Modern eagles

[veinbuster]

I would like to keep it pristine. I tend to be a little clumsy and unintentionally careless with stuff so dings, knocks, scratches and whatnot are common.

Fair enough.
It would be hard for me not to play it, but I'm pretty easy on my guitars as far as scarring them is concerned. The natural wear showing on the finish of my Les Paul bothered me for quite a while. The fingerboard wear on my PRS just strike me as character. I play everything, and the high end ones are such a joy to play that I couldn't possibly let them become museum pieces.

And about bicycles: the one I ride the most is the most expensive one I own by a good margin. I paid for precision and shows - just like buying a private stock.

 

[11top]

I am.

:tongue:

Hmmmmmm.......so pristine isn't important, but color is?

 

[László]

What makes one man happy doesn't necessarily make another happy. As individuals, we decide for ourselves what pleases us. I know collectors who don't even play, but they are happy to own "works of art." Who is to say that that concept is wrong?

I have a number of guitars. Have I played all of them? Yes, but I also own some that are not going to a gig. For example, when I ordered my PS doubleneck, I knew I was buying it as a piece of art. I don't want it battle scarred. Like Sheryl said, "if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad" (and historians tell us that Socrates agreed).

I have private stocks that I gig, but I'm happy to own guitars for reasons of my own choosing.

These are certainly good points, too. Everyone has to be happy in his or her own way. You'll get no argument from me on that. And no need to drag everything to a show or the road.

But the thing is, these instruments embody two kinds of art. One is physical beauty. The other is the art and craft of making a musical instrument. That functional stuff is a pretty special part of the package, and to fully appreciate the instrument you have to play it. To only experience looking at it, and miss out on the other special and important part of the art, is to miss an awful lot of what you have.

I'd argue that it's not only special to play it, but that it's the main point of making the thing. And when museums show off their Strads and other instruments, they bring players in to demonstrate how they sound.

Certainly it's nice to be able to open a case and take a look at a perfect work of art, but I think it's nicer still to be able to take that work of art and put it to its intended use. That's a gift the owner can give himself/herself every day, and it costs nothing extra.

Eliminate that, and one misses out on that very important part of the art and craftsmanship, not to mention the thing's raison d'être.

In any event, I play mine because that's what gives me the most pleasure. I can only speak for myself.

 

[László]

Hmmmmmm.......so pristine isn't important, but color is?

The distinction of course, is that with the whole color thing Tag was addressing the looks part, but by playing it he still gets to enjoy the whole work of art.

Certainly the looks can be important. However, someone who only looks at it misses another really big part of what the thing is all about.

Whether that matters to the owner is up to the owner of course.

A blind person might be able to enjoy the Mona Lisa by feeling the surface of the canvas, or smelling it. But unfortunately, he misses out on what the thing is about in the first place.

If I cut my arm off, preserve it, and put it in a case, it might look really cool and interesting, but it would kind of be a waste of an arm.

 

[11top]

These are certainly good points, too. Everyone has to be happy in his or her own way. You'll get no argument from me on that. And no need to drag everything to a show or the road.

But the thing is, these instruments embody two kinds of art. One is physical beauty. The other is the art and craft of making a musical instrument. That functional stuff is a pretty special part of the package, and to fully appreciate the instrument you have to play it. To only experience looking at it, and miss out on the other special and important part of the art, is to miss an awful lot of what you have.

I'd argue that it's not only special to play it, but that it's the main point of making the thing. And when museums show off their Strads and other instruments, they bring players in to demonstrate how they sound.

Certainly it's nice to be able to open a case and take a look at a perfect work of art, but I think it's nicer still to be able to take that work of art and put it to its intended use. That's a gift the owner can give himself/herself every day, and it costs nothing extra.

Eliminate that, and one misses out on that very important part of the art and craftsmanship, not to mention the thing's raison d'être.

In any event, I play mine because that's what gives me the most pleasure. I can only speak for myself.

No argument, Les.

My only point is that I get tired of others dictating why somebody else should or shouldn't do this or that (unless it infringes on the rights of others).

 

[László]

No argument, Les.

My only point is that I get tired of others dictating why somebody else should or shouldn't do this or that (unless it infringes on the rights of others).

And you're absolutely right about dictating to others what to do.

I try to keep it in the realm of suggesting things for others to think about. If it sounds like dictating, I apologize.

 

[11top]

The distinction of course, is that with the whole color thing Tag was addressing the looks part, but by playing it he still gets to enjoy the whole work of art.

Certainly the looks can be important. However, someone who only looks at it misses another really big part of what the thing is all about.

Whether that matters to the owner is up to the owner of course.

A blind person might be able to enjoy the Mona Lisa by feeling the surface of the canvas, or smelling it. But unfortunately, he misses out on what the thing is about in the first place.

If I cut my arm off, preserve it, and put it in a case, it might look really cool and interesting, but it would kind of be a waste of an arm.

It's not a waste to the owner if he or she is getting exactly what he or she wanted.


And, FWIW Les, you have some of the most interesting posts on this forum. :top:

 

[Tag]

Hmmmmmm.......so pristine isn't important, but color is?

Correct!!! :rock:

Hey Steve, you know I am only joking I hope! While I feel all guitars should be played, especially REALLY nice ones, its always up to the person who bought it. The post I was referring to sounded to me like he really wanted to play it, but was afraid to because of the possibility of it getting a scratch. Thus my responses. If someone buys a guitar just to look at, they have every right to do that of course!

 

[Tag]

It's not a waste to the owner if he or she is getting exactly what he or she wanted.

Just wanted to say that of course I agree with you here as well. I know there are some people who do not even play guitar, and just buy them because they like the way they look. Who is to say that is wrong?

 

[László]

It's not a waste to the owner if he or she is getting exactly what he or she wanted.


And, FWIW Les, you have some of the most interesting posts on this forum. :top:

Thanks! It's fun to contribute whatever it is I can.

I'm going to say maybe my use of "waste" is the use of the wrong word. I simply mean 100% of the potential of what the guitar can do isn't used.

For the owner who is getting exactly what is desired, you are right, nothing that was wanted is going to waste at all.

And I do get the thrill of opening a case and seeing pristine guitars. I guess I'll need to get my arm back.

 

[Tag]

For the owner who is getting exactly what is desired, you are right, nothing that was wanted is going to waste at all.

Do I see a bit of a former lawyer coming out in that accentuated "wanted"?? You do know that can be argued against from several different angles.

 

[11top]

Correct!!! :rock:

Hey Steve, you know I am only joking I hope! While I feel all guitars should be played, especially REALLY nice ones, its always up to the person who bought it. The post I was referring to sounded to me like he really wanted to play it, but was afraid to because of the possibility of it getting a scratch. Thus my responses. If someone buys a guitar just to look at, they have every right to do that of course!

Understood. It's all good. And, please don't get the wrong idea. I play most everything I own, but there are a few like my millennium dragon that is not going to a gig.

Since this started out as a ME1 thread, here's an ME1 that used to be my main gigging axe, and it has a ding (or two) to show for it. :evil:



I also turned last Saturday night and successfully managed to put my R9 headstock into my mic stand.

 

[11top]

I guess I'll need to get my arm back.

:rofl:

 

[László]

That ME SC Trem is off the chart!

 

[IKnowALittle]

Yes, all valid opinions. Everyone's priorities and values are different and they change over time. I own a lot of guitars, too many in fact. Can't possibly play them all, I simply don't play that often at home. At the moment, I mainly use three guitars, the Ibanez as my "hacking around, don't give a dang about it" guitar. My Artist V for serious practice and recording at home and my 2011 Studio for gigs. I take my 25th anniversary SAS as my backup to gigs and it sometimes gets work. Anyway, it's all good. My guitar preferences are written in sand, not concrete and change often. It's a little weird, I'm actually pretty elegant at gigs, certainly not ballerina-like (lol), but really klutzy at home and elsewhere.

 

[themike]

I dont own an ME....... I believe Steve has an ME singlecut in Charcoal that I dream about regularly if that counts though!

And, FWIW Les, you have some of the most interesting posts on this forum. :top:

You guys are the best [bro hugs]

 

[Tag]

Understood. It's all good. And, please don't get the wrong idea. I play most everything I own, but there are a few like my millennium dragon that is not going to a gig.

I understand that some of these guitars with tremendous inlays and other things are not really meant to be players guitars. I mean all that neck shell alone is going to effect the tone to some degree I would think. Those guitars I would expect to be pretty much show pieces. If they happen to sound great too, thats a big side plus.

I also turned last Saturday night and successfully managed to put my R9 headstock into my mic stand.

I LOVE it when that happens! :rock: The only thing I have had happen that I enjoyed more, was bringing home a brand new Gibson custom ordered LeGrand archtop in blond ( 1.5K upcharge for blond and an 8 month wait time back then) and have my 8 week old puppy jump up on it the very first time I played it, and put two nice claw marks on the stunning, close grained spruce top. I tried to convince people it was just "bear claw", but no one seemed to buy it.

 

[11top]

I understand that some of these guitars with tremendous inlays and other things are not really meant to be players guitars. I mean all that neck shell alone is going to effect the tone to some degree I would think. Those guitars I would expect to be pretty much show pieces. If they happen to sound great too, thats a big side plus.

Tag, the only guy I ever saw play his dragon live was Rich Williams of Kansas. He finally retired it to his archives though. He's still crankin' PRS though.

 

[WEDGE]

Tag, the only guy I ever saw play his dragon live was Rich Williams of Kansas. He finally retired it to his archives though. He's still crankin' PRS though.

I saw the PRS band play at the Hard Rock in NYC somewhere around 92-93 and PRSh was sporting a dragon though the PRS solid state amp I think. Looked cool and sounded killer. My brother got his PRS signed by him and he couldn't have been nicer.

 

[Tag]

Tag, the only guy I ever saw play his dragon live was Rich Williams of Kansas. He finally retired it to his archives though. He's still crankin' PRS though.

I saw him playing it live as well! Hey..."Im only sayin whats on my mind". :rock: