tegs07

Followers on Instagram are an important metric. My kids were deciding on who to see at a festival and ruled out some old codger called Lionel Ritchie as they had never heard of him and his number of followers was not high enough 😜

Haha I’m no Adam Clayton but at least I don’t have to hang out with Bono..

A great guitarist should contribute to the song/band. If a solo is required then great if not then just don’t do it. I like the John Frusciante nomination. I think I judge great guitarists by what they don’t play as much as what they do play!

You could buy a low mileage used BMW rather than a new Dacia...

Yep. For me great guitarist doesn’t equal boring widdle machine that doesn’t know when to stop. Its like Santana, some of the stuff is great but I frequently wish someone would take Carlos’s guitar and stick it someplace alongside Dylan’s harmonica!

Geddy Lee? Adam Clayton?

I have seen some very technical and accomplished guitarists live. Some bored the pants off me. I would prefer a few bum notes occasionally and a whole heap of soul any day alongside the fundamental ability to pen a decent tune.

You may also be supporting some skilled luthiers and allowing an important craft to continue well into the mass produced mechanised market. As I get more of my income back I am trying to do the same as well as supporting small local bakers, butchers (haven’t found a candlestick maker yet).

Paco Pena is fantastic... “Friday night in San Francisco” would have 3 contenders for the title...Another Paco along with McLaughlin and Di Miola

Precisely. Presumably is well known and plays a lot of solos. Making Joe Strummer a 2 out of 10 despite being exactly what The Clash needed.

I always find these greatest guitarist of all time articles to be interesting but a bit pointless. Malmsteem Is definitely a more technically accomplished player than Gilmour but Floyd would sound crap with Malmsteen widdling all over the place. It’s all very subjective.

This is so true. “My” first bass was a borrowed MIJ jazz clone. I think it was a Columbus. It was made of a mixture of lead and concrete and a swarm of angry bees had been inserted under the control plate. I later bought an Encore P which was a bit like the Columbus but thankfully had no trapped bees.

Yes very droll. As you point out some assets outpace inflation and are therefore investments. I agree that instruments are unlikely to make returns anywhere near early Fenders but there is a big difference between an investment and a get rich quick scheme. If you had 2 grand spare you could put it in the bank, get 0.6% or so return on it when real inflation is running at 3/4% and lose £40 to £60 a year or so or buy that secondhand Ricky or whatever you have always wanted enjoy it for several years and most likely make a modest return on it when it sells. There are better investments as you say but most of us can afford one house if we are lucky and fine art, classic cars and old wines are not possible let alone gambling on crypto currency’s.

Met a guy recently who sold a pre CBS strat for £35K bought a camper van and spent lockdown living in it & off the profits. I doubt that the big names Musicman, Rickenbacker, Etc are going to dip below inflation if bought second hand. Cash in the bank on the other hand will be decimated over the long term.

Squire Classic Vibe

Personally I have found if you buy stuff secondhand and at a reasonable price you will get back what you paid for it give or take a couple of quid. Over a long period you may even make a fair bit. Compulsive buying particularly new stuff on the other hand is another matter.

I was listening to mainly goth and indie stuff until a couple of years later when Echo and the Bunnymen covered “People are Strange” and the Cult “Electric” virtual Zeppelin covers took me in a different direction.

Head on the Door - The Cure (Aug 85) Meat Is Murder - The Smiths (Feb 85) First and Last and Always - The Sisters of Mercy (Mar 85) Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain (Nov 85) I bought all of the above!

Im in a similar situation. I can now afford the basses I dreamed of as a teenager. The sad thing is the teenager could play them better and would have used them far more!

I always loved The Smiths but thought Morrisey was a bit of a tool. I really gave up on him when reading his autobiography. How many grudges can anyone hold for so long? It was when he was whining on whilst living in LA having bought a house that I think belonged to Clarke Gable or some other silver screen mega star that I just didn’t want to hear anymore from him.

I like to buy knackered old basses and parts off the internet and make Bitsa’s. I like the research and the physical process complements my paid job which doesn’t lead to a tangible end product. I now have too many basses and as a result of a few bargains online a couple of basses that are far too good for my skills as a player. People are strange and complex. If collecting basses, Marvel figures, stamps or whatever brings them some pleasure then why not? I get your point but try not to over think the world. You will never make sense of humans as we are a fundamentally flawed species.

This one is a keeper. Aerodyne with Geezer’s.

From my experience 90% of bands playing in stadiums and large arenas fit into that category. It’s a fairly sterile experience not just because of the lack of intimacy by the time large sums of cash are required for tickets the audience becomes a little less diverse...