The Allure of Secondary Instruments 

There comes a time in every guitar enthusiast’s life when the desire to branch out becomes powerful.  The impetus could be subtle, perhaps stemming from curiosity about that unidentifiable sound in that Glen Campbell recording, only to discover that he’s playing a baritone guitar.  Perhaps the origin of the fascination is more direct—for example, my father recently spent some time in a YouTube vortex of Anton Karas’ zither performances, prompted by his admiration for the soundtrack of The Third Man.  Or, maybe, the siren call of the ukulele that you pass every week coming to your guitar lesson has just become intolerable!  Regardless of the reason, I have noticed that most guitar players ultimately acquire secondary instruments.  While adopting a new instrument isn’t so complicated (you just try it!), I will take a moment to offer some perspective as both a musician and a retailer in the music business.

First off, the desire to play something other than your beloved guitar is completely natural, and creatively healthy—it is not cheating, but don’t tell your guitar I said that!  As a musician, I argue that any time spent with an instrument that propels your curiosity and expands your appreciation of tone is time well spent.  The contrast offered by the sound and feel of another instrument often results in different approach to your guitar playing.  For this reason, I refer to secondary instruments as “ancillary instruments,” as they support and enhance your experience with the guitar.  For instance, time spent with a ukulele is an opportunity to focus on abbreviated guitar chord shapes and the associated scale patterns, which are of great use if you are interested in playing guitar leads.  The mandolin is a fantastic tool for developing a powerful sense of melodic phrasing and picking skills.  And a banjo can be a great test of one’s ability to maintain rhythm and patterns as fingerstyle player, not to mention that it is also an excellent introduction into open tunings, like open G. (I sometimes amuse myself imagining what a different world it would be if Keith Richards had discovered his five-string open G approach on a banjo before being shown the tuning by American blues artists!).   Also, knowing your way around another instrument is a wonderful skill indeed when you are confronted with a jam session packed with guitar players (a common scenario, in my experience).  There is no better way to add texture to an ensemble than by adding variety to the instrumentation—no doubt this is just one of many reasons for the success of symphony orchestras over banjo orchestras (sorry, in our business jabs at the banjo are irresistible, low-hanging fruit!).  

Once you’ve decided to test the waters of “ancillary instruments,” I recommend approaching the situation with a touch of temperance with respect to the expenditure.  Granted, it never hurts to invest in a higher quality instrument when it comes to lasting value, and many folks who prefer to have nothing but higher-end instruments choose to go this route.  Yet, I always encourage customers who are picking up a new instrument to consider the fact that their tastes are probably not very well-defined at the outset.  Subsequently, it is quite sensible to purchase a good quality beginning or intermediate level instrument that will not only serve you well as your skills develop, but will function as a solid benchmark for any future purchases.  Along this line, it is also important to be realistic about this instrument’s role in your life:  How much time will you actually be able to dedicate to this “ancillary instrument” if your primary focus is guitar?  Hopefully, the answer is a lot of time!  Yet, it is likely that the ancillary instrument will see a lot less use than your primary guitar.  Thus, once again, it is advisable to be moderate with your first purchase (if nothing else, this might leave more in the budget for other cool instruments!).

Finally, once you’ve acquired your new ancillary instrument, you would do well to take some lessons!  As attractive as it might seem to just buy some books or hit YouTube, it is a far more effective and efficient use of your time to work directly with an experienced teacher who can help you make connections between the guitar and your new instrument. Moreover, by learning fundamental skills properly at the outset, you will be better prepared to assess the quality of any information you come across.  (Incidentally, many members of our staff are multi-instrumentalists, so don’t hesitate to ask us about lessons!)  

No matter which new instrument has piqued your interest, we encourage you to take the plunge and try something new.  Not only is this an opportunity to challenge yourself and learn something new, but the experience will certainly enhance your skills with the guitar.  Most importantly, you will have fun!  - Lindsay Petsch (April, 2018)