How Much Better Does It Really Make You?

[pjrake]

okay, guys, i've been thinking about this for a long time now. i've been so wanting to upgrade everything that i have, thinking i need to get "pro" gear on every part of my pedalboard.

for example, i want to upgrade my ibanez DE7 delay to the TC electronic vintage delay (or T Rex replica); my small clone chorus to analogman chorus, BOSS digital reverb to T Rex roomate (and etc.)

since money is a huge issue (and my wife is giving me hell about it!), how really does it make you a better player? will people in the audience really can tell the difference between a small clone chorus and an analogman chorus? if recording a demo with a DE7 delay instead of a TC electronic pedal make your demo sound that much worse? does it really make you that much better a player? or is it really all about your ability to play the guitar?

i'm beginning to accept the fact that i'm a poor starving artist and i need to make what i got work for me, and not the other way around and stop losing sleep over wanting to have all the best gear out there! it's tough sometimes when you're playing a gig and see these guys with top-notch gear and i'm showing up with a non-mod TS9 instead of a BB preamp!

i'm so confused

 

[BigMesa]

From my experience there are too many things that can effect your tone live, so I say get good stuff, but unless your a tone freak like EJ dont worry about the "pro" stuff unless you can afford it. The "pro" stuff is for the studio, live you can screw up and the crowd probably wont even notice unless you really screw up lol.

And no effect will make you a better player. Some effects may inspire you to write riffs, solos, and songs, but practice is what makes you a better player.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Slash uses a Boss DD-3 and an MXR 10-band EQ.

'Nuff said.

 

[shredtheater]

i reckon effects essentially can only enhance what your fingers do. If your foundations are poor adding effects will ultimately only able to cover it up for so long if at all. In alot of cases it highlights bad playing. On the otherhand theres a reason why so many pros have such good equipment and its because it enhances what they have already got and at the end of the day if you got John Petrucci, Steve Morse and Vai to sit in a room with just a guitar and amp they wud still sound awesome!!

I do think that how you use your effects is more important than the effects themselves (connections, settings etc etc). Most of the pro's use it subtley but if you walk in a guitar shop you can bet ur bottom dollar there will be some kid in there playing at 11 with an orchestra of effcts and it wont be nice.

I do think having better equipment helps even if its just from a psychological point of view but i dont think its a major difference. In some cases you just need a certain device for a certain sound. You know you cant acheive the TC2290 dynamic delay sound in a BOSS DD-3 , you just cant but does my Keeley Mod TS9 sounds much better than a normal TS-9 probably not. If i practised more wud i sound better? Yes

At the end of the day mate, get yourself a **** hot amp, some good cables and awesome guitar. Get your chops up and if you sound good then you will sound even better when you add ur pedals to the mix (as long as you know how to use them). If your still not happy you probably need to try out this new gear just to get it out of your system. Will the more expensive stuff improve your playing,i dont know but at least it will get rid of this 'what if' from your mind and allow you to concentrate on the more important things...

Good luck!

 

[pjrake]

wow. i'm reading this as i'm about to head to the studio for band practice. all i can say is, thanks for the inspired words. i feel like just taking my les paul, a 10' cable and plugging straight into my rectifier and just rock out!

it's funny, sometimes you need a good kick in the a%& to get inspired. all i can say is thank God for this board!

thanks