Guitarist's Dumb Moves Hall of Fame - Contribute

I thought It would be funny to have folks of all levels post their dumb moves. Face it, for just about any length of time, we've all done something dumb from the big to the small. I figured everyone could share. Mine:

1. Borrowed a friends main guitar as a back up for a gig and needed to actually use it. Got cocky and did the 'fling the guitar around your body' deal (as if anyone thought I was cool for doing it...) and didn't check the strap lock before to be sure the nut was tight and lo and behold, came loose. It was the butt end that came loose and I got ahold of the neck before the lock let loose. Lucky for the guitar, my foot stopped it from hitting the ground. Not so much for my smashed toes.

2. Spent a good hour fussing with my amp trying to figure out why my amp kept on getting this annoying hum. Then when I was going to look at the back and moved my OD pedal and wah off, it magically stopped. I never had the hum before and had just move the pedals to that spot just before that hour..genius.

3. Sold a '68 Les Paul Deluxe to get a Kramer Focus. It was '87 and I wanted a whammy that bad....ugh

So there's a couple of 'highlights'...Please everyone, share :)

Ok... this doesnt really count, but kinda does. It's guitar related.


It's 1983~1984, not sure which I just know I was a junior in high school. Van Halen is on top of the world. School derides to have an air band competition. So friends and I decide to to Van Halen's Mean Street. I'm Eddie Van Halen (playing a gutted out flying V).

We practice for a week or so. Have the routine down. The day comes. If you know the song, you know that Eddie does a small little solo at the beginning. So, was supposed to run out into the middle of the auditorium and slide on my knees. Ran out, but didin't slide. Stuck and face planted into the floor.

To add insult to injury, there was a part in our routine where my friend who was playing David Lee Roth, was to duck and i was to swing my leg over his head. Didn't happen that way live. The live version went like this. He ducks, my leg swings around hits him in the head, his blind wig gets twisted around his head and can't see. Wonders around trying to straighten it out.


Ah, memories.

Hmmm... would you believe the fall of 1970?...

The second gig I ever played was the Fall Fair at the small town I grew up in. At night, of course... Outdoors, don'cha know... in the *&#%'n rain!!!

This wasn't some high-dollar extravaganza. We were on a bare wooden platform without any sort of a canopy. The stage got seriously slippery in the wet, and the only one who didn't flirt with death by electrocution was the drummer.

The climax of the evening was when I did a big 'Pete Townsend' windmill, lost my footing, and did the splits into a puddle. :eek:

Originally Posted by: Lordathestrings
The climax of the evening was when I did a big 'Pete Townsend' windmill, lost my footing, and did the splits into a puddle. :eek:

Ouch!!! Sounds like it was a memorable night! :p

well nowhere nearrrrr as funny as those stories...not funny at all actually
had a no big name 12 string acoustic I got from my dad and didnt know enough about neck tension and it was packed away for a while ( with all the tension still tuned to standard tuning)..well lets just say I was told it can now be used as 1) a wall clock 2 ) a planter or 3) fireweood

awwwww what a dumb move that was...loved that guitar
was a Minstrel....made in canada
sounded great and played very nice...leaened on it really

and now it just hangs as wall art as it has sentimental value

Originally Posted by: Itsmesillywell nowhere nearrrrr as funny as those stories...not funny at all actually
had a no big name 12 string acoustic I got from my dad and didnt know enough about neck tension and it was packed away for a while ( with all the tension still tuned to standard tuning)..well lets just say I was told it can now be used as 1) a wall clock 2 ) a planter or 3) fireweood

awwwww what a dumb move that was...loved that guitar
was a Minstrel....made in canada
sounded great and played very nice...leaened on it really

and now it just hangs as wall art as it has sentimental value

One of the nicest 12 strings I've ever played was a Daijon acoustic that I had for something like 20 years. I sold it to a guy at a giveaway price because he was a brilliant player and I wanted to help him out....

Long story short; he ignored my instructions to tune it in D and keep a capo on the 2nd fret.

The belly of that sweet guitar is now pulled out so far that it looks pregnant, and the action is as high as an old Stella. :eek:

"awwwww what a dumb move that was...loved that guitar"

Oh, yeah, and I lost any respect for that stupid ****. :mad:

I don't really know of any personal stories to share, but the thread brought to mind that character in the movie School of Rock who replaced Jack Black's character in his band. He wore a chestless leather "shirt" and did that gyroscopic hip swivel move meant to swoon the ladies. Sarcastically cheesy sure, but a kernel of truth there, which is what makes it funny.