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April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | OK, so emplyoees are discouraged from posting here, so I'll direct this to ex-employees. Or workers at other guitar jobs.
Does (did) being around guitars all day, every day take some of the fun out of the hobby? Did you get home at the end of the day, see your guitar on the stand and just say "Ugh, I'd rather watch tv".
Years ago I got my pilots license (no longer current), and just loved it. But I asked a bunch of veterens who went on to charters, and airlines, and I asked them, and it was just a job now. They do it all day, and it's better than digging ditches, but they don't go up on a Sunday to enjoy the view like they used to. So, does a guitar 'Job' suck some life out of the joy of playing? |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | I know a guy who is a programmer/database wrangler for an online pr0n company. He said having access to all that 'material' was cool for about three days.
It's been my experience that any time I start taking money to do something I thought was fun, that it starts not being fun so much as work. Can't imagine why a guitar job would be any different.
YMMV. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I think that could happen.
But I bet cwk2 would not agree with that. |
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April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | cwk2 is not a 'worker', he is the 'Creator', with a hand as much in the design, engineering and testing aspects of many different products, and not just limited to Ovations (and also more mundane things like finances and employee beatings). I was more interested in the guys on the shop floor. That always sounded like a fun thing to do, but wanted to know did it get old fast, and more so, would I not care to play guitar as much anymore. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | It was interesting to see how the Ovation and Hamer folks all rotated through stations. This is as much a safety and ergonomics benefit as it is a monotony buster.
There are Luthiers that don't play instruments though! Go figure. |
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April 2006
Posts: 1138
Location: CT | Originally posted by cruster:
I know a guy who is a programmer/database wrangler for an online pr0n company. oh....you "KNOW" a guy, right? |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I'll provide a personal experience, different circumstances but same theory. I was a professional child tap dancer in Hollywood for almost 10 years. I still do a lot of choreography on behalf of several performing arts organizations on a project-by project basis. My wife has also had a career in the performing arts and does choreography with me. She is an exceptional performer. We continue to accept a few jobs every year which involve dancing together on stage. Socially, on our own time, we go dancing maybe once every three years. When on our own time, we just seem to prefer to do something else. This supports the theory that what we do as a vocation may not necessarily be what we might choose to do as an advocation. |
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Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Sometimes it does and doesn't.
I know several folks on another forum I am on that are professional pilots and aircraft mechanics (on their day job), but they have an absolute passion for working on and flying the lowly Cessna 150 when they are off work.
As a banker, I have had jobs that I have loved (CEO in one instance and doing credit turnarounds for troubled banks in another) and those that became very monotonous. I don't look at it as a hobby, but even this heavily numbers and regulation game, can have some challenge and excitement.
I suspect that a "fun company" to work for is fun regardless and can foster passion for their product as much as another company can ruin it.
I think an employees mental attitude and work ethic can have just as much to do with it also. Those that truly love what they do, find the challenges and go for it. Others just get the minimum done and leave. |
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Posts: 1374
| when my wife and I started our recycling/reuse groups here I indulged my love for tinkering/fixing/rebuilding old computers out of discarded parts and giving them to families who were in need of a primary or secondary system for their homes. which was a lot of fun. I have built and given away 30 or so in the past 3 years.
when I actually am being paid or compensated for repair or upgrading systems and am on a deadline or schedule and have several boxes lined up to be done it isn't anywhere near the fun or do I get the level of satisfaction in completing the tasks/now jobs which are no longer a hobby.
I also enjoy working on older cars in my spare time, but when I've been employed as a tech or mechanic, I didn't want to even pop the hood on my cars.
Glenn |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Well said, JeffryD.
I really love my day job . . . I've been doing it now for 28 years and with the same employer for coming on 35 years. At night and on weekends, I love doing something else. |
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November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Balance.
What we choose to do, in the interest of mortgage maintainence, is as important as what we choose for nourishing our souls.
If the activity conflicts with your idea of "free will" & spontaneity, it gets arduous & tedious quickly.
I suppose we all want to avoid being a "one-trick pony".
30+ years in behavioral healthcare. Now, you want to discuss needing a diversionary activity....... |
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November 2005
Posts: 4827
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by seesquare:
Balance.....30+ years in behavioral healthcare. Now, you want to discuss needing a diversionary activity....... Try prescribing Belladona, judiciously.  |
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Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Well, there goes my premeditation defense. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | look at it this way.
Go to the trade show for avaition, after hours at the bar they were talking about vacations and anything but business.
I knew a bunch of insurance guys, after work they always talked about how to get the most for your frequent miles, anything but biz
Car guys, food guys, they talk about how to retire early, how you should do your 401K etc.
After the NAMM show everybody is talking about their instruments, who they just saw, who's playing and where, what a dick Henry is.
Music and the instruments never get old. Everything else does. |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by brainslag:
oh....you "KNOW" a guy, right? Oh, I do, and I know him quite well. But, he is not me. ;) |
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December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Just an observation I made whilst at the Factory the first time during the tour. Maybe not all, but indeed all the people I saw and talked to, were doing what they loved to do, and that's why they were there. The fact that they actually got paid to do it, was a bit of a bonus. This may not be accurate, but it was sure the impression I was left with. Several are in local bands on the weekend too. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | I would be like a kid in a candy store.
GAS GAS GAS :D |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Originally posted by MWoody:
There are Luthiers that don't play instruments though! Go figure. I agree with you there...
I know a guy in Queens who does wonderful guitar set-ups, but can't play the guitar at all! I also know a guy in Long Island, who also does great set-ups and repairs, but is actually a drummer, rather than a guitar player.
As mentioned earlier, I'll mention it again -- Go Figure. :confused: :rolleyes: |
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March 2004
Posts: 629
Location: Houston, Texas | So, just what is a dick henry? |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Private Dick :confused: why the reference to Sheerluck Holmes :cool: ;)
Vic |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | It's filed under Gibson. |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Joyful Noise:
So, just what is a dick henry? It's exactly like a henway but different. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Or a Greek Urn . . . |
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January 2003
Posts: 146
Location: Ct./ USA | I think it's ok as long as I do not give any secrets away as an employee, I will share my experience, as a human being that works on fretted instruments all day I have to say, Yes working all day sometimes makes me drift from playing, but when I do go back to playing I take a lesson from a drumer(employed as a drumer, teacher, instrument maker) and a Jazz guitarist, (unemployed, child musical genius)they set me on a path of multi progressive Maj 9th,and flat 5th solos. I use Desktop Guitarist as a timing machine and solo with the diffrent instrument choices plug in my Ovation Adamas and explore the likes of DiMieola and other alternat picking FUN, yea Fun, not for
a cheap thrill. Soon I may graduate and play standards, but I like to push it to the limit. |
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Another employee question