Now who was talking about not wanting their guitar to get dinged up?

One of the guitar jam groups I've joined put "Closer to Fine" by the Indigo Girls on our next set list of songs I'm trying to learn. I have not listened to the Indigo Girls since the early 90s, but I'm glad to be getting reacquainted with their music. Now that I'm learning guitar, I have a much better appreciation for their songwriting gifts! I was watching some videos of them performing on YouTube, trying to study their playing, and came across this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDPCjtwyOcw

Those two guitars they are playing look like they've been played to death, but how wonderful is that? Look at all the music they've made and all the songs they've written together. Apparently they have been friends since grade school and playing and writing together since high school. That's a fifty year long collaboration and creative partnership. Pretty impressive, I'd say.

[sinistral]

Amy Ray says in the clip that her 0-18 is from the 1940’s, and it was probably a player’s guitar when she bought it. I did a double-take when I saw Emily Saliers’ guitar—I recently picked up the same guitar, a first-run J-40 (with the plain headstock). The adjective she uses to describe it—“muscular”—is perfect. Funny that she finds the J-40 to be more muscular sounding than a D-45 koa!

Here’s a video of them playing Closer to Fine on Letterman in 1989 with their “matching” J-40s:



Love that song!

[jaymarsch]

With Emily and Amy, it has always been about the music. They have toured with many fine, vintage guitars over the years and probably kept their guitar techs pretty busy.
Best,
Jayne

[musicman1951]

My guitars are not dinged up. I've posted pictures of my almost 60 year of electric and it looks nearly new. I've watched the James Taylor video about his guitar collection and they don't look beat up.

When I see someone with a top that's been seriously damaged by constant pick strokes that exceeded the limits of the string area by many inches I wonder why nobody taught them better technique.

But where I see effects of poor technique others see emotion or mojo or something similar. Different strokes, I guess (no pun intended). But I've heard many players with all the emotion you'd ever want to hear AND good technique, so I'm not sold.

But I agree that it has little to do with the music, so people simply don't care much about outward appearances, and that's fine. Some people clean the interior of their car with a snow shovel, but the car still gets them to point B. Do what makes you happy.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by musicman1951

My guitars are not dinged up. I've posted pictures of my almost 60 year of electric and it looks nearly new. I've watched the James Taylor video about his guitar collection and they don't look beat up.

When I see someone with a top that's been seriously damaged by constant pick strokes that exceeded the limits of the string area by many inches I wonder why nobody taught them better technique...

I've seen orchestral-string instruments 200 or more years old, in better shape than some pricey big-name flattop guitars one-tenth their age...

IME vintage archtop guitars - considered the virtuoso instruments of their day - are, as a whole, in better cosmetic/structural condition and show evidence of better maintenance over their lifetime than flattops of comparable age...

When I was taking lessons as a kid, from a now-renowned jazz guitarist, I was taught that the only places a properly-handled acoustic guitar should even have fingerprints were the tuner knobs and the fingerboard - and you wiped those down after every playing session...

Although things have improved somewhat since I was in college, it's small wonder that guitarists - no matter how technically proficient and knowledgeable in theory/composition - are still looked upon with disdain in certain "serious" music circles (speaking from extensive personal experience here)

I'm also a motorsports fan - as both spectator and former participant - and I've never seen a competent mechanic abuse the tools of his/her trade to the extent some "guitar players" (in the absolute loosest sense of the term) do...

It's a matter of attitude plain and simple, ladies and gents - and we're the only ones who can change that...

[emtsteve]

Thanks for posting these clips. Of course I am familiar with the song Closer to Fine, but I was not familiar with these ladies or their music. I found another YT clip that was fantastic as I was going down the Indigo Girls rabbit hole last night:
.
The "Chickenman" song was amazing!

As for their guitars - if they scratch or ding their guitars - who cares?! They paid for them and use them for what they are for - making music. If they're still playing the J-40s they bought years ago then they are not hurting them at all. They are tools and meant to be used. Each to their own, and the music made is the important thing. Rock on ladies!

[pagedr]

Ahh yes, a thread like this wouldn't be complete without the "cranky old man" hot takes about professional musicians not playing their instruments the right way. Classic.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by pagedr

Ahh yes, a thread like this wouldn't be complete without the "cranky old man" hot takes about professional musicians not playing their instruments the right way. Classic.

Yeah, imaging how good Stevie Ray Vaughan would have been if someone had taught him proper technique! And what about Tommy Emmanuel?!?

[ALBD]

Yes to the last two posts. Whatever makes the music come out and makes you smile is kinda what it’s all about. When I hear music that makes me smile I couldn’t care less whether or not the instrument is getting a little wear and tear.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by pagedr

Ahh yes, a thread like this wouldn't be complete without the "cranky old man" hot takes about professional musicians not playing their instruments the right way. Classic.

Originally Posted by sinistral

Yeah, imaging how good Stevie Ray Vaughan would have been if someone had taught him proper technique! And what about Tommy Emmanuel?!?

Originally Posted by ALBD

Yes to the last two posts. Whatever makes the music come out and makes you smile is kinda what it’s all about. When I hear music that makes me smile I couldn’t care less whether or not the instrument is getting a little wear and tear.

Hobbyists are probably more prone to being more careful with their instruments than a touring professional. A house framer is more concerned with getting houses built, than getting scratches on his nail gun. A tool is a tool.

[Br1ck]

And then there is Trigger. Brandi Carlyle has a pretty worn Collings too.

[Slothead56]

Let’s just remember that some folks are paying a lot of money to have a brand new guitar “reliced” as if it were decades on the honky took circuit.

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Let’s just remember that some folks are paying a lot of money to have a brand new guitar “reliced” as if it were decades on the honky took circuit.

Who'd have ever thought that? When they could come here and we would happily do it for them for free!!!