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Curious how you all deal with your guitars--especially high end stuff, sustaining "accidents" that happen? I've owned/own some really nice instruments and always take good care of my stuff. I baby them and don't take the nicer stuff out to gigs where they might potentially get banged around like on tight stages, bar gigs, etc. It never seems to fail though that the ones I baby the most end up getting dings, chips, scratches, etc--often by freak little accidents--even in supposedly "safe" environments like a sterile gigs, and even at home. You know, the bump into a stand, slip of the screwdriver, a bandmate bumping headstocks with you by accident and so forth. And then there's the mysterious damages that just appear for no reason!
Well I buy my instruments to use, but if one of these things happen I get a real sick feeling in my stomach--and kind of go through a "mourning" process--questioning why I have nice pieces, why I don't just buy "player" pieces or "relics", and so on. (Funny those guitars never have accidents) Then I try to convince myself that it's all part of the deal, comes with the territory, and so forth. Some minor things I feel compelled to see about repairing if possible--some can't be. The feelings usually last for a few hours or days, and then I'm generally good. The biggest accident I had was a broken headstock on a nice Gibson acoustic, after the completion of a 12 gigs over 4 days engagement. I was sick the whole way home and probably for a week after. While it was repaired very well I couldn't wait to get rid of it as it still carried the traumatic feeling!
I'm guessing in the old days that fine instruments were seen more as tools and less as collectibles--and guys could care less bout banging up their L5 on the bandstand. In today's world it seems like the thought is that every flaw, no matter how minor, is $$ taken off of the value, which doesn't help!
Thoughts?
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11-01-2015 04:32 PM
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I don't mind! My Gibson is a half a year old and it's got a load of scratches already. It's a guitar, it's a utility. It's the platform, the tool with which I convey how I feel. It's only appropriate that it itself has some soul
Look at Metheny's cracked and beaten ES-175... one of the most beautiful guitars in the world IMO. A guitar is meant to be played. Someone spent a long time to make a player's instrument- what good is it sitting in its case? Play and let bruises be bruises.
Don't get me wrong, I try to avoid damage and all, but think of it like battle scars - visual reminders that this piece of wood has endured and served.
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This is one reason I hate shiny new guitars. When you consider the "brite/shiny" characteristic as part of the "worth" of a guitar you are in a losing battle. With my guitars, they are all road-worn with lots of bumps and bruises. Their "worth" is defined by playibility and tone. I'd much rather have a worn guitar with bumps, bruises, scratches, etc.
I personally hate shiny , new guitars although I do own one. I don't care if it sustains minor damage though.
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Fine guitars are like works of art to me. Every one I have is special and is treated like a valuable object.
Things happen. And when they do, it's not taken lightly. They are my babies.
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Dings and scratches are unavoidable unless you never play the guitar and keep it in a glass cage or in the hard case 24/7. But even then you are not safe. The roof may leak or the house may burn. Patina is one thing, structural damage another. I much prefer guitars whose value is based on sound and playability rather than on shiny appearance and collector appeal (though the two things may coincidide). BTW, the same utility consideration goes for my cameras which all has patina.
This is how Freddie Greens guitars looked at the end of his life. Note especially the sunburst Stromberg Master 300:
Photos of Guitars Owned by Freddie Green
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+1 what Joe said. I am pretty anal about everything. I get a ding in my guitar I get it drop filled. I get a dent in my car I get it fixed. I am very type A and my son is very type B. All his guitars (I bought new) are battered with broken headstock repairs and he could care less. He wants a new PRS which will be a beater within a year and you won't even find fingerprints on my guitars. Just normal playwear. I take the best care I can of anything I have. It's just my nature. I think part of it is I grew up dirt poor with nothing. I appreciate anything I get blessed with. We don't own anything. Just temporary care takers of it. We all have different value sets. JZ may not care if his guitar is all checked but if it doesn't play and sound absolutely perfect it's gone were I may be OK with a bit of a tail rise and higher action. We are all different in what floats our boat. Some people are neat freaks and some are slobs. Is one right and one wrong ? No it is what makes you happy. There is no right or wrong answer on this one but I will say I get very upset when I get a ding in my guitar and I wish I was more like my son. My wife is like me. I think my son is the Postman's. :-)
Last edited by vinnyv1k; 11-01-2015 at 06:12 PM.
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Don't care a lick.
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I like buying used stuff for two reasons, one, someone else has taken the financial hit of the automatic depreciation that happens when a guitar goes from new to used; and two, used guitars always have a small ding somewhere. That is a good thing because when I put a ding into a guitar (invariably happens if you play them), if it wasn't perfect to begin with, it doesn't bother me terribly (it does bother me a little bit though). If I put a ding into a new, perfect high end guitar, knowing how expensive that ding was would cause me some stress. Avoiding stress is a good thing, so I avoid brand new high end guitars.
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I do love the looks of a aged guitar. Yellowed bindings and a nat spruce top that has turned orange. Beautiful. Not a big fan of heavy checking though.
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well yeah, any valuable possession should be taken care of, but wear and tear through usage are unavoidable. Part of the reason why we pay extra in many cases for lacquer finishes is because those finishes are designed to age attractively and to be repaired. So yeah, a headstock break is a nightmare but, like people, age lends character to an instrument.
Last edited by pubylakeg; 11-02-2015 at 07:19 AM.
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The first cut is the deepest.
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I think we take it harder if it's ourselves that make that ding in the instrument. You know, you pick up a used guitar with a nice patina and go, "yeah... nicely worn". Not so paranoid about that first mark. So...
Sorry to sound like I'm preaching, but there's an awful lot of more worrying issues in the world to be depressed about. I mean, pick up the guitar and play the b'jingo out of the thing. Life is short. Have fun.
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absolutely... well said...take care of your precious things cause some day they will be passed on..nothing is ours permanently..so why not leave a nice trail
Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
cheers
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I like to buy new, mainly cause I don't care much to take on some other guys who-knows-what situation -- sloppy seconds & all . . .
but there's no stopping the dings. They just keep on coming. A little gouge here, a little scratch there . . . oh, then damn there's a big one! Ouch! those big ones sure do suck. Building a little character is fine with me, but preferably without a broken headstock.
When buying used, every so often one of those well used guitars turns out to be a sorted out player . . . but not too often.
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To suffer things like this over a long period of time and to show the signs of these sufferings is an essential, basic prerequisite for your guitar to be aesthetically pleasing. -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabiIt never seems to fail though that the ones I baby the most end up getting dings, chips, scratches, etc--often by freak little accidents--even in supposedly "safe" environments like a sterile gigs, and even at home. You know, the bump into a stand, slip of the screwdriver, a bandmate bumping headstocks with you by accident and so forth. And then there's the mysterious damages that just appear for no reason!
For me, the widely spread inability to sense the asthetic aspects of a proceeding life--of both creatures and things--is the main reason for some distortions of modern life (thinking of some members of the entertainment industry, e.g. Cher, or the expected life span of many modern design objects).
Robert
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I have some higher end stuff, try to be very careful, but if it happens than it happens. Would be worse if you are afraid to play them. No major breaks or cracks please, but if a ding scratch bump or bruise happens then so be it.
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Dings, scratches etc. are signs of love and use. It's a guitar, not a religious relic. I am more interested in how it plays and sounds than how it looks.
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Back in art school, it was "evidence of process". On the bandstand, my policy was to protect the instrument to the greatest extent possible - it was either in my hands and under my physical control, or safely in the case, out of the way. When stuff inevitably happens, it's not from carelessness, and I try to be philosophical about it. In the music shop, looking at pre-owned guitars, I look for evidence of use - an instrument that has been played a lot probably got that way for a reason. Evidence of abuse, on the other hand, is a red flag. I've tried to leave used instruments in better shape than I have found them (old Boy Scout habit) and have sometimes succeeded. New ones, I try not to mess up. And not to cry over spilled milk.
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You know, I've always tried to buy the next guitar that I could designate as my "beater". My intentions are right, but it never happens. I thought the Tal would be that guitar. Headstock repair, shipped across the country 3-4 times, you know all the proper ingredients of a guitar you just play and wipe down once a year. Nope. The moment I saw it, Museum piece. Its just my nature. Even the Emperor Regent I owned for a short time. It wasn't immaculate when I got it so I thought, "hey this the perfect beater". Then I admired how beautiful it was and out came the buffer and the polishes.. It never ends.
JD
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I guess if I actually had anything truly valuable I'd be more nervous about cosmetic damage. But I don't, so I'm not. I try to be careful, and have never had major damage done (e.g., broken headstock) to any guitar I've owned, but I don't get upset about dings. I keep instruments for a very long time, so the dings are all mine, and are to an extent memento mori. One of these days, though I'm getting that lacquer chip filled in on my flattop. Been saying that for maybe 30 years, but one of these days ...
John
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I wish I could be you. My life would be less stressful. Originally Posted by fws6
By the way, everytime I visit your website, I am impressed. You really do have "NiceGuitars".. (and they all tend to have beautiful pickguards on them..)
Thanks, Joe D.
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I love the wabi-sabi comment
Also pertaining to this discussion is the "garage queen" concept that comes up with nice cars & motorcycles.
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When a ding is fresh it bothers me but after it ages a bit I'm fine with it.
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The cure is to look at Tommy Emmanuel's guitars, or some other seriously great player like Freddie Green's, whenever you get to feeling bad. Unless you lock the guitar in a case under the bed and never play it, it is going to show signs of use. Use and abuse are different.
Also, there are collectors, players, and those in between. I like to collect players, and strive to maintain them in the best possible condition. What's interesting is that some of the old warriors, with repairs and checked finish that I've seen and played are some of the best sounding and playing guitars.
It's also not good to stress out about things too much. It's hard to see how one can focus on playing the music if you're focused on how pristine and unblemished the guitar.
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Tend to approach guitars a bit like cars.
I hate to buy new because you basically get screwed, I prefer to let the original buyer take the loss.
Then when I get it, first it is all about cleaning and shinning it and spotting all the little annoying things teasing my ocd.
Once I realize it is man made and not perfect and basically a tool, I start to be a bit less anal and some minor scratches might appear.
However my nature is to always care for my stuff (sometime too much), so my guitars like my cars tend to never get much ding or scratches even if I use them.
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