Classic Guitars, Should they be locked away?

John Knight · From: Alaska

Case and point, I own a 61 Sho-Bud that after the restoration on it. It know stays packed away in it's case. Is this a crime? I know a few years back when Steel Guitar Nashville was in Goodletsville I had the opportunity to play on a double neck Bigsby. A treat I thought I would never get to enjoy. Thank you Sir Robert.
I know that made you nervious. What are some of the forum thoughts????

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D 10 Thomas with 8&6, '61'D-10 Sho-Bud 8&3
S12 Knight 6&4
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

To me this is always one of the hard questions- should a prisitine PP be in some Japanese collector's warehouse or out on the road being played, and worn? Tough call. A couple of years ago I won a Gibson D-8 on ebay that was described as being "well used" and came pretty cheap. It turned out to be a perfect bedroom classic, not a mark or scratch even on the case. I played it on a couple of gigs and the case got some bangs in the bus bay- and I just couldn't stand to see it. There just aren't any more being built, and this one's so pristine that I keep it in a closet and get it out to play once in a while. I cannot afford to collect guitars- but I just can't see banging up a classic axe either. Conundrum!

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

I like to see all good musical instruments treated with respect, and taken care of. But to have value to me, I must be able to play them. What good is a good guitar locked away in a glass case? I guess it preserves something that is no longer made, and has historic value, but the purpose of an instrument is to make music. Maybe somewhere there should be a steel guitar museum, with pristine examples of each brand ever made, and guitars with a history - "and this one was owned by Buddy Emmons..." I have a new Zum and a classic MSA, and I enjoy playing both.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I only put my guitars up when we are away for days on end..but I ain't sayin' where.

Other than that they are all out for all to look at or play..I love lookin' at them, all of them.

As far as playing a particular Steel of age or value on a gig..I suppose it's fine to bring out the old guard, but when I go to gig it's with the 2 guitars I practice on . I recently had an old D12 MSA and a Professional D10 Sho-Bud..what a thing of beauty and tone..but 8+2 and sloppy didn't cut it on the gig for me. Both are gone to new homes.

When I was driving older Corvettes, they were great for around town but when I actually had to go somewhere with distance ..and actually wanted to come back.."Corvette NOT"..For that it's the '04 Suburban..

Steel shows are a wonderful place to bring out the older Steels and show them off and play them..

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 23 December 2004 at 03:05 AM.]

Martin Abend · From: Berlin, Germany

I believe that instruments have a cycle of life just as their players. They play a certain role like we do and they serve a purpose. It sure is sad when they gone, but their life seems to be in vain to me if they aren't allowed to be what they are: A tool.

Martin

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martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 | fender hotrod deluxe

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

I think all instruments need to be played or given to someone that will play them. They serve no purpose locked in a closet somewhere.

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I like the idea of antique guitars that get pulled out and strung up for special occasions. For example, I have a Fender Stringmaster that comes out once a year for an annual Hank Williams show. If someone needed it for a session, I'd be happy to use it. But I wouldn't want to see it subjected to tavern torture every weekend.

"Used but not abused" makes the most sense to me. That's one of the reasons I'm opposed to people using antiques as "beginner instruments". Beginners are hard on their guitars, and they often screw up the mechanism trying adapt an old pedal steel to the modern copedents.

Old instruments deserve more respect than that. They should cost more than new instruments. A higher market price would help preserve the classic steel guitars.

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)

Leslie Ehrlich · From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

It would be a criminal offence to yourself if you locked it away and never played it or even looked at it again.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Antique guitars have no inherent qualities other than those perceived as bestowed by the recognizable names of players who played them.....so why lock them away? It's just another guitar!

www.genejones.com

James Cann · From: Phoenix, AZ

Boy, is there an analogy here or what! I don't know how many times I've been impressed to see an antique car out on the road, still mixing it up after all these years.

As drivers of these old cars have the right mindset (one of respect and proper mangement) so it would be with any classic or collectible guitar and its owner.

As Clint Eastwood's "Dr. Hemlock" pointed out once, "Art is not for the masses, only for those who WILL appreciate it." Whether if form of fine old cars, painting, or guitars, it's the performance for which they were made.

SB LDG

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I'm with Bobby, Play them but respect them. I think it's really cool to play a classic on that special occasion. For what it's worth I try to keep all of my equipment in as new as possible condition all the time. I have a pre cbs Fender twin that has been played a lot but still looks nice. I never have drinks or cigaretts setting on my equipment. As I am just a weekend warrior I load my own stuff and it don't get beat up.

Those of us in aviation are used to seeing antique aircraft restored with thousands of dollars and man hours spent so they can be flown again and enjoyed by many as they were in thier day and not just stuck in some museum. I see instruments the same way. They are clasics because of the way they sound not the way they look. So how does a newcommer appreciate it if it is stuck away somewhere and can't see or hear it?

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I have two vintage 1964-65 Emmons D-10 guitars. I love them, love their vibe, love their feel, love their sound. I play them on all my gigs. I take care of them, don't transport them set up, don't set drinks or cigarettes on them, and wipe off the smudges.

One doesn't get jealous of the other, they're twin sisters. They're old gals, but well-preserved. And I'm proud to be seen in public with them

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Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I like to keep all my instruments set up here at the house as much as possible.
I typically have one gigging axe that may stay in the case more than the rest.
I have it set up so that with one power switch, everything comes on.
I'll switch from one to the other every 15-20 min or so while hangin' out in the evening. I like to play 'em all.
'Probably not as Classic as some collections, but still my own.

Mark Metdker · From: North Central Texas, USA

I'm with Herb on this one. Be careful, treat them with respect......but play the instruments, that is what they were made for. Bring joy to yourself or others with the music they make.

Sometimes I bring the most joy to others when I don't play!

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Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Herb, I've heard you also bring out your Bigsby to gigs.....and there's no more collectable instrument.

I'm with you Herb, if I own an instrument, and it's the best sounding piece in the collection, bring it out!

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I play my restored ZB Custom every weekend and wouldn't think of locking it in a closet.
Great sound.

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

He takes his Bigsby to gigs!?!?!?!? Does he have five guys to help him move it? Don't those guitars weigh a ton and a half?

[This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 24 December 2004 at 04:14 AM.]

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

A T-8!?!?!? Even with two cases, you're a better man than I Mr. Steiner.

Eugene Cole · From: near Washington Grove, MD, USA

I feel that almost every instrument including classic guitars that should be locked away; should instead be used for firewood or otherwise be put to constructive use in a manner which it may or may not have been originally intended.

I have played, loaned to others, borrowed from others, and owned a whole lot of good instruments over the years. Some of them were ultra-rare, classic, and/or "vintage." Some of these instruments were less than a handful of years in age.

My rule of thumb for any instrument has always followed these guidelines:

If an instrument is in playable condition then play it.
If an instrument is not in playable condition then it should probably be left at home.
Either way; an instrument should not be neglected.
Instruments - respect them, play them, and take care of them.

The third guideline is the one that I most frequently see violated. I'll digress here and say a bit more about this. It really annoys me to see a repairable (and worthy of being repaired) instrument being neglected. Neglect takes many forms; no attention to proper humidification, not reducing the string tension to slow or stop a crack from growing longer/wider/larger: these forms of neglect are all too common. Hanging any instrument in any condition on an outside wall where it will be subjected to all the extremes that outside walls present is neglect IMO,AA (in my opinion, albeit arrogant).

What constitutes "neglect" is not as clearly distinct as a zero and a one; instead "neglect" is subjective and is measured in the manner of a gray-scale.

If you are playing at a venue with a spacious stage, a real sound-check before the show, and something which will discourage people from crowding the stage. Then by play the ones you love (no pun intended); because the more you love, are in-lust with, and/or enjoy playing that/those instrument(s) the more your joy will be communicated to your audience and your band. And most important you will have more fun playing.

If you are playing a club/bar that has an 8x10 foot floor level stage which on which your 5 member band and all of its equipment are expected to fit. The probability that something will be knocked over, spilled, stumbled over, or otherwise end up being damaged escalates rapidly. In this situation it makes sense to me to invoke the KISS principal and to not put any favored instruments in harms way.

Somewhere in the spectrum between the venue with the spacious stage and the bar with the 8x10 stage one is well advised to think twice about taking any good instrument in to that environment regardless of its age, street-price, or rarity.

Some instruments should never be placed in a display-only environment. Some but not all museums either by policy or by lack of staffing are display-only. The viol-family of instruments for example epitomize instruments which NEED to be played.

I strongly agree with what Gene Jones posted on this topic. I am thankful to him for stating it so clearly.

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Regards
-- Eugene ^at FJ45.com

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[This message was edited by Eugene Cole on 31 December 2004 at 05:31 PM.]

[This message was edited by Eugene Cole on 31 December 2004 at 05:34 PM.]

Thomas Bancroft · From: Matawan, New Jersey, USA

I refer to my guitars as "musical furniture"
and as such they all stay out of the case and in my living room on stands or legs as the case may be. They are all in tune (when I put them down anyway) and are as nice to look at as they are to play! This also keeps them in my view so I will play them more often.

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Mullen D-10, Melobar Rattler, Nashville 1000, Alesis Midiverb, Too Many Guitars!

Webb Kline · From: Orangeville, PA

I play my 1930 something Dobro all the time and when I get my ZB finished, I will play it for special occasions as well, provided I can get my wife to carry it for me.

Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

those beautiful old guitars should only be played by the masters .
NEVER by us beginers like myself. even if the owner of it told me to sit down and try it out i would have enough respect for it not to put my clumsy hands on it

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