GAS

I know the prices are high right now, but I'm not talking about fuel, I'm talking about Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

If you play guitar, you've probably experienced this. It's the desire to possess that which you do not possess; to own that which you do not own, whether you can afford it or not or whether you really need it or not (you don't by the way).

I've been there and so have you, so own up. That handwired ACME Sledgehammer 4x10 EL84-driven touch-sensitive Class-A monster that Andy at ProGuitarShop.com has just reviewed saying "this amp's 'bloom' is unrivaled," is something you must have you've decided.

After all, this morning you watched some guy on YouTube (which made you late to work) who just bought one, say "it sounds like a Dumble at a fraction of the price ... " Of course that price happens to be $3500, and somehow that Peavey Bandit you bought used for $130 four years ago just ain't gonna cut it anymore.

So what do you do?

If you're like me, you begin plotting. You say to yourself, "What can I sell, maybe I can get some freelance jobs, rent out the kid perhaps?" "If I sell the Bandit and my Squier Strat, I'll have almost $260, and 260 minus 3500 is ..."

It goes on and on.

I remember reading a story about Ted Nugent meeting Eddie Van Halen for the first time. He couldn't believe the sound Van Halen was getting out of his rig. "Let me give it a try," he said. So Ted Nugent played through Van Halen's rig and low and behold, he sounded just like himself, Ted Nugent. He wasn't amused (and who could blame him?), but that's a story for another day.