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Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | The recent “reasons for more than one guitar” thread really struck a chord with me (no pun intended.) I understand every one of the reasons listed, but I’m lucky… I don’t have to use them.
I thought I would offer the following to publicly thank my wife for supporting my having GAS.
Every birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc., along with anything else she cares to give me, I know there will be an envelope with a piece of paper in it that says I can add how ever much money she decrees to what she calls my “band fund”. I get to spend the accumulated money in this fund any way I see fit, no questions asked. Guitars, accessories, whatever… no questions.
This year, I'm nominating her for entry into the GAS Hall of Fame. Here's why:
Recently, I was contemplating a 12 string acoustic, maybe even an Ovation if a bargain could be found. (I have wanted a 12 string forever, and an Ovation two days more than that.) After perusing Ebay for something in my price range (probably an Alvarez), I found a CS245 for only a bit more. With this Christmas' anticipated addition, my band fund could support the difference if the bidding stayed reasonable. That's when it happened... I made the mistake of searching all 12 strings, and as a result I came across the most beautiful 12 string I had ever seen: an Adamas 1598ME. The price was waaaaaaaaaaaay over my budget, but there she sat. My reaction? I went screaming back to the Alvarez listings, where my budget said I belonged.
Hope springs eternal, so for two days I checked on the CS245. I really wanted an Ovation, but the price kept creeping upwards. Then, driven by who knows what, I would check on the Melissa… she was still there, and despite knowing I couldn’t afford her, I’d be glad. I repeated this process over and over again. I knew the Adamas was out of reach, but something kept drawing me back. I talked to my wife about it, expecting her to bring me back to reality. Instead, she simply asked if an Ovation was that much better a guitar than an Alvarez (duh), and if the Melissa was that much better than the 245? Not knowing the answer to that one, just knowing that something about that guitar had me hooked, I turned to the OFC for a more learned opinion. The answer I got was so one sided I had to laugh.
OK, now I had my expert opinion. My heart was set, Alvarez was off the list, as was the 245... but my funds were still short. Very short. I learned long ago not to compromise, that you spend more in the long run buying lesser models and trading up as you go. Better to wait and get what you really want when you can afford it, so I resigned myself to someone stealing “my” guitar out from under me, and waiting / hoping to stumble into another one sometime down the road.
Here’s where my wife gains entry into the GAS Hall of Fame, as far as I'm concerned, anyway. She catches me checking the Melissa listing for the 37th time, looks me in the eye and asks me how short my band fund was. I told her, and she asked me if I was sure this was the guitar I wanted. I said yes, and she said, “you know this would mean your band fund won’t be growing any time soon… this counts as what I was going to add to the fund for Christmas, your birthday next year, AND our anniversary… but if you want that guitar, get it.”
In truth, I need to thank her for a whole lot more than my getting the Melissa. She somehow puts up with me on a daily basis, she declines to hold my old long-haired rock ‘n roll days (and all they entailed) from before I knew her over my head, AND she doesn’t mind my bouts of GAS. All I can say is, the Big Guy blessed me when He sent her my way! :) :) :)
Sorry, Y'all, for the lengthy post, but I wanted to say thank you to my wife in a forum where people would appreciate why.
Oh, and just for fun, here's what I got so obsessed over ;) :
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Thanks for the story, Bob. Beautiful guitar there.
Your wife sounds like a wonderful woman, and she sounds a lot like my wife. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | Wow. She's in. And that is not up for any further discussion. That guitar is beautiful and I'm sure every bit as good too. Merry Christmas, MD. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | I have the same type of fund. The envelope says "Camera Fund". I always keep it in my wife's
dresser drawer. About a year ago she rearranged her dresser while I was at work. So I asked her if she left my envelope in the same place. She said "What envelope". Any way you can imagine where the conversation went from there.
Then about a month ago she asks me" Were you looking for this?". She put my fund in another drawer and it was buried under some jeans.
Well I now have my fund back. I know Waskel wants me to spend it on a digital camera
. :) |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Dragonboy...My wife was with me when I was ready to take home an Standard Elite LX. She said the Al Dimeola looked and sounded better at that I should take that one home instead. |
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| Wow, this is a beautiful one!
Congrats!!! |
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Location: East Tennessee | Great story. :)
Even greater guitar. :) :)
Awesome wife. :) :cool: :) |
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Posts: 52
Location: Orlando, FL | Dragonboy, your wife is a real keeper. I'd have to say that many, if not all, of the guys here have wives that should be in the hall of fame for indulging them through all their GAS attacks.
Since September, my wife has been supportive in my search for my first nylon string guitar, going from the idea of selling one of my Custom Balladeers in order to get a "equal dollar" guitar, through the return of a Celebrity CC059 (bad neck angle), 2 Fender GN45SCEs (finish and electronic flaws)(the pitfalls of online purchasing), and allowing me to raise my budget from "whatever you can get for selling one" to now, where I'm choosing between a used Viper EA63 and the Godin Multiac SA I received yesterday.
Guys, with the wives we've got, when they ask for some basement remodeling, a new kitchen sink, or whatever, (it seems like they always ask for the more practical or "greater good" things, don't they), they deserve all that, and more. |
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Location: south east Michigan | And look at it this way...you will never need another 12 string for the rest of your live. |
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Location: SoCal | Great story and even greater wife. |
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Location: Braman, OK | I've got one of those on my watch list... stunning guitar! Well done, DB -- on your choice of guitar AND wife! |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | It's no secret here that my wife hasn't quite accepted my GAS pains yet, but last night she couldn't wait to show off the Celebrity Deluxe I got our daughter for Christmas.
Porsches are another matter and obviously far more excessive. I bought my first red 911 after my wife said I deserved it and she liked how I looked in it. When it was time for a replacement and I was obsessing, she pulled out a picture that I didn't remember taking of an Arena Red Boxster and said "This is what I want." Turned out they had one at the nearest dealer and she had the banker on the phone before I closed the deal.
I bet if she saw how beautiful that ME 12 is, she'd come around pretty fast. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Gospel Guitar Guy:
Great story. :)
Even greater guitar. :) :)
Awesome wife. :) :cool: :) I can't say it any better! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Mark, time to show her this thread! |
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Location: Orange County, California | Nice!! I have mine to thank for my U681T. Couldn't have, wouldn't have done it without her :D |
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Location: SoCal | My wife's approved of every guitar I've purchased, and disapproved of every guitar I've sold. She's quite a woman. |
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Location: closely held secret | She puts up with you, she must be a saint. :D |
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Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | Every time I add another guitar to the fold my girl just laughs and wonders where I'm going to fit it in the music room... Last night I made a quick run to GC and bought a Yamaha keyboard that my buddy and I need for recording... She laughed, shook her head and said... "Well, it could be a hell of alot worse. You could be addicted to something other than musical instruments" |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | StephenT,
I've thought about showing my wife this thread and others, but I worry she might search and find out how many times I've badmouthed her. Maybe I'll just copy DB's post.
Waskel, I suspect that most of our wives are saints for putting up with us. |
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Posts: 382
Location: USA | Im wodering if your wife would give me permission to buy a new six.
I was informed by my wife that Im not to make anymore purchases until after the holidays...this way at least i can say i received permission... :)
Jk
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I've had those moratoriams imposed on me, too, Styll. The last one was no more until Fall, so I waited until September to buy the 1537 from Noah. It was worth the wait. There was a stretch last Spring where I was going a little crazy. 2 in one day and then a guitar and amp in one day. That's when the moratoriam went in. |
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Posts: 382
Location: USA | wow...and the locks werent changed? :)
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Posts: 12758
Location: Boise, Idaho | I only told her about one guitar each time (when they showed up). Then she was pissed when I was sneaky about the second guitar and amp. I think she enjoys having something to complain about. We have that in common. I bitched about how much she spent on carpeting.
The last 2 guitars were for other people, so she was on board with both those. She seems quite proud of the one I got for my daughter. |
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Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | Hey, Mark... how much does your daughter get to play her guitar? Whenever she wants, or is it more like when a dad buys his three year old son a train set: the kid gets to play only when Dad's done? :D
Oh, and Styll? My wife grants you permission to get any guitar you want. She also wants to know how much you like your couch, 'cuz you're probably going to get to know it really well. :p |
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Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Pretty cool to have wives like this.
Mine has consented to this showing up on my office step sometime in the next day or two. Ain't these ladies grand. :D |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Anyone want to swap wives? I mean, for guitar buying purposes, of course. Dave |
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November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | Luckily I have a very comfortable couch :)
The only problem is its about 10 degrees here and you just cant get warm on it...
maybe I will will heed her word...for now... :)but just wait until after the Holidays...or spring.
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Posts: 12758
Location: Boise, Idaho | My daughter hasn't seen her guitar yet. It's not Christmas. I don't think she has a clue. She might think that she's inheriting the Balladeer, because she's been talking about how much she likes it. She's also dropped some hints that she'd like a mid-bowl, so she's keeping the options open. I'm having trouble keeping the secret, though and I must admit I've taken it out of the case several times even though I put it away till Christmas. |
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Posts: 382
Location: USA | Thats is great...Im sure you're going to love...I mean I'm sure she is going to absolutely love it. :D
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Location: closely held secret | Mark, try not to leave too many pick marks on it... and make sure to wipe off the fingerprints and drool. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12758
Location: Boise, Idaho | I haven't used a pick on it and probably will only fingerpick it a few more times before Christmas. I've already played it just to test it, removed a shim, tested it, removed another shim, tested it, cleaned it, tested it, showed it to a friend, tested it, showed it to her boyfriend's mother, tested it, showed it to our other daughter, tested it. Now I'll have to test it one last time and then clean off the fingerprints. I might change the strings again just because these have been played a lot in the last month's worth of rigorous testing. Also the battery is dead. Can't imagine how that happened.
I know it's a Celebrity, but the Nutmeg Quilted Maple is just drop-dead gorgeous. |
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Thanks to my wife...