I started watching guitar videos on YouTube this year. This led me to discover more guitar-focused YouTube channels. Like for any topic, there’s a whole parallel universe on YouTube populated by guitar players, gear reviewers, and customizers.

I’ve had the same electric guitar for 20 years, and the closest I’ve ever come to modifying it was adding a strap made it out of a seat belt and changing strings way too infrequently.

As you watch more of these videos, you begin patterns emerge. You can clearly see when a major company sends out new products. All of the sudden, every channel has a ‘review’ of the new Yahama Revstar guitars with a “Includes paid promotion” notice.

After watching YouTube channels like DBG talk about how locking tuners and a graphite nut will help your guitar hold tune, I took the bait and bought both. I can’t just be that person without locking tuners, right?

I knew I was buying a little indulgence, and was ok with that. It was a fun toe-tip into the world of improving my guitar. I was buying the learning experience of doing this upgrade as much as I was buying the actual products.

What struck me was how I was drawn into this little world, and how it turned into an actual transaction.

This is how it happens. I was radicalized by the YouTube algorithm.