I have a confession to make. Like many other folks in the business of audio, I am a recovering gearaholic. While having a compulsion for collecting equipment may sound somewhat innocuous compared to other forms of addiction, I can honestly stand before you and say that the habit is real and the consequences of said craving can be severe and debilitating.
Can’t Break the Habit
Please don’t misconstrue these comments in any way or form to demean other addictions or the disastrous effects they might have on people’s lives, but gear addiction is very real and can even be a gateway to other addictions. After all, a compulsive person can express their obsessive personality in a variety of ways, and most will suffer multiple addictions at the same time. The euphoria experienced from being a gear collector is no less than the high that is experienced by a shopaholic with a clothing obsession. If one’s desire is to collect gear, then the urge can easily be translated into amassing art, cars and wine or even little toy soldiers. The inherent problem that exists with most addictions is that they are expensive to maintain, and unless one has unlimited funds at their disposal then even the most hardened addict is required to make a choice. Ha! Good luck with that!
I started out years ago by collecting guitars and guitar amplifiers. Back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage guitars from the 50’s and early-60’s were still somewhat affordable, and there were small circles of people that hunted garage sales and obituary columns to find amps and guitars that were hidden away in closets and under beds. At the time, most owners had no idea of the instrument’s value and would either sell it for what they paid for it or a fraction of the price. Deals were had and the small circle of collectors would scratch and claw for their acquired prizes.
Quite often, the gearaholic’s conquest was short-lived, and attainment was merely for the pleasure of saying that they had actually owned a particular piece for a moment. Even parts became valuable, and certain guitar pickups, pickguards, bridges and tuning machines were in demand, along with speakers, guitar strings, knobs and tubes. Newer products came on the market and, while some pieces were more collectable than others, they were all intended to be used to create a better and more distinct guitar sound. The search was never-ending and, to say the least, a very addictive hobby.
Guitar players collected guitars and amps, bass players had basses and amps, and while drummers collected their different kits and percussion pieces, the keyboard players would focus on their various keyboards. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, except for a few venues, most clubs and halls did not provide house audio, and bands were responsible for bringing, setting up and operating their own sound systems. Those of us more severe gearaholics opened audio companies, rental houses, music stores and studios to feed our addiction. The rest of us just filled our garages and cellars with more and more gear and, slowly but surely, we branched out from our given instrument into the world of audio.
Seeking a Higher High
For the gearaholic, audio was the newer and more potent high. There was never a shortage of new gear to be obtained, and the mission was to get it all. From preamps to amplifiers, mics to outboard gear, speakers and multi-track recorders as well as cables and magnetic tape (that’s right, tape), the race was on to collect the most desirable pieces of gear to provide the best sound possible. For even the most hardened gearaholic, this was a daunting task, and one that could easily lead a person to drink, if they were so inclined.
Despite the overwhelming aspects of gearaholism and in the name of finding the perfect sound, we forged on with our collecting. Whether for the studio or stage, there was always a new microphone, compressor or effect unit that was a must-have item. From the Echoplex and the Lexicon PCM 42 to the Eventide 910 and H3000 Harmonizer, these were pieces of gear to have and to cherish. Not only did they sound great, but when mounted in a nice wooden studio rack along with the Manley Variable MU limiter/ compressor, these pieces became a work of art. The various lights and assortment of buttons and knobs meshed together to give each rack a look, feel and life of its own. This futuristic functional furniture created an audio sanctuary in the studio and a battleship command fortress when on the road.
The Digital Fix
Although I am old — as stated in my last article (FOH, Aug. 2016, page 60) — I am not waxing nostalgic about the days gone by. These days I get my button and knob fix from the different consoles I get to work on. The command station has been consolidated and condensed, and my choices have grown exponentially. In most cases, I have more options than I need to do any given show, and I also have the potential to expand my workstation beyond my wildest dreams. The capabilities provided by the on-board plug-ins exceed the practicality of lugging around the same amount of outboard gear in racks. Even though the plug-ins do not have the consecrated feel of the analog items they approximate, they certainly are a lot easier to take on tour.
Another plus is the price. For example: A vintage Fairchild 670 compressor would cost about the same price as a Mercedes CLA car. For about $350 — or one percent of the Fairchild cost — I can purchase a Fairchild compressor plug-in to do the required job. A compromise, yes, but the classic Fairchild compressors are not only expensive and hard to find, they are also vintage (old) electronic pieces, and unless the unit is more than just a collector’s prize, reliability and on-the-road fragility are always concerns. If I really need a vintage fix, I can drag my 1957 Stratocaster off the wall and plug it into my white Fender Bassman amp, but these days my trove of vintage audio gear is relegated to a drawer full of flash drives. Granted, for a gearaholic, this collection is not as sexy as the original analog pieces, but it does offer more options than ever before and — or all intents and purposes — the graphics are amazing!
