Making music out of nothing

[Col Mustard]

I think we should post this video every time someone comes aboard complaining
about the details on their new Gibson. Maybe I'm just cranky on a monday morning,
but I see too many posts where guys say:
"I just received my new Les Paul Historic Traditional Custom Limited Edition Gold Top Plus Metallic Premium Quilt Standard ReIssue... and it's just not quite what it should be... The frets are too thin and the neck is too chunky, and these pickups! They are muddy and harsh!
The pots feel scratchy and the guitar won't stay in tune for more than a song or two, so the tuners must be cheap Gibson crap.
Should I send this guitar back as defective, or should I mod it with better parts and have it scalloped so it will play better? WTF Gibson!?"
This guy here can actually make good music out of practically nothing.
I like to feel thankful that I have guitars as good as I do.

 

[Paul G.]

I'm with you 100%.

While you can make great music on anything, I don't know if that's the point.

I have a feeling that many purchasers of fine instruments aren't thinking of them as instruments, but as "things", "Prized possessions". Armed with second-, third- and fourth-hand knowledge gleaned from the interwebs, and not much else, they examine instruments in ways a musician buying an instrument ever would.

I remember how happy I was getting my first Gibson electric guitar in at age 16 or so. I scrimped and saved and borrowed to get it. It played so beautifully. It had powerful, toneful pickups. It just felt and sounded so much better than my "starter" stuff, I was over the moon. My playing advanced because the guitar was so responsive.

I don't know if there were "finish flaws", or if the binding was perfect. I never thought to look. I just know with my professional instrument, I was a god!!

P.

 

[Crazy_8]

I've seen this video before and this guy is remarkable. We should be happy to have such wonderful instruments as Gibson and Epiphone make..

 

[Col Mustard]

I'm with you 100%.

I remember how happy I was getting my first Gibson electric guitar in at age 16 or so. I scrimped and saved and borrowed to get it. It played so beautifully. It had powerful, toneful pickups. It just felt and sounded so much better than my "starter" stuff, I was over the moon. My playing advanced because the guitar was so responsive.

I don't know if there were "finish flaws", or if the binding was perfect. I never thought to look. I just know with my professional instrument, I was a god!!

P.

+1 on that! I didn't get my first Gibson Electric guitar until 2008 (as a present to myself for making it to 60).
I've played other instruments my whole career. So my first Gibson was a faded SG special. And I'm still head over heels in love with mine. I didn't scrimp and save, I put it on my Mastercard and paid it off the next month or so. But the idea's the same. Also, my first good guitar that I bought for myself was a Gibson acoustic. I bought that with money I made pumping gasoline into power boats for $1.25 an hour back in like 1966. Someone stole that one night and broke my heart.

I'm sympathetic with someone who paid a lot for their Gibson and finds a smudge on it, and can't then
see anything but that. But only to a point. It's good to see a real musician playiing his heart out on something he made out of a stick and an old acetone can.

 

[Karathas]

they gave him a guitar after.
and if that homade guitar got your fancy

 

[jrmullin]

Yes, I agree very much. I get that players want everything that they want, but sometimes, a limitation is a pathway to creativity. An instrument that does not produce the precise tone you had wanted may also produce a tone you hadn't imagined. I like to take a guitar for what it is and explore what it has to offer. In my experience, when something is off, the failing is the player's, especially when the player is me! Very often not having all of the tones/options/bells/whatever at your disposal is a good thing. It makes you play something else, and in playing something else, you grow just a little as a musician.

 

[Karathas]

When i first started playing... I thought..well i have to have a Gibson or a Fender. Had to be made in USA. Now whats more important to me is how to guitar plays for me,sounds and feels. If it strikes a chord in me.. I have to have it..i dont care if its a 50 dollar guitar or a $3000 guitar..thats not important. Thats why i own an epiphone masterbilt acoustic and a Squire thinline... I had to have them.

Its like what you said in an earlier post Col, if a guitar really speaks to you it will make you play better

 

[shreddy bender]

A friend of mine is a pro drummer. I think he turns 62 this June.
We just had a discussion on him wanting a new kit but everything new in his budget is "made in China"
I said "so...?"
"I don't want any 'Jap crap'."
"Did you try any out"
"No, but I've been playing pro for over 40 years and I don't want anything unless it's made in the U.S. or Great Britain ".
I told him he should open his Mind to new things and quit dismissing things he has no experience with- the quality of Asian built instruments has vastly improved in the last 20 odd years.
He's stubborn, so I guess he's stuck with his worn out but good quality Yamaha kit Until he can afford to spend a few grand more.

 

[Paul G.]

..."I don't want any 'Jap crap'."...

Um…Yamaha???

 

[shreddy bender]

Yup.

 

[shreddy bender]

He's been making money with them for years.

 

[bwotw]

I think we should post this video every time someone comes aboard complaining
about the details on their new Gibson. Maybe I'm just cranky on a monday morning,
but I see too many posts where guys say:
"I just received my new Les Paul Historic Traditional Custom Limited Edition Gold Top Plus Metallic Premium Quilt Standard ReIssue... and it's just not quite what it should be... The frets are too thin and the neck is too chunky, and these pickups! They are muddy and harsh!
The pots feel scratchy and the guitar won't stay in tune for more than a song or two, so the tuners must be cheap Gibson crap.
Should I send this guitar back as defective, or should I mod it with better parts and have it scalloped so it will play better? WTF Gibson!?"
This guy here can actually make good music out of practically nothing.
I like to feel thankful that I have guitars as good as I do.

You'll probably enjoy this bunch too



I sorta agree with your general point, even if I think people who pay big sums of money for new Gibsons kinda have a point if they find defects or substandard construction. Never bothered me though, since I only buy second hand guitars and bash the hell out of them (even though I baby them after the show )

 

[Col Mustard]

Yes, I agree very much. I get that players want everything that they want, but sometimes, a limitation is a pathway to creativity. An instrument that does not produce the precise tone you had wanted may also produce a tone you hadn't imagined. I like to take a guitar for what it is and explore what it has to offer. In my experience, when something is off, the failing is the player's, especially when the player is me! Very often not having all of the tones/options/bells/whatever at your disposal is a good thing. It makes you play something else, and in playing something else, you grow just a little as a musician.

That really nails it... GOOD ANSWER!

 

[lineboat]

"IF" I were to buy a high dollar instrument, I'd expect it to be flawless. I'll never buy one though. I use my stuff, and pretty don't matter to me. I just picked up a used VM Jag a few weeks ago, and fell in love with that little inexpensive hunk of basswood. It feels good, and has its own unique voice. Feel is all that matters IMO. The rest can be tweaked, and is up to the player. While I've got some nicer guitars, I've already found a place for this one on a song I wrote. It's exactly the tone I needed, and I'll play it with pride, Squier, CS, or whatever the name might be.

 

[Bullfrog]

The J Mascis Squier is a damn nice guitar for the money.

 

[LeadFinger]

I hope somebody sent that kid a guitar. We've reached the point where us rich country folk have awesome, affordable options. Now it's time for the rest of the world to enjoy. I'm thinking, 3D printing might one day be the answer to the need for $5 guitars that play well.

 

[Paul G.]

"IF" I were to buy a high dollar instrument, I'd expect it to be flawless.

Not me. I just want a great instrument. I used to have a Taylor. Slim neck, cutaway, absurdly low action, thin UV finish. It was flawless. You could check it with a microscope, from any angle and it was absolutely perfect. It did, however, lack that "thing" that great instruments have, that makes you want to touch it, play it, explore it.

A few years ago I bought a Gibson acoustic. Great Gibson neck, reasonably low action, no cutaway, Nitro finish. If you look inside you can see some glue squeezed out from under the bracing. Where the neck joins the body, there are slight imperfections where the buffing wheel couldn't reach. Of course the truss rod is harder to use. It is, however a magnificent guitar that constantly surprises me with its tone and responsiveness. I love playing it.

The Taylor eventually went away. I believe it was on one of those "America Knows how to Scream a Delicate Love Song" shows with its new owner. Good luck to them.

I love my Gibson, with all its warts. It's just a better guitar. To make music with.

P.

 

[alexander paul]

you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes , you might just find you get what you need... that would make great lyrics to a song...

 

[peejaybee]

That bit with the homemade guitar was beautiful.

I like this, too, from "It Might Get Loud."

 

[Nitrox]

Home made flawed guitar..........200 bucks still plays music and preforms

Hand made custom guitar by well known manufacturer..........2-3000 bucks but flawed still plays music and preforms but I have to ask why spend the 2-3000 bucks when the 200 dolor guitar does the same job

I guess sometime its just about the guitar you want