[GuitarsCanada]

When does a guitar cross the line of being a playable, working instrument and a work of art? It seems that many guitar companies are producing more and more "works of art" and people are buying them. I can't see some of these being used for gigging, or maybe not at all.

http://www.wildwestguitars.com/prs/pages/cu24_10th_ps_114337.htm

 

[dwagar]

unless you end up with a vintage piece that is too expensive to take out or in many cases even play, to me a guitar has to be played. All the fancy bits they are adding are all just smoke and mirrors. Won't make it play or sound any better.

 

[nine]

I'm not a fan of guitars like the one that you posted. It's far too ornate and not even good looking to me. Luthier masturbation, really. :tongue:

 

[GuitarsCanada]

I agree with you, but apparently many do not. They would not put them out if there was no demand. Granted, some are really nice to look at... but I can't remember ever going to a concert and seeing a pro playing something like that.

 

[GuitarsCanada]

unless you end up with a vintage piece that is too expensive to take out or in many cases even play, to me a guitar has to be played. All the fancy bits they are adding are all just smoke and mirrors. Won't make it play or sound any better.

Vintage I could understand. But these new guitars... it boggles the mind really.

 

[ne1roc]

I love beautiful guitars! I also love beautiful women. With either of the two, if you can't play with them, at least you can look at them!

 

[GuitarsCanada]

I love beautiful guitars! I also love beautiful women. With either of the two, if you can't play with them, at least you can look at them!

Both can be very expensive. Is it worth it just to look though?

 

[david henman]

...give me a beat up "player" any day of the week. otherwise, there's no point. if i had a guitar that was purely a "looker" or a "collector", i'd swap/sell/donate it in favour of something useful.

-dh

 

[nine]

I agree with you, but apparently many do not. They would not put them out if there was no demand. Granted, some are really nice to look at... but I can't remember ever going to a concert and seeing a pro playing something like that.

There's no accounting for taste. Some people just like garish stuff.

 

[GuitarsCanada]

Gibson and Fender sneek in there too, with their signature models. Jimmy Page, Ace etc at $5000 or more USF. You might be getting a little nicer top on some of them but what else?

 

[Robboman]

Nothing against these kind of guitars but IMO, they're not meant for players at all. They're for doctors, lawyers, executives, etc, with lots of money who are into guitars as a hobby and want to show off to their friends. All that extra candy to make it pretty sure won't help the tone, but might hurt it (excess inlays, curly maple neck (!). Pros know that, of course.

It's funny how you can spend a fortune on one of these shiny, candied up, flamed, inlaid and gold plated monstrosities.. but you can also spend a (slightly smaller) fortune on a brand new 'reliced' axe that looks completely trashed from 50 years of abuse.

 

[nine]

Tons of ridiculous inlays and stuff is over the top, but I've always found quilted tops to be the worst. Whether the guitar is 10 grand or 100 bucks, it just screams "CHEAP GUITAR HERE!!!!" to me because that's what cheap guitar companies do to make their cheap guitars seem high end.

 

[ne1roc]

Both can be very expensive. Is it worth it just to look though?

If you can afford it, why not?

I don't get why somebody wouldn't want a beautiful guitar? Overpriced? Too scared to get a scratch on it?

I am confused by some of the replies here?
"It screems cheap, they are not meant for players, I'd sell it for something useful"?

I know there are guys on this forum who drive some pretty nice cars that don't make them better drivers. I guess they are just showing off as well?
:confused-smiley-010

 

[nine]

I think there's a big difference between nice cars and ornate guitars. A more fair comparison would be someone that buys a Jetta that's painted metallic organe, has got gold leaf paisleys and intricate airbrushing all over it, flashy rims and pink coloured headlights. "Riced up" as the kids say these days. All show, no go. Well, just as much go as a regular Jetta, except it's "prettier".

And just like guitars, what you can afford to buy is no indication of your skills. Crappy players (like me) can own nice guitars and great players can own bad guitars. Depending on your views and/or skill level, either one is considered lame.

 

[violation]

If I buy a guitar, it'll be played... unless it's been played and autographed by Zakk Wylde or Eddie Van Halen. That's the only way I would own a "show" guitar, lol.

 

[Mike T.]

It's like in Spinal Tap where Nigel shows off what appears to be a Fender Jaguar and he tells DiBergi, "don't touch it! Don't even look at it! It can never be played, never!"

 

[Baconator]

If it doesn't get played, what's the point? There doesn't need to be any wiring inside or magnets in the pickups :tongue:.

I certainly wouldn't spend $10-20,000 on a guitar because it looks nice, but then I don't have that kind of money to spend on . . . . anything except perhaps a car. If I was a corporate lawyer, surgeon or other medical specialist or even (gasp) a financially successful musician I might consider it. You can't take it with you and if it brings you pleasure, wth? God knows, I would love to have enough cash to throw down on a guitar like that PRS, but I'd prefer it to be spent in smaller packages - i.e. 5-6 really sweet guitars. I can't justify it, but I'd certainly love to have a stable full of boutique amps too - have you checked out some of the ones out these days? A lot of these companies (i.e. divided by 13, swart) certainly have spent a lot of effort making good looking amplifiers - at least they look good to me. Does that influence the tone? Of course not, but I'd pick an amp that looks good if it had the tone over a plain-jane black tolex box.

Just my .02

 

[nine]

Still hate those quilt tops, though.

Amen, homey. For the reason I stated above. Plus, they're just u.g.l.y and they ain't got no alibi.

 

[nine]

I think Baconator's really got it though. Guitars like that are a matter of taste. Personally, no matter how much money I had, I'd still own plain, but nice, guitars. Whereas some people would buy gold and diamond encrusted guitars.

Chaqu'un à son gout.

 

[elindso]

I'm not a fan of guitars like the one that you posted. It's far too ornate and not even good looking to me. Luthier masturbation, really. :tongue:

I agree 100%

Whee! Look what I can do:confused-smiley-010

Diamond encrusted anything is silly in my mind. Unless it's a cutting tool.