My Husband has GAS

You might be thinking of the gas that comes from eating beans, popcorn or high altitude. 
This time I am referring to something a little less stinky and a little more expensive.  Yesterday, after talking about the fact that we have too many guitars and not enough space he admitted that he has GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome).  It is a common disease amongst musicians.

A few years ago I decided to get serious about playing guitar.  I noticed that Mike was getting more serious about buying guitars.  He actually seemed to be happy to start buying me a serious guitar when we already had a few nice guitars to choose from.  I told him I was happy with the cheaper Takamine guitar that I was playing. 

One day he decided to order me a guitar from Gruhn Guitar in Nashville.  I admit it was a fine guitar and I fell in love with my new Martin guitar that was lightly used from the NAMM show in Nashville.  To be blunt, for my ability level at the time I was playing a really nice guitar. 

Maybe a year later, on Mike’s birthday, he needed strings and decided to go into Guitar Center.  I stopped him before we walked inside.  I said, “no more guitars.”  He agreed that he was just looking and he was not going to make a purchase other than strings.  While he was looking around I spotted a beautiful guitar over on the wall.  I snuck over there to take a peak.  It was so beautiful with flowered inlay and the most colorful wood I had seen on a guitar.  I noticed it was a Taylor and I was trying to put it down when over my shoulder he said.  Do you like it?  I said, yes I like it but we do not need another guitar.  He took it and started to play.  The salesman was quick to notice his interest and walked over to ask him if he would like to plug it in.  I said no thanks, but it was too late.  It was plugged in and he was playing some beautiful fingerstyle song.  Everyone in the guitar room stops what they are doing and listens and then walk over to see what kind of guitar could make such beautiful sounds.  I knew at that moment we would not leave without that guitar.  It was one of the most expensive in the entire store.  I have to admit it is one of the most beautiful guitars that I ever seen. When Mike plays it, it is one of the best sounding guitars as well. 

After the acquisition of this Hawaiian inspired Taylor, I told him that we needed to stop buying guitars.  There is no more room to put them.  They are in the guest room, under our bed, in the living room and in his office.  He told me that he needed to sell one to buy another guitar.  Then a few months later he ordered a custom mandolin, which he argued that it didn’t take as much space because it was smaller than a guitar.  We were in Dallas and stopped by Charley’s Guitar and Voyage Air makes this very cool travel guitar that breaks down.  We ended up ordering one of them.  I have to admit that it has been a lot of fun.

A few weeks ago I told Mike I wanted to concentrate on mandolin since I really enjoy playing it while he plays guitar.  They are beautiful when played together.  He tells me that he really likes a Collings MT, and it would make a fine mandolin for learning.  I tell him I really love the one we have.  But he still gets online to look for the Collings.  On my last trip the Captain asked me how many guitars we have and I told him I don’t know.  When I got home at midnight last night my husband asked me if I was interested in flying to Nashville on Saturday to look at the Collins MT mandolin and possibly trade his Classical Martin (N-20) guitar that he has had since 1999.  Today he brings it up again and I tell him I am game.  So we are going to fly to Nashville with a guitar and possibly trade it for a mandolin, which is much smaller (more room under the bed).   Fly back home in the same day because we have church on Sunday.  I hate to say it but I think he also has MAS (mandolin acquisition syndrome) as well. 

Update...My Mother wants the guitar that Mike wants to trade.  So Mom has GAS too!  Regardless, I am sure we will come home from Nashville plus one mandolin.