I live in ‘Merica, aka the USA, a capitalist society that is based on us continually buying a ton of crap we want but don’t need.  Is that good or bad?  Hell, I have no clue.  I very much enjoy my life.  I love new gear.  This weekend at the convention I’ll most likely drop a bunch of cash on some crap I want but don’t need, and I’ll come home and play with it.  Last year I got a PRS S2 Satin 24.  A year later, am I still playing it?  Hell yes.  It’s my favorite guitar.

So how do we “game the system” and ensure that we’re making logical decisions about our crap and avoid ending up with buyer’s remorse?  The best tool we have is logic.  Not Apple Logic Pro X, aka the best DAW on the planet, but rather, you know, thinking about stuff.

Here are some guiding questions to help you decide which crap to buy:

  1. Does this new purchase enable you to have new sounds you don’t already have?
  2. Will it make you think/compose/play/practice/record differently?
  3. Is there a cheaper option that is 80% as good for 20% the price?
  4. Have you actually tried the thing out?
  5. Is it based on a technology that will be better and cheaper next year?
  6. Are you sure you don’t already have this in your DAW software?
  7. One year from now, will you still want to use it?
  8. Is there a free alternative?
  9. How certain are you that you’ll actually USE the thing?
  10. How mad will your spouse be?

I’m not supplying answers, or telling you how to think – merely pointing out some things to think about.  I can share a couple of quickie things that work for me, though.  I don’t buy something my DAW can already do, meaning I don’t buy new keyboards.  This saves a lot of money.  I no longer buy modeling products unless they’re dirt cheap, because today’s $500 modeler is tomorrow’s $125 garage sale item.  I don’t buy guitars that duplicate the play and sound of something I already have.  That one was really tough to learn.  And I have four Les Pauls to prove it.  But two are Epiphone, so there.