Think I am done with the geetar.....

[Scooter]

Damn. Been reading for the last 25 minutes and realized I'm a month+ late. You guys that aren't into it anymore keep your chin up, it happens. I play as much now as I did in my 20's. Got into a cover band for fun, and we play a few gigs now and then. My problem of late is 'friends' coming over when we rehearse. You know the type, the drunk and the lush, who get good and hammered like they're at a show. I'm waiting for our singer to pop one in the head with a mic and tell him to quit screaming out of key in his ear. One has a new guitar he wants me to play. Another one wants lessons, and wants to play on my rig to show me what he knows (and I can't stand for someone else greasy dick skinners on my guitar, go wash your hands before you try) and can't play worth a shit. The loving drunk likes to hug everyone and tell how fucking awesome they are. Things like that make me not want to play, especially since I don't drink, and can't stand the smell of liqour and cigarette breath in my face. Then it's like, were'd he go? I went to piss and hit a bowl you dumbass. Now when we play out it's been devolving into a clusterfuck of a party. Let's follow the setlist, fuck it let's play this, no follow the fucking setlist. (ok rant over, lol) I get frustrated too, but I don't think I'll ever put it down, for long. Lou, keep your fav, and the amp, it may sit for months or years, but if you pick it back up, you'll not regret having sold them.

[emperor_black]

Lou doesn't need to worry about losing interest in this one hobby. he has a very exciting second hobby.

[Maiden89]

When I was in high school my friend and I got together with an early 40's drummer and everything went very smoothly. We were all into late 70's and 80's classic rock, hard rock and metal and we sounded very good together, it also didn't hurt that the guy was a hell of a drummer. Also, I was in Las Vegas on Freemont Street and there was a band playing rock and metal like Black Sabbath, Dio and KISS. Their ages ranged from 18 to early 40's and they sounded killer together. To me, age doesn't really matter if your on the same page. I wouldn't rule out guys from a different age group, you might miss out on a good band opportunity.

The problem with me is that I'm kind of a perfectionist. If I know I could play or sound better, then damn it, I'm going to do it! Thats why I was so frustrated with the bad band rehearsal I mentioned earlier. One of the amps they had were found in a dumpster! I'm not even kidding, one of the guys dumpster dived for it and used beer bottle caps like a shim to hold some of the electric panels up or it would buzz like crazy; it's complicated, you had to see it to know what I'm talking about. One of their guitars jacks didn't work and they said how great everything sounded together!

I don't expect everyone to have top of the line equipment, but this was too much BS for me. I was pissed off the whole day and frustrated because I sounded like shit when I knew I could play 10x better and cleaner if I had decent equipment and everyone sat down and actually tried to work on the songs instead of showing off.

Hopefully this bad rehearsal won't keep from trying to get another group together, but the horror of the day is still in the back of my mind I don't know if I can deal with another rehearsal this bad.

[buzzsaww]

Hey Lou,

I've been where you're at for a few years now. I agree with BillZ. Definitely hang on to a favorite axe or two and at least a head. I figure I can always snag a serviceable cab if I ever get the itch for some semi-serious jammin. I sold pretty much everything except the cobra and went from like 55 axes down to 4 but those were always the comfy 4. The 4 the selling never crossed my mind. The 4 axes of the apocalypse I've got a cheap ass grassroots Sugizo here in the chateau just for plinking around on. It's nice to have a beater nearby to jam to the radio sometimes.

[Twitch]

I've found lately its very satisfying to play the Orion main riff over and over again. It's not much but it's satisfying and soothing to me. I guess I'm not completely done after all. It still has its place.

[Ralph E.]

Interesting to see this thread... I haven't even been on the JCF much in the last 5 years, about the same amount of time I have lost interest in playing/collecting guitars. Recently I injured the pinkie finger on my left hand and needed surgery to fix a sliced flexor tendon. Rehab has not gone that well and I cannot play guitar using that pinkie, which to me means not being able to play guitar at all (no, I don't want to hear about all the guys who play with just 3 fingers).

Instead of being upset about it (which was my initial reaction) I have come to grips with it and actually embrace the reality that my pinkie is forever f*cked. I have always thought i'd be a decent drummer and i'm planning on getting a kit soon (once I clear some space) and trying to pick up the skill. It's actually an exciting idea, something fresh and fun in my mind. I will always have an amp and a guitar (and a bass) handy to jam, but as I said, I think it's kind of exciting to turn the page and learn something new...