Cameras or Ukuleles - Same Situation

I realized, a long time ago, that buying a new camera would not make me a better photographer, nor would a different ukulele improve my playing.

It didn't make any difference. I still find myself buying new stuff.

John Colter
 
I realized, a long time ago, that buying a new camera would not make me a better photographer, nor would a different ukulele improve my playing.

It didn't make any difference. I still find myself buying new stuff.

John Colter

Very true but if you are improving and you're new one is better than the old, it gives you more options.
 
Back before digital cameras I was big into photography. I do not suffer from UAS like I suffered from C&LAS. (Camera and Lens Acquisition Syndrome) Maybe I learned my lesson. The one thing I learned from it was not to get a brand new camera or lens and then run right up to my wife and show it to her. "Hey, look what I just spent a bunch of money on." I follow that rule now with ukes, but more so with amps, pedals, and other equipment. With everything actually. My best defense is always, "oh, that old thing, I've had that for years.":)
 
I realized, a long time ago, that buying a new camera would not make me a better photographer, nor would a different ukulele improve my playing.

It didn't make any difference. I still find myself buying new stuff.

John Colter

Both the buying and the using are fun,regardless what the product is.
 
I fully embrace GAS, gear acquisition syndrome, see my signature. Being the staff photographer for the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic/Big Band of Barristers/Legal Voices Chorus, I have 2 Nikon D300s, Tokina f2.8 11-16mm, Tamron f2.8 17-50mm, Sigma f2.8 70-150mm, Sigma f2.8 150-300mm, 2 D600 strobes, plus 2 Canon Vixia R400 HD video cameras, 2 Sony stereo shotgun mics, 2 Azden WF Pro wireless units, an Azden 3 channel mixer... OK, OK, I'll stop here.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video
 
Both the buying and the using are fun,regardless what the product is.

It was my experience with cameras that spending hours looking at equipment to buy took much less effort than actually going out and taking pictures then developing them. That gap got wide enough that it was probably my downfall over time. Something I am aware of with ukuleles and make a conscious effort to avoid, because I know how easy it is for me to fall into the pit. Kudos to those though, who can balance the playing with their never ending search for the next thing. I know myself well and that's not me. But I try to not be judgmental. We all have our weakness, and I would be a hypocrite if I didn't admit that I spend way more time here talking about playing ukuleles than I should.
 
Yup, GAS comes in many forms. LBA (Lens Buying Addiction), is a subset, and one which afflicted me greatly. I once had shelves and boxes filled with camera gear, but sold or gave away the vast majority of it. I now have one high quality camera and lens I carry when out hiking and biking.

I also found that building my own musical instruments greatly slows down the acquisition process. Not that the mouse finger doesn't sometimes get itchy when I see an attractive instrument for sale online.

Funny that the brochure has an image of an aircraft on it. The workshop where I do most of my building has model airplanes in various stages of construction hanging from the ceiling, stored on an overhead platform, or on the shelves. I used to have a serious case of model airplane GAS. Most of the stuff I have around the shop hasn't been flown in years.
 
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As a photographer (hence my member name), truer words were never spoken. Unfortunately, camera stuff can be even more expensive, depending on the level of addiction. Having said that, there is a good level of UAS evident around here.

If anyone is interested, here is a link to my Flickr page to see where that expensive hobby ends up

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dankanephotography/
 
If I remember my high school BASIC programming class correctly:

10 BUY a lens
20 BUY a uke
30 GOTO 10
 
One of the greatest print ads I've ever seen appeared in photography magazines at some point in the late 1970's/early 1980's (probably late 70's). It was an ad for Kodak film: it showed a leather camera bag with ten boxes of film in it (each a different kind of Kodak film) with an eleventh box in front of the bag, and yellow filter next to the box. The text read "For a really complete outfit you'll want 11 more accessories."

That really captured the essence for so many of us photography fans (and now uke people). I thought it was so terrific that I cut it out and framed it; it has had a place of honor on or next to every one of my desks over the last 35 to 40 years.

Is it any wonder that I am UAS-afflicted? :D
 
I had two high-end SLR cameras with zoom & fixed focal-length lenses. But once I got exactly what I needed to do to take pics of auto racing & pro rally sports & air shows, I was done. Sure there were some lenses that would have been nice, but I never really needed them. I didn't do studio work, so lights and all that gear wasn't needed. I did lug an SLR around on vacations as well. But that was all 35mm film stuff.

Since I don't do sporting events anymore, I find that a Nikon P-80 does me just fine when I need some versatility and better control.

My iPhone is enough for travel and friends and family. Sure beats humping a couple of SLRs, multiple lenses and boxes of different film around. (Not to mention getting the film processed.)

I'll probably replace the Nikon for a higher resolution model one of these days...

...But then again, I could put the money towards a custom tenor.
 
I think that substituting the words "yarn", "roving", or "knitting needles" would also be fitting. (For those of us who are fiber fanatics...)

Or, as the folks at my wife's yarn shop have stated, "Collecting Yarn and knitting are two completely different hobbies."


-Kurt​
 
I am recent to ukuleles with a strong background on GAS with photography gear. Early this year I slowed down my GAS as I had purchased most of the lenses that I wanted that were within my reach.

So when I decided to pick up ukulele, it was very easy. A starter uke for $100? That's really cheap! Got dissatisfied with it so spent $900 for a Koaloha. Not cheap, but nowhere near the price of camera gear. A second used Koaloha for $600? Done. So I have three ukes for less than the price of my last lens purchase.

And maybe I will take some nice photos of them.
 
There's some crossover possible too. I recently sold an old Canon DSLR to fund a Martin T1K.
 
Yes GAS.....Gear Acquisition Syndrome covers many different areas of interest. Started with fishing equipment for me as a teenager, then into the shooting sports ( that is expensive) then golf now ukuleles and recently guitars. People's from all walks of life can be consumed by and with their hobbies. It seems to give us joy, purpose and a place in the universe all at the same time. A person that is not chasing an interest can be very dull and lifeless.

"Moderation is for Cowards"
 
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