YouTube guitar heroes: how online creators changed the way we buy gear

In the old days you’d discover new pedals and guitars through:

• magazines;
• the local shop owner’s recommendations;
• actually trying things in a store (often with half the neighbourhood listening).

Today it often works the other way round:

1. you watch a creator on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok;
2. you fall in love with a sound;
3. you start hunting for that pedal, that guitar, that amp on marketplaces and online shops.

YouTube guitar heroes – the online players/creators – have changed how we think about gear. They’re not just endorsers anymore: they’ve become the main filter between us and products.

In this guide we’ll look at:

• why creators have so much influence on our buying decisions;
• what has changed in how we evaluate guitars, amps, pedals and plugins;
• how to avoid falling purely into G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome);
• how to use online content to buy better, especially on the used market.

To compare actual gear (new and used) you can start here:

• electric guitars
• pedals and effects
• guitar amplifiers
• plugins, modelers, multi‑FX

1. From physical shop to headphones in front of a screen

The old chain was: magazine → shop → trying gear → purchase.

Today it’s more often: video → reviews → comparisons → cart / used listing.

What has actually changed?

• You hear gear inside a mix, not just in isolation.
• You can compare the same pedal on several channels.
• You get dozens of opinions, from big channels to unknown players posting their tests.

This has two big effects:

1. our expectations go up (tone, versatility, perceived quality);
2. we become more selective… but also more exposed to impulse buying.

2. What YouTube guitar heroes actually do

They’re not "just people demoing pedals". Guitar creators usually mix:

• high‑quality musical demos (full songs, jams, loops);
• long‑form reviews with pros/cons, weak points and use‑cases;
• tutorials and lessons where gear is embedded in the musical language;
• direct A/B comparisons (pedals, amps, IRs, plugins);
• more narrative content: "a month with this guitar", "why I sold half of my board", etc.

So we don’t just see what a product does, we see how it lives in a player’s real life.

3. How they changed the way we evaluate gear

3.1 From "does it sound good?" to "how does it sit in a mix?"

It used to be enough that:

• the instrument felt comfortable in a shop;
• the amp made you smile when you turned it up.

Now we care about:

• how it sounds with drums and bass underneath;
• whether a pedal keeps definition with lots of gain;
• whether a guitar has enough dynamic range to go from clean to crunch with just volume and touch.

Most creators record at studio level and let you hear:

• the isolated tone;
• the tone with a backing track;
• the tone in a full mix.

This pushes us towards choices that are more context‑aware (band, home studio, live, content).

3.2 Specs, hype and reality

Brands know very well that a single video from a certain creator can wipe out stock in hours.

So we see more and more:

• products designed to be demo‑friendly (flashy features, lights, extreme options);
• limited editions and signatures tied to creators;
• campaigns with discount codes, affiliate links and bundles.

The risk is confusing:

• "this product really fits my needs" with
• "this product sounds great in the hands of a great player, in a curated mix".

4. The upside: discovery, inspiration and fewer blind purchases

YouTube guitar heroes also bring huge advantages.

• You discover small and boutique brands you’d never see in your local shop.
• You hear how a piece of gear sounds across very different genres (ambient, metal, funk, worship…).
• You can get a pretty clear idea before spending.

For used gear:

• you can listen to dozens of demos of a piece even if a listing only has two photos;
• you can decide whether that sound is really what you want and if it makes sense to hunt for it on marketplaces like Muviber.

You can even search straight by type of sound or role, for example:

• stereo delays for ambient and post‑rock
• low‑gain drives for worship and pop
• superstrat‑style guitars for shred and prog

5. The downside: G.A.S., unrealistic expectations and constant comparison

5.1 Gear Acquisition Syndrome 2.0

The loop is familiar:

1. you watch a video;
2. "this sound is EXACTLY what I need";
3. you hunt down the pedal or guitar;
4. you buy it…
5. and a week later another video is in your "watch later" list.

Creators, as part of their job, go through a lot of gear. The danger for us is thinking we need the same turnover to be "sorted".

5.2 The illusion of instant tone

Another side effect is the idea that:

• buying the same gear as the creator will instantly give you the same results.

In reality there’s:

• technique, touch, timing and intonation;
• the full signal chain (guitar, pick, amp, IRs, mix);
• the listening context (room, monitors, headphones).

Videos can inspire, but they cannot replace hours of sound in your hands.

6. Using YouTube guitar heroes to buy smarter, not just more

6.1 Watch more than one channel per product

If a pedal grabs your attention:

• watch at least 3–4 different demos;
• find someone using it in your style;
• look for at least one creator who tests it in a fairly dry, unprocessed way (less lush verb and delay, more raw tone).

6.2 Cross‑check impressions with the used market

If a product is genuinely good and used by many players, you’ll usually find that:

• it appears regularly on the used market;
• it tends to hold a relatively stable value.

You can quickly check by searching for that type of gear on Muviber:

• used pedals
• used electric guitars by style

6.3 Make a "real needs" list before opening YouTube

Before jumping into videos, write down:

• what your rig actually lacks (better clean? a proper boost? a serious reverb?);
• where you play most (live, studio, home, content);
• what your total budget is, not just the pedal price.

Then use videos to narrow options down, not to endlessly expand the list.

6.4 Remember no one shows the boring parts

Almost nobody makes videos about:

• reliable cables;
• sturdy stands;
• solid power supplies;
• backing up presets and IRs.

Yet in real life those things matter just as much as a new pedal.

7. Creators, marketplaces and trust: what changes if you sell gear

If you’re the one selling (new or used), the existence of online guitar heroes changes things in two ways:

1. buyers often have a very precise idea of what they want;
2. they expect a certain level of transparency and detail in your listing.

What really helps:

• clear photos of key areas (frets, knobs, jacks, power, back);
• honest description of flaws;
• clear tech info (year, model, version);
• when possible, a quick note on style or type of sound (no need for a novel, a couple of honest lines are enough).

People coming from a creator’s video are usually chasing a piece of gear that does that one thing – not a surprise box.

FAQ – YouTube guitar heroes and buying gear

Do creator videos replace trying gear in a shop?

No, but they’re an excellent filter. They help you decide whether a piece of gear is worth chasing or almost buying before you even touch it. Ideally, you’d still try a guitar or amp at least once before committing.

If I don’t like the tone in a video, should I rule out the product?

Not automatically, but it’s a signal. Ask: who’s playing? what’s the chain? are there other videos where it sounds better? If it doesn’t convince you across several demos, it may simply not be your thing.

Are creators always impartial?

No. Some are very transparent about sponsored or supplied products, others less so. This is why it’s smart to cross‑check: big creators, smaller channels, forums and written reviews.

Is it wrong to buy gear just because a creator inspires me?

Not inherently, but it’s risky if your budget is tight. Better ask: does this purchase actually solve a problem in my setup, or is it just hype?

How can I avoid constant G.A.S.?

Set a few practical rules:

• don’t buy anything "in the heat of the moment" right after a video;
• wait 48 hours and re‑listen with fresh ears;
• consider selling something you don’t use to fund the new piece;
• keep a written list of your real needs and check it before you spend.