Expensive equipment a waste of money?

[SimpleMind]

Hei guys, its me again with this slightly provocative statement.
How reasonable is it to lets say invest 3000 Euro in a boutique amp for an average guitar player. There is that expression saying "its all in the fingers" which ultimately isn`t quite correct because the fingers just do what your brain tells them, so its ultimately in the brain.
But to make a long story short do we really sound "3200 Euro better" with a 3500 Euro Cornford than with a 300 Euro Peavey Valveking. I am not so sure especially if you use a POD or something like that to boost/ modify your Valveking.
Ok last but not least its an individual decision if you think that invesmtent is worth it or not. But imagine you would know you die in exactly 12 month and you had to choose between the Peavey Valveking and one bottle of quality wine each evening + a 2 weeks trip to the Seychelles or no wine and no trip and just the expensive boutique amp.
What would you choose. Is the tone difference really worth 3000 Euro?

[Rotti]

Here's how it works with guitar stuff (and most things you buy). You get what you pay for up to a point. Then you pay a very high premium for just a little improvement, say 10%. Is that extra money worth it? Sure it is if you can afford it.
As for question 2 I don't drink wine so I'll take the amp.

[voodoo_child]

I wonder is there a guy on a holiday forum somewhere asking 'Why didn't you buy a cool Cornford amp instead of going on a stupid holiday and drinking wine all day...?'

[mi2tom]

Who doesn't want expensive equipment?

[SimpleMind]

Originally Posted by voodoo_child

I wonder is there a guy on a holiday forum somewhere asking 'Why didn't you buy a cool Cornford amp instead of going on a stupid holiday and drinking wine all day...?'

Funny perspective.

[Dino]

I don't want expensive equipment! I want good equipment. If good equipment was cheap, I would take that all day long over the expensive stuff. That is why we play Ibanez, right? Korean Ibanez = or > anything Gibson or Fender ever made. Prestige/J-custom Ibanez > any other production guitar.

That is why I like Zachary stuff. Awesome handmade goodness for the same price or less than a ho-hum run of the mill PRS, or any custom shop really. Plus a builder that is passionate about what he does.

The biggest difference between a Squire and a USA Fender is the sticker on the headstock. Same with Epiphone and Gibson.

Amps can be a real rip off. For $3500 They should be able to open it up and show you where it took them two weeks to hand wire and solder each connection. By technician that gets paid a livable wage.

[Algiman]

If a piece of $3500 equipment makes you $3500 happier, then it is money well spent.

[SimpleMind]

Originally Posted by Rotti

Here's how it works with guitar stuff (and most things you buy). You get what you pay for up to a point. Then you pay a very high premium for just a little improvement, say 10%. Is that extra money worth it? Sure it is if you can afford it.
As for question 2 I don't drink wine so I'll take the amp.

Regarding classical guitars which i have a better clue you can for example buy a Contreras, a Hauser or a Fleta for 30000 Euro. That thing will sound "maybe 1500 Euro" better than a 1500 Euro Bernabe.
I question if its worth it even if you have the money. Which name could be worth paying that amount of money for?
But were goes the line for amps where you don`t get that much of a better sound but pay mostly for the brandname?
I would say regarding classical guitars you can safely get you a very!! good deal for 3000 Euro with a guitar you never will regret that you bought regarding price performance ratio. Beyond that you just get a relatively marginal better guitar no matter if you pay 10000 or 50000. Exceptions may confirm the rule. just my humble opinion.

[SimpleMind]

Originally Posted by Algiman

If a piece of $3500 equipment makes you $3500 happier, then it is money well spent.

Thats true for sure. But maybe you get second thoughts when you here your neighbour playing a $1000 amp sounding as good as you without necesarily playing better?

[Rotti]

There will be a difference in sound and construction between a $1000.00 amp and a $3500.00 amp. It's just a matter of which one is right for you. Nothing wrong with buying the best, and yes there is a difference.

[Algiman]

Originally Posted by SimpleMind

Thats true for sure. But maybe you get second thoughts when you here your neighbour playing a $1000 amp sounding as good as you without necesarily playing better?

Then it isn't really making you $3500 happier

[andy7jem]

If you want it, you can afford it, and it will bring joy into your life, then buy it!!! We can't go around thinking "if i die in 12 months time..."!!!!

Besides....i don't like wine, i already own the valveking and i don't fancy going to the Seychelles

[SimpleMind]

Originally Posted by andy7jem

If you want it, you can afford it, and it will bring joy into your life, then buy it!!! We can't go around thinking "if i die in 12 months time..."!!!!

Besides....i don't like wine, i already own the valveking and i don't fancy going to the Seychelles

If you had the money would you regret that you didn`t buy a fancy boutique amp instead of the Valveking?

[Rotti]

If you had the money it wouldn't matter, you could just buy the boutique amp too.

[voodoo_child]

If you change your mind about the wine and the holiday, you're not going to get your money back are you?

But you can always sell the nice amp and buy another. Most high-end stuff holds its value pretty well.

So you buy a $3k amp, play it for a year, and sell it for $2.5k..... that's a whole year of rockin' for $500. Can't say fairer than that...