"We Don't Own Our Guitars, We Are Their Caretakers"
 

"We Don't Own Our Guitars, We Are Their Caretakers"

Wade Hampton Miller just posted this sentiment or something similar on another thread a few minutes ago and he is absolutely right.

And, it reminded me of a very sweet video that I recently watched about Vince Gill's guitar collection. In addition to the video being a wonderland of candy for the guitar enthusiast (yes, you WILL drool while watching this), Vince revealed a very sweet thing in the video that increased my already great respect for him and his talents. He said something to this effect:

"I have a lot of friends that are session musicians and, periodically, they fall on hard times and need to sell one of their prized instruments. Here's what I tell them: 'I will buy it for our agreed-upon price but ANYTIME you want the guitar back, it is your guitar again for the price I paid you."

Vince, to me, is what I would call "a musician's musician" -- he, along with another artist that I've sort of "re-discovered": Daryl Hall, both love music and everything surrounding it.

YouTube is wonderful -- in addition to seeing you guys play, I can watch Daryl's House and some of my favorite musicians playing with him.

And I have no doubt that, if Daryl Hall heard about what Vince Gill does, he would do the same thing.

As another friend of mine has said "We don't pay to own our guitars. We pay for the privilege of having them to play for a while. And then we pass them on."

TW

I've never heard that expression before but I like it. A well built, well cared for guitar will last longer than I'll be around.

Funny... back in the 60's, I knew a fellow who used to do the same thing for local guitar players in Orange County, CA.

He had an INCREDIBLE collection of various guitars... turned out that most of the "musicians' who had fallen on hard times never did come back for their instruments, albeit for the same price Zell gave for them...

Interesting way to look at it.

Just a couple of days ago, I said to someone that I consider myself a custodian of the 1931 Maurer I have. I'm actually considering selling it, as I have this feeling that there are better custodians for this instrument than I. I love it--it's a marvel of a guitar--but I can't escape this feeling that someone will do better than I do with it.

Going along with this sentiment, I suppose the exception being guitars from the most accomplished players which end up under glass cases in the collections of museums and private collectors. Acoustic and electric guitars retired from service after being thoroughly owned by the likes of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, countless other musicians who have left behind the tools of their trade to never see use again but to be admired by the public as reminders of the players who made their art with them.

This leads to a question- Does anyone know of an iconic guitar of a deceased player (not just one from the vast collection, but a specific instrument strongly associated with an celebrity player known for songwriting or guitar work) that's currently in use by another famous musician today?

I'm pretty sure Willie Nelson will be the first and last caretaker of his beloved Martin N-20. At this point I think it would seem very wrong to not lay the guitar to rest with it's master when that day comes.

A very warm, fuzzy, philosophical notion, but I own my guitars. I have the receipts to prove it.;)

I own them, and am considering having them with me during my planned Viking funeral.

I own mine.
When I die someone else will own them.

I've never been much for invented feel-good ideas.
What's real is enough for me.

I've heard this said about children. In that case, I whole-hardheartedly agree. But with guitars it's a stretch. I think we both own them and we are their caretakers, but if Wade's sentiment about dropping the sense of ownership helps us see something we haven't before - the good deeds of Vince Gill or the musical openness of Daryl Hall - it's worth the mental exercise.

Exactly . ;)

I have already bequeathed whatever guitars I have when I can no longer play or if I were to die to my grandson. I told him that on a road trip to Wildwood Music a few weeks ago. I remember at age 3 when he would grab the strings on my Taylor 310 (much to my chagrin) and make them ring.
Since then, he and I have shared many hours with me teaching him to play and playing together. Now when he comes over, he shows me what he has learned on his own. He will soon be a better player than I ever could be. Yep, he get's 'em all. It's nothing compared to the joy he has given me, nothing.

Tony Rice plays Clarence White's '35 D-28. Neil Young plays Hank Williams '41 D-28.

From time to time i wonder who the former owners were of a guitar i bought at a flea market years ago . i know the company went out of business around 1840. would be interesting if records were available concerning who the first owner was --I bet that guitar has a few stories

Uh ... no. I paid for them, I own 'em, and I can throw 'em in the fireplace if I care to. What a silly thought.