Here's the back story: My wife and I are out shopping three weeks ago, and we stop by the Guitar Center in Fairlawn just to take a look at what's there...not even remotely intent on buying anything, but literally "just looking." My wife is a full time grad student, so $$ is at a premium around the household. We're "okay", but ceratainly not where she or I can just buy whatever we want. So, we scope out the used guitars, she points to some she finds intersting, and just as we're heading out the door she spies a new Les Paul Standard in the faded tobacco finish hanging on the wall. "Now THAT is a cool guitar!" she exclaims. I agree, and decide to take it for a test spin thru a Marshall AVT/ MG something or rather stack. Never really played a Les Paul so i figured it was time to see what the deal-i-o is with 'em. DAYUM....the guitar smoked! Resonated like a mofo even unplugged. Sonded killer even thru the marginal amp. Fit and finish were excellent (as it SHOULD BE for $1900), and it had THE VIBE. Ohhh, my wallet started to twitch, but when I tested the waters with the spousal unit (who is also the family CFO) I was met with a polite "uhhhh.no." So, we left..sans guitar, but I had serious GAS for the thing. But, I let it go. Too much money, don't really need it, blah blah. Fast forward to Monday. My wife, completely out of the blue, says, "I've been thinking about that guitar you liked so much. You know, what the heck. Might as well enjoy it. Go buy it if you like." Holy crap. I love this woman. So, I go to GC today, make the deal (they were very cool to deal with, BTW- got over $100 knocked off, plus some strings and straplocks), and now it's mine! I've got some tweaking to do (the setup was good, but not how I like it), but so far the guitar rocks! And so does my wife!
Okay, now that you've told us that ridiculous fantasy story, tell us what really happened. ;-) Congratulations on the new guitar. I know I love my Les Paul.
Just think -- If you weren't married to her you could have had the guitar days earlier. Sucks that a grown man has to ask permission to spend his own money. (I'm being a bit sarcastic here). But I would argue that a wife (or husband) that controls the family pursestrings like that is not so great. "No, you can't. Well, I changed my mind, yes, you can." Bullsh*t. Does she run all of her purchases by you for approval? Do you ever turn her down?
I'm going to guess that you aren't married Joe!!!! Cool story Matt, congratulations on the guitar. PS. photo link ain't working for me.
My wife is so cool, she always say's "that's nice" or something to that effect everytime I walk in with a new guitar. I too really can't afford a bunch of $2000.00+ guitars (I have 13 now). congrats on the new purchase!!! And I say, your wife sounds pretty cool to me. I think she's a keeper.
Wow -- There is a difference between needing "approval" and understanding what it means to be part of a cooperative team. Congrats on the purchase, Matt. If that guitar clicks and you play it a lot, she will always feel a part of the formula. BTW -- 7 years ago my wife bought me my McCarty for or 5th anniversary (wood). It's a great feeling to have that kind of support from your spouse.
On most major purchases, my wife and I need to be on the same page. Except for some reason when it comes to my guitar addiction. She pretty much leaves me alone. This has taken a lot of years and a very increased income on both our parts. I also keep things in perspective. I try not to tie up more than about $10K in gear. I know that's a lot of money, dont get me wrong. But at this point, if I buy something, something else has to go. Nothing wrong with consulting each other on major purchases, especially when money is tight. It's pretty much proven in various studies that most marriages that end in divorce, the participants report their number one issue is money or lack thereof. Get the money situation taken care of and it is amazing how long you can put up with each others ********. Just my two cents. You've got a cool wife man. Mine bought me a 58 RI Les Paul for my 40th birthday.
Exactly, so if she is intent on buying that 33rd pair of shoes she needs without checking with him first, they better be stiletto heels she will be wearing in bed tonight when she wants to get sodomized. My cousin's wife is the bread winner in her house and she always tells him when 90 talks, 10 listens. She bought herself a $6000 jacuzzi but refused to give him money for new sneakers even though his had holes in the them and were his only pair. When he flunked inspection on his car tires she told him to ride his bike to work, she had just spent like $3,000 on clothes for herself. He always asks me "what would you do if you were me?" and I tell him "I'd punch that bitch right in the mouth" and he replies "but you'd go to jail" and I respond "you are probably correct, but I am quite sure that would not prevent it at that moment".
My wife and I agreed that any major purchase (over $100) would be talked over before money starts leaving the checking account....we're a team, and that applies to the financial side of things as well to everything else in our marriage. I'm VERY lucky in that my wife has been supportive of my hobby. She's also a very talented vocalist, so she "gets it" when it comes to the emotional connection we have with our chosen "voices"- i.e. the amps, the guitars, etc. She's a keeper for sure! Maybe this link will work.....
Correct. But he didn't tell the story of a cooperative team. He told the story of a husband whose wife makes the financial decisions for the two of them.
I think you need to reread the post, the story definitly came across to me as one of a loving and cooperative team. Of course judging by your posts in this thread, cooperetive is not your strong suit. So I could see how you over looked that aspect of Matts post
Jeez, guys, who pissed in your Wheaties? Guy had a happy experience, let him enjoy it. No matter how henpecked, downtrodden, abused, misused and confused he might be! Congrats on the score, Matt! Both the guitar and the wife - BOTH keepers!
Great post Matt, I had a similar experience last weekend. I've been trying forever to get that kick ass lead tone Warren Haynes has but using a telecaster, I tried every pedal Makin music has and even posted here to ask for ideas. We'll anyway I walked into Makin again and John said, "What does Haynes play, and you have to start with the guitar and the amp all the rest is psuedo science." I thought about it and then started playing a couple Historic goldtops unplugged and then through a Vibrolux. I turned on my Blackstone pedal and bam, there it was, everything I had been trying to do tonally for the past year. Now the hard part, I called my wife and said, "I'm at Makin and they got this really great guitar." You know how it goes, waiting for the response. She says, "Why not, is it expensive? We'll maybe I shouldn't ask. Will you sell an amp to help pay for it?" I say it is expensive but I'll figure something out, end of story. 1 hour later I'm playing an ass kicking guitar. Life is good. I've always dismissed Les Pauls as overweight and undertoned but this guitar really explains why they have their legendary status.
