An epiphany from last night

[Pen]

So last night, I was parked in front of my laptop watching the game. As I often do as of late, I'm searching the web for information on Martin guitars. A good guitar is my next instrument upgrade and I'm really leaning towards a D-28.

Later, I went back my bedroom to get ready for bed. I'm laying in bed scanning the channels and just randomly start watching a local access channel doing an hour show about a family.

The show talked about how this couple met in their 20's and have spent the better part of their marriage cruising the world on a small boat. They aren't wealthy. They just find a way to live life this way. They eventually had kids who shared this small boat. It is an amazing story. At the end of the show, they made a comment about how they approach life. They said, "Most people measure their life by what they have. We measure our life by what we've done". The kicker was their last name - Mr. & Mrs. Martin (/cough cough, my guitar I'm fixated on).

BOOM! WHAM! Boy did it hit me hard. Thoughts are just racing through my head. Part of me is excited that elements of me match up with this mentality. I've followed plenty of my dreams (including music). Then I start thinking about how materialism has crept into my life. Last night I was more concerned with drooling over various Martin's I found online then playing the guitar I have.

I intend to worry less about what I'm playing and more about how often and with whom. I'll always like quality instruments - but I really want to get away from thinking of my mando's & guitars as part of a collection. The collection I'm concerned about now are my collection of musical memories. The instruments are just a tool that allows me to reap the real reward.

[TNFrank]

Good thing their name wasn't Taylor or you'd have really had some things to think about.

[allenhopkins]

Mr. Pen, you sound like a sane, thoughtful person. As I sit here at my computer surrounded by dozens and dozens of instruments I've picked up over the past 40 years, I appreciate and envy your newfound perspective.

I do concur that material things should only be seen as a means to an end, and that end is personal happiness. Some people do get true satisfaction from finding, acquiring, preserving and appreciating collections, whether Beanie Babies or vintage Gibson mandolins. Others use the acquisition of material possessions as a "surrogate variable" for finding a true source of happiness -- "I must be happy, I own so many things." Where on the spectrum each of us falls, is for our own personal assessment.

Good luck, and keep us posted as to where your "epiphany" leads you in your life.

[MikeEdgerton]

Being satisfied with what one has is a simple gift and one not often attained these days.

[Sleepy Moon Music]

If you can relate to their way of thinking then consider building your own .Any body can buy a Martin or any other Massproduced instrument but the feeling of self achievment is overwelming when you can say "Yea i built it " and know it sounds as good or better than a store bought one ,and you have achieved your goal of measureing yourself by what you've done not by what you have .

[man dough nollij]

I've had a similar experience several times. When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with camera gear. I thought I was quite a shutterbug, and would spend hours perusing the tiny-print ads in the back of photography magazines, figuring out the best deals. One day it hit me: I'm not so much interested in photography as I am cameras. I have never thought of myself as particularly materialistic, so it bothered me. I've gone through the same realization around motorcycles, skis, houses, and musical instruments. I now embrace my materialistic side, and try to remember that the really important things in life aren't things.

[JHo]

Being satisfied with what one has is a simple gift and one not often attained these days.

I must agree, contentment is priceless.

[Bob Wiegers]

I intend to worry less about what I'm playing and more about how often and with whom. #

well said, thanks. I find that viewing music as a service to others makes it even more satisfying.

and on the topic of materialism, that very issue has made me want to quit surfing this site (and others) so much...it's just too easy to get caught up in the gotta-have-another/better-one mentality. too bad I dont have a lot of will power, and I'm a sucker for eye candy :-)

[arrowmandolin]

Try replacing the word ownership with stewardship. Personally I don't think anyone ever "owns" something of true value. For me that makes it easier to assess the things that I aquire.

[Rick Lindstrom]

Yeah- playing mandolin is far more important than owning a brand of mandolin.

Rick

[scgc.om]

Rare is having what you want. #Rarer is wanting what you have. # #

[Roger Kunkel]

One good instrument will play any kind of music. I think less is more really, but go with the D-28V.

[Lee Callicutt]

Rare is having what you want. #Rarer is wanting what you have. # #

Dude, I think you just blew my mind.

[chip]

After you've experienced a life threatening health issue or life threatening experience one should see the light in regard to what's really important in life. I've never seen a hearse with a luggage rack or trailer behind it. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to something nice as this isn't a dress rehersel so one should enjoy that which makes them happy long term.

[John Hill]

...it's just too easy to get caught up in the gotta-have-another/better-one mentality.

Isn't that the truth. I have a wonderful mando and guitar, both instruments are very nice and my playing frankly doesn't do them justice (especially the guitar!) and yet I look & lust for the next axe.

Maybe I should just play more...

[h2o-X]

I have always loved the activities, but the gear became an obsession for me. It was truly ABOUT the bikes, skis, fly rods and reels, hockey gear, even sticks. (And, yes, you can be obsessed with hockey sticks. Good sticks sell for a couple hundred bucks.)

I have a friend who always says, "The things we own actually own us." I didn't take that to heart until a few years ago when I lived in Colorado and my wife was teasing me in front of some friends, and chided me into telling them how many fly rods and bikes and pairs of skis I had. When I admitted that I had 6 bikes, 7 pairs of skis, and 14 fly rods, I realized that I was out of control.

I have since drastically culled the herds. I now have 3 bikes, 3 pairs of skis, 3 fly rods, and 2 mandolins. And, one of the mandolins will be going up for sale next week.

[chip]

One thing about investing in better "things" in life is that they tend to hold their value and in some case increase in value. That being the case IMO I would rather buy the best, play it and when the time comes that I have to let go at least my money comes back to me either in full, more or a little less. Then the family is able to use it rather than the severe depreciation of less desirable items.

[devilstone_the_bard]

Rare is having what you want. Rarer is wanting what you have.

Wow, great reply to a great post. Reminded me of something else I wanted to post about. Will do that now.

Hopefully the feeling will stay with ya next time that Elderly catalog comes in the post.

[hoffmannia2k7]

you should buy an EPIPHONEY

[Steve Ostrander]

We should be more concerned about our fingers than our instruments. Without fingers, you couldn't play a Loar.

[dan@kins]

'How can you appreciate more if you can not appreciate what you have.'

Take this in whatever context you'd like. Its not meant toward anyone on this board. I merely added it to this thread as food for thought. I don't mean that anyone around here does not appreciate what they have. Again, its just a quote I like and food for thought.

This is a good thread OP. Thanks for posting. Its made me think.

[woodwizard]

Some of these posts have got me thinking about what I like. I have one mandolin and one guitar. Lovem both. Love to playem too.
I get such a great feeling... not because I'm so good at it (I wish) but just good enough that I can really enjoy them. But I got to thinking ... I enjoy a whole lot of other things too like landscaping. Just planted 9 Japanese Cherry Blossom tree's and 5 giant Chinese Bambo Timer trees. Whew!...hard sweaty work as I had to use a pick and spade shovel to dig the holes. Got 75% rock at my place. I was completely worn out but later just sat there in my lawn chair feeling so good. Last year I planted 8 Red maples and 6 Japanese red maples. The older I get the more I love it. Sorry to get off track.

[Patrick Sylvest]

I'm impressed with all this self enlightenment, I really am. Someday, I aspire to have similar perspective. However, my current paramount concern is the acquisition of a Collings D1A. I do believe I can achieve this by years end and I'm certain that it will provide me with absolutely zero self actualization. What it will provide me is a fine tool with which to deliver heartfelt ballads and work on hot pickin' breakdowns. Meanwhile, I'll keep enjoying the Martin I've been blessed with.

[CES]

Good for you...I want a Gilchrist!

Just kidding, and I think the revelation that "Happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you have" is a satisfying philosophy (and probably the reason I haven't spent more on instruments thus far). BUT, when I toss this one at my 7 year old, he says, "But dad, if I get the "X" I want, THEN I'll be happy with what I have."
I think he's gonna be a lawyer or something...:D

[mandolirius]

<One day it hit me: I'm not so much interested in photography as I am cameras>

That's an interesting observation. I think some people are like that with instruments. There's a guy in my town with an amazing collection...vintage instuments, DMM, two Gils and that's just the mandolins. There's fiddles and guitars too. I like this guy. He's an enthusiast for sure and is fun to hang out with. He's retired and is indulging in his passion. As a player, he's mediocre but can certainly play well enough to appreciate what these instruments have to offer. I used to wonder why he didn't seem more interested in his playing than instrument-acquisition but now I don't. I think, like the cameras vs. actual photography, he's more interested in the instruments themselves than in what he can play on them.

I'm more the opposite. I can be happy with anything that plays well and sounds good. I have one mandolin and one guitar. Last time I saw this guy, he had the two Gils. I tried them both, decided I liked the A better and starting to play it. He asked me to play a tune I hadn't done for a long, long time. Within seconds, I was concentrating on what I was playing and pretty much oblivious to the fifteen grand worth of instrument I was playing it on. One friend noticed that, whenever I'm checking out a mando, I never play any actual tunes. I hadn't realized that but I it makes sense. As soon as I start doing that, I'm thinking about what I'm playing and forgetting to evaluate the instrument itself.