(The cheque's in the mail Rick!)

Actually the only time I use a damper pedal on a piano is when I'm wondering around the bowels of a hotel, and come upon an idle baby grand sitting there that I want to check out, and I want to play quietly and not draw other transients into ''my little space''. But the damper pedal on a piano, mutes it very little. There is still sustain.

Not so when you mute the strings on a geetar. Now don't get me wrong. I do recognise that this is just another trick in the old bag of chops (and I can do it). I just choose not to on an acoustic guitar. I would, to achieve certain effects and percussiveness, if playing electric, but I don't play electric. (And of course there will be those who will tell me that this same effect is useful on an acoustic.) I'm not arguing. I just haven't played ANY tune on an acoustic guitar that sounds better to MY ears, muted, than when allowed to sustain and ring out.

My 2 cents anyway......and I appreciate ALL of the responses in this thread!