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30 Nov 01 - 03:32 PM (#601110) Subject: Goodbye to a guitar From: Cappuccino When I was a young and new guitarist, before I matured into an old and crabby one, I used to preach: "never sell your best guitar – once day, it may be the only thing that makes you money when you need it." Many years later, me and my young son have hit hard times, and the only playing I'm doing is church and charity, so I got on the train to London with my beautiful 1970s Fender bass, and sold it to a 'rare and vintage' guitar shop… not for as much as I had hoped, but certainly for more than I paid twenty-something years ago, which just shows the value of buying a classy instrument. Over the years, I had often picked that guitar out of its case as lovingly as lifting a baby… but to my surprise, when it came to the last moment, I was surprised how easy it was to part with it. What struck me more was that the guitar shop was full of beautiful 1950s Gibsons and Martins, and several incredible items – a very early Les Paul which just oozed class, one of the old Everleys jumbos, a unique Rickenbacker prototype, and a 1950s Gretsch made of knotty pine (!) with leatherwork inlays all around the sides. All valued at pension-fund amounts, which made the price of my Fender look pretty silly. But they all lived in glass cases. They were silent guitars. And on the train home, I realised how sad I was that these beautiful things were no longer being played. I'm happier to hope that someone buys my old Fender, and has great times with it like I did, than for it to sit in my back room, silent and unplayed, just like those guitars in the glass cases. - Ian B |
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30 Nov 01 - 03:40 PM (#601113) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: jeffp Sorry to hear of your parting, Ian. I hope it finds a nice home. jeffp |
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30 Nov 01 - 03:54 PM (#601120) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: katlaughing That's a good way to look at it, Ian. Sorry this time has come to pass for you and I hope it gets better. My dad has often said how much he wants his instruments go to good homes, where they will be played, after he is gone. All the best, kat |
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30 Nov 01 - 04:08 PM (#601129) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: gnu And, it may cause a new musical talent to awe and inspire us all. |
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30 Nov 01 - 04:37 PM (#601147) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Clinton Hammond I felt the same way mate, when I swapped my Seagull S6+Cw for a Boss ME-10 effects peddle... I hadn't played the guitar in months and I'd swear... on quiet nights, I could hear it crying softly, stored in it's case in the rehearsal hall... Now the guy that I swapped it to is teaching a young hottie to play on it, (and gettin' some for himself in the process) The last time I saw my old axe, it had a smile on its face THISbig!!! |
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30 Nov 01 - 04:38 PM (#601148) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Lonesome EJ well said. A good guitar should be an instrument, not a museum piece. Some of the least beautiful have the sweetest voices. |
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30 Nov 01 - 04:43 PM (#601155) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Midchuck This is why I'm glad my kids play...but sorry I won't be there to watch the fights over who gets which...one of these days I should redo my will to be specific. Peter. |
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30 Nov 01 - 05:09 PM (#601178) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: katlaughing Yes, you should, Peter. It's really tough on kids when the parents don't designate. My mom avoided it because she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. We did a great job of not fighting and she would have been proud of us, but it would have been better had she done so. We all play, too, but there was some estrangement years ago, so I'm not sure what dad actually plans on doing with his. He knows my feelings about it. Now, it's let the chips fall where they may. Sorry, off the soapbox now.:-) |
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30 Nov 01 - 05:29 PM (#601192) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Deckman I swear ... maintaining a very close relationship with a good guitar is a lot like a marriage. And, letting go can be as difficult ... and expensive! I collect the good olde Martins. I've had many, I still have some. Playing them is like spending time with a good, dear friend. Who was it that said: "letting go is hard to do?" CHEERS, Bob |
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30 Nov 01 - 05:46 PM (#601204) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Jerry Rasmussen Hi, Ian: Just a couple of thoughts. Back in the 60's I was living in New York and spending all my time in Greenwich Village. I met a banjo-picker back then by the name of Luke Faust. Luke was legendary in New York... Dylan wrote about him in the liner notes of his first album.He was the most wildly creative musician I've ever known, and there was something intuitive when we played together. The thing is, Luke had crap for instruments. The guitar he played was a cheap axe that someone who crashed overnight in his apartment left behind, and never bothered to come back and get. It was nylon string, when only Joan Baez wannabees would be caught dead playing nylong stringed guitars. His mandolin was equally cheap. But, he could make the worst plywood top guitar sing like an angel. At that time (as is still true) folks referred to their instruments by model number. People would ask me what model my Gibson was and I'd say, "six-string." I never have learned the model numbers of my own instruments.. the few that I have. And then, I've known people with beautiful, disgustingly expensive instruments who can't play anything but feel that they have to start with a Martin. Once they realize that it takes work to learn to play an instrument, the guitar or mandolin goes into its case and molds away in the back of the closest. I paid $10 for my mandola, and $10 for my 5-string banjo. If they don't sound like a million, it's because I don't play like a million. I too had a fender, which I bought back in the 50's... would be worth a fortune now. It was traded in on a Gibson classical, which was traded in on a Martin, which I gave away. So it goes. The music goes on. Someone told me once that "a sacrifice is giving up something good for a greater good." Looks like that's what you've done, Ian. The music is only as sweet as the person playing it. Jerry |
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30 Nov 01 - 05:47 PM (#601208) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Rick Fielding Well stated Ian. Over the last while I've sold a few of my instruments as well. I'd simply rather see them being played than hangin' on the wall. A few years ago I ventured to the famous Denmark Street in London and was simply amazed at all the vintage axes selling for prices that virtually no musician could afford. Sadly most will end up in the hands of collectors and probably will be kept in glass cases. On the positive side, You KNOW that there'll be quite few of your Mudcat friends who know exactly what you're feeling. Rick |
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30 Nov 01 - 07:47 PM (#601290) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Justa Picker I understand and empathize Ian. I too had to depart with an "old, dear friend" this summer, and I'm still feeling the loss and kicking myself over it, and realize I'll likely never be able to afford to replace it with something similar. But at the time, I had no other choice. I can only hope that the person who bought it gets as much enjoyment from owning it, as I did playing it. |
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30 Nov 01 - 08:05 PM (#601305) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: 53 i've been in the same position, i had to part with a 1965 gibson c-1 classic in 1978 to get money for my family to eat and there are times that i think about the guitar and who got it, instruments have feelings too and they don't want to be left idle, but they want to feel like a part of the family, my regrets to your loss. BOB |
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30 Nov 01 - 08:37 PM (#601341) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Jon Freeman Sorry to hear this Ian but I'm at least pleased to hear that the parting was not too painful. Like others, I share your views on instruments being there to play and I hope it does find a good home. Jon |
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01 Dec 01 - 03:41 AM (#601476) Subject: RE: BS: Goodbye to a guitar From: Cappuccino Rick, it was almost certainly the same shop! Interesting to hear how many people feel that it's good to * give * instruments away to where they will be played... something very honourable in that, it seems to me. Regards to all. - Ian B |