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Other people playing your guitars...

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Going to visit the king of let me play your (his) guitar in a few weeks. He is a good friend and a thoroughly good man.
 

fretout

New member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
19
People are careless.

On my lesser loved guitars, I don’t mind much.

On my more preferred, if I like someone enough to let them play I guitar I care about, I also don’t want to get mad at them when the accidentally screw it up.

Best to save the friendship and tell them ”no”….or even better, hit an A chord and ask “what?”.
 

Gibsonsg

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2021
Messages
40
i only let players play on my guitars if they have the care and respect for it...
Not some random guy that dings the guitar or almoste drop them.
 

Morlock

Member
Joined
May 22, 2018
Messages
58
My only experience with this is on my first electric guitar way back. I always thought the guitar sucked then a friend picked it up and all of a sudden it just sounded amazing! I realized it was me that sucked lol. It's the reason why I haven't thrown it out yet, I want to put new pick ups in it.
 

metropolis

Active member
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
390
I'll let, in fact encourage friends who I trust to play mine or even borrow my guitars. I'd be less trusting in a stranger but to be honest the opportunity for someone to ask rarely presents itself. Last time I could remember another band on the bill commented on how good my Hagstrom sounded so I handed it to him (it's a cheap guitar) but nobody ever asked to play anything more valuable.
 

rick c

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Messages
282
When I was a teen, I recall the horror as a friend of mine's new Rickenbacker 4001 got its back scarred badly by a drummer's American eagle belt buckle. Guy just picked it up wthout permission and started goofing around.

I've trained my kids (17,15,12) to wash their hands, no sharp objects, hold vertical until sat down, keep distance. So far it's working really well; they get it. The only dents and dinks on my guitars happened before they understood these rules and were quicker than me. What helps is they also know the value of my guitars, each has their favourite (this is mine when you die...) so they are careful. As for others, no one except guitar players are allowed to touch. Same rules as above.
 

bobalu

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2003
Messages
81
I never let anyone play or touch my guitars, ever. Been there, done that, have the "damaged" t-shirt. People just don't respect property anymore. (it's not mine, why should I care?).
 

Tone Dawg

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2022
Messages
8
I'll let others (friends) play my instruments based on their playing experience, it just seems to me that the more experienced they are the more respect they have in handling guitars.
 

EXPLRGAB

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
Folks always ask me to play their guitars....I always decline. I have ZERO interest in playing someone else's guitar. I would decline if asked to play my guitars.
 

Huc

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2003
Messages
156
I let only people I know play my herd with one exception. My Fender Custom Shop 52 Tele RI in a three tone burst. ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD. Not even the Pope is allowed to touch it. I have camera's, GPS chip, a 180 lb Mastiff, 12 gauge shotgun and hidden booby traps . Like to make you guys laugh.
 

ADP

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
682
I let my buddy take my Les Paul around the country. It's meant to be played live on stage. Granted, I'm not going to let someone I don't know play it out, that would be careless. But why not? They've made it this long.

*Edit: I definitely wouldn't let someone play a "mint" guitar. Or an art-piece-grade Custom Shop. Only the ones meant to rock.
 

SpencerD

Active member
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Messages
910
A friend of mine has quite a few guitars. I don't know or care how many 30 + maybe?

Anyway, he has a 1979 Silverburst Custom he keeps around the house for people asking to try his instruments


Check this .... he's got the action high enough to drive a dumptruck under and .13 gauge strings too! People give up real quick 😀
 

Steven K

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2022
Messages
24
Other people except repairmen can't touch my guitars. I play them but keep them in mint or near mint condition. I've had nightmarish experiences allowing others to play my guitars.
 
Last edited:

ADP

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
682
Other people except repairmen can't touch my guitars. I play them but keep them in mint or near mint condition.
One time I randomly went to my guitar tech's and he was letting some random kid play my Les Paul when I walked in. Needless to say, he has never worked on a guitar of mine since.

The feeling was of pure disrespect.

I still let people play my guitars, I just need to know who they are first.
 

Steven K

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2022
Messages
24
One time I randomly went to my guitar tech's and he was letting some random kid play my Les Paul when I walked in. Needless to say, he has never worked on a guitar of mine since.

The feeling was of pure disrespect.

I still let people play my guitars, I just need to know who they are first.



I would have let him know how wrong that was, and how angry I was.
 

rockabilly69

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,872
I remember at a blues jam that I was hosting, a new younger guy to the jam loaned his new to him excellent condition Les Paul to a guy to play a few songs. Well the guy who borrowed it got up and played seriously aggressively on the kid's Les Paul, and I mean aggressively with a capital A! After this total wankfest, he handed the kid his guitar back, I don't know what the guy was using for a pick, but the Les Paul pickup covers were all scratched up, and there were pick scratches in the finish. The kid was heartbroken and the wanker just walked out of the room.

Another time, a nephew of a close friend of mine asked me to borrow my Strat, and less than a minute into the song, he dropped it straight to the floor. Miraculously nothing happened to the Strat.

Those examples keep me from letting anybody that I don't trust play my guitars. My friends who I do trust, paid good money for their guitars, so they have a healthy respect for guitars in general.
 

Grog

Active member
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
562
Another thought is players with acidic sweat that etch your chrome or gold hardware. If you don’t know the player, you could end up with permanent damage that you will regret….
 

Norton

Active member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
137
I've let folks use my guitars in studio or try them out backstage at a show but never for more than a few minutes and never left my sight. I used to not have any problem providing a backline amp until someone cranked it to the point of outright destruction in an attempt to be "punk". After that I I bought a cheap beater amp to bring to shows when I was asked to share mine.

Anyone remember when Prince decided to smash Kirk Douglas' '61 Epi Crestwood on the tonight show? At least he payed for the repairs!
 
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