It's the busy season for musicians with a bad case of gear lust. With Winter NAMM right around the corner, there's more gear that comes out in the next 5 days than most of the rest of the year combined.

I'm actually looking for a new keyboard myself this year, and I'm having to ask some hard questions. Anytime you drop a month's rent on a new piece of equipment, I think it's best to ask these questions first:

Does it compliment who I am?

There are literally thousands of choices- what works for one artist may not work for another, and everyone's idea of what a good piece of gear is differs greatly. Don't trust reviewers or even friends to make decisions only you can.

Is it reliable?

The best piece of gear in the world isn't worth it if it doesn't work every single time onstage. A few years ago, I based my entire rig around a piece of equipment that wasn't stable enough, and paid for it by having my keyboards go down in front of everyone at shows. Find what works for you, then make sure it works every time.

Does it look sexy?

Seriously, this is an important question to ask. I've had other musicians and even audience members compliment my shiny red Nord keyboard, but almost no one ever commented about my black M-Audio Keystation Pro. if you're in music, you need to be a showman- and that means having flair in every aspect of who you are.