Hands Off!!

Any guitar player will tell you: his guitar(s) are positioned only below his God and his woman. Because of this, many single men hold their guitars in the esteem of a woman. Personally, I have five guitars that are by far my most prized possession. I have even gone so far as to name them:

"Yvonne" the Yamaha
"Carly" the Carlo Robelli
"Olivia" the OLP
"Emily" the Epiphone
"Autumn" the Fender (I know Autumn's name has nothing to do with her brand name, but she's my favorite and so she get's a special name, due to her color)

Anyway, on to the point of this explanation...

I think we can all agree: you NEVER put your hands on another man's woman in a disrespectful manner. Let's use a wedding reception as a pseudo-metaphor. Let's say I'm the groom. If a friend of mine whom I trust asks for a dance with the bride, I will most likely feel comfortable allowing it. Even if you aren't a skilled dancer, I will allow the dance, and even give you pointers on dancing (not necessarily always with my wife). However, if someone who I don't know, or who I don't trust fully around my new wife asks for a dance, I may allow it, but you can be certain that I will have a close eye on the goings-on. The second that I see said person disrespectfully handling my wife, you can be CERTAIN that it's not going to end well.

In the same way, you never handle a man's guitar without the care that is expected of you. This includes: carelessly strumming, violently plucking strings, knocking it against objects (tables, walls, etc.), banging on the guitar, or even mockingly pretending to play. If you are experienced in playing guitar, by all means, it is most likely acceptable to play another person's guitar ON THE CONDITION THAT YOU FIRST ASK. If you are in the process of learning to play guitar, it is still alright to ask to play someones guitar. They may even teach you a little of what they know.

The point is this: You WILL treat my guitars (and one day my girlfriend/fiancee/wife) with the respect she deserves!!!!