If You Had a Thousand Dollars...

Adam! · Post by **Adam!** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:12 pm

... to spend right now what would you spend it on?

That's the predicament I'll find myself in come Boxing Day. I would personally go with one of these options (in rough order of priority): A) a good pair of active monitors, B) a drum setup of some type, either i) a cheap electronic kit, or ii) a cheap regular kit and a way to do drum-replacement, C) a substantial computer upgrade, D) a mediocre laptop, E) a new fancy electric guitar, or F) a nice acoustic guitar and a pair of condensers to record it with.

What would you get with a grand? Also, if you have an opinion about what I should get, do tell.

EDIT: Clarity

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:17 pm

I'd pay all of my bills.

(but I doubt my post helps at all)

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:21 pm

A monkey. Haven't you always wanted a monkey? (Quoting Barenaked Ladies? Ugh, I'm sorry.

)

I'd go for whatever you're gonna use the most. So if you wanna rock, get a nice electric, if you wanna be mel-low get an acoustic, if you want to become a mixing god get some nice speakers. Use practicality.

fodroy · Post by **fodroy** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:29 pm

save it for rent (because i'm a stingy bastard).

Me$$iah · Post by **Me$$iah** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:46 pm

I can only say one word

[url=www.http://scope.creamware.de/]CREAMWARE[/url]

serioulsy withthe new software packs.. amazing quality and value

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:59 am

Put it towards your superannuation, or find a good managed investment fund.

(NB: I'm middle aged)

deshead · Post by **deshead** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:02 am

Puce wrote:... to spend right now what would you spend it on?

Firepod.

Puce wrote:A) a good pair of active monitors,

Wharfedale 8.2a .. There's a guy on homerecording.com who sells them for about half the price the home audio stores charge. (PM me if you want details.)

Puce wrote:B) a drum setup of some type, either i) a cheap electronic kit, or ii) a cheap regular kit and a way to do drum-replacement,

Drumagog gives a 30-day demo, so you should try this out (assuming you haven't) to make sure it'll work in your config. Judging by your other comment about wanting a computer upgrade, drumagog might be more trouble than it's worth, 'cause it uses a lot of CPU. Running enough instances to replace an entire kit might not be possible.

Puce wrote:F) a nice acoustic guitar and a pair of condensers to record it with. Thoughts / Recommendations?

Tanglewood and a pair of MXL 603's. (Though you'll need a pre-amp with phantom power.)

WeaselSlayer · Post by **WeaselSlayer** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:49 am

A new electric guitar, cuz I lost my other one. And some electrical tape so I can re-create the quasi-religious symbolism which adorned my old (lost) one.

Bell Green · Post by **Bell Green** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:41 am

Out of your options that you have mentioned I would go for the nice acoustic guitar and a pair of good condensers for recording. But then that was my last upgrade when I had some spare cash. The last time you recorded a song, what was it in particular that made you think, "I wish had a . . ." or "I wish my . . . was better quality". That would be the one to go for. And if you think back to the song before that (if you can remember) and it was the same thing, then definitely go for that.

When I think about upgrades or studio expansion I think about workflow a lot. I want to go from the idea in my head to the mp3 that I post as smoothly as possible without interruptions or anything buggy or annoying along the way. It could be equipment, or it could be something as boring as a guitar stand so that you can put down your guitar while you edit your take rather than balance it in your lap. There may some software that you like using that you don't know too well, so you could spend some of your resources on a book or even a course. Even upgrading cables can improve workflow as well as a good patchbay system that is properly labelled. A small chest of drawers for all the small things like patch leads, pedals, spare batteries etc, all clearly labelled, all easily accessible. Maybe even more boring would a really nice chair to sit in front of your computer. All part of the creative process.

My wife bought a new car a couple of years ago and she had the choice between a bigger engine or cruise control. Well she went for the bigger engine. But now she wishes that she had got the cruise control. She also spend over the odds on a really nice steam iron. Ironing used to be something she didn't like and now she doesn't mind it so much. Anyway, you get my point. Happy spending!

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:02 am

Caravan Ray wrote:Put it towards your superannuation, or find a good managed investment fund.

(NB: I'm middle aged)

Yeah! Apple stock has more than DOUBLED this year. Google...still going up. Various Indian funds are cruising. Fortunately my wife takes care of this stuff, because I've never done that well, but she's a god to me now

And Mr Green, I still look back on my first high-end steam iron with a smile. It changes everything, stuff like that.

Henrietta · Post by **Henrietta** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:39 pm

...I'd pay the visa bill for that Ampeg bass rig I picked up a month ago...

Kamakura · Post by **Kamakura** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:31 pm

Bell Green wrote:My wife bought a new car a couple of years ago and she had the choice between a bigger engine or cruise control. Well she went for the bigger engine. But now she wishes that she had got the cruise control. She also spend over the odds on a really nice steam iron. Ironing used to be something she didn't like and now she doesn't mind it so much.

Cruise control in London seems rather dangerous.
I'm assuming you share the ironing

Puce: $1000! Whatever you decide upon, enjoy it...

ken · Post by **ken** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:50 pm

I'm going to say monitors.

Your stuff sounds good already, so it seems that you have to decide what it is you want to add to the mix.

Personally, in your situation I would consider a nice preamp or improved conversion. Maybe a MOTU 828mk2 and a UAD-1 card both used.

Ken

Henrietta · Post by **Henrietta** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:54 pm

Oh yeah, we're shopping for Puce not ourselves.

Whichever of your list has been on your mind the most often lately, get that thing....

jack · Post by **jack** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:44 pm

i agree with ken in that your stuff already sounds pretty awesome now production wise, so unless there's a real sense of urgency to upgrade that part of your recording process, i wouldn't. i know what kind of electric rig you have now (cheap electric ibanez and POD amp right?) but you figuratively bleed it for all it's worth so i don't think you need an upgrade there.

i'd vote for the acoustic/condenser idea. good condensers are obviously something you can use for any number of things, can never have enough of, and we never get any puce acoustic, which i'd love to hear more of. it would certainly open up new areas for your sound and arrangements. you, can pick up a pretty nice martin or taylor for about $500-700. or a real pretty looking takamine. or one of those mr. sparkles guitars, which i hate.

deshead's idea of a firepod is a good call, but only if you're needing faster multiple ins. that controller thing that blue and JB mentioned in the other thread would be a REAL nice addition, especially considering your little recording booth deal you built.

Adam! · Post by **Adam!** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:16 pm

Henrietta wrote:Oh yeah, we're shopping for Puce not ourselves.

Whoops, poor wording on my part (I'm doing a lot of that these days). Recommendations are a bonus, but I'm more curious what you'd all do with a wad of green (or, if you're Canadian, a wad of brown. Or red.).

Sober · Post by **Sober** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:21 pm

For myself, I just got the strat, and I'm about to get a Peavey Classic 30. That'll bring me to about 1k on that stuff.

Next, I'm not sure. A nice mandolin, or maybe another keyboard. A drumset is still high on the priority list. Oh, and more rackspace toys. Laptop. Shoes. 24'Z ON MY PIMP RYDE, Y0!

Dan-O from Five-O · Post by **Dan-O from Five-O** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:15 am

I say put the whole lot on a Roulette table and bet Red or Black according to your preference. If you win you got twice as much to contemplate on what to purchase. If you lose, you'll learn you never had a "predicament" in the first place.

ken · Post by **ken** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:00 am

What would I do with $1000?

I've got two big ticket items on my list for next year:

New monitors, probably used Mackie HR824s

Nord Electro 73, will probably cost a little more than 1K.

Also, I'd like a Vibraphone.

Thanks.

Ken

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:24 pm

If I had $1000 I'd pay off the government to give me my green card so I could get a Social Security Number so I could drive and work and thus get more money. I think I'd need more than a grand though...

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:34 pm

Bjam wrote:If I had $1000 I'd pay off the government to give me my green card so I could get a Social Security Number so I could drive and work and thus get more money. I think I'd need more than a grand though...

Oh, man, yes you do. I've processed a number of employees through their green cards and it does cost. And very much a pain. Worth it for motivated people, certainly. How are you with Xtreme Programming?

Or, you can get married.

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:12 pm

I'll probably end up getting citizenship through marriage rather than applying at the rate it's all going.

Joy.

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