I'm reading a very good book on the Civil War by Shelby Foote, a wonderful writer who has the chops to really bring history to life. In describing the reaction of certain Southerners to one of their generals, he said they regarded him as a "finicky dandy hesitant to bloody a bright new sword."
You know what? The first thing that popped into my head reading this was what a finicky dandy I can be about the care of my own weapons -- namely, my guitars.
It's a great 19th century-style expression, and implies so much!
Now, before you think I have case queens, I play them every day, in recording sessions, for practice, and when jamming. 3 out of 4 are Private Stocks, and none of them are put away in vaults. They get played. But I do try to keep them as pristine as I can. In fact, worry about keeping them that way. There's a psychological thing there that probably has a lot to do with various neuroses, but in any case, I'm borderline that finicky dandy. If my guitars were swords, I'd probably worry about getting blood on them, too.
Well, it's something I'm working on fixing. Really. They say the first step fixing a problem is to acknowledge that you have it.
There are an awful lot of finicky dandies here in PRS-land, and probably all over the guitar playing world. We've all read posts by guys who are afraid to play their guitars, and sell them because they're afraid to play them - which really makes no sense at all, since if you're not afraid to sell it, why be afraid to play it?? We read posts by players who are incensed about the slightest imperfection in their guitars.
I dunno about you, but I've yet to have an absolutely perfect guitar. People who make them are human. Non-PRS parts can have issues and fail. I mean, who can control that?
On another forum there was even a thread where someone was p.o.'ed that PRS had the nerve to paint new guitars the same color as the older one they have that the OP thought was a comparatively rare color PRS. Huh?? I sure hope that post was tongue in cheek.
Sure, like a fancy 19th Century sword, guitars are expensive. Certainly, they're beautiful! Sure, it's a great idea to keep 'em as nice as you can.
But they're not ceremonial objects to be looked at and worshipped. They weren't built so some peacock can parade around with a shiny object. Their primary purpose is to have music made with them. Everything else, including the obvious fact that they're in some ways works of art, is a secondary function.
I know this, you know this, and yet...there are times I'm that strutting peacock of a Dandy, finicky about his guitars. I confess. How about you?
You know what? The first thing that popped into my head reading this was what a finicky dandy I can be about the care of my own weapons -- namely, my guitars.
It's a great 19th century-style expression, and implies so much!
Now, before you think I have case queens, I play them every day, in recording sessions, for practice, and when jamming. 3 out of 4 are Private Stocks, and none of them are put away in vaults. They get played. But I do try to keep them as pristine as I can. In fact, worry about keeping them that way. There's a psychological thing there that probably has a lot to do with various neuroses, but in any case, I'm borderline that finicky dandy. If my guitars were swords, I'd probably worry about getting blood on them, too.
Well, it's something I'm working on fixing. Really. They say the first step fixing a problem is to acknowledge that you have it.
There are an awful lot of finicky dandies here in PRS-land, and probably all over the guitar playing world. We've all read posts by guys who are afraid to play their guitars, and sell them because they're afraid to play them - which really makes no sense at all, since if you're not afraid to sell it, why be afraid to play it?? We read posts by players who are incensed about the slightest imperfection in their guitars.
I dunno about you, but I've yet to have an absolutely perfect guitar. People who make them are human. Non-PRS parts can have issues and fail. I mean, who can control that?
On another forum there was even a thread where someone was p.o.'ed that PRS had the nerve to paint new guitars the same color as the older one they have that the OP thought was a comparatively rare color PRS. Huh?? I sure hope that post was tongue in cheek.
Sure, like a fancy 19th Century sword, guitars are expensive. Certainly, they're beautiful! Sure, it's a great idea to keep 'em as nice as you can.
But they're not ceremonial objects to be looked at and worshipped. They weren't built so some peacock can parade around with a shiny object. Their primary purpose is to have music made with them. Everything else, including the obvious fact that they're in some ways works of art, is a secondary function.
I know this, you know this, and yet...there are times I'm that strutting peacock of a Dandy, finicky about his guitars. I confess. How about you?
