Pandemic GAS

[Rollin Hand]

Wondering if it's just me: is anyone else finding themselves GASing more during the poopshow that is the pandemic. I started looking at flangers last night, and for no good reason. I keep wanting to buy guitars that I don't need at all (seriously, I am lucky if I get to play for more than 5 mins once a week). In fact, I thinking about paring down. But I still keep thinking about buying all sorts of random gear.

[UrenragK]

Me!

I’ve become obsessed with sales pages for tools and guitars

[ID10t]

I found myself trying, and then trying to "stop and think", to make my playing area more comfortable for long term housebound. Way back in the olden days I could plug into an amp and play up to 4 split hours a week. I would say it's Covid gas, kinda like beer farts.

[Mossman]

I think it might have to do with the fact that guitar retailers have been very aggressive with non-stop sales and promotions (to sell inventory they don't have). MF has been pelting me with 15 and 20% off coupons on a regular basis lately (something that used to only happen 3 or 4 times a year). I havent had any particularly strong GAS for a while, except for a general desire to get a semi-hollow... at some point... But if you keep throwing deals at me, it's only a matter of time before I'll eventually bite.

[aullucci]

I think it's natural that since most of us do little else beside sit around the house because of enforced closings, the things we do while sitting around the house tend to assume oversized importance. Part of the reason I spent six months buying that acoustic is because I knew I had like 8 other things I wanted to buy, and by dragging out the purchase process for the acoustic I could still feed that GAS but not drop thousands in the process...

I've spent the last month or so auditioning new reverb pedals. I have a HOF mini. And I like the sounds. However, I do not want to keep plugging it in to a computer, and I do not like flipping through my phone to send new presets to the pedal. This strikes me as a complete champagne problem - I have a good pedal that sounds exactly how I want, but is slightly wonky in operation (for me; it works fine, I just don't love it). IT MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, PREFERABLY WITH AN EXPENSIVE PEDAL WITH FEATURES I DON'T CARE ABOUT AND WILL NEVER USE.

[LightWingStudios]

Nope. It's not just you. Our sales have TRIPLED and mostly coming in off our website as opposed to Reverb and FleaBay which is good...no transaction fees @ 12-15%! Yeah we pay for our store software but that pales in comparison to those bastids fees! Our website is now generating 75% of all out sales.

[BatUtilityBelt]

Interesting. I still browse, but no more than pre-pandemic. I buy a lot less frequently though, because prices hiked and offerings diminished. Those factors made me glad to already have more gear than I really need.

[mickey]

I've noticed that Jerry's Lefty Guitars has been getting relatively regular new inventory arrivals thru all this.

[Flatline]

Quite the opposite for me. I've been considering selling off and consolidating about half of the stuff I don't regularly use. I still browse for deals, and should have jumped on a few that I missed.

[sabasgr68]

I´ve been gassin´ for the same two things basically, pre and post c19 time: a double cut LP style (AD3200 or Ibanez AR), and a RP500. Gassin´ is still free, isn´t it? Gassing I can, buying no can...

[mkgearhead]

I’ve been the same gear hound through all this. I only buy gear with money I’ve made from selling other gear so it’s self sustaining, but my collection keeps getting nicer. Lately I’ve been selling several items and saving up for a single higher end one.

[mkgearhead]

I´ve been gasin´ for the same two things basically, pre and post c19 time: a double cut LP style (AD3200 or Ibanez AR), and a RP500. Gasin´ is still free, isn´t it?

Have you looked into the Hamer XT Series double cut LP style? I picked up 2 of them recently and they’re really good quality.

[sabasgr68]

I´ve been gasin´ for the same two things basically, pre and post c19 time: a double cut LP style (AD3200 or Ibanez AR), and a RP500. Gasin´ is still free, isn´t it?

Have you looked into the Hamer XT Series double cut LP style? I picked up 2 of them recently and they’re really good quality.

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I´ve liked those Hamer XT, too. Not sure about the controls in line, though. Felt weird compared to usual LP controls?

But yes, they would be a nice option Prefer the one with block inlays; dot inlays aren´t really for me - yes, it´s only looks, but you know... -.

Gassin´ I can, buying no can haha

[fatjack]

I've been gassing over a cab for the quilter microblock. Either a 1 x 12 with a 4 ohm texas heat or a 2 x 12 with 2 8 ohm paralleled. And you know what a rabbit hole cabs and speakers are. At least I limited it to open back.

[RockYoWorld]

I can be good at not GASing for a while, but the way I GAS is that I observe a "need" or "gap" and my mind obsesses with was to fill that. If I'm busy and doing things, I can put off filling those gaps, but if I'm sitting around and playing more guitar and fine tuning patches to the point each guitar sounds unique, I start going crazy thinking about filling the gaps.

In December, I finally filled the idea I've had for years about having an electric guitar with a piezo pickup and now I have a Schecter with a fixed bridge on its way because I've been thinking for years, "I love how my Schecters with Floyd Rose play, but like how my LTD EC1000s sound better." Of course, if this guitar doesn't do it, I'll probably be after an EC-1000 with a Floyd Rose...

[tlarson58]

I can be good at not GASing for a while, but the way I GAS is that I observe a "need" or "gap" and my mind obsesses with was to fill that. If I'm busy and doing things, I can put off filling those gaps, but if I'm sitting around and playing more guitar and fine tuning patches to the point each guitar sounds unique, I start going crazy thinking about filling the gaps.

Exactly.

My issue is that I took on so many things to fill the gaps that I haven't had time to play much.

[nomadh]

My work load doubled last yr so shopping was what I did for fun because practicing was too tiring much of the time

[slowhand84]

Wondering if it's just me: is anyone else finding themselves GASing more during the poopshow that is the pandemic. I started looking at flangers last night, and for no good reason. I keep wanting to buy guitars that I don't need at all (seriously, I am lucky if I get to play for more than 5 mins once a week). In fact, I thinking about paring down. But I still keep thinking about buying all sorts of random gear.

It is kinda natural with people having far fewer options on what to do to sink deeper into stuff you can do at home like playing guitar. My GAS hasn't really changed but that's because it has more or less abated for me in recent years as I'm super happy with all my gear. Nowadays I only buy stuff if it's an irresistible deal or something really special.

I've bought 3 guitars during the pandemic thus far, one was a $3000 custom guitar with specs I absolutely loved for $800, the second was a vintage 1970s Fujigen LP for $150 that I love so much I'm now selling both my Agile LPs since they're collecting dust, and the last one was a $1700ish Warmoth build for $499 with a solid rosewood neck (been after a strat with that neck for a few years).

Came across a bunch of other nice deals that I passed on, but those three got me

[Sinster]

I upgraded my "test" equipment. I put test in quotes because just like my old equipment it most likely sit there more often than being used.

I got a
Hantek DSO5102
Uni-T UTG932 Waveform generator
Realsun DC Bench Power Supply
Transistor tester
A ESD/Soldering mat that really isn't ESD..

If you're in the MA area be on the look out as I will be selling my analog scope Instek GOS-620 and BK Percussion function generator.