Anyone else think their guitar is better than they are?

[Golem]

`

 

Re: Being mindful of dinging up your ax ...

 

I certainly take decent precautions and I'm

bit watchful .... and I am in no "race to the

bottom" to get my stuff natcherlee relic'ed !

 

I usually by used stuff, so there's often no

opportunity to regret that 1st or 2nd ding

cuz a prior owner has already dealt with

that ..... and such harmless cosmetic zitz

have a beneficial effect of putting a decent

ax into my budget range. I play stuff I never

could have bought brand new, and I dig it.

 

Also, if an ax is commonly available used,

I'll be more choosy about the type of finish

that I buy, avoiding finishes that exagerate

every minor wound. I've found that a natural

finish hides zitz due to the grain patterns,

and certain opaque finishes are easier than

others for touch-ups .... frinstintz black nail

polish is an easy match for a glossy black

ax. I'm not doing museum curatorial grade

restoration, just routine "housekeeping" if

I chip a finish thru to the wood.

 

--------------------------------

 

Nowz I ponder it ..... maybe part of a more

"authentic" custom "relic job" would be to

add semi-crude touch-up attempts to the

nastier spots of faked damage ? OK now,

here's a tough choice:

 

Fender, Nash, or whoever makes your relic

ax will not take the above suggestion, but

let's us say you see it as added credibility.

Would you feel OK doing it ? Or would you

still see your brand new relic as a brand

new ax, that you'd not want to fuggup with

your own crude handiwork ? Even tho you

paid EXTRA to have your brand new ax

appear like it's already fuggedup ? ? ?

 

IOW would you still hesitate to "alter" a

new/mint ax .... even tho it's a relic job ?

 

 

 

 

`

[Shnate McDuanus]

I have only had my SG for a few years now, and as such it's in pretty good condition. Even so, I do not "look forward to" getting damage on any of my axes. The oldest one of the bunch (a Guild classical-type job which used to belong to my mother before she gave up on the guitar, years before I was born) has a whole load of gouges and scratches out of the top (also from my mother, who apparently played it with a flatpick,) but it has a nice "aged" aesthetic quality and a very sweet, mellow tone. One could imitate the look on a new instrument, but (at least I believe) it would not look "old" unless the wood, varnish, etc. was actually old when it was used. This is my beef with the "aged" guitars--instead of looking like genuine aged instruments, they look like new instruments with bits of finish systematically sanded off, cracks placed in the (new stock) wood systematically, etc., while this is not the way guitars actually age naturally (i.e. where the cracks, gouges and finish wear are placed in an ordered fashion.)

 

I will admit that the Murphy-aged Lesters look alright--but not always authentically vintage (there, I said it.) At any rate, that's not the topic of this thread, and while I have no problems with purchasing a guitar which has been beaten up a little (as long as it's still playable and there are no major functional issues,) I have kept my SG in very good condition. The finish on the neck has worn off a fair bit and a chip is missing from the headstock, but beyond that it is still in great condition. Anyway, part of the reason why I feel like I am good enough for my guitars is the fact that none of them are particularly expensive one--I got my Gibson for below $800, and the Guild was free of charge. Assuming that I eventually find someone who can tolerate my outrageous behavior, and that I eventually have a family, I will put these instruments to good use even after death, as they will eventually reach the hands of my children, who I hope will appreciate them. At that point, I ask you--will it matter for my hypothetical children if those guitars are better than they are?!

[Zonkers]

I figure that all of my guitars are much more talented than I am. Some have a ding, some have dents, but I try not to intentionally abuse my gear, I'm not 23, and I don't get these things for free.

[milod]

Well...

 

Most of my guitars are 35+ years old. Most folks wouldn't see the years 'cuz I'm similarly veeeeery careful.

 

Frankly I think every guitar is capable of much more than most players, including seasoned famous professionals, can get out of them. There are some junky ones in this world, but even those will allow some player to get something special out of them that almost nobody else could manage.

 

I have a hunch even Segovia, acknowledged grand master with no parallel in the world of classical guitar, would have admitted that his guitars were capable of more than even he might be able to coax from them. Yet my understanding is that he changed out guitars frequently...

 

Yeah, a Gibson 335 probably can do more than my Epi Dot - but the Dot could sound a lot better with BB playing blues on it than me playing a Gibson, etc., etc., etc.

 

m