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Shall I 'offer' my Gibson as the house Open Mike guitar ?


EuroAussie

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Background story.

 

I visit a nice, eclectic open mike on Tuesdays here in Prague. It gets good qulity musicians that come often and perform, very diverse.

 

In this city there is a rule that the house always offers a guitar that is avaiable. We get a lot of travellers and tourists, but also locals bring their guitars too.

 

Im filling in tonite for the host of the open mike, and I want to offer a better guitar than the house one (its real rubbish).

 

Im a bit torn whether I should bring my trusty, reliable and very solid souding Cort Eart dread or one of my Gibsons that I dont play as much (like the AJ)

 

My view is just because its an open mike the sound doesnt have to be underpar and Id like to hear the talent there have every opportunity to showcase it.

 

What are your thoughts .... Cort or Gibson ?

 

Example of it at its best: https://www.facebook.com/saved/?cref=53&pnref=story

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I would say don't take the chance, you have no clue how these open mic players can actually play..

 

I let a guy sit in once for a few songs, using my 1978 Alvarez Yari Dy78. (at the time, it was my only acoustic). His picking technique was so horrendous that in the time he used the guitar, (maybe 10/15 minutes) he gouged the top of the sound hole with dozens of deep scratch marks with his pick. Those dug right thru the finish, down to bare wood.

 

I was a little irritated, but not devastated. The guitar was not in mint condition, but honestly he beat the pi$$ out of it. had he done this to my J200, I would have wanted to slap him.

 

I would say, if they haven't got a guitar, beggars can't be choosers, use the cort....

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I would say don't take the chance, you have no clue how these open mic players can actually play..

 

I let a guy sit in once for a few songs, using my 1978 Alvarez Yari Dy78. (at the time, it was my only acoustic). His picking technique was so horrendous that in the time he used the guitar, (maybe 10/15 minutes) he gouged the top of the sound hole with dozens of deep scratch marks with his pick. Those dug right thru the finish, down to bare wood.

 

I was a little irritated, but not devastated. The guitar was not in mint condition, but honestly he beat the pi$$ out of it. had he done this to my J200, I would have wanted to slap him.

 

I would say, if they haven't got a guitar, beggars can't be choosers, use the cort....

 

So in other words he did you a favour and gave it a bit of 'ageing' treatment for no charge ? ;-)

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......bring my trusty, reliable and very solid sounding Cort Earth dread......

 

To my ears that kind of says it right there. The AJ is certainly a more impressive instrument, but are you trying to impress or provide a reliable, solid sounding guitar for others to make use of? It only takes one knucklehead to wreck a party, if you get my drift. Take the Cort.

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To my ears that kind of says it right there. The AJ is certainly a more impressive instrument, but are you trying to impress or provide a reliable, solid sounding guitar for others to make use of? It only takes one knucklehead to wreck a party, if you get my drift. Take the Cort.

 

What Buc says. You don't know what some drunken idiot trying to impress his girlfriend might do to a guitar.

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I wouldn't just for the fear of it being knocked over. I've seen a few neck breaks. Years ago when I played , the guitar was in my hands or in the case. It's different with people I know. I loan out guitars all the time.

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Never seen a really good guitar offered as an open mic 'beater'......for very good reasons.....:blink:

 

Trusted competent friends only.....[thumbup]

 

IMX the problem can be drunk, hyped up wannabe's playing too loud with a plectrum.....

 

Little chance of getting paid for any damage.....

 

Not wishing to appear a spoilt-sport....dry.gif

 

Then again....some folks who don't play much and may own expensive guitars....may wish to 'spread the love'.....[biggrin]

 

So be it and good luck to them....

 

V

 

:-({|=

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The Cort, if it's that important to deviate from the usually-provided 'house' guitar. House instruments may begin life as reasonably decent loaners, but they always go downhill, and with good reason....

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Neither, unless you can imagine being okay to hear/see even that accidental 'thwack' of the headstock-against-the-mic-stand that is sure to happen at least once.

The existing house guitar is, by default, good enough. If someone walks in without a guitar and the house git doesn't cut it, he can ask another participant for a borrow. That way, it's a decision made between the asker and the askee and the risks born and accessed accordingly.

 

But no--no one should expect the host, especially a guest host, to offer up a personal guitar, unless it, too, is a beater that you really don't care about. Which is why the house guitar is what it is.

 

As a participant, I have been asked. Sometimes, I say 'sure' and sometimes not. I've yet to regret a decision. But there's no way on god's green earth I'd give carte blanche to whoever walks in, even if I knew and could vouch for everybody ahead of time.

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Not voting. My choice isn't up there. "C. None of the above".

It would be a cold day in hell before I'd let a stranger in a bar hold, let alone stagger off towards in the direction of the stage with a $3K guitar.

If someone comes to play, they should come prepared. Otherwise - they should just enjoy the performances of those. who did.

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Not voting. My choice isn't up there. "C. None of the above".

It would be a cold day in hell before I'd let a stranger in a bar hold, let alone stagger off towards in the direction of the stage with a $3K guitar.

If someone comes to play, they should come prepared. Otherwise - they should just enjoy the performances of those. who did.

Um, yeah. You've just nailed one of my attitudes very accurately and concisely. I've seen idiots show up at such events guitarless, yet with every intention of getting on stage. What's wrong with this picture? Imo, just about everything. Even 'friends' who expect you to turn loose of your guitar seem to me to be pushing it. One of my associates dug a damn ditch in one of my guitars with his metal fingerpicks during the course of 3 songs at an open mic. I was LOTS younger then and haven't loaned a guitar since.

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My vote is to not let your Gibson be the house loaner. While I do not recommend personally doing the following story, the story Keith Richards over the years told was that he was once in Chuck Berry's dressing room and his idol's Gibson was sitting on a table or something in it and seeing he was all alone with guitar he walked over and touched it or played it a bit and as he did Chuck Berry walked into the dressing room and proceeded to punch Keith Richards in the face for touching his guitar while saying don't ever touch my guitar.

 

While this story is extreme, it does none the less convey how one should be protective of one's guitar...even if it's Keith Richards touching/playing it.

 

I run a twice a month acoustic music jam with about 15-30 jammer friends there. Only on rare occasion will anyone swap guitars with one another nyvself included and when we occasionally do its to some one we know well and has a comparable value guitar...and one's eyes never leaves the lent guitar.

 

Just my two cents...

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

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Thanks for the input guys. Im going to go with the Cort.

 

Personally Im not that fussed with my guitars, they all have dings, dont bother me mouch, but yes, I would be pretty peesed off if a whole chunk came out or a neck was broken.

 

The Cort is a good compromise, its got a ton of dings, its a real road warrior and sounds bascially like a good D-18.

 

And Ive never seen an abuse situation at this bar in the all the time Ive been there, but I appreciate that just like investing past performance does not always indicate future performance.

 

cheers.

 

EA

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Am a little late , but I'll add to the 'no' brigade

Not A chance

 

Let us all know how it goes though , you're hosting it ? Is that right ?

Fair play to ya man

 

Yep, filing for the guy who normally takes it. Which means i need to kick if off with a few tracks and no way in the world Im using the sorry excus for a guitar they go there.

 

Will let you know who's head my Cort was smashed over ..

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I'd go for the ol' Exploding Guitar gag that you can pick up at any novelty shop.

 

You know the routine: One strum, nothing - a second strum and again, nothing - player puts his/her ear close to the instrument with a quizzical look, then strums a third time, and BLAM!!

 

Ha, ha! Gets a big chuckle out of the crowd every time! [flapper]

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So in other words he did you a favour and gave it a bit of 'ageing' treatment for no charge ? ;-)

 

yea I guess he did, The guitar already had seen it's fair share of battles. but this cat w/ the technique of a large chimp, gave it more stories to tell. I didn't lose any sleep over it at the time.. I still have that guitar, and reminded of that evening every time I use it.. at least it could have been a fonder memory,

 

I see you have taken the high road and will offer up the Cort...

 

good choice!

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I voted for the Cort, although I don't offer a "house guitar" at any open mics. If you really like the Cort, I'd find something else for the open mic. I run three open mics each month and I don't supply the instruments. No way I let strangers use my Gibsons. If I did supply a "house guitar" it would be a cheapy. I guess a "house guitar" is fine if you one wants to do that, but I wouldn't offer anything but a cheapy. Besides, at an open mic, the people listening, if they're listening, have no idea what the guitar is being played.

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I voted for the Cort, although I don't offer a "house guitar" at any open mics. If you really like the Cort, I'd find something else for the open mic. I run three open mics each month and I don't supply the instruments. No way I let strangers use my Gibsons. If I did supply a "house guitar" it would be a cheapy. I guess a "house guitar" is fine if you one wants to do that, but I wouldn't offer anything but a cheapy. Besides, at an open mic, the people listening, if they're listening, have no idea what the guitar is being played.

 

At this open mike the audience is pretty engaged, its an active open mike.

And frankly, maybe its just me being anal, but if Im going to be resonsible for sound, whether its in the drivers seat or in the mixing desk I can only accept quality sound. There is a standard I always want to set when it comes to thinkgs like ampflication, Im a bit of a nerd about it.

Hence, the Cort is coming as it does have a good sound. Ill take the gamble if it ends up in pieces, might record some of it and post it here tomorrow.

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I don't baby my guitars, but also don't abuse them and am probably harder on them then some of my buddies. At the same time, making a guitar a nice "house" guitar at an open mic is a bad idea. First time a Richie Havens wannabe comes in and mangles your guitar to heck and you'll regret that decision. Get the Cort a decent set up and use that one for the people who show up guitar-less.

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The existing house guitar is, by default, good enough.

But no--no one should expect the host, especially a guest host, to offer up a personal guitar, But there's no way on god's green earth I'd give carte blanche to whoever walks in, even if I knew and could vouch for everybody ahead of time.

 

msp_thumbup.gif

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