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  #16  
Old 04-15-2011, 01:30 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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I've told this story before, but I'm an old guy and can do that kind of stuff...

When I was 13 or 14, I had a "Marco Polo" nylon string guitar - it was part of a "6 lessons and a free guitar" thing that my Mom got me into... I went to the first lesson, got the guitar... and never went back!

So, I'm "camping out" on the golf course that our home abutted; me and several friends (and a couple of girlfriends!) - someone brought a bottle of something and we all got a bit tipsy...

One of my best friends (and keyboard player in our garage band) was in his sleeping bag, with his girlfriend... they were both drunk - and when Jerry tried to stand in the sleeping bag (it was still zipped up!), he lost his balance and fell onto my "Marco Polo", semi-crushing the face of it... then he started laughing hilariously as I inspected the damage...

I looked at the guitar - still looked like a guitar, even though I knew it was shot - and I looked at him, laughing like a maniac...

And I picked up the guitar by the neck and EL KABONG'ed HIM!!! It was lightweight plywood, and just smashed over the top of his head perfectly; he was sitting on the ground with strings around his neck... and he was laughing even harder!

It was a "once in my llife" sort of thing...never to be repeated, I'm sure!

John Seth Sherman

"It breaks my heart, to see those stars,
smashing a perfectly good guitar..."

John Hiatt - "Perfectly Good Guitar"
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  #17  
Old 04-15-2011, 01:43 PM
heni30 heni30 is offline
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Come on, you gals must have a story or two about a boyfriend who was playing the guitar way too much and not giving you enough attention!
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  #18  
Old 04-16-2011, 01:11 AM
Buck62 Buck62 is offline
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Smashing guitars?

This dude made a living at it...



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  #19  
Old 04-16-2011, 09:17 AM
brianmay brianmay is offline
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I did it once in a fit of pique, it was (in my case), childish, irresponsible and an act of outright vandalism.

I am ashamed to this day that I did that to an old and trusted companion.

Beware if you do go down that route, it can haunt you for years - it was 16 years ago and the shame feels like yesterday.

Normally my guitars (now all Martins) get me out of bad moods, not into them.
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  #20  
Old 04-16-2011, 12:07 PM
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Kitchen Guitars Kitchen Guitars is offline
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I have a few basket cases not worth the parts laying around. I let my son use one to take out a Zombie in a local movie some kids made.
The other day I was doing a wood bending demo for 80 woodworkers. In a flash of inspireation I yanked a dead dred that I had screwed to a wall at the end pin in my work shop. A kinda "defy gravity" look. and I sawed it in half so they could see inside. When I got home I made these;





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  #21  
Old 04-16-2011, 05:35 PM
Truman Truman is offline
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I guess I don't see the attraction of smashing a guitar. Maybe it's guy thing?
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  #22  
Old 04-16-2011, 06:03 PM
gmm55 gmm55 is offline
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Hmmm... I am struck with the image of some people, particularly children, who might like to play the guitar, but cannot afford to buy one, or feel (incorrectly) that they have no musical talent or right to buy one. Smashing an eternally unplayable guitar -due to say a collapsed top or severely warped neck- is one thing, but if I were in a similar circumstance, and if the guitar was still playable (I have seen guitars with monster cracks in the top that remained very functional) I would have instead given it to someone, anyone, who might have appreciated it. There are people who would marvel at being given a guitar, even the cheapest we might imagine.
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  #23  
Old 04-17-2011, 07:19 AM
hermithollow hermithollow is offline
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The guitar I learned on was plywood, with worn out plastic frets. It had nylon strings so it wasn't so bad. It had been passed along to me for free, and in turn I passed it along when I got a better guitar. I know of at least 3 people who learned on this worn out piece of junk. But it was somewhat together and didn't require extensive repairs beyond the value of the guitar.
When Garth smashes a Takamine, I'm sure many feel at least he is just smashing a cheaper instrument. I'm sure he could afford to smash a Martin if he was so inclined. It does seem kind of a shame a perfectly good guitar meets a premature end.
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  #24  
Old 04-17-2011, 08:06 AM
JohnZ JohnZ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truman View Post
I guess I don't see the attraction of smashing a guitar. Maybe it's guy thing?
In years past there were plenty of times that after a frustrating gig I wanted to smash a guitar, but never did. However, in the late '70's I had a band and we came up with the idea of occasionally smashing some cheap garage sale special. Though it was a progressive country band, we did a surf medley to 'break things up' so to speak and a smash was a perfect closer. With a little advance notice, you'd be amazed at how many people turn out. Right away I found out electrics are really hard and dangerous to smash, so a steel stringed acoustic with a soundhole DeArmond pickup was preferred way to go. Actually, there weren't that many, but we got a lot of mileage out of it.
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  #25  
Old 04-17-2011, 12:20 PM
heni30 heni30 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truman View Post
I guess I don't see the attraction of smashing a guitar. Maybe it's guy thing?
I think it is a guy thing. Like a primal instinct. Back in the day guys not only had to build but they had to destroy as well. They had to clear the land to build their shelter; they had to cut trees down to build their log cabin; etc; so there is a built in pleasure in wielding an axe to cut a tree or split wood. Nowadays it would be wielding a reciprocating saw or a chainsaw. We did some re-modeling recently and it was a genuine pleasure to cut through 2x4s and push over a big wall; rip things out, etc. Schwarzenegger made a fortune providing this vicarious thrill.

Last edited by heni30; 04-17-2011 at 01:09 PM.
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  #26  
Old 04-17-2011, 12:47 PM
SwimTrunks SwimTrunks is offline
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Great stories people! I also have one!

Last year, my friend had a weekend cottage party, and one of my other friends and I thought of a fun prank we could play. This prank involved buying a cheap guitar from Kijiji.
The first day he had the guitar out, and was telling people how hes had this guitar his whole life and was his favourite one. This kind of set up the plan.

So, while we were at the campfiire the second night playing guitar for the 10 or so others, we staged a fight. He started by insulting my mother, and I got upset with him. I proceeded to yank his guitar out of his hands while he was playing a song, smash it on the ground a bunch of times, and throw it into the fire. You should have heard this all laminate guitar crackle!!

Nobody even said anything as this was happening, everyone was silent, just looking at me, wondering why the hell i would do such a thing. Awkwerd silence for about a minute and then we let the cat out of the bag.
I had to tell everyone because i couldnt stand being so hated.
What a great weekend.
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  #27  
Old 04-17-2011, 11:34 PM
tdq tdq is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truman View Post
I guess I don't see the attraction of smashing a guitar. Maybe it's guy thing?
...this one was irreparable and we were moving overseas, had to get rid of heaps of stuff. Was fun, I have to admit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsEtVtbfsrk


..maybe it is a guy thing....
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