Some might beg to differ, given the amount of musical equipment I’ve gathered over the years but I wouldn’t really describe myself as a gear head However, I’m endlessly fascinated with Keith William’s Five Watt World YouTube channel, which provides a lot of detailed videos about guitars, basses and related gear.
For example, if you want an in depth knowledge of the Fender Jazz bass, there are a few reference books you could track down but twenty minutes would be well spent watching Keith’s video on the topic, which gives a detailed and illustrated history of that instrument. Better yet, as well as seeing the instrument, you also get to hear it.
Mind you, his tag line is “we’re interested to help you get the most music from the least amount of gear”. Unlike certain other channels, which seem struck somewhere between reviews and advertisements, 5 Watt World is firmly in the documentary camp and shares understanding without trying to tap into your wallet (not least because many of the models discussed are tremendously rare and into silly-money prices).
If you’re fascinated by the tools of the trade and how they were developed over time, Five Watt World is more than loud enough for the job.