Actually useful Amazon junk?

[The Scum]

After the other thread asking whether the $80 "C414" from Amazon was a useful mic, it leaves me questioning what's actually useful from Amazon?

Amazon seem to have fully alibabaized - lots of imported stuff from brands we've never heard of (What's with all of the 5-letter, app-caps names?), and lots of 3rd party sellers with the same items listed. Certainly the SM57 lookalikes might not compare the the real deal, and there are knockoff mics, headphones, guitars, Skerple markers, etc, etc.

But what of those import items are actually useful for musicians and studio rats?

I'll start with one recent discovery: microfiber dusting gloves! I saw Mike Metlay at a swap meet a while ago, and he was handling all of the gear he was selling with them on. They're genius - a glove made of microfiber material, so you can dust things by running your hands over them - really great for dusting music gear, with all of the knobs and buttons and little crevices. 6 pairs for around $12. Supposedly they're machine washable, but I haven't tried that yet.

Anything else?

[Scodiddly]

Antistatic work gloves, what I call "gummy gloves" - cloth glove dipped in some kind of grippy rubber.

As mentioned in another item, cheap refurbished computers.

[kslight]

I really avoid Amazon, it’s certainly not what it used to be and very little meets expectations imho.

Probably the last great product off Amazon I bought was…a tire inflator. https://www.amazon.com/VacLife-Portable ... 120&sr=8-3
Throw it in the trunk and never worry about chasing a gas station air pump again.

[digitaldrummer]

Well, in the topic of everything, I got one of those jump-starter battery packs. I have one in my car and one in the wife's. Don't need jumper cables anymore. I got them for about $35 each. I used it jump start a guys car once - he was blocked in and could not get another car close enough to use jumper cables. had him out in under 2 min...

in the area of music-related.... I got a bunch of those silca gel packs (to absorb moisture) and put them in all my mi bags and other electronic equipment out in the studio. I know some of you save these up (and I have a few too) but it was easier to get a big bag for $8. I got some replacement switches recently for one of my 8-switch power outlets (the one's I use for turning on equipment every day in my studio). I've also gotten my 4PDT toggle switches that I used to build my passive monitor switcher. speaking of which, while that was down, I bought another ADJ PC-100A (the 8 switch power strip) and after I repaired the old one, sold it and kept the new one and now I have extra switches too.

I got a bunch of silicone rubber washers - the size of the old Grolsch bottle gaskets (if that means anything to you) and they also fit tightly over strap buttons to make nice strap locks. also got some silicone gaskets or rings to put on 12ax7 or el84 type tubes to protect and reduce any ringing. I got a set of leads for my multimeter - one that had clips and very tiny probes - so I have more options now. I got some light truss clamps -- solid aluminum - and really sturdy even though they are lightweight (but gig-worthy). they are smaller and hold the LED lights really well and helps me in not having to carry around a bunch of really heavy old-school clamps. and only about $20 for a set of 4. And the LED lights. I had a "light-tree" that I ended up selling because now I just bought some multi-LED lights really cheap and using the aforementioned clamps, clamp them to speaker stands that are already at the gig (again lightening my load and they fit in smaller totes). I got some "Camvate" brand mini-ball head mic adapters -- swivel mounts. they are sold out now but I got a couple and they are great in the studio.

so yeah, I've managed to find a few useful pieces of junk (and this is probably only that last 6 mo)

[vvv]

also got some silicone gaskets or rings to put on 12ax7 or el84 type tubes to protect and reduce any ringing. I

I have these installed.

I recently read they do nothing.

But one thing they are good for is to remove the tube w/out gloves for a hot swap.


As for those strap-lock rings, keep yer eyes open for the softer, clear/white silicon ones - much easier to install and remove.

[digitaldrummer]

this is what I got for strap locks -- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T4FFB2N
they work great

and for the tube rings, I mostly use them inside tube mics and for some mics it does help them be supported in the socket and so they don't bounce around. in the amps I agree they don't do much.

and now I also own some micro-fiber gloves (not just some, I got a 6 pack...) but they looked like they might be handy for cleaning electronics and in the studio, etc.

edit: I feel like a muppet wearing these gloves, but they are actually kinda nice for handling expensive mics when you don't want to leave fingerprints all over them. These are also shedding a lot though so I may have to wash them first (and see if they can actually handle that). do NOT get them near velcro (much more shedding...).

[vvv]

this is what I got for strap locks -- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T4FFB2N
they work great

and now I also own some micro-fiber gloves (not just some, I got a 6 pack...) but they looked like they might be handy for cleaning electronics and in the studio, etc.

Yep, those are the things I posted about.

re the gloves - love 'em! Put one on and you can dust off, even polish a guitar or 5 really quickly, besides monitor screens, mics, desk tops, speakers, etc. Toss 'em in the washer, they work again.

[The Scum]

...girl, ya thought he was a man, but he was a muppet...

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Amazon is fun for cheapo pedals. Some are actually decent some aren't.
This one is great - https://www.amazon.ca/AZOR-Vintage-Guit ... 6KQFG?th=1

[digitaldrummer]

...girl, ya thought he was a man, but he was a muppet...

goodnight Austin, TX wherever you are...

[CraigS63]

I recently got a "Slipdrive" adhesive/elastic pocket to hold an SSD drive (Crucial X10 4TB), since it's a little cheaper than buying a Macbook with a big SSD drive. It keeps the external drive handy (the pocket glues to the laptop lid), and the cable fits in it, if I want to disconnect. Now I can download VSTs and samples all day, and not get paranoid about running out of room.

IMG_4366.jpg (79.84 KiB) Viewed 21838 times

[trodden]

I recently got a "Slipdrive" adhesive/elastic pocket to hold an SSD drive (Crucial X10 4TB), since it's a little cheaper than buying a Macbook with a big SSD drive. It keeps the external drive handy (the pocket glues to the laptop lid), and the cable fits in it, if I want to disconnect. Now I can download VSTs and samples all day, and not get paranoid about running out of room.

Very cool. Those Crucial X10 drives are BITCHIN'!!

[Nevil-O-Bottom]

Amazon can be a real mixed bag these days. I've found some useful stuff like cables and LED strip lights for my studio. And those microfiber dusting gloves are a game-changer for keeping gear clean.

[trodden]

I gotta get some of these gloves you all are talking about!

My latest Cramazon purchases have been 5 oz woozy sauce bottles and seed envelopes. For all those other things distracting me from finishing my studio...gardening/canning/hot sauce making/seed saving.

[vvv]

OT, but I gotta mention, the seeds I want next (I do have a desktop garden growing herbs) are like, basically non-existent in commercial product of the other kinda 'erb.

I mean, I remember what the best use was for the Frampton Comes Alive gatefold album and that need is gone.

Anywhat, the 'zon has a good deal going right now on SE V7 mic's for US$100 + two XLR cables, or one XLR and a decent pop-stopper.

I have been using the mic for vocals in a living room electric jam and it has awesome rejection and ya gotta wanna make it feedback to get any. I recorded vocal tracks and then a loud amp and it was very usable, not as thick and with less bottom and low mids than a Beta 58, mebbe a little better clarity, and less proximity effect. It gets compared to the Senn E835, even the 935.

I also bought some bottle spouts for vermouth; they were US$5 for two, or US$9 for 10, so I been giving 'em away.