Does Your GAS Predate the Internet?

[catt]

I started GASing for gear in 80/81 - not coincidentally, I was heavily into Pat Metheny's 80/81, also Oregon and Collin Walcott, Nana, and Don Cherry.

[abn556]

A buddy with a big collection of vintage electrics and acoustics got me started as a teenager in the 70s. Due to him, I had access to late 50s to late 70s Gibsons and Fender electrics. Premium pieces like a 1957 Black Beauty 2 pick up Les Paul Custom, a ‘68 Pink Paisley Telecaster, a 64 ES-335 to name a few. He also had eclectic pieces like L-5s and Super 400s. He had an extensive parlor guitar collection that were hanging on the walls all over the house. He also had a D-45, OM-45, and a pair of Guild Artist Awards. At one point in the late 80s his collection was up to 140 guitars.

So my GAS definitely predates the Internet.

[rllink]

No. I have two guitar centric periods in my life. One was mid seventies, early eighties, and the other, the seven years since I retired. During most of that first one pretty much everything I owned that didn't fit in a sea bag I had to carry. Also, the px only carried Black Diamond strings. So that was it, a guitar with Black Diamond strings, that's all there was room for in my life.

But what defines GAS? I mean, I don't know if I have it or not. I've never owned more than two acoustic guitars at any given time, but the last seven years I've bought five of them. Over time that's almost one a year, give or take a couple years, but 2022 was the big one. I bought and traded three guitars in 2022, the last one in June of 2022. The second half of 2022, 2023 and so far in 2024 I haven't bought any acoustics, but I did buy a hollow body electric in 2023 and a banjo in February. And I'm not saying I'm done, I'm just saying I'm not looking for anything to buy right now. Is that enough to qualify?

[Monty Christo]

In the late 70s, rock mags were the Internet. Me and my friends pored over Circus and Creem magazines for hours, fueling our lust for the Les Pauls and SGs our heroes played.

[jaymarsch]

My downfall was going to my first acoustic guitar festival 21 years ago and becoming part of our local community of luthiers and players. Also, there are some really fine guitar shops within a few hour drive time radius of my home. Far more GAS inducing for me than the internet.
Best,
Jayne

[Glennwillow]

Yes, having access to a much wider range of information through the internet has contributed to my interest in acquiring more guitars. Certainly, the AGF has, but I was going down the GAS road before I stumbled onto the AGF.

Still, I have always been a bit of a guitar nut, internet or not.

- Glenn

[PapaLobo]

oh yes, but Reverb has fascilitated it enormously

[Rogerblair]

No rookie here…I’ve been hooked for more than 50 years. Can’t blame the interwebs. 🤣

Roger

[Jim Owen]

Absolutely. Pored over Gibson and Fender catalogues.

[Bob Womack]

My gas started in 1970 and was fueled by Guitar Player Mag and Friday Night rock shows like In Concert Tonight and The Midnight Special. I never got over it, though there were temporary and necessary periods of abeyance. All the Internet did was enable what was already there.

Bob

[RJVB]

No, as I only started playing guitar in 2018 or so. But I have forms of *AS ever since I was old enough to be allowed to spend my pocket money (I still remember my dad making me do elementary-school style algebra exercises to earn enough extra to buy an X-Wing model kit that I REALLY wanted).

Originally Posted by LFL Steve

Yes, by decades.

Pray tell, Nestor, exactly when do you place the start of the internet (not to be confounded by the WWW)?

[Goat Mick]

Nope, I was buying, selling and trading guitars back in the late 80's. Barely enough money to make rent and living off peanut butter but I had a stable of about 8 guitars and was always looking for the next great deal. It didn't help that I worked at a music store. After I got married in '91 and started a family in '94 I dissolved my collection down to my '59 J-45 and picked up a new '94 Taylor 710 and that's all I owned until I started gigging again in 2010. After that there's been a steady stream of guitars coming in and going out, but I'm really happy with what I have now and it'll take something really special to make me pick up another guitar. It also helps that I'm a lot more financially stable at this point in my life and you can tell by my waistline that I'm eating a lot better.

[Charlie Bernstein]

I've always wanted guitars, if that's what you mean. Internet didn't change that.

[brencat]

No, as I only started playing guitar around the time I joined this forum. But I was never going to be a one guitar only guy, just as I don't only own one ____ for my other hobbies.

[Zaam]

I am a bit surprised by the number of 'no' answers here. Mine is a resounding YES.

Back in the mid '70s I had a couple of nice guitars and felt perfectly fine about that situation. Then my mom heard through the small town grapevine that someone was about to sell some nice guitars for quick cash, and she surprised me by taking me to this guy's house, where I saw a barely-played D35 displayed in the living room. Long story short, I walked out with a gifted D35 (a really stellar guitar) that my mom haggled down to $350.00. I was about 17 at the time and thrilled to have a cool mom. Less than a month later, a Les Paul fell into my lap, then a cherry red Gretsch 6120 shortly after.

I was ruined. Not comprehending the "1 in 1 out" rule, I started trading and buying. always taking in more than I let go of.

Now and then I see a particular guitar and say "Oh, yea. I had one like that...". I honestly could not list half of them today if I tried.

Thankfully, I only ran across the AGF a couple of years back. I am down to two now, but GAS is again calling.

Thanks, Mom.