House-on-fire guitar....

[dhanners623]

First of all, my heart goes out to all the people suffering from the tornadoes that tore through the Midwest last night. The scenes on the news look horrible.

We had severe thunderstorms and high winds in Springfield (IL) last night and we were glued to the TV weather; fortunately, it passed without much damage here. But my wife, being the master planner she is, gathered the stuff we'd need to survive if a tornado headed our way and we had to head to the basement. We have a backpack that carries all our important papers, passports, etc., and we looked out flashlights, candles and other stuff.

I asked my wife, "Which guitar are you carrying?" and got that look. (If you're married, you know it.) But I did think, yet again, about which of my three guitars I'd grab if the apartment was on fire and I only had time to grab one instrument. I've got the J-35, a Farida OT-22 and a D-18 clone built for me from a StewMac kit by Twin Cities luthier and repairman Kevin Schwab.

If we had to head to the basement, I'd take the Schwab. The J-35 is a great guitar and the OT-22 is fantastic (especially for the price) but they can both be replaced. The Schwab is one-of-a-kind, built with my input. Fortunately, the storm passed and nothing happened here. I took time today to play all three and reminded myself how fortunate I am.

So have you guys figured out which one instrument you'd grab if the house was on fire?

[Brucebubs]

I was evacuated for approaching bush fires here in Australia in 2020 - I packed 2 guitars in the car back then - Huss & Dalton MJ Custom and Martin Grand J12-40E Special - I sold both of them earlier this year.

Now I'd grab my 2020 Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200.

[Buc McMaster]

When the next hurricane comes I've vowed to ride it out here on the island, which may or may not end up being the case........  And if not, it would be the blue Hummingbird in the escape vehicle.  This instrument is a beast, the best player I have ever owned and quite unique in appearance (thanks to Dave for the Texas guard!)

https://imgur.com/8N0ZMIF

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Buc McMaster

[zombywoof]

I got caught in a tornado once.  It was back when I lived in Mississippi.  We knew one had touched down across the MS River in Louisiana but who knew it could hop it.  Took out the roof of the building next door to where we were hunkered down.  

Never gave much thought to the fate of my guitars though.  But if I was at home and had to grab one I guess it would have been my wife's 1960 J200.  The reason is I have never seen anyone love a guitar as much as she does that one.    It also makes sense in that 1960 is the only year you will find a J200 with the combination of features my wife's guitar has.  As Gibson only shipped just over 100 of them finding another would be a hard row to hoe.

 

[DanvillRob]

I’d have a tough choice….I love all my guitars,(why else would I own them?).

the tobacco-burst Dove is very special because my bride gave it to mr 40+ years ago when we didn’t have a pot to…..we’ll….you know!

the Doves In Flight is one I’ve never seen before.   Has natural Maple back ‘n sides, and the best sounding guitar I have.

The Hummingbird Koa has aged into not only a great sounding guitar, but a great player.

But it would be one or more of those three.

[Boyd]

Honestly, a guitar wouldn't even be on my list if the storm was bearing down on me. That's what insurance is for. If it was a matter of calmly packing the car in advance, probably my 2020 J-50 historic, just because it's the one I play all the time right now.

[J185cat]

This one is easy for me. My Luthiers Choice AJ. If something happened to it I would be devastated.  For my taste it  just has the perfect combo of deep, rich resonance with the right touch of Gibson “crunch.”

[BluesKing777]

 

Hard one and lots of times, there is no time!

But there are a few of mine that would be irreplaceable these days, so...don't know, but my Cargill custom 00 hand made to my specs is high on the list, vintage Gibsons and a Martin, old Lowdens etc, etc.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

But it could be an opportunity to....go shopping and start again, depending what we can squeeze out of the insurance co.😁

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Boyd]

13 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

But it could be an opportunity to....go shopping and start again, depending what we can squeeze out of the insurance co.😁

My thinking exactly! My ex-father-in-law lived in Paradise, California and his house was completely destroyed in the big fire a few years ago. He was in his 90's and thought all the fire warnings were just BS. The police came to his door and said "you have to leave RIGHT NOW, we will wait here and watch". He and his wife grabbed the dog, got in the car and left with only the clothes on their backs, they lost everything from their long lives.

He was surprisingly philosophical about it and went out to look for a new house the next day. 

[fortyearspickn]

I have two hands and two dogs, so the guitars are on their own.   

[BluesKing777]

 

Yes...one expensive guitar or a few lesser......with the insurance?

And the temptation would be to rebuild the house in cement bunker style!

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Seagull]

If I didn't grab whatever guitar I had bought last, I would have a lot explaining to do to the wife...

We where expecting more of the storm up our way in Southern Indiana.  Glad we didn't see it.  Praying for those that did.

[MorrisrownSal]

The last two challenging years on my home front have really changed how I have looked at guitars. I still have a few nice ones, but nowhere near what I used to own. I’m with Boyd. They are guitars, and there can always be more down the road.

I’d grab my dogs too… 4 of them.I’d be out the back door running, and I’d ask my mother in law if she could grab me a coke on her way out.

[kidblast]

well I can offer a tale here as my house WAS on fire   March 27, 2020, it happened around 12:30/1:00 am.

The fire was mostly contained on the back side of the house, but pretty much destroyed our second floor.  what the fire/smoke didn't destroy, the water to put it out did.

After I got the family out, I went back in and pulled out the ones I didn't want to loose .

I had more to go but by then the smoke was pretty bad and the fire department had already arrived, and my wife was freaking out that I was going in there to yank out guitars but I wasn't leaving some of them in there.  

what I pulled out:

My SJ200, 2 Les Pauls,  my 2 SGs and  my oldest strat.  The rest I left in the "Guitar closet", said a prayer, and shut the door.

Went back in the morning after the FD declared the house safe, and got the rest.  The closet that I had them in saved them from even having the cases get smoke damage.

long story short, our entire house was re-built upon insurance settlement, which was a nightmare to get thru, but we were displaced to temp housing from March 2020, till Mid January 2021.  

 

word of advice to anyone who goes thru this,, hire a public assessor.  which is what we did and they helped out with the claim immeasurably 

[BoSoxBiker]

None of mine are vintage or of special acquisition. Mine would be to grab the hardest to replace. That would be my Love Dove. If I went on saving my favorite, it would be Rosie(CS SJ-200 Prewar Historic Series with Rosewood back & sides - hence it's name). The latter would be more likely as it took me a few minutes to think of the hardest to replace factor of only 50 being made. 

One of those big ones a couple weeks ago was an F4. Sheeeeze, man, that is something I cannot comprehend being part of. I've had way more than my fair share of "small" tornado, downburst winds and water spout events. Lost a tree two years ago with the last one that was never confirmed to touch anything and can't be counted. We were in the family safe spot when we heard it snapped.  Scared the hell out of us. I've had decades of bad tornado dreams, but none after that night.

[Twang Gang]

Tough question, but if I was smart about it I'd grab my CS 356 just because it is a beautiful and wonderful playing guitar and would be the hardest to replace.  Coming in second would be my maple bodied Hummingbird again hard to find as they don't make them with maple very often.  

[DanvillRob]

17 hours ago, Twang Gang said:

Tough question, but if I was smart about it I'd grab my CS 356 just because it is a beautiful and wonderful playing guitar and would be the hardest to replace.  Coming in second would be my maple bodied Hummingbird again hard to find as they don't make them with maple very often.  

Both beauties!

[tpbiii]

Wow what a question.  So many of my guitars have played wonderful roles in my life.  I have insurance, but many of them are irreplaceable.  I guess I might grab the most valuable and irreplaceable.  36 AJ, 35 D-28, 34 00-40H (I got from Norman Blake) maybe. 

Let's pick,

-Tom

[dhanners623]

I think part of the impetus behind my original question was a desire to find the difference between stuff and a necessity. Since moving abroad in 2014 -- and moving to three different countries -- I altered my views about materialism and what I really need in life. I came to a number of conclusions, chief among them the belief that many Americans spend their lives collecting too much stuff.  That's not necessarily a criticism, just an observation.

Another conclusion I reached was that if I was unwilling to lug it through an airport, I probably didn't need it.

We're back in the U.S., living in Springfield, IL, for the time being. We plan to move to the U.K. next summer, probably for good. So which of my three guitars am I willing to lug through an airport? As much as I am trying to downsize my life, probably all of them. I keep thinking it would (in concept) be nice to downsize to one guitar but, hey, you always need a spare. And each of the three guitars does something different from the other.

Maybe my view will change between now and next summer, but I'll probably find a way to get all three across the pond. Each, in its own way, has transcended being mere stuff to become a necessity.