But I neeeeed it because... True confessions of GAS-aholics

[michelew]

sbutler wrote:

Shel, I have a recessive GAS trate. Its not always apparent, and just sneaks up on me at funny times. However, going to the IGC this fall with the founder of Santa Cruz guitars, I have a feeling my GAS, it will be worse than two helping of broccoli with bowl of Navy beans. :unsure: :ohmy: :huh: :blink:

Scott

Hey scott. How's your shoulder?

That GAS is a sneaky little devil. Just when you think you've conquered it, it finds a new way to coax you into letting yourself have that beautiful shiny, sweet sounding new friend that wants to go home with you. Good luck at the IGC. It does sound like a GAS-aholic's...dream...well how often do you get the chance to meet the founder of a high-end guitar manufacturing company.

[michelew]

Music Junkie wrote:

michelew wrote:

I have GAS again... No not the type that MJ's camp cabin mates will need to be afraid of, Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.

M

Shel..... I am so hurt.......

O.K., not really...... Truth is, my cabin mates should be very afraid..... :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

I currently have:
Taylor 814ce
Martin 000-15
Baby Taylor
Martin Backpacker
Fender Strat
Epiphone Les Paul STD.
Tom Anderson Hollow Cobra S
Simmons SDK7 Drum Kit (for my youngest son who is taking lessons)

I currently want:
Electric Bass
Mandolin
Baritone Guitar
12 String Guitar

Now as far as GAS goes, one item on the above list will be arriving in about 3 to 4 weeks.....bwahahahaha......

As far as trying to justify any of it, I am at a complete loss...... If I could play worth a crap, maybe it would be easier.... Shel, you are playing and signing beautifully these days, so you should not have to try too hard to justify anything. For me, I just beg, and do LOTS and LOTS of honey-dos without complaining. I build decks, planko boards for school carnivals, book cases, tables, etc. whenever the boss asks for them. I get a bonus once in a while, and that usually involves relieving my backed up GAS..... :silly: :silly:

Jason

Thanks for being such a good sport MJ. You cracked me up with your suggest that your camp cabin mates take their own matches etc, so i thought I'd run with it.

That's one GREAT list of guitars. And I like your list of 'wants' too. I'd like 2 or 3 of those myself. I also love the term 'honey-do'. I must remember that. Actually, when it come to spending on me, I'm the barrier.

I should probably say that I've decided to give into this round of GAS. I've been researching for a little while and i know I want one. I'm just conscious that a problem that I've been having recently has made my GAS-devil start whispering that I neeeeeed this instrument. I know it's a thinly disguised way for me brain to justify it to myself. So I thought it would be fun to hear from you all about the crazy ways you've justified a 'want' as a 'need' to yourself and/or the 'boss'.


- to be continued.

[Music Junkie]

michelew wrote:

Thanks for being such a good sport MJ. You cracked me up with your suggest that your camp cabin mates take their own matches etc, so i thought I'd run with it.

That's one GREAT list of guitars. And I like your list of 'wants' too. I'd like 2 or 3 of those myself. I also love the term 'honey-do'. I must remember that. Actually, when it come to spending on me, I'm the barrier.

I should probably say that I've decided to give into this round of GAS. I've been researching for a little while and i know I want one. I'm just conscious that a problem that I've been having recently has made my GAS-devil start whispering that I neeeeeed this instrument. I know it's a thinly disguised way for me brain to justify it to myself. So I thought it would be fun to hear from you all about the crazy ways you've justified a 'want' as a 'need' to yourself and/or the 'boss'.


- to be continued.

No problem young lady.... If we can't laugh at ourselves, what kind of world would it be?...

Any hints on the type of neeeeeeeed?

My wife laughs at me when I start talking guitars. She just does not get that different scale lengths and wood types can give such differences in tone, or even that differences in tone can be so wonderful. Heck, I did not know that a few years ago myself. I look back fondly on those days of complete ignorance.... I was happy with one guitar back then....

J

[michelew]

MJ you crack me up with the young lady stuff. Have you SEEN my grey hair recently...old man?

So the story so far....

I first had a Yamaha Dreadnought FG415 SB, Sue got it for me. It was cool.

I then thought I'd like to try the nylon strings and the wider, flat neck of a classical guitar. I borrowed a friend's mum's 1960s or 70s Yamaha. ....I can't remember the model. I really enjoyed the sound .... But the action from about the sixth fret up the neck was terrible and the saddle couldn't be lowered any more due to the age (actually I lowered it myself a fair bit). So then I neeeeeded to get myself a classical; off to the guitar shop and a Hofner came home with me.

I discovered that I was mostly enjoying fingerpicking stuff after a little while and it became apparent that something with a wider neck and a smaller body might suit me better. I started looking out for bargains on EBay. Obviously I neeeeeeded a guitar that suited my style more. My Larrivee feel into my lap. I'd actually been looking out for a cedar topped Taylor. The difference in sound between my Yamaha and the Larrivee was huge.

Uke - travel guitar and because TG started teaching it and I got the bug. I obviously neeeeeded a uke if I was going to take advantage of the lessons right?

Uke - six string - hmmm...I've got nothing. It sounded cool and fuller than the four string.

Bass - well I got the bug from watching Ness actually - well the neeeed is obvious. You can't start the adventure of fat strings, cool and groove if you don't own one right?

I was still dreaming of a cedar topped Taylor...I resisted. The EBay hunt was fun though.

So now...I've been having problems with the pick up on my bass and the action was too high. I got the action lowered a fair bit, but the pick up is still an issue and it looks like there's no simple or reasonably priced solution...I've also been wanting to get myself an electric bass so I can get a bigger, rich and smoother sound. So since my pickup is an issue, I obviously neeeeeeeed an electric bass ...right?

I've been researching and I'm currently considering a hybrid bass with both a set of split precision pick ups and a jazz set. More to learn and more cooooool tones and playing fun if I can fine a good one at a reasonable price. I'm leaning towards a Fender at the moment.

So there's my lame excuse for getting a new bass. I could record my acoustic bass via a mic, but the sound is too harsh and .... Well I've enjoyed the bass so I think I'll keep playing it. I'm obviously not performing so need, smeed. but ...

Don't even get me started on different wood configurations and body shapes. I may neeeeeed to go down that track one day...but well I can't think of a good enough excuse to justify those adventures just yet, or afford the money of course.

Confessions of a string addict.

Shel

[daryl]

What is a "hybrid" bass?

[michelew]

I'm still researching and looking for bargains on EBay of course. So I don't know what I might end up buying yet.

Basses generally seem to be precision basses or jazz basses. The pick ups are different. The hybrid has one of each type rather than two of the same. The advantage is that if you don't know which type you prefer, you can get a wider range of tones. Frankly, I don't know what I'll eventually prefer, so it seems like a good solution for the moment.

Here's a good info site.

http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_guitar_b ... ups_2.html

[willem]

michelew wrote:

I'm still researching and looking for bargains on EBay of course. So I don't know what I might end up buying yet.

Basses generally seem to be precision basses or jazz basses. The pick ups are different. The hybrid has one of each type rather than two of the same. The advantage is that if you don't know which type you prefer, you can get a wider range of tones. Frankly, I don't know what I'll eventually prefer, so it seems like a good solution for the moment.

Here's a good info site.

http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_guitar_b ... ups_2.html

You need no frets Michele.. :laugh: B)

[michelew]

Haha!!! B) if i need to stop fretting...maybe yoga or meditation is a better solution.

Fretless bass....sounds like fun. But I have enough trouble finding the right note when they're all marked out for me. I'm sure the sliding is more fun though.

But, Thanks for the vote of confidence Willem.

[cosmicmechanic]

Hi Shel,

You never know where your next flashes of inspiration may come from.

All that matters is that they occur. That is what make life interesting !

From either a musician's or a luthier's point of view (or that of the municipal zoning department),
maybe the following might start some interesting chain reactions ?



http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/02/16/t ... wn-guitar/

[Hydroman52]

Be careful. Added equipment means added maintenance. Added maintenance means more time taking care of stuff and less time (and energy as one gets older) to actually do the thing(s) you set out to do........ At some point, there is a balance that is true bliss. We tend to overshoot that spot.

Hydroman52