How valuable is "too valuable to gig"

Skipped

If you can look after yourself.....no one is going to take it off you (obviously).
But down time is awkward. When I think about guitars left in "dressing rooms" for 20 minutes with no lock on the door, it makes me shudder to think how much we were riding our luck.

I think you need a system where everybody can relax except for one person who's turn it is not to relax.

Strangefan

I take my 64 guild f20 to any gig I can, because it's the best sounding guitar,  and it needs to have heard. 

ICBM

digitalscream said:

I once had a guy from a support band try to nick my JCA22H, thinking it was a boutique amp of some sort (I had the custom metal grille on it). I pointed out that it was worth less on the second hand market than the average delay pedal...he quietly put it down and walked away.

Then I posted it on his band's page, repeatedly (he kept taking it down, but couldn't figure out how to block me). He "left" the band shortly afterwards.

If anyone tries to try to nick my Trem-o-verb they're probably too big to argue with anyway .

Speaking of boutique stuff I did have someone try to get my Fuzz Factory off my pedalboard when my back was turned setting the amp up - but because I bolt my pedals down, he found himself lifting the whole 40lb+ board and there was a massive crash as it fell back onto the stage. When I spun round his hand was still above the pedal, and he mumbled something about "just wanting to see what it was" and looked embarrassed .

Fretwired

For me it wouldn't be a value issue, more of a 'could I replace it if stolen' .. I have one Strat which has been heavily modified and is irreplaceable  so I never take it out of the house.

musicman100

The truth is that that most people at gigs wouldn't know the difference between a £50 n £5000.
The biggest risk I guess would be from  damage.
The only guitars I wouldn't take out would be my rare ones.

digitalscream

ICBM said:

digitalscream said:

I once had a guy from a support band try to nick my JCA22H, thinking it was a boutique amp of some sort (I had the custom metal grille on it). I pointed out that it was worth less on the second hand market than the average delay pedal...he quietly put it down and walked away.

Then I posted it on his band's page, repeatedly (he kept taking it down, but couldn't figure out how to block me). He "left" the band shortly afterwards.

If anyone tries to try to nick my Trem-o-verb they're probably too big to argue with anyway .

Regardless of their size, you could probably call the coppers while taking a leisurely walk after them.

Misty

My '64 Strat gets played every gig, because I prefer it to my other Strats. It's a refin and definitely not worth top dollar, but still a few grand, though I just think there's no point in having it if I don't use it. My '64 335 is all original, and gets gigged regularly, though I'm definitely more selective about where I take it. I'm also that guy who always keeps an eye on the gear, but I do hate those gigs where you have to unload the stuff then go off and find a parking space before you can set up.

timmysoft

digitalscream said:

I know guys who regularly gig their Vanquish guitars, which are all in the £3k - £4.5k ballpark.

Personally, all three of my main guitars (both Jaden Rose Teles and the green N4) are incredibly valuable to me and they're certainly not particularly replaceable. The N4 is the only one which doesn't leave the house, though, because I'd never be able to get another one exactly like it.

Yeah i used to throw my Vanquish around live, probably the most battered model in their history, i did 200+ gigs with it though, it was an ace guitar, i think Gizz owns it now.

Guitars are a tool, not an ornament, its ok to treat your tools with respect, but they have a job to do. 

digitalscream

timmysoft said:

digitalscream said:

I know guys who regularly gig their Vanquish guitars, which are all in the £3k - £4.5k ballpark.

Personally, all three of my main guitars (both Jaden Rose Teles and the green N4) are incredibly valuable to me and they're certainly not particularly replaceable. The N4 is the only one which doesn't leave the house, though, because I'd never be able to get another one exactly like it.

Yeah i used to throw my Vanquish around live, probably the most battered model in their history, i did 200+ gigs with it though, it was an ace guitar, i think Gizz owns it now.

Guitars are a tool, not an ornament, its ok to treat your tools with respect, but they have a job to do. 

Interesting, I didn't think Gizz had tastes that expensive.

This is one of the reasons that I prefer wood finishes, though - they tend to wear better, particularly in the intermediate stage between "brand new" and "well-worn".

professorben

digitalscream said:

ICBM said:

GavRichList said:

I gig my '62 Jaguar, but I am getting a shade twitchy about it. It's not the gig itself, but the down time before and after playing - you don't always have somewhere totally secure to store it and I have visions of someone simply picking up the hiscox and casually wandering out with it.

When I'm gigging I'm always the boring sod who insists on someone staying within sight of the gear at all times - me, if no-one else will. A few years ago I spotted someone pick up one of my guitarist's Gibson cases and start to walk off with it - I stopped him, but it turned out he was the guitarist in one of the other bands and had made a genuine mistake, thinking it was his (identical) case… although even then, swapping a Les Paul Studio for a Les Paul Custom would have been quite an upgrade for him .

I once had a guy from a support band try to nick my JCA22H, thinking it was a boutique amp of some sort (I had the custom metal grille on it). I pointed out that it was worth less on the second hand market than the average delay pedal...he quietly put it down and walked away.

Then I posted it on his band's page, repeatedly (he kept taking it down, but couldn't figure out how to block me). He "left" the band shortly afterwards.

I said sorry goddammit!!!! 

professorben

So I can understand the guys not wanting to regularly gig 'pristine' guitars, where that one ding is going to haunt you every time you pick it up forever after, but what about relic guitars? Or aged?
for example a Tom Murphy LP or a Custom Shop Fender? 

professorben

digitalscream said:

timmysoft said:

digitalscream said:

I know guys who regularly gig their Vanquish guitars, which are all in the £3k - £4.5k ballpark.

Personally, all three of my main guitars (both Jaden Rose Teles and the green N4) are incredibly valuable to me and they're certainly not particularly replaceable. The N4 is the only one which doesn't leave the house, though, because I'd never be able to get another one exactly like it.

I'm sure I've seen you gig the N4???

digitalscream

professorben said:

digitalscream said:

timmysoft said:

digitalscream said:

I know guys who regularly gig their Vanquish guitars, which are all in the £3k - £4.5k ballpark.

Personally, all three of my main guitars (both Jaden Rose Teles and the green N4) are incredibly valuable to me and they're certainly not particularly replaceable. The N4 is the only one which doesn't leave the house, though, because I'd never be able to get another one exactly like it.

I'm sure I've seen you gig the N4???

Yep, but only in the early days - before I realised it's actually pretty rare, and before I got my Series 2. I also had a Dean Vendetta 3.0 as a spare, which offends me so much by its existence that I lent it to somebody about 5 years ago and never asked for it back.

ICBM

professorben said:

So I can understand the guys not wanting to regularly gig 'pristine' guitars, where that one ding is going to haunt you every time you pick it up forever after, but what about relic guitars? Or aged?
for example a Tom Murphy LP or a Custom Shop Fender? 

This is actually one of the main justifications for relic'ed guitars - it takes away that worry because you lose no value for a minor ding.

Although it seems to be true that genuine wear devalues a guitar whereas fake wear increases it - or at least makes it more expensive to buy - which is very odd.

I've always gigged guitars which were pristine (or at least very close to it) when I got them, too. I'm reasonably sure I've dinged every guitar I've ever owned more than briefly though.

TimmyO

digitalscream said:

I know guys who regularly gig their Vanquish guitars, which are all in the £3k - £4.5k ballpark.

Personally, all three of my main guitars (both Jaden Rose Teles and the green N4) are incredibly valuable to me and they're certainly not particularly replaceable. The N4 is the only one which doesn't leave the house, though, because I'd never be able to get another one exactly like it.

That makes sense to me - if it can't be replaced is probably the only reason I wouldn't 

ICBM

TimmyO said:

That makes sense to me - if it can't be replaced is probably the only reason I wouldn't 

That's the main reason I do have some slight concerns about my 381 - it's not only more expensive than I could easily afford to replace (and it's not properly insured since I don't gig professionally and it's not really worth the cost), it's also a very rare guitar, especially in black which is the only colour I would want. It hasn't stopped me using it yet but I could imagine some gigs where it might.

shugz

I regularly gigged my old 1960 355. I had an £800 car at the time as well......

Guitarists are a funny lot

In all seriousness though I don't see the point in having something and not using it. For me it honestly was never the pose value (well, Ok a little be daft to deny it) but i got a real kick out of playing it and it sounded fab. A lot of coin to have on 'show' but for me I just watched where I left it and didn't take too many silly chances with it plus carried a Tele as a spare/ weapon of destruction in case things got lairy.

Buy, use, enjoy would be my stance on this.

Cheers 
Hugh

Neil

ICBM said:

GavRichList said:

I gig my '62 Jaguar, but I am getting a shade twitchy about it. It's not the gig itself, but the down time before and after playing - you don't always have somewhere totally secure to store it and I have visions of someone simply picking up the hiscox and casually wandering out with it.

When I'm gigging I'm always the boring sod who insists on someone staying within sight of the gear at all times - me, if no-one else will.

Very wise.

I'm currently reading Steve Jones' book -  and the instruments and gear he nicked..........

thomasross20

Bugger it! 
There was one gig (penicuik) where a fight almost broke out and I feared for my violet PRS but I've got insurance. Stuff it, they're meant to be played. 

I'd rather be a great player than a rich collector! Unfortunately I'm neither  

midlifecrisis

im a bit weird, none of my gear is expensive, my dearest is the les paul studio probably worth £500 tops , i dont mind gigging it and bashing it around and allowing it to build up "mojo",  but when i recently bought a squier affinity tele worth about £120 i was very precious about getting it scratched or marked, quickly realized that a nuclear explosion probably wouldnt mark it which is a shame cos it could do with some reliccing, its too new looking.  other than that, i try and keep an eye on gear, especially loading in and out of places.