But even then!
Worst Piece(s) of Gear You've Purchased
- Thread starter scrubs
- Start date
But even then!
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Back in the days when I was starting to record, I'd buy various bits and pieces from various second hand shops, some of which were in somewhat dubious shape. I bought a wah~wah pedal that used to click as your heel went down. I was rubbish but funnilly enough, it worked passably on the bass. Speaking of which, I bought a Zoom bass multi effects pedal. I never got one sound from it that I liked and swapped it in the end. It was a blessing in disguise because rarely since then (this being '98) have I used effects on the bass.
The first delay pedal I bought was a little Boss one. It really was a load of crap. I marvel at the front that the shop showed in selling that hunk of junk. Ironically, I got it to work well twice, once on guitar.......and once on vocals. But generally, it squeaked and hissed and popped.
But no matter how rubbish the gear, I've always managed to get at least one recording out of it that was OK and which I still have. Except for this synth/keyboard that I bought in Kentish Town 20 years ago in the days when I was too shy to test something out in the shop. Suffice it to say, it graced my bin uncomfortably quickly. I can't remember a thing about it except that I didn't have to shell out my own cash for it. I should have launched it through the shop window, but I'm a gent.
The first delay pedal I bought was a little Boss one. It really was a load of crap. I marvel at the front that the shop showed in selling that hunk of junk. Ironically, I got it to work well twice, once on guitar.......and once on vocals. But generally, it squeaked and hissed and popped.
But no matter how rubbish the gear, I've always managed to get at least one recording out of it that was OK and which I still have. Except for this synth/keyboard that I bought in Kentish Town 20 years ago in the days when I was too shy to test something out in the shop. Suffice it to say, it graced my bin uncomfortably quickly. I can't remember a thing about it except that I didn't have to shell out my own cash for it. I should have launched it through the shop window, but I'm a gent.
chrisharris
King of Bling
I'm glad I didn't buy one of those. I almost did some years ago, but then I played them, lol.
My worst gear purchase probably wasn't typical. I had one of the original Firepods. Thing was buggy from day 1. Through 2 different computers and totally different operating systems, it just never worked right. HOWEVER, it came with a free Presonus HP4 headphone amp, and that thing has been a really great piece of gear for me for years. I saw somebody else slagging it, but mine has been awesome.
c7sus
Disenfranchised Member
Honestly I can't think of a single piece of gear I regret buying.
I would nominate M-Tron software as a dud for the simple fact that the samples are hissy beyond use-ability.
Oh, and I guess I should mention Groove Tube "Mullard" re-issues. Those were shit straight out of the box, and Aspen Pittman is a con artist of the highest order IMHO for unleashing that shit on the buying public.
But other than those small exceptions, I'm pretty damned satisfied with the quality and durability of the gear I have gone with over the years. Moog, Rivera, Victoria, Fender, Gibson, Martin, Lynx, Event, Carver, Rode, BLUE, Naiant, Sennheiser, boutique stompboxes--- none of them have ever let me down.
If you stick with the major players and use due diligence before laying out the cash --and don't have unrealistic expectations-- you can't go very far wrong in most cases.
I would nominate M-Tron software as a dud for the simple fact that the samples are hissy beyond use-ability.
Oh, and I guess I should mention Groove Tube "Mullard" re-issues. Those were shit straight out of the box, and Aspen Pittman is a con artist of the highest order IMHO for unleashing that shit on the buying public.
But other than those small exceptions, I'm pretty damned satisfied with the quality and durability of the gear I have gone with over the years. Moog, Rivera, Victoria, Fender, Gibson, Martin, Lynx, Event, Carver, Rode, BLUE, Naiant, Sennheiser, boutique stompboxes--- none of them have ever let me down.
If you stick with the major players and use due diligence before laying out the cash --and don't have unrealistic expectations-- you can't go very far wrong in most cases.
I have found that price has little to do with usefulness and quality.
Some of the very best stuff I have ever used is Behringer. I bought 3 mics for 59 bucks once mail order, I expected them to be junk but I prefer them to 57s and 58s. They are great for miking guitar cabs. I think they were called XM8500s.
On the other hand I paid huge bucks for a DA-88 when they first hit the market and fought with that thing from the time I bought it. I ended up sending it back to Tascam to find out it needed a new carriage. I finally replaced the unit with ADATS which I like far better, only to find out years after that there was a buzz going on about the original DA-88s having problems with the carriages.
I also bought an ART SGE when they first came out, and it was great for a few months, but then would cut out on me in the middle of a gig or a session. I still have it, I still like what it does and pull it out sometimes, and it still cuts out sometimes.
I have had it apart numerous times resoldering everything and checking for faults, it must be something in one of the chips.
I have a Behringer bass direct box type thing, I forget the model. I paid 35 bucks for it new, and man, the thing is great! I can get the sound of a Ampeg stack with that thing. It records nice.
Over the years I have had pretty good luck with gear. Sadly, the turds I got were expensive ones.
Some of the very best stuff I have ever used is Behringer. I bought 3 mics for 59 bucks once mail order, I expected them to be junk but I prefer them to 57s and 58s. They are great for miking guitar cabs. I think they were called XM8500s.
On the other hand I paid huge bucks for a DA-88 when they first hit the market and fought with that thing from the time I bought it. I ended up sending it back to Tascam to find out it needed a new carriage. I finally replaced the unit with ADATS which I like far better, only to find out years after that there was a buzz going on about the original DA-88s having problems with the carriages.
I also bought an ART SGE when they first came out, and it was great for a few months, but then would cut out on me in the middle of a gig or a session. I still have it, I still like what it does and pull it out sometimes, and it still cuts out sometimes.
I have had it apart numerous times resoldering everything and checking for faults, it must be something in one of the chips.
I have a Behringer bass direct box type thing, I forget the model. I paid 35 bucks for it new, and man, the thing is great! I can get the sound of a Ampeg stack with that thing. It records nice.
Over the years I have had pretty good luck with gear. Sadly, the turds I got were expensive ones.
Justsomeguy
Quiet is the new Loud
this may have been brought back from the dead, but i've never seen it so i'm gonna add my 2p;
C1000's - i just hate the sound of them. plasticy and dull. they do make good hammers though in a pinch.
behringer mics - i've used too many of them and i've yet to find one that i don't hate. A friend of mine convinced me to use his pair of C-2's as drum overheads for a huge project we did a while back. I trust him and his judgement and, despite being dubious, went along with it. at the time of recording it didn't sound too bad, although admittedly we had the drums set up in the room next to us and we could hear A LOT of the real kit spilling into the "control" room which sounded great in the room. However, a month later when it came to mixing, i've never had such a hard time of it. I got there in the end but vowed never to use them again. The same friend sent me some of his acoustic tracks to mix and the guitar sounded awful - his pair of C-2's in a spaced pair. I suggested redoing the guitar at his house with a pair of Oktava MK012's; same space, same player, same songs, same mic placement (or as close as possible) same preamps/interface/DAW, just different mic's. Suddenly the guitar shined through in all it's gloriousness.
C1000's - i just hate the sound of them. plasticy and dull. they do make good hammers though in a pinch.
behringer mics - i've used too many of them and i've yet to find one that i don't hate. A friend of mine convinced me to use his pair of C-2's as drum overheads for a huge project we did a while back. I trust him and his judgement and, despite being dubious, went along with it. at the time of recording it didn't sound too bad, although admittedly we had the drums set up in the room next to us and we could hear A LOT of the real kit spilling into the "control" room which sounded great in the room. However, a month later when it came to mixing, i've never had such a hard time of it. I got there in the end but vowed never to use them again. The same friend sent me some of his acoustic tracks to mix and the guitar sounded awful - his pair of C-2's in a spaced pair. I suggested redoing the guitar at his house with a pair of Oktava MK012's; same space, same player, same songs, same mic placement (or as close as possible) same preamps/interface/DAW, just different mic's. Suddenly the guitar shined through in all it's gloriousness.
riseowfind
New member
i neverd have should bought a Behringer Amplifier gmx212 it sucks! but works ! and dont have much money so im good with it ! but still sucks !
Villain S Deeds
Member
The worst one that I still have is a beat-up old electric guitar that I bought at a thrift shop for a bout $20. I knew it was crap, but it was cheap so why not?
I used to have a Zoom 505 pedal. Yuck.
I used to have a Zoom 505 pedal. Yuck.
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
I'm quite convinced that gaff tape ain't what it used to be. It doesn't stick half as much as it used to.
mjbphotos
Moderator
I saw one of those early Zoom multi-effects boxes on ebay a couple of months ago (I don't rememeber what model it was - what came before the 505?) and got it for $24 including shipping. What crap sound, and all the presets sounded similarly bad. I sold it on ebay for $31 including shipping!
Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
but we want to know!The Blue Snow Ball...dont ask why
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I've never actually regretted having any gear I've bought, even the shithouses. The money spent on the crummy ones I regard as the price of an education.
I actually really like the M~TRON. It's got a ton of fairly worthless sounds but there are some pretty good ones in there. The guy that had the mellotrons it was sampled from is something of a legendary 'keeper of the flame' from Germany. He had loads of original tapes. Some of them are pretty hissy, but then, some of the tapes in the mellotron must've been pretty hissy. You can hear it on numerous old records.
JG96
Active member
I got a GK goldline bass cab for 150 bucks, the thing waited till it was a month out of warranty and then it crapped out. I am a big GK fan and I have had no problems with the RB stuff or the Micro Bass stuff but the goldline nonsense was fools gold. I have not had a ton of terrible experiences though. I bought 7 15 foot xlr cables for around 2.50 each and I think 5 still work 4 years later. I see that as a win 
I bought a pair of Auna active PA speakers from this site a while back... I can 't find the exact model right now, but they were only about 250 quid. I knew I was taking a chance with a brand I'd never heard of, and of course one of the speakers completely stopped working after just two months. You get what you pay for, I guess??? Luckily I was able to get a free replacement and no further problems, yet... fingers crossed!
Actually, now that I think about it, I've been pretty lucky with most things I've bought!
Actually, now that I think about it, I've been pretty lucky with most things I've bought!