Ever have a guitar you didnt play, because it was too perfect?

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CoolCat

CoolCat

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I had that beautiful perfect mint magical guitar once. The one we wait so long for.

Problem is it was so perfect I never felt comfortable playing it, afraid of scratching it or something. So 95% of the time it stayed in the safe place, the closet.

During tough times I sold it for a kids BDay gift. But even that day as I drove home without it, I turned around and went to un-do this mistake! but it was gone already.
Some collector had it snatched up. It was a bummer, to lose this guitar I never played.
:confused:

after awhile f-it...:drunk:
I then went through numerous cheapo guitars, and found some good players but nothing really fun, until a really good cheap-one showed up. I was satisfied finally and stopped looking for the one that got away.

But over the years, I always had my eye out for that one that got away. Everything compared to it, and none equaled its perfection-vybe.
My biggest regret is I didn't play this perfect-one guitar.
It sat in a friggin closet?, wtf?:rolleyes:

Well as guitar stories go, I ran across it again years later, recently.
GC manager said some collector dropped off 6 guitars...and playing this beauty, I realized it was the exact same one, (because of a little wood grain mark I remembered.) So I grabbed it on a 6 month no interest loan. The collector hadnt played it either, not a scratch on the pickguard. wow...10yrs old, no one played it.
I still had the case candy at home, it was a weird cool guitar day, like getting my life back or something. How exciting...what a story!

To end this bs babbling, I find that once the endorphin high was gone, it sits polished in its friggin case, again..wtf? an I still play the cheap-good-one everyday.

This post has no meaning really... not sure why I wrote it.

I feel like listening to Joe Walsh's Life Of Illusion song...

‪Joe Walsh - Life Of Illusion‬‏ - YouTube
 
I think you are disrespecting this guitar. If it is that perfect, it needs to be played. Put a few pick marks on the guard and it will become yours. Like a beautiful woman who no one will approach, she becomes lonely and bitter and sad. Just play the damn thing, already!
 
In a word, no. I have a lot of guitars and I play them all. As a matter of fact, the more you play a guitar, the better instrument it becomes.
 
Guitars are meant to be played. Unless it's an antique or collectors item, it needs to be played regularly! And even a lot of the collectors items should be played too (like old les pauls and strats). I have some really nice guitars and they all get played all the time. No need to collect dust...play the thing!!!
 
I agree with domvac- get over the mental block in whatever way you need to, and play that guitar! It is a shame to NOT play a guitar that is as good as you say that one is.

I have never been in that position. Closest was having a guitar that I never bonded with- it was not perfect, bur rather a Westbury lefty on which a previous owner had installed a Schaller tremolo bridge. It just was not "right" to me, and I rarely played it. Sold it at a handsome profit, so it worked out okay.
 
Who knows maybe you'll start playing it and after awhile you'll feel it doesn't play so well.Everybody has a preference on what feels right to them.I'm not a collector though and don't see the point of owning a guitar i wouldn't play.I have several guitars and a few of them rarely get played.Not that they're collectable or complete junk,just that i have too many and mainly hang on to them for sentimental reasons.
 
I would have to say that my '92 ebony Epi Sheraton II doesn't get played nearly enough, I have had it since 1995 and there are no major dings in it yet. I've seen too many incidents with drunk club patrons causing havoc with beautiful guitars and I just decide to play it safe with the Sheraton...
 
Send it my way...I'll play it for you, that way don't have to worry about damaging it yourself. ;)

If you bought as a collector and want to just hang onto it until it appreciates in value...that's one thing, but to want to play it and be afraid of playing it.....????
I'm sure there are support groups for that. :D

What guitar is it?

I can see not wanting to gig with a really fine guitar...but damn, in your own home/studio...are you that much of a klutz that you are afraid to touch it?
 
I had one once but I had to shot it. There is nothing worst than a perfect guitar. :D
 
That was a great story. In a sad kind of way. But it was truly funny. Personally, I have no attachment to objects. I have no desire to even be a vintage guitar collector, just looking and drooling over a plank of wood and electrics. Still, each to their own. Whether it gets played or not for another 10 years isn't going to sort out the problems in the Middle East......
 
That was a great story. In a sad kind of way. But it was truly funny. Personally, I have no attachment to objects. I have no desire to even be a vintage guitar collector, just looking and drooling over a plank of wood and electrics. Still, each to their own. Whether it gets played or not for another 10 years isn't going to sort out the problems in the Middle East......

And the goal of our guitar playing is to sort out the problems in the Middle East. So far I think Outkast has done the most with Bombs Over Baghdad.
 
i know the feeling :P

thats why I have a liking towards cheaper instruments. I dont have to worry about the dings or scratches. I just play the crap out of it. Im not no famous rockstar anything, so who cares
 
I expect you're confusing "perfect" and "supposed to be perfect". If that guitar was perfect FOR YOU, you wouldn't be able to leave it in it's case.
 
There is no such thing as a "perfect" guitar, but we can put our favorites up on a pedestal. Lousy place for them. I would be interested in what kind and brand of guitar this is. I have several "perfect guitars" and they all get played, bumped and nicked and every mark is a badge of character and I'm proud of them. GOTTA WEAR THOSE SUCKER OUT!!!!!
 
I had a gorgeous RG7CST for a while - immaculate, and one of maybe 18. I tried to play it, but I was just too afraid, and was more comfortable on my other guitars, so I sold it.

152227_m.jpg


That's an old picture of mine - why the fuck it's on a russian site is beyond me. :laughings:
 
I had a tenor sax like that. It was a Selmer Mark VI which is a holy grail type sax and this one was 30 years old but brand new since the guy had never played it AND it was silver plated. I've only seen 2 silver plated Mark VI's. Anyway .... every once in a while I'd take it out and marvel at its' beauty but I wouldn't take it to my nightly gig at a smoky bar with drunk bandmates on the stage. Finally I figured what was the point of having it then? And sold it.

More recently I got my custom Stinnett guitar which IS my perfect guitar. Absolutely gorgeous and the best playing/sounding git I've ever held. Since I live in Florida, I figured at first that I wouldn't use it for outside sweaty gigs and use a different git for those since I have so many. But the first night I gigged with it, a speaker was really close to my side of the stage and I'd turn around and *BAM!!* I'd slam it into the speaker. After the third time :D I said, "Fuck it ....... it's a gigging guitar! :laughings:
Now I use it for all gigs ...... It's my best git ...... I play best on it ....... I'm using it and if it gets scratched; screw it. I try to be somewhat careful but hell ...... I can't be worrying over every little ding and if you're gonna gig with an ax it's gonna get dinged.
 
i know the feeling :P

thats why I have a liking towards cheaper instruments. I dont have to worry about the dings or scratches. I just play the crap out of it. Im not no famous rockstar anything, so who cares

I think thats it.

And personally I can't tell much of a difference between the two guitars in sound or playing.

I have been playing the shiny one, more recently.

like you said, scratches and dings....blah.

I went to setup the Shiny one like my CheapO axe, because I like it better, and it was a nerve racking experience worried about scratches and then resale drops yadayadyada, and then its no fun.

HR Gear Addiction List::D

Looking at the HR list maybe my very limited money needs to go to the things in red I need.

HR tool box, Vocal-mic + HiEnd strip, guitar and nice amp+57, Bass+nice rack/DI, Interface + good pc+software .....Active Monitors....Headphones...UA Plug/Card....(I gave up on doing drums, they'll be going to a studio)...

Thanks for the inputs and thoughts/ ideas....
I think it goes back, and will focus on some other pieces.
There's just not enough difference in this axe to justify my Home Recording usage.

and no one can tell on the tracks, if its one or the other? nah...

and I can't afford to buy one, just so I can brag about it being "US Made".

I'm not trying to start a Museum.
 
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