The Dilemma of Gigging Nice Guitars

[bufflehead]

I purchased a stage guitar a while back as the result of a similar thread here on AGF. It's an acoustic/electric guitar, and I've been using it for outdoor events where I have to plug in. Here in the Pacific Northwest, especially along the coast, there are times where you're playing outdoors on a covered stage where the guitar is still going to be wet by the end of a set. Playing with my stage guitar in such situations frees me up from having to worry about protecting the guitar, and allows me to focus on the music.

No one in the audience notices whether I'm playing with a $500 guitar or a $1,500 guitar. But they do notice whether I seem to be having fun up there.

[Pnewsom]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

I think there's something to be said with what kind of playing requires what kind of technique. Soft picking on a jazz archtop isn't even close to the same thing as hammering rhythm unplugged at a bluegrass festival. That's why I'd consider them to have different wear. How many jazz guys bring their archtop into an open field in July and sweat all over it?

Well a lot of Grassers bring their D18's and 28's out to weekend festivals and most wouldn't be caught dead with anything less. Those instruments are made to take the strain, it's what they're for. It is not hard to keep your instruments safe, unless you aren't careful or tend to drink quite a bit.

Personally, I don't own any 'beaters' except my old 57' Martin 000-18, and not much could happen to it that hasn't already happened, unless it lands in the fire during a midnight jam. It was in rough enough condition when I got it to make most relic'd guitars look pristine. If something comes undone I get it fixed.

[rc3797]

I used to get pretty anxious playing out with my “nice” guitars. I’ve sold more than one that I bought planning to gig with because I couldn’t bring myself to have a pickup put in them, even though they would’ve been excellent gigging guitars. Then one day, I realized that I bought them to play, and putting a K&K in wasn’t going to hurt me THAT bad for resale. That’s one of the reasons I originally sold my J-50, but the first thing I did when I got it back was have a K&K and heel strap button put on. It’s already player-grade, and I wanted to be able to actually USE it. Life’s too short to worry about the resale value of a guitar that you love and enjoy playing

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

I purchased a stage guitar a while back as the result of a similar thread here on AGF. It's an acoustic/electric guitar, and I've been using it for outdoor events where I have to plug in. Here in the Pacific Northwest, especially along the coast, there are times where you're playing outdoors on a covered stage where the guitar is still going to be wet by the end of a set. Playing with my stage guitar in such situations frees me up from having to worry about protecting the guitar, and allows me to focus on the music.

No one in the audience notices whether I'm playing with a $500 guitar or a $1,500 guitar. But they do notice whether I seem to be having fun up there.

I'm with you, bubble. I used to take my Martin out to open mics and spend the whole time craning my neck to make sure somebody didn't lift it. In your parlance, I was having "no fun."

Over the past few years I've acquired a number of guitars in the $500-1000 range. There are so many great guitars out there in this price range, esp if you buy clean used.

It's been 30 years, and I'm still heart-broken over my stolen D-28. It was the guitar I learned on and was my most prized personal possession. Took me ten years before I had the courage to buy another.

I don't valuable guitars into what I call "uncontrolled" situations. I've seen too many bad things happen to good people.

my three cents,
scott

[JackB1]

Thread revival!!!

This topic always fascinates me. Personally, I work hard and don't have unlimited funds and my expensive guitars would be very hard to replace, so I don't want to bring them out during outside gigs in bad weather conditions or to
indoor places where it might be at risk. I think it's a smart plan to have one "nice" gigging guitar and one "beater" that you can take when you don't want to risk it.

[JackB1]

What's the point? The Tak's the Eagles used were probably $2-3K valued guitars. Takamine makes both cheap and expensive guitars.

Originally Posted by Le Chef

The Eagles played Takamines onstage.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

Something I wrestle with: I like nice guitars, however, when I get something nice I tend to baby it, and get paranoid about taking it out to gigs, open mics, etc. Similarly with adding a pickup. I think about picking up a "beater", but then I don't get the satisfaction of playing something nicer, and I've kind of boxed myself into a corner in that I tend to prefer wider nuts/string spacing which limits my options. I'm not opposed to a "reliced" instrument, but there's limited options. I just know I would worry less about one of those. I know there are a lot of critics of artificially aged instruments, and those would say "just relic it naturally by playing it", but I bet many of them would also be cautious of taking a pricey instrument out, lol.
I suppose much of my paranoia is that on the resale market the slightest imperfection can often be highly scrutinized. I have to say I didn't really worry about such things in the 70's--and I think about times when players had essentially one instrument that got used for any and every thing. What say you--just get the instrument that you want, and use it for it's intended purpose--taking it out and playing?? Just like the old days?

Buy what you love and can afford and play the crap out of it, no matter where (well, almost no matter where.) It's an instrument, not a mutual fund. To each his/her own, naturally, but in my view people worry about this WAY too much. And yes, I do put my money where my mouth is both with my acoustic and my electric.

Think about it: who looks at Trigger (Willie Nelson) and says "man, he could have gotten part of his money back on that thing if he'd only taken better care of it?"

[JackB1]

I think one the cheapest Eastman PCH models would make a perfect guitar that you would care to take out in any situation. They are around $400 and come with a pickup.

[Terry_D]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

Something I wrestle with: I like nice guitars, however, when I get something nice I tend to baby it, and get paranoid about taking it out to gigs, open mics, etc. Similarly with adding a pickup. I think about picking up a "beater", but then I don't get the satisfaction of playing something nicer, and I've kind of boxed myself into a corner in that I tend to prefer wider nuts/string spacing which limits my options. I'm not opposed to a "reliced" instrument, but there's limited options. I just know I would worry less about one of those. I know there are a lot of critics of artificially aged instruments, and those would say "just relic it naturally by playing it", but I bet many of them would also be cautious of taking a pricey instrument out, lol.
I suppose much of my paranoia is that on the resale market the slightest imperfection can often be highly scrutinized. I have to say I didn't really worry about such things in the 70's--and I think about times when players had essentially one instrument that got used for any and every thing. What say you--just get the instrument that you want, and use it for it's intended purpose--taking it out and playing?? Just like the old days?

There are a few manufacturers of inexpensive guitars with wider nut widths that play way above their price points. Two that come to mind are Seagull and Alvarez. Alvarez has 1 3/4 nuts going all the way down to there cheapest products and their midrange instruments are really very nice and perform well, with specs that you see on much more expensive guitars. Alvarez's Master Works series are even all solid wood and under 1000.00 dollars with electronics. If I was a gigging performer that's the way I would go.

[jklotz]

I've recently settled on my 2 Eastman's for gigging. They weren't cheap (E20-OM and 822ce-ff), but they aren't as much as, say a Martin standard series. They are replaceable, play great and sound pretty good. I don't mind a few nicks and bruises, but theft is what I'm most concerned about. Things have a way of walking away at gigs.

I leave my Huss and Dalton home in it's case.

[Stringmaster]

HaHa, I've watched a few documentaries lately on Townes Van Zant, and the usual suspects are there: Clark, Crowell, Earle, Young, etc. Those guys have some great Martins and Gibsons and so on, and they lay them around in the dirt, put stickers on them, glue leather pickguards on etc, and they don't care! I want to get to that point!!

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by Le Chef

The Eagles played Takamines onstage.

They played top-line Takamines. They had/have endorsements…and can afford to knock a $3000 guitar around.

[J Patrick]

I’ll play my main three anywhere…I had an extra precious one that I didn’t want to booger up so i was over protective of it….as a result I never bonded with it and sold it not long ago….now I know that I can’t hang with a guitar I can’t feel comfortable with taking out to any playing scenario….that’s just me…I’m not saying everyone should feel that way….fwiw…if it matters….my main three average about 6 grand apiece retail…

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I'd never own a guitar I wouldn't gig.

Hey Jeff!

That's me.

I bought guitars I loved, and love to share them with the audience (by playing them, not by talking about them). My specific guitars are part of my 'sound'.

I don't have backup gutiars.

My styling and arranging (and the security that the arrangement sounds great) were often integrated into my process of writing and arranging with specific guitars.

I also never bought any guitar worried about avoiding damage so as to get top dollar selling it later. My main 4 guitars have lived in this house for 28, 17, 14, and 14 years. My main electric has been here 28 years as well.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

Something I wrestle with: I like nice guitars, however, when I get something nice I tend to baby it, and get paranoid about taking it out to gigs, open mics, etc. . What say you--just get the instrument that you want, and use it for it's intended purpose--taking it out and playing?? Just like the old days?

Putting aside that today more than ever before you can get a pretty good playing guitar int the $ 1k and under range

That Said::::
I think most of us that have finally been able to get pricer gear have all more or less pondered this conundrum. But consider this quasi related adage ,,,,"change your perspective and you change your world "

Now I am not saying throw caution to the wind, but for me a guitar is a tool, a means to an entertainment end.
This is the guitar I have gig'd with since 2002 (Taylor 810 ce ) yes it has a few dings but so do I (and no I am not really leaning on it, some would say just posing )