Costly collectibles
As a musician, composer, and producer, I occasionally follow the YouTube channels of colleagues from around the world, most often in search of practical advice or an idea. My general opinion is that comparing yourself to others is never a good thing, but sometimes this is very difficult to avoid. In this particular case, I'm referring to the potential "gear envy". Let's be honest; a lot of creatives like showing off their arsenal, and this is one of the reasons for being on YouTube in the first place. Many will defensively say that they "really need all that” for their work, but is it so in truth?
Though we are living in a time of software, virtual instruments, sample libraries, and plugins, that often surpass traditional gear when it comes to availability and many other practical aspects, you can frequently see pieces of vintage acoustic, electric, and electronic instruments, microphones, and other gear in a typical home or project studio environment. I’m talking about things that were originally manufactured more than twenty years ago. This trend has been apparent for quite some time now, even among those who usually strive toward practical functionality and minimalism. Is this a sort of rebellion against modern technology, a fashionable comeback, a summer thing, or a blatant snobbism? Probably a bit of everything.
The fact that computers became the center of nearly everything sometimes rightfully evokes a certain revolt and desire to go back to the "good old days". Unfortunately, this is often not feasible or practical. When speaking about music production, computers have indeed brought a revolution, especially if you are primarily working in your personal creative environment. In the past, this was a luxury that only a select few could enjoy. However, things are not that different these days. Even those who could theoretically afford to go 100% old-school probably won't deny all the benefits of modern technology in the process.
If you are fortunate to own a piece of vintage gear that you've either inherited or purchased back in the day, you are in luck. A well-maintained and preserved musical instrument or piece of gear from the past is now often sold at auctions for exorbitant prices. This is quite a challenge by itself for most of us, but also irresistible bait for collectors. I've always thought about collecting as a sport for the rich ones, even though one can collect nearly everything. When it comes to music, though, this was never exactly a cheap activity.
The question remains: is this worth it today? If you ask me, probably not in most cases, even though I'm a helpless nostalgic, and a child from the late 80s. For example, an affordable or even a free plugin that you can easily run on a mediocre computer system can sound practically identical to the synthesizer built forty years ago or more, whilst also being more powerful or flexible. We won't even mention the price difference and other factors.
Of course, if you can afford it, or you already have a piece or two of vintage equipment, this can definitely give you a certain edge or even be a "signature" of your work, so to speak. If nothing else, you won't have to worry about having enough attention on YouTube. Vintage equipment does look cool. ;)