I uploaded over 160 videos to KZfaq in 2023 and what I learned about the gear community was... surprising to say the least. Every KZfaq Niche has its quirks but dude, guitar world needs to relax. I’m not sure there’s many other niches with an audience beyond concerned with how a piece of gear might make them sound 5-10% better. And spoiler alert: there is no piece of guitar gear that will make you a better guitarist. If you don’t know how to make it happen with the gear you have, buying more expensive stuff is not going to suddenly change that. But alas, the diehards will rage on.
In this video, I'm peeling back the curtain on what I learned through a year of posting guitar focused videos. I'll be sharing my surprising and outrageous experiences with the guitar gear community; Things like Tube Amps aren't Dead, If you have Strymon pedals (Mobius, Timeline, BigSky) you must be a worship guitarist, experience does not equal authority on KZfaq, why do people even bother watching a gear review if they've already made up their mind, can you trust KZfaqrs who are paid to review items, and perhaps most shocking, that some of the gear community is looking to discuss more than just the hardware.
Tube Amps Aren't Dead: In the LA sideman musician scene, everyone has moved to a modeling unit like a kemper, quad cortex, helix, etc. It's an expectation at this point. However, I wrongly assumed that the internet was aware of this and was overwhelmed by the Tube Amp purists who informed me that my experience was wrong, and no one was doing this. I had no idea that guitar guys had such strong opinions on amps vs. no amps.
Experience Does Not Equal Authority: This was maybe the most shocking revelation; real world experience means nothing to the audience on KZfaq. I assumed my background as a sideman who tours and has worked in the industry as a music director, playback tech, and musician would help me establish rapport with an audience. Wrong. It seems to be more about a connection with the person on screen: a consistent showing of personality and content that establishes authority on this platform.
You've Already Made Up Your Mind: Just a quick scroll through some of the hate comments on my channel shows me that you've already made up your mind. Some of you click on videos with opinions you don't agree with just to get riled up and take out your anger in the comment section. On the flip side, a large contingent of you seem to click on videos with the same opinion as yours to justify your position. At the end of the day, none of this matters. It's just guitar gear. Use what you like.
Can You Trust Paid KZfaqrs? I can't speak for everyone, but I'm surprised by the trend on KZfaq where gear channels are talking about not wanting to do paid reviews anymore. First off, I thought we all knew you should take paid advertising with a grain of salt, but seriously? I've only said yes to products I actually like and can get behind, and I feel most KZfaqrs operate the same way.
Maybe It's Not About Gear: Despite my experience with the crazy elements of guitar gear culture, guitar gear snobbery, and all that comes with it, I've also made some cool friendships through youtube and am inspired that so many of you enjoy engaging with confessional content: Am I Just A Worship Guitarist? The Problem With Guitar Culture? My Job Is Music Side Hustles Etc. I love engaging with you all in conversation about the realities of being a musician, building a career in music, and ultimately, the highs and lows of creative pursuits.
Connect With Me, and INQUIRE about Ableton Lessons, Guitar, Music Directing, etc:
IG: / justinmuncy
TikTok: / justinmuncy
Website: justinmuncy.com
Chapters
0:00 What's Up with Gear Culture?
0:38 Tube Amps aren't DEAD
1:48 Strymon = Worship Guitarist
2:41 Experience ≠ Authority
3:58 You've Already Made Up Your Mind
5:21 Can You Trust Brand Deal Content?
6:31 Maybe It's About More Than Gear
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