Jeff O(oldnews) said: A 16 yr old McCartney said "Yeah, I want to sing with a black guy who turns himself into a white woman who buys all our songs and whores us out to car and soft drink companies".I am sure, Jeff, that Karl took great comfort in your words. (Not to mention MJ.)
Karl, you never want to sell your guitars while going through a divorce because your soon-to-be-ex-bride will get half of their value if you acquired them during your marriage! If they are just the guitars, she won't want them because she can't play them, but as soon as she learns that you sold them, you can bet your bottom dollar that she will want half of the sale proceeds.
Gawd I hate lawyers.
Karl,
The guitar will help you get thru the divorce. Even if you never play again, the financial investment may help you down the road. Take a break from it for awhile. Sooner or later, some tune is going to catch your ear, and you'll have to learn it. It will hapen. Go see a new band. I'm always amazed by the hacks that make it, and the genius that doesn't. You'll either be inspired to outdo the hack, or, try to figure out what the genius is doing.
Yes, it can be frustrating. I'll never be able to play all of what I hear in my head. I am amazed by how much of it I have gotten down, tho. It took me years to figure out the riff at the end of Buffalo Springfield's "Bluebird", but, I finally got it. I can play it blindfolded now. Practice, man, practice. It's like a Zen thing---be the guitar.
A new guitar has often helped me "jump" to the next level. Never get rid of all of them. You WILL play again---you can't help it. Even if you're only playing scales, you're still playing. It all adds up.
Even if guitar turns out not to be what you want, there's always drums.
Ric12string said: ...you can bet your bottom dollar that she will want half of the sale proceeds.
Unless that's all you sell them for - a dollar. To a friend. Then buy them back for $1.01 afterwards...
Karl...I've been through 2 divorces and haven't even married my third ex wife yet...I've quit playing a couple times and been through all of that...My point is when I felt I was getting stale on the guitar I started trying alternative tunings like D A D G B D...Made me realize how much fun playing guitar really is
Hang in there Buddy 
To paraphrase an old hippie aphorism, "Music will get you through times of no marriage better than marriage will get you through times of no music." I'm living proof of that --- if I hadn't kept playing through the worst of the "sturm und drang" of it, I have no doubt that I would have done myself serious harm --- or worse.
I've gone through periods where I didn't touch an instrument for months, and others where I sold off equipment or radically changed my listening and practicing habits --- those things ultimately helped me grow as a musician. But I've NEVER been without ANY instruments since I was 9 or 10 years old, and will never be as long as I have any choice in the matter. As the other folks here have reminded us --- keeping your options open for the day when it calls to you again (because it's extremely likely it will) is an investment in your own future. If you can go five years without even wanting to play, then MAYBE it could be time to think about unloading your gear.
In the meantime, be gentle with yourself. You're still going through one of the most traumatic experiences a person can, and your emotions are going to be running away with your reason for a while. That's normal and to be expected. Treat yourself as kindly as you would a close friend who was suffering. Make time for things that give you even a little bit of happiness or satisfaction. If music isn't one of those things for now, don't force it. Things WILL get better!
Karl music is in your heart. If this was not so you would have never picked up the guitar. I laid down the guitar for 14 years and only played the piano. The reason was that I could not play the guitar as well as the piano. To this day this is true I will never be able to play the guitar the way I want to but the instrument is my first love, With all the teaching tools available today and even free lessons on the internet anyone can learn something new. Take advantage of these tools. Lean new tunes new chords and enjoy music it is the greatest pleasure in my life I takes time to lean to play it comes a little at a time. Wes Montgomery told a friend of mine he was not satistified with his playing because he could not play like Joe Pass. I have met players who very satified with their playing they had a ego as big as Texas and you know what, In reality the could not play themself out of a wet paper bag
To Quote Clemenza (Godfather): Leave the woman. Take the Guitar.
Or something like that.
Or the guitar, ànd the cannoli!
My first wife smashed my antique archtop, but left the solid body because she liked the yellow color...I was mad...but at least she didn't crack up the LP Jr TV model!
18 years ago, I got a whole lot better wife!
my future ex wife...(insert Laughter here)... I am sure will one smash all of my gear one day.
At least the stuff she knows about.
Isn't it encouraging to see how well balanced and trusting we all are? 
yettoblaster said: Gawd I hate lawyers.I'm not so sure that you should hate the lawyers as much as the soon-to-be ex-wives that tell them to go get that money!
That's right --- remember, it's only 94% of the lawyers who give the rest a bad name.
Parabar said: That's right --- remember, it's only 94% of the lawyers who give the rest a bad name.Hmmmm...
We all love to hate lawyers . . . until we need one.
I know what it feels like to feel as though I've reached a plateu in my playing. I also know what it feels like to overcome that plateu and then sense another one looming in the distance.
I can remember first picking up the guitar and not having a clue, and let me tell you - I was a very, VERY slow learner to begin with; I was a naturally left-handed guitarist and learned right-handed which I believe slowed me down no end. I persevered though and within a week was able to play the 'Come As You Are' riff. It took me a full week. However, when I learnt that, I realized that it wasn't impossible and so began to learn other bits and then full songs. Then it was fingerstyle, scales, barre chords and so on... you get the picture. As soon as I felt as though I'd mastered something, something else came up and this pattern is the same today as it was when I started. I get frustrated more often than I'd like but I manage that frustration by recognising the pattern - ambition, attempt, failure, practice, failure, practice, failure, practice, partial success, practice, success, practice, perfection.
The thing is to measure your achievements not against the achievements of others, but against your own all the while putting in the effort to improve by practice. If you practice you will improve to the point where that which once seemed impossible will become easy.
It might also be an idea to post here about specific problems or aspirations you have for your playing; I'm sure that there are guys and gals here who could point you in the right direction.
it also helps to pick musical role models with a style that's attainable for the average guitarist...i was fortunate to come up in the era of Neil Young, who was a lot easier to emulate than John McLaughlin or Ritchie Blackmore. DM's equivalent above would, i suppose, be Kurt rather than Yngwie. if attaining a lofty goal is difficult, pick some attainable goals as well so you have some feeling of accomplishment rather than having only disappointment.
dubkitty said: DM's equivalent above would, i suppose, be Kurt rather than Yngwie.
You suppose correctly dubkitty and offer excellent advice - sometimes we do have to modify our aspirations in the short term in order to realise them in the long term. As Mr Trouble said in a previous thread, it's like having two penises...
DM said: ...sometimes we do have to modify our aspirations in the short term in order to realise them in the long term. As Mr Trouble said in a previous thread, it's like having two penises...
It's the other way around in that partciular scenario though - if you 'achieve' one of the 'goals' too soon, then surely that's only gonna lead to more disappointment...? ;-)
Proteus said: If you are a "musician," you won't be able to put it down for good.
I love my music when other people enjoy my playing but long before that I loved my music when no one else would tolerate it. The latter is the real reason I play.
I quote depeche mode"It all seems so stupid it makes me want to give up... But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?" I get frustrated too, Dude.
crowbone said: My first wife smashed my antique archtop...
Did they ever find her body, crow?
