This guy happened to be a musician and the object of his adoration happened to be a new electric guitar.
I could relate. I’ve felt that bliss before upon acquiring a beautiful instrument or other piece of musical equipment. It usually burns brightly for a while and then dies down into an abiding affection.
I still have an Alvarez acoustic guitar that I bought 35 years ago and it’s still my favorite recording instrument. Several guitars, both acoustic and electric, have followed since then and each one, at the time, was my prized possession.
I always believe that just one more piece of musical gear is the missing link that will improve my sound or inspire my songwriting. It might be a midi controller, a condenser microphone or even something as simple as a speaker cable – the essential element that will take me to the next level.
It also doesn’t hurt if it’s on sale at the time, offering a tempting deal that I can’t resist.
Some may believe that you can’t be so passionate about an inanimate object. But an instrument that produces melodies, harmonies and rhythms can feel like an extension of yourself; the voice of your soul.
As the late, great Jimi Hendrix once reportedly said: “The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar.”
I wouldn’t go as far as torching my Alvarez, but I do understand the feeling.