*sigh* some things are more important than hobbies, right?

[RumpleCragstan]

Kinda feeling down, had to return my new amp to the store today so I could make rent. Its nice though, that store has a deal that if you return the amp you bought and its still in good condition, they'll give you a full refund.

 

It was a nice 15 watt Marshall that I got about a month ago, when I got a bit of a windfall of tips from the nite club I work at, and its such a great deal for $200. But alas, bills do tend to pile up when there's a shortage of work.

 

Anyone share my pain with their own stories of selling awesome gear to make ends meet?

[fantasticsound]

Sorry to hear it... What kind of work do you do?

[DracheCool]

Ouch. That is like GAS in reverse, causing your spirits to SAG. (Sorry, couldn't stop myself. Tried.)

 

I had to sell my amp attenuator to help pay a debt, but since the debt was related to other gear, I can't really count that, I don't suppose.

 

 

[miroslav]

Ouch. That is like GAS in reverse...

 

Wouldn't that be a burp?

 

 

Yeah...that's a bummer having ot sell off gear to survive.

I've had some hard times, though I never had to sell any gear to cover other expenses...unless I was buying new gear and just wanted to unload some old stuff first.

 

I'm sure when you are ready to pull the trigger again...you will be able to find another one just like it.

[Darcy H]

I hear ya, unloaded a Strat and an old silvertone this week, and trying to sell a Princeton Reverb. A family trip or toys??? Just unloading the extras but it doesn't feel good.

[Chunk]

I see it all the time I work in a pawn shop and I feel bad to see these guys come in with guitar and/or amp in hand and have to part ways....some redeem them some don't we give people 4 months other shops only give 30 days...that is, however, how I came across most of my gear.

[RumpleCragstan]

Sorry to hear it... What kind of work do you do?

 

at the moment I place Rebar at construction sites, to reinforce the cement. A few idiots thought they could get away without permits, and got their sites shut down, thus putting a bunch of guys in a serious shortage of work for a few weeks while they sort through the red tape to get things back on track.

 

Things seem to be worked out now, but I certainly paid the price.

 

All in all, I think that I'll buy a guitar before I replace that amp again. I'm borrowing an old Charvel from a friend of mine, and I should probably get the guitar first that way I can test how it sounds with whatever amp I'm going to buy for it before I buy it.

[Eric Iverson]

I've never had to return an item... then again, I'd have a much larger gear collection if I'd gone out on more limbs!

 

I do feel compassion for you guys that had to return a good piece of equipment... doubly so if you had to sell an instrument you really LOVED!

 

My dad once sent me a beautiful old Fender Precision bass that he bought for $150. I doubt very much that the guy would have sold it for that had he not been down on his luck... then again, my dad didn't put a gun to his head!

[02R96]

Well I completely feel your pain. Yesterday I just shipped the last piece of equipment from my studio: my Yamaha 02R96. My daughter is starting college and I could no longer justify having a hobby business with the new expenses. She did her part; she graduated as a double Honor Student. That is, National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society. So now I have to do my part.

 

I did keep my guitar gear though!

 

[fantasticsound]

Does that mean you're changing your handle, 02R96? (Sorry you had to part with it. Was it not helping to pay for her college? )

 

Rumplecragstan, Glad to hear things are working their way back to normal. Hopefully you can get a guitar and an amp once you're back working steady.

[02R96]

Actually it was more complicated than that. I was a small basement operation. I made a name for myself, but the amount of time I was spending in the hole (as my wife put it), had taken me away from my family. In order to justify keeping it I would have to quit my day job, go big and take on a huge debt load and risk. Or, close shop, sell the gear and pay off debt. The money I was making was nice, but not worth the amount of time I was putting into it.

 

The best part though is my son and I now have lots of time to spend together. Hes 14 and growing up quick. He still wants to do things with me and I need to be there for him. AND I dont miss the stress. It was a tough decision, but I think it was the right one.

 

[miroslav]

The money I was making was nice, but not worth the amount of time I was putting into it.

 

That seems to be the case with most small studio operations...and even some of the bigger ones these days!

 

I use to do outside projects, way back...but ever since I set up my new/current studio, I've kept it pretty much as my own private world with the exception of a few/occasional outside projects (mostly for friends/acquaintances).

Every once in awhile I toy with the idea of opening my doors...and then I stop and do the math and a reality check. :grin:

 

I can still have tons of studio fun...and no need for the hassles.

Though one thing in my favor...I don't really owe any debt on my gear...so potentially it would just be a "time" investment at this point...but I'm still not too motivated.

If/when I get to a semi-retired mode with my day gig...maybe then Ill open the doors full-time.

 

Yeah...you should change your forum handle to "Formerly known as 02R96"