Trigger isn't just any old cheap guitar. Trigger is the equivalent of buying a Kamaka that sounds exceptionally good and then just playing it and playing it and playing it.
If the new players just bought a Kamaka up front and held on to it then that would be the same as Trigger.
Famous musicians who ofte get their instruments for free don’t help the struggling luthiers as much as many of us amateur aficionados who love the sound, smell, looks and playability of a ‘collection ‘ of instruments. Ukes can be fun to collect, and I wouldn’t call UAS a negative syndrome at all.....
We help the art to progress and keep the supply of new instruments coming....
Certainly Willie Nelson does not!
There are other artists who continue to play original/long owned instruments way past the point where they could be replaced; and money is not the issue. Paul McCartney's '63 bass had to be repaired after years in mothballs and his '65 Ric was sent back to Rickebacker for significant repairs. He still plays both basses. I don't know why he didn't just replace them.
Clapton and Blackie is another one, at least for quite a while.
And Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Not sure if it is a signature instrument for them or it is just a tool they have become so comfortable. They all surely had the funds. But it does demonstrate a difference between a "working" musician and just a player/collector.
I was recently in the Denver airport where they have a cool John Denver exhibit. In particular his highly ornamented Gibson 12-string standing there in a glass case. I spent at least 5 minutes completely alone with it- astounding just to study it and see the fret wear and imagine all those songs he wrote on it. Unlike Willie's Trigger, Denver's guitars are in great condition..
I revel in UAS, no qualms what-so-ever buying something I want. In the first year I played ukulele five years ago, I went through 16 ukes, culled them down to 4, then also started playing bass uke. I'm up to 19 basses and 8 ukes and quite satisfied.
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars
When you don't have any shops around, & festivals are miles away & cost a fortune to get to, you buy online, that's what I've had to do.
First I had to find the right size to learn on, concert scale, then I found out that I liked tenor scale better, but not the body size, & eventually found the long neck
concert - my UAS has stopped!
So, you learn on one scale, but it still may not be the one for you as a keeper.
Guitars are different, there are lots of places to see & buy them.
Famous musicians who ofte get their instruments for free don’t help the struggling luthiers as much as many of us amateur aficionados who love the sound, smell, looks and playability of a ‘collection ‘ of instruments. Ukes can be fun to collect, and I wouldn’t call UAS a negative syndrome at all.....
We help the art to progress and keep the supply of new instruments coming....
Certainly Willie Nelson does not!
With all due respect you should search out the story of how Willie Nelson bought his Martin classical guitar. It was early in his career when he was playing in bars to make a living. Nothing rich and famous about him then. I would argue he did a lot in helping expose Martin nylon string guitars to those that did not know about them.
I am all for UAS if it brings you joy and happiness.
That's quite an instrument, and it's not like he can't afford a new one. As with other hobbies, I have several ukes not because I need one that sounds better than what I have, but because I like the looks of the one I'm about to buy. The $20 ukulele I bought in Hawaii in 2002 is still working fine, but I wanted ukes that looked better and sounded better. It's about wanting more than needing.
May you all find your Trigger, your one true love, and enjoy its company for the rest of your life. :cheers:
I'm not sure I've found mine yet, but after about nine months of playing/collecting I have found some some solid candidates. I imagine for most people the UAS will fall away once they find what they are looking for and form emotional connections with their instruments.
