At The Music Store
There must be something wrong with me. I can't tell the difference between two electric guitars going through the same amp. I can't tell a good chorus pedal from a bad one. My only criteria for judging an amplifier are "how loud is it" and "is there reverb, or no".
I bought a used chorus pedal today and the guy said if I didn't like it I could return it tomorrow. I'm gonna try it out, but the only way I could see myself returning it is if it cuts out or doesn't come on at all. Any chorus pedal in a storm. I've never heard one that didn't sound exactly like the last.
Almost invariably, I'll get to the music store and all of the staff will be engrossed in very technical conversations with the pickiest of customers. Ok I'll grant you, that's their job. I'll also grant you that next to no musician on the planet is less fussy about gear than I am. It's just sort of an isolating feeling sometimes, because I know exactly what I want and have no questions to ask... and as such, am apparently unique among musicians. So I wait.
Finally, a clerk becomes available.
Me: "Could I have one of those ______, please?"
Clerk: "Sure, we have __ varieties to choose from."
M: "I dunno, just give me the cheapest one."
C: "Well this one right here costs a little more but you should buy it because _____, ____ and _____."
M: "Look, I really don't care. The cheapest will be fine for what I'm gonna do with it, trust me."
*********************************************************************************
In other news, my amp has been in the shop since early July, but apparently it'll be fixed "soon".
I bought a used chorus pedal today and the guy said if I didn't like it I could return it tomorrow. I'm gonna try it out, but the only way I could see myself returning it is if it cuts out or doesn't come on at all. Any chorus pedal in a storm. I've never heard one that didn't sound exactly like the last.
Almost invariably, I'll get to the music store and all of the staff will be engrossed in very technical conversations with the pickiest of customers. Ok I'll grant you, that's their job. I'll also grant you that next to no musician on the planet is less fussy about gear than I am. It's just sort of an isolating feeling sometimes, because I know exactly what I want and have no questions to ask... and as such, am apparently unique among musicians. So I wait.
Finally, a clerk becomes available.
Me: "Could I have one of those ______, please?"
Clerk: "Sure, we have __ varieties to choose from."
M: "I dunno, just give me the cheapest one."
C: "Well this one right here costs a little more but you should buy it because _____, ____ and _____."
M: "Look, I really don't care. The cheapest will be fine for what I'm gonna do with it, trust me."
*********************************************************************************
In other news, my amp has been in the shop since early July, but apparently it'll be fixed "soon".
posted by the baron ash von foolishness at 5:29 PM
2 Comments:
i really miss the ignorance that i had before starting the class i started.
you're completely right. there is very little difference between most musical instruments/musical equipment.
there are tiny differences that can mean the differance between a chunk of gold and a piece of shit.
and example is when i went to inquire about the price of some radio microphones. the salesperson kept trying to hawk a cheaper type, but boy, am i glad i remembered to make sure i asked whether they were VHF (very high freq.) or UHF (ultra high freq.)
these little tidbits help when you're trying to build a career based on the equipment.
my advice to you, buy it if you want it and it works. ignorance is bliss!
Amen, sista. Microphones are something I often think about upgrading. I have a bunch that I bought new for like $15 each back in the 90s. I figure, one decent mic might make a difference with home recordings. Mics are sort of in a class by themselves.
But if I buy one of those, then I'll need one decent guitar, one decent amp, etc... that might be too much decency for me.
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