Isn’t it the same old story? … 
Every unit of gear is a tool only and we musicians are responsible for what we do with our tools.
I totally agree on the fact that often equipment is not used to the extend possible and that there is a superstition that new gear will help to achieve things better, where we did struggle. Everbody must come to this insight individually, eventually.
But GAS can also be the sign of uneducated purchase. Not understanding what we want or need, what the gear can do, and think that we have found the right gear is an easy trap to get in. Repeat this cylcle and we have GAS …
GAS is only a bad thing, if it has become some kind of addiction …