How to buy a new amplifier
How I did it: As I mentioned in a previous post, I had my eye on a Fender M-80 Chorus amp that was being sold used at the music store where my son takes guitar lessons. I took too long to decide whether or not I wanted it; I finally decided to go for it, and the day I was going to buy it, discovered it had been sold.
I began keeping an eye out on eBay, and found one that was being sold for roughly the same price that West End had theirs marked at. I successfully bid for and won it.
UPS delivered it yesterday, and I'm very happy with it. The seller also threw in an Audio Technica microphone in for free. Now I have to work on that singing Thing.
Lessons & tips: This goes beyond just getting a good amplifier, but once you decide what you want, don't give up until you have exactly what you want. Don't "settle" for something just because you can't find exactly what you're looking for - it's out there somewhere.
