Hi all :smt035,
Since my inception into the guitar world, I've been observing people's habit and behavior when it comes to buying guitars in Singapore. And I've come to conclude there a several types of personalities among guitar consumers. So I decided to do a public service (oh yeah!) by compiling this list for you! For simplicity, I will confine to electric guitars only. You may fall into one, two or a combination of these categories. (note: I've also posted this piece on the G4C website)
Disclaimer: This article is not meant to offend or ridicule. So don’t take it too seriously! :smt003
The Big Brand, Big Spender :smt025
As the name implies, these people only buy expensive and branded guitars. Common characteristics:
1. Mostly businessmen, yuppies or rich man's kids.
2. Only the likes of Gibsons, PRS, American Fenders and Gretschs are deemed acceptable.
3. Favorite words - "Made In America", "Custom Shop".
4. Change guitars at will. Therefore buy expensive, sell cheap. Everyone should make friends with these guys!
5. Couldn't resist bragging how "flamey" their AAAAA top is.
6. May try a Suhr, Anderson or Huber once in a while.
7. Guitar retailer’s best friend (or golden goose).
8. Get sick of people telling them "Wah...so boooteek siah"!
9. Guitars to GAS for - None. Well, maybe that PRS Private Stock #20 looks kind of nice.
10. Guitars to avoid - Cheap Epiphones, Ibanez, Cort, Squiers, etc. Wouldn't be caught dead playing with one of these! Yuck!
11. Favorite hangout – None. Occasionally at Guitar Gallery.
The Collectors - Type I :smt024
These are people who collect rare and vintage guitars. They buy guitars for investment as well as a hobby. Common characteristics:
1. Mainly well-to-do hobbyist or retirees with cash to spare.
2. Travel widely and shop extensively for their relic Archtops.
3. Just like wine, a 1958 is a good year.
4. Favorite words - "ROI" (return of investment).
5. Bring a financial calculator and a cheque book to shop for guitars.
6. Insure more money on their guitars than for themselves or their families.
7. Couldn’t resist bragging how much their mint 1950s Gibson L-5 would worth in ten years time.
8. In Singapore however, this specimen is as rare as the guitars they collect.
9. Whether they actually know how to PLAY the instrument is another story!
The Collectors - Type II :smt118
We know these people ever so well. They're diagnosed with a serious case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Common characteristics:
1. Can be anyone! Beware, GAS is contagious.
2. Own more than 10 guitars.....and still looking out for more.
3. Need to view the latest guitars (in shops or internet) for their daily "fix". GAS withdrawal is worse than Subutex!
4. Frequently check Harmony Central for guitar reviews - especially the ones they’re GASSING on.
5. Favorite words - "So, when got shipment ah?", "Got stock or not?"
6. Upset their parents, spouse or girlfriend for obvious reasons.
7. Get sick of people telling them "Wah...you can open a guitar shop already"!
8. Guitar retailers call them by their first name or simply “brudder”.
9. Bookmark the gear ads in guitar magazines.
10. Guitars to GAS for - Overstated…really.
11. Guitars to avoid - You sure or not?!!
12. Favorite hangout – Anywhere with lots of guitars to GAS at.
The Cheapskate :smt107
As the name implies. Common characteristics:
1. Live and die by the creed “Want cheap, want green” (translated literally from a typical Hokkien idiom).
2. Drives a hard bargain (oh, really?).
3. Religiously check Luther’s classifieds everyday – hoping for the cheapest and best guitar deal in town.
4. Offer the sellers ridiculously low price, and hoping the sellers (however unlikely) would sell them the guitars. This buying strategy is also known as “Trying My Luck”.
5. Guitar retailer’s worst nightmare.
6. Favorite words – “Singing Birds” as in “cheap…cheap…cheap”.
7. Couldn’t resist bragging how cheap they bought their Epiphone - from some blind busker with three kids to feed.
8. Guitars to GAS for – Anything with 70% discount plus freebies thrown in.
9. Guitars to avoid – Anything that doesn’t fulfill the above.
10. Favorite hangout – Cash Converters.
The Minimalist :smt015
Not to be confused with the Cheapskate, these people are willing to pay good money for a good guitar. But the thing is - they only buy ONE guitar (or maximum two) in their entire guitar-playing lifespan. One guitar, one amp, and they’re good to go already. Common characteristics:
1. Strictly no guitar shopping, unless their guitar is broken beyond repair or simply disintegrate due to old age.
2. Favorite words – “It’s the player, not the guitar”.
3. Guitar retailer’s worst customers - “if everyone like that, bankrupt lah”!
4. Seem to despise the following personality types; the Big Brand, Big Spenders and the Collectors. Hmm…wonder why?
5. Very guitar proud. So never, ever, whatsoever criticize their only child.
6. Guitars to GAS for – What is GAS?
7. Guitars to avoid – None.
8. Favorite hangout – At home playing with their old faithful.
The Students :supz:
Mostly teens. From secondary to poly to army. Peer influences usually dictate their guitar choices. Common characteristics:
1. Means to finance their guitars – savings from weekly allowances, ang-pow money, holiday paychecks courtesy of McDonalds or KFC.
2. An insatiable thirst for Ibanez guitars*.
3. Worship Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and their Ibanez’s.
4. Favorite words – “Ibanez”, “shred”, “JEM”, “Floyd Rose”.
5. Guitar retailer’s most annoying customers – “they see, touch, sometime drop….but never buy”!
6. Camp out at Swee Lee’s Big Sale – so they’re first in line to get their choice pedals and of course Ibanez.
7. Envious of the Big Brand, Big Spender personality type, especially those #@!% rich man’s kids!
8. Hate that uncle at Davis Guitar because he “looks at us no up”.
9. Guitars to GAS for – Whatever Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are using. Or the latest Ibanez they hopefully can afford one day.
10. Guitars to avoid – Yamahas. Because that’s what their parents would buy. So uncool…unlike Ibanez.
11. Favorite hangout – Swee Lee, City Music or Guitar77 (in groups and in their school uniforms), so they can see, touch, sometime drop.…
(PS. *Not everyone loves Ibanez, in case someone gets uptight over this)
The Tone Freak :smt020
As the name implies. These guitar buyers care only about the quality of “twangs”. Common characteristics:
1. Ear of a bat.
2. Like to tweak and modify their guitars to auditory perfection.
3. Never trust stock pickups. These pickups are the first to go everytime they buy a new guitar.
4. Accustom to names like Lindy Fralin, Kinman and Bareknuckles.
5. Believe titanium saddles and bone nut would “make the earth move” tonally.
6. Got that nasty habit of timing a guitar’s sustain with a stopwatch.
7. Favorite words – “It’s all about the tone”.
8. Strictly analog. Anything digital is sacrilegious!
9. Couldn’t resist bragging how warm, sweet, smooth and creamy the tone is – as if their guitars are edible.
10. Guitars to GAS for – Guitars that can “sustain” for 30 seconds or more.
11. Guitars to avoid – Basswood.
12. Favorite hangout – usually Guitar77.
END
:smt041
Since my inception into the guitar world, I've been observing people's habit and behavior when it comes to buying guitars in Singapore. And I've come to conclude there a several types of personalities among guitar consumers. So I decided to do a public service (oh yeah!) by compiling this list for you! For simplicity, I will confine to electric guitars only. You may fall into one, two or a combination of these categories. (note: I've also posted this piece on the G4C website)
Disclaimer: This article is not meant to offend or ridicule. So don’t take it too seriously! :smt003
The Big Brand, Big Spender :smt025
As the name implies, these people only buy expensive and branded guitars. Common characteristics:
1. Mostly businessmen, yuppies or rich man's kids.
2. Only the likes of Gibsons, PRS, American Fenders and Gretschs are deemed acceptable.
3. Favorite words - "Made In America", "Custom Shop".
4. Change guitars at will. Therefore buy expensive, sell cheap. Everyone should make friends with these guys!
5. Couldn't resist bragging how "flamey" their AAAAA top is.
6. May try a Suhr, Anderson or Huber once in a while.
7. Guitar retailer’s best friend (or golden goose).
8. Get sick of people telling them "Wah...so boooteek siah"!
9. Guitars to GAS for - None. Well, maybe that PRS Private Stock #20 looks kind of nice.
10. Guitars to avoid - Cheap Epiphones, Ibanez, Cort, Squiers, etc. Wouldn't be caught dead playing with one of these! Yuck!
11. Favorite hangout – None. Occasionally at Guitar Gallery.
The Collectors - Type I :smt024
These are people who collect rare and vintage guitars. They buy guitars for investment as well as a hobby. Common characteristics:
1. Mainly well-to-do hobbyist or retirees with cash to spare.
2. Travel widely and shop extensively for their relic Archtops.
3. Just like wine, a 1958 is a good year.
4. Favorite words - "ROI" (return of investment).
5. Bring a financial calculator and a cheque book to shop for guitars.
6. Insure more money on their guitars than for themselves or their families.
7. Couldn’t resist bragging how much their mint 1950s Gibson L-5 would worth in ten years time.
8. In Singapore however, this specimen is as rare as the guitars they collect.
9. Whether they actually know how to PLAY the instrument is another story!
The Collectors - Type II :smt118
We know these people ever so well. They're diagnosed with a serious case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Common characteristics:
1. Can be anyone! Beware, GAS is contagious.
2. Own more than 10 guitars.....and still looking out for more.
3. Need to view the latest guitars (in shops or internet) for their daily "fix". GAS withdrawal is worse than Subutex!
4. Frequently check Harmony Central for guitar reviews - especially the ones they’re GASSING on.
5. Favorite words - "So, when got shipment ah?", "Got stock or not?"
6. Upset their parents, spouse or girlfriend for obvious reasons.
7. Get sick of people telling them "Wah...you can open a guitar shop already"!
8. Guitar retailers call them by their first name or simply “brudder”.
9. Bookmark the gear ads in guitar magazines.
10. Guitars to GAS for - Overstated…really.
11. Guitars to avoid - You sure or not?!!
12. Favorite hangout – Anywhere with lots of guitars to GAS at.
The Cheapskate :smt107
As the name implies. Common characteristics:
1. Live and die by the creed “Want cheap, want green” (translated literally from a typical Hokkien idiom).
2. Drives a hard bargain (oh, really?).
3. Religiously check Luther’s classifieds everyday – hoping for the cheapest and best guitar deal in town.
4. Offer the sellers ridiculously low price, and hoping the sellers (however unlikely) would sell them the guitars. This buying strategy is also known as “Trying My Luck”.
5. Guitar retailer’s worst nightmare.
6. Favorite words – “Singing Birds” as in “cheap…cheap…cheap”.
7. Couldn’t resist bragging how cheap they bought their Epiphone - from some blind busker with three kids to feed.
8. Guitars to GAS for – Anything with 70% discount plus freebies thrown in.
9. Guitars to avoid – Anything that doesn’t fulfill the above.
10. Favorite hangout – Cash Converters.
The Minimalist :smt015
Not to be confused with the Cheapskate, these people are willing to pay good money for a good guitar. But the thing is - they only buy ONE guitar (or maximum two) in their entire guitar-playing lifespan. One guitar, one amp, and they’re good to go already. Common characteristics:
1. Strictly no guitar shopping, unless their guitar is broken beyond repair or simply disintegrate due to old age.
2. Favorite words – “It’s the player, not the guitar”.
3. Guitar retailer’s worst customers - “if everyone like that, bankrupt lah”!
4. Seem to despise the following personality types; the Big Brand, Big Spenders and the Collectors. Hmm…wonder why?
5. Very guitar proud. So never, ever, whatsoever criticize their only child.
6. Guitars to GAS for – What is GAS?
7. Guitars to avoid – None.
8. Favorite hangout – At home playing with their old faithful.
The Students :supz:
Mostly teens. From secondary to poly to army. Peer influences usually dictate their guitar choices. Common characteristics:
1. Means to finance their guitars – savings from weekly allowances, ang-pow money, holiday paychecks courtesy of McDonalds or KFC.
2. An insatiable thirst for Ibanez guitars*.
3. Worship Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and their Ibanez’s.
4. Favorite words – “Ibanez”, “shred”, “JEM”, “Floyd Rose”.
5. Guitar retailer’s most annoying customers – “they see, touch, sometime drop….but never buy”!
6. Camp out at Swee Lee’s Big Sale – so they’re first in line to get their choice pedals and of course Ibanez.
7. Envious of the Big Brand, Big Spender personality type, especially those #@!% rich man’s kids!
8. Hate that uncle at Davis Guitar because he “looks at us no up”.
9. Guitars to GAS for – Whatever Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are using. Or the latest Ibanez they hopefully can afford one day.
10. Guitars to avoid – Yamahas. Because that’s what their parents would buy. So uncool…unlike Ibanez.
11. Favorite hangout – Swee Lee, City Music or Guitar77 (in groups and in their school uniforms), so they can see, touch, sometime drop.…
(PS. *Not everyone loves Ibanez, in case someone gets uptight over this)
The Tone Freak :smt020
As the name implies. These guitar buyers care only about the quality of “twangs”. Common characteristics:
1. Ear of a bat.
2. Like to tweak and modify their guitars to auditory perfection.
3. Never trust stock pickups. These pickups are the first to go everytime they buy a new guitar.
4. Accustom to names like Lindy Fralin, Kinman and Bareknuckles.
5. Believe titanium saddles and bone nut would “make the earth move” tonally.
6. Got that nasty habit of timing a guitar’s sustain with a stopwatch.
7. Favorite words – “It’s all about the tone”.
8. Strictly analog. Anything digital is sacrilegious!
9. Couldn’t resist bragging how warm, sweet, smooth and creamy the tone is – as if their guitars are edible.
10. Guitars to GAS for – Guitars that can “sustain” for 30 seconds or more.
11. Guitars to avoid – Basswood.
12. Favorite hangout – usually Guitar77.
END
:smt041
