GAS

[Mickthemiller]

A contributor to another forum (AGF) posted a comment about GAS, suggesting that the syndrome was not mentioned on other guitar forums any where near as often. Question is: do Gibson owners suffer GAS as much/often as guitarist who are not so, well, particular!

[sparquelito]

GAS, or more properly known as 'Guitar Acquisition Syndrome' (or colloquially,'guitar hoarding disorder'), is a pattern of behavior that is characterized by excessive acquisition of guitars and an inability or unwillingness to discard older guitars that clutter the living areas of the home and cause significant distress or impairment.

 

GAS has been associated with health risks, impaired functioning, economic burden, and adverse effects on friends and family members.

 

When clinically significant enough to impair functioning, GAS can prevent typical uses of space, enough so that it can limit activities such as cooking, cleaning, moving through the house, and sleeping. It can also put the individual and others at risk of fires, falling, tripping, listening to G, C, & D chords all day, and other health concerns.

 

Men (there are few documented cases involving women, see 'Purses' and 'Shoes') afflicted with GAS may be aware of their irrational behavior, but the emotional attachment to the guitars far exceed the motive to discard or sell them.

 

Researchers have only recently begun to study GAS, and it was first defined as a mental disorder in the 5th edition of the Guitarist's Psychological Journal in 2011. It was not clear whether compulsive guitar collecting is a separate, isolated disorder, or rather a symptom of another condition, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but the current psychological literature lists guitar acquisition disorder as both a mental disability and a possible symptom for OCD.

 

Prevalence rates have been estimated at 2% to 5% in the general population, though the condition typically manifests in a much higher rate among Gibson guitar owners.

 

I hope this helps.

:unsure:

[cody78]

Ha! Fantastic reply Sparky!...and spot on too

[kelly campbell]

[thumbup]

[Versatile]

Gas is as gas does...

 

Profound yet so true

 

A specialised kind of 'shopping'...well known to be prone to habituation and borderline addiction to those so predisposed... :blink:

 

I am perhaps luckier than most...being an enthusiastic if not competent wind-player... <_<

 

When the early signs of gastric distension/pressure become evident

 

Several appropriate blows into a glissando trombone, tuba or euphonium

 

Can provide cathartic release from a potentially disastrous fiscal inevitability

 

V (typed under the unforgiving eye of Mrs V)

 

[Boyd]

I don't think members of this forum are afflicted more than others. This is the only guitar forum I participate in these days however, used to spend time at TDPRI but got tired of it. There's certainly more gas emitted on that site than I have seen here. ;)

 

I no longer suffer from GAS, haven't been interested in buying a guitar going on two years now. I have three acoustics and that's plenty. I can only play one at a time, and I need to concentrate on playing instead of wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere

[jvi]

seems to me gas is on every forum, but in general, our modern society ALLWAYS wants more, and more and more.....

[EuroAussie]

And it nevet stops, even when you have 200 of em' in the vaiult, just ask Tom.

 

Funnily enough i havent had any symptoms for 3 years now, the anti GAS depressant pills must be doing their job.

[rct]

Acquisition is directly proportionate to the ability to acquire. AFG is full of people that "acquire" multiple thousand dollars at a time boutique small builders guitars. They do that because they have the money mostly, and not really for much other reason, and they tend to be the dominant posters over there.

 

When the humidity goes up .002463% they immediately crap their Dockers and try to find out what to do. When you have 8,9, 10K tied up in two or three guitars that don't really move much past the sofa you tend to be like that, and you tend to be always trying to better your best.

 

Guitar players don't do that, that's been my experience. They use them, use them sometimes for specifics, and they get the itch for another, or a "new" one, and generally just get it and use it. If it doesn't work they move it out and move on.

 

Call it what it is. Buying stuff. That's what people today really excel at, buying stuff.

 

rct

[EuroAussie]

You mustt join and help me give a few of these AGF snobs a slappin or two, they sure need one, plus its highly entertaining seeing them get their knickers in a not.

 

Acquisition is directly proportionate to the ability to acquire. AFG is full of people that "acquire" multiple thousand dollars at a time boutique small builders guitars. They do that because they have the money mostly, and not really for much other reason, and they tend to be the dominant posters over there.

 

When the humidity goes up .002463% they immediately crap their Dockers and try to find out what to do. When you have 8,9, 10K tied up in two or three guitars that don't really move much past the sofa you tend to be like that, and you tend to be always trying to better your best.

 

Guitar players don't do that, that's been my experience. They use them, use them sometimes for specifics, and they get the itch for another, or a "new" one, and generally just get it and use it. If it doesn't work they move it out and move on.

 

Call it what it is. Buying stuff. That's what people today really excel at, buying stuff.

 

rct

[rct]

You mustt join and help me give a few of these AGF snobs a slappin or two, they sure need one, plus its highly entertaining seeing them get their knickers in a not.

 

I'm in one right now, the guy that wants to buy another guitar to keep at the church so he doesn't risk damaging his guitar going to and from.

 

SMACK MY EFFING HEAD.

 

rct

[vacamartin]

" Question is: do Gibson owners suffer GAS as much/often as guitarist who are not so, well, particular!"

 

 

I'd wager a hefty amount on...YES

 

 

"Funnily enough i havent had any symptoms for 3 years now, the anti GAS depressant pills must be doing their job"

 

 

Gibby.....send me some of that stuff

[blindboygrunt]

seems to me gas is on every forum, but in general, our modern society ALLWAYS wants more, and more and more.....

 

Amen brother

[BigKahune]

.

Some funny comments here.

 

There's all kinds of collectors out there - Hot Wheels, clocks, coins, cars, Star Wars, etc. There's certainly a lot of people collecting musical instruments of one kind or another. And there are some great guitar players that have expensive guitar collections that are well cared for, not just Docker crappers.

 

Regarding whether Gibson owners suffer GAS as much/often as guitarist who are not so, well, particular. . IMO Gibson owners aren't anymore particular than any other group of owners from any other manufacturer. And any one person's GAS is not always confined to one manufacturer. It doesn't seem to me that Gibson owners suffer GAS any more than any other group of owners.

 

Now please excuse me while I look at some new guitars. . B)

 

 

.

[songman]

Isn't it Gear Acquisition Syndrome rather than Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, ... of course here we can use the second ...

[Versatile]

Just mentioning the situation many semi and professional players find themselves in...

 

They swap guitars around during their 'stadium' performances

 

And it is logical to have 'backup' for each guitar

 

So it is not outrageous to suggest that a 'typical' collection of say 50 guitars

 

Would automatically expand to 100 guitars...IMO quite logical and justifiable

 

The market for guitar racks today is healthier than ever

 

For some reason Mrs V is pointedly searching in the medicine cabinet...

 

V

 

[cody78]

Talking of multiple guitars during live performances, have you ever seen Mike McCready and Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam live? Different guitars pretty much every song

[OldCowboy]

I'm in one right now, the guy that wants to buy another guitar to keep at the church so he doesn't risk damaging his guitar going to and from.

 

SMACK MY EFFING HEAD.

 

rct

Perhaps in due time he will find faith that his guitar will remain safe on the journey. Then, again, I have no idea what his neighborhood is like - maybe he's just being realistic?

[rct]

Perhaps in due time he will find faith that his guitar will remain safe on the journey. Then, again, I have no idea what his neighborhood is like - maybe he's just being realistic?

 

What he needed was people to speak realistically from experience, to resolve his fears that simply driving back and forth to church, stopping for eats on the way or the Costco on the way back, and his guitar would be just fine, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

Someone like me starts it off, trying gently and actually conversing with the guy about maybe yer a little too wound about this and guitars can take a wee bit more than you think they can. For instance, in my life...

 

But no. People who have spent all of their 401K on a few acoustics will not have anyone telling others that they aren't the special snowflakes everyone believes they are. Not going to happen. The guy posted a long, torturous farewell post, all about his Aspbergers and stuff, and they closed the thread.

 

The moral of the story: Don't tell anyone the things you've done with your guitars in a lifetime of guitar playing. They don't matter. What those clowns have read on a warranty card or convinced themselves at internet sausage parties is all that matters.

 

And you know what really burns that kid? Not a soul could put up anything that had ever happened to their guitars, or the guitars of people they knew, from being transported to and from the gig, even with lengthy stops along the way, in all kindsa weather. Not one peep.

 

Fukking joke. I say it all the time, it is true: They'll sell a guitar to anyone these days.

 

rct

[BluesKing777]

Ha Ha!

 

Recent Hiscox case convertee here! Did the chappie (previous post) have a Hiscox to take his special guitar? probably not.

 

 

 

But back to G.A.S.

Deep down it is simply the other GAS (Great *** Syndrome) - Arse in Australia but spell check took it - but like "Hey, what a great A!!!!" [wub]

And convention only allows one of those per guitar player at a time, usually...so hence to compensate....many, many guitars are needed! And most guitars are the same sort of shape....

 

Simple explanation, I thought.

 

 

BluesKing777.

[onewilyfool]

How do you know you have GAS?

 

If you enthusiastically talk to non-playing friends about guitars all the time (regardless of their yawns and eye-rolls) You probably have GAS.

 

If you get excited when you see a guitar positioned in the corner of a movie scene . You probably have GAS.

 

If you sit close to the TV when a band is playing trying to work out what make and model they are playing, you probably have GAS.

 

If you have more guitars than your can physically play......you've got GAS

 

If you have some guitars that you haven't played in over six months....You've got GAS

 

IF you don't know the exact number of guitars you have, You've got GAS

 

If you get excited about when someone else buys a guitar in the forum...you've probably got GAS.

 

IF you spend more time scouring forums, Ebay, Craig's List, than you do PLAYING your guitars.....You've probably got GAS.

 

If you are sneaking Guitars into the house so that your wife doesn't see them, .....You've probably got GAS.

 

If you are thinking like this, " You know, I don't have a guitar with (fill in the blank) (Koa, Walnut, Blackwood)......tonewoods on the back and sides yet.....You've got GAS

 

If you already have a hand built custom designed guitar by a world reknowned Luthier, AND you are still looking for another custom designed guitar, You've got GAS

 

If you have some guitars under the bed, in the closet, in the attic AND your music room is full already AND you are still looking for another guitar.....You've got GAS

 

If you explain away all your guitars by saying."I am holding on to these as investments", You've got GAS

 

 

If the spouse is saying, "honey, please come to bed" and you'd rather sit up and pore over eBay lisitngs.....You probably have GAS.

 

If you find yourself short of breath every time you see a UPS truck.....You probably have GAS.

 

If you've ever caught yourself thinking, "boy, if I wasn't married..."...You probably have GAS.

 

If you have more than one guitar shop on speed-dial...

 

If you're offered an early retirement buyout and don't take it because you haven't got all the guitars you want yet...You probably have GAS.

 

if you haven't got time to play guitar because you're working a second job to pay for guitars...You probably have GAS.

 

if you read any of these and thought, "THAT'S just normal"....You probably have GAS.

 

If you are looking at a wooden table top and you are thinking, "Man, that would make a great back and sides to a guitar"......You probably have GAS.

 

If you have to build an extra wing on your house to accomodate guitar cases.....you probably have Gas

 

If you can't have house guests, because your guest room is filled with guitars......most likely you have GAS.

 

If you own TWO identical guitars, so that you can use a different sets of strings on the same guitars to hear the difference.....you definitely have GAS.

 

If you only buy guitars that all look alike (for example, only ever buying black guitars), so that your wife won't be able to distinguish one from another, missing any new additions......you probably have GAS

 

If the company makes two guitars exactly the same, except with different tone woods on the back and sides, and you want to buy both of them so you can hear the difference between the tone woods, you most likely have GAS.

 

If you have a guitar that is more expensive than your car, you've got GAS!

 

If you had to raise the coverage of your renter's insurance 3 times in the past year because of guitars, you've got GAS!

[Boyd]

simply driving back and forth to church, stopping for eats on the way or the Costco on the way back, and his guitar would be just fine, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

While I do agree, things may be getting more complicated these days… ;) https://www.wired.com/2016/08/oh-good-new-hack-can-unlock-100-million-volkswagens/

 

For car companies, a fix for the problem they’ve uncovered won’t be easy, Garcia and Oswald contend. “These vehicles have a very slow software development cycle,” says Garcia. “They’re not able to respond very quickly with new designs.”

 

Until then, they suggest that car owners with affected vehicles—the full list is included in the researchers’ paper (see below)—simply avoid leaving any valuables in their car. “A vehicle is not a safebox,” says Oswald.

[BluesKing777]

How do you know you have GAS?

 

If you enthusiastically talk to non-playing friends about guitars all the time (regardless of their yawns and eye-rolls) You probably have GAS.

 

If you get excited when you see a guitar positioned in the corner of a movie scene . You probably have GAS.

 

If you sit close to the TV when a band is playing trying to work out what make and model they are playing, you probably have GAS.

 

If you have more guitars than your can physically play......you've got GAS

 

If you have some guitars that you haven't played in over six months....You've got GAS

 

IF you don't know the exact number of guitars you have, You've got GAS

 

If you get excited about when someone else buys a guitar in the forum...you've probably got GAS.

 

IF you spend more time scouring forums, Ebay, Craig's List, than you do PLAYING your guitars.....You've probably got GAS.

 

If you are sneaking Guitars into the house so that your wife doesn't see them, .....You've probably got GAS.

 

If you are thinking like this, " You know, I don't have a guitar with (fill in the blank) (Koa, Walnut, Blackwood)......tonewoods on the back and sides yet.....You've got GAS

 

If you already have a hand built custom designed guitar by a world reknowned Luthier, AND you are still looking for another custom designed guitar, You've got GAS

 

If you have some guitars under the bed, in the closet, in the attic AND your music room is full already AND you are still looking for another guitar.....You've got GAS

 

If you explain away all your guitars by saying."I am holding on to these as investments", You've got GAS

 

 

If the spouse is saying, "honey, please come to bed" and you'd rather sit up and pore over eBay lisitngs.....You probably have GAS.

 

If you find yourself short of breath every time you see a UPS truck.....You probably have GAS.

 

If you've ever caught yourself thinking, "boy, if I wasn't married..."...You probably have GAS.

 

If you have more than one guitar shop on speed-dial...

 

If you're offered an early retirement buyout and don't take it because you haven't got all the guitars you want yet...You probably have GAS.

 

if you haven't got time to play guitar because you're working a second job to pay for guitars...You probably have GAS.

 

if you read any of these and thought, "THAT'S just normal"....You probably have GAS.

 

If you are looking at a wooden table top and you are thinking, "Man, that would make a great back and sides to a guitar"......You probably have GAS.

 

If you have to build an extra wing on your house to accomodate guitar cases.....you probably have Gas

 

If you can't have house guests, because your guest room is filled with guitars......most likely you have GAS.

 

If you own TWO identical guitars, so that you can use a different sets of strings on the same guitars to hear the difference.....you definitely have GAS.

 

If you only buy guitars that all look alike (for example, only ever buying black guitars), so that your wife won't be able to distinguish one from another, missing any new additions......you probably have GAS

 

If the company makes two guitars exactly the same, except with different tone woods on the back and sides, and you want to buy both of them so you can hear the difference between the tone woods, you most likely have GAS.

 

If you have a guitar that is more expensive than your car, you've got GAS!

 

If you had to raise the coverage of your renter's insurance 3 times in the past year because of guitars, you've got GAS!

 

 

 

 

 

Like the old tune:

"Guilty as charged, all charges, apologies Your Honour! What may be my fine?"

 

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

[dickie]

I used to suffer from GAS until my wife gave me a course of GAT (Guitar Aversion Therapy). This mainly consisted of kicks in the groin area whenever I was spotted looking at expensive guitars in either retail outlets or online ads. This has seemingly cured me, and has had the added benefit of giving me an added octave of vocal range.

So all you need to rid yourself of GAS is a caring significant other like I have who will... hang on a moment, what is that?... Oh my, look at that pretty J200!