This topic makes me think of the poem, "The Touch of the Master's Hand"...Google it sometime and have a read.

Or, here it is on U Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxfvox1oMGk

Ian




[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 10-22-2007).]

I don't quite agree, but it's my personal view anyway. e.g. What if EC is given a guitar with frets not exactly in the right position and you are given his strat? Of course, still you can play worse depending on how good you are (not to mean you are not good, I'm just trying to explain what I mean), but if you are an average guitarist you will sound better. Most probably EC will refuse to play that guitar, but if that's the case he accepts that he cannot make that guitar sound good.

I personally don't believe good instrument or good player itself translates to a good final product, it's got to be a good combination overall.

Shiral

I'm not a great player--mediocre at beest, but I can sing. My right hand is really messed up from a nasty disease that 8 docs and $5,000 out of pocket in treatments hasn't been able to fix. So, in my case good equipment saves my bacon--especially when my right hand's index and long finger look like they've been through a meat grinder. The bottom line, IMO, is a good player can get by with top of the line eqipment, an excellent player can get by even he they're using junk gear, but we all sound better when using the best equipment, even if our talent is limited.

Good post Mo,

Gary

BTW: I typed this with just my left hand. Talk about a handicap!

Lee Trevino can whip my ass in golf using a broomstick and a coke bottle and me a fine set of clubs, and Eric Clapton can sound better using a poorly-fretted guitar and me his strat(i don't play gtr at all).however to defend the other position i will admit that if Lee Trevino used a guitar to play golf, i could whip his ass, and if Eric Clapton played a broomstick with a coke bottle on it, I would sound better than him on a strat As Shiral correctly points out in spite of my facetiousness, there is a crossover point. However, I was just trying to put our manic searches for equipment nirvana in its proper perspective. I think we all overemphasize it. To a remarkable degree. but ain't it fun?

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Miami Mo

Of course,
a great musician playing mediocre gear, will overcome the drawback and project his true musicianship to the audience and CONVINCE them of his superiority, when compared to a mediocre musician with better gear....


BUT

Being myself a mediocre (or worse) player, I have discovered that I FEEL I sound better when playing better gear, and that makes me FEEL better.

I am sure a certain percentage of that good feeling, comes back to me and actually MAKES me better.

Works both ways.

As I have said before, I was bored of my gear and my playing before I joined Synthzone... the enthusiasm here, and the newly discovered knowledge of softsynths, made my gear play better, freshened it up, which in turn made me WANT to play and renewed my interest in mysic, eventually making me better player than I was.
Does that make sense?

Why? WHY? Because that would be un-American, that's why. If you got it, spend it. If you ain't got it, spend it anyway. That's the American way and I'm proud of it. I think it is our patriotic duty to keep China's economy afloat and help preserve that trillion dollar trade deficit. Besides, braggin' rights are important for my self-esteem and I just know I'll sound as good as Eric Clapton if I could only use his same guitar/amp combination (maybe even better than him).

Oh, and another thing. Having the biggest and the best (and the latest) will certainly enhance my status as THE leading authority on equipment on Synthzone (even if I sound like crap using it).

Let's keep that cash flowing; Uncle Sam (Sam Ash, that is) needs it.

BTW, I notice a couple of people already have PR15's, do they make a PR18?

chas

trident, you make some good points. often inspiration comes from having a nice instrument. I gave up tenor sax 5 years ago when I found, by accident, an alto that played and sounded so good it just spoke to me and my playing has taken on new dimensions (not to mention it's a lot lighter and u know that's always what i like) the audience likely can't distinguish when i play my E60 vs my Korg i, unless i plyed them side-to-side--but just because of the 76 and keyfeel and a better piano sound, i find i practice on it much more than i ever did on my old Korg.

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Miami Mo

Come on, Chas...tell us what you REALLY THINK!

(I totally agree-really funny stuff). By the way...in certain circles, Eric Claptan "ain't no big deal", regardless of what he plays. Some think even a youngster like John Mayer can blow him off the bandstand. To a certain degree, ability (musicianship) is somewhat subjective. I think Tuck Andress has forgotten more than Clapton ever knew.


Russ


[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-23-2007).]

Chas - the best post of this thread; well, almost

First off, nobody wants to play substandard equipment; not even the "greats." They would walk away from it before they played it. Secondly, I would hazard to guess that many of us have taken a few steps forward only to take a step or two back in the technology arena. Not all of our purchases have resulted in better results - ask zuki . Lastly, give any player a decent instrument and it all come down to one thing - TALENT. Abilty and knowledge run a distant 2nd and 3rd to talent anytime.

Willy Nelson.
Good singer?
Have you seen his guitar?
Eddie