swamptrashstompboxes":187ftu6e said:
Personally, I could make more money if I wanted to, but I don't. Money is not everything. I like to be able to have free time to play guitar a few hours a day and spend time with my daughter and family. So on a side note, I respect a man who doesn't grind his life away and does other things.
I've quoted only a part, but actually I like your entire comment, since it seems, that we're on the same wave.
Sure currently it's different, because due to my illness last year I have to catch up postponed schedules...
... but usually I'm working 2 to 3 weeks in a months and also then not from early in the morning to late in the night.
Life is, as the spelling says for living and not for grinding yourself and your health down with working excessively, only to catch every dollar possible, to buy things, which doesn't make you really happy and which you actually don't need. Try to uncouple you from the dictation, what the industry with their extremely clever and depth psychological refined advertisements try to push over you every day - then you'd become free.
Actually I'm a humble guy, who doesn't need a new car every 2 years and I also don't need a big house with my own swimming pool in the garden behind the house.
Anyways I'm not one of those, who's buying things, which actually are over the budged, simply to impress others, which anyways aren't close to me.
I'm working, that I'm able to live and not living, to work as much, that I can feed the economy with buying products all the time. Guys, wake up and use your brain.
Maybe it's the right time now, to tell you guys something more about myself, so that you know me some better then, but hopefully this doesn't appear arrogant to you:
I've always had good payed jobs in my early years, have been tuning motorcycles and cars since my youth and later have been pretty successfully with this. My BMW sports engines at that time have been more sought after than the ones of Schnitzer or Hartge, but I've quit this in the early 80', because from this time on the emmission's regulations successively became stronger and stronger until the point, where I'd have to invest about 200,000 DM (Deutsche Mark at that time) for test equipment, to may proceed with this business.
Nonetheless I could make some good money during these 10 years of professional engine tuning and I'm not a fool who's throwing money away by an excessive living.
Then I've had a body shop for another almost 10 years, where again I could push some good money besides. Btw I'm also master in this profession.
But by coincidence also in the early 80' I met some acquaitances in a Rock pub, which were playing in a band and just were in need of a 2nd guitar player, so since they knew that I've been playing guitar in my youth they had me, to come for a visit & try to their rehersal the next day - and I came, what's been my biggest ~mistake~ yet in my life
I haven't touched a guitar for more than 10 years at that time, but everybody of you knows, that making music is like a virus, which you can't loose anymore - so after my visit in theirs rehersal and trying guitar again I've been infected again. Unfortunately and this is fact, if you interrupt playing an instrument for this long time, you can't become a virtuous musician anymore - so I thought by myself, since I can't become an impressing guitar player anymore, than at least I want to have the most impressive guitar sound.
I've buyed Marshall, Orange, Hiwatt, aso. but my guitar sound wasn't impressive enough, at least not for myself. Since I've already had knowledge in electronics since my childhood any youth, as my (other) hobby has been experimenting with old tube radios aso. I've begun modding my amps - then again and again other guitar player came to the rehearsing, heard my guitar sound and... "woohoo Larry, what a great sound! Could you please mod my amp accordingly?"
Then gradually more and more guitar player had me for modding their Marshalls, Fenders, Oranges, Hiwatts, aso and also my mods became more and more extensive, so extensive that I've finally cleared out the chassis and have rebuilt the amp completely new. Also my very first own tube amp I've built already back in 1988
Then finally in the early 90' I've sold my body shop, to may dedicate myself completely to my hobby of modding and building tube amps, what then additional has turned to my business. The fact, that I didn't earn too much money in the first 4 to 5 years after I've turned my hobby to my business didn't care me much. I've already had some money besides, to may not only survive, but to may live adequately - but I've implemented my dream and this has been for me the only what matters.
I've never been behind the last DM, $ or €, hence I've built each amp the way, as it would be my one and only personal amp for the rest of my life.
Since I'm also an almost pathetic perfectionist, building an amp has always taken its time - and I didn't care about this. Good thing will take its time. Right?
Now meanwhile - sorry, again it might appear arrogant, but it isn't - I definitely could quit building amps or working at all tomorrow and I could easily survive with my humble way of life until the rest of my days, since I do have some stash of some $€ besides my NOS glass collection aso.
But don't be afraid, I don't quit building tube amps, since it still is my hobby, I do still have much pleasure while building tube amps and I even regard it as my life-task.
Moreover I don't regard my tube amps as products, but rather as my kids - no matter, where they do go later in this world.
( fresh outta of the garden )
