From what I can tell, most of the people here seem to be older than me. And some of y’all have been playing guitar longer than I’ve been alive (I’m 30), which I’m somewhat counting on that for the question:
What do you do when you have a guitar (or any instrument I suppose) that you are attached to and have long history with, but that no longer “does” what you want. Perhaps your tastes have changed, or your ears. You still love the instrument, but don’t play it. Or when you do play it, you’re disappointed because it isn’t what you remember.
I have an acoustic guitar I purchased at 16 years old after working a job all summer. I purchased it on a road trip with my dad. First road trip with my license and I got to drive the whole way. I’ve had it ever since. My dad brings up the trip when that guitar comes up. I think he’s really proud to have been part of me getting it as I’ve owned it the second longest of any guitar. But lately when I go to play it, I just find it lacking. Which became painfully obvious after playing a Guild and then a similarly priced a Furch. I’d love to get either one of those, but really can’t without selling something.
The other is an American standard strat, from ‘97. It was my only electric for quite some time. I played it so much and so hard I got the frets dressed twice (high school and college) and it is probably ready for a refret. First high end guitar I ever purchased, and I’ve had it longer than any other I own. But a refret or a new neck is several hundred. AND I don’t love the way it sounds. Just can’t seem to get along with it anymore. But I’m hesitant to try new pickups because even if I fall in love with those, it needs a refret. So in my mind it “needs 6-7 hundred dollars” of work. And that’s just to experiment. Maybe I just don’t like strats any more. (Is that allowed? )
I’m not necessarily looking for advice on what to do here specifically. But perhaps some insight on what y’all have done in these situations, AND how you came to that conclusion. The thought of parting with either of these is quite painful so I don’t think that’s on the table currently. But I do feel stuck.
What do you do when you have a guitar (or any instrument I suppose) that you are attached to and have long history with, but that no longer “does” what you want. Perhaps your tastes have changed, or your ears. You still love the instrument, but don’t play it. Or when you do play it, you’re disappointed because it isn’t what you remember.
I have an acoustic guitar I purchased at 16 years old after working a job all summer. I purchased it on a road trip with my dad. First road trip with my license and I got to drive the whole way. I’ve had it ever since. My dad brings up the trip when that guitar comes up. I think he’s really proud to have been part of me getting it as I’ve owned it the second longest of any guitar. But lately when I go to play it, I just find it lacking. Which became painfully obvious after playing a Guild and then a similarly priced a Furch. I’d love to get either one of those, but really can’t without selling something.
The other is an American standard strat, from ‘97. It was my only electric for quite some time. I played it so much and so hard I got the frets dressed twice (high school and college) and it is probably ready for a refret. First high end guitar I ever purchased, and I’ve had it longer than any other I own. But a refret or a new neck is several hundred. AND I don’t love the way it sounds. Just can’t seem to get along with it anymore. But I’m hesitant to try new pickups because even if I fall in love with those, it needs a refret. So in my mind it “needs 6-7 hundred dollars” of work. And that’s just to experiment. Maybe I just don’t like strats any more. (Is that allowed? )
I’m not necessarily looking for advice on what to do here specifically. But perhaps some insight on what y’all have done in these situations, AND how you came to that conclusion. The thought of parting with either of these is quite painful so I don’t think that’s on the table currently. But I do feel stuck.