A question for married people

[ikeda]

I am getting married soon and I have a question about the ring? Do you guys take your rings off to play? If not then should I get a smaller ring or is this not really an issue? I have some really nice guitars and I don't want to damage them.

[elklandercc]

A lot of guitarists play with rigns on, some with many rings. Its up to you really. If its rubbing against the neck or frets and it really urks you, tae it off when you play. I'd tell the Mrs. that you do this or one day she'll see that its off and be pissed.

[ren]

I wear rings on my fretting hand and it doesn't cause me problems. A few scratchs on the ring and/or guitar are just battlescars - part of their character...

[Kevin Taylor]

That's a question I've wondered about too. What the heck would I do if I got married? There's no way I can wear a ring cause it'd drive me nuts.
So far the simplest solution has been, just don't get married.

[hunter60]

So far the simplest solution has been, just don't get married.


Yup. Couldn't agree more. :D (of course, I'm speaking as a happily divorced man...)

In all seriousness, try playing with a ring now when you're out at a guitar shop (just to make sure you don't damage your own guitar) and see what you think. Some guys wear a lot of rings and bracelets and stuff. If you don't care for the feel, then explain to the soon to be Mrs's that it's a comfort thing and FOR THE LOVE OF PETE PUT IT BACK ON WHEN YOU'RE DONE PLAYING. It's a rookie mistake to leave it off.

[Psalmcaster]

Dude, don't worry about scratching up your guitars now that you're married. You'll be selling them soon enough to pay for new carpet, a living room set, and babies!!

[looneytunes]

I do not wear my wedding ring because I work around high voltage. You do not have to take a wedding band off to play the guitar.

The idea of a wedding band is a not to remind you are married. You don't need to be reminded. You know you are married, so what you are doing, going to do, or might do, doesn't have anything to do with the ring or lack of it. Don't use guitar playing as an excuse for not wearing your wedding ring.

Wear it and prove to your wife that you want the whole world to know you are married to her.

[elklandercc]

Its not a question of whether or not he shows he's married, its just wether or not he's going to be comfortable playing with a ring on. If the Mrs. has a big problem with you taking it off for an hour or however long you play a day, then shes not the one for you. Now if you kept forgetting to put it back on, thats another story.

[looneytunes]

Its not a question of whether or not he shows he's married, its just wether or not he's going to be comfortable playing with a ring on. If the Mrs. has a big problem with you taking it off for an hour or however long you play a day, then shes not the one for you. Now if you kept forgetting to put it back on, thats another story.

One could say the same thing for the guy. Everyone knows wearing a wedding band will not hinder your guitar playing. If a guy has to come up with a phoney excuse for not wearing his wedding band, then maybe he isn't right for her! Anyway, wear your wedding band.

[Kevin Taylor]

I couldn't wear a ring whether I was married or not.
I can't stand jewelry of any kind... even watches drive me nuts.

Anyways, your commitment to your marriage has nothing to do with a ring.
It has to do with being faithful and truthful to somebody and completely trusting your partners loyalty.
If you need a physical ring to remind you that you're married then maybe there's some other things you need to work on.

[R. Shackleferd]

I used to take my ring off when I play. Not that it necessarily made it harder to play, but with certain chords or fretting angles it would sometimes make a knock or clacking noise when it hit the side/back of the neck. I don't know that it even put any marks, but it was still annoying...especially on acoustic.
Really I guess it did make playing slightly harder, being that I would put effort into not letting it impact the neck, which would have an impact on the efficiency and comfort of hand positions.
But actually my ring is currently in need of repair (not indicative of the marriage mind you), so I haven't worn it at all for several months. My wife doesn't care, and there's other priorities for now.

[elklandercc]

One could say the same thing for the guy. Everyone knows wearing a wedding band will not hinder your guitar playing. If a guy has to come up with a phoney excuse for not wearing his wedding band, then maybe he isn't right for her! Anyway, wear your wedding band.
Once again, what I'm saying is that IF the guy is having problems wearing the ring and playing at the same time, which a huge possibilty (since when I play, my hand is all over the neck and would deffinatly get in the way,) then it should not be a problem if he takes it off when he plays as long as he puts it back on as he does. In theory, hes not taking it off because he just doens't feel like wearing it, but because he has a harder time playing with it on.

[hunter60]

Once again, what I'm saying is that IF the guy is having problems wearing the ring and playing at the same time, which a huge possibilty (since when I play, my hand is all over the neck and would deffinatly get in the way,) then it should not be a problem if he takes it off when he plays as long as he puts it back on as he does. In theory, hes not taking it off because he just doens't feel like wearing it, but because he has a harder time playing with it on.

Yup. We've strayed from the original question.

[looneytunes]

I used to take my ring off when I play. Not that it necessarily made it harder to play, but with certain chords or fretting angles it would sometimes make a knock or clacking noise when it hit the side/back of the neck. I don't know that it even put any marks, but it was still annoying...especially on acoustic.
Really I guess it did make playing slightly harder, being that I would put effort into not letting it impact the neck, which would have an impact on the efficiency and comfort of hand positions.
But actually my ring is currently in need of repair (not indicative of the marriage mind you), so I haven't worn it at all for several months. My wife doesn't care, and there's other priorities for now.

Okay, you convinced me. I can see where it could cause a knocking or cracking on the fretboard or neck, but I disagree with it hindering someone to play. I guess a guy could wear in on a chain around his neck or will that hinder his playing around, I mean, playing the guitar! :)

[Tonja_Renee]

I really think it won't bother your playing... my husband said it felt a bit strange once he first started playing after we were married, however it didn't take him long to get used to it....

I wouldn't have a problem with him taking it off to play to practice... however I think I would have a problem with him taking it off to gig somewhere. He is married, and I know if the situation were reversed he wouldn't want me representing myself as being single in a situation that could be extremely tempting. (But that is a completely different reason)

I think if you want to wear it, you will learn to play with it and it won't matter at all... but like anything it will have a learning curve that you will want to get through.

[looneytunes]

I really think it won't bother your playing... my husband said it felt a bit strange once he first started playing after we were married, however it didn't take him long to get used to it....

I wouldn't have a problem with him taking it off to play to practice... however I think I would have a problem with him taking it off to gig somewhere. He is married, and I know if the situation were reversed he wouldn't want me representing myself as being single in a situation that could be extremely tempting. (But that is a completely different reason)

I think if you want to wear it, you will learn to play with it and it won't matter at all... but like anything it will have a learning curve that you will want to get through.

Well said! I agree 100%.

[turkeyjerky214]

Personally, I'm a nazi when it comes to the condition of my newest guitar. I don't even wear a belt when I play for fear of scratching the back of it, so there is no way I would wear a ring while playing it. My older electric, however, had quite a few battle scars when I got it so I wouldn't have a problem adding a few more.

I actually used to wear a thumb ring on my right hand and hammer the strings while using a wah pedal. I got some really cool sounds with that.

Anyway, I agree with the guys that say it's a personal choice. If it's uncomfortable when playing or you don't want to scratch your guitar, take it off. If she has a problem with that, she has some insecurity issues to deal with.

[looneytunes]

Personally, I'm a nazi when it comes to the condition of my newest guitar. I don't even wear a belt when I play for fear of scratching the back of it, so there is no way I would wear a ring while playing it. My older electric, however, had quite a few battle scars when I got it so I wouldn't have a problem adding a few more.

I actually used to wear a thumb ring on my right hand and hammer the strings while using a wah pedal. I got some really cool sounds with that.

Anyway, I agree with the guys that say it's a personal choice. If it's uncomfortable when playing or you don't want to scratch your guitar, take it off. If she has a problem with that, she has some insecurity issues to deal with.

Everything is a personal choice. You can choose to wear your wedding ring or not. You can get married or not. It's all your personal choice.

You realize that some people actually think the so called battle scars adds value to an instrument. I personally like my guitars to look like new and the one guitar I sold, I got twice what I paid 20 years later, but I don't go out of my way to avoid the scratches. I figure it's all a part of playing. You are going to bump and knick the thing sometime. It's like my truck. I didn't buy a truck to not haul stuff. I use my truck as a truck and it's going to get beat up. The same as playing a guitar. The only way to keep from getting in banged up is to keep it in it's case! When I test drive a guitar in a store or of a friend, I am always careful not to scratch it. I remove my jacket and make sure my shirt covers my belt buckle, etc.

I have a friend that takes new strats and duplicates the mars of guitars used my stars. He then sells them for a lot more than he paid. I certainly wouldn't pay for a new guitar that looks like it came out of the junk yard, but there are people out there that do.

A wedding band isn't going to hurt your guitar and like the lady said, you get use to not smacking the thing on the guitar neck. If your fingers are curled and you playing correctly, the ring isn't going to touch the neck. A wedding band isn't going to interfer with barre chords or even the 3rd finger smash.

I think you guys need a better excuse than that to not wear your wedding band.

[elklandercc]

Everything is a personal choice. You can choose to wear your wedding ring or not. You can get married or not. It's all your personal choice.



I think you guys need a better excuse than that to not wear your wedding band.

The origional question was whether or not the OP should take his ring off when he plays. Not whether or not he loves his wife and if he is willing to prove it.

[Tonja_Renee]

I understand that the original question was wanting to know if other guitarists take off their rings... However, speaking from someone who is married - there is more to wearing a wedding ring than just putting a ring on your finger...

And choosing to take it off when you play, has more to do with it than just taking it off. And until you are married and have made such a committment, I don't think you will understand.

I don't think the poster would have asked the question, if he didn't feel that wearing a wedding ring was important.

[R. Shackleferd]

I'm not purposely trying to be argumentative here, but here goes...
-there is more to wearing a wedding ring than just putting a ring on your finger...
I would somewhat agree with that, but...
And choosing to take it off when you play, has more to do with it than just taking it off. And until you are married and have made such a committment, I don't think you will understand.
this part not as much. It's the commitment that's important, not the symbol of the commitment. If there's no commitment, it wouldn't matter if you're wearing a ring or not when some groupie comes along. In fact some guys have been known to intentionally leave the ring on when picking up a one night stand to project that they're in a "committed" relationship and aren't looking for anything more.

[Tonja_Renee]

I'm not purposely trying to be argumentative here, but here goes...

I would somewhat agree with that, but...

this part not as much. It's the commitment that's important, not the symbol of the commitment. If there's no commitment, it wouldn't matter if you're wearing a ring or not when some groupie comes along. In fact some guys have been known to intentionally leave the ring on when picking up a one night stand to project that they're in a "committed" relationship and aren't looking for anything more.

I agree that if there isn't a committment to begin with it won't matter if he wears the ring or not... my view was I just don't think it doesn't mean anything to take it off. It the ring isn't important than why exchange them to begin with?

To me and a lot of other women (and men for that matter) - a ring is a symbol of marriage and committment. For someone to so easily remove it, whether they mean to or not - sends a message that they aren't really committed.

[ikeda]

Wow!!! I didn't think that the questions would get this much of a response. Let me clarify some things. I have no problem wearing my ring and she has no problem with me taking it off to play. I would rather not take it off to play because I have Massive ADD and that is just one more thing to remember. The other piece of the questions is that my girl is a feminist and does not believe that she should get an engagement ring and I should not get anything, so she gave me an engagement bass (Warwick $$, yeah, she's cool). So the question is would my wedding ring damage my engagement bass? Anyway, like my t-shirt says ...

"Love one woman ... many guitars."

I just want to find a good way to do both.

[Tonja_Renee]

That's great... I'm glad she doesn't have any problem with it... and in the end that is all that matters.

Guitars will get many dings and nicks over the years if they are played... A wedding ring isn't going to cause any significant damage from regular play. And that would also depend on your practices as a guitar player... if you are rubbing and mauling/drooling over your guitars... lol Then yes you may add an occassional stratch to the guitar from your ring..

You may want to remove it for any guitar lovemaking.. :p

[Superhuman]

I have a real thick ring on my wedding finger, never take it off. Took about a month to get used to it and stop hitting it off the fretboard but no problems now. Was considering taking it off when I played but then I saw Joe Stump - the guy has loads of rings and pretty much shreds harder than anyone. You'll get used to it plus you won't run the risk of losing it or not putting it on (a woman scorned and all of that!).

[elklandercc]

My dad lost his ring shortly after he married my mom, he was working one day and it fell off when he was in a hole digging and before he realized it was gone, they had already backfilled. They were talking about years ago at dinner and my mom said it never really bothered her.

If you need a hunk of metal to remind you that you have someone special somewhere else, then mabey marrige isn't the best course to take. I'm not saying don't wear wedding rings, thats one of the main things at weddings. Whether someone is wearing a ring or not, another person will flirt with them. Its up to the person wearing the ring to either wave them off or go along for the ride.

Sure, I'm only 19, I won't understand that kind of commitment untill I'm much older, but everyones different. Some some people see as a huge part of love, others see as a material object that isn't necessary. Ask any woman who was proposed to what their response to being shown the ring was. Unless it was a band similar to the grooms, most will say, wow thats pretty or wow thats a nice rock instead of starring at it and thinking about true love.

[Tonja_Renee]

To me its not about the ring... the ring itself is nothing... its the act of wearing the ring proudly so everyone can see...

Its like having a girlfriend and not introducing her to anyone you know... yes you have her, but there is something to be said about bringing her home to the parents...

And like I said before, until you are in the position to be in a committed relationship like that... you won't know how special it feels to have someone wear a ring that shows you are the only person in their life... and

And losing a ring accidentally is different than choosing not to wear it... I

I stood before everyone and vowed to love, honor and cherish... and I was given a ring as a symbol of that love... For me to put myself in a tempting situation with lots of men who would flirt with me and then I choose not to wear the ring especially in that type of situation... just wouldn't seem right to me. I'm married and why would I misrepresent myself that way... to me it seems disrespectful to my husband.

[Superhuman]

Different strokes for different folks, its only disrespectful to take off your ring if its taken off with disrespect in mind. I personally keep mine on all of the time becuase I feel weird taking it off but thats jsut me...