ive been playing pro over 50years and studied and played with many famous people. i love gear too. i once decided to spend 600$ on j.abersold material instead of a new peice of gear. to actually become a better plater instead of just having a different tone. if i get one ides out of a 20$ book i think i did alright. i prefer dvd with music book. one of my best purchases ever was 250$ for 60 jazz gtr dvds.it help me to much better than a new pedal. i hope some of you will want to try this approach to improve your skills. self-denial and disipline are key to good musicianship. any fool can buy expensive gear for often bragging rights. brent mason and reggie wooten sound great with solid state peaveys. i hear they are pretty good. i spend hours everday still learning about new gear and music ed. gas is a real addiction if you spend way more than you should. this also has happened to me. not anymore.if jack pearson and reggie wooten can prefer fenders squires over custom shops that should tell you enough. how you choose to spend your time and money is your choice. but if you want to constantly improve your sound over a lifetime . i call the term gear worshiping means making it too big a priority. a great old jazz pianist i worked with once told me if a guy shows up at an audition with really expensive equipment he most likely cant play. ive found this true. so for those who really want sound better ,better note and chord choiced are a better option than knob twiddling. to each his own. my favorite dvd is don mocks blues and beyond. i hope this was useful especcially you new players.