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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | A member's sig line prompted me to post this poll. Some of us are better at collecting gear than we are playing. Others may feel their gear hasn't kept up with their talent. Maybe there's some 'tweeners in there where their talent and gear are aligned just right. Let's see how we assess ourselves. |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Well, we all know my answer to this one. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | I voted according to my sig-line...as it would have given me away anyway... ;)
Vic |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Good question - I think I realized a while ago that my collection had definitely exceeded my abilities. Probably one of the reason's that I didn't put up too much of a fight at the one-in, one-out rule that I'm living under.
I feel that I've got a good "one of each" thing going on for acoustics - 6 and 12 string, nylon string and some solidbodies. I don't count the 47 and the millennium as they are more in the collectible category.
Someday my abilities will catch up, the economy will recover and my wife will back off... then it's off to the races again! |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Y'all should have guessed my answer...
If I spent as much time practicing as I do on the OFC and ebarf... I'd be Awesome! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | When I look at what the really talented people play and see that I already have a lot of their gear, I realize my talent will never catch up to my gear. I have been behind ever since I bought my Legend Ltd in 1981. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| I agree closely with CL. I wish my talent justified my collection. On the other hand, my collection has inspired me to try harder at becoming a better guitarist. |
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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4232
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Y'all should have guessed my answer...
If I spent as much time practicing as I do on the OFC and ebarf... I'd be Awesome! Couldn't have said it better myself. Besides, considering what happened on Wall St. today, my collection will probably appreciate faster than my 401k anyway. So collecting doesn't sound to bad. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I voted equal but I'll add a qualifier.
I have just enough "to much" gear to keep me motivated to keep reaching for the carrot. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6995
Location: Jet City | I'll echo the others. My gear is ahead of my talent for sure, but since I've been acquiring nicer guitars, I've been playing more. I've even gone to do open mic nights for the past 3 weeks now, so I guess I'm catching up to it.
Must be time for an 08C. Too bad my pocketbook doesn't agree. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Ditto. I'm going to go practice now. (Yeah, right.) |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
I have been behind ever since I bought my Legend Ltd in 1981. Hell, I've been behind ever since I first picked up a guitar.
My standard line when I go into a guitar store is "So many guitars, so little money, even less talent...." |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 143
Location: Feeding Hills, MA | If my sig line matched my ability, it would be blank....unless maybe the "Esteban" found it's way to my house, but I wouldn't pay money for it! |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I've gained ground in the last few years, before then great(and lots of it) gear always made up for lack of talent. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Gawd I hate to say this but, 'what most of ya'll have said so far'.
I will NEVER reach the talent level to warrant my 'collection'! But my G-babies will have no reason to miss out playing USA 'classic' Ovations (plus some others) if they are so inclined. And in the 'worst' case scenario, there'll be some college monies if I fail in igniting their musical interests.
I've already given my eldest of three daughters a git. This weekend I had a S-I-L ask about where to get beginner lessons on-line. He's next in line for a git if he ...
I LOVE music! But until I can play as well as I dance (re NEVER), my collection is for a future other than my own.
BTW, great topic!  |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | My best guitar has always exceeded my talent, never more so than when I bought a legend as my first guitar after playing for 3 months. However, having a good guitar has kept me going and prompted more practice than I would have ever done on a not so good guitar. Hence, my Ovations have made me a better player than I would have been. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | I guess the acoustics are justifiable, because I can play them, generally speaking; the classicals, well, not really, since I can't play "classical" in the sense that most people would mean it; the electrics, most likely not. The Viper and the Tornado are probably my collectibles, although Jewel is the only one of my stable who's under 20+ years old.....all the rest are like me--definitely not new anymore! ;) :D
--Karen |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . I've gained ground in the last few years . ."
-m.b.
InSpades!
GoodPoll,Prof.!
I put myself at about "even".
(w/exception of th'SlotHead), everything I "own", I physically "USE" (and THAT's why these are my favorite guitars). They're QuarterHorses! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | I feel blessed in that I own an Old wood-top (1117 Legend made in 1974), a snazzy update thirty years later (1769 AD II Al Dimeola signature Legend 2005). Boy, are they different... don't get me started, but I LOVE both. And, now, a RI Adamas 1581-5 which is just beyond everything in its own way. I feel at this point I "pay attention" to each one of these and find balance according to mood or setting. For example: The 1117 is the most reliable and balanced for every context. It has a fancy Fishman pickup with EQ, so I gig with it alot. The Adamas is just superior acoustically and will probably benefit from adjustment to the pickups (a la Tempelman and some others). The 1769 is a jewel of craftsmanship and a beautiful middle axe between the Vintage and the Adamas.... I have my hands full. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | Greg, you talk so lovingly about your 1974 1117. I keep wondering if you have one of the few that were built at that time with an A braced top instead of the VT pattern. I've never heard a VT braced top that sounded even, ok. But I've heard you play and I gotta respect your ear. I'm just wondering...... |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487
| I have been selling off stuff and shifting my guitars so that they are all working instruments for the past few years. I did have a few to many at one point and several guitars that were worth more than I was comfortable owning. My acoustics will finally be "almost" finished once the Customs are in.
Having owned and sold a few nice Rickenbacker Basses including a double neck, I now own a newer Fender (japan). I am going to have to work on a real nice bass next. I am thinking a nice late 70's 4001 Ric.
If I could afford it though........I'd be buying every guitar I see, I just love-em all! |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Moody, could you clarify the difference between an A braced pattern and the VT? It is not only my ears but those around me who say WOW to the 1117. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15676
Location: SoCal | Dob, trying to describe sound is like (as John Knowles once said about trancribing Jerry Reed tunes) like trying to eat soup with a fork, but I'll take a crack at it.
Every VT braced guitar that I've ever played as a plastic sound about it. They have decent mid range and really good treble, but the E, A, and D strings have no deep resonance to them at all. Very plasticky in sound.
A braced Legends (and I can really tell the difference between my 78 Legend and a 30th CL that's here on loan), have a deeper, more mellow bass.
Are you certain that yours has the VT bracing? You can see the signs of A bracing around the sound hole. There are braces that run down both sides of the sound hole and one that goes straight across underneath it (towards the bridge).
If your is a VT braced guitar then I might have to re-think my entire belief system regarding VT braced guitars. I'd love to try my 3 chords on it... |
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Joined:
March 2003
Posts: 195
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | Looks like, so far, no one has said they are outplaying their guitars.. Wish I could be the first.. But alas.... I have heard some of you and know for a fact, you guys are heads, hands, and feet, above my playing ability. As a gigging bass player, when someone asks about my bass (usually my Modulus,) I tell them it's much more bass than I am a bass player. It probably wishes it was owned by some really hot jazz player and not a hack like me.
Cc |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Didn't have a category that matched me, which is "Neither" so I voted "Even", coz I only have 2 O's. That put's me at about the right playing ability level. |
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Poll: Do we excel in playing or collecting?
