If you're not new to eq and have a knowledge base making money for a starter set of gear that trivializes low end game play is actually very easy. If you're savvy this can be done starting at levels as low as 5-6.
Not being new to eq, by the time my bard was 16 I'd managed to get about 2-3k in gear under my belt just from selling belts, pads, greater lightstones and animal pelts.
The economy is old which translates to the really rare and awesome items having unobtainable price ranges for a new guy ... But there's also an abundant supply of medium tier gear that can be obtained very very early and at a low price considering that high level people will pay good money for things like belts to PL their new toons or faction grind with.
http://wiki.project1999.com/Jarsath_Trident
That item is a perfect example.
For 100p or less you can have a great ratio weapon that from a classic standpoint wouldn't have been available until your 50s. I remember running around with significantly worse on live, and paying more than 100p for that significantly worse weapon.
The age of this server works in your favor like that, but it might be hard to appreciate when you see level 10 twinks running around with 36% haste, exquisite velium weapons, and a fungi.