I Played One Rig for 30 Days

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Last year we moved from NH to upstate NY. This is the story of me choosing a small rig to tide me over from when I had to move my gear to when our new house would be finished, in the end over two months. I had one guitar, one amp and a four pedal board across that entire time.

How I made my choice, what I learned and the pros and cons of a simple rig.

I need to thank Jeff McErlaine for the permission to use his tune "Gowanda Five-O" in the intro.

I need to credit Perry McMannis, our fearless editor and Stratocaster proponent, for the tune I play on the Strat in the video. I'm sure you'll all agree he should write more music.

Thanks for watching. Until next time, thanks for being a part of five watt world.
Keith

***Five watt world participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to Amazon. In simpler language, this means that whenever you buy something from Amazon from a link on here, I receive a small percentage of its price.

[RickBeato]

I completely agree with the concept of playing a simple rig. It allows you to focus on the music playing part not twisting knobs and getting reacclimated to different guitar shapes and sounds. I guess I’m really not one to talk but I do tend to practice on just a couple guitars. By the way, I’m very happy to be a member of the new Five Watt Friends. I know how much work it takes to make videos like yours Hypes and I want to support you so you keep doing them! Great video!

[BrianWhitmerMusic]

Yeah, you pretty much nailed it at “First World Problem.”

[matteocristini]

I've been playing one rig for almost three years now... wait.. it's the only one I own! Cool video.

[sedwho]

One Rig to rule them all, One Rig to find them, One Rig to bring them all. and in the darkness bind them.

[jts]

Keith, Thanks for another great video. Recently, I’ve taken a new approach to pedal acquisition: instead of buying them I build them. This replaces the instant gratification of buying one online and having UPS deliver it 2 days later (when the thrill has already begun to wear away). The effort in finding and buying a PCB, sourcing all of the components, dealing with out-of-stock and back ordered items, soldering the board, drilling the enclosure, labeling the knobs, and spending almost as much money as the original pedal forces you to decide if you really NEED another overdrive or if you can get the tone you’re pursuing from a pedal that you already own. I’ve learned a lot about building pedals (and about myself) through this approach and my tone is better than ever.

[thesmellycatjazz]

First off, this is such a wholesome channel. It's a nice change of pace from all the madness going on.

Im currently going through this right now. My roommate is having a child soon, and I'm staying with my parents so he can self quarantine before her birth. I have my Player's Strat and a noisy little Blue Junior. It's really opening my eyes to how much I don't miss my other 8 guitars. Might be time to start consolidating the collection.

[samwisegrangee]

As Trey Anastasio said in his rig rundown, it's better to have gear that you know rather than "better" gear.

[hesch-tag]

I bought an Ibanez JEM (FP one of the very first)in 1988 and it's the only electric guitar I have ever owned.

[mattcampbell]

Can't even begin to say how excited I get when these videos come out! It's awesome to see an advocate for simplicity in a very complex world. These videos helped me get out of the buy/sell/trade/hoard gear cycle I've been in for years and cut my whole rig down to a few pedals, one guitar, and one amp. Even with the few things I now use, I'm still trying to find ways to cut down on the space and volume!

It's also awesome to see a fellow New Hampshire-based guy! I grew up in Amherst NH and it always makes me happy to see people in my home state doing cool things!

[mikeplaysdrums]

This subject is relatable to drummers as well. I've got over 25 snare drums, dozens of cymbals and three full kits. Sometimes I find it best to just hang one good sounding snare and four cymbals on the same kit for a month at a time and just play them inside out to explore and learn every little nuance of each individual instrument rather than constantly swapping them all out. Another great episode. Thanks for posting!

[James-zylh]

I’m in the process of moving myself and I’m currently using my LP through a Fender Frontman. No pedals; just the effects that are built in. I love it. I’m spending more time running through exercises than I would turning knobs or switching out guitars to “find the right sound.” At the end of the day, it’s the little victories from progress made that makes me love playing so much.

[distrustfulmonkey]

I own 1 electric, 1 acoustic, 1 amp and 4 pedals (although I do want a 5th). Been playing 20 years and I'm not bored yet! I actually enjoy my playing much more since shifting all my unnecessary gear.

[JeffMcErlain]

Thanks for another great video Keith! It was really fun putting down the strat for a while and focusing on the LP. What was very interesting was picking the strat back up, I felt I played it differently. Keep up the great work!

[jackdrissen]

I play a cheap rig with only 3 pedals for a year now and a love it

[darinhill]

Like most of the commenters here, my one rig experiment has been going on for years!

I play other rigs when I play with my fellow guitarists. Thanks for the video!

Enjoy your new house as well.

[miguelteixeira]

It is so liberating to say: " you know what: Enough tweaking, lets play" and do it with a minimal rig for a very long time. I went down from a 6 pedal setup and I'm currently down to 2 guitars and an HX stomp. I can connect into an amp if needed, into an Hifi, into an headphone, into a computer, even into a door if it produces any sound I like. Just play!

[MikeLowryband]

I played the same rig for 15 years. ‘87 Strat, blues driver, TS9, Fender Vibro-King. After 15 years I got a little money and a lot more gear then deciding what guitar/pedal/amp to use became really tough.

[sonsauvage]

When you stop focusing on what you're using that's when the music flows. You focus more on what you're saying/playing. When I had one instrument and one amp and pedal setup that's what's when I was most productive and made the most progress in technique. Now I'm always tweaking this and that, adjusting rods and saddle screws, turning knobs, etc etc

[GuitarGearGyan]

Fabulous content. I have been following your channel for some time now and find all your videos extremely useful.

[georgedeconto]

Absolutely a 1st world problem lol.

I got my first guitar in 2000, a nylon strings one. Then, on 2002 I got a crummy bass and a tiny bass amp, and a year late a crummier electric guitar. From 2008 onwards, as I moved from place to place, I only carried my nylon strings guitar and left all the rest at my parents house. Then, two years ago, I got an Epiphone 339 and a Katana 50W, and about two months ago I got a Squier Tele. To be honest, these two electrics and the Katana fullfill pretty much all my sonic desires, especially after spending so many years with just a nylon strings acoustic.
The only thing I would like to do is to change to a really small amp, given that I just play at home and my wife usually complains about the noise. Also, I feel that the 50W Katana doesn't come to its full potential on really low volumes.