Crazy Guitar Superstitions

Gassage

Do you have any?

My sporting foibles know no bounds- I have to put every item of left gear on first (pads, gloves, shoes, socks), I HAVE to get my guard at the crease FIRST time. And if I see a charity collector on match day I HAVE to give to them. I never shave during a match, even if a 3 dayer. (this is from rugby when shaving on match day results in sores and abrasions everywhere on your face). As an opening bat I always take 2nd strike. (because I want to get aclimatised and also, one over of a new ball takes 25% of the hardness out of it)

I also never ever use the word concentrate in my head when batting.

But in guitars, i am the same.

I always carry a pick, wherever I go.

When watching a film on TV I have to have a guitar visible.

I have a thing about straps and each of my guitars has a strap it 'owns' and if I put that strap on another guitar it's bad luck

And, playing live I always play on left hand side (stage right from audience)

What are yours? I'm sure there are loads....

stonevibe

You need help.

Gassage

stonevibe said:

You need help.

LOL- ever heard of the SA Test Cricketer Neil McKenzie? He had to seek councilling.

It came to a head when he was waiting to bat in a test match and went to the loo. When he was in there, his teammates gaffer taped his bat to the dressing room ceiling. When he went in, he was fuming and walked out ripping the gaffer tape off the bat. Anyway, he scored 158.

Next innings, he was waiting to bat, and his teammates realised....he'd gaffer taped his OWN bat to the ceiling for 'good luck' as clearly that's why he got his 158.

monquixote

I'm really conscious about not building superstitions and things like that. 

The only thing I can think of is that I'm always very particular about what I have in my pockets and where. I always have a plectrum in my left hand pocket.

stonevibe

Only cricketer I know is Phil Tufnell as he lived a few doors up from me as a kid.

I'd often bump into a film crew when I was walking up our road to school, as he'd 'beaten someone up or abused his missus again', so I presume he had issues as well.

Was funny watching him getting kicked out though. 

Gassage

When Tuffers ball was drawn out of the bag at Lords for the pee-pee test he had to shin down the drainpipe!!

One of my former teammates, Richard Stemp thus became the first to fail a drugs test...Tuffers weewee would have read like a chemist shop.

jimmyguitar

I have a picture of Elizabeth Hurley dressed as 'Boudicca' which some old drunk guy gave me at a gig which I now have to take to every gig otherwise I'll have bad luck! Keep it in the second pocket of my gig bag without fail!
http://i.imgur.com/YPJn3Aw.png

digitalscream

monquixote said:

I'm really conscious about not building superstitions and things like that. 

The only thing I can think of is that I'm always very particular about what I have in my pockets and where. I always have a plectrum in my left hand pocket.

Exactly. I prefer stage left, but it's not a superstition - it's more to get away from our bassist, who's a serious danger to my expensive and beloved gear

About the pockets thing...I've "trained" myself to always put certain things in certain pockets - eg picks in my left jeans pocket, cigs in my right jacket pocket, lighter in right jeans etc. Almost everything in my life has a place where it goes...and there's actually a reason for this. I used to lose things all the time when I put them down without thinking, so by forcing myself to do be consistent I now know where things are going to be when I autopilot my way through a day. Nothing gets lost now

stonevibe

Gassage said:

When Tuffers ball was drawn out of the bag at Lords for the pee-pee test he had to shin down the drainpipe!!

One of my former teammates, Richard Stemp thus became the first to fail a drugs test...Tuffers weewee would have read like a chemist shop.

Sounds about right. 

 Saw him 'out of it' on quite a few occasions and as I was no stranger to a jazz cigarette myself at that age wasn't hard to spot he was baked.

Voxman

Hmmm - definitely some serious OCD here...and I ain't talking the pedal!   @-)

monquixote

digitalscream said:

monquixote said:

I'm really conscious about not building superstitions and things like that. 

The only thing I can think of is that I'm always very particular about what I have in my pockets and where. I always have a plectrum in my left hand pocket.

Exactly. I prefer stage left, but it's not a superstition - it's more to get away from our bassist, who's a serious danger to my expensive and beloved gear

About the pockets thing...I've "trained" myself to always put certain things in certain pockets - eg picks in my left jeans pocket, cigs in my right jacket pocket, lighter in right jeans etc. Almost everything in my life has a place where it goes...and there's actually a reason for this. I used to lose things all the time when I put them down without thinking, so by forcing myself to do be consistent I now know where things are going to be when I autopilot my way through a day. Nothing gets lost now

Yep I'm exactly the same. If I don't have things in the right place I'll just lose my keys, wallet etc left right and centre. 

randomhandclaps

I don't believe in superstitious clap-trap.  I believe that as long as I am good then God will take care of everything.

Sassafras

I do have certain little rituals I like to observe, not because I'm superstitious, I just think something terrible will happen if I don't.

mike_l

Sportswise

Left leg is shorts first

left sock then left boot, then the right.

Shirt on last.

Guitarwise

spare pick is arse pocket (always know where it is)

pick tin, strap, trem arm and tuner always in the case pocket

Tools

probably the worst

everything HAS to be in a specific place (drawer)

spanners/sockets in size order

 

mind it does make things easy to know where everything you want/need is

Gassage

Oh another cricket one- always get new gloves for big games (I get them free so it's not an issue)

Only use white grips on my bat

stickyfiddle

digitalscream said:

monquixote said:

I'm really conscious about not building superstitions and things like that. 

The only thing I can think of is that I'm always very particular about what I have in my pockets and where. I always have a plectrum in my left hand pocket.

Exactly. I prefer stage left, but it's not a superstition - it's more to get away from our bassist, who's a serious danger to my expensive and beloved gear

About the pockets thing...I've "trained" myself to always put certain things in certain pockets - eg picks in my left jeans pocket, cigs in my right jacket pocket, lighter in right jeans etc. Almost everything in my life has a place where it goes...and there's actually a reason for this. I used to lose things all the time when I put them down without thinking, so by forcing myself to do be consistent I now know where things are going to be when I autopilot my way through a day. Nothing gets lost now

I'm the same. Wallet and car key always right jeans pocket, phone always left. Same for stuff in work travel bags. The only exception is my headphone, which I managed to leave on a plane last week. (thankfully Oman Air found them for me )

underdog

I am pleased to say I have zero superstitions, in music or anything else anymore, when I played ice hockey I had a few and also surfing but I think I've some how got away from it as I've got older, anything I have in a certain place is now out of practicality and nothing more. I do hwowever feel more boring as a person as a result.

mike_l

General everyday stuff.

Wallet - right front trouser pocket

phone - shirt pocket

Work keys - trouser leg pocket (at work, in the desk drawer lock)

Out of work

phone/keys left front trouser/jeans pocket.

Loobs

Always like to return guitars to standard tuni g when I finish playing them.

Gassage

Loobs said:

Always like to return guitars to standard tuni g when I finish playing them.

Yeah but that's logical as prevents truss rod/set up strain?

Loobs

Drop D?