The Story of Trigger

[MTGuru]

Linked today on BoingBoing. A bit OT, and with some eyebrow-raising parts. But I never knew the story behind it.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/cms/printth ... 2012-12-01

Trigger and Tommy Emmanuel's old Maton should be in the running for the "Most beat to hell" award.

[MTGuru]

I remember a visitor at a house session here a few years ago, who was playing a nice Fylde guitar (IIRC). Chatting with him, I complimented him on his playing and the tone of his instrument. At which he flipped it around and displayed a foot-sized hole in the back. Yes, there was a story to go with it. And given the result, he was in no hurry to have it repaired.

[Tim2723]

I'd heard parts of the story before, but thanks for the post. That's the most complete history I've read.

Ya know, these kinds of stories are sprinkled throughout the music world. My favorite is Bill Monroe's F-5 vs the fire poker. Smashed to splinters and reassembled one fragment at a time, he said it played and sounded just fine and he made stunningly beautiful music with it until the end.

It does make one wonder just how much of it is the instrument and how much the musician. Were I to hand my $500 Chinese fiddle to Itzhak Perlman he'd move the world with it. If he handed me his priceless Stradivarius, I'd still sound like someone killing a seagull with a bagpipe.

I wonder how many of us have had that humbling experience of finding himself in the presence of real talent? Like walking in with a case full of custom whistles and being blown away by some guy with a dented old Gen? I'm not ashamed to admit that sort of thing has happened to me.

[MTGuru]

I guess it's the eyebrow-raising parts of the piece that have me thinking. The article makes it sound like the wear and tear on Willie's guitar is an inevitable force of nature, and not a matter of routine maintenance and setup that every guitar kiddie knows about, much less a musician of Willie's stature and experience.

There's this thing called a pick guard. Or a tap plate on a classical or flamenco guitar. I anchor my right hand when I play, too, and I've yet to put my finger through the top.

Worn frets? Worn fingerboard? Gee, I guess there's nothing to be done about those problems. You just have to live with it. And occasionally replacing worn tuners is obviously a disaster.

Strap buttons vs. a single metal soundhole hook and neck strap? Yes, of course, there are no other alternatives.



It's one thing when our instruments, like ourselves, bear the scars of our life histories. "That dent? There's a funny story behind that ..." It's another when the condition reflects sheer mistreatment and neglect.

The article makes Willie seem like a moron, or maybe a weed-addled stoner who messed up his guitar as he messed up his life. Maybe that's the sad take-away.

[Nanohedron]

http://www.texasmonthly.com/cms/printth ... 2012-12-01

"Page not found". Ah, well...

I know one fellow who has a guitar with two small holes, one front and one back, from a bullet going through it. The story is that during a gig in a pub in Scotland, a patron was making a bit too free with a .22 pistol, and thereby hangs a tale. IIRC, fortunately the axe was on its stand at the time.

And so far as sporting the red badge of courage on your gizmo goes, that's one thing. So too, on the extreme end, is rebuilding your instrument from its splinters, which to me sounds actually cool as hell. But an axe that is shedding bits as derelict as a tumbledown hovel tells me you've gone well beyond easygoing into the morbidly cavalier in search of your "brand identity", and I just can't swim in those waters myself. I can't help but think it reflects on the owner's character in some way I will never relate to.

The article makes Willie seem like a moron, or maybe a weed-addled stoner who messed up his guitar as he messed up his life. Maybe that's the sad take-away.

Not to derail, but I think that said botanical entertainments don't apply in any working way, or if they do at all, it has everything to do with the man himself in his personal issues. IOW, I think Willie would be the same Willie without the herb. Not every drinker sleeps on park benches, either.

[MTGuru]

http://www.texasmonthly.com/cms/printth ... 2012-12-01

"Page not found". Ah, well...

Hmmm, it looks like BoingBoing slashdotted the page. Here's the Google cache:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=us

[Nanohedron]

Thank you!