It's Alive....

You work in an area that is not the safest in the world... Welcome to being a working musician. I am not one (yet)... but know that is where I am going. Junkies, hustlers and pimps are going to be your equivalent of other working people's elevator-door-holder guy, lunch/commissary worker and Starbucks coffee person. They will know your comings, goings and probably exactly how much change you are carrying. Quiz most musicians about whether they have ever had gear stolen from them, and yes... whether it is a cable, an amp, or a beloved guitar... things have (at one point or even more often) 'grown legs'. David Gilmour lost one of his early guitars this way, and countless other well known and not-so-well known musician's too. So (to come to the point)... you work in a pretty bad area (where all the hottest clubs are), and you want to bring your favorite ax with you, because you always want to sound your best. There might be future band-members, producers, or other connections watching and listening from that dark area out in the audience... so why sound bad? Why even sound mediocre? Mediocrity never got you into a great band. But if you carry that $9000 guitar with you (yes... admit it... most musicians have instruments... eventually, that are the most valuable thing they will ever own), eventually...that hustler out on the street will know it... and he will pick the right time to jump you outside one night for it. But you can't go out after all this practice and experience and get a $99 Made-in-TJ Guitar. The frets will cut your fingers, the neck will be bowed the wrong way, and it will probably sound (at best) substandard. The anwer: 1.) Rent... a rental-ax has to sound reasonably good... and you can put in the extra work to sort through them and find one that does... the value can also be on the lower end in case it gets stolen. Option 2: Go on ebay, buy some cool parts, and get out the old soldering iron. That pickup you have been saving in your desk drawer can now find it's voice. You can get the guy down the street to shoot the body red sparkle like you always wanted, and you can also choose your own neck and make sure it has some nicely dressed frets... you can also make sure it is set up perfectly to your liking. Total cost can be kept low, but the guitar will probably play great, and sound (at very least) good... and in your head, you will know, like Dr Frankenstein... you made it... and "It's Alive!!"