If you think buying studio gear is hard today, then we take a trip down memory lane to recall the buying experience many of us grew accustomed to. This is the pre-internet, overnight deliveries, YouTube tutorials and social media world of buying gear. Read it and weep!

Buying studio equipment in the 1980s was an experience vastly different from the convenience and immediacy we've come to expect in today's digital age. The journey from desiring a piece of equipment to actually having it in your studio setup was often long, filled with anticipation, research, and sometimes, frustration. This article looks into what it was like buying studio gear in the 1980s, contrasting it with the modern buying experience, highlighting how advancements in technology and changes in consumer behaviour have revolutionised the process.

Researching What To Buy

In the 1980s, the purchase of new studio equipment typically began with research. Unlike today, where a plethora of information is available at our fingertips via the internet, enthusiasts and professionals alike relied heavily on print magazines for news, reviews, and advertisements. Magazines such as "Sound on Sound" or "Mix" were akin to bibles for the audio production community, offering insights into the latest gear, technical specifications, and expert opinions. This is perhaps why they hold such deep affection and respect for many working professionals today. In many ways, they were our lifeline.

This meant that we had to wait for the next edition (usually monthly) to discover new releases or learn more about equipment they were interested in. Often gear reviews would take several months to appear once they had been released, contrast this to reviews being online within seconds of new product release now.

This process was not only time-consuming but also limited the amount of information available to make informed decisions. We had several choices: wait for the review, buy the product and hope for the best, or go to our dealer to try and get the information.

In-Store Demos and Purchases

Once a piece of equipment caught our eye, the next step was often to visit a retail store for a demo. This hands-on experience was crucial, as it was the only way to truly gauge the capabilities and feel of the equipment. 

Retail staff played a significant role in the buying process, offering demonstrations, sharing their expertise, and sometimes even influencing purchasing decisions. In many cases the good staff were like gods to buyers, with an in-depth knowledge of a product, often coupled with great skill and talent to demonstrate the gear. I worked in one of the biggest music stores in the UK in the 1980s, Jones and Crossland. I recall when C-Lab Creator first launched, and how I spent hours first learning it and then creating a demo with a Roland MT32 to show it off. Bear in mind that there were hundreds of products such as tape machines, studio hardware, samplers, and synths. Store staff had to know all of them well enough to give informed advice.

The purchase itself was another area where patience was key. After deciding on a piece of equipment, it was not uncommon to have to order and wait weeks, if not months, for it to arrive. Often customers would beg staff to sell them the demo model, however, this wasn’t always possible as the demo model would be the thing securing orders for the store.

The anticipation of waiting for a new synthesizer, mixer, or effects unit was palpable, often compounded by the logistical challenges of collecting the item—sometimes requiring a trip to the store or, in more cumbersome cases, a pick-up from a train station.

Mail order was just starting up, but if you wanted something the next day then you could use a service run by the rail company called Red Star. 

Red Star was a ball ache, it meant the store had to go to the local rail station, fill in a pile of forms in triplicate, pay for it and then it would be put on a train to the rail station nearest to the customer’s home. Then when it arrived the customer would have to go to the station to pick it up, hoping the British Rail staff hadn’t used it as a football during the journey. Few thought this was a good idea, especially if it was a £1000 guitar or £3000 piece of studio equipment.

Learning The Gear

There was only one way to learn the gear in the 1980s and that was to read the user manual. In many cases these were hefty tomes, some were biblical in size, in fact even recently I recall the user guides to products like Logic and Pro Tools were several books. Of course, like many of us, you could attempt to try and figure it out yourself. I recall the user manual for the Ensoniq Mirage saying “If you're like most of us, you've probably already hooked up your Mirage and reached some level of limited success in making it work. This manual is a simple and straightforward presentation of the Mirage that will take you to an intermediate level of sophistication.” They understood exactly what most of us were doing!

User manuals became the primary source of knowledge, requiring thorough study to understand and master the equipment. This self-reliance on manuals for learning was a stark contrast to today's world, where online tutorials, forums, and video walkthroughs offer instant help and community support. The 1980s required a more solitary and dedicated approach to learning. I for one made the user manuals compulsory reading when sitting on the toilet.

When Things Went Wrong

Dealing with breakdowns (more common in the 1980s) or technical issues was another area that highlighted the challenges. There were no helplines, even by phone. No forums, or social media. Venting online was impossible, there was no online! The best we could do was go down the garden and scream.

In many cases if there was a technical issue then this meant taking it back to the store. Returning faulty equipment to the store or, in some cases, sending it back to the manufacturer was a tedious process. Weeks or even months could pass without any update, leaving us without our beloved gear and potentially halting production work. The absence of loaner or replacement units meant that one had to either find alternative solutions or simply wait it out, a far cry from today's customer service standards that often include immediate replacements or swift repairs. I somehow think that most people living in the modern age would have a breakdown if asked to wait for a repair without a replacement.

Buying In The Modern Age

Contrast this with the present day, where buying studio equipment has been transformed by the internet and advances in logistics. Research can be conducted through a multitude  of online resources, including manufacturer websites, review blogs, forums, and social media. Potential buyers can access a dizzying array of opinions, compare prices across different retailers instantly, and watch demos and tutorials from the comfort of their home.

Purchasing has also become a matter of clicks, with online retailers offering either instant downloads of software, or next-day delivery of hardware and, in some cases, the option to return the product if it doesn't meet expectations.

In contrast to buying gear in the 1980s, the modern buyer is never alone in their learning journey. Online communities, video tutorials, and manufacturer support lines provide an ecosystem of assistance that can help overcome challenges and learning curves much more swiftly than in the past. However, it does seem that for some this still isn’t good enough, it may be the case that the ease of acquisition has bred a level of entitlement that would have been unimaginable in previous decades.

The Baby And The Bath Water

The almost unrecognisable evolution of buying studio equipment in the 1980s to today illustrates not just technological progress but a fundamental shift in consumer experience and expectations. While the past was characterised by anticipation, personal interaction, and a certain degree of uncertainty, today's environment offers convenience, immediacy, and a wealth of information. 

There’s a lot to celebrate with the modern experience of buying studio gear compared to what many of us endured, however, not all of it may be seen as progress. Just yesterday I visited YouTube to view a few demos of gear by ‘influencers.’ I came away thinking it was perhaps as much a hindrance as a help. Ask what to buy from YouTube and you’ll be greeted with a multitude of opinions, often from those with either little knowledge, experience, or with a personal or financial axe to grind. In reality the sources of information we used in the 80s are still the most trusted.

The same can be said for the learning experience, be that via online content or social media. There’s a lot of opinions, but not always a lot of solid information. Of course there are brilliant exceptions, but it’s no wonder that many creators are quitting YouTube and other social media channels, it’s the Wild West, only this time there’s no Sheriff. 

Would I swap the advances in buying gear to what we have now? Of course not. However, I think there was a lot to be said for trained product specialists, well written publications, reading manuals, and having a little more patience throughout the process. I fear that the modern buying experience may have thrown the baby out with the bath water and given us a lot of people with all the gear but no idea!

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