STOMP SCHOOL
TOM HUGHES
Getting Your Gear Fix in a Down Economy
Wake up, gear junkies! Spring Break is over, ago, before the recession knocked them
and “Stomp School” is back in session. This back down. But the market will likely return
month we’ll be sharing some tips on get- with the growth of the economy, and vintage
ting your fill of new gear in spite of the sour musical gear is looking to be a better, more
economy. It seems like all we hear about is stable investment than stocks (not to mention
how bad the recession is. It’s hard not to get a whole lot more enjoyable).
discouraged. Here’s the thing, though: when
people start freaking out, stop spending,
and become misers, it actually makes the
situation worse. Cutting back or eliminating
your gear purchases hurts business for music
retailers (especially your favorite mom-and-pops), which in turn affects the manufacturers. Besides, depriving yourself of new gear
just isn’t fun! Gear Acquisition Syndrome
beckons, and it cares nothing about the
state of the economy.
the perfect time to get reacquainted with
your neglected gear.
Don’t be afraid to make an offer. As a
dealer, it makes me cringe to say this, but it
can’t hurt to ask your seller if there’s a little
flexibility in the asking price, especially on
used equipment. Many boutique items don’t
A little strategic
planning is all that is
necessary to satisfy
your sonic desires
while working within
a limited budget.
Trade your unwanted gear. Most of us
have at least some gear that we just don’t
use anymore, certain pieces we may have
outgrown or perhaps never really bonded
with in the first place. This is especially true
with guitar pedals. But even if it’s not useful
to you, your unwanted gear still has some
monetary value, which you can use toward
your next exciting purchase. Straight-up
trades with other musicians can work really
well. And of course, most music stores
will take trade-ins. You’re likely to take a
beating at the mega-stores, but there are
a number of specialty shops that could be
willing to work with you on a deal.
There’s no doubt that you’ll want to be
prudent with your purchases. Fair enough.
A little strategic planning is all that’s necessary to satisfy your sonic desires while
working within a limited budget. Here are
some ideas to keep the flow of abundance
alive in your musical life:
Do your homework. When planning your
next purchase, make sure you’ve shopped
around enough to get the best price. This
may seem like stating the obvious, since
many of us do it anyway. But beware the
temptation to give into impulse buying. And
for cryin’ out loud, don’t get into any bidding wars on eBay! If you’ve set your budget and you’ve done your homework, then
you can feel confident in making a rational,
thought-out purchase.
So there it is. With the right attitude and
approach, you can fully enjoy your share
of gear indulgences without worry. And
remember, it’s fear that’s fueling this recession. Don’t buy into poverty consciousness
and media-driven panic. After all, FEAR
is often little more than False Evidence
Appearing Real. Allow me to quote the
immortal words of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, from his first inaugural address
76 years ago (at the height of the Great
Depression): “The only thing we have to fear
is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to
convert retreat into advance…”
have a big mark up to begin with, but your
seller may have other criteria that you’re not
aware of—you never know. The worst they
can say is no. Remember to be respectful,
and don’t make any lowball offers if you
want to be taken seriously.
Now go get your gear fix on. Check back
with us again next month for more pedal-mania. Until then, keep on stompin’!
Buy assets. In other words, purchase items
that are likely to hold their value. This means
buying used when it makes sense to do so.
When buying new, high-quality gear is usually
a better bet than cheaper, mass-produced
stuff, and it will usually have a better resale
value. And if you’ve ever wanted to buy
vintage, now’s the time. History has shown
that the value of vintage guitars, amps, and
effects will generally appreciate over time.
In fact, over the past decade, the vintage
guitar market has outperformed the stock
market by a fair margin. There was a pretty
big spike in vintage prices a couple of years
Rekindle an old romance. Remember that
overdrive pedal you fell in love with? Now
it’s sitting in the corner of your practice room
gathering dust. What happened? Maybe you
switched amps and it just didn’t sound the
same; or you may have switched from single
coils to humbuckers, or vice versa. Maybe the
novelty wore off, or it got bumped off your
board by a new love. Whatever the case, if
you’re feeling strapped for cash, this may be
Tom Hughes
(a.k.a. Analog Tom) is the owner and proprietor of For
Musicians Only ( formusiciansonly.com) and author of
Analog Man’s Guide To Vintage Effects. Questions or
comments about this article can be sent to:
stompschool@formusiciansonly.com.
Analog Man
( analogman.com) is one of the largest boutique
effects manufacturers and retailers in the business,
established by “Analog” Mike Piera in 1993.
Mike can be reached at AnalogMike@aol.com.
