The story of how I personified my guitars and they became 'my kids' more than I imagined 🎸💚

It was trending on X, so I decided to personify my own guitars and turn them into illustrations.
The reason was simple,
because I thought,
“These two are completely different in both looks and personality.”
What I own are the
Mooer GTRS S800 Surf Green and the
Gibson Les Paul Modern Figured Seafoam Green.
Even though both are green-toned guitars, their vibes are completely different.
One is a smart guitar that feels futuristic, light, and seems good with digital tech.
The other is a Les Paul that is profound, beautiful, and has an aura that feels somewhat unapproachable.
“If these two were human, they would definitely have different characters.”
The moment I thought that, my delusions wouldn't stop.

The GTRS S800 is a bright and nimble 'future kid'

First, theGTRS S800 Surf Green.
To me, this one is quite clear.
A sporty and light child based on white and mint green.
Wearing headphones around their neck, a smartwatch, and pockets full of gadgets.
They are probably bright.
Friendly.
But they aren't just a cheerful character; they are actually quite high-tech on the inside.
Since it's a smart guitar, it can connect to apps and create sounds.
Even though it has the face of a normal guitar, it's packed with various functions inside.
When personified, it looks like the type who would pull your hand while laughing,
“It's okay even if you're a beginner! Let's play together!”
For a guitar beginner like me, this feeling was quite important.
If an instrument is too intimidating from the start, I would probably get a little scared.
But the GTRS is friendly in a good way.
It has an atmosphere that seems to say,
“Just try playing it first,”
“You don't have to think about it too hard.”
So when I personified it, the image became white street fashion with mint green accents.
Nimble, trendy, and a kid who came from the future.

The Les Paul is a beautiful and heavy 'imposing older sister'

On the other hand, theGibson Les Paul Modern Figured Seafoam Green.
This one has a completely different aura.
First of all, the look is strong.
The beautiful grain of the Seafoam Green.
The roundness unique to a Les Paul.
The presence of the humbuckers.
And the pressure of the name Gibson.
When personified, to me, it was completely
a beautiful, slightly mysterious, and strong-willed older sister
.
Like someone wearing a black jacket, a green dress, and standing in heeled boots.
Rather than laughing loudly, she smiles quietly.
But the moment she stands on stage, she takes over the whole atmosphere.
She probably doesn't say much herself.
But you'll know once you play a single note.
“This is the kind of sound I have.”
“Are you prepared to play me properly?”
I feel like she's saying things like that.
Honestly, she is also a presence that makes a beginner like me a little nervous.
But that's good.
The feeling that she can't be easily tamed.
The feeling that I am getting closer to her little by little.
The feeling that makes me think I'll definitely be happy once I can play her.
If the GTRS is “Let's play together!,”
the Les Paul is like “Can you keep up?”
It's interesting that even though they are both green-toned, their personalities are this different.

It's also interesting how the interpretation changes between the girl version and the boy version

This time, I made both girl and boy versions of the personified illustrations.
The girl version has a strong sense of glamour.
The GTRS is energetic and pop.
The Les Paul is mature and glamorous.
The boy version had a bit of a unit feel.
The GTRS is a bright junior character.
The Les Paul is a cool senior character.
Even though they are the same guitars, just changing the interpretation of gender or clothing changes the story.
I think this is the interesting part of personification.
If you only look at the specs in text, a guitar is just an instrument.
But when you personify it, a 'relationship' suddenly emerges.
What kind of sound would suit this kid?
What kind of song do I want them to play?
What kind of clothes will they wear, and what kind of expression will they have on stage?
Just thinking about that makes my attachment to the guitar increase all at once.

The habit of choosing guitars I noticed after personifying them

There is something I noticed after doing this.
I probably don't just see a guitar as
“a tool that makes sound.”
The look.
The color.
The texture.
The character.
The mood when holding it.
The presence when placed in the room.
I've come to love them including all of those things.
Of course, since it's an instrument, the sound is important.
Ease of playing is also important.
Specs are also important.
But for a beginner like me,

getting excited the moment I see itwas also quite important.
Because to practice, you have to touch it first.
A look that makes you want to touch it.
A color you want to keep nearby.
A presence that makes you happy just by looking at it.
I feel like this is quite big in continuing to play guitar.

I'm a guitar beginner, but it's okay to start from 'like'

I am still a guitar beginner.
Chords are still a work in progress.
My fingers don't move as I want them to.
The sound often doesn't ring out cleanly.
But just looking at the guitar is fun.
Just playing around with personification is fun.
I can think, “I want to be able to play songs that suit this kid.”
I think that's a pretty good entry point.
In the past, if I were to start an instrument, I would think things like
“I have to practice properly,”
“I have to improve,”
“It's not good to start from the appearance.”
But now it's a little different.
It's okay to start from the appearance.
It's okay to start liking it from the look.
It's okay to choose by color.
It's okay to grin while personifying them.
There can be many reasons to like something.
Rather, because it's a hobby I started as an adult, 'fun' might be more important than 'correctness'.

My GTRS and Les Paul probably have this kind of relationship

In my mind, the relationship between the two has also become somewhat visible.
The GTRS is a curious kid with light footwork.
They want to keep trying new sounds, apps, and effects.
The Les Paul is a calm kid with a high aesthetic sense.
She doesn't play lightly, but when she does, it has persuasiveness.
If the GTRS says,
“Hey, hey, what shall we play today?”
the Les Paul would likely say quietly,
“Before that, did you tune properly?”
…Yeah, they are an incredibly good combo.

Summary: When you personify them, you like instruments even more

Personifying guitars is completely a hobby.
But when I tried it, it was more fun than I thought.
Looking closely at the color and shape of my guitar.
Putting features into words.
Imagining their personality.
Translating it into clothing and expressions.
When you do that, it's not just a possession, but it feels like
“a partner to play music with from now on.”
GTRS S800 Surf Green.
Gibson Les Paul Modern Figured Seafoam Green.
These two are still presences I can't master yet, but they have already become very important 'my kids'.
Someday, I want to be able to play sounds that suit these kids properly.
Until that day, I'll start by looking at them, touching them, and getting along with them little by little.