How do you treat your gear?

[Gearjoneser]

Super Anal. This musician won't let ANYONE touch his gear,
borrow it, hold it, even look at it - like Nigel
He's the guy who breaks out in tears when a pinhead size ding
occurs on the back of his guitar. He won't even set his watch
on the top of his amp for fear of scuffing it. LOL

Protective. This musician prefers to handle his gear, to avoid
any damage. He'll let a buddy pick up his guitar, but won't
let him borrow it. This player avoids damage, but thinks
of dings as unfortunate battle scars.

Roadwarrior. This musician has decent gear, but has no problem setting things on his amp, owns no cover for it, and throws his
guitar cases around with no worries about their contents.
If a ding occurs on his guitar, he says "ah, it gives it character."

The Thrasher. This guitar mangler throws his beatup guitars, which have duct tape holding the straps on, into cases that are missing latches. His amp looks like he threw it down the stairs,
and he's proud of all the battle scars his second hand gear has.
His pedals are tossed in a bag and have half the paint missing.

Which musician are you? And, why are you that way?

 

[Brian110687]

I am extremely anal also. But i dont care if people think im an ******* for not letting them touch my gear, because then there wont be a chance of them damaging my things.

 

[Pandemonium]

A cross between protective and road warrior.

 

[chcjunior]

Protective. Why? Because guitar equipment is like a car. Certain dings and scratches are unavoidable but I try to keep them to a minimum.

 

[Curly]

Protective. ..

I've had my two Martins for almost 30 years, and they're in better condition than a lot of new guitars I see in the stores.

I'd probably be more likely to lend out my favorite electrics than one of my acoustics - they're precious! Probably the two worldly possessions that I've owned the longest.

As for electrics, I don't take quite as good of care as I used to, but I always wash my hands before playing, and wipe the strings afterwards. Pretty important, and keeps your guitar happy. Occasionally, I'll polish 'em well, and maybe remove the strings and clean any build up from the fretboard, and treat the wood with lemon oil - really makes quite a difference playing wise.

My brother used to have a saying: cleaning up is part of cooking. I'd say the same thing applies to playing guitar - cleaning them should be part of your playing routine. Treat 'em right, and they'll treat you right!

 

[Dirtyking]

Roadwarrior. If my gear gets damaged or broken it's just an excuse to buy new gear. I'm also a pretty big dude. I wrestle and lift weights like religion so everyone I know and don't know doesn't mess with my gear. I had one of my buddy's try and give me $50 for a micro amp he broke of mine that was worth maybe $20. He was scarred to death of how I would react. But I just told him to chill and buy me a case instead. No loss of life there. Gear comes and goes. Friends are forever

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Protective...should be anal, I only have one guitar...

 

[59paul]

I always keep all of my equipment in Tip Top Shape !!!! Every thing gets cleaned and serviced regularly. My gear gets used A LOT, by ME , and ONLY ME !!!!!

 

[Spoonman]

The description of 'Protective' is me all over.

 

[Fatty]

Semi-protective. I'll let people borrow my amp and cab no problem, but I baby my guitars. No one touches the guitars except me and the few I trust enough with them.

 

[mrfjones]

i am definately protective

 

[Mincer]

I don't lend out my stuff or let people play my guitars, except very close friends (like 2 of them) whom I respect.

 

[That90'sGuy]

I'm between Protective and Roadwarrior. I play my gear, I don't obsess over the condition of it. I'll let my friends or jam buddies play them. I don't care. If I get a ding, I'll be upset for a day and then I'll get over it. It's hard to keep things flawless and sometimes I like my gear not being perfect because I do think it adds a bit of character to it.

As far as kicking around cases not caring what's in them? That's a bit extreme. I am careful with my guitars, but accidents do happen and luckily they haven't been too serious. My worst one was a ding on the front of my LP Std. that chipped a small bit of wood.

 

[Steve_R]

My gear is for a working man.. I don't worship it.. I make it work

 

[Ez74]

im anal about my PRS i keep it in its case... but all my other 1s i keep out in a rack and if a friend wants to try 1 i dont mind.... but i would never let them borrow anything

 

[Gearjoneser]

I'd say I'm protective with my gear, but fall into the super anal
category with most of my prized possessions.

On things like strats and pedals, I'll hand them to someone to use
if they're in a pinch, or at a jam night or something.

If you're talking about my Gibsons, PRS's, or ANY of my amps....
Forget about it! I cringe when people even walk too close to them. I'd let my face hit the floor before a headstock!

Maybe it's because I always have resale value in the back of my mind. One bad scuff can knock hundreds off.

The reason I even wrote this post was because I walked into my rehearsal room a few days ago and saw that the singer in the band that subleases my rehearsal room had set a stack of 3
guitar cases on top of my Bogner halfstack. I sh!t my pants!
Since they are cool guys, I didn't start screaming, but made it clear that it can't EVER happen again. I actually couldn't get it off
my mind that entire evening.

 

[Grandor]

To an extent I am protective.
I am a bit of a cross between Protective, Roadwarrior and Thrasher.

- I'll say why.

Grandor Type:

I and only people on the "A list" get to touch my gear, Only real guitarists (under my supervision); not drummers that know a few chords are allowed to play my guitars.
No-one can borrow my gear. NO ONE.

Dings happen. I acknowledge it. I often jump around on stage and make an A$$ of my self but at the end of the set, It always goes back on the rack, and at the end of the gig- Straight into the case after a careful clean.
I don't care about setting things on my amp - I never even use mine anymore - These days house amps are better than it.
For example, last night my friend let me use his mesa nomad 55 1x12 and I was anal about it because It was someone elses gear.
But If It was mine I would have been a little easier.
Amps take better to dings than guitars do.

My amp looks like its been thrown down the stairs because It has.
I bought it pretty dirty. And that dirt and grease is still on it.
Cheaper guitars I have earn battle scars, for example - If I had a squier that was cheaply bought used and in average condition already, It would be a beater, I would still take care for it- But It would have carefully placed dings.

Another example.
Last night after the gig about 20 kids between the ages of 11 and 14 got up and one started playing my guitar - and all of them got in the way of me packing up the gear.
One asked for an autograph - OH HELL YEAH!
But the one playing the guitar got some stern words from the other side of the stage.
It went something like this.
"OI!"
The kids turn around.
"Did I say you could touch my guitar?"
No Answer.
"Then put the fu<king guitar on the rack before I beat your fu<king head in"
Needless to say, He put the guitar back on the rack and left while his friends laughed at him.
I heard a few I told you so's from his buddies. lol.

 

[dd12939]

I'm a road warrior. It angers me when stuff happens, and I am a bit protective of my SG, but just on principle (she's my baby), but I get over it.

 

[StratTom]

I'd say I'm a Protective Roadwarrior

 

[captain cavman]

I think I'm quite protective, I don't like my gear to be damaged but you can't avoid to get some dents or chips on your axes if you're clubbing !

Those are guitars scars !