Thinking about the state of the world as it relates to the important things in your life is an exercise worthy of consideration. How do the things that you love impact the world around you and how does that impact agree or disagree with your values? I ask this of myself whenever I start in on a new instrument building project. The thing is, a lot of the wood that is used in building a guitar isn’t managed the way it should be for maximum sustainability. I derive a great deal of pleasure from building an instrument, not just from playing the final product and I’d like for others long after me to have that experience. So I check myself.
There’s a documentary being filmed right now called [LINK] that talks about the wood that goes into the instruments that I love so dearly. They are digging into the supply chain starting in the forest. I can’t wait to see it and to hear the analysis of the filmmakers. I’m sure that this is just one of a million problems that fly under the radar when we talk about conservation, but since it’s important to me and my values, I really want to get down in the mud and think about it. After all, it’s my responsibility to think critically about the things that I do. I have an example to set.
This of course comes back to acquiring a new instrument. My dream is to someday build the perfect (for me) guitar. Right now, I have a couple of instruments that are clearly early first drafts. Not too shabby for a guy who learned from a pile of books, but a far cry from a wonderful instrument. As a result, I’m looking.
I’m looking for an instrument that inspires me. I’m sure that I could order one and drop a few grand on it. That would be fine (assuming I had a few grand to drop), but I’m more interested in finding the right instrument. A workhorse that begs to be played. I would prefer a used guitar to a new one if only for the history and to have a more settled instrument. If I do buy new, I have to consider what I said above. Luckily, there are a few makers that are building with sustainably harvested materials. I need to do more research on that, but if I go with a new instrument I pretty much have to do it that way.
There is a lot to think about and having a price constraint makes the game more interesting. It adds a bit of chance. Walking around with a bit of cash makes every trip into a music shop dangerous. Who knows what I will see and where that might lead? There’s always something to buy. But this is more of an artistic quest. When and where will I find the right instrument? What will it look like and will I know it when I see it?
Sounds like it’s time for some deep research.
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