Jinder Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 My fiancèe and I just spent the weekend with a good friend of ours (remember Lotte, the lady I mentioned in a previous post who owns a Legends series L00 with a key crack in the knee side?) Anyway, after a few drinks the guitars come out, and my Hummingbird MC is getting passed around, strummed and cooed over in general. Lotte has never really bonded with her L00, but really likes my Hummingbird, and offered me a straight swap, on the spot-her Legend L00, key crack and all, for my Hummingbird MC. Obviously I'm aware that the L00 cost a fair bit more than my Bird when new, and it is an incredible example of an L00, but as much as I am deeply covetous of the Legend, I couldn't bring myself to part with my Hummingbird. I just love the tone and feel of the Bird, and it's a tremendous working instrument. Plus it does have some sentimental value as I spent the entirety of last year touring with it, played it at the Royal Albert Hall, used it in front of the biggest crowd I've played to to date at the Summer Pops festival at Liverpool Echo Arena...even though I've only had the Bird for a little over a year, we've been through a lot together. So, I didn't go through with the swap. Am I silly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towzend Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Dont get tempted.... You already have/had good times with you bird, and you say how you love it for what it can do for you ect.. so, to me anyway, its a part of you, just in a year its been your close freind.. just imagine in 30yrs time... Dont fall out with your best freind.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Nuttin' silly about it at all. You kept a geetar you obviously have a thing for and which means something to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Jinder.... sounds to me like you made the completely correct choice. It's always been about tone, playability and such. That combined with memories and bonding....... how could it be a silly decision? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I think you did the right thing. If you didn't have that level of attachment you would have made the trade. The fact that you didn't tells the story. Be nice to the lady, but don't give her the Bird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Jinder.... sounds to me like you made the completely correct choice. It's always been about tone' date=' playability and such. That combined with memories and bonding....... how could it be a silly decision? [/quote'] +1 . . . . Not silly. . . A decision based on the guitar, not the money - nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert plays a SG? Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Good decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vourot Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Absolutley correct decision, in this case it would not have mattered if your guitar was an old yamaha or something thats still a trade you don't make. Stay the course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 . . Jinder - the very fact you didn't swap answers your question. The guitar with the strongest pull on you won the day. Your fingers and ears told you what to do, and you did it. =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticat Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Jinder, you made a wise choice. I feel the same way about my Hummingbird. Of all the guitars that came and gone, there are only five that I will never trade or sell. My Hummingbird is one of them. Sal =D> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 There is more to a guitar than its monetary value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cradlehall Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 You've done the right thing. If you'd done it you would've regretted it in the morning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayla Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I think you made the right choice. I definitely agree that a guitar is more than just a bunch of wood, glue (or whatever) and steel with a price tag on it. Without getting all sentimental over things, I definitely feel an attachment to instruments that I've played over time. I like to believe that we both the better for the experience -- I've (hopefully) become a stronger player, and the instrument a finer instrument, and we're both older and have more dings and scratches that we received together. It's probably for this reason that I tend not to sell my guitars. Once I did and regretted it: a mid-'70s Rickenbacker 4001 bass that was my first *real* bass. The bit of money I got for it was spent in short order and the guitar is gone forever. A lesson learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Jinder, if you had a beautiful Irish Setter dog who had been your buddy for years, through thick and thin, that you absolutely loved, would you trade her for a rare breed Dachsund that you liked? Probably not, and for valid reason. I agree with Doug. There's more to guitars than monetary value. FWIW (no pun intended) I wouldn't trade my Magic for any guitar in the world. Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks for the reassurance, all! I think I know I did the right thing, but it's nice to hear my instincts backed up :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Cat Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Situations like that are designed to make you realise what you really want and appreciate what you already have. The only answer is to keep the 'bird and get an L00 aswell. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Instincts are good. Cut right through the other considerations. Salute. J (oth, if she wanted to trade her 37L for my adv. jumbo, Id be all ears!), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Jinder... Another thing I thought about this topic is that there are guitars that you come across in life that tend to define what guitar playing is to you personally. In my situation, I have always felt that my Taylor 612C was a guitar that I was meant to have and take care of. It just feels right when I am playing it. My AJ has grown on me to a point, where it too has become a "necessity" in my stable of guitars. Then I added a beautiful 2006 Taylor GSMC (Grand Symphony size Cedar topped/Mahoganny back & sides) guitar to the mix. It had a totally different tone and at first felt good, but as I kept playing it, I realized that although it was different sounding than my other two, it wasn't different enough (especially from my other Taylor) to really bond with me. Then I noticed the 1964 Gibson LG1 in the local Craigslist. Just looking at the photos made me want it. I spoke with the owner who was looking only for cash, no trades. I decided the new Taylor had to go. I put it on Craigslist at a price point very close to the Gibson LG1, knowing that it would surely sell quick and it did. I immediatly went and got the LG1 and have not looked back. Shortly after getting it, I was noodleing on it one morning when my wife walked into my music room with a cup of coffee. She normally doesn't do that, but this day she really seemed to be enjoying the music I was playing. After I finished playing one of my favorite Al Petteway blues tunes, she looked at me and said, "that guitar IS YOU!" I asked her what she meant and she said, just watching you play it and hearing the music makes me realize it. If I close my eyes and picture you playing a guitar.... the picture in my head looks and sounds just like that guitar. There it was, the stamp of approval from a woman who looks at my guitar trading and such with more than a bit of skepticism. I never thought she "got it" about what different woods, brands, styles, age etc were. The LG1 and my Advanced Jumbo are what I figure finally taught her that. She had always loved my Taylor, move foward many guitars and the next one she commented on that she liked a lot was my Advanced Jumbo. Several more guitars later, she has given her stamp of approval to the LG1 in a very big way. For that reason, I know the LG1 is a keeper. (I actually knew that the day I got it, but my wifes approval of any guitar in my collection tends to seal the deal for me. Trust me, she doesn't hand out guitar compliments often. From what I see, your HBird is one of those guitars that tend to define who you are as a player. Trust me, it is worth much more than money to find one, two or even three guitars that you can bond with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Jinder... there are guitars that you come across in life that tend to define what guitar playing is to you personal etc etc [....../quote] What I meant about instincts. Your mind processed & realized all that in seconds. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson101 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Sounds like you made a good choice! Taylor Player that was a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.