|
Post by scorpiodog on Nov 10, 2016 13:08:50 GMT
I thought everybody had one, but when I was talking to someone about my picnic guitar they looked at me as though I was mad. So I thought I'd see whether I'm uniquely mad, or socially mad.
Of course, I'm talking about a guitar that you don't mind taking out on dodgy or potentially disastrous occasions, where you'd not be prepared to take your pride and joy.
Up 'til last week, I've been using a Sigma 000M1ST for this purpose, but I've flogged it now, and I shall be using my trusty old Fender Catalina (which was my picnic guitar before I bought the Sigma).
Actually, when it comes to taking guitars out of the house, I have a strange and inconsistent attitude towards them. For example, I get worried about other people playing quite a lot of my guitars, but my Martin HD28, I don't give a toss about and take it to all sorts of places and let virtually anybody play it. So it's not about value or perceived quality, but I can't decide what it is makes me care about some guitars and not others.
So what are the thoughts, then, do you have a picnic guitar? Are there any of your guitars you're not precious about? If so on either count, what are they?
|
|
Martin
Administrator
Posts: 11,888
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"http://mandocello.org/lytebox/images/adirondack.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0a530b
Mini-Profile Text Color: 4f3517
|
Post by Martin on Nov 10, 2016 13:34:28 GMT
Any guitars without any scratches, dings, dents, knocks or signs of damage are strictly museum pieces in my house. I play them, but really only at home. If I take one out, I become irrationally worried about it. All the time. The only exception is our meet at Halifax, as most of that rabble can generally be trusted some of the time I suppose in that case, my 'picnic' guitar at the moment is the used Cook guitar I bought a few months ago. It has a few very minor war wounds and some age to it, so it's perfect to take out. I did buy a Seagull Walnut dread for that purpose, but it doesn't sound as good as the other, so it sits on the stand, hated and despised. I wish I could be less precious about guitars, but I always have 'resale value' in the back of my mind, which is more than likely because deep down, I know this is little more than a hobby for me. Proper players would consider the things 'tools' and would use the best ones for the job, no matter if there was a risk of damage.
|
|
|
Post by slasher on Nov 10, 2016 14:37:02 GMT
I usually take my Fylde to the sessions I attend. Can't see much point in having it if it does'nt get used "in anger". Played it in a band in August this year at a BBQ event at a caravan site. It was under cover and micced-up. Someone else turned a stand round and the pointy end smacked into the soundboard---nice new 'ding'. My bandmate was mortified, I decided that to shrug it off was the best course of action. Usually my Stanford drop dread gets played outside as no more than £262.50 damage can be done to it!
|
|
|
Post by lavaman on Nov 10, 2016 14:42:22 GMT
Can't see much point in having it if it does'nt get used "in anger". My feelings exactly. A guitar is not a guitar unless its got a few dings and scratches. Having said that, if I was going somewhere really dodgy, like HB7, I'd take my Yamaha FG180 Iain
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 34,054
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Nov 10, 2016 15:48:35 GMT
I take whatever will do the job. I've used most of my instruments in most situations.
Occasionally I'll be extra-vigilant, but it has to be said that the majority of dings and scratches on them are entirely my own doing.
The situations I tend to worry about most are when playing outdoors, eg direct sun, rain, damp dewy evenings etc.
I suppose my most disposable guitar is a Vintage V300 that only cost me £99, but oddly, unlike the rest, it has never left the house!
Keith
|
|
|
Post by Janey on Nov 10, 2016 16:26:47 GMT
I tend to take my old Yamaha 340FG if I'm leaving the house. Not because I don't love it, the sentimental value is huge, it was my first "proper" guitar. More because it has so many dents that any more will simply add to the decoration. It also has a dip in the fretboard behing the ist fret on the 2nd string where I've worn it away - I guess I play "C" a lot
|
|
|
Post by fretter on Nov 14, 2016 18:43:41 GMT
Some people swear by something compact like the Martin Backpacker. I bought one to take with me in a camper van. Personally, I don't get on with the thing, but it does have a couple of definite plus points.
I wouldn't be too upset if it came to grief
If you ran out of firewood on said 'picnic' I am sure it would keep the fire going for a while.
It is for sale.
|
|
|
Post by alexkirtley on Nov 14, 2016 20:29:24 GMT
None of my guitars stay in new condition, they all get gigged alot, but my main knockaround is my Martin D-15m, bit of an ol' reliable guitar
|
|
|
Post by RosieTGC on Nov 15, 2016 14:22:03 GMT
When I went to Glastonbury one year I bought a REALLY cheap 'Swift' guitar from a shop in London that also sold futons and beds.... I stuck stickers on it that I had left over from my Guitar Hero sticker collection and a more prized sticker of Rodriguez that I got from seeing him on tour. It did the job for Glasto then promptly collapsed in on itself. It perhaps knew its job in life was complete.
|
|
|
Post by creamburmese on Nov 23, 2016 3:14:31 GMT
I have an old beat-up Art and Lutherie Ami I keep as my picnic aka campfire guitar. Only trouble is when I pick it up to play it i just don't enjoy it so much, so my Taylor goes regardless of potential dings... though in fact because it is rarely played the Taylor is pretty much pristine and the classical I take much more care of has an increasing number of inflicted-by-me dings,,, at least the Taylor has the advantage I can plug it in to my new battery powered amp if I need extra noise (like at the campfire I took it to last week lol!).
|
|
walkingdecay
C.O.G.
Posts: 1,676
My main instrument is: brownish and rather small.
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"000000"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: {"image":"","color":"ffffff"}
|
Post by walkingdecay on Nov 28, 2016 11:36:04 GMT
Two. A Vintage V300 and a Squier Tele with a little Pignose amp.
|
|