You’ve probably heard the term Guitar GAS or just ’GAS’ if you frequent places like ‘The Gear Pages’ or ‘Huge Racks Inc.’ (not what you’d think).

It stands for:

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Mass consumerism, is rife in the Musical Instrument Retail (MIR) business. The ‘need’ to buy the latest and greatest guitar/effect/amp. 

Thumb through any guitar magazine these days and you’re inundated with advertisements that show you the how/when/where/why of being a “ROCK STAR”.

The entire lifestyle is poured, right out on the pages.. for you to ‘buy’ into.

BUY! BUY! BUY!

I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to buy all this CRAP to make music. The MIR business has turned ‘making music’ into an industry that has little to do with making music and a lot more to do with selling you a ‘lifestyle’. 

The Slash wah pedal. The Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face. “This” clone and “That” clone. Sound like this or Sound like that. 

Guess what? Your favorite guitar players (or whatever-players) didn’t use ANY of that crap.

Delay pedals didn’t exist in the 60’s and 70’s. (The first delay pedal appeared in ‘84). 

Guitar amps didn’t have a dedicated clean and ‘dirty’ channel until the mid to late 70’s.

And too many times, the ‘re-issue’ pedals or the [Insert Guitar Hero] pedals always fall short in construction and materials.

So, what’s the lesson? 

If you want to sound like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page or Eddie Van Halen, you’re NOT going to find ANY products advertised in any guitar magazine or even stocked at any guitar store, that will accomplish this goal for you.

But they will try their hardest to tell you otherwise. But if you educate yourself and do research…. you’ll find what you’re looking for.