Here's a question for some of the older guys (or guys whose fathers or older relatives were musicians):

Looking back to the early days of rock & roll, jazz, blues, and country music, you often note that the musicians of that era had only one instrument, and many of them didn't even have their own amp (often, two or more musicians would play through the same amp live). 

Many times, the singer didn't even have his/her own mic! They depended on the venue to supply that. 

There would be a rare person who had a second guitar, but usually when they got a new guitar, they traded in or sold the old one.

When did that change? 

Most of us (myself included) have more guitars, amps, microphones, effects, etc. than we'll ever need (don't tell Lady Armadillo I said that!), yet we're all saving up for or planning another purchase in some fashion.

I realize guitars, amps, etc., are relatively cheaper (factoring in inflation, etc.) than they were in the 1950's and 1960's, and there are well-made budget instruments nowadays, but that can't be the only factor.

When did it become common for a common person (not a rockstar or pro musician) to have a rig/setup big enough to enable them to go on tour with the Stones?

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Your question brings up a musical memory that I often think about. Sometime about '68 or '69, I saw Steppenwolf in an old theater in downtown Cleveland. There was no house system, just the amps and PA on the stage. Apparently the acoustics of the old theater weren't designed for a rock band, because they sounded like stink. After the third song and no one applauded, they walked off stage in a huff. It was a no win situation for the band and the audience.
I'm sure a lot of groups were running into these situations and something had to change.

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Yeah, but that was a touring situation for a recognized/famous rock band...
I'm talking about common guys like us; I have four electrics, two acoustic-electrics, an acoustic, two amps (and a Pignose)...and I'm just a guy, nothing special.

I know several guys a generation and a half older than me that had only one guitar and amp their whole life. They might have owned other instruments, but they just had that one guitar.

When did we start thinking we needed as much stuff as EC or Jeff Beck?

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

For me, and that is the only one I can speak to...but in 1976 or so I was playing a very nice 62 Sunburst Strat but always thinking I wanted a Les Paul (I live 20 miles from Kalamazoo and it seemed EVERYBODY played Les Pauls) because I thought I was missing something...my uncle (who worked at Gibson at the time) had a nice Les Paul and offered it to me, but he said I needed to pay for it. So I sold my Strat and bought his Les Paul...worst thing I ever did, I felt uncomfortable on the Paul and I missed the brightness of my Strat, so I started looking for another good used Strat, when I found one a short time later, I kept the Les Paul, and used it on certain songs that needed it. That was about 1977/78 if my memory serves me right. I wasn't collecting, just felt I needed both guitars, then in the mid 80's I felt I needed a 335 for certain things and well next thing you know, I end up where I am now...don't think you will find a magic year, it just kind of started creeping up on folks probably in the early 80's when the economy got really good and we had some expendable income. Sorry for the long answer, just my thoughts.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I think Superkid actually kind of has it in a round about way..........

I reckon it was to do with TV. People saw that certain guitarists used certain guitars to get certain sounds.........it became a case of, 'this guy uses this type, this guy uses that type....' and GAS was born......then the media started getting more involved, music magazines with colour pics showing in glorious clear resolution the type of guitars that were being used.

Then finally the companies themselves started advertising directly in the press but also the start of advertising in the music stores and sponsorships for the artists - sexy pics of Strats and Teles and LPs and SGs, atmospheric images of Hendrix setting fire to his guitar, Hank Marvin with the wonder that was the Candy Red Strat, Eric CLapton playing a red 335. To begin with you went to a music shop and brands didn't mean much.....or not as much as they do now.....and consumerism and capitalism kicked off and BANG there we go......everyone wants at least one of every make of guitar that all our idols play...........

There endeth the lesson from the (not so old) hairy one..............

Next question!

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

One reason could be the way people thought about things back then versus now. People didn't have as much of anything, not just music gear. Things we seem to "need" now. They had more appreciation for whatever they did have. If it's good, why replace it or get another one? If it's broke, fix it.

I have an uncle in his mid seventies, still playing 3 or 4 times a week. One guitar and one amp.

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1975 Precision Bass - 3 Tone Sunburst

It's money folks. No money then. Lots of money now. Plus people were more thrifty then.

I think the internet might have something to do with it too. Let's face it, how many times do we get something new and immediately go and start a thread about it to celebrate your new purchase with people who can appreciate it. Back then it was probably more along the lines of getting a new guitar and then getting grilled by your parents/spouse who thought one was plenty!

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Well personally speaking, I can say that there wasn't the money around in the sixties to have extravagencies like two guitars and effects. Some say that it was relative..smaller wages, lower prices etc. but from my experience I am of the opinion that there is a lot more money around nowadays.
Back in the old days we had the bare essentials and money was kept aside because in those days, we moved about as a group, which meant that we had to have probably the most important piece of kit of all.. the 'Group Van' and it had to be reliable and keep going.
I had one guitar at any time during the sixties, only selling it to go one better but I spent many hours gazing into shop windows at the Fenders and Gibsons etc and dreaming of one day owning that..that..and that.. but I couldn't even touch. there was always a sheet of glass in the way. That probably explains why I have more than twenty now, yeah...gotcha.
Yes, I am of the same opinion as Mr GTG... It's a money thing.

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IMHO, it changed in the '50s

#1 -In the modern era of music the tools of the trade have been elevated to iconic status. Whether or not we admit it, we see guitars as more than musical equipment, something to be collected and treasured.

#2 -Rampant consumerism. How many TVs do you have in your household? Why does your two-footed missus have sixty pairs of shoes?

....Mark.

I know for me and my motley crew of fiends anf fellow guitarists. We all started out in our early teens and played a lot of junk guitars before we learned to play better, and , or saved up to buy our "dream" guitar. Having made such a HUGE purchase, we held on to it and tried to baby it.

For those of you who played in the late '60's and early '70's, you'll remember that it was hard to keep guitars and basses nice. Oh, those were the days!

Anyway, I think we all got a little jaded and got caught up in having disposable income. I'm looking at 3 basses, 1 Stratocaster 4 amps, a Sansamp Bassdriver and a few other goodies as I'm typing this, and I haven't hit a stage in a year and a half.

A celebrated occasional user of this Forum is composer and studio owner Jim Bordner (of Gravity Music). He once launched a thread here suggesting that, like most classical players, a guitarist should find or assemble a guitar that perfectly fits his/her requirements and then stick with it and make it part of his/her musical anatomy, much like their fingers and ears. We should be trying to build an intimate relationship with just the one instrument, not chop and change between a huge rackful of guitars. Jim feels we should be musical monogamists, and I think it's an interesting view.

I distinctly recall that his suggestion met with hot disagreement from most of us, including me!

Interestingly, few people have owned more guitars than Eric Clapton. Yet I saw him play the Albert Hall last year and apart from a few numbers on the acoustic he played the entire show on a single pale blue Strat which stayed on the stage on a stand behind him when he wasn't using it - he never so much as handed it to his tech to retune (I only noticed him touch the tuning himself once).

By contrast, last time I saw Joe Bonamassa a few months ago he barely played more than two numbers in a row on the same guitar, and I don't think a single one was brought on more than once. I lost track of how many he got through, a dozen, maybe?

I like both those players very much indeed. But the curious thing was that Eric produced more noticeably, distinctly different sounds from just the one guitar than Joe did from a truckful...

Cheers - C

EDIT: spelling (as usual)

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Interesting question.

I used and owned only one good guitar and amp back then and that's the way it was for many years. The only pedal I had was a wah-wah. As time went on, I remember specifically buying a second good amp as I sporadically needed a backup, be it for added power at a given venue or my #1 needed servicing. As more time went on, I then bought another good guitar as a backup, not because I really needed it but 'just in case'. I stopped with the wah-wah as the music we played no longer required it and eventually, unloaded it. Today, I am back to only owning one guitar and one amp, period.

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You dig?

Gear wasn't as disposable then either. The gear from my recollection was made to last. Even the small practice amps like the Champ and Princeton. There weren't dozens of variations of the same thing driving prices up either. If you wanted that, you did it yourself. As GTG mentioned, money was tight too, but there were plenty of manufacturing jobs here in the U.S. that paid a living wage.

I do remember the days of sharing amps and even using the second input of the amp for a mic.
Today, everything is cheap and plentiful. Yes I did say cheap. Way back, my 72 Strat was had with a case for $300. There weren't a lot of variations, you had Maple necks, a handful of colors, trem or hardtail, and a couple of neck widths. That $300 was around $1200 in today's bucks. Quite a lot of money when the average salary was around $12-15,000 a year. Some less, some more. Think about it. That $500 guitar that people today whine is so expensive would have cost $90 bucks in 72.

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I think it changed when Fender and others started offering more
choices/selections. I'm old school and remember when there weren't
many options on a Tele or a Strat.

These days, there are many different varieties and options available
on just a Stratocaster.

Technology also played a part when modeling, triple rectifiers,
and better amps and preamps became available.

BTW, RIP Jim Marshall!

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