Case Queens

I can't afford guitars that I don't play, so mine get played and it shows. I don't deliberately abuse them, but both my '92 CU24 and my '08 Core Mira are naturally road worn. Recently picked up a mint 2018 SE CU24 and I am just waiting for the first ding to break that one in!
 
Julian said:
Hey y’all

I was wondering if any of you guys feel a little ridiculous playing high end models. I have a WL10T 594 and it feels more like a piece of art; I hate getting scratches and would be devastated if I ever dinged it. It sounds ridiculous but sometimes I feel overwhelmed when playing it. When I practice and mess around I prefer using my S2.

Anybody else think this way?
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Wrap your shirt around your 8" WWE belt buckle, and PLAY that thing. I'm careful with mine. Don't bang them around. Don't stage dive. Usually try to keep it two two forward and one backward somersaults. (I have been allowing myself a couple extras these last few weeks because I get fired up watching the Olympics at night). But I have almost no marks on any of my guitars, and I'm a rocker.
 
I don’t gig, but I don’t have a problem taking expensive guitars out to lessons which include occasional group band practice. I am pretty guarded with all my guitars though, every bump and ding gives me great sadness. They all stay in the cases when not in hand to keep the colors from fade and the leather straps from marking the finish. They all get played though, some more than others.

If I were to do a gig in a bar for a couple hours I would take my least expensive guitar, an American Series Telecaster. I’d still be sad if it got damaged, however, that comes with the territory.
 
vchizzle said:
A scratch or ding isn’t going to ruin the guitar through. It just means it’s been played and probably loved.
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That attitude works if one never plans to sell an instrument. Condition affects resale value with PRS guitars more so than other brands, especially the higher end models. Unlike other brands, PRS guitars are usually purchased more for their beauty today than any other attribute. Scratches, dings, and chips mean that money is permanently leaving one's pocket.

The crazy thing is that the guitars being made today are much better from a tonal point of view than the old Annapolis shop guitars. Even my lowly Mira Korina is more resonant than my old Annapolis shop Standard 24. That guitar was just too darn dark and non-resonant. I eBayed that guitar after three pickup changes failed to improve things.
 
I’d play it, as I do all of mine, but I do hate it when they get dinged. Still, I bought them with gig money, so they earn their keep and pay it forward, in a way.

If I had a mega nice PS I might enjoy that one away from the stage, but all of mine are core or artist and get regular use. It’s your guitar though, so if you want to keep the nice one aside and play the S2, there’s nothing wrong with it.
 
If I keep it, I'll gig it - not going to keep something I won't play. Not that I'm giggling at the moment, I'm in between projects.

That said, I do sometimes choose the guitar based on the gig. With one of my previous bands, for instance, we got convinced to play an outdoor party, on a mildly rainy night. We also knew the crew for whom we were playing were very heavy drinkers, and tended to get rowdy and occasionally climb on stage. At the time I had a 2009 Sunburst 22, a 1998 CE 22, a 2009 Mira, and a Blacktop Tele. I took the Tele and left the others at home. I've happily gigged the PRSes elsewhere, though.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I know it can take you new guys a while to figure it out, but we have all the answers here. ;)
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Hehe, as one of them "new guys" I totally understand that statement. All part of the learning process to my way of thinking. There's always a significant segment of the membership of any online community that carry the "Yoda" mystique.

I'm a certified (certifiable?) m/c nut and I turned a couple of my bikes into show pieces which involved a ton of money and a real devotion to time and presentation prep. But I still rode them, never trailered or hauled them to a show or rally. My track bike was enough of a "cherry" that I could have kept it stock and maintained a cult bike that I could sell at the drop of the hat for way more than I paid for it. But that isn't me. It now has rash and scars from drops and crashes, but I love it all the more for it. That's my growing guitar family. I will always use them.
 
Daryl Jones said:
There's always a significant segment of the membership of any online community that carry the "Yoda" mystique.
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hmmm, well, obviously that's not me. I'm not so much an advanced philosopher. I'm much more of a "common sense" type guy. I learned that even when you know you are 100% right, these days, you can't say so. You have to say "here is my opinion on the matter." And while I cringe like a weenie every time do that just so I don't offend someone, I've learned how to get my point across in ways that are more common sense, and thus harder to argue with. I like to use analogies. Here is an example:

If I were to address the real topic of this thread, I would probably say "You do whatever you want with your guitars, and I'll do whatever I want with mine, and we're all happy. But if I marry Julie Bowen, I'm not putting her in a display case for safe keeping. I'm getting her out every night and playing with her as much as possible. If she gets a ding or scratch here and there, that's all part of the fun."

See, when you put it like that, it's much harder to argue with. ;)
 
Remember, there are actually people who pay a premium to buy a brand new instrument that has been intentionally "relic'd". Granted, this tends to be the Monster Energy Drink / Affliction Jeans crowd. At least you're not playing with them, mauling Nickelback covers with a "distressed" LTD Les Paul ripoff at Sharkey's Bar and Lounge on Rt 14.

Regardless, it's always hard to see that first scuff, nic or scratch on an otherwise babied guitar but, eh, life... you know? A few love bites give it character. I don't gig (does anyone anymore?), I barely ever even take my fiddles out of the house, but I play the everloving crap out of them.
 
Em7 said:
That attitude works if one never plans to sell an instrument. Condition affects resale value with PRS guitars more so than other brands, especially the higher end models. Unlike other brands, PRS guitars are usually purchased more for their beauty today than any other attribute. Scratches, dings, and chips mean that money is permanently leaving one's pocket.

The crazy thing is that the guitars being made today are much better from a tonal point of view than the old Annapolis shop guitars. Even my lowly Mira Korina is more resonant than my old Annapolis shop Standard 24. That guitar was just too darn dark and non-resonant. I eBayed that guitar after three pickup changes failed to improve things.
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Never said it didn’t affect value. People thinking their mint guitars warrant near new prices is also unrealistic. Should it command a better price? Sure. More often than not, those guitars asking prices are near new prices. No thanks- the “like new” guitar carries no warranty. It’s not a new guitar. It’s still used. In today’s market, maybe you pull it off. You can play the guitar or not. No matter to me, but the unreal pricing expectations blow me away. Unless you have something super rare or special, new prices for a used “everyday, run of the mill” guitar, well…ok…I’ll buy it new. I’ll sell my used guitar at whatever the appropriate price is for condition. I got use and hopefully enjoyment out of it. I’ve sold guitars dead mint for a good price. I didn’t bond with those guitars. The guitars I love get played a bunch, probably gigged. If people prefer to just display and admire, cool. Depends on what you bought the guitar for. I’m a guitar player, so that’s what I do. In the rare event I play someone else’s guitar, I treat it like a new guitar in a music store. With care and utmost respect.
 
The problem with core and better PRS guitars is that most guitarists who manage to scrape together enough money to purchase one want a guitar that is in perfect condition. That is due in large part to the fact that PRS guitars are status symbols in addition to being well-made instruments. All of my PRS case queens sold quickly for good money. Maybe not the current new price, but current new price is usually significantly more than I paid for the instruments. I have never purchased instruments new from any other manufacturer that will sell for remotely close to the price I paid if I wait a few years. I paid $3,100 for my McCarty 58 at Experience 2012. I sold it late last year for $3,300 and I could have gotten more for the instrument. I have my 2009 Mira Korina since early 2010. I only has one very shallow tiny ding on the upper bout that one really has look for to see, but it has been played quite a bit. I believe that is due in large part to the fact that the guitar is so light. My heavy guitars always end with more dings than my light guitars.
 
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