Mid-life crisis beginner guitarists?

The connotation of denial and desperation that surrounds common usage of the term "mid-life crisis" is no surprise. Almost all the terms surrounding psychology get fuh-up when they pass into common terminology. Most people think they know what "anal retentive," obsessive-compulsive" and "bipolar" mean, but they don't have a clue about those, either.

A mid-life crisis is not a desperate attempt to deny that one is aging by acting out in an age-inappropriate manner. It's the universally-experienced sense that one has not accomplished most of what one hoped to do as one becomes painfully aware of one's own certain mortality in middle age.

The confusion comes because some men react to the crisis by acting out in age-inappropriate ways... eating a lot of drugs, getting a "red sports car," etc. But the truth is, the majority of men have their crisis in quiet or act out in violence or other expressions of insecurity, and some exhibit a very healthy response to the crisis... mending old rifts between themselves and their loved ones,, starting new and fulfilling careers, getting into volunteer work and so on.

So, a jackass with a Corvette and a thimbleful of cocaine is no more a symbol of a mid-life crisis than the guy who quits his miserable middle-management gig, opens a neighborhood bakery and starts volunteering at the hospital.

Me, I stopped playing around age 25 because I got sick of guitar playing. Made no music at all until a couple of new friends and a few words of Zen startled me back into it at 32. Realized at 35 that guitar playing wasn't enough, so I got into keys and MIDI and stuff. Quit my job at 40 and starting making music for commercial applications. I'll be 50 on the 24th of this month, and I've spent over a 1/4 of the living years making music professionally... fully half the adult years after age 20. I consider that damned lucky.

My uncle Bob the psychiatrist said, when asked about handling a mid-life crisis, "I suggest you keep the crisis going as long as you possibly can. The alternative is to start getting ready to die." I'm in the 10th year of mine.

That's a great post GJ.

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Originally Posted by Gravity Jim

The confusion comes because some men react to the crisis by acting out in age-inappropriate ways... getting a "red sports car,"

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Guilty

I am in year 8 of my 'crisis' with no end in sight

I don't know about mid-life crisis thing, but peole have always been getting into guitar (or any other hobby) later in life...when the kids are gone, good job, disposable income etc.
Heck, back when I was selling guitars, I had a customer who was just retiring, was early to mid 60's. He'd been wanting to learn to play since seeing Led Zeppelin in the late 60s here in Boston.
His wife gave him the OK (to keep him out of trouble, I assume) HE wanted the Jimmy Page rig, so he walks out with a brand new Les Paul, 70's 50-watt Marshall bhead, 4x12 cab, and a little practive amp for his lessons, that he'd alraeady set up. Besides the rest of the trimmings.
He'd come in every now and again, and I'd watch him getting better and better, and he'd always say he was having the time of his life playing, and his only regret was not finding a way to pick it up earlier.

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Originally Posted by jrgtr42

I had a customer who was just retiring, was early to mid 60's. He'd been wanting to learn to play since seeing Led Zeppelin in the late 60s here in Boston.
His wife gave him the OK (to keep him out of trouble, I assume) HE wanted the Jimmy Page rig, so he walks out with a brand new Les Paul, 70's 50-watt Marshall bhead, 4x12 cab, and a little practive amp for his lessons, that he'd alraeady set up.

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He probably didn't remember that Jimmy played a Tele at that show. :lmao:

Kap'n: could be...I think I remember what he told me...admittedly, I could be remembering it fuzzy; this would be 7 or 8 years ago...
I do remember that rig, though...some things you never forget...
But didn't Jimmy get his pauls in 68 or 9? I remember there was one that got stolen before he got his Burst...

Edit: according to Jimmy in a couple interviews I have here, he was using the 59 'Burst while recording Zep 2....so he had it for a good chunk of 69, especially since he had a custom stolen even before he got that Burst.
IN fact, in reading further, he says that the Custom got stolen in transit from Boston to Montreal...it's pssible that show was the last he had that custom...(pure theory there...)

I do remember he said Led Zepp in the late 60s...

About midway in my twenty one years of life I played cello, I had a crisis when i wanted to play music but could not get my self to practice. I thought: "eh, i'll try guitar. what the heck." It was suposed to be my secondary instrament to Cello. But frets are so easy, and guitars are so commonly used and so portable... :wah: now my crisis involves being a music education major and watchin people my age around me get married and have kids. This feels weird, so does living by myself and realizing the students i observed for my Intro to teaching class think of me as an adult... when i shure don't feel like one.

I think for me and others, that you get caught up in raising a family and all that goes into building your career, etc. you loose sight you.

You look at yourself, and realize many of the ideals you had for the future have not come to realization. Some don't really matter anyway and you drop them, but others you don't. and you realize there is not that much time left to accomplish some of these things.

For some it is also the realization that you not young anymore. You miss the "glory days" of old. So while the body has not gone totally to waste, you start trying to do the things you did as a youth.

It means different things for every person.

Well, I'm only 53. No mid life crisis yet.
I'll let you know when I reach mid life.....I think that'll be about 75.

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Originally Posted by moonpie

Well, I'm only 53. No mid life crisis yet.
I'll let you know when I reach mid life.....I think that'll be about 75.

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Everyone loves an optimist... or is that optometrist? (I can never remember.)

-Mark

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Originally Posted by FenderBoy

WOW!
Reading this thread is so bizarre!
Honestly......
I was in the guitar store today (Saturday) and I asked myself, "What are all these middle aged guys doing here buying guitars?"
No kidding.....

...but personally, I think that "middle aged crisis" label was invented by a bitchy, female head shrinker who, after mistreating her husband for decades found him gone one morning and didn't want to accept even part of the responsibility for his abrupt departure.....


.....Then again...where would we be without LABELS?????

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Wow you hit the nail on the head. You have to fault the guy though for putting up with it for so long but I agree that a lot of people who supposedly go through a midlife crisis are just doing what they have always wanted to do but couldn't for some reason or another. Myself I am pretty lucky. I am 28 have plenty of gear, a nice house, Vette, Mustang, Truck and don't have to answer to anyone about it. My girl is great. We have been together for 12 years now. :-) I don't tell her how to spend her money and she doesn't tell me. That being said both of us are very good with our money and understand that priority comes first then the excess you do with as you please.

i am in that midlife group! only had played some in HS back in the late 60's. few years ago my daughter wanted an acoustic, she soon lost interest. i started playing it, loved it, sold it and switched to an electric. initially i took a local community college beginner class and was playing circles around the others (who were mostly younger 20ish adults) in this particular class. i am not aware of a lot of older adults starting up, but i do see a lot of older experienced guys in there 40's 50's in local bands around here.

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Originally Posted by moonpie

Well, I'm only 53. No mid life crisis yet.
I'll let you know when I reach mid life.....I think that'll be about 75.

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You would have to leave the house to get one

:spin:

Add me to the list!

I tried learning to play for a couple years while I was in high school. I think I learned a total of 4 chords. Shortly after graduation I sold my Peavey T-15 guitar and Backstage amp. Last December, around the time of my 42nd birthday, I decided to give it another try. I went out and bought a American Deluxe Strat HSS. Since then I've learned more than I ever did during all that time I goofed around in high school. I'm not sure if it's due to having more patience or if it's due to better equipment, but I'm having a blast!

P.S. I also bought my first motorcycle at the age of 39. It was a 620 Ducati Monster. Since then I've moved on to a Moto Guzzi v11 Sport :spin:

I have been kidding myself saying I'm not experienceing an early mid life crisis at 27. I had my kids young, followed the career path and I find myself here 10 years later at 27 buying new guitars, amps, pedals etc. My excuse for buying new gear has been that the old gear can go to my 7 year old as she is starting to show an interest in guitar, she really likes the heavy distortion you can get out of a guitar amp.

I think the observations about middle-agers getting into guitars is correct, but its no crisis. It's just that sh*t happens alot in life, and its nice to have a hobby to take your mind off it.

Middle-agers generally have more money available for nice guitars, so it makes for a great hobby.

I have played all my life. But for the first 30 years of playing I had just one guitar: A Val-Dez Classical. I played the shit out of that thing, folk and accoustic rock. You should see the nut on that thing, the string slots are almost down to the board. The small fret wires are grooved amazingly.

But 10 years ago I got my first nice acoustic-electric, and then 7 years ago a Charvel superstrat. Whoa! Electric guitar is a whole new beast!

Now I have been playing lead electric in a band for the past 5 years, and have some nice guitars. No turning back! :applaudit