I have 2 characters mid-30's and I've been neutral most of the time, sometimes going to light/dark I but then dipping back to gray. I have never needed alignment based gear. Between crafting, heroic quest rewards, and mods, my neutral gear always has the same and usually better stats than the light/dark side gear. And if not, the alignment is to use not buy. So get the new blaster/lightsaber and raid it for the mods and up your gray gear.