with it. In that sense, I see his point that the gear doesn't matter.

However, for me, the gear does matter...even if only to me. That doesn't necessarily translate to expensive. I like a wide variety of different types of guitars and I want to genuinely enjoy playing each one. There are some things and sounds I can't get from all my guitars. To me, that's not a negative; it's one of the pleasures of having different instruments to choose for a given song...or just because I'm in the mood for that guitar.

 

[gball]

...or just because I'm in the mood for that guitar.

Mood is important. I play and sound different on different guitars. When I listen back to something I recorded, my style of playing is different depending on which guitar I was playing.

Lately I have been obsessed with my SG. I have been playing it exclusively for the last month or so, and I have been coming up with song ideas that are based on it's unique voice. Things I would have never stumbled into with one of my Les Pauls or another guitar...and vice-versa - I will play things on the Pauls that I would never conjure on the SG.

 

[83 blazer]

I totally hear you. There are some things that one guitar does better than another etc. etc.

It’s why the last time I picked up a guitar I chose to play my Hamer instead of my SG. I just wanted ‘that’ feel.

It’s the age old justification for one more guitar after all. It’s also why we do mods, no matter how big or small to our gear.

For some it’s an occasional thing, for others it’s an obsession. All in all it’s a part of what makes us love having guitars and amps and effects in the first place. The ability to express ourselves through playing or collecting or modifying.

 

[gball]

In agreement with you there. I only have one guitar at the moment that has any mods at all, my Mira. Just have never been able to bond with any PRS pickups (other than the Tremonti bridge, those things are sick) and have always ended up changing them in my PRS guiars.

 

[Inspector #20]

smitty_p There is one other point to the Tom Morello story which Is the key and that is, the piece of crap custom guitar he’s talking about is the one one that he played through all of Rage Against the Machine. He didn’t throw it and get something else.
He tried to mod it until it became what he wanted and when he realized that it was never going to play or sound how he wanted it to he decided to stop and just concentrate on writing music instead.
He bought an amp because it was the one that was available in the store at the time he needed one and he’s stayed with that as his amp setup ever since. As a touring player he has since had to expand the amount of gear he has and duplicated the same rig so that he can have a setup in the city he’s going to but he hasn’t changed the rig by chasing different gear.

The first two minutes of this video will give you an idea of where he’s coming from.

In any case, I don’t believe he’s saying we all have to stop spending on gear and upgrades and mods, rather just recounting his personal story and the decisions he’s made for himself.

I’m no Tom Morello disciple by the way, I just think it’s an interesting insight.

Heaven forbid I stop wanting to buy this or tweak that in search of enjoyment and inspiration. If I had to rely on my talent alone for that I’d be bloody disappointed!

And how some guitars that are supposed to be great really are not...