Gear Acquisition Syndrome

I started playing guitar taking guitar lessons (to say I actually play guitar would be a bit of a stretch yet) a little over a year ago, and I'm nowhere near mastering the 6-string guitar. But after putzing around with a 12-string at our local guitar shop (Picker's Supply for you denizens of Fredericksburg), I had to have one. Trouble was, I didn't want to plop down $1400 for the used Taylor they had at Picker's, no matter how beautiful it sounded.

I got on Craig's List and came across an old Alvarez Kazuo Yairi model 5068 for sale at a small luthier's shop in Richmond. The luthier said that it had a couple of cracks which he fixed, and he'd replaced the bridge plate. He did a good enough job that you have to know where the cracks were to find them. One strum and I had to have it. I paid him the asking price (which was so low, I'm embarassed to put it here), and took it home.

From what I can gather at the Alvarez guitar web site, the guitar was produced in 1972...when I was 12 years old. Wow.

My younger son says I've got G.A.S., or "gear acquisition syndrome". Apparently that's a term used in the guitar-playing world for people who get the fever for a new instrument or piece of equipment. Ha! He's a fine one to talk. I've got four guitars now and he still has more crap than I do.