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Topic: Can buying new stuff make you play better? |
Brick Spieth
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2010 6:19 pm |
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| A lot of equipment has been sold to people thinking that if only I had this or that I'd play better, and I must admit I've caved in to that notion on more than one occasion, but OMG! I just plugged into the Sarno Tonic and Furlong Split I just got delivered today from a fellow forumite, and darned if I don't play better already. Well, maybe not, but my noodling sure sounds better, and the extra time I know I'm going to be practicing will make me better eventually. How the heck can a combo sound this good? |
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2010 7:30 pm
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Nothing will 'make' you play better except you.
However a lot of instruments can limit your technique, and the learning of new techniques.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 13 Jul 2010 7:56 pm
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| Sometimes a change in gear can refresh and inspire you. It doesn't always have to be an expensive new guitar either. Changing your amp settings, or ditching a stompbox that has been adding noise to your signal, changing thumb picks - all kinds of little things can trigger a renewed interest. |
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Brick Spieth
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2010 11:06 pm
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| I'm just blown away by how good these two pieces of equipment sound together and how smooth and musical the tone is. I was prepared for a good sound from all that has been written about these two companies, but expectations have been exceeded. Of course new gear can't make you play better, but you sure can sound better. |
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 12:28 am
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Anything that makes you feel better will influence your playing. If the bass player gets a better amp, that can make me feel and play better 
If he gets a better tuner, it will definitely make you play better. 
_________________
Olli Haavisto
Finland
Last edited by Olli Haavisto on 14 Jul 2010 2:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ray McCarthy
From:
New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 2:38 am
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| What are these two pieces of equipment and what do they do? |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 4:03 am
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Didja ever notice that new clothes can make you feel better, if only for a while?
Anything that makes you feel better (i.e. mood elevation) will encourage you, help you, and assist in achieving a goal.
Brain chemicals at work. Dopamine to the rescue. Too bad the effect wears off after a while.
It's darned hard to learn or design anything when "in a funk". New (steel) stuff restores the curiosity and experimental thought processes, at least for me.
_________________
Lawyers are done: Emmons SD-10, 3 Dekleys including a D10, NV400, and lots of effects units to cover my clams... |
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Ron Deardorff
From:
Capitola, CA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 6:16 am
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| Any equipment that produces a noticable improvement in tone will permanently put you a step closer to your "sound", and it's effects will last you, like, forever. I felt the same way you do now, and still do, upon receipt of the Axe-FX, and then the Telonics pedal. Yeah sure, practice till your balls fall off, but the wonders of circuitry can sometimes do... wonders. |
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Sherman Willden
From:
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 6:41 am
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I used to own a matchbox and a delay which I gave away with the Mullen I had to sell in '95 or so. Now I'm playing straight thru the 112. It seemed the matchbox made me play better. Does the Black Box provide the same affect as the matchbox?
_________________
Sherman L. Willden
It is easy to play the steel guitar. Playing so that the audience finds it pleasing is the difficult act. |
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Doug Earnest
From:
Branson, MO USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 6:46 am
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Congratulations Brick! You have the Mercedes AMG of amps, in my opinion. As others have said, inspiration can make you play better.
_________________
Doug Earnest
Manufacturer of Stage One & Encore pedal steel guitars
http://www.stageonesteelguitars.com
"Teach Your Children Well" |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 6:58 am
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A piece of new equipment always makes you play better until you start missing the old equipment you sold to buy it!  |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 7:11 am
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I was never very good at doing hammer ons. My steel bar of choice had always been the hollowed out lighter bars because of thei mellow tone.
A few days after aquiring a 15/16 full weight bar, I discovered that it bounced off the strings like crazy. All of a sudden my hammer on technique was flawless. So there's an example of new equipment dramatically improving technique. It also improved the sustain and was a bit less harsh on the higher frets.
Greg |
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Brick Spieth
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 8:01 am
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| My problem is that I almost never sell off old gear. I had to quit building tele parts guitars because it was just getting out of hand. I may need to sell off a few things because of what they say about the only thing better than a Furlong Split is TWO. I am certainly not worthy, but feel it is my duty as a patriotic American to do my bit to help the economy. |
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Mac Knowles
From:
Almonte,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 8:48 am
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| I've been around the music scene for close to 60 years. It still bothers me some when I see a guitar picker with a $2000 Strat or a Les Paul, and can only play 3 chords poorly. Some folks just have to have the best thinkin' they'll get better....some never do! And on the other hand, about 3 years ago I gave a cheapie electric to a kid that came into my shop. Recently he got himself a new Telecaster...and WOW he's now one of the best "chicken pickers" I've ever heard. At 17 an amazing talent! I don't have a lot of stuff....I never liked the sound of my Fender Super Twin for pedal steel. I got rid of it and got an old but updated Session 400. What an amazing difference in tone etc. Makes you want to play and play and play. That's my story....if you can, get whatever makes you sound as close to that elusive sound that's in your head, and never mind what the rest of the world is using. |
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Doug Earnest
From:
Branson, MO USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 9:33 am
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Brick, you definitely need two so you can run stereo through a delay. And practice telling people why you can't get that smile off your face....they will think you are up to something.
_________________
Doug Earnest
Manufacturer of Stage One & Encore pedal steel guitars
http://www.stageonesteelguitars.com
"Teach Your Children Well" |
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Tommy Shown
From:
Denham Springs, La.
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 6:58 pm
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| Jim Bates wrote: |
Nothing will 'make' you play better except you.
However a lot of instruments can limit your technique, and the learning of new techniques.
Thanx,
Jim |
I agree, when I first started out I was playing Sho-Bud Maverick. Very limited in what one can do. It comes with one knee lever and three pedals. And that was over 30 years ago, with in six months, I had to move up to a Pro III custom aluminum necks for better sustain, with E9& C6 tuning and four knee levers. Then about 10 years ago, I bought a used 1977 Emmons Push Pull D10 with 8&5. That is one sweeeet rig. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 8:25 pm
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I bought my Millennium because of its light weight, and did not expect it to improve my playing, but the tunable splits did just that. They allow me to play things that my older steels did not, until I had the splits surgically installed.
The fact that it was new did not make the difference. It was the improved changer with its capacity to do more things.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
Last edited by Mike Perlowin on 14 Jul 2010 10:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mark Lavelle
From:
San Mateo, CA
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 10:14 pm Re: Can buying new stuff make you play better?
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| Brick Spieth wrote: |
| A lot of equipment has been sold to people thinking that if only I had this or that I'd play better, and I must admit I've caved in to that notion on more than one occasion, but OMG! I just plugged into the Sarno Tonic and Furlong Split I just got delivered today from a fellow forumite, and darned if I don't play better already. Well, maybe not, but my noodling sure sounds better, and the extra time I know I'm going to be practicing will make me better eventually. How the heck can a combo sound this good? |
I don't think any one piece of gear can make you play better, but almost any new gear will inspire you to play differently. That's what GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is all about! IMHO, it's an even bigger kick to build it yourself (see my link, below), but the important thing is to find new challenges, or at least new places to explore.
Happy hunting,
Mark
_________________
http://www.harmonicappliances.com/ |
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Robbie Daniels
From:
Casper, Wyoming, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 7:58 am
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Practice, practice, practice, practice!
_________________
Carter D12, MSA S12, 12 String Custom Made Non-Pedal, Evans FET 500LV, Evans SE200, Peavey Nashville 400, Fender Steel King |
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Steve English
From:
Baja, Arizona
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 8:03 am
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| Quote: |
| Can buying new stuff make you play better |
The most significant piece of equipment that improved my playing was a recording device.  |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 9:43 am
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The most significant piece of equipment that improved my playing was a recording device.
Ditto. When you're concentration on what you're doing, you can't concentrate on what you're doing - so to speak. The other thing that made the biggest difference was using lighter bars, because I want to play different things than the usual. |
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Jack Dougherty
From:
Spring Hill, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 1:30 pm
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Better equipment may help.......but not a substitute
for raw talent and as mentioned.....hard work. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 2:58 pm
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| I improved dramatically after I sold my '72 Shobud, and bought my Kline Uni. I still have, and love my Kline! Best guitar evah! But,,, then again,, I also have four Shobuds,,,,, I dunno,,,,,,, |
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Dave O'Brien
From:
Florida and New Jersey
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 3:23 pm Can it help?
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| YES YES YES My first pedal steel was a beautiful looking natural birdseye maple D-10 8 & 0 but it was a piece of crap. When I got a real Sho-Bud it made all the difference. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2010 3:43 pm
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Better tone (A) = better playing (B) A=B
Better amp (C) = better tone (A) A=C
therefore B = C and better gear(amp in this case) =better playing |
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