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Posts: 22
Location: Rocheter, MN | As a confirmed sufferer of G.A.S. (and with the financial wherewithal to feed my habit), I own several high-end guitars. Most notably an Adamas 1187-247 reissue that I paid a perfectly stupid amount of money for and which I treasure more than anything else that I own.
And yet...
I rarely play the Adamas. I'm afraid to ding it up or scratch it. I'm over-careful with a pick lest I mark up the finish. I'm terrified of taking it out of the house to gigs, and I'll *never* take it with me on a trip (I have nightmares about what the baggage people would do to it). So here I have this beautiful high-end instrument that often gets ignored in favor of a lesser Ovation CSE44 that doesn't sound nearly as good.
I'm not afraid of the CSE44. If it broke or got stolen, I'd be upset but not *devastated*. I'd buy another one. If the 1187 was damaged or (God forbid) stolen, there would be no recourse: it's not just the money, but the guitar is *unique*. There are no more to be had. It would simply be *gone*, forever.
So why did I buy it? Why did I spend such an absurd amount of money on an instrument that I'm too scared to play in public? This is a ridiculous situation to be in; a guitar is an instrument, and exists to make music. It is beautiful, certainly, as an object of craft; but it is a musical instrument, not an objet d'art. An unplayed guitar is a waste: of materials, of effort, of money, of time.
I've determined not to be frightened. I will play my Adamas as my primary instrument. I will take it with me to play in the park; I will play it for friends. I will be careful with it, but not at the expense of playing it. (I still don't travel with it, though. Those baggage-handlers would kill it as sure as day follows night.)
There seems to be a trend in the world of guitarists right now to keep a guitar as pristine as possible so that it retains its value over time. I find this somewhat sad -- isn't it better to "use up" a guitar in the act of playing, rather than let it sit mute for year after year because playing it might damage the resale value?
This is the danger of "Boutique Guitars", in my view, and it's why I will probably never spend this kind of money on a guitar again. I love guitars as objects of beauty, of course, but they are instruments to be *played*. |
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Posts: 5576
Location: big island | look at what the old beater martins are selling for. look at willy's classical which is priceless. i am really "moved" by the character my 1978 adamas 1 has acquired over the years. made to be played, these guitars are. ya' can't take it with ya' (or maybe ya' can?) so just enjoy it and share the joy with others. there's no way to put a price on that and, even if you could, no amount of money can be compared to a happy heart. |
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Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | After you get the first scratch the rest won't bother you. Play the damn thing. |
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December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Play the damn thing...
+1
Get past the new car syndrome! |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | The most 'expensive' guitar I own is the 1115 (which I rarely play since I got the 2058T).
For the last coupla weeks my go-to guitar (in the stand to my right) has been my S771, which is my least-expensive USO.
This is with an assortment of Brand-New T's (but they are out too, just not as close).
Like Randy sez, these guitars only develop character by being Played.
Otherwise they are just pretty wall-hangers. |
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July 2008
Posts: 22
Location: Rocheter, MN | You all are right, of course.
Want to know something *really* dumb? Part of the justification I used to purchase the 1187 was that the quality of the guitar would make me more confident as a player! The idea being that the matchless tone and quality of craftsmanship would allow me to focus solely on my own playing without wondering if the instrument itself was partly at fault for any problems.
On a (somewhat) related note....
I've been thinking of moving into the electric world, and I'm wondering what kind of guitar to pick up. I'll just be noodling around, and I don't want to buy a lot of gear initially. I've already got an acoustic amp for my CSE44, but I'm not sure that'll work very well with an electric. I've been thinking of something dead-simple like a Telecaster, since my music is mostly blues and country. Is a Tele a good place to start for an electric newbie? |
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Posts: 5576
Location: big island | ovation viper gets my vote |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Originally posted by Tim in Tidewater:
Play the damn thing...
+1
Get past the new car syndrome! +1 I would play mine out more if it was electric. It gets a lot of play here in the house. |
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May 2008
Posts: 1565
Location: Indiana | My 83 Adamas II has pitted tuners, neck finish in need of polishing, a pick worn area on the lower epaulet, a case held together by bumper-stickers and glass cloth patches... etcetera, etcetera. She STILL plays sounds like a million bucks and is my #1 go-to for home and studio.
Definitely not minty, but she has lots of character. (That's the term my wife uses to describe my wrinkles and gray hair...)
Having said that, if I had an 08 collector, I would certainly play it without fear, but doubt I could bring myself to fly with it.
I just got back from a week playing in Texas, hand carrying my EA-68, and Delta still managed to damage the case when I was forced to gate check it on one small commuter flight.
Baggage handlers LOVE to throw things marked "Fragile".
Oh to have the "problems" of you boutique owners...
Some of the guitar porn I've seen here could be marriage threatening. :) |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | mrmanley quote-- "Part of the justification I used to purchase the 1187 was that the quality of the guitar would make me more confident as a player!"
Naw... I got to touch/play an Adamas at Greg's (gh1) little NW mini-gathering...
I didn't really enjoy it as much as it could... If I wasn't scared that scratch/drop/chip or otherwise break it!
I'm sure that it would have been different if it was Mine!
Then I just wouldn't let anyone else touch it! |
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May 2005
Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | Originally posted by mrmanley:
allow me to focus solely on my own playing without wondering if the instrument itself was partly at fault for any problems. . . .
I've been thinking of moving into the electric world, Well, see, now you're digging a MUCH bigger hole, because you will be introducing a whole host a variables that will stand between the sound you're getting and the sound in your imagination, both in terms of technique and in terms of equipment and it's application; probably 30/70. I'm not saying don't do it, but be aware that if you are truly new to the electric side of things, there will be a LOT of things that could be partly at fault for any problems.
You have been warned.
But hey, it's fun! |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Originally posted by Jonmark Stone:
Oh to have the "problems" of you boutique owners...
Some of the guitar porn I've seen here could be marriage threatening. :) My wife came in and counted my guitars earlier today... some tense moments there! |
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Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | Crimson Lake: Always buy guitars of the same color! When you add a new one, she probably won't notice. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | Originally posted by mrmanley:
I've been thinking of moving into the electric world, and I'm wondering what kind of guitar to pick up. I'll just be noodling around, and I don't want to buy a lot of gear initially. I've already got an acoustic amp for my CSE44, but I'm not sure that'll work very well with an electric. I've been thinking of something dead-simple like a Telecaster, since my music is mostly blues and country. Is a Tele a good place to start for an electric newbie? I just happen to have an electric guitar for sale in the For Sale section...
A Tele would be the textbook place to start for country. Something with humbuckers makes sense for blues. But, if you like interesting guitars, look into a classic Ovation electric. Some of them (all of them?) have the capability of switching the pickups to single coil mode, giving the versatility of both a country sound and a bluesy sound. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Just play the fookin thing.
On this trip I've got my D-18, the most valuable acoustic I have. I didn't want to leave it alone all summer and so now it gets played every day.
I find a 40 year old guitar with all the 40 years worth of wear and dings much more interesting than a pristine example of the same. Chances it will sound better too. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Sure a Tele is a good place to start. I've got a 53 I'll sell you for the price of a small mercedes. Then you can have all the same issues all over again with an electric! LOL
Just kidding, the Tele isn't for sale. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Damn....and I already had my checkbook out! |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | My 1948 Martin D-28 gets played out: of course the fact that its seen its share of TI (Time In) in its 60 years and look's it doesn’t diminish the fact that it's the most expensive guitar I own...but then it needs to be played and others then get the chance to hear and experience it. I have many other extremely nice vintage guitars and several new top of the line guitars as well. They still get played and I enjoy the freedom to play out with different guitars for different playing opportunities. I try to have some sense about it as yesterday when it rained intermittently all afternoon and the humidity was near 100%: I took the Pacemaker 1615 as I know it: and it can take whatever. It’s a '79 that’s near mint but it still did a fine job for the concert...what's the point in having a great guitar if you don't play it... |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Take them out and play them. There's nothing that'll happen that can't be fixed and your 47RI is a pretty bullet proof guitar. 'course mine's never left the house ... But slothead #42 has made a few excursions with me. It's worth a hell of a lot more than the RI and almost couldn't be replaced. But back in '76 a few really cool guys in New Hartford built this freaking thing with their own hands. And they built it to be PLAYED. I know Cliff feels the same about his, and so do some other owners. Play 'em man ...
Dave |
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Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | 
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| Originally posted by MusicMishka:
...what's the point in having a great guitar if you don't play it... That's how I look at it.
I just consider where it is that I'm going to and don't take them anywhere stupid where they might get damaged or ripped off. If I'm going to a house party I'm not going to take my best guitar because some bastard might walk of with it. |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Did you buy it for its playability and tone, or its potential resale value? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Play 'em.
Play 'em carefully, but play 'em.
Just use an amount of caution proportional to either the sentimental or dollar value you have into it. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | A guy I met specialises in designing things from composite materials, mainly carbon fibre. The actual carbon fibre (before treatment) looks and feels like shirt material, it is then impregnated with a resin which makes it hard. While the resin can crack, the carbon fibre can't (which is where the durability of carbon fibre comes from). So basically, an Adamas is highly resistant to cracks of the top and any crack from an impact will not spread because the carbon bit is soft and pliable.
Play the guitar and drink out of the good crystal wine glasses. That's what they are for. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Get a rider on your homeowners, then take it everywhere. I'm going to NYC this week with teenagers. I'm taking my most valuable guitar because it's what I enjoy playing most. I'll be playing in the subway, in homeless shelters, Battered women and children's safe houses, on the street, soup kitchens.
If anything happens to my guitar...it's covered. I'll get enough $$ to have a new one made.
John <>{ |
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March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Capo Guy:
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I've got video from 1969 from the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, of Willie when both he and his Martin were young....... ... as were YOU.
Dave |
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May 2005
Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
Get a rider on your homeowners,
If anything happens to my guitar...it's covered. Check on this. I suffered a loss of some instruments though burglary some years back. The insurance company asked if they were for professional use. Since I wasn't gigging at the time, I answered truthfully that they weren't and the claim was paid under my homeowners policy.
The insurance company might not consider playing homeless shelters a professional gig, but might view busking in the subway as such. It might be prudent to check this in advance. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by First Alternate:
Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
Get a rider on your homeowners,
If anything happens to my guitar...it's covered. Check on this. I suffered a loss of some instruments though burglary some years back. The insurance company asked if they were for professional use. Since I wasn't gigging at the time, I answered truthfully that they weren't and the claim was paid under my homeowners policy.
The insurance company might not consider playing homeless shelters a professional gig, but might view busking in the subway as such. It might be prudent to check this in advance.
Insurance companies may count those charity gigs as a profession, even though you make no income.
Capitalist are strange like that... :p
[maybe I need renters' insurance... I look around, and somehow I have collected a few thousand dollars worth of 'Stuff' :confused: ] |
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July 2008
Posts: 22
Location: Rocheter, MN | Originally posted by muzza:
Did you buy it for its playability and tone, or its potential resale value? Oh, I got it to play, no question. It's just that after I got it I became paranoid. I'm normally quite a cheapskate about my gear -- I'm not a good enough player to justify spending thousands of dollars on a guitar. Yet I fell in love with the 1187 at first sight, and just had to have it. I didn't buy it for resale because I plan to keep it until I die, at which point it will either be buried with me or burned upon my funeral pyre.
Like I said, I think most of the advice people are giving is good: I need to just play it. Maybe it is just the "new car syndrome", and once I get that first ding or scratch I'll loosen up a bit. |
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May 2008
Posts: 1565
Location: Indiana | Being new here, this has likely been discussed before, but there's an interesting link between Willie's Trigger and Ovation.
Nearly 40 years ago, Willie accidentally destroyed his Baldwin classic and had the PU and electronics installed in a stock N-20 Martin (Trigger).
The Baldwin PU was scrutinized in the development of Ovations own original patented PU, according to "The History of the Ovation Guitar". |
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November 2006
Posts: 53
Location: Boston | I have a Brain Moore electric (21.13) that I bought with a small chip in it already so I was passed the "new car syndrome" (looks too nice/too worried about it). It has magnetic, piezo and midi outputs so it is ultra-flexible (and quite pleasant to play.
I worry to much about my original 1612-4 since it went back to the mothership and they made it beautiful again. Same with the 2080. So I just got a 2078T on closeout and a wail away on that. It awaits its first scratch :cool: |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Play them all. Carefully, but play them all. I hope Mark chimes in here. He has an original slothead (No. 43) with which he gigged on the road for 10 years. The sound is incredible and I doubt that it adversely affected its value. It might be different for guitars in the six figure range. Earlier this year, a guest violinist from China came and played with our symphony. She is one of the best in the world. Her violin is some multi-million dollar piece on lifetime loan to her from a museum. She shredded it and the audience loved it! I was in the front row directly in front of her and she did not baby it while playing. I'm sure that at all other times, the violin is very carefully handled. |
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Boutique Guitars