A Dusty Guitar
Posted by jefferson in Paying Off Debt | 48 comments
Ever since I was 10 years old, I have had an obsession with music and the people that create it. What young boy in America doesn’t grow up with dreams of one day being a rock star? But my passion for music has never translated into an ability to play an instrument. Over the years, I have watched friends and family members play in scratch rock bands, and a part of me has always felt like I was missing out.
When I graduated from college at the ripe age of 22, I got a decent job and found myself with disposable income for the first time in my life. Sadly, I didn’t look at this as an opportunity to build up savings or to jumpstart my retirement, but instead decided to finally buy all of the things that I had always wanted but couldn’t afford. Just a few months after starting work, I walked into Guitar Center and dropped over $750 on a left-handed Fender Stratocaster and a Blues Jr. tube amplifier. I had no idea how to play guitar (outside of “Iron Man” and the start of “Come As You Are”), but was determined to take the time to learn how to play.
I practiced diligently for the first six months after purchasing the guitar. I purchased books and videos and spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at guitar tabs online. I worked hard to master switching between the seven or eight chords that make up so many popular rock songs, and to train my finger muscles to quickly and decisively jump from string-to-string. My apartment neighbors no doubt got quite tired of hearing me struggle through very basic songs by Green Day and Travis, over and over again. I was improving, but still struggling.
For the next twelve years, I would go through phases where I practiced guitar regularly, and even more phases where I didn’t touch it at all. Finding time to practice got harder and harder to come by after having our second child and then our third, especially since I only had the (noisy) electric. At one point, I took a half dozen lessons from a kid who was half my age at a local music store, but didn’t get much out of them. Truth be told, I never grew confident enough in my own abilities to play in front of anyone other than my wife and kids.
I think that some activities in life come easier for some folks than others. For example, playing sports has always felt very natural to me, but playing music is a much different story. From the first time that I picked up a guitar, any attempt to play has always felt a bit forced. It takes me forever to pick up even the simplest of timings, and I often wonder if I will ever truly be able to develop a “feel” for the music that I am attempting to play. My issues with music aren’t restricted to guitar either, as I also am completely unable to sing on key and I have been laughed at in multiple states for my dancing prowess. I should note that my inability to sing or dance doesn’t stop me from doing either, as these are two of the greatest joys in life, and lack of talent should never keep you from a good time.
A couple of years ago, I purchased a second guitar, a lovely Yamaha acoustic, which is much more friendly to just pick up and play. The thought was that I would be more likely to just grab the guitar and practice if I didn’t have to deal with the amplifier and all the noise that came along with it. What I didn’t realize is that after buying the acoustic, I would never touch the electric Fender Strat again. Even so, it didn’t occur to me that I should sell the old guitar and amplifier, and so they sat in our basement collecting dust for the past few years.
Last week, Michelle and I were going for one of our nightly walks and talking about ways that we could raise some additional money in the next month. We talked about looking to see if there was anything that we had missed in our previous minimalism/fundraising efforts. When we got home, I strolled into the basement and saw my guitar and amp sitting in the corner feeling sorry for themselves. Since I hadn’t played or even thought about them in years, I knew with confidence that I wouldn’t miss these items. It was clear what had to be done. The next day I listed my old guitar and amplifier on both Craigslist and eBay local, hoping to fetch a pretty decent return. I would love to get $500 for both, money that would go directly towards debt repayment.
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Making the decision to change your life and to live debt-free involves agreeing to make sacrifices today for a better life tomorrow. This can include delaying family vacations and home repairs, spending you free time chasing extra income, and possibly even selling off some of your old possessions. I am not completely abandoning my boyhood rock n’ roll dreams by selling my guitar and amp (I am keeping my acoustic, for now), but I consider this a big part of stepping into the next phase of financial maturity. Sometimes you have to let go of your past, to step into the future.
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Wow we have this same situation going on in my household. I had an electric guitar and amp in high school. My fiancée started playing acoustic in college, and he has the same “start-playing-every-day-for-a-week-then-leave-it-for-a-month” habit that you d, but he’s managed to develop a fair amount of skill over the years. Try as I might though, I can’t get him to let me sell that electric guitar. It hasn’t been played in years but he insists one day it’ll come in handy. Got any words of wisdom on how I can convince him to let me sell it?
Hah.. Jordann, I don’t think that I could do much to convince your husband.. As a guy, it certainly isnt easy to give up on our boyhood rockstar dreams. Maybe if you do the legwork and show him how much money he could get.
I’m still holding out hope that I will learn how to play the guitar. My mom bought me one for Christmas 2 years ago and it hasn’t been played much. One of my goals will be to start lessons towards the end of next year. Hopefully I can get it done!
I’m all for sacrifices but I’m not ready to let go of the guitar yet. 🙂
Jason, I still hold out hope as well that I will one day learn how to play. I do enjoy the time that I spend playing guitar, it just isn’t easy for me. If I ever truly dedicated myself to the practice (and probably got some decent lessons), I think I could get better. But the best that I really want to be is good enough to jam out with a friend every once in a while, and maybe write a song or two.
It is always hard when you feel like you are selling something that related to a dream you once had, but I applaud you for doing the mature thing. You’ll be glad when you have 1000 dollars less to contend with!
Thanks Lbee.. I certainly wont get $1000 for both.. probably more in the $500 range. But every little bit helps. My dream was never a realistic one for me, and I am 34.. it is time to grow up.
Smart move to sell the electric guitar and amp Jeff. I know some things are hard to let go, especially when you have a passion for it but just haven’t had the time to pursue it more. At least you do have the acoustic guitar to still play around on. I love music too and had considered getting a guitar before, but I know I don’t have any musical talent. So I would probably quickly give up playing it.
Thanks Jeremy.. I have felt a strong urge in the last six months to continue down the path of minimalism, and continue to reduce the amount of possessions that I own. This is just the start..
I feel the same you do about a surf board which has been used as a living room decoration the past four years. I used to surf way more, but truth be told, I was never very good at it and had to talk myself into going all the time, mainly because I was terrified. I’ve always been incredibly jealous of people who can play an instrument, or more specifically guitar so effortlessly. I wish I learned as a kid, because I think it would have been easier to pick up and master. But, I have always been able to pick up dancing easily, and can sing decently, without any formal training. So I guess we all have those somewhat natural gifts.
Yeah.. we all do have our natural gifts.. And to avoid frustrations– it would serve us well to choose hobbies that fit in line with those.. But that said, I am always open to trying new things… So I gave learning an instrument a whirl and it didn’t work out.. No problem. Move on to the next thing.. There are infinite possibilities..
My parents enrolled me in piano lessons as a kid. I quit after 6 years because I never really enjoyed it and preferred to hang out with my friends, rather than spend time practicing. I also played violin for a year, which I found a lot harder to learn. Looking back at it, I wish I had kept at it. I tried playing on my parent’s piano a few years back and I was so rusty at it! It sometimes frustrates me when I’m not good at something right away, which may be of the main reasons, I’m hesitant to take it up again.
I think that learning it from an early age is pretty key.. My oldest son (11) has a keyboard that he plays around with quite a bit, but he has never had any formal lessons. We have been talking about getting him some recently, however!
I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I bought a Fender Acoustic probably close to 10 years ago and practiced on it regularly for maybe 3 months. After that I didn’t really touch it at all and ended up giving it to a buddy of mine who helps me work on my cars. That’s awesome that you decided to sell it and try to bring in extra money. I should look around the house to see if I have anything I could sell (like my Xbox and all the games I never play anymore). Don’t you like video games? Wanna buy them lol?
Hah.. Yeah. I may end up selling the acoustic in a bit as well, if I don’t start playing it soon. But I am not ready for that. When my kids get a bit older, I imagine that I will have more free time and I will need more hobbies to occupy that time.
I’ll pass on the video games… While I do like them, I don’t have time to play the ones that I do have. My kids still do enjoy the PS3, however.
You should keep that for your kids, maybe they will learn how to play. The rule of the wines doesn’t apply in guitar cases ( the price is increasing depending on wines age)?
Gekko– The main problem here is that my guitar is a lefty, and my kids are all right-handed. However, we did get my 8 year old a cheap half-size acoustic to play on a few years ago
I’m sure you won’t have a problem selling your guitar 🙂 It’s true, sometimes you do have to let go of that past to move forward. Definitely something I’ve had to learn.
Strangely, I have had far more interest in the amp than the guitar, but am still helpful that I can sell both. I am at a point in my life where I am more than willing to let go.
Aww — you know what, though? It’ll be there for you if you change your mind later, when you’re out of debt.
I don’t think I will ever buy another electric guitar, no matter what my financial situation.. That ship has sailed.
Good for you! The time commitment alone has deterred me from ever pursuing Guitar (or other instruments). I spend my free time chasing side income instead 😉
I’ve been the same way lately, DC. But I don’t want to always be this way…
I had to sell my drumset to pay off some debt and save money for rent. It was a huge bummer, because I LOVE drumming, but it just was not worth it to keep them at the time. Do I wish I still had a kit to play? Yes. Would I have done anything differently? No.
Making sacrifices not only gets you ahead quicker, but also builds appreciation for when you are able to afford those items again. I know that I will really enjoy my drums when I buy new ones because I have delayed my gratification for now.
Great point, Jacob.. I love it.
I really would be willing to sell virtually all of my physical possessions if it meant a better life for my family.
I sympathize! I have three guitars from when I was younger – a classical guitar, an acoustic and an electric, plus amplifier. I took lessons for a while, but had to quit when my family was short on cash.
I still fantasize that I’ll have time to pick them up and play more, but realistically, I just don’t make time for it.
I really do enjoy playing and hope to make it a serious hobby at some point… Music is a big part of my life, and the more I am around it, the happier I will be.
Good decision. I think that won’t just help with the money end of things but also could help you focus on other areas. I find that when I have lots of distractions around they distract me. I’m about to begin purging here now that I’m back home for the rest of the summer.
i am on a serious purging kick, joe… i would still like to sell 60% of our possessions.. i don’t think i would miss any of them..
I personally have a guitar and a piano, both given to me for free to play as I please until I leave for college. I really love music, and I feel like it comes pretty easy to me. I have a good ear (according to my voice lessons teacher) and I love it. I think it is a smart move to sell the electric though. If you don’t use it now, you most likely won’t use it. Might as make some money!
that is fantastic that you have an ear for music… it is important for us to have artistic outlets… but you are right.. i wasn’t going to start playing the guitar, so why not sell it?
I find that by buying things used on Craigslist I can try out a lot of hobbies for almost no cost. And sometimes it’s just time to let go of something that you used to love. I don’t think I will ever give up surfing though but I sell my boards often when I can make a profit and then pick up another one cheap on Criagslist. I try not to get to attached to each board!
Chase
yeah, craigslist is great for buying and selling.. but i am doing a lot more of the latter than the former currently..
That’s one of the great ironies of growing up – you’re finally able to afford musical equipment but you have absolutely no time or energy to really focus on it! You probably made the right choice selling the electric and amp if you don’t plan on doing much else with them. You will get plenty of pleasure out of playing that acoustic!
I have that very same amp you mentioned! My electric guitar has gone unused for a very long time. I know it is only a few more years until my son will put them back into commission.
I own 5 acoustic guitars and they are all throughout my house. Even still I don’t play them as much as I used to! If you’d like to hear a few of my recordings, I’ve got a few MP3’s uploaded into Monday’s post.
This is the truth.. This page (See Debt Run) is the story of how we are trying to get our financial lives in order.. But in my life, I usually feel shorter on time than money. It certainly comes with the territory of having 3 kids, but I really don’t have time for any hobbies to speak of.
That is wild that you have the exact same amp!.. I am hoping to sell mine in the next day or two.. I continue to get ALOT more interest in the amp than the guitar.
Like you Jefferson, playing sports has always come much more naturally than music. I credit that to the fact that I started playing ball when I was 5 and I tried to learn the guitar in my 20s. It’s amazing what you can pick up when you’re younger.
Did you have any luck picking up the guitar, JW?.. I have pondered the question in the past, would I trade my natural athleticism for musical talent??.. And I really don’t know what the answer would be.. Maybe that is a subject for a future post.
Ahh, the dusty guitar. I have a now 13 year old Martin D-16 that did sit unopened for a couple years in my closet. But, I busted it out and it is on display in my living room everyday. I bought it on Staten Island for around $1,100 back in 1999. I wonder what the new prices cost now. I love the guitar and have practice many hours on it!
That’s good that you finally gave the old purchase some love, and busted out of the closet.. Back in the day, I used to buy video games every time they were available for a good price, even when I had absolutely not time to play them. There were games that I had for years that never left the shrink wrap.
Minismalism is the key link to our financial happiness. As we shed unwanted things from our lives, we feel lighter and happier. I use 90 day rule to sell or donate anything that I’ve not used. I also don’t splurge on the same thing again. I loved this article, Jefferson. It conveys a subtle, yet profound message for anyone who wants to get out of the mountain of debt.
I love minimalism as well Shilapan, and agree totally that lightening our load is a key to an improved state of mind.
Great content you’ve created! I’ve been playing the guitar all my life and still learning now. Keep up the good work!
Carl
Terrific guitar story.. a favorite pursuit of mine: guitar stories. There is so much rich culture, history and community reflected in these kinds of stories, as well as hope for a future filled with creativity and productive energy…. something we need more of in the face of our increasingly superficial and anonymous new age of technological multitasking. Thanks for this blog!
Ahh, the messy electric guitar. I’ve any today 13 year older Martin D-16 that would stay unopened to get a pair a long time during my cabinet. Nevertheless, My spouse and i broken the idea away which is on present during my lounge each day. I aquired the idea on Staten Isle between $1, 100 in 1999. My spouse and i ask yourself precisely what the brand new charges expense today. I enjoy your guitar and have absolutely practice many hours on it!
I am a music freak and myself a guitarist. I love to read about guitar and guitarists for inspiration and knowledge. I really loved this post. 🙂
Sometimes, sacrificing a hobby or for instance in your case a guitar can make life better. I myself gave up my gym membership years ago. Though as of today I still feel the need to go to gym, it’s worth it that I did give it up that it was able to help me save more for retirement. Congrats on letting that ship sail!
When it came time to buy a house — something we were doing earlier than expected to make sure my in-laws didn’t end up homeless — my husband and I both had to sell off parts of our collections. It hurt, but we probably had too many items in each anyway. And it was for a loftier goal. Which is about all you can ask for.
Great . I really appreciate you shared this with all. Great post
I picked up the guitar as a teenager and fiddled around with it for a while, jammed with friends and practiced. But I never took lessons and never really even learned to play chords. It was always a fun little hobby for me…