James Allen Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 So I was in the book store yesterday, at the magazine section, and I came across a magazine entitled: Guitar Aficianado. Inside this glossy and artsy magazine were pictures and articles about how guitars are collectable items. Things to be displayed as art, kept for their increase in value, things to be sold primarily for those reasons. There were pics of interesting and beautiful guitars hanging on walls, matching furniture, displayed in cases, on tables, counters, used as pieces to enhance the room. Of course great guitars are collectables, and can definitely be appreciated as art. But this magazine left me empty. For me, the whole idea of owning a guitar is so that you can make music, express yourself! When I think of guitars in general I smell stale cigarette smoke, spilled beer, and smell the sweat from the last bar fight during a gig. I also call to mind huge arenas with the smell of pot wafting around a sweaty mass of music lovers as the band rages on the stage under colorful lights. To see guitars only as collectables and art sucks the souls right out of them. Am I too far gone on this topic? When you guys and girls think of guitars, what comes to mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkin Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 when i bought my husbands guitar, the fact that it was cherry wood & matched my living room furniture was a real plus because i knew it would always be sitting out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Play 'em! To me it's the same sort of mentality that buys a Harley, keeps it for 8 years, puts 600 miles on it and wants to sell it for more than they paid when it was new. You're not a fiddler if you don't play 'em, you're a speculator. And, from the standpoint of a picker (or a sickle-ist), speculators suck and give change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Maybe guitars are art in both the musical and visual way. I do agree to display a guitar just as a visual display is missing the point. My Gibsons are in a glass enclosed lit cabinet but they are also there for the grabbing to make some music. A good example of the function and beauty is my son's violin teacher's house. She has musical instruments from all over the world sitting throughout the house. A triangular shaped guitar from Russia sits next to her Steinway and Sons 1913 grand piano. Her violin was made in 1789 and she plays it every day. In fact I asked her about several of her instruments and she said basically what James did. If you don't play them they are just furniture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Allen Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 when i bought my husbands guitar' date=' the fact that it was cherry wood & matched my living room furniture was a real plus because i knew it would always be sitting out. [/quote'] Though I understand your reasons, Pumpkin, I gotta say: AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 my guitars are functional art. gazing upon them pleases me. playing them pleases me more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Maybe guitars are art in both the musical and visual way. I do agree to display a guitar just as a visual display is missing the point. My Gibsons are in a glass enclosed lit cabinet but they are also there for the grabbing to make some music. A good example of the function and beauty is my son's violin teacher's house. She has musical instruments from all over the world sitting throughout the house. A triangular shaped guitar from Russia sits next to her Steinway and Sons 1913 grand piano. Her violin was made in 1789 and she plays it every day. In fact I asked her about several of her instruments and she said basically what James did. If you don't play them they are just furniture. "A triangular shaped guitar from Russia " A balalyka? I've always thought they looked fun to play but hard to keep on your lap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkin Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Though I understand your reasons' date=' Pumpkin, I gotta say: AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!![/quote'] lol! i know, i know! but if he had been wanting a silverburst or a blue one, i would have bought one. its was just a HUGE plus that it was cherry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Mine hang on the wall. I gig em'. "You" can only touch them if I allow it, but my wife and daughter can. I have none that I wouldn't play. Not art. Art is what we do with them. A guitar is a tool. To me. Just sayin'. Great thread, James. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Play 'em! To me it's the same sort of mentality that buys a Harley' date=' keeps it for 8 years, puts 600 miles on it and wants to sell it for more than they paid when it was new. You're not a fiddler if you don't play 'em, you're a speculator. And, from the standpoint of a picker (or a sickle-ist), speculators suck and give change. [/quote'] +1 billion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 "A triangular shaped guitar from Russia " A balalyka? I've always thought they looked fun to play but hard to keep on your lap. Yeah that's what she called it. No, I didn't play it. She said I could, but this lady has a Phd in music and I'd of felt really funny doing Zeppelin on her balalyka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callen3615 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I like a balance of both. I usually dont keep guitars that dont look good. I also usually dont keep guitars that play poorly either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I hate to do this......... But I will..... When I moved up here to Illinois, around '94, I hooked up with a redneck songwriter/singer. Very talented guy, was several years older than me but had a great voice, played rhythm, and was a fine man. I was new to the area, and need to gig, it's what I do, and we put a band together. He had a killer voice for Country stuff, I did Southern/Classic rock, and we made many thousands of dollars. He got cancer. When he died, and he'd mentioned it before, like I said, we were very close friends, for several years, he wanted his..... "Guitar to be buried with him...." God bless him, but he had a 14 year old son, and a 16 year old daughter. That guitar is gone. His son, or daughter, could be using it.... Just sayin'..... To me, it's a tool. God bless..... Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sr_maggie Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 my guitars are functional art. gazing upon them pleases me. playing them pleases me more. couldn't have said it better myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 when i bought my husbands guitar' date=' the fact that it was cherry wood & matched my living room furniture was a real plus because i knew it would always be sitting out.[/quote']Only a woman would think of that. I can barely get my shirt to match my pants. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I have bought guitars to play and some that I think were good investments... I will play them all though just some more than others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I have bought guitars to play and some that I think were good investments... I will play them all though just some more than others... Interesting.... I've never bought a guitar as an "investment"... Other than the fact I could make many thousands of dollars with it. In 52 weeks. To me, it's a tool. I'll buy it, write it off, make money with it, and we can bond, if we do.... The "investment" part comes later, if it becomes a classic, or if I get hired to play for Deep Purple.... As long as Steve Morse is alive, I'll just gig little bars around Southern Il., West Ky., and take a $2000.00 guitar, make 10 times that in a few years, and consider that a good deal.... It's a shovel to me.... Best to ya.... Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarguy506 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 check out my new topic,New Product Line Ideas in Gibson Custom, Custom collections. Tell everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Use must come first but I can completely understand someone buying a particular instrument purely on looks - even if they can't play guitar themselves. For instance; on the main Gibson website they had photographs of a limited edition vintage re-issue mandolin that was simply beautiful. Now; I can't play mandolin properly and doubt I ever will but I'd love to have had that instrument just because it was such a lovely thing to behold. I understand the '...it was built to be used...' viewpoint and agree with it 99% of the time but I can also agree with those who think instruments can be a work of art. The only thing I don't like is when an instrument is bought not for it's purpose, nor for it's beauty, but purely for commercial gain - locked away unplayed and unused until the time comes when it has increased in value sufficiently to be put back on the 'market'. I understand, of course, why people do it but I still think it's a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I have to say I'm more in agreement with Murph on this one; my guitars are tools for creating and playing. Although, they are pleasing to the eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Unit Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I love guitars primarily to play but also to look at' date=' people will always speculate on things that have a finite supply so of course Guitars like fine violins and fashionable art works will attract people looking for investments. Thinking about the speculation side of it just for a moment, I would be loathe to invest up to $1m in say a 59 les Paul flameburst an element of bandwagon and bubble surely lies at that particular end of the market, I believe some Strat investors got a rude awakening in the late 80's as did some classic car speculators. Good quality instruments probably represent a good store of value over the long run as they will be desired and revered for their playability, fashion however is something to be very wary of, I feel that classic Archtops are very much undervalued in relation to their intrinsic craftsmanship and indeed beauty, as are many acoustic flattop guitars, their rarity is also greater in many cases they are just not fashionable.There is something very sad about a Guitar that is never played or a painting that is never admired in a gallery or in someones home, or a classic car that isn't driven. I don't necessarily see a conflict between a guitar as a piece of art in it's own right, however the true way to appreciate the piece would be to see it and hear it in action. The Fretted Americana web site I think is an absolute stroke of genius with the phil x demonstrations of some very expensive and rare guitars. So i'm firmly in the camp if you got em play em or get em played, they are functional pieces of Art and are of no use to man nor beast without a decent set of strings on and ability to hold their tuning. It's certainly a thought provoking thread though James[/quote'] +1 . I can understand the desire to collect and even speculate on guitars but it saddens me to think of any fine instrument that can't be played. In the classical music world, some collectors of rare violins will lend them to musicians to perform and record with while still retaining ownership. IMHO Instruments are meant to be used to create art not sit there as a beautiful inanimate object. What's the point in having a guitar you can't play, a car you can't drive, a watch you can't wear etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Guitars are just tools to me, but since they are handled and looked at a lot I want them to look nice too. But I don't think it's worth spending much on cosmetics. As long as it looks OK, that's enough. As for the collectors, well God Bless America! To each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 All my current guitars are playable and I play them... But... I've a fiddle that was a gift from a special fiddler friend, now long gone, I'm half scared to play; a banjolin that would need more work than I'm capable of to get back in shape, and a mandolin made by an old friend that ain't playable any more... Nothing "just for pretty," though.... even the non-players are special as they've made good music and came from special people over the years... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 But... I've a fiddle that was a gift from a special fiddler friend' date=' now long gone, I'm half scared to play; a banjolin that would need more work than I'm capable of to get back in shape, and a mandolin made by an old friend that ain't playable any more... Nothing "just for pretty," though.... even the non-players are special as they've made good music and came from special people over the years...m[/quote'] Like you I've held on to some instruments - in my case they were my fathers. Here is my daughter 'playing' (with) his 1890 Neapolitan 'bowl-back' mandolin. I'm trying to get the hang of it myself at the moment. Other things which were passed down will, I know, never be used properly by me. An Alto Sax, a Bd Clarinet and a ukulele-banjo. I'm keeping them partly because my daughter will have them if she shows any inclination that way. Other instruments I had to let go for practical reasons; our piano (no space), his beloved 1930's Italian accordion (needed new bellows and, really, I couldn't justify the outlay for something I wouldn't keep) etc... I've actualy sold off almost all my guitars because I only ever use two of them (one acoustic and one electric) and, as the others were not getting any play-time from me, I thought it was best if they went to people who would use them as they were meant to be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Pippy.... That is one Cuuuuuute pix! m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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