The Voice of the Beast

It’s always unintentionally that one stumbles across the greatest treasure. Though some may say that it’s actually trash, a true hunter knows the potential trashy items contain. This particular treasure was hidden behind a counter, a tag looped around it’s tuning pegs that dictated its cost was “$21 as is”. I was immediately drawn to it despite the fact that it was visibly and blatantly broken.

It was an acoustic guitar and its face was not only split open and popping out, but also caving in. The gears of the tuning pegs were warped, preventing it from being tuned properly. It had scratches in the finish and its fretboard was well worn. I picked the item up and after inspecting it decided that it was to be mine. For some unknown reason I’ve always been drawn to broken and misused instruments. They have such unique sounds and stories that you can’t obtain from a brand new instrument. I remember my former violin teacher once told me in regards to her violin having a much more beautiful tone than my brand new violin that “you have to play the life into the instrument.” The more time you play it, the better it will sound.

“Can I have this for $10?” ten dollars is all the money I had in the world at the time.

“Yup”

I approached momentarily before hesitating and looking at the item again. “Actually. Can I have it for free?”

“What? No.”

“10¢?” I was mostly joking, but I also didn’t want to spend all my money. I tried to make the argument that I was really doing him a favour by taking the broken item off his hands, thereby making space for new and more appealing inventory.

Eventually we settled on a dollar and I asked for my change. My friend that I was with at the time cackled at the interaction. Apparently my bartering technique left much to be desired. I shrugged, social etiquettes have never been my forte.

I took the guitar home and taped the face to hold it tight. I did my best to tune it, but the warped gears would slip and cause the guitar to de-tune just as I got close to the proper notes. I tuned it down half a step from standard tuning. This also was beneficial in reducing the tension on the broken and warped face.

It was not long before I had to glue the face on as the tape wouldn’t hold it. However, due to the fact that the face was also caving in, the glue ended up not solving the problem as the tension from the strings would pull the bridge up and further the eventual collapse of the face.

Eventually I would have to make upgrades, I pulled the face off and replaced it with a more substantial piece of wood which I shaped and reinforced to be stronger than the original face. I painted him a new face, crocheted a strap and put him to use. I replaced the tuning peg system, which was much to my displeasure as I really loved the aesthetic of the original pieces.

His action is permanently and necessarily too high, he’s tuned a full step lower than convention and his sound is distinct. He is the Beast. He has survived much that many a guitar would pale at. He is the Beast and there are no others like him and no other but I can play him. I have since acquired other guitars, new, shiny electric or acoustic or in some cases both. I play the life into them and cherish their voices that they lend to my melodies, but no I cherish no voice more than the voice of the Beast.