What does your spouse think about your guitar playing hobby?

[iJamF47M]

For most of us, I'd suspect that guitar playing is not a means to put food on the table but rather enjoyment and relaxation (or insert frustration if you play like me!) Does your significant other support or despise your time spent with your Guild? My spouse, not having a musical background, while saying she's in favor of music education in general does not have the patience to endure the time it takes me to actually practice. She seems to imply I'm wasting time and should be doing something more productive. :roll: Am I alone here?

iJam47M

 

[Brad Little]

My wife is pretty supportive. She doesn't complain if I buy another guitar, she doesn't even ask how much they cost. Sometimes I tell her, sometimes I don't. I guess as long as all our bills are paid and we are pretty much debt free, she's okay with it. In fact, just recently she saw me looking at guitars on eBay and asked if it was time for another guitar!
Brad

 

[Default]

More productive? If the Good Lord wanted me to be productive, why did He give me this well-padded backside?



Wife's a piano player. Has no idea what anyone would want with more than one. :?: :?: :?:

 

[Pike]

My Susie heartily supports my musical endeavors. However if she should ever find my D66 in a Ms. Santa nightie, I might hear about that...

 

[fronobulax]

Mrs. Fro. is more of a musician than I am, in some sense. At least she has the degree and is still directing choirs. I suspect, if anything, she wishes I'd spend more time with my Guilds because my playing can only improve with practice

 

[markus]

Mrs. M is very supportive.
I mentioned a year ago: I put on James Taylors "Best of" CD. After a while Mrs. said "You know, honey, somehow he's playing a little bit like you …"
(Not only that the eyes of love are blind … )
But I like it when I hear her singing along in another room!
Markus

 

[Scratch]

Pam puts up with me pretty well. I've tamed down the GAS as we plan and play financiers for our daughter's upcoming wedding. I have a New Year's gig at Ninfa's Thursday evening and she mentioned this morning that I need to stay in the study and practice. That sure was nice of her... I think... Hmmmm... :?

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

My wife has been by my side with her guitar or banjo in hand for over 25 years.
She doesn't play as much as she used to though.
Something about having grandkids that live close by.

She and I have been in and out of bands/groups over the years and we have made some life long friendships through our music.

Of all the places that we have played, our favorite audiences have been at the assisted living homes and the State Prison.

No I wasn't a resident at the prison, just a guest.

Music has always kept us close together and is a large part of our lives.

In fact, we will be taking a short 4 day trip to warmer weather starting on Wedensday and out guitars will be going with us.

The only thing that she doesn't understand about my music and guitars is why I feel the need for more than one guitar.

She has one guitar and one banjo.
I have 6 guitars.
At least she hasn't tried to keep up with me.
We wouldn't have the money for both of us to have GAS.

 

[evenkeel]

Mrs Keel is not a player but could not be more supportive. Has never said no to a guitar purchase. Is very supportive of my wacking away at various guitars.

More often than not will come out to listen at the open mics I do. That alone is reason to cling to her like grim death. First she listens to me play the same bloody tunes over and over all day Then gets to hear it all again at night. And smiles and applauds. If that ain't love :!: :!: :wink: :wink:

 

[Pike]

First she listens to me play the same bloody tunes over and over all day Then gets to hear it all again at night. And smiles and applauds. If that ain't love

Yes sir Keel, that is love!

 

[alpep]

she plays bass

 

[killdeer43]

Always supportive.
As I've related before in another thread, whenever we pack for a trip she always reminds me to take my guitar and a toothbrush.
She says that anything else I want to take is OK, too. :wink:

Life is good,
Joe

 

[Guildmark]

Huckleberry (Diane) very rarely comes out to here me play. My kind of music is not her favorite. She calls it "deedle-deedle-deedle" music. You know: (sing along with me)
"Deedle Deedle Deedle Deedle!
Deedle Deedle Deedle Deedle!
Yum Dum Deedle Deedle.
Deedle Deedle Day!"
She glares when people applaud. Her lips disappear as she thinks to herself, "Stop it! You'll only encourage him. Don't you know he left the bedroom in shambles and didn't help with the dishes?!" Yet she doesn't argue when we pay for the kids' music lessons; she didn't gripe at all when we bought each of our daughter's four guitars or the son's drum kit. But she doesn't understand why I need to practice so much if I already know how to play. So, there is very little room in which to do so. Yet, she often buys me guitar books as gifts, strings when they're on sale, points out deals in the Guitar Center flyer, and suggests venues where they'd probably like my stuff.
Methinks the lady doth protest too much. I thinketh I'll keep her.

 

[Default]

she plays bass

And you sing tenor?

 

[killdeer43]

she plays bass

And you sing tenor?

....me and little brother would join right in there
singin' seems to help a troubled soul :wink:

Joe

 

[Ian]

Mrs Guitardude is very supportive, doesn't mind the occasional guitar turning up (about one or two a year seems about right...). Mrs Guitardude also played when she was younger so at special occasions she breaks out a guitar and plays along too. Her right hand is actually better than mine. (get your minds out of the gutter lads...)

However she doesn't much like my choice of music, which is usually about women dying or something similar, so have tried recently to do more upbeat and happy songs...

 

[AlohaJoe]

I'm a lucky fella... my wife has as many guitars as I do, and more basses and ukuleles than I do. She plays great jazz rhythm guitar on her old Epi Broadway archtop and has played bass in a number of bluegrass bands around here. She is one of the best jazz and bluegrass singers in town and can figure harmony parts in an instant.

For the last 15 years (until last spring) she owned and operated a successful and very musician-friendly booking agency here in Seattle and kept us both very busy doing casuals (weddings, private parties) and local events in a variety of different band incarnations (if you want to work you have to be versatile). I love to play but I don't have the patience to get the work, do the contracts, line up players, pay the band, do the follow up etc., whereas she does.

We were going to each others gigs before we got together and were mutual fans. We started gigging together and things blossomed from there. When I found out how many guitars she had I knew she was the gal for me! :lol:

Anyway, I think I'm pretty lucky... and why she likes this old, beat up guitar player I'll never know.

 

[killdeer43]

I think it might be your name, Joe. :wink:

The other Joe

 

[Thunderface]

A few years ago, when I had purchased a better guitar without the corresponding bettering of my playing skills, my wife gave me guitar lessons for Christmas saying, "if you don't learn how to play, you might as well have bought a cardboard cutout of a guitar (instead of a real one)." And for our anniversary this year, she helped establish a room in the basement as my guitar room, so I would say she is supportive. Or trying to isolate me from the rest of the house when I am playing. :lol:

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

she plays bass

And you sing tenor?

....me and little brother would join right in there
singin' seems to help a troubled soul :wink:

Joe

Hey, you guys could put all of that together and make a song out of it.

Too bad that Johnny Cash isn't around any more.
He would probably record it!