Art is an extension of you.
Whether you are a painter or a musician, your art is an extension of you and that includes your tools. For example, a painter uses a paint brush to layer strokes of colors creating the image in his or her mind on the canvas. A musician uses their instrument, which is an extension of their hands, to create melodies and rhythm, building a composition of sound and texture. But what if your tools don’t feel like an extension of you? Change them.
Guitar players are known for searching out the next greatest tone to ever come from a guitar and amplifier. The journey to sonic perfection involves looking for a better set of pickups, a better set of strings, a better pedal effect or maybe even a whole new guitar. The list goes on and on.
When we first started learning to play guitar, we didn’t necessarily have the need to find the next best thing, we simply wanted to play guitar and be a rock star. As our playing matured, we then entered the discovery phase, where surly there must be a better way or a better tool to get to the next level. The real need, is to make the guitar a true extension of ourselves, echoing the feel and sound we hear in our head. Sometimes, this requires changing or adjusting what we have, to make it better suited to us and our mission. In my case it meant a neck modification.
My Taylor 214ce DLX KOA acoustic has shiny gloss finish, including the back of the neck. Whenever my hands got sweaty (kind of gross), usually at summer gigs, they would tend to stick to the neck when sliding up and down the fretboard. I lived with this for probably 3 or 4 years before I became brave enough to change it. I de-glossed the neck finish, making it more of a smooth satin finish. Sliding up and down the fretboard is now a breeze.
If you don’t feel your instrument is an extension of you, maybe it’s time for a change. Have an amazing day.