1 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2009-05-08 15:04:05)

Topic: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

My thought was always if I had $800-$2000 I'd buy another guitar. NOW, I have many many guitars. I only have two amps. So now I ask this...

Is it worth it to stop buying guitars in favor of purchasing more amps? If so, would it be worth selling some guitars to get into some more amps?

Let not get into the fact that some guitars I could never sell, and some are just novelty, the novelty ones are definitely expendable. And while (yes) I do love my Marshall and my Rivera amp... the main reason I don't have more amps is because I don't know what that many different ones sound like.

I'd always imagine that buying and selling amps are less of an emotional investment than a guitar. Sort of like having a pet dog (guitar) and some pet fish (amps). lol

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

Ha too true, I like your analogy - although I like certain amps I have guitars I love and could never get rid of. I find that getting new guitars inspires me more than playing different amps does. But it sounds like you've reached the amount of guitars where you have enough inspiration!

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

if i had 1000-2000 euros i neither would buy a new amp nor a new guitar
i would serch for the best teacher arround and would pay him for the compleed year
and i woulden´t miss a single lesson wink
i dont know how good is your playing ? and i dont want to arge you
but in my eyes its waste money to buy tons of equipment and cant play
to give the guitar´s /Amp´s what they expect from the guitarist or singer 


my two cents
Geko

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

Man, That is a very, very good question which I have found myself pondering quite often. My gear list isn't quite that long, but over all I am pretty happy with it. I really wish I could add a JB les paul to the collection, and that will probably be my next big purchase. I am currently playing through a fender hot rod deville, which is pretty nice, BUT it just isnt a Marshall, and it obviously doesnt have the Marshall sound, with that being said.... i'd like the add a marshall or marshall clone and maybe get into a little bit of amp blending? UGH GAS strikes again :-(


Logan

Block inlay Gibson ES-335, 50th anniversary American Strat, '61 RI White SG, '62 RI Relic Strat, Replica Korina Flying V, Gold Tone Paul Beard Resonator,  '58 Les Paul RI, American Highway 1 Fender Strat, Breedlove Acoustic, Stonetree Joe Bonamassa Custom, HIWATT Lead 100R, Reeves Custom 30.

5 (edited by stratpaulguy86 2009-05-08 22:52:19)

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

As far as tone sculpting goes, to me guitars are not nearly as important as amplifiers.  The old analoge is you can get a much better sound with a $300 guitar through a $3000 amp rig than visa versa.  I like to have different flavors of tone if you will.  The major ones are Fender, Marshall, Vox, Hiwatt, Trainwreck, and Dumble.  Just like with guitars there are the Strats, Teles, Les Pauls, ES335s, Rickenbackers, etc.  It's certainly nice to have a variety but that can get very expensive.  If you feel that you have plenty of guitars I would certainly expand your amp collection.  Get out there and play everything with a tube in it and find something that you really enjoy that your other amps cannot do as well.  Take it home, then repeat that process about 5 more times! cool

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

I guess it really doesn't matter if you've found your sound. Look at what Clapton played through Monday. No big stacks or multi amp rig. All EC used was a Strat and a Fender Twin.

I think I'm happy with the gear I currently have. But I'll never get rid of my G.A.S.

Stay Safe

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

Geko wrote:

if i had 1000-2000 euros i neither would buy a new amp nor a new guitar
i would serch for the best teacher arround and would pay him for the compleed year
and i woulden´t miss a single lesson wink
i dont know how good is your playing ? and i dont want to arge you
but in my eyes its waste money to buy tons of equipment and cant play
to give the guitar´s /Amp´s what they expect from the guitarist or singer 


my two cents
Geko

This is a good point. If you practice and play great, it doesn't matter what you play through once you get to a certain point in amp quality. Joe sounds pretty much the same whether he's playing through his 1x12 jub, 2 rented marshall dsl2000s, or his normal rig. The player's ability on the instrument is always more impressive than his (her's) equipment. Some of the best sounds I've heard live were through peavey 5150s (Nugent, Foghat), and they're not considered boutique. I'm pretty sure it had more to do with the players and not the amps.

That being said, we are in the golden age of guitars and guitar amps. You can pretty much get anything you want in an amp, it's just up to you to decide what you want. It's all a matter of taste (not so much quality any more).

I also agree that most of your sound comes from the amp, and not so much the guitar.

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

I only buy guitars when I feel the need for one. I've never understood people who have X amounts of cash to blow and decides to buy a new guitar, when they don't even want anything particular.

Amps is the Nr.1 Contributer to tone. Amps change more than guitar. So get a new amp baby

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

Guitars

Amps are tuffer to sell

I have a bunch of amps, but rarely plug in

Can always play a guitar without an amp,
it's tufffer to play an amp without a guitar

on the other hand, 2 is not a lot of amps
to really chase your tone, 5 or more is required big_smile

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

Rick wrote:

Guitars

Amps are tuffer to sell

I have a bunch of amps, but rarely plug in

Can always play a guitar without an amp,
it's tufffer to play an amp without a guitar

on the other hand, 2 is not a lot of amps
to really chase your tone, 5 or more is required big_smile

Ehm, I don't think he would be buying an amp with the intention of selling it... I think most people prefer to plug in their electric guitars as well wink

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

ZampraZ wrote:
Rick wrote:

Guitars

Amps are tuffer to sell

I have a bunch of amps, but rarely plug in

Can always play a guitar without an amp,
it's tufffer to play an amp without a guitar

on the other hand, 2 is not a lot of amps
to really chase your tone, 5 or more is required big_smile

Ehm, I don't think he would be buying an amp with the intention of selling it... I think most people prefer to plug in their electric guitars as well wink

I just read what he said "I'd always imagine that buying and selling amps are less of an emotional investment"

I actually play my electrics unplugged alot, mainly cuz my dog doesn't like the amps.

But you get a flavor of what a good guitar sounds like unplugged.
Can hear a "woody" tone unplugged ( or a tinny one)
Pluggin em in, and distorting them tends to mask some of that

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

My opinion is this, if your planning on buying amps that are totally different spectrum of guitar playing it makes sense to buy a new amp as the guitar you'd more then likely have something that was close.  But if your just buying another Marshall or something your waisting your money.  But on the same sense I'm thinking whats the point of a amp to go with your other amps if your not going to take all of them with you to gigs to get that layered sound.  You could be recording so maybe a large option of amps at your disposal is what you need.  So if thats the case go for old combos!  Fender Champ or what ever you can find.  I think a Champ you could step into for around $400 to $1000 depending on the condition.  Or an old Prencton which is to die for!!!

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

These are all good opinions.

Where I think the discussion gets off course is when it gets to "well how good is your playing, how about lessons?" Although I'm constantly learning and getting better, the question comes from a collecting standpoint.

I've always considered myself a guitar collector first and a player second... probably because my collection is more respectable than my playing! lol But I was wondering whether to stick with a couple amp or perhaps start to build an amp collection. It seems like a different mentality, but very intriguing to have a bunch of amps that can make one guitar sound different depending on what its plugged into.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

sorry  i Failed the topic  roll
From the collectors point i would have more emotion´s to buy guitars than amps .
but a healthy collektion of both would be a dream cool

Re: Here's a question to ponder buying more amps or guitars?

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:

These are all good opinions.

Where I think the discussion gets off course is when it gets to "well how good is your playing, how about lessons?" Although I'm constantly learning and getting better, the question comes from a collecting standpoint.

I've always considered myself a guitar collector first and a player second... probably because my collection is more respectable than my playing! lol But I was wondering whether to stick with a couple amp or perhaps start to build an amp collection. It seems like a different mentality, but very intriguing to have a bunch of amps that can make one guitar sound different depending on what its plugged into.

+1.  I like collecting neat stuff as the opportunity presents itself.  The neat thing about my gear is that most of it was accquired when I was not really looking for gear.  The only pieces that I ran out my way to get were my R8 LP, '57 Strat RI, and my Ceriatone HRM100.  The others I just stumbled apon and said, "why not?"  I would like to play out someday soon but its so tough getting a decent group of players together...

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.