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Old 09-01-2019, 10:22 AM
FrankHS FrankHS is offline
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Default Consider Replacing GAS with GES

Which do you value more, having a new guitar, or rather playing (and sounding) better, continually? A problem with GAS is, "No matter where you go, there you are." (We bring the same hands and mind to the new guitar, so it is likely to sound just like us.) I recently tried to quantify some of this, considering that time is money (for most of us) and I have often replaced paid work opportunity with more guitar time. But how much money have I spent on guitars and gear versus guitar _education_? The assumption is that one side of equation will eventually help us sound drastically better (GES) but the other side helps us sound slightly better, or often merely different, not drastically better (GAS.) I know, I know, you can have both, but try this experiment to possibly reveal where your values have been.

On left side of ledger, try to add up what you've spent on guitars presently acquired, plus the portion lost value of guitars you've sold below fair price. Maybe include strings too, if you have been susceptible to HSQ (Holy String Quest.) If you can only remember past X years, use that. My figure, 1978 to present: $3,100.

Other side of ledger, estimate what you've spent for Guitar Education. Count lessons, books, subscriptions, etc. My figure: (1978 to present--310 books, 13 regretted pointless lessons, 6 good productive lessons, 2 guitar magazines.) $3,600 (estimating $10 per book.)

Ponder your two numbers, obviously. There's probably another big input deserving to adjust the above ratio. Since time is money for most of us, add to Guitar Ed some value representing all your focused practice time. Don't count "personal unwinding time," nor messing-around time, nor even repertoire rehersal time, but focused practice time, if possible. Personal estimate: 5 hours per week, 40 years, x $15/hr, (with inflation.) $156,00. This input seems valid for me, because I probably could have always acquired another 5 hours per week of paid work, had I really wanted to!

My GES(1)+GES(2)/GA=51.5. (My first luthier-built guitar purchase is overdue, and I'm shopping.)

PS. Last week, I drove 4 hours (one way) from my city of 1 million to a different city of 1 million for a private lesson. I relearned the value of a good teacher. I relearned the flaw inherent learning from books and media (my erstwhile favorite source, obviously.) A book will not tell you, "YOUR string attack sounds too noisy, and here's how to fix it, based on your type hands and your type of nails." (Or whichever problem that no friend or kind guitar player will say, even if they do perceive. Interesting too, how we often fail to accurately hear ourselves.)

Care to share your equation? (And use your own-defined inputs, if desired. No need to pick apart mine. Thanks.)
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  #2  
Old 09-01-2019, 07:19 PM
Arthur Blake Arthur Blake is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankHS View Post
Which do you value more, having a new guitar, or rather playing (and sounding) better, continually?

if you have been susceptible to HSQ (Holy String Quest.)
I thought the "HSQ" was laugh out loud funny. Just last week I changed a set within minutes.

I do seriously relate to the idea of proficiency versus equipment. I think the guitar will reveal its secrets with conscious, conscientious practice, and believe in getting the best guitar you can afford, and then sticking with it.

So to answer your question, I highly value skill and tone improvement from the part of the musician. Probably 90%/10%. If after several years, I find something lacking, I'll seek to correct limitation in the guitar, but otherwise, my focus is on expressing the music as clearly and well as can be possible.

Playing exclusively flat top steel string, all finger style and mostly instrumental, there is simply an extraordinary amount of flexibility and improvement in musical expression that is available with this instrument.
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Old 09-01-2019, 09:50 PM
jklotz jklotz is offline
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I love guitars, and buy them way more regularly than one should. I spent a decade studying classical guitar a while back. I look back at that time and the 1 thing that really stands out. I worked on learning music, weekly lessons and ocasionally buying new strings. I had a really nice guitar from Spain (the maker's name escapes me at the moment, but at the time, I loved it) that most classical guys would consider a "student model", but I thought it was great. The thought of buying another guitar never even occured to me back then. It was all about study and practice.

It seems like these days I read every positive NGD thread and ponder adding yet another guitar to the heard. There was something refreshing about those classical days. There is nothing I don't already own that can make me a better guitar player. And the search for the "ultimate tone" is the last 8% of the equation.
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Old 09-02-2019, 04:11 AM
BluesKing777 BluesKing777 is offline
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The sky or something owes me millions!

But seeing as money is probably the enemy of music/creativity, we will let it slide. BUT, if I got a gig at a local bar I would get paid about a tenth of my day job hourly rate that really only required a bit of nous to get, compared to working very hard in all manner of ways on guitar and associated stuff for just a short 55 years or so with a house full of guitars and associated paraphenalia

An economist would say I was a full moron, but I would do it all over again!

And I could select ONE guitar that suits, leave everything in a pile and start walking.


BluesKing777.
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