Finicky Dandyism And Shiny Guitars

[squirrel211]

I was the same way with my PRS until my kid/dog/wife gouged the neck, and a bandmate knocked it off its stand post-show. Now I just play it, and love making music with it! It still kicks ass.

 

[László]

There was an article in Wired about how we human beings are basically covered in bacteria and slime, to the point where we each have a cloud of gas and bacteria that goes everywhere we go that's as unique as DNA. The Wired article says that they think that criminals could be ID'd as being at a crime scene simply from their bacteria signature that's left behind.

And that's if no one farts, which adds to the gas cloud with one's inner bacteria.

Anyway, since we're all basically covered in this disgusting filth and trailing it along with us, it's awfully difficult to keep a guitar pristine even if we don't ding it.

Simply pick the darn thing up, and we've irreparably slimed it.

It was slimed at the factory by the folks that built it, it was slimed at the store if the case was so much as opened to look at it, and we slime 'em when we handle 'em.

So I am giving up on this whole "pristine guitar" concept. The alternative is putting the guitar in a decontamination chamber of some kind and keeping it there. Expose it to the air, touch at it while not wearing a hazmat suit, and you've exposed it to pretty much every disgusting thing known to mankind.

Then again, I still don't like dings very much.

 

[markintime]

There was an article in Wired about how we human beings are basically covered in bacteria and slime, to the point where we each have a cloud of gas and bacteria that goes everywhere we go that's as unique as DNA. The Wired article says that they think that criminals could be ID'd as being at a crime scene simply from their bacteria signature that's left behind.

And that's if no one farts, which adds to the gas cloud with one's inner bacteria.

Anyway, since we're all basically covered in this disgusting filth and trailing it along with us, it's awfully difficult to keep a guitar pristine even if we don't ding it.

Simply pick the darn thing up, and we've irreparably slimed it.

It was slimed at the factory by the folks that built it, it was slimed at the store if the case was so much as opened to look at it, and we slime 'em when we handle 'em.

So I am giving up on this whole "pristine guitar" concept. The alternative is putting the guitar in a decontamination chamber of some kind and keeping it there. Expose it to the air, touch at it while not wearing a hazmat suit, and you've exposed it to pretty much every disgusting thing known to mankind.

Then again, I still don't like dings very much.

Yeah, I can pretty much put up with all that, except for the dings. I'm with you Les, on this one!

 

[Boogie]

There was an article in Wired about how we human beings are basically covered in bacteria and slime, to the point where we each have a cloud of gas and bacteria that goes everywhere we go that's as unique as DNA. The Wired article says that they think that criminals could be ID'd as being at a crime scene simply from their bacteria signature that's left behind.

And that's if no one farts, which adds to the gas cloud with one's inner bacteria.

Anyway, since we're all basically covered in this disgusting filth and trailing it along with us, it's awfully difficult to keep a guitar pristine even if we don't ding it.

Simply pick the darn thing up, and we've irreparably slimed it.

It was slimed at the factory by the folks that built it, it was slimed at the store if the case was so much as opened to look at it, and we slime 'em when we handle 'em.

So I am giving up on this whole "pristine guitar" concept. The alternative is putting the guitar in a decontamination chamber of some kind and keeping it there. Expose it to the air, touch at it while not wearing a hazmat suit, and you've exposed it to pretty much every disgusting thing known to mankind.

Then again, I still don't like dings very much.

Ok, so to paraphrase, don't fart on your guitar. Insightful, my dear Les. Insightful.

 

[László]

Ok, so to paraphrase, don't fart on your guitar. Insightful, my dear Les. Insightful.

Actually, no. You are not paraphrasing my post.

We have the gas and bacteria cloud without farting. Farting makes it worse by adding stomach and intestinal lining bacteria, and of course, poop bacteria.

C'mon, you had very little idea that you were walking around all day, every day, as is everyone else, in your own, custom-tailored bacteria cloud.

It is insightful. That's why scientists, who just discovered the phenomenon, are interested in it.

Not being a scientist, I just think it's gross and don't want to get near anyone at all, or let them near me. If I could find a decent looking Hazmat suit, I'd sure as hell wear it all day. I'm ready to go all Howard Hughes on the world.

I say this to the world: keep your bacteria cloud the f^&* away from me and don't go NEAR my guitar! Don't even look at it!

 

[kingsleyd]

Anyway, since we're all basically covered in this disgusting filth

Why does all that gas and bacteria need to be characterized as "disgusting filth"?

Maybe that stuff is the predominant life form on this planet, and we're just here to carry it from place to place. Maybe it's US that are the disgusting filth.

 

[László]

Why does all that gas and bacteria need to be characterized as "disgusting filth"?

Because that is how I choose to characterize it, the term disgusting being entirely subjective.

You may characterize it differently.

I have seen no evidence that my disgusting filth can read English. In any case, it is not offended by my characterization, since it hasn't left me all day, despite my attempt to shower it away; on the contrary, I think my disgusting filth likes me, and I'm certain yours likes you.

P.S. Haven't you got some whales to save or something?

 

[markie]

This has taken an interesting turn ................... carry on Gents!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'm ready to go all Howard Hughes on the world.

I'd love to make you some Kleenex-box cowboy boots.

 

[dmatthews]

Why does all that gas and bacteria need to be characterized as "disgusting filth"?

Maybe that stuff is the predominant life form on this planet, and we're just here to carry it from place to place. Maybe it's US that are the disgusting filth.

I don't know why, but for some idiot reason I instantly like you.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

So I picture us walking around with Pigpen-like ecosystems following us. Is that a better paraphrase?

 

[IKnowALittle]

Well, I'm pretty sure that I'm a tool. No evidence to the contrary.
Everyone seems to think so.

That's ok, someone has to do it.

 

[CVS]

I have a few purdy PRSi. I play them just like my low end guitars. I keep fairly new strings on them but that's about it. I don't wipe them down after every practice. I don't polish off the fingerprints. Neither do I go all Pete Townshend on them, but they don't get super special treatment. I've gig'd my Artist Package Cu24. It's a tool. It's a pretty tool, but it's still a tool.

Amen to the above - But I do put my guitars back in the case after I am done with them (all except for my non PRS "beater" guitar - an old simple American made Strat - and I have the maintenance bills to prove it roud

 

[Boogie]

C'mon, you had very little idea that you were walking around all day, every day, as is everyone else, in your own, custom-tailored bacteria cloud.

Quite to the contrary. We raised two boys and one of their nicknames was germ-bags. This was clearly an inaccurate statement from the perspective of content, however, I was right on the money. Any sniffle or sneeze they acquired at school ended up being diphtheria or bubonic plague for me and Mrs. B. Very annoying. Little did I know I was on the way to being the next Jonas Salk. Career path mistakes can be so clear in retrospect.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I've taken three showers since I started reading this thread... At midnight last night!

 

[László]

So I picture us walking around with Pigpen-like ecosystems following us. Is that a better paraphrase?

Yup.

The said article I mentioned about our disgusting filth also stated: between our bacteria clouds and our innards, our body cells are actually outnumbered by the bacteria we schlep around.

Flashback:

In the 80s I had a BMW 633CSi that I used to race (it was modded with Hartge parts). But I also used to enter it in car shows, as it was a beautiful vehicle that I kept pristine. One day my mother came over while I was prepping the car for a show, and asked me what the heck I was doing in the engine compartment with a toothbrush.

"Well, at the show, there are judges who will walk around with a q-tip and stick it in the crevices of the engine compartment, under the wheel wells, etc, looking to see if it's pristine as the day it left the factory." I replied.

My mother looked at me as though I should be institutionalized, and said, "Could you pass that test?"

EDIT: Lest you all think that I'm much more OCD than I actually am, I wish to reiterate that I not only treated the car as though it was a mantelpiece model car, I also raced it. That's probably a little like gigging your PS guitar, right?

So you can be both very fussy about your stuff, and use your stuff and have a good time with it.

The things one learns from a car! :top:

 

[dogrocketp]

I may not save `em, but I`m having a whale of a time playing my PRSi and enjoying their incredible tone!

 

[Kazz]

Yup.

The said article I mentioned about our disgusting filth also stated: between our bacteria clouds and our innards, our body cells are actually outnumbered by the bacteria we schlep around.

You beat me to it! Crazy stuff to think about, huh?

We're kinda' like giant hot air balloons for them. We move them over long distances, but they don't usually control where we take them (...as far as we know). The really scary thing though is that we know of organisms that *do* take over and pilot or at least try to steer other creatures, and we know that some can have significant psychological effects on people, so who knows? Maybe some bacteria, parasite or other small organism inside of us really is at least partly responsible for where we go and what we do.

 

[rugerpc]

Salmonella will most definitely control where you go and what you do for a while...

 

[vchizzle]

Great thread, a new twist on an age old discussion. Good stuff
I spec'd my PS to be played. Will I be more careful with it??? probably. I'll still play the crap out of it cause that's how I'm wired. I spec'd it with tone and gigging functionality in mind with the nicest looking wood I saw that day. I tone tapped necks for a good bit and even inquired about what I was hearing. I maintain my guitars but don't baby them. I'll be just fine after the first ding(which I'm sure I'll shed a quick tear over). When you play multi band gigs all the time, if you land in the middle band slots, time is at a premium. It's pretty hard to be anal about clean up on the spot in those situations. I will get blood on my sword. BLOOD WILL BE SHED!!! I won't have it any other way.