Gear oh gear! That's music to the ears of any musician. Music stores are filled with people trying out new gear, every day from open to close. Shiny new things in a variety of different colors, with flashing lights, from wall to wall. It's a musician's candy store. But what should I buy and how often? I can't make that decision for you, but I can tell you how I approach it.
A little back story first...
One day I sat down and wrote down every piece of gear I've ever purchased. I did some searches and totaled up the cost of each one and added it all up. I hit enter on the calculator and the number that appeared scared me. Such a big number and I'm not exactly a wealthy man. How many musicians are? And the worst part was...most of that gear had been traded to get something else, so I was at a deficit.
But now I'm older and hopefully wiser. I've learned from my years of frivolous buying and hope to share what I've learned.
Do the Research
I don't buy without looking at the competition. I can count on my hand how many impromptu purchases turned out to be beneficial. There are so many choices out there. I owe it to myself to read reviews, check on the durability, see if there are reoccurring problems, and see if something else does what I want better. I look up prices. See if anyone has it for less. Research as much as I can, so I'm as knowledgable as I can be about what it is I hope to get.
Do I Want It? Or Need It?
If I broke a string on my bass and I'm playing a performance the next day...I need to get another string. If I'm buying a Mooger Fooger pedal when I'm playing a country gig...I don't need that pedal. If I'm opening a studio and advertise that you can record on the studio kit, but I don't have a kit..I need to go out and get a kit. I apply this to my situation and try to be honest.
