The next time you think about buying an expensive guitar

[SpruceTop]

Feng E has it all including the stage presence but with all the books in the background, he may opt to become a lawyer.

[samirguitar]

Yet no harm is buying a nicer instrument to match the skill I say.

Surely we buy nicer clothes to look good.
We don't say that a good looker can carry any clothes so if we are not good looking then forget it, we should just live with rags.

Don't feel guilty in buying a good instrument to match your skill that's what I say.

[llew]

Originally Posted by TBman

Getting old ain't for sissies....

Amen to that brother!

[RussL30]

I’m still going to play and buy the best guitars I can reasonably afford regardless of my skill level.

I never heard of this kid, but I just spent some time watching his YouTube channel. He’s insanely talented and not just on the ukelele.

[Atomnimity]

If you heard me play you would want me holding an expensive guitar to pay any attention at all....

[stephenT]

What I've learned today from the OP's post.

Buy an expensive Uke.

[Joe Beamish]

Looks and sounds like a toy to me.

[Charmed Life Picks]

I hate that kid.

[Pitar]

Relevance is his only problem on this site, or any other guitar site, where the ukulele garners only a courteous nod as a musical instrument, but not as one for (serious) undertaking. This means the young fellow in the video has developed skills on a instrument that does not quite earn him a player's ranking in the guitar world beyond, perhaps, novelty credit and (genuine) respect for learning to play it.

The piece he played, a cover of a Tommy Emmanuel arrangement, doesn't get my ear even when TE plays it. So, there's also that obstacle and I'm pretty sure I can't be the only one holding that opinion.

I'm of the opinion that a person plays what he can play, proficiency dependent. That does not necessarily mean that motor skills alone should direct a musical piece but it often does. Like the king's new clothes, the faithful and fearful will outwardly marvel but all is spoiled by the absence of a wider audience.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by edward993

Age-old saw.

There may be a few of those who actually believe that higher-dollar gear translates to better sound, but I've truly not met many over the decades.

Let's ignore for a moment those who are new to playing who often succumb to the allure of "better" gear. Barring them, every player I've ever met who knows how to play even just "decently well" knows its all about their chops, and not the instrument. That's the reality I've come across over and over again.

So those who acquire "expensive" guitars (relative term for everyone, we all agree) are shamed and just deluding themselves when a talented kid comes around to blow us into the weeds with mad skills? No! We buy the "nicer" guitars because they feel good, sound good, and overall they touch something inside us that make us want to play! Intangibles, but very real.

FWIW, I've come across more than one really talented kid over the yeeeaaars. I don't want to diminish their talent one iota: they work hard at it, and many can sound great. But guess what I've learned over these decades: they work hard and sound great because they are kids who by definition do not have adult lives, replete with adult responsibilities, all of which make going to the woodshed a tougher thing for us who have a day job but equal passion for music.

Rock on, kids! It's awesome! Now keep playing if you re so inclined to do so. Truly good musicianship is a marathon, not a 100m dash. And variety, not just one song played uber-well to impress those pesky adults who think their pricey guit is worth it.

Let's face it: there is room to laud the kid with mad skills while simultaneously enjoying the nice gear many of us took years to acquire and --dare I say-- feel we've earned

Edward

Awesome post!

[BT55]

Originally Posted by gitarro

The musician's skill is incredible and he is already possessing a rare skill level that very few ever get at his young age..

For all of you complaining about the tone of his 4 string or all of the hours he’s practiced I challenge you to post your own Tommy Emmanuel inspired version of Classical Gas with your best guitar so we can listen to a side by side comparison.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by BT55

For all of you complaining about the tone of his 4 string or all of the hours he’s practiced I challenge you to post your own Tommy Emmanuel inspired version of Classical Gas with your best guitar so we can listen to a side by side comparison.

You really think you can do valid comparison listening through computer speakers and not having the same recording instruments???

[BT55]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

You really think you can do valid comparison listening through computer speakers and not having the same recording instruments???

Now you’re just making excuses. [emoji30]

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Duh

The next time you think about buying an expensive guitar watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kib4VkkynEw

Yeah, the kid is pretty good. Jake Shimabukuro may need to look over his shoulder in a few years.

As to it making me rethink buying a more expensive guitar: so long as I can hear an increase in the quality of tone and feel the increase in responsiveness, and I think that increase worth the expense, then that is my business and absolutely none of yours.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Duh

The next time you think about buying an expensive guitar watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kib4VkkynEw

That will have absolutely no affect on the guitars I buy. Why should it?

Get to the punch line.