Why I Need Another Guitar

[imorroy]

Some women like to buy shoes; I like to buy guitars. 

I guess I'm lucky that my husband, although not musical, likes to listen to music including mine and my band's. He got used to me buying and selling or trading guitars, and when I get home from "browsing around" at Melodee Music in Sterling, he'll ask "Did any guitars follow you home?" 

He has his own hobbies, so as long as the bills get paid he doesn't really care what I do with my money. He will, once in a while, voice his opinion about amps, speakers, PA systems, and the like, since his prior job was in television and sound production at PBS. So, it helps that he is interested in some aspect of my hobby. Maybe it would help if your spouse would find some interest in your hobby or developed a hobby of her own.

[darylcrisp]

my situation is a little different than most posted here. my wife can play, in fact, she plays by ear and can pick her way thru a song pretty quick by listening to it. she has a nice Martin OMJM that was her "engagement strings" from me, yep, she wears a $29 silver celtic band that doubles as engagement/wedding band.  she is very happy with the one guitar.

on the other hand, i was trading/buying guitars long before she met me-in fact-that had a little bit of doing on how she met me. the bills are always paid first, i work a lot of on-call, at least a full week and weekend of being on-call round the clock in addition to a regular 40 hour work week. she knows there are times i'm out all hours for 14-16 hours a day.

when we got married, i explained the "circle theory" to her.  i have this big ball of $ involved in these instruments, some go out, others come in. kinda keep the same $ floating around, but it changes shapes at times. i tend to have two steel strings, two nylon strings, two open back banjos, a weissenborn, and just lately found a fondness for ukes(one to arrive tomorrow).  my wife and one daughter both have weber mandolins(sold two martins to get those). so our family is quite musical, myself being the oddball who likes dropped tunings, celtic and things like that. rest of the family(wifes dad/mom) tend to find favor in more traditional appalachian tunes/gospel songs.

if we need something done quick(home repair, family upkeep, etc), i step up without asking and put a guitar for sale and it usually goes quick. in time i'll work and save a few dollars here and there and then buy another one.

she's okay with it all, i know she doesn't grasp the "addiction" to buy/sale, we have talked about that a few times. and as of last week, i bought, traded, sold, my way into a hoss of a 816ce. i think it truly may be the GAS killer. On the first day with it i put up a trusty GA i really liked, last week i listed/sold my favored 716 with the vintage burst. down to 1 steel string, and a little bit of $ flow in the guitar fund, i plan to keep my eye out for a cool 12 fret and i really don't feel the need any more. kinda looking forward to just enjoying/learning what this 816 is all about.

d

[darylcrisp]

oh yea, ahem....................cigarfan, if you were to ever, lets say need to make some room and maybe need to let that Bourgeois GA go for a ride, i sure do wish you would contact me first

sincere about that
d

[TaylorGirl]

I'm in the opposite situation. I am a woman who plays and my husband doesn't. He is 100% supportive of my hobby and loves to hear me play any of my instruments. He encouraged a trip to Taylor to see how they are made. He is very knowledgeable of Taylors and appreciates their quality, sound, and beauty. Just recently he said I could pick out out a GC, because he knows I want one. He is really happy for me that I have such a love for music. He is a super husband, who is my best friend. We worked together, retired together, and now produce pure maple syrup and RV together. He attends music festivals with me.  I think his encouragement for me to get a GC is due to the fact that we are building a new Sugar House for next year.....his hobby.  I do the syrup with him and will also benefit by the new Sugar House. So, I have been really supportive of him. I think he wants to show his appreciation.  I am a very lucky Girl.....a TaylorGirl.

[Cindy]

I'm in the opposite situation. I am a woman who plays and my husband doesn't. He is 100% supportive of my hobby and loves to hear me play any of my instruments. He encouraged a trip to Taylor to see how they are made. He is very knowledgeable of Taylors and appreciates their quality, sound, and beauty. Just recently he said I could pick out out a GC, because he knows I want one. He is really happy for me that I have such a love for music. He is a super husband, who is my best friend. We worked together, retired together, and now produce pure maple syrup and RV together. He attends music festivals with me.  I think his encouragement for me to get a GC is due to the fact that we are building a new Sugar House for next year.....his hobby.  I do the syrup with him and will also benefit by the new Sugar House. So, I have been really supportive of him. I think he wants to show his appreciation.  I am a very lucky Girl.....a TaylorGirl.

Sounds like an awesome marriage! You are much more fortunate than many other couples, and I wish you continued happiness during your *retirement*. Congratulations.

[TaylorGirl]

I'm in the opposite situation. I am a woman who plays and my husband doesn't. He is 100% supportive of my hobby and loves to hear me play any of my instruments. He encouraged a trip to Taylor to see how they are made. He is very knowledgeable of Taylors and appreciates their quality, sound, and beauty. Just recently he said I could pick out out a GC, because he knows I want one. He is really happy for me that I have such a love for music. He is a super husband, who is my best friend. We worked together, retired together, and now produce pure maple syrup and RV together. He attends music festivals with me.  I think his encouragement for me to get a GC is due to the fact that we are building a new Sugar House for next year.....his hobby.  I do the syrup with him and will also benefit by the new Sugar House. So, I have been really supportive of him. I think he wants to show his appreciation.  I am a very lucky Girl.....a TaylorGirl.

Sounds like an awesome marriage! You are much more fortunate than many other couples, and I wish you continued happiness during your *retirement*. Congratulations.

Thanks Cindy, I AM fortunate!

[Nomad]

My ex never minded me playing or buying guitars. Sometimes she would make me make a case for a new one, but I can't remember when she ever insisted I not buy one.

I don't really buy guitars anymore, but I'm definitely intrigued by a baritone Alvarez my FLGS has on the wall.

I don't "need" it, per se, but "need" is such an ugly word.

[cigarfan]

Some women like to buy shoes; I like to buy guitars. 

I guess I'm lucky that my husband, although not musical, likes to listen to music including mine and my band's. He got used to me buying and selling or trading guitars, and when I get home from "browsing around" at Melodee Music in Sterling, he'll ask "Did any guitars follow you home?" 

He has his own hobbies, so as long as the bills get paid he doesn't really care what I do with my money. He will, once in a while, voice his opinion about amps, speakers, PA systems, and the like, since his prior job was in television and sound production at PBS. So, it helps that he is interested in some aspect of my hobby. Maybe it would help if your spouse would find some interest in your hobby or developed a hobby of her own.

imorroy, that sounds like a really good situation for you. If that "shoes vs guitars" situation were true here at my place, we would have grown out of this house years ago.

my situation is a little different than most posted here. my wife can play, in fact, she plays by ear and can pick her way thru a song pretty quick by listening to it. she has a nice Martin OMJM that was her "engagement strings" from me, yep, she wears a $29 silver celtic band that doubles as engagement/wedding band.  she is very happy with the one guitar.

on the other hand, i was trading/buying guitars long before she met me-in fact-that had a little bit of doing on how she met me. the bills are always paid first, i work a lot of on-call, at least a full week and weekend of being on-call round the clock in addition to a regular 40 hour work week. she knows there are times i'm out all hours for 14-16 hours a day.

when we got married, i explained the "circle theory" to her.  i have this big ball of $ involved in these instruments, some go out, others come in. kinda keep the same $ floating around, but it changes shapes at times. i tend to have two steel strings, two nylon strings, two open back banjos, a weissenborn, and just lately found a fondness for ukes(one to arrive tomorrow).  my wife and one daughter both have weber mandolins(sold two martins to get those). so our family is quite musical, myself being the oddball who likes dropped tunings, celtic and things like that. rest of the family(wifes dad/mom) tend to find favor in more traditional appalachian tunes/gospel songs.

if we need something done quick(home repair, family upkeep, etc), i step up without asking and put a guitar for sale and it usually goes quick. in time i'll work and save a few dollars here and there and then buy another one.

she's okay with it all, i know she doesn't grasp the "addiction" to buy/sale, we have talked about that a few times. and as of last week, i bought, traded, sold, my way into a hoss of a 816ce. i think it truly may be the GAS killer. On the first day with it i put up a trusty GA i really liked, last week i listed/sold my favored 716 with the vintage burst. down to 1 steel string, and a little bit of $ flow in the guitar fund, i plan to keep my eye out for a cool 12 fret and i really don't feel the need any more. kinda looking forward to just enjoying/learning what this 816 is all about.

oh yea, ahem....................cigarfan, if you were to ever, lets say need to make some room and maybe need to let that Bourgeois GA go for a ride, i sure do wish you would contact me first

sincere about that

Hey daryl. I have tried the "circle of $" theory myself only I call it the "bucket o' guitar bucks." Lately my bucket has grown some but like for you, it cycles. I have kept records of every guitar $ coming and going and right now I'm in the black considering the current market value of all I still have. I've shown her the spreadsheet but again, she's not interested. Not to poke the bee's nest but I asked her how much she thought she could get for all her shoes and dresses on the open market. Silence.

Congrats on your 816ce. That is one fine guitar. If I ever bite on another GS, that's the one I like. But I'm thinking a 12-fret GC may be next.

I'll keep you in mind for the Bourgeois SJ. You got good taste. I'm sincere about that too!

I'm in the opposite situation. I am a woman who plays and my husband doesn't. He is 100% supportive of my hobby and loves to hear me play any of my instruments. He encouraged a trip to Taylor to see how they are made. He is very knowledgeable of Taylors and appreciates their quality, sound, and beauty. Just recently he said I could pick out out a GC, because he knows I want one. He is really happy for me that I have such a love for music. He is a super husband, who is my best friend. We worked together, retired together, and now produce pure maple syrup and RV together. He attends music festivals with me.  I think his encouragement for me to get a GC is due to the fact that we are building a new Sugar House for next year.....his hobby.  I do the syrup with him and will also benefit by the new Sugar House. So, I have been really supportive of him. I think he wants to show his appreciation.  I am a very lucky Girl.....a TaylorGirl.

TaylorGirl, you are indeed a lucky girl. Enjoy that man to the fullest!

My ex never minded me playing or buying guitars. Sometimes she would make me make a case for a new one, but I can't remember when she ever insisted I not buy one.

I don't really buy guitars anymore, but I'm definitely intrigued by a baritone Alvarez my FLGS has on the wall.

I don't "need" it, per se, but "need" is such an ugly word.

Nomad, your right ... "need" was an unfortunate term for the thread title. Maybe "GAS Justifications for a Guitar Enthusiast" would have been better.

[jivauk]

We (that is Jimmy & Val) are very fortunate in that in each other we have found not only 'life partners' but 'music partners' too. We play as an acoustic singer/songwriter duo and we both love Taylor guitars.

You can read our background and Taylor guitars journey in the UTGF Hello Everyone and Welcome! thread - our post is reply #94
http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=46.msg31323#msg31323

Suffice to say that numerous instruments have come and gone in our time together - never has either of us asked the other to justify a potential purchase (whether it be a guitar, ukulele, bass, drum kit, amp, PA, whatever)... we enjoy many a discussion on the pros and cons and the benefits and costs etc, but more often than not if either one of us feels GAS/TAS coming on it will be the other one who dispels the doubt and encourages the purchase!

We are lucky to have been able to afford the gear we wanted up to now, and no doubt our collection will change as a guitar may leave the collection and another (or others) may be added to the family.

Life is good...

[oatordeal]

After reading some of these, I'm glad I'm single still... LOL

Quick, make a wishlist and buy up some guitars ... so they'll be pre-existing if you change your status ... 

hahaha that's great advice! i will make one myself before it's too late 

[kprusac]

'Nuff said......

[Cooperro]

Although I've only had guitars for a little over 4 years; I've had the same spousal issues throughout our 30 odd years of marriage. From my love of photography, 'You're not taking another picture of a bird...aeroplane... the cat', to my golf (now sadly no longer a pastime), 'why do you need 14 clubs, won't 3 or 4 do?'.

She has taken no interest in my hobbies, nor does she have any hobbies of her own. She is quite dismissive of my interests and always has been.

However, I am now well hardened to all this. The money I spend is my money (well my pension  ); I earned it. Neither my wife nor our children have ever gone short due to my 'hobbies', and I have never put myself or my interests before them (my children are generally supportive of my hobbies and often share them). My wife will have the occasional dig when I buy a pack of strings or something, but I ignore it. I do not play while my wife is in the house so as not to give here the excuse to complain.

I worked hard to get my pension and I am determined to enjoy my retirement and guitars are a significant part of that enjoyment; if she doesn't like it, well there's a couple of lawyers' offices in town.

That's so depressing :-(

[CodeBlueEMT]

 I can pretty much rationalize and justify anything, guitars are no different. My budget dictates whether or not I can buy a new guitar.

 I applaud those members with solid marriages/relationships. Congrats. My experience with marriage has been quite different, mainly due to my own shortcomings. 

 

 

 

 

[stepchildusmc]

having recently pared down from 18 to 3(plus one "in the oven"), the "blonde" as she's affectionately known as( honey, what color is the silverware?- long, really funny true blonde joke) understands my need for guitars. i've let go of some very beautiful ones that each had their purpose. she lets me aquire more as she knows that i won't forego the mortgage payment for one. i do have a crappy car that's a daily driver(it's just a vessel to transport me between what really matters) that usually has a very expensive guitar in the backseat.
she's seen me sell off a few to help pay unexpected bills without showing remorse on my part so she doesn't really question when i get a new one, she understands that if the need arises, i wouldn't hesitate to release it to a new home.

also, i don't question her need to travel to NYC to get purse # 64.

[mikeguywest]

I love my wife dearly, as she does me, but she will never understand why I need another guitar. I was successful, though, in convincing her of the need of a GS Mini for traveling (more storage space, less expensive if damaged, etc). Economics is the only thing holding me back from my next purchase of a Bari 8. It's troubling to me how her eyes gloss over when I try to explain the wonderful differences in tone woods, I just can't comprehend it. Then she starts explaining to me stuff about her plants, and I start to get it . So, when I am able to buy another then I will just do that, because she will just look at me and say, "I don't know why you need another one, but if it will make you happy...." We will then smooch and hug and I will think of some hopefully relevant question of interest concerning her plants ("My, how you have really greened up the leaves on that Flopadendreum")