Guitars, or any other instrument for that matter just don't bulldog their way into our lives; Musical instruments are the "PLAY HARD TO GET BABIES", of all time,..they defy being tamed,.they are obstinate, unwilling, unbending, and initially cold barren objects until they sense their practitioner is a serious participant, someone intent on relationship;..

I say ,"THEY SENSE", because musical instruments are sentient; living things. Much like wild animals, a beginning guitarist needs to tame his/hers new acquisition,..they lay there in their case uttering a low growl, challenging, defiant, "COME ON, they say, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU GOT DONKEY BOY, THINK YOU CAN MAN HANDLE ME,..YOU GOT ANOTHER THING COMING".

For a man, a woman responds to gentility, honesty, sensitivity, and attentiveness ,..so does a guitar,..you can't flatter your way into a relationship with a guitar,..they only come to respect you on their terms,..they will not give up their secrets unless you approach them with an "INDIANA JONES", mentality.

To tame a guitar involves persistence, resoluteness , a continuous barrage of frontal attack limb bending maneuvers...Guitars are not won over by seduction,..they succumb to "HEART",. Once the beginning stages of mastery ensue, a guitar becomes willing, pliant, and available...

I am sure the guitar hanging in the pawn shop window who saw me coming said to itself as it saw me walk in the front door, "UH OH,. i got a feeling this little dude means business,. no FLIM FLAM IN HIS EYES,. It was right,..I wore that twenty five buck AX out,..I pounced on the thing like a leopard on liver,..i slung the thing into overdrive like i was man handling an intruder trying to break into my house,.there was no pussy footing around ,.

I charged like a water buffalo emitting primitive guttural noises lifting her out of her case, and before i painfully attempted TO LEARN TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT B7TH CHORD, I'D THROW MY HEAD BACK AND GIVE OFF A DEAFENING JOHNNY WEISSMULLER TARZAN YELL JUST SO THE GUITAR KNEW I WAS READY TO ROCK, !!!

The day you and your guitar become as one living , breathing entity, is the day all of creation is changed forever; changed in ways that only will be recognizable to you somewhere in a distant point of eternity.

by Chris Gantry
www.chrisgantry.com