for it to age...fade and get the dings and bumps from gigging that a lot of players covet.
After reading a thread about putting guitars out in the sun to fade them I got to thinking why would you do that...of course you are free to do what you want with your own guitars and I'm not bashing anyone for it.
It just got me thinking that I see people buying and selling guitars at a phenomenal rate and it seems that not many people have that one guitar that they gig and use almost all the time exclusively for years..in some cases their whole career...for it to end up aged...faded and reliced naturally. I have been as guilty of this myself and it's only since I got my 335 that I have only used that for practice ...rehearsal and gigging in the last 6 months. Every now and again during home practice I'll play one of my other guitars for a while but still end practice time on the 335.
Is this a new thing or have guitar player always chopped and changed guitars through their playing careers..?
- “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.”
Comments
I think for any individual there are keepers and flippers. The only way to find the keepers is to work through a few.
Personally I'm hoping my GAS is over. I'm very happy with my Classic and I want to play not peruse.
My 2012 LP is showing a fair bit of wear, even though I never use this metal pick.
http://i68.tinypic.com/1zoztdl.jpg
However, I've had quite a few that I've moved on quickly, for me there are usually 2 reasons for this - 1: Upgrading to a better specced or model of guitar or and most importantly 2: Playability issues, ie big uncomfortable necks that seems alright when you bought them, but are an absolute pain after a while.
A lot of players, me included, are searching for a certain of type guitar, ie a 62 tele with a bound edge, without a thought to how it will play more how it looks. So, you sell an ugly duckling Tele that is a breeze to play and end up with a good looking turkey.
I've only got one long-termer now, I sold off a Strat in 2014 that I'd owned since the 80s, leaving me with just my Guild. Bought it new in 1978, and it's my most gigged guitar, though somehow it's far less reliced than most new Fenders. It still has some marks where I attached a guitar synth to it in the late 80s. Hopefully this year it'll get a 40th birthday refret!
My experience sounds somewhat different from the OP. I started playing about 5 years ago in my early 40s and had both time and money to spend on a hobby, plus a monumental lack of ambition to ever play in front of anyone.
So buying and selling guitars has been fun and I've not had an audience to worry about. There is huge enjoyment in learning something new, I love the theory, technique and learning about how different guitars are made and how they sound and feel individual. Of course, I want to try them all.
However, I'd do agree that guitars can be dismissed too quickly. I've passed on a couple I now regret.
I've had a MiM Strat for about 4 years that - despite being a great guitar - I was luke warm on. However, just recently I've begun to get some very decent tones out of it. Funny how that has coincided with my improvement as a player!
I guess if you're 15 and can only afford a Squier you make that work. If you're 45 and can buy what you want, it's tempting to keep buying until you sound like Clapton.
the sun tanning thing was just a wind up: provoking an interesting series of observations
It was pristine, perfect and even still had those dreadful Gibson Britewire strings on it (removed the moment I got it home). Its now the veteran of *MANY* gigs, mainly hot sweaty and "lively" ones and so it has bloom on the front where my arm has rubbed it, there is some worming on the back where I've dared to play it wearing a belt and the white of the BWB plate is slowly going slightly yellow (even though I don't smoke).
As for my Les Paul - bought new, has done probably about the same number of gigs as the SG... its got some worming on the back, a scratch on the front where I put it down at the end of a festival performance and didn't look carefully enough at what I was putting it down on. The slightly pink 'aged' plastics are dulling nicely and it's nicely worn in.
And then there's my 1991 Squier Silver Series Strat... my mum asked me what I wanted for my 21st birthday and was persuaded to part with the £199 needed to buy it from the little music shop on Darkes Lane, Potters Bar. I played that guitar *SOLIDLY* for years as my only instrument, so much so that the wood of the back of the neck is worn down. Its battered, slightly yellowed, all the chrome is dulled, the knobs are ingrained with muck, there are dents in it, there's worming, the trem spring cover is missing, there are odd springs in the cavity (can't remember the story)... Its still my fave Strat.
My second guitar was only bought 18months ago ish, its an upgraded version of the first guitar, so has basically taken over. it's a shame, as i still love that first guitar and would never part with it, but would be nice to see how far the ageing would go..
I've had other guitars come and go, but it's only these two that will probably stay.
(in truth, great to read about your keepers )
Having gone through a 'life event' a few years back, most of my guitars are new to me.
For me working my way through a few has been very rewarding and I've ended up with a collection largely made up of keepers.
I have two guitars from my past - an early 90s USA Standard Strat, never play it, and have tried to sell it a few times - one day I will, but in the meantime I do like seeing the wear on it any knowing it came from me.
Also have a Yamaha Acoustic from the late 80s, quite scarred now - not from playing but from banging around in cupboards not being played. That just fills me with guilt because it's actually a really nice guitar!
Only had my mando 6 months, but again 2nd owner and likewise probably won't go anywhere, gets played every day and gets played out couple of times a week.
Don't have an electric, never really gelled with them. I love listening to electric guitars, but playing them doesn't really do it for me.
I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.
Exactly this. Some guitars will never age, so to speak. I've stripped a poly finish from a strat, that finish would stay the same forever. That's part of the issue, those guitars don't age naturally with the player.
Should that be important, probably not, but it's a big part of the reason people move the guitars on for nitro versions.
I literally lived on it for 10 years, did a music degree with it and God knows how many gigs.