Guest alanhindle Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Boys and their toys...Why are electric guitars such a pull for us lads? I do have a few recurring hobbies since childhood, some minor, some more involved. I like model trains; I like exotic/spiky plants: my garden looks like Tracy Island in the UK- palm trees, banana trees etc.; I used to shoot .22 rifle (haven't revisited this one yet). Over the last couple of years, I've rekindled the passion for electric guitars that I had in my teens. This one seems to be getting more than obsessive though. The above are all man things- all the discussion boards on these hobbies are very much male dominated. I'm no psychologist but is the recurring theme with male hobbies a desire to impress, collecting, the power/impact + looks factor, something phallic....? I'm now 39 with 2 sons. As such, I have this great excuse to re-live my childhood. Is this a midlife crisis, a man thing or both? Why do you all love your electric guitars so much and what are your other crazy hobbies? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Well, initially (in my teens) it was not only FUN, and "creative" but it was great for "pulling chicks!" Inspite of that, I actually became quite enamoured of the instrument itself, and the sound, power, playability, and yeah...it's "sex appeal!" I suppose all of that is still present (except at my age, and the current state of available STD's..."Pulling (just any) Chicks" is not of the importance it once was...LOL!) but I love the look, feel, craftsmanship, and tone/sound, of course. Bottom line, they're still FUN! And, quite a lot of them, are really beautiful! ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wardog Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 i have always liked guitars, but never gave the time or money until now. It has a fantastic way of allowing me to express myself, and that is why we do the thingsd we do. Men do not express ourselves as vocally as women do. we are more physical in nature and use our physical selves to express. and Guitars make for great physical expression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 You want to get philosophical? It simply is man's basic need/desire for artistic expression. Hell, the cavemen painted, we play shiny guitars. One does need an outlet. Going to movies, reading a book, listening to music satisfies most. But isn't it better to actually CREATE music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Boys and their toys...Why are electric guitars such a pull for us lads? I do have a few recurring hobbies since childhood' date=' some minor, some more involved. I like model trains; I like exotic/spiky plants: my garden looks like Tracy Island in the UK- palm trees, banana trees etc.; I used to shoot .22 rifle (haven't revisited this one yet). Over the last couple of years, I've rekindled the passion for electric guitars that I had in my teens. This one seems to be getting more than obsessive though. The above are all man things- all the discussion boards on these hobbies are very much male dominated. I'm no psychologist but is the recurring theme with male hobbies a desire to impress, collecting, the power/impact + looks factor, something phallic....? I'm now 39 with 2 sons. As such, I have this great excuse to re-live my childhood. Is this a midlife crisis, a man thing or both? Why do you all love your electric guitars so much and what are your other crazy hobbies? Alan [/quote'] Because there are so many different styles and looks. If I were a trumpet player, I would probably have 5 (they do come in different sizes). But never twenty five! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 i have always liked guitars' date=' but never gave the time or money until now. It has a fantastic way of allowing me to express myself, and that is why we do the thingsd we do. Men do not express ourselves as vocally as women do. we are more physical in nature and use our physical selves to express. and Guitars make for great physical expression. [/quote'] Good point. We can live with the same suits and same shoes and same hair style. We only need one wallet and one watch. Gotta spend all of that money we aren't spending on dresses, shoes, purses, jewelry, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Strum Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 i have always liked guitars' date=' but never gave the time or money until now. It has a fantastic way of allowing me to express myself, and that is why we do the thingsd we do. Men do not express ourselves as vocally as women do. we are more physical in nature and use our physical selves to express. and Guitars make for great physical expression. [/quote'] +1 and it is my escape. If I was younger it would be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 The above are all man things- all the discussion boards on these hobbies are very much male dominated. I'm no psychologist but is the recurring theme with male hobbies a desire to impress' date=' collecting, the power/impact + looks factor, something phallic....? Alan [/quote'] It does seem that way, doesn't it? Boys love to collect nice shiny things after all. My dad collects Motown records (he has almost EVERYTHING!). I think I desire to impress is the main thing for me, I love it when I play for somebody and look them and you can see "Oh my god, WOW!" written across their faces (not that i'm amazing or anything, cos I'm not). I was recently in New York to work on some Radio documentaries on Carmine Appice and Maxine Brown. I had the opportunity to play a little guitar for them and they both looked at me like they couldn't believe what they were hearing. For me, there is nothing better than to impress. Hearing Maxine squeal "ooooooOOOOOOoooohhhh, you can really play honey!" was one of the best things anyone has ever said to me, despite the oodles of times my friends and family have said it. As an age thing, I'm 23 and am obsessed by guitars. Maybe the one thing i'm more obsessed about is sound. Me and a friend recently recorded the sound of two speakerphones feeding back on a dictaphone and put it through a Akai Headrush. It was one of the craziest and beautiful noises I've ever heard. And thats the thing with guitars. I can't always help but wonder "Maybe I'm the first person to do this!".....and that I think is really special (though I always conclude "I cannot be the first!"). And I like amazing looking guitars. I could give you a list of what I look for in a guitar but I shant bore you. Another thing is, being a music obsessive in my neck of the woods used to mean you were very cool but even as young as I am, cool has now changed to mean stupid haircuts, stupidly tight jeans, drinking till you pass out while listening to AWFUL, AWFUL music (for my age group especially). I feel the guitar as a way of rejecting that...."F**k you! Enjoy listening to your bullsh*t, I'm off to listen to Iggy and The Stooges!" If you know what I mean.... Wow, this is one hell of a rant. In short, to create is the best feeling in the world, and a beautiful guitar around my shoulder makes me feel 10 feet tall and it lets me play my favourite music that no one else has created. The Electric guitar is easily my favourite invention of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRG1281734101 Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Well first it was that feeling the first time you play a song and it sounds like some thing musical. then it was the whole band thing. then i quit for 18 years martial arts toook over now 38 years later i still pratice the martial arts and teach but the bug bit me about 14 years ago and i started buying and playing again. the count is up to 15 going to pick up number 16 this saturday. the other thing is being where i can afford some really nice guitars at this time of my life. they can really be fine examples of art and carftsmanship. I had an all oak cabnit made to hold six of them its great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I try really hard to not get caught up with collecting guitars or pursuing the "perfect" guitar. The not collecting part is easy, I pretty much keep myself to three or four guitars at a time. Trying to find the perfect guitar is a little harder to control. Ideally I would like to have one guitar that suits my style of music. When I was playing more rock and blues my PRS Custom 22 was perfect. I played it exclusively for years. Then my style of music evolved to jazz -fusion and the PRS was not good for that. I don't like the sound of a traditional jazz box, and they are too big, the 335 and all it's related guitars are also too big. The Joe Pass with 57 classics is pretty good, and I started looking at the GIbson cs 336 and es 339, both smaller semi hollow bodies. But I settled on a Johnny A, warm mahogany tone, full 57' classic sound, ebony fret board, it's small (LP sized), maple top, and it is completely hollow. I also would have taken a Pat Martino but they are impossible to find. Here's a link to Johnny A playing his signature guitar. By the way, expensive guitars can be had for very cheap dollars right now. The economy must be forcing some owners to sell for whatever they can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillsaska Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 All guitar players (and those that play at playing) have GAS* *G uitar A cquisition S yndrome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Strum Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I try really hard to not get caught up with collecting guitars or pursuing the "perfect" guitar. The not collecting part is easy' date=' I pretty much keep myself to three or four guitars at a time. [/quote'] To some, that is considered collecting. There are people around the world going to bed without a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I share Mr. Hindles love of guitars and model trains. The one time i took a break from playing guitar, I built a hell of a HO train layout. It seems both hobbies need good hands and a good imagination. But the guitars called me back after a year or so, but i still have the urge to build another layout!!Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tflanster Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Boys and their toys...Why are electric guitars such a pull for us lads? Well' date=' you have to be hooked on [i']something[/i]. When I was a kid I was into reed instruments - saxophone, clarinet. I had 4 saxes, 2 clarinets and a couple flutes. Gave it up when I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and never got back into music. Worst, golf got me](*,) For over 40 years I bought, sold, assembled and repaired golf clubs. I still have about 100 clubs, bags, shoes and various equipment. My wife's a musician - taught vocal music, piano, violin. I bought her a guitar a few years back and over time I sometimes plucked at it. Then, about a year ago or so, I saw a "Teach Yourself To Play Guitar In 4 Weeks" book on sale at Barnes and Noble. So what the hell, I bought it. Got the old Yamaha out and began. Oops! Hooked! Since then I've bought and sold 3 Ibanez acoustic electrics, 3 Ibanez semi-acoustics (AF, AS, AG) two Epi Dots and an Epi Classic Quilted Cherry Les Paul. Also 3 amps, 2 music stands, 2 guitar stands, a dozen or more sets of strings of different types, 2 tuners, 3 cables, a capo, a couple dozen picks, 4 fake books, 6 instruction books, 3 computer learning programs - everything but a damn partridge in a pear tree](*,) And now I'm looking for another A/E. I kept the LP and the last Ibanez, the AS73, so I'd like to get another A/E. Why? I'm hooked. I really suck at guitar but I can at least read music pretty well so I can play a song, then play it again without the sheet music. No audience - headphones most all the time. So the why of it is simple - a love of music and the desire to be able to create it. Doesn't matter if you're good at it as long as it's enjoyable. For me - I love it. Hmmm, now, if I could trade the AS and the LP for money or another guitar - or maybe forgo heating the house for a few weeks, thus saving enough money to buy another guitar I'd no doubt be much happier. Don't know about the wife though:d/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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