Soundquest Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I seem to notice that we keyboard players change and buy new gear more often than our guitarist colleagues. Or is it just me? I have a friend who has his Fender since the days I purchased my Ensoniq EPS 16+ and I have changed gear at least 5 times. He has only added an effect box. As of now I am deliberating on the acquisition of an SRX-11 and the forthcoming SRX-12 expansion boards for my XV88. I have seen others do even more. Could it be something to do with gear fragility or using emulation sounds that get outdated? We have time, but none to waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Davis Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Bass players are the worst! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I started as a guitar player, so guess that can relate to both worlds. My opinion is that -in the first place- guitar players tend to develop a deep relationship with their instrument (check the thread about "Sexy guitars" on the Guitar Forum and you will understand what I mean), so they are reluctant to part with it, even to get a better one. In the second place, if you buy a good guitar, chances are that, with time, it will appreciate, or even become a vintage instrument , while electronic keyboards -with a few exceptions- with time tend to become just a bunch of outdated circuits. Acoustic pianos, of course, are an entirely different matter... Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarPlayerFL Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Guitarists only need their instrument to sound like a guitar. Keyboard players need to sound like EVERYTHING. I don't believe the view that sound devices get outdated. Computers get outdated when they no longer can keep up with software. Today's old sounds are tomorrow's "retro" sounds. Yes, key players have a financial burden to bear. Of course, good key players with equipment are hard to find! Guitarists are a dime a dozen. A Jazz/Chord Melody Master-my former instructor www.robertconti.com (FKA GuitarPlayerSoCal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hytanon Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Burn on Guitarists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I think it depends on the individual. I'm mainly a keyboardist, and once I find a rig that works for me, I'm hard-pressed to get anything new ... then I have to re-program all my settings, patches, learn a new controller, etc. I have a hard enough time just playing, LOL. OTOH, of course we know LOTS of fellow KC forum members who are constantly lusting after gear. Regarding guitarists, again, depends on the person. I know guys who are content with one amp and 1 or 2 guitars. I know others who are never happy and have a garage full of boutique amps and ... a dozen (or more???) guitars. Bassists too. The best bass player I know uses only one (but very high end) axe ... but there are also bassists who have to have every new gadget out there. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Originally posted by GuitarPlayerSoCal: Yes, key players have a financial burden to bear.Well, having multiple guitars costing $6K or so apiece is also a financial burden, I'd think. One dude I used to play with had so many frikkin' guitars ... he was like $18K in credit-card debt. Ouch. He was kind of just an OK player too. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarPlayerFL Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Originally posted by geekgurl: Originally posted by GuitarPlayerSoCal: Yes, key players have a financial burden to bear.Well, having multiple guitars costing $6K or so apiece is also a financial burden, I'd think. :freakHuh!? My most expensive axe cost me $1000 dealer cost...I had connections. A BC Rich Mockingbird Supreme back in '82. I would never spend over that today unless it was a true vintage axe for investment purposes only. Maybe those are 50s vintage(?) And what is insane is going to guitar shows and seeing dealers think that 70s guitars are vintage and valuable. The Fenders and Gibsons of the 70s were GARBAGE quality. A Jazz/Chord Melody Master-my former instructor www.robertconti.com (FKA GuitarPlayerSoCal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pursuitboy Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Most guitar players I know and have worked with are just down right cheap! Borrow this, borrow that,time goes by..."I don't remember you loaning that to me" There all the same,want the glory,have all the answers,pout the most, and always always always play onstage the loudest. "This is a one sided generalization and not to be taken seriously" ........disclaimer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigT Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I play guitar and keyboard/piano. For guitar I bought used equipment: a $300 G&L F-100 and a $300 Crate "vintage" series tube amp. For $600 I got a killer sounding and playing rig that you could gig with, record, etc. I didn't buy any more guitar equipment for like 7 years. For keyboards I am trying to get something that sounds real: real piano, real drums, real bass. It costs way more to buy digital equipment that sounds like the real deal. And my QS8 that I bought for $1400 in 1997 doesn't sound nearly as good as the current offerings. So, now I dutifully pay Yamaha or Roland lots of money to upgrade to a new board for around $2000. Except hardware sounds can't compete with software so I go buy a $1400 Receptor and Ivory for $350 and Scarbee vintage keys for $500. In 5-10 years probably only the keyboard will still be functional which I could use as a controller for all the new softsynths I have to buy that run on current computers and operating systems. In 5-10 years my $600 guitar/amp will still sound great. Maybe I buy new tubes and get a refret for a total of $400. From a cost perspective guitars win for me hands down. And since my guitar and amp sound "real" I don't have that much GAS for new guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felix_dup1 Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Guitarists I have known have GAS way worse than keyboardists. Whether it's another guitar (you can never have too many), or a better guitar, amps, pedals/pedalboards, etc... The elusive search for "the perfect tone" is never complete. Seems like the sheer quantity of guitars, related gear, and accessories for guitarists is far more extensive. OTOH, guitarists haven't had to suffer from technology progress like keyboardists (more waveform memory! more polyphony!). A guitar doesn't really become "obsolete" the same way an old sampler or ROMpler may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Originally posted by GuitarPlayerSoCal: Huh!? My most expensive axe cost me $1000 dealer cost...I had connections. A BC Rich Mockingbird Supreme back in '82. I would never spend over that today unless it was a true vintage axe for investment purposes only. Maybe those are 50s vintage(?) No. There are some guitars he has that only 50 are made ... or a dozen are made ... trust me, there are some highly prized boutique guitars out there. He didn't get reamed; other models seriously cost this much. If you're really interested PM me and I'll tell you more. EDIT: oh, and though I just plunk around on guitar -- not really a "guitarist" -- I can feel the difference, at least in some of these guitars compared to what you'd buy at Guitar Center. You can't buy these guitars at places like that. It's like basses. I play bass ... Foderas really do cost $5K. And they really DO kick ass. Pedullas really do cost $3.5K new. I played one and it ruined my life ... because I wanted one. No Fender, Yamaha, Ibanez, et al would do. Fortunately, after searching and searching I found a used one for $1K. I snapped it up. It's my baby. ANOTHER EDIT: I just remembered a bassist I worked with once who had a custom-made Alembic 5-string bass ... it cost him $8K!!!! Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalaccents Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Here's my keyboard purchase/setup progression the last 10 years: Yamaha SY-35 ---> Fender Rhodes ---> Kurz 2500X ---> Yamaha Motif7 ---> Ensoniq MR-76 ---> Motif Rack/Controller Currently, I'm in an effects phase. With influences such as Herbie, MMW, SouLive, etc, I continue to buy different effects...it's so addicting. I just bought a $300 pedal (Earthquake) because I heard it used once live and fell in love with it. Earlier in my life, I was a one keyboard guy. Now, my train of thought is: first, to be a pro keyboardist, you need to look like a pro...second, you need the versatility for the higher paying gigs...third, you'll eventually have enough equipment finally to own a studio...lol Play only what you hear within...if you hear nothing, play nothing at all My Gear: Motif; Ensoniq MR-76; Suitcase Rhodes; Earthquake MKII Pedal; DiscomBOBulator; PodXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Ward MP Hall of Fame Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Originally posted by Mike Davis: Bass players are the worst! Really? Every bass player I've had in the band (and we've had a lot) has either had the first bass he owned or the guitarist's bass. The guitarist and I compete. He has more money in gear, but I have the most expensive single peice of gear. Hopefully the new band van will count and I'll win And, until I know a keyboard that does everyhing I want, I will continue to buy board after board that are virtually the same. "...Keytar in a heavy metal band is nothing more than window dressing" - Sven Golly Cursed Eternity - My Band Dick Ward - My Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I think digital is the key here becasue processing, speed and code are still evolving. While real piano, organ and analog keys are "get a good one and you are set", digital keyboards including ROMplers and VA's are still improving year to year. In three years you can tell a difference between old and now. A 40 year old guitar sounds as good as new. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.