Battling serious GAS over Christmas to buy a couple of things I’ve already had once…
With the recent OT AE and new black mk2 announcements, people have said they’ve bought OT as many times as four! So I wanted to open up this for discussion on whether one should or shouldn’t give gear a second chance. What pieces have you acquired more than once and how did it work out for you?
So far I’ve only bought DFAM twice and I’d say this time it’s a keeper. It’s sooo much fun and during the time I didn’t have it, I learned a lot about sampling and working with (semi)modular. So this time I can use the DFAM in a lot more ways than the first time. I’d say the DFAM will stay first and foremost for the fun factor, though.
The GAS I’m battling right now relates to OB-6 and Analog Rytm. OB-6 I let go because I couldn’t make it sit in my mixes, just too much oomph. Got a Peak instead which I’ve found a lot more use for. The OB-6 filter is just so sweeeeet, it calls my name! Rytm I sold because my music isn’t very drum heavy and I already have a Machinedrum which I use a lot more.
As you can see, pretty rational reasons to let these two pieces go, so this is clearly GAS. But as many of us know, maybe we could make gear work for us the second time around…
The only instrument I’ve bought twice was the Monomachine, and only because I love it so much that I would be heart broken if my mkI broke down and I didn’t have a replacement ready. Plus the mkII upgrades are pretty nice
for me, buying 2nd or even 3rd time means buying 2nd or spare unit.
why? either this machine rocks, or rocks and is discontinued.
(that’s how i got 3 E-Mu Command Stations)
As you grow you might give gear a second try because you might now be able to „get it“.
Sometimes updates add stuff you were missing.
I bought (and returned/sold) the Akai Force twice. Second time because they released a big update that I wanted to try out because it looked as if they addressed most issues I had with the Maschine. Turned out, the workflow and the arranger was just not my thing.
A little off topic, but I find myself in the same situation all over again: I eyeball a device that fits my need but while checking all the alternatives i change my mind and buy something else. After lots of iterations I find my way to the device I initially thought about.
Definitely buying in haste previously, overspending, then worrying about money, so selling again. Usually though the piece of gear was right so I’ve re-bought a lot of things when finances have been a bit more reasonable.
I usually buy a second time because when I sold the first time it was due to wanting funds for the next GAS item, then realising it offered me things that nothing before or since could. So I’ll buy again. It’s only after the second sale and subsequent re-repurchase that the relationship gets a bit messy.
I’ve had three MPC 1000s and an MPC 2500 and sold them all. It’s a messy relationship because I love her looks and how she makes me feel but deep down I know what I already have is better for me. Sometimes you don’t get what you want, you get what you need…
Yeah, pretty much this. A couple of things I don’t miss at all but more than half I sometimes wish I still had.
I mean, I know perfectly well I’m not ”one or two purchases away” from a perfect setup. So streamlining would probably be a better way to go. But when you’ve found a really super sweet sweetspot with an instrument, even just a couple, it’s impossible not to miss that instrument once it’s gone.
Only gear I rebought were my Elektron machines, because mark 2’s were offering significant hardware update.
Other reason was cosmetic: I recently swapped for the black ones because they are much more fitting the idea I have of them. So beautiful in their darkness.
I’ll do it for the OT, no doubt about this.
As with music and certain albums I notice that my tastes change with age. I couldn’t stand Bruce Springsteen in my twenties, but now in my fourties he’s one of my favourites.
The same happens for me with music gear. Sometimes I buy gear that I’m not ready for yet. I’ve had the Maschine twice, RM1X twice, both MD and MnM twice, some pedals and fx units for three or four times. At the moment I have my third Korg MicroSampler and I feel that I finally ”get it”. I am finally at a point in my life where MicroSampler is just perfect for me.
Ive bought the doepfer dark Energy twice. First time I sold it due to wanting a couple of pedals, then kestänyt regretting it before selling those pedals later. Now I just bought a mk. 1 dark Energy, and I will never sell it.
For me also it’s almost always selling for coin for life stuff, not for more gear. Like a holiday, medical stuff, education, moving house etc. So I never parted with the gear out of dissatisfaction with the gear, just other stuff was more important at the time.
The OT I recently rebought, and tbh I salivate over all other Elektron boxes on most days. I’m a bit single minded in that way. I just like Strymon, Elektron, and Mutable Instruments. I don’t have any MI stuff now but I know it’s in my future.
I have some solid savings for the first time in my life, but tbh I could wipe it all out on synths tomoro. It’s tough!
This resonates. I’ve purchased Big Sky and Timeline twice as they were originally sold to fund other endeavours. Love my El Capistan. I’ve sold the OT and DN to partially fund a Mutable Instruments-centric modular component to my hardware setup. Would love an OT again someday and I’m sure at some point it will be purchased again. Just hoping there’s a modern successor to it in the next 3 to 5 years.
Just re-purchased the Maschine MK3 after 2 years far from it.
At that time, I felt limited by the environment and was switching to Ableton Live. Also was considering getting away from the computer.
But after using Digitakt / Digitone during these last 2 years, I realized :
#1 it’s good to have pre-mapped controls on a device (Maschine is excellent for that) #2 being limited IS an asset to create more music and stay focused on essential stuff
Now, I’m really having fun with it, it’s like my perception is totally changed .
And the last update, which gives more flexibility on the timeline, is a game changer in my opinion.
I’ve rebought three things. SH-01A, PRS SE Custom 24 (though the second time around was a seven string rather than the six string), and Octatrack (and I’m about to get that a third time when the new black version drops). The first one was because it was dirty cheap and I wanted to treat myself to something dead simple for getting ideas going in seconds, the second was because I had ambitions of getting back into metal but this phase passed and I sold it on before moving country. The first time I had OT (MKI) it made no sense to me having come from Ableton Live, it was my first Elektron/hardware ever, and I just wasn’t ready for it quite frankly. Second time around (MKII), I really loved it and produced one of my favourite tunes with it. I had to sell it just because of not having enough money and really wanting a Rytm (which I love) I won’t be making the mistake of selling the next OT a third time. It’s going to be a keeper for sure!
Also, I’d say we all grow and the equipment makes more sense and becomes more transferable over time. For example, having a Digitone taught me a lot about FM/PM and now, since selling it, I can just about replicate my favourite things about it in Bitwig’s Grid, but with even more LFOs and envelopes. Anyway, my point is maybe you weren’t at the right level for a piece of gear the first time around but it makes more sense for the producer you’ve become second time around.
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