He likes like one of my old buddies...PooPoo MaGoo! Exactly like him....We went to prom together tripping on Acid with some Goldschlager, zima Wine Coolers, Mad Dog 2020 and some beer Icehouse I think! And of course some Ganja! But my point is he looked so much like PooPoo it wasn't even funny! Cept PooPoo couldn't play and just really wanted to play and be a rockstar like me and Nick. So bought DJ crap! Just like everyone else!
This has a certain appeal for me, :). But then I am mostly telling myself this on my own channel all the time, self-therapy. So thanks for stepping in and handling this "session" for me Fluff. I feel (a little) better already.
I immediately thought of you when he was making his closing points - Practice > Gear It is something I wish I had figured out when I was younger and making tons of money. Blew A LOT of it on gear which I later had to sell. Starting over again with much lower end stuff and not a lot of cover for how sloppy I actually played forced me to clean up my approach.
sometimes the feel of the *right* thing new to you can inspire - dig out the stuff on the bottom of your pile, if you have one, and rediscover why you loved them in the first place. That happens to people all the time when they go "well I really should pass on some of the stuff I haven't played in months" and then suddenly they don't have anything for sale because they started playing their old stuff again - sometimes people sell their *newer* gear off because they fall back in love with their old stuff and the new items then become unplayed :-)
It also doesn't have to be new or old gear that inspires you. Most of the time it is just the fact that you're not hearing the same sounds. Maybe just going and listening to something else can greatly inspire you.
If your songs are good and your performance is tight no one gives a shit apart from guitarists in the audience standing at the back with their arms folded.
dude. I respect that you're open about being homeless. I was homeless and had a drug habit the size of a small country. A lot of people forget where they come from, and pretend it never happened. Props my dude.
Lesson for the kids... Be happy with what you have because other people have less than you do or they cannot afford what you are currently taking for granted.
It's ok to be unhappy, if it makes you work towards the things you want in life. Don't just be happy, because others have it worse. Try improving your situation. And if you are happy, try making other people happy, especially those that are less fortunate.
I doubt it's anything close to 99%. The strat this guy started with would have been a massive step up from the pawn shop Peavey I started with. I'm not convinced anybody could have made that thing sound good.
Completely agree with that. Not gear-wise limitation but if it weren’t for Tony Iommi’s fingers and down tuning to play the guitar we wouldn’t have doom metal sooner or even at all
You gotta have the struggle. And you’re a prime example of someone that worked their butt off and is reaping the benefits. But without that struggle I don’t think you’d be as successful as you are today. I think is deeper than gear man because most people only look at the short term comfort over the long term rewards. Awesome video man!
When I was a starting I bought a cheap squire strat. After awhile I wanted fancy and better cause I thought I would play and sound better. My dad told me, "Clapton could make that cheap guitar sound amazing." I still have that guitar, 20 years later.
PAF > Dimed Marshall or practiced unplugged. You play dynamically or sound like crap. And tons and tons of band practice. Those were your only options in the 70’s-80’s. Do the same. Guitar>TubeHead>Cab + skills + mates = endless fun KISS theory.
You also weren't FLOODED with gear pictures/videos and gear ads from social media back when you were playing that strat. You were just jammin' with your boys. Everyone is now inundated with everything on TH-cam and Instagram. This was needed.
that's why personal responsibility, accountability and agency are important. we're inundated with consumerism constantly, girls and women especially. In the US, 80% of consumer spending is controlled by women, the shows, media, advertisers, and entire industries, etc. all know this, and target girls and women.
Oh really? Ever been to a guitar store? Or read a guitar magazine? If you were even vaguely into guitar back in the 90s that was what you did, and guess what.... ads EVERYWHERE - and usually ones that couldn’t even show you how the gear sounded in any meaningful way. Gear lust has been around since the 60s, and people have always wanted easy ways to sound “better” because that’s how humans are.
@@adamsteelproducer I think it is different now a days when kids follow people on social media, respect the individuals and look up to them, and those individuals are marketing products while being in rooms that are surrounded with high dollar gear. I will agree that people have been chasing for decades though.
100% agree. Back when I was touring and poor I made do with cheap gear and wished I had quality stuff. Now I am old and record in my little studio and don't play out, I can afford all the new shiny I want but basically choose not to. Ironic isn't it.
This! This is legit. I remember back when I was a teenager and I had Samick Silvertone Strat copy and a Crate SS amp, I never cared about gear, I just played! My first band, we all had crappy equipment but we loved making MUSIC!! Now, 20 years later, I’ve kind of come back to that point. I have a simple amp, a couple guitars, and I just PLAY. This video is spot on!!! Cheers!
As someone who does music full time and has done the gear grind for years... Use what inspires you to play Buy the best you can afford at the time Get the right tool for the job and learn how to use it Great job Fluff, this should help alot of people get what they need.
Wow, I've never seen "Jack White" and "amazing music" in the same sentence before. Unless the sentence is "Jack White never has and never will make amazing music".
GREAT video and VERY IMPORTANT topic, nowdays music/audio marketing is savage 'cause all the tools we can get and the easy way to get them, it's very important to think about what tools fit for our own purpose instead got for the new stuff just because it's new and bunch of people made a video about it (sometimes that helps btw). Love this kind of videos, keep crushing it man, cheers from Venezuela.
My first guitar was a Squier Strat. The frets were sharp, the neck was rough, and the bridge saddle screws were too long the string action was unadjustable. It wasn’t until I got an Epiphone SG that I understood the joy of playing when your gear doesn’t suck.
Been really enjoying your videos as of late Fluff. You add wisdom and experience not a lot of others see or realize. Best thing that could happen to me was growing up poor, made me realize if you're smart enough you can make any thing work with research and trial and error. Now I have enough gear to open up a small shop. Keep up the great work!
No matter what effect I use I end up play the same things. For me. I’m a student of the guitar. Pedals are to emphasize. Tone is in your hands. Great Chanel.
5:08 *”great tools won’t make you a great carpenter”*. So true!! Unless you are a doctor or lawyer 🤣. There is having quantity and there is having quality. Ryan?! You have both my good man!!
The thing with gear is that it has never been this easy to find and acquire gear. I wouldn't have half myself without reverb and affirm. I would had never found my bass without the resources we have now.
Im pretty happy with my Axe FX II despite the cost can't really see myself upgrading. Those processors do motivate me to play more with just the amount of options they give.
This video is a godsend! Thank you fluff for speaking the truth. I tell this all the time to new musicians or friends of mine that wanna step into some what of a musical space. It’s not about the gear you have it’s what you learn about and can do with the gear you have! 9 times out of 10 it’s something you want not something you need! I learned that by going on a plugin binge only to find out that the list of plugins I actually really needed was far less than I initially thought.
Wow this hits home.. I had the same bass from 16-28ish years old. And a few alright bass amps nothing special. Finally was able to upgrade! Got myself some great gear! (Which I won't name, cus it doesn't matter) but my point is I understand his vid. Makes sense!
I love you Fluff! I have been playing guitar for quite some time now. I never been in a band or anything, I just play at home, jam with friends etc. It really hit me when you said that before, you were not able to buy the things you have right now. I have been playing my very first guitar ever since, changed pickups, bridge, tuners etc because it got so rusty after years. This year I was able to buy my first "pro gear / guitar" and it made me so happy.
This is the problem with music these days we have lost passion due to being inundated with so much gear that we don't just sit down and write a kickass record we write something lame and expect the gear to make it up to be incredible
I've known for a while that practice and learning songs is what I need to work on, but when the G.A.S. is real and one has the means, buying new shiny gear is hard not to do... Kinda caught in a loop. Gotta break the cycle.
This is... One of the best videos you've done. I'm not always a fan of every video because there's a lot of stuff that's way more than I'll spend on gear or nothing that I'm interested in, I'm a fan of your faq videos or gear in the affordable range.... but this one wins man. I will never judge or shame people that want 20 amps and dozens of guitars, if they love it them I'm happy for them and that's awesome you've worked hard and gotten what you want. What I can't handle is people that buy 3k dollar guitars and boutique amps that think it'll make them better or get them attention. Spend that money on lessons and make the most out of the gear you have, then show us all how you can tear shit up on a 500 dollar guitar and an hx stomp!
Appreciate the message here. Being a performer first. Be a smart consumer too, if that’s your thing. Love going to rehearsal and trying out a new guitar/head/dirt pedal etc. But the rest of the band deserves me knowing my parts and/or coming up with new and better parts too. It’s a balance. What’s the worth of my stuff if I’m not getting my job done in my band? Anyways. Good stuff dude!
Hear hear, Fluff! Before I could afford any pro gear, I had the first guitar I could find nearest the amount that wouldn’t leave me without gas money, the amp that could stand a gig and leave me money for lunch in college, and cables good enough not to go out mid-gig. Also, string would last months!
@@jacketyt6992 They can if you don't work the instrument that often, brightness disappears nonetheless. But, if you are playing 6+ gigs a week, plus practice, every week and a half is the norm. For my flamenco and classical guitars, I go through a case every 4 months :( I started using Paradigms on the electrics and they do last longer.
I worked in some of the best studios in the world and have been lucky enough to work on all types of gear. But ever since covid put us on lockdown for the last year I been kind getting off on doing more with less. I find it more challenging and rewarding to focus on taking whatever in front of me and doing something amazing. So I totally agree with you on great performances , great song writing, and let me add one more "master the gear you already own".
Every syllable of this was accurate. Thank you. While I do relate to a lot of what you said here, I don’t rent storage room to keep the things I’m not currently using!! Ha ha!! Keep doing what you do. It’s phenomenal and people benefit from your experience.
I love this episode. I'm 52 yrs old I have played through many different configurations of amps and pedals, eventually going all rack with a Peavey Rockmaster pre amp and a Boogie 50/50 power amp with a variation of effects and gates. But that was years after playing through gear that I could afford and still had a great sound. It's a maturing experience.
I got my Samick/Abeline strat shaped thing when I was about 14 and I still love it. I got it for $50 from cash converters and had my teacher set it up with low action. Over the years I have changed the tuners when they broke to Gotohs, changed the pickups and selector to Fender and got a new body because the wood at the bridge split and I couldn't fix it. I tried a Squire neck on it because the stock neck is a bit thin but I changed it back recently. I also have a Squire Tele which actually rocks.
Yo man, it's pretty dope that you're in a spot in your life where you can afford/acquire higher quality gear. I respect your hustle and know it's taken years of hard work to get to where you are now. Practice, skill, and putting in the work to become a better player is more important to me. I have some nice guitars, but I'm still grinding out stuff on a first gen Marshall DSL 100 and first gen EVH 5150 III. They sound great for being cheaper amps, but with a good overdrive and eq in the loop, they slay.
I only keep gear that i absolutely fall in love with. This has happened exactly three times: 1. Mesa boogie triple rectifier 2ch rev G 2. Ibanez SZ 720 (swapped bridge pickup with a PRS HFS pickup) 3. Line 6 helix LT floor Sure, there's been other stuff here and there, but i either sold it soon after, or it's sitting in a closet unused.
Thanks, Ryan. This was a great video!. When i was young jamming with high school friends, the big thing that sucked was jamming with guitarists with underpowered amps. This is where my gear acquisition syndrome started lol. I think it might be fair to note that when looking to buy new gear when the time comes is to buy it and buy it once. I made a shot PA system work with a DOD grunge for a long time before I got my High school job and got my JSX. Everyone were buying line 6 in my town , MG's, Tone Blasters...that kinda stuff and got pressured a lot to do that same because my skill level just did't add up to the gear I was using. It was actually my music teacher that told me to avoid the quick solutions and to save and buy a tube amp. I slaved every day in a machine shop and farmed on weekends to buy this thing and I still have it to this day. I retired the amp and own the physical version of your plugin. My High School rig was a TS-7, NS-2, JSX and an MG cab and my tone was pimpin and loud AF!. I agree that gear don't matter tooooo much but I do feel tone can be inspiring. This was a dope video and I also appreciate you sharing some personal information as well. Take care
Love this. Wish I heard this kind of advice years ago. Especially before selling my Line6 Floor Pod so I could buy a small GX. I made so much progress with the floor pod and was inspired to play every day - the small pocket GX had the opposite effect.
Had this conversation over the last year. Through the 1980’s I had 2 guitars, a wah, an SD1 and a marshmall JCM800. There was very little choice but I was happy with that tone for the decade… then, coming into the 90’s and beyond it was like the supermarket for guitar players opened! Choices, choices and more options. I went thought £1000’s of gear on a quest and to be honest I think my playing suffered. Too much buying and tweaking to get “that tone” when it was already in my hands. I’ve now come full circle to an EVH 50 watt head and a couple of Boss pedals. No more option paralysis or being blinded by shiny things. Just good simple tone and much more playing. Just my journey since 1981…. Good post Fluff 🤘
Perfect. I think that as you get older and more experienced, you understand what you really need versus want. We all want it all, of course. But you start to focus on the things that will get you to a little better place. It helps you sound a little better, saves you some work. More tailored to your gigging needs etc.
Love the quality, visually of this video. And yes, you are absolutely correct about the gear thing ... it's all about how you use what you have that can make you sound unique. However, having any sort of hi tech shiney gear won't necessarily make you a "better player". It only enhances the unique talent that one may posses. Something a lot of youngsters need to understand ... TALENT is EARNED. Not GIVEN.
Having transitioned from guitars to drums, I can say the same mindset exists amongst drummers. One of my favourites there is “which bass drum pedal is the best?”. A lot of people that have played just 1 year are chasing that pedal that will make them faster and more powerful. The truth is, you need to practise a lot more. A lot. The legs and feet need tons of hits to learn the motions of bass drum playing. I’ve got some real expensive pedals. Now, at year 4 as a drummer, I use a cheap Pearl folding pedal, single chain, because it’s light, does the job, and I just like it. Great topic!
This is so true, and adding to this philosophy is that even beyond the instrument is your skill as a guitarist for example, you need to work with what you have and around the downfalls of your system, sometimes it can even be the key to a great unique sound, but to me most important is the way I play and adapt to an instrument, the dynamics of your playing does a fundamental difference even before the type of instrument or equipment you have. Cheers.
I still have a First Act Walmart guitar that I've had since I was a teen working a shitty dept store job. Eventually, I replaced the stock pickups with EMGs and it's served me pretty well since then. I've worked on developing my mixing skills and I eventually found out is that, as you said in the video, "do what is right for you." Awesome video, Fluff!
I don't know who you are, your video popped up in my recommendations, but I absolutely loved this video and its message! It reminds me of the old adage "All the gear and no idea". A person needs the gear for their skill level, or the gear will outperform them, and this is true for all aspects of life. You couldn't use Roger Federer's racket anywhere near to its potential - or drive Lewis Hamilton's car within a fraction of what it can do. The tools don't make you good. Skill makes you good and the tool accentuates that. Get good. A wonderful, universal message. Thanks, Fluff.
I agree. And the more you practice guitar and music skills in general, the more you'll appreciate the new/expensive things if you try it. You need time and experience for that. Great vid 👍
I remember my first band. Started out through a Peavey practice amp and after a few shows, we bought our first stack: and early 70's 50w Hiwatt and a Marshall cab. Keep in mind, this was the 90's and Hiwatts were dirt cheap. We made the most of what we had. I think that whole rig cost around 600 Canadian. We honed our songwriting on relatively cheap gear and had the times of our young lives doing it.
Well said. I grew up playing an Epi SG Special II through a Crybaby, Phase 90, and Marshall VS100 combo. That was my sound, and it worked well for me. I could do anything with that. I got an EMG loaded Schecter Hellraiser V for my 18th birthday and a Marshall DSL100 for graduation, and I had to MAKE myself use it. I always gravitated back to my old setup. All my gear was stolen years ago, and I really only miss my SG. I still want another one, even though I'm eyeing a Jackson 7 string because it would do the job better for me now. Right now I'm playing a partscaster that is so microphonic I can't even record with headphones because it still picks up all the sounds in the room, but I'm still writing the best I can.
Talk about making people do some self reflection man you hit the nail on the head! I want to add that I recently picked up an PRS Paul’s Guitar SE and it’s the first PRS I have ever owned much less played and I will say I played differently from what I would normally play I dunno maybe it’s just me but I can say that for sure that has never happened to me any way great video 👍
Amen brother! Gear is fun, but having or not having it doesn't matter. Guitar is fun, whatever makes it more fun/less stressful is a good thing. If that means you've got the coin to get the gear you want, do it! If you don't have the coin, don't sweat it! Just have ☀️☀️☀️☀️
The general thesis of this video is amazing and spot on, younger players especially need to hear this, but all players benefit from this message because it's very easy to fall into the train of thought that new means best.
Know exactly what you mean! Make due with what ya got and keep improving your craft! The shiny stuff will come and go, write a great tune and make a great recording and it will live forever!
I used to have a bunch of amps and mics and guitars etc... now I'm super happy with my Les Paul and the Neural DSP Nameless and SLO plugins. Simplifying my setup and getting past the "GAS" days I'm happier than ever and get to focus on playing and creating....
All of what Mr Fluff said is very true. My first guitar was a hand me down Mexican Strat with single coil pickups, a guitar many pop punk, alt rock players would steer far away from, but I made it chug and shed with what I had at the time and I will never sell it. I think one thing fluff missed though was how gear can inspire you. I have a Gibson SG and I have some issues with it with tuning stability, wonky electronics and neck dive, but whenever I pick it up to play on, I feel inspired to play a certain way, same with my Rivers Cuomo Strat replica guitar. I play down tuned sludge or metalcore on my SG but on my cuomocaster I play pop punk or indie or sometimes more punk leaning metal. If I had the money I could get a really fancy Mayones or something, and if it doesn’t inspire me to play a certain way or get my creative riff juices flowing through my fingers, I will sell it, but if I got a cheap Squire and it gets me thinking of playing some cool stuff on it all the time, I will keep it for a long time. Play what works for you and inspires you!
Great points Fluff! Not just for the "younger" players either, I find myself trailing off onto the new shiny rabbit whole every once in a while, when I really just need to sit my old ass down and practice more! Nice work
The photo of 15 year old Fluff is priceless.
Straight Outta Dawson's Creek
He likes like one of my old buddies...PooPoo MaGoo! Exactly like him....We went to prom together tripping on Acid with some Goldschlager, zima Wine Coolers, Mad Dog 2020 and some beer Icehouse I think! And of course some Ganja! But my point is he looked so much like PooPoo it wasn't even funny! Cept PooPoo couldn't play and just really wanted to play and be a rockstar like me and Nick. So bought DJ crap! Just like everyone else!
Muff
This has a certain appeal for me, :). But then I am mostly telling myself this on my own channel all the time, self-therapy. So thanks for stepping in and handling this "session" for me Fluff. I feel (a little) better already.
Your channel is healing for a lot of us because you talk about this kind of stuff all the time. The perspective reset.
I saw the title and immediately though of 5 watt world.
@@Dirge4july same! 🍻
I immediately thought of you when he was making his closing points - Practice > Gear It is something I wish I had figured out when I was younger and making tons of money. Blew A LOT of it on gear which I later had to sell. Starting over again with much lower end stuff and not a lot of cover for how sloppy I actually played forced me to clean up my approach.
Just remember, you can quit whenever you want to
I agree, but man when you’re in the dumps of artistic depression, a fancy new piece of gear can really inspire you to get back into it!
sometimes the feel of the *right* thing new to you can inspire - dig out the stuff on the bottom of your pile, if you have one, and rediscover why you loved them in the first place. That happens to people all the time when they go "well I really should pass on some of the stuff I haven't played in months" and then suddenly they don't have anything for sale because they started playing their old stuff again - sometimes people sell their *newer* gear off because they fall back in love with their old stuff and the new items then become unplayed :-)
@@russellzauner
It also doesn't have to be new or old gear that inspires you. Most of the time it is just the fact that you're not hearing the same sounds. Maybe just going and listening to something else can greatly inspire you.
You ain’t wrong! 😀
Maybe for commoners. Learning a different instrument or playing different genres of music help you out of ruts and help you grow.
"If a Line 6 Spider is all you have, then play what you have." - Glenn Fricker... Yes, THAT Glenn Fricker.
Not enough caps lock 😁
And Glenn would be proud
Just open insane preset!!!
If your songs are good and your performance is tight no one gives a shit apart from guitarists in the audience standing at the back with their arms folded.
my uncle is a carpenter and he always said "a bad worker always blaimes the tools ... a good worker works with anything he have "
dude. I respect that you're open about being homeless. I was homeless and had a drug habit the size of a small country. A lot of people forget where they come from, and pretend it never happened. Props my dude.
Lesson for the kids... Be happy with what you have because other people have less than you do or they cannot afford what you are currently taking for granted.
It's ok to be unhappy, if it makes you work towards the things you want in life. Don't just be happy, because others have it worse. Try improving your situation. And if you are happy, try making other people happy, especially those that are less fortunate.
so true 👍
Amen
I totally agree sir
@@Pfaeff I think he was meaning dont take your situation for granted and be grateful for what you have.
“Calm waters never made a skilled sailor”
Today I learned Fluff keeps a Go Pro running in his storage locker 24/7.
99 percent of us have everything we need to create great music. every limitation is an opportunity for creativity
Well said
I doubt it's anything close to 99%. The strat this guy started with would have been a massive step up from the pawn shop Peavey I started with. I'm not convinced anybody could have made that thing sound good.
Completely agree with that. Not gear-wise limitation but if it weren’t for Tony Iommi’s fingers and down tuning to play the guitar we wouldn’t have doom metal sooner or even at all
Fluff: “Gear doesn’t matter.”
Also Fluff: “Buy gear with my links.”
Lol. Just kidding. I love your videos, perspective, and experience. Thank you!
I found that amusing..lol
that storage locker is heaven for any guitarist
The wife making him pay a fee insteada keepin at the house is not tho😅
Yaaasss!!
@@infinidominion that's how she'll get him to buy a bigger house. ;)
next time on Storage Wars...
@@infinidominion That's how you don't end up single :)
This is one of your best videos. This should be shown to every musician starting out.
I like that you keep your guitars in your murder room.
Yes to this. I've been gigging for decades. 90% of the gigs I could have shown up to with a tube amp and a decent guitar and been just fine.
Gear matters when it allows or doesn’t allow you the creative freedom of playing the thing. Huge thumbs up on the
Strung Out sticker!
You gotta have the struggle. And you’re a prime example of someone that worked their butt off and is reaping the benefits. But without that struggle I don’t think you’d be as successful as you are today. I think is deeper than gear man because most people only look at the short term comfort over the long term rewards. Awesome video man!
When I was a starting I bought a cheap squire strat. After awhile I wanted fancy and better cause I thought I would play and sound better. My dad told me, "Clapton could make that cheap guitar sound amazing." I still have that guitar, 20 years later.
I think I saw a video once of Satriani with a cheap guitar and it sounded great of course lol dad is wise
EVH is another good example. He made those Franken-Strats to work good enough for him and I think it turned out pretty good. 😉
PAF > Dimed Marshall or practiced unplugged. You play dynamically or sound like crap.
And tons and tons of band practice. Those were your only options in the 70’s-80’s. Do the same.
Guitar>TubeHead>Cab + skills + mates = endless fun
KISS theory.
You also weren't FLOODED with gear pictures/videos and gear ads from social media back when you were playing that strat. You were just jammin' with your boys. Everyone is now inundated with everything on TH-cam and Instagram. This was needed.
that's why personal responsibility, accountability and agency are important. we're inundated with consumerism constantly, girls and women especially. In the US, 80% of consumer spending is controlled by women, the shows, media, advertisers, and entire industries, etc. all know this, and target girls and women.
Oh really? Ever been to a guitar store? Or read a guitar magazine? If you were even vaguely into guitar back in the 90s that was what you did, and guess what.... ads EVERYWHERE - and usually ones that couldn’t even show you how the gear sounded in any meaningful way.
Gear lust has been around since the 60s, and people have always wanted easy ways to sound “better” because that’s how humans are.
@@adamsteelproducer I think it is different now a days when kids follow people on social media, respect the individuals and look up to them, and those individuals are marketing products while being in rooms that are surrounded with high dollar gear. I will agree that people have been chasing for decades though.
“You just need to practice more.”
And there it is.
100% agree. Back when I was touring and poor I made do with cheap gear and wished I had quality stuff. Now I am old and record in my little studio and don't play out, I can afford all the new shiny I want but basically choose not to. Ironic isn't it.
This! This is legit. I remember back when I was a teenager and I had Samick Silvertone Strat copy and a Crate SS amp, I never cared about gear, I just played! My first band, we all had crappy equipment but we loved making MUSIC!! Now, 20 years later, I’ve kind of come back to that point. I have a simple amp, a couple guitars, and I just PLAY. This video is spot on!!! Cheers!
1000% support this video message. If you wanna get better and make it known...work your ass off! Thank you Fluff.
Great video! You almost sound like a counselor from a GAS Rehab... you did a great job identifying what’s actually important for gear.
As someone who does music full time and has done the gear grind for years...
Use what inspires you to play
Buy the best you can afford at the time
Get the right tool for the job and learn how to use it
Great job Fluff, this should help alot of people get what they need.
YES. THIS
This is the equivalent of a rich guy saying money doesn't matter. It's laughable
For decades, Jack White put out amazing music on a rig that probably cost $500.
Wow, I've never seen "Jack White" and "amazing music" in the same sentence before. Unless the sentence is "Jack White never has and never will make amazing music".
@@Sandman60077 You must be that guy that no one likes.
@@yungstaben7675 he’s definitely jealous cuz he probably spent thousands of dollars to sound like ass 😂
@@Sandman60077 You crack me up. Very Funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@Sandman60077 Dont worry about the Haters, fuck Jack White
"Great tools don't make you a great carpenter", wise words indeed.
GREAT video and VERY IMPORTANT topic, nowdays music/audio marketing is savage 'cause all the tools we can get and the easy way to get them, it's very important to think about what tools fit for our own purpose instead got for the new stuff just because it's new and bunch of people made a video about it (sometimes that helps btw). Love this kind of videos, keep crushing it man, cheers from Venezuela.
My first guitar was a Squier Strat. The frets were sharp, the neck was rough, and the bridge saddle screws were too long the string action was unadjustable. It wasn’t until I got an Epiphone SG that I understood the joy of playing when your gear doesn’t suck.
One of your best Fluff. Parkway have always sounded phenomenal. Love your work.
Thank you for sharing your experience of being broke and homeless; it gives me hope for better days one day...
Been really enjoying your videos as of late Fluff. You add wisdom and experience not a lot of others see or realize. Best thing that could happen to me was growing up poor, made me realize if you're smart enough you can make any thing work with research and trial and error. Now I have enough gear to open up a small shop. Keep up the great work!
No matter what effect I use I end up play the same things. For me. I’m a student of the guitar. Pedals are to emphasize. Tone is in your hands. Great Chanel.
This is a really good way of illustrating a point, Fluff. Well done, man.
I don't need another guitar etc, I need to make more music
Rinse
Repeat.
5:08 *”great tools won’t make you a great carpenter”*. So true!! Unless you are a doctor or lawyer 🤣. There is having quantity and there is having quality. Ryan?! You have both my good man!!
1:15 Your hair made you look like a backing guitarist for Hanson
I was thinking ball boy in tennis or football in the 70's
This feels like throwback RBG vlog content. Love it!
The thing with gear is that it has never been this easy to find and acquire gear. I wouldn't have half myself without reverb and affirm. I would had never found my bass without the resources we have now.
Amen to that Reverb and affirm is a godsend. The minute petrucci decides to sell his old gear on reverb is the day I go bankrupt
Love the vlog style videos! I appreciate the effort you put into the storage space scene.
Gear do matter, but talent and skills matter more. Love your stuff! ❤️🤘🏻
Shiny new Gear is sometimes really helpful, rarely essential... But always fun.
I love this video, I have never been able to afford big awesome gear. This gives me hope, honestly.
Im pretty happy with my Axe FX II despite the cost can't really see myself upgrading. Those processors do motivate me to play more with just the amount of options they give.
This video is a godsend! Thank you fluff for speaking the truth. I tell this all the time to new musicians or friends of mine that wanna step into some what of a musical space. It’s not about the gear you have it’s what you learn about and can do with the gear you have! 9 times out of 10 it’s something you want not something you need! I learned that by going on a plugin binge only to find out that the list of plugins I actually really needed was far less than I initially thought.
Wow this hits home.. I had the same bass from 16-28ish years old. And a few alright bass amps nothing special. Finally was able to upgrade! Got myself some great gear! (Which I won't name, cus it doesn't matter) but my point is I understand his vid. Makes sense!
1: creativity first, gear second
2: work hard
3: help the needed whenever possible
So true! I argue with my rythem player on gear. He wants the newest most expensive gear, but you can't buy talent.
You can buy talent, it’s called fiverr
@@PooNinja or the entire music industry
this applies to everything in life...except toilet paper. never compromise with that.
Facts!
Truth!!!
This was really cool! Maybe you should do more of this stuff. Stay safe 💪
I love you Fluff!
I have been playing guitar for quite some time now. I never been in a band or anything, I just play at home, jam with friends etc. It really hit me when you said that before, you were not able to buy the things you have right now. I have been playing my very first guitar ever since, changed pickups, bridge, tuners etc because it got so rusty after years. This year I was able to buy my first "pro gear / guitar" and it made me so happy.
Beautiful video man! I love your style. I also love your studio, I want a studio like yours if I become famous with my youtube videos!
Pretty inspirational. Thanks, Fluff
WELL DONE! Its not a new message, but its the only message that really matters. You cannot buy talent through gear. You have to PRACTICE. A LOT!
This is the problem with music these days we have lost passion due to being inundated with so much gear that we don't just sit down and write a kickass record we write something lame and expect the gear to make it up to be incredible
I've known for a while that practice and learning songs is what I need to work on, but when the G.A.S. is real and one has the means, buying new shiny gear is hard not to do... Kinda caught in a loop. Gotta break the cycle.
This is... One of the best videos you've done. I'm not always a fan of every video because there's a lot of stuff that's way more than I'll spend on gear or nothing that I'm interested in, I'm a fan of your faq videos or gear in the affordable range.... but this one wins man. I will never judge or shame people that want 20 amps and dozens of guitars, if they love it them I'm happy for them and that's awesome you've worked hard and gotten what you want. What I can't handle is people that buy 3k dollar guitars and boutique amps that think it'll make them better or get them attention. Spend that money on lessons and make the most out of the gear you have, then show us all how you can tear shit up on a 500 dollar guitar and an hx stomp!
Appreciate the message here. Being a performer first. Be a smart consumer too, if that’s your thing.
Love going to rehearsal and trying out a new guitar/head/dirt pedal etc. But the rest of the band deserves me knowing my parts and/or coming up with new and better parts too. It’s a balance. What’s the worth of my stuff if I’m not getting my job done in my band? Anyways. Good stuff dude!
Lol great vid IMO but it is hilarious you give a sweetwater plug at the end 🤣🤣🤣
I can agree with all of what you said and also relate to your struggles to get to where you are now.
That word at the end nailed it, practice more! Nice storage locker of gear! Like, wow!
Hear hear, Fluff!
Before I could afford any pro gear, I had the first guitar I could find nearest the amount that wouldn’t leave me without gas money, the amp that could stand a gig and leave me money for lunch in college, and cables good enough not to go out mid-gig.
Also, string would last months!
Get a Line 6 wire-less system
GAS money? Thats how new gear ends up in my man cave...
Strings do last months, if you take care of them that is.
@@jacketyt6992 They can if you don't work the instrument that often, brightness disappears nonetheless. But, if you are playing 6+ gigs a week, plus practice, every week and a half is the norm. For my flamenco and classical guitars, I go through a case every 4 months :(
I started using Paradigms on the electrics and they do last longer.
I worked in some of the best studios in the world and have been lucky enough to work on all types of gear. But ever since covid put us on lockdown for the last year I been kind getting off on doing more with less. I find it more challenging and rewarding to focus on taking whatever in front of me and doing something amazing. So I totally agree with you on great performances , great song writing, and let me add one more "master the gear you already own".
Every syllable of this was accurate. Thank you. While I do relate to a lot of what you said here, I don’t rent storage room to keep the things I’m not currently using!! Ha ha!! Keep doing what you do. It’s phenomenal and people benefit from your experience.
Agree with everything said here. Well put, wish even I head some of this when I was younger. Better late then never!
I love this episode. I'm 52 yrs old I have played through many different configurations of amps and pedals, eventually going all rack with a Peavey Rockmaster pre amp and a Boogie 50/50 power amp with a variation of effects and gates. But that was years after playing through gear that I could afford and still had a great sound. It's a maturing experience.
I got my Samick/Abeline strat shaped thing when I was about 14 and I still love it. I got it for $50 from cash converters and had my teacher set it up with low action. Over the years I have changed the tuners when they broke to Gotohs, changed the pickups and selector to Fender and got a new body because the wood at the bridge split and I couldn't fix it. I tried a Squire neck on it because the stock neck is a bit thin but I changed it back recently.
I also have a Squire Tele which actually rocks.
This was a wonderful video Fluff. Thank you man. Seriously.
Yo man, it's pretty dope that you're in a spot in your life where you can afford/acquire higher quality gear. I respect your hustle and know it's taken years of hard work to get to where you are now.
Practice, skill, and putting in the work to become a better player is more important to me. I have some nice guitars, but I'm still grinding out stuff on a first gen Marshall DSL 100 and first gen EVH 5150 III. They sound great for being cheaper amps, but with a good overdrive and eq in the loop, they slay.
This video is amazing Fluff!
Very, VERY well said!
Gear definitely doesn't matter but damn it's fun getting new stuff and hoarding!
I only keep gear that i absolutely fall in love with. This has happened exactly three times:
1. Mesa boogie triple rectifier 2ch rev G
2. Ibanez SZ 720 (swapped bridge pickup with a PRS HFS pickup)
3. Line 6 helix LT floor
Sure, there's been other stuff here and there, but i either sold it soon after, or it's sitting in a closet unused.
Thanks, Ryan. This was a great video!. When i was young jamming with high school friends, the big thing that sucked was jamming with guitarists with underpowered amps. This is where my gear acquisition syndrome started lol. I think it might be fair to note that when looking to buy new gear when the time comes is to buy it and buy it once. I made a shot PA system work with a DOD grunge for a long time before I got my High school job and got my JSX. Everyone were buying line 6 in my town , MG's, Tone Blasters...that kinda stuff and got pressured a lot to do that same because my skill level just did't add up to the gear I was using. It was actually my music teacher that told me to avoid the quick solutions and to save and buy a tube amp. I slaved every day in a machine shop and farmed on weekends to buy this thing and I still have it to this day. I retired the amp and own the physical version of your plugin. My High School rig was a TS-7, NS-2, JSX and an MG cab and my tone was pimpin and loud AF!. I agree that gear don't matter tooooo much but I do feel tone can be inspiring. This was a dope video and I also appreciate you sharing some personal information as well. Take care
The story of your first guitar told a story of love for music. Thank you for that :)
Love this. Wish I heard this kind of advice years ago. Especially before selling my Line6 Floor Pod so I could buy a small GX. I made so much progress with the floor pod and was inspired to play every day - the small pocket GX had the opposite effect.
Had this conversation over the last year. Through the 1980’s I had 2 guitars, a wah, an SD1 and a marshmall JCM800.
There was very little choice but I was happy with that tone for the decade… then, coming into the 90’s and beyond it was like the supermarket for guitar players opened! Choices, choices and more options.
I went thought £1000’s of gear on a quest and to be honest I think my playing suffered. Too much buying and tweaking to get “that tone” when it was already in my hands.
I’ve now come full circle to an EVH 50 watt head and a couple of Boss pedals.
No more option paralysis or being blinded by shiny things. Just good simple tone and much more playing.
Just my journey since 1981….
Good post Fluff 🤘
Perfect. I think that as you get older and more experienced, you understand what you really need versus want. We all want it all, of course. But you start to focus on the things that will get you to a little better place. It helps you sound a little better, saves you some work. More tailored to your gigging needs etc.
Love the quality, visually of this video. And yes, you are absolutely correct about the gear thing ... it's all about how you use what you have that can make you sound unique.
However, having any sort of hi tech shiney gear won't necessarily make you a "better player". It only enhances the unique talent that one may posses.
Something a lot of youngsters need to understand ... TALENT is EARNED. Not GIVEN.
Having transitioned from guitars to drums, I can say the same mindset exists amongst drummers. One of my favourites there is “which bass drum pedal is the best?”. A lot of people that have played just 1 year are chasing that pedal that will make them faster and more powerful. The truth is, you need to practise a lot more. A lot. The legs and feet need tons of hits to learn the motions of bass drum playing. I’ve got some real expensive pedals. Now, at year 4 as a drummer, I use a cheap Pearl folding pedal, single chain, because it’s light, does the job, and I just like it. Great topic!
this is gold. thank you for sharing and reminding us man 🤟🏼
Great video!! In a world where everyone strives for perfection the purity and charm is often found in the imperfections. It also applies to gear.
This is so true, and adding to this philosophy is that even beyond the instrument is your skill as a guitarist for example, you need to work with what you have and around the downfalls of your system, sometimes it can even be the key to a great unique sound, but to me most important is the way I play and adapt to an instrument, the dynamics of your playing does a fundamental difference even before the type of instrument or equipment you have. Cheers.
I still have a First Act Walmart guitar that I've had since I was a teen working a shitty dept store job. Eventually, I replaced the stock pickups with EMGs and it's served me pretty well since then. I've worked on developing my mixing skills and I eventually found out is that, as you said in the video, "do what is right for you."
Awesome video, Fluff!
I don't know who you are, your video popped up in my recommendations, but I absolutely loved this video and its message!
It reminds me of the old adage "All the gear and no idea".
A person needs the gear for their skill level, or the gear will outperform them, and this is true for all aspects of life.
You couldn't use Roger Federer's racket anywhere near to its potential - or drive Lewis Hamilton's car within a fraction of what it can do.
The tools don't make you good. Skill makes you good and the tool accentuates that. Get good.
A wonderful, universal message. Thanks, Fluff.
I have that same Strat.... I got it as a college graduation present in '96. I played it forever and still have it too.
Preach!
In that vein people should stop gear hating!
If someone can only afford a squire, that doesnt mean they cant out-play you!
I agree. And the more you practice guitar and music skills in general, the more you'll appreciate the new/expensive things if you try it.
You need time and experience for that. Great vid 👍
Such a great perspective! Proud to see the growth you’ve had
I remember my first band. Started out through a Peavey practice amp and after a few shows, we bought our first stack: and early 70's 50w Hiwatt and a Marshall cab. Keep in mind, this was the 90's and Hiwatts were dirt cheap. We made the most of what we had. I think that whole rig cost around 600 Canadian. We honed our songwriting on relatively cheap gear and had the times of our young lives doing it.
Well said. I grew up playing an Epi SG Special II through a Crybaby, Phase 90, and Marshall VS100 combo. That was my sound, and it worked well for me. I could do anything with that. I got an EMG loaded Schecter Hellraiser V for my 18th birthday and a Marshall DSL100 for graduation, and I had to MAKE myself use it. I always gravitated back to my old setup. All my gear was stolen years ago, and I really only miss my SG. I still want another one, even though I'm eyeing a Jackson 7 string because it would do the job better for me now. Right now I'm playing a partscaster that is so microphonic I can't even record with headphones because it still picks up all the sounds in the room, but I'm still writing the best I can.
Talk about making people do some self reflection man you hit the nail on the head!
I want to add that I recently picked up an PRS Paul’s Guitar SE and it’s the first PRS I have ever owned much less played and I will say I played differently from what I would normally play I dunno maybe it’s just me but I can say that for sure that has never happened to me any way great video 👍
Amen brother!
Gear is fun, but having or not having it doesn't matter.
Guitar is fun, whatever makes it more fun/less stressful is a good thing. If that means you've got the coin to get the gear you want, do it!
If you don't have the coin, don't sweat it! Just have ☀️☀️☀️☀️
The general thesis of this video is amazing and spot on, younger players especially need to hear this, but all players benefit from this message because it's very easy to fall into the train of thought that new means best.
Know exactly what you mean! Make due with what ya got and keep improving your craft! The shiny stuff will come and go, write a great tune and make a great recording and it will live forever!
I used to have a bunch of amps and mics and guitars etc... now I'm super happy with my Les Paul and the Neural DSP Nameless and SLO plugins. Simplifying my setup and getting past the "GAS" days I'm happier than ever and get to focus on playing and creating....
All of what Mr Fluff said is very true. My first guitar was a hand me down Mexican Strat with single coil pickups, a guitar many pop punk, alt rock players would steer far away from, but I made it chug and shed with what I had at the time and I will never sell it. I think one thing fluff missed though was how gear can inspire you. I have a Gibson SG and I have some issues with it with tuning stability, wonky electronics and neck dive, but whenever I pick it up to play on, I feel inspired to play a certain way, same with my Rivers Cuomo Strat replica guitar. I play down tuned sludge or metalcore on my SG but on my cuomocaster I play pop punk or indie or sometimes more punk leaning metal. If I had the money I could get a really fancy Mayones or something, and if it doesn’t inspire me to play a certain way or get my creative riff juices flowing through my fingers, I will sell it, but if I got a cheap Squire and it gets me thinking of playing some cool stuff on it all the time, I will keep it for a long time. Play what works for you and inspires you!
Fluff me boi. You're looking good. Keep doing what you're doing.
Great points Fluff! Not just for the "younger" players either, I find myself trailing off onto the new shiny rabbit whole every once in a while, when I really just need to sit my old ass down and practice more! Nice work