Utkarsh Mohan on Music #58: What no Guitarist wants to talk about
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- Опубликовано: 22 авг 2024
- Guitar Addiction is a real thing. But it is glorified in acronyms like GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) and NGD (New Guitar Day). Today we call a spade a spade and talk about the reasons why unbridled consumerism and consumption is glorified and the potential harm it causes
Utkarsh Mohan is a Singapore based writer, musician and artist of Indian origin. Formerly in corporate senior management, he now pursues his passions and is also the owner of the Ministry of Guitar collection
You can also follow him on Instagram @ministryofguitar
The biggest problem I see is all the gear is so good now. It used to he when you found an exceptional guitar you don't walk away, because an exceptional one may not come around for a while. Now its really hard to find bad gear, and I believe that does affect people emotionally. Certain specific guitars are revered, ie Greenie or the Black Strat, and everyone wants to find "the" guitar. They're pretty much all "the" guitar now, so just be at peace when you walk away from one because there are thousands that are just as great!
You remind me so much of myself, Utkarsh. I too have an addiction to guitars. I now have a couple rules for myself when buying. I try to avoid being impulsive. I'll at least "sleep on it" and even take a few days to consider a buy. Then, if one guitar comes in, one guitar has to leave. And remember, deals are always out there. Love your channel. You are a wise man.
Guitars are like friends. You can have alot or a few , but it doesn't make you or them any better. Sometimes you outgrow them, sometimes you lose them, sometimes life takes them out of your life and brings them back in. The best ones are the ones you spend the most time with and they should all be enjoyed while you got them.
The tl;dr explanation for something too deep for a RUclips comment: Nothing is ever enough until you are.
Correlating GAS with Addiction is, psychologically, spot on! After accumulating a rather large collection myself years ago, my wife asked; "do you have stuff [i.e. guitars], or does the stuff have you?!" And after much reflection on her question I concluded that the stuff had me(!) That was a difficult pill to swallow. It was also a significant turning point in my life, and our relationship. Excellent video!
I think your idea of treating the material in our lives in a sacred manner is an advice of value. With that I will say that I appreciate you. Thank you for sharing your time to broadcast this message.
Thanks for watching. And the feedback
I think GAS is a serious issue. I don't know how many times I blew my account to a very dangerous level to buy a guitar. Mean while.. I have a room of 12 guitars.
What I need to do is practice. the 12 guitars I have already as a collection is more then my abilities can utilize. So Why do I keep buying them?
Sometimes I really feel stupid doing so. Or I finally get the guitar and realize Im not better.
So yeah GAS is a real addiction.. Just like hoarding is I think it's actually an offshoot of Hoarding. But maybe we're all trying to use money to buy sounding good. The reality is.. it's practice. So follow my own advice I guess.
I'm a part of several hobby groups, and there seems to be a normalising of everyday people having massive collections of things that in the past only the wealthy had access to, from guitars to video games to fragrances to bicycles to watches. I think it has alot to do with social media, where people can easily find groups to cater to their every material desire and essentially enable them to spend money that without these groups, they wouldnt feel comfortable spending.
As an amateur guitar player and someone who’s worked in finance, I find this channel fascinating. It’s like a college class on the economics of guitar collecting.
Thank you. Appreciate your perspective
The social aspect of it is quite interesting. I do buy things for myself, but I belong to a community of enthusiasts and oddly feel an obligation to share things. There is a vicarious joy I think we find in celebrating a new guitar one of us gets. People want to know "what did youget?", "what did you sell?"
It's certainly not hypocracy to present your thoughts here as someone who expierences it. It's self awareness. You can be someone who likes to race cars while also knowing it's not the best thing for you.
Thanks for putting this out there, this is another epic one that just makes us all take a second look at ourselves in the best possible way.
Yes I do agree that the forum community both you and I inhabit is positive in the best possible way. That said, on other forums and other spaces in the internet (and real life), I sense this lack of fulfilment which I often feel is not necessary. Thanks for sharing
Look at most "guitar" channels here. All "gear", all the time. It's not just the guitar culture either, it's this sick materialistic society where money and "things" are God.
A lot of the old school guitar heroes got away with far less guitars than GAS affected players today. Certainly if they did end up with a collection, they acquired it after they were already famous. I remember EVH gave away like 70 guitars at one point, for kids to learn on and in addition his most famous guitar (maybe the most famous electric guitar ever) is really a PoS by today's standard. He's even called it that himself. You don't need anything fancy.
Really well said. It can be a problem.social media definitely plays a huge role into this mindset. This is exactly why I don't like to watch review videos anymore. They can be really persuasive, and you end up buying something you don't NEED.
What's in a name? Pride, shame, prestige, vanity, admiration, envy...the internet didn't bring about brand snobbery, but it did give it a global platform
Funny enough, a Fender Stratocaster has always been my "dream" guitar and I have achieved that dream many years ago with the purchase of my '93 American Standard which I still play up to this day. Everything else is gravy. I used to fetishize about owning a large collection of guitars and I still drool over the latest offerings, but as I have gotten older and have become a husband and a father (nothing like having a couple of kids to control G.A.S. 😊......not complaining at all. I am blessed with some great kids) I realize how important it is to keep a proper perspective and balance when it comes to life. Sure, I'll probably get a few more guitars before it all over, but I am very content with the instruments that I have. Things like guitars are not needs; you literally won't die without them, but I consider myself to be fortunate that I can get to enjoy a few.
This is very therapeutic. Thanks man. From your fellow musician here in the Philippines
Thanks. Glad I could help
Here is the solution: it's called "service" and it applies to all possessions.
If it is not in service, then it's excess. What ever you have, must be put in to service.
So, the real question is what is the service? What/where -- or, more to the point -- who are you serving?
My guitars -- and gear -- are in rotation and they are in service (to the master/creator). To which, time is fast running out of the current dispensation (that started about 2k years ago).
I'm not addicted to guitars. I own (and play) one guitar, one bass, and one keyboard) but I overdid it with vinyl for a few years. Buying albums to say I own them, being one of the RSD sheep, and many times listening to an album just once or not at all, made me stop collecting and ask myself what was I thinking, and get rid of my excess albums. It felt like a cleansing.
Needed to be said. Thanks for the perspective!
Thanks
I had seven Norlin era Les Paul customs in my “” collection at one time. About three months ago I liquidated everything because I had only been playing one of them at the time. I was sad to see them go, but it was the best thing I ever did, and in a strange way, it felt freeing. This was an excellent, excellent video and probably one of the best related videos I’ve seen on RUclips and quite some time.
Thank you for the kind words
Oh I am fully aware it’s an addiction, but my bills are paid and my savings are healthy so I don’t mind. As for social validation I quit telling anyone when I get a new guitar as people tend to get jealous.
This sounds liek a good place to be in
A friend of mine said people were looking for better licks in the bottom of every new case
I think you nailed the points in this video. Made me step back and think about how I look at really everything I buy that isn’t a necessity. Thanks!
Great stuff. I know that this channel is probably more gear then music related. But I wish music was mentioned in this video more. You said "Some of the greatest musicians are fine with just one guitar." which kinda hints, that one guitar is all you need to create. I believe the guitar should be the bridge between us and the music. Altho I understand and respect the "collectors" mindset and owning something cause its nice.
Actually this channel isn't very much about gear. That's one of the complaints I occasionally get. I have a fair few videos talking about music
Many great lessons here! Thanks for sharing!
I'm a recovering addict. Thank you John Suhr for curing my addiction. My classic T destroyed my gas. Only guitar I ever want to play.
Nice
I am of two minds on this subject. While I completely agree that it is an addiction on one level and can certainly become problematic, I also recognize that as long as someone is not impacting their lives in a negative way then maybe it is not worth too much concern. For example, if someone is putting themselves into massive debt to acquire gear or is alienating their spouse or not paying other bills because they have no money left, then it is definitely a problem. If you can afford it, then you spending the money is ultimately your choice on how you spend it. I don't have multiple hobbies - I don't spend money on lots of random things - but I do enjoy guitars and guitar gear. I like playing and I like trying out new guitars. I understand the dopamine hit can ultimately be a problem, but I think this is true in any pursuit. Some people collect cameras, some people collect audiophile gear, cars, watches, fountain pens, etc. You have to balance the pleasure it brings you (immediate and long term) and any negative effects that are caused by acquiring it.
Very Well Said! I went through a car phase in my 30's and 40's. Now drive a 17 year-old car but have a very nice collection of guitars, pedals and amps which I enjoy on a daily basis. Life. Ever-changing perspectives, priorities, and interests. May we savor and enjoy all we can, while being good people.
good commentary, utkarsh. you are correct in saying that owning more guitars is not a solution to anything. i have 4 guitars and am satisfied with my instruments. i've had one of them for over 30 years!
I bought way too much crap in another hobby during covid. Spent much and wish I didn't. This video applies across hobbies
I'm broke to the point I can't even afford one other guitar, I only have one and boy has it forced me to care and focus more about the practice and technique having no choice. I have gotten better and more focused actually. In the beginning stages of my first guitar I was already wanting another one and I would always complain about how I couldn't do things because of the guitar. Some of that is still true, but that kept me from picking it up waiting for a time I would have a new one. till hell, after some years as much as it may sound awful at times bc of my cheap gear, I kept yearning to play , so I just focus on learning things and getting good at both hands playing regardless of the sound.Ironically, it has become more enjoyable. I don't even think about another [electric] guitar and I'm thinking of having adjustments made to it if I ever get the money.
Im not that tapped in with niche guitar stuff recently so I may not even be certified to speak but that's my anecdote as of now.
I bought it in 2019
and barely made adjustments to my practice in 2024 and even learned classical guitar.
what changed in my mindset is how unpurposeful/naive I was with it. but this year getting older I learned how much I actually do want to place guitar playing into a part of my life/ possible naive dream career.
Totally agree, I came to that that realization and got rid of 5 guitars and about 20 pedals. I now take pride in a simple setup, which is also absolutely incredible. I’m down to Milkman The Amp, 2 Schecter USA Nick Johnston (Strat and Tele) and a Strandberg Prog 7. Less can be more meaningful and purposeful.
Thank you 4 being so real, love your content...
One house, one car, one partner, one dog, one cat and one guitar is all we need. And time to spend with all of them.
I've never had Guitar Addiction problems because the experiences of moving 15 guitars from house to house , without a car were soo Awkward and Annoying that I'm perfectly happy not getting anymore.
Plus the fact that everything changed ( for the better) the day my SVN Stealth was delivered.
I know I keep going on about that Guitar but honestly I really don't see the point of getting a core model because my Stealth is the best Guitar I've ever owned.
It's soo good I bought another one and If I get my act together they will rocket up in Value. Tbh , for the most part 1 Guitar is all that's needed.
This is a GREAT Channel
My father & myself both play guitar. I remember when I was first starting out, he taught me a wise lesson that ended up being true: "Son, I could buy you 20 guitars and it would still never feel like enough". At the time, I was still in the beginner phase with fairly basic equipment so I was think "Yeah right! Typical old man!" but later realized he was 100% right. For several years, I kept going through different guitars until I found the ones that were 'perfect' for me (which I did in 2015). I decided if I upgrade from them, I want custom made to address even the minor issues I'd like perfected on the next ones.
We all have to go thru journey of exploring all guitar types to find the one that fits our hands like a silk glove. No shame on that.
My GAS for guitars was eliminated when I began to learn what makes guitars sound different. It turns out, it's not much.
Take it from someone who's spent at least 50,000k on guitars/basses over the last 15 years. All you need is one do it all electric guitar. For me, it's my Suhr Modern. The new Ibanez AZ rage is great too. Get a Premium if you can't afford the Suhr. Small combo amps are great now. Anything for 1-2,000k will get the job done. As for acoustic you only need one, 2 if you want a different body shape. Either D or 000 works. As for bass. Good ol' P bass & Jazz bass are fine. I have both and a Ric. So for me that's 5 instruments total. All high quality.
I’m glad you have addressed this topic so directly Utkarsh. 👍
Thanks. Appreciate your feedback
I’ve been a sucker for the “collect them all” marketing for most of my life. I used to have a lot of different collections but I’ve disposed of or sold most of those things. I’m not sure what motivated me to collect so many things beyond some irrational drive to complete something
I have a lot of music gear that I’ve accumulated over 30 years and I think I’ve almost satisfied my GAS. I’m at a point where I don’t really want anything new, but I still feel that wanting of something that compels me to spend money that I shouldn’t. Lol, which makes buying drum sticks and guitar strings exciting now 😂. Money is tight and I don’t want to spend $100 on a toy at this point in time. Maybe things will get better and more disposable income will generate some pressure
It's interesting that there is so much focus on shiny objects, musical bling, guitars, pedals, gadgets, modelers, digital amps, etc., etc. gear of all kinds. And quite clearly that kind of focus, particularly on RUclips seems to find a large receptive audience. But for some strange reason although there is so much interest in such things there seems to be a lack of exceptional music. Lots of focus on the tools for making music, some of the best tools that have ever existed, but as far as creating the art of music, not so much. I wonder what's missing?
We all have to go thru journey of exploring all guitar types to find the one (or select few) that fits our hands like a silk glove. No shame in that.
But dying with a large collection of toys is just silliness. Much joy in sharing with others.
"We all have to go thru journey of exploring all guitar types to find the one (or select few) that fits our hands like a silk glove. No shame in that."
Nailed it.
I’ve been playing guitar for 50 yrs and own 4 guitars. I think I did very well compared to GAS addicts that own dozens of guitars. I still have my first guitar a 74 Strat which is still my number one
😁 It's not about the destination, It's the journey . Oh yeah!😇 thx.
Id rather swap out components than buy another guitar. I'd rather swap out tubes than buy another amp. I just got back into playing after a 10 year hiatus and the amount of affordable gear that is available is astonishing. I do regret selling my jcm800 and dr. z z28. I need a time machine.
One of your better videos! Good perspective.
I prefer to play a well set up guitar than collect whatever the big corporates throws on the market for us to swallow the premium price for a minor tweak on a old design. Relic it yourself by actually playing the thing.
What no guitarists wants to talk about? A certain female pop singer that keeps coming up on this channel....? I know this guitarist doesn't want to hear a thing about her, ever again.
But, I digress...
Acquisition syndrome of any kind is just a mixture of the 7 deadly sins, exacerbated by purposelessness, boredom and no need to struggle to survive. We can now afford to be more preoccupied with ourselves, I think. More of us than ever can buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't really like. Or with money we do have for ourselves, as you mention. Materialism is a powerful religion. At best it can be a great servant, at times, but it makes a horrible master. I appreciate discussions like this, Mr. Pinnacle. Thank you for your insight!
It starts with Nietzche's " God is dead and we have killed him". Something I will talk about in the future
Yes to this. My primary joy is in the sounds things can make. As you say no more than 7 or 8 guitars can run the gamut of available sounds. Even including an acoustic and electric 12 string leaves room for a Paul, a Strat with a whammy bar, a PJ bass in fretted and fretless and one of the alt rock guitars with the long string segments behind the saddles, and that's about it. I also play drums and bass so where does my kit go if I start collecting just for bling? To me it's crass and criminal to see the tools of the trade as nothing but objects of investment, even more so the lands and housing of real human beings like me, no studio even for my kit or more than 1 guitar from being shut out of housing by the ongoing habit of parasitic humans using people's shelter as 'investments' more correctly read as chips to spin the wheel of the stock market where losses are always tossed downhill.
I buy and sell a lot of gear... but I feel a lot more addicted to clothes and shoes , to the point it is scary for me to go to Adidas official store as I'm afraid I will buy something I don't need ... and are lots of collectible pair of shoes and limited runs every two months .
I think having several guitars is ok provided they are uniquely different. Les Paul/Strat/ anything with a Floyd Rose/semi acoustic. If you have a need for several guitars that are the same type then it gets stupid as there is no need.
I actually pride myself for not having a lot of gear. I just sold an amp. I’m now down to 1 amp 1 guitar and 4 pedals.
I love the idea of having like one or two guitars… And then really understanding what you can do with them.
@@johnnyxmusic yes. 100%. I have recently been throwing around the idea of buying a strat for the reason. I have been finding it hard to find a strat with a rosewood fingerboard and a matching color headstock though.
@@dewey7330 that is a challenge… I love matching headstocks. Enjoy the journey!
Excellent! All true.
Are you referring to how guitarist tend to "tone chase" certain guitar tones, going as far as to buy lots of gear(especially "vintage gear") just to get specific tones as Spectre Sound Studio have criticized several guitarist for doing this?
Also... just because we "live in a certain time where things are cheap" does not mean everything is cheap... for example... if you go to brazil... a lot of the stuff folks who are obsessed with gear are often obsessed about will be expensive due to import taxes.
Most guitarist on RUclips spend more time talking about guitars rather than playing them. I’m also guilty of this.
Then there’s the myths on the forums regarding wood, pickups, finish etc!
If you can play well, then one guitar is all you need!
Guilty as charged
Decided to save up and sell a few guitars. They're good and cool but they don't really suit my playing style and some I never use. Better off buying one good guitar that suits all my needs and using my old ones more as they are nicer to play for me than to have multiple "eh" guitars that just take up space.
Guitar gear is a serious rabbit hole that’s very easy to fall into. But the reality is 90% of your tone and sound comes from your hands. All the most expensive gear in the world won’t make you sound good if your technique is poor. A guitar, an amp, a few pedals( purely optional).. along with drive and passion is all you really need.
Agree
I regret all the buying I did during Covid. I have given a few guitars away and sold some pedals. I am still trying to divest myself. We breath consumerism in America!
I'm definitely more a collector than a player. 😂 I always try to get something different, though. I have an Epiphone LP and wouldn't buy another LP unless somehow I had it within my means to get a Gibson, in which case I'd sell the Epi. I assembled a Fender Partscaster, and I'll probably tinker on that one before I'd replace it with a new strat. I don't have a Telecaster, so that's still on the list. I guess I'm acquiring one of every main design or feature (P90, Ibanez shredder style, hollowbody, etc.).
It's really just compulsive consumption or shopping addiction.
If it's middle aged guys with guitars or middle aged women with shoes it's the same issue. Certainly not something to glamorise
Correct
I clicked on this video to listen to something while I search for new Tele on reverb. Its a total addiction. I had more than 50 about 10 years. I'm at a very lean 14 now.
If those Guitars in the background are the Guitars in your own personal collection. And you live in expensive Singapore, Then in this market, you are way under water. You would be very lucky to sell them for what you paid. If you were in the US, it might be even worse. There is just too much supply, and demand has dropped to zero. Much of the new music these days, doesn’t even have a Guitarist.
Build Partscasters People. Its cheaper to satisfy your need for Change with a new Set of Pickups instead of a whole Guitar.
The hardest part is finding somewhere to put the cases 😂 I cut a healthy collection of 18 down to 6 just recently.
Tell me about storing the cases
@@ministryofguitar It would be easier if they just made them all standardised and stacked. The most annoying are the convex gibson les paul cases, they take up way more space and can only stand on their end. Such a bad design.
The guitar you already have, might be good enough! Who’d have thought?🤷♂
Great discussion and cautionary reminders to consider, Utkarsh. Thank You. Being fairly new to the guitar world (six years in) I went through the initial acquisition wave of about 12 guitars, all different configurations. Acoustic, hollow body electric, semi hollow, solid body, etc. Fortunately, I don't think I went overboard 🤔by GAS standards. Many of those purchases helped me through the strange and often lonely days of the pandemic. And I bought a few nice guitars for my wife who likes to tinker and noodle (she picked them out). She even changed out a pickguard...with some supervision🙂. I also picked up two stick dulcimers for fun during the pandemic. Then decided, in order to slow down the acquisition 'rate' and learn a little bit, I started building/assembling. Built around eight and enjoy them more than the purchased ones, because they're my design. Not store/internet purchases. (There are some of these build videos on my channel). I've also given away/donated a few of my cheaper guitars. All in all, guitars and the dulcimers have provided some really fun times with my wife. And developed a new, healthy friendship with my neighbor who also plays and builds. Back to your points, for sure, over-indulgence in almost anything is unhealthy, but it happens to us all from time-to-time. And hopefully we can all self-regulate or correct when needed. 🙂Wishing everyone Good Vibes on whatever music road they're traveling on!!! 🥂
So, Do you want to buy my Yamaha custom 1 guitar..
20, 30 guitars all over your house and all you have to show for it is one or two local shows a year (if that) and about 10 mins of sloppy recordings on a laptop. It's an addiction like no other and I've seen quite a few people in my social circle with the same problem.
Simply... its obvious you cannot hear what a guitar with mojo sounds like. You focus more on features, rarity, and function. My G.A.S. is about mojo. If you realize what mojo is about AND you can ascertain that ALL the guitars in your collection have mojo then you will truly understand why there is validity for G.A.S. And i say this from a purely unique circumstance -- its clear that your sense of guitar is limited to sound/timbre.
I don't need a therapist, because I have the minister. I hope I don't owe a copay good sir 😂❤️🎸
Well said. It is a fetish. I agree technology is pushing this. Before, there was a local store or mail order catalog. I got caught in this because I thought what I had was junk because videos said there was always something better. I am glad I broke this buying and selling habit.
A great habit to break
i put herding the same as marriage there are them bigamist having them many wives.
I became a guitar bigamist after them two my best guitars one by one they them went out of the picture.
There are lof of guitars but only few of them good! I bought one no, one more no, I went in an cirkel of bad love in about all in all 40 guitars.
17 guitars at one time, that is to much as to handle i went split minded, a stressed squirell. I realy did not liked them all some got no time at all so i sold off down to five then I started to think that this is hell! What I need is a No1 as guided by my old and proven preferences, find it bound whit it and stay there.
Select one of them old keept as an emergency backup, that would be all.
That is what I got, I am cured the herding is gone.
Thanks for sharing. I have to say one wife is enough to handle. Hopefully my wife doesn't read this comment ;)
They want you to be distracted and in debt.
🎸💸🤘🏻🩸🤘🏻
how dare you! i can quit any time i like, i am *not* an addict!
btw, how much for the Explorer over your right shoulder? help a brother out, i'm jonesing here!
*manic fidgeting intensifies*
hahaha
GAS does not stand for "Guitar Acquisition Syndrome" but for "GEAR Acquisition Syndrome"
Yep as the market demand for pedals and amps is greater in volume and broader in options
@@Ryzanu and photographers, hunters, fishermen, hikers, boaters, joggers, etc
Gas has traditionally refered to both gas and gear. Ultimately, who cares?
@@aladolfsenjustanoldguy2045 who wants to acquire gas?
Bobs and vagene
I'm glad to hear someone talk about this. The devaluing is particularly important to stress. I had thought that it was all driven by cheap, Asian-made instruments, but it seems that it applies even to highly priced instruments from the US, Japan, what have you. The irony of course is that many premium instruments are a bit of a financial stretch for the average musician, and completely unnecessary based on what I've heard said about what makes an instrument functional or not in a performance situation. That alone should bring pause to anyone buying a new instrument!
I’ve been a sucker for the “collect them all” marketing for most of my life. I used to have a lot of different collections but I’ve disposed of or sold most of those things. I’m not sure what motivated me to collect so many things beyond some irrational drive to complete something
I have a lot of music gear that I’ve accumulated over 30 years and I think I’ve almost satisfied my GAS. I’m at a point where I don’t really want anything new, but I still feel that wanting of something that compels me to spend money that I shouldn’t. Lol, which makes buying drum sticks and guitar strings exciting now 😂. Money is tight and I don’t want to spend $100 on a toy at this point in time. Maybe things will get better and more disposable income will generate some pressure