What Causes GAS?

[AngryHatter]

In 1972 I owned a strat for a couple of years, bought an es345, so I sold the strat...no one collected guitars and $200 was a lot of cash.

30 years later I sold the es and for some reason I began buying guitars...and selling most of them, just as quickly.
I must have gone through 25 guitars in the last 15 years.

My tastes evolved and changed so the sounds I enjoy changed too.
Now I find that when I pick up a guitar and discover iconic sound or something completely foreign, I "discover" a need.

A friend turned me onto an album of tele stuff that just spoke to me, I got one, I got another.
Now I have rediscovered strats and have decided I need another?

How could I have been satisfied with one guitar for 30 years only to come down with this awful disease?

One weird thing is I look for new sound, what the guitar looks like is very secondary. But even that has begun to creep into the picture.
There are a lot of really nice looking tools on display here.

Today I think I have what I need, a P-90 set, HBs and a trio of single coils. Bases are covered, right?

So why do I need more?

Some of you guys really suck, ya know?

 

[SexyGibson]

It's these damn guitar forums ! Like yourself, I use to be able to hold on to a guitar for several years but with the advent of the internet, Ebay, and these damn GUITAR FORUMS, no more !

 

[Jakeislove]

Suffering.

 

[RedSkwirrell]

Causes of GAS

More cuases of GAS

 

[Rich]

Speaking for myself, I think there comes a point of diminishing returns or, rather, a point where even after you have a fairly good number of guitars to choose from. I own around a dozen guitars (I say "around" as some of them need so much service that they're pretty much unplayable at the moment) but I still find myself gravitating to just a few and picking up the remainder only occasionally.

There are some guitars and related gear that I still lust after, but they're more of a case of "Oh! It would be really cool to have one of THOSE!" more than something I feel I need because there is some sort of hole. And that stuff tends to be fleeting anyway' I've lusted after an SG Standard for years and I'd still love to get one but I can't seem to pull the trigger; they're not that expensive for a Gibson but with a wedding coming up, it seems like a frivolous expense right now. Besides, I already have an SG Junior and, while it's an awesome sounding guitar, it's a difficult one for me to play because I'm heavy handed and the guitar doesn't like that.

/tangent

I do believe that every musician who is at least somewhat serious should own at least two or three instruments, at least one extra for a backup and, after that, to have some different sounds and feels to help inspire them. But, unless you're a pro or a tone junkie, there's no really good reason that I can think of to own a shitload of guitars other than because you want them and you can - and those are good enough reasons to do so.

 

[58junior]

Internet Access+Idle Cash+Forums = GAS.
Online retailers like Wildwood, Daves, Willcutts, Mark's etc. also cause GAS.

I do have friends that have and play the only one les paul that they have used for 30 years and could care less about the constant quest for something new or different. Sick people...

 

[Rich]

Internet Access+Idle Cash+Forums = GAS.

I do have friends that have and play theh only one les paul that they have had for 30 years and could care less about the constant quest for something new or different.

Sick people...

One man's "sick" is another man's passion.

 

[candletears7]

Too much awesome shit a man needs to try out.

 

[Caoimhin]

Other Gibsons subforum

 

[lespaul01]

Taco Bell does it for me.

 

[acstorfer]

My GAS was caused by lack of talent. For many years I felt better equipment would make me a better guitarist.

While there is some truth that better equipment can make someone sound better, the best stuff in the world wouldn't have helped me more than practicing.

 

[Svet]

These forums don't help. Remember the toy section from Sears Roebuck as a kid, the book that came out around November? Well the internet is like a new Sears Roebuck everytime your browser refreshes!! We are tortured souls!! I have not helped anyone but then again a lot of you made me this way too! blah

 

[lespaul01]

Shart sammys will do it too.

 

[Svet]

lol Rich!

 

[Svet]

Red Skw, that there is the 80's!

 

[NRBQ]

In 1972 I owned a strat for a couple of years, bought an es345, so I sold the strat...no one collected guitars and $200 was a lot of cash.

30 years later I sold the es and for some reason I began buying guitars...and selling most of them, just as quickly.
I must have gone through 25 guitars in the last 15 years.

My tastes evolved and changed so the sounds I enjoy changed too.
Now I find that when I pick up a guitar and discover iconic sound or something completely foreign, I "discover" a need.

A friend turned me onto an album of tele stuff that just spoke to me, I got one, I got another.
Now I have rediscovered strats and have decided I need another?

How could I have been satisfied with one guitar for 30 years only to come down with this awful disease?

One weird thing is I look for new sound, what the guitar looks like is very secondary. But even that has begun to creep into the picture.
There are a lot of really nice looking tools on display here.

Today I think I have what I need, a P-90 set, HBs and a trio of single coils. Bases are covered, right?

So why do I need more?

Some of you guys really suck, ya know?

I understand your situation completely, I have had a Roland Ready Strat for years, rebuilt it and never even thought about getting another. THEN something got me wanting an American Strat, then I thought man a real honest to goodness Les Paul would be great to own and the fever began. I bought one, then another, then I sold the first one and bought another, then I began to think wouldn't it be nice to have a collection. I thought, a Tele would be great to own, then a nice acoustic, then I sold the second LP, bought another, sold the third LP, bought another one and a Mandolin. Picked up an Epi LP Deluxe, gonna sell it maybe......and on it goes.

I now have maybe 10 guitars but am beginning to settle down. The two LP's are mine for good, the Roland and American Strat too. The Tele is an Xaviere and have no gas for an American Tele. I even resurected my long lost now thrice repaired Ovation 12 string that had been mothed balled 20 years prior. It's a real joy to have a guitar collection, I have them on the wall and I call it my own private GC wall. All I need now is a 335 type guitar with P-90's and I'll have every guitar I ever wanted......till........

 

[RedSkwirrell]

Red Skw, that there is the 80's!

N'uh uh!
I'd got me paws all over 'em in the eighties and they wuz round n perky.
<--- One-handed expert by second date.
I sure remember those Playtex type "Lift 'n' separate" adverts from the 60's though.

 

[GuitarToneFreak]

Causes of GAS

More cuases of GAS

 

[Mule Train]

Poverty.

 

[artisan4]

It started in high school. Began to hang out with the wrong people. A 'friend' asked me to drive him to a rough neighborhood where he picked up a Rickenbacker 320 he had ordered. Store owner gave me a Rickenbacker catalog and leered, "enjoy".

Now have 11 guitars and 4 amps. I have GAS for hard-to-find items, like a Marshall 2144a white Rickenbacker 330, or a Thompson. Good thing I can't find them.