--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now, when I have a four-string that I…" description: "\"Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road with me, it's a regular Martin. I bought a decent Martin with a pickup in it, and then I just ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg" --- # Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road… ![“Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road with me, it's a regular Martin. I bought a decent Martin with a pickup in it, and then I just take off the strings and have four strings on it.” quote by Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg) > “Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road with me, it's a regular Martin. I bought a decent Martin with a pickup in it, and then I just take off the strings and have four strings on it.” [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He customizes his instrument for travel, preferring a compact setup. **In simple terms:** He uses a portable four‑string guitar on the road. Key Takeaway Choose gear that fits your lifestyle. Themes travel music creativity Mood practical reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - touring - recording - songwriting Key Concepts minimalism adaptability personalization Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity affect your creativity? - What trade‑offs are you willing to make? A Different Perspective Limited strings may restrict musical range. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decent Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-martin-2222806/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Just Strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-strings-2222807/) [Martin Pickup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martin-pickup-2222804/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Pickup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pickup/) [Regular Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regular-martin-2222805/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) ## Related quotes > [When I got my first guitar my fingers wouldn't go to the sixth string so I took off the big E and played with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-paul/when-i-got-my-first-guitar-my-fingers-wouldn-t-go-to-the-sixth-string/) [Les Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-paul/) > [Let there be spaces in your togetherness...just as strings of a lute dance alone though they quiver with the same music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/let-there-be-spaces-in-your-togetherness-just-as-strings-of-a-lute/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Honestly, my idea of a fun night out is something like being in the middle of America in a pickup truck with a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-keough/honestly-my-idea-of-a-fun-night-out-is-something-like-being-in-the/) [Riley Keough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-keough/) > [I used to sit in my pickup truck at 7 o'clock in the morning outside my office and listen to the Replacements or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-used-to-sit-in-my-pickup-truck-at-7-o-clock-in-the-morning-outside/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [Four men a pickup truck and a case of beer and you can move mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/four-men-a-pickup-truck-and-a-case-of-beer-and-you-can-move-mountains/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“Unlike the drop-off, pickup was more chaotic and time consuming, and it took twenty minutes before London finally got in the car.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/unlike-the-drop-off-pickup-was-more-chaotic-and-time-consuming-and-it/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“A pickup artist must be the exception to the rule. You must not do what everyone else does. Ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/a-pickup-artist-must-be-the-exception-to-the-rule-you-must-not-do/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [You don't need a pickup line. Just glance at a woman from across the room. Glance - don't stare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/you-don-t-need-a-pickup-line-just-glance-at-a-woman-from-across-the/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Some receivers are like sports cars: they have a lot of speed and flair. Me, I'm like an old pickup truck. I just bounce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/some-receivers-are-like-sports-cars-they-have-a-lot-of-speed-and/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [Girl, you're like a pickup truck. It takes more than one load to get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/girl-you-re-like-a-pickup-truck-it-takes-more-than-one-load-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I'm at home or in the studio, I have a 1963 Martin. It's a D-28, and I love that guitar. I write on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-worsham/when-i-m-at-home-or-in-the-studio-i-have-a-1963-martin-it-s-a-d-28/) [Charlie Worsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-worsham/) > [Best Pickup Line? Let's go eat, I'm paying!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/best-pickup-line-let-s-go-eat-i-m-paying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My pickup line is "slow down sugar, I'm a diabetic!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-brothers/my-pickup-line-is-slow-down-sugar-i-m-a-diabetic/) [Jonas Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-brothers/) > [You know you're a redneck when your pickup breaks down and you fix it. On the front lawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-straub/you-know-you-re-a-redneck-when-your-pickup-breaks-down-and-you-fix-it/) [Alec Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-straub/) > [Pickup's washed and you just got paid, with any luck at all you might even get laid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/pickup-s-washed-and-you-just-got-paid-with-any-luck-at-all-you-might/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) ## More by Lou Barlow > ['Brace the Wave' is an acoustic-electric record recorded with electricity on analog-digital and digitally-analog equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/brace-the-wave-is-an-acoustic-electric-record-recorded-with/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I enjoy Dinosaur for what it is. It's a unique band that has a unique chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-enjoy-dinosaur-for-what-it-is-it-s-a-unique-band-that-has-a-unique/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I look forward to so many things about going to Japan. The shows are early. It's great! They're really early, so it helps make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-look-forward-to-so-many-things-about-going-to-japan-the-shows-are/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I think musicians naturally gravitate toward music that sounds real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-think-musicians-naturally-gravitate-toward-music-that-sounds-real/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > ['One Part Lullaby.' It was our big major-label record. People reference it quite a bit, but it did absolutely nothing. It's like the 'Kids'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/one-part-lullaby-it-was-our-big-major-label-record-people-reference/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Early on, I really liked the idea of being confrontational. I loved the idea of making songs that made people really uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/early-on-i-really-liked-the-idea-of-being-confrontational-i-loved-the/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I've put out a lot of stuff that just confused and alienated people: a huge chunk of songs that were verbal and musical challenges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-ve-put-out-a-lot-of-stuff-that-just-confused-and-alienated-people-a/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I went back and reread the Dinosaur chapter in 'Our Band Could Be Your Life,' and it was so depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-went-back-and-reread-the-dinosaur-chapter-in-our-band-could-be-your/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [There are very few songs I really hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/there-are-very-few-songs-i-really-hate/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Music doesn't always bring me to tears; if I hear 'Love' by John Lennon at a vulnerable moment, it will bring me to tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/music-doesn-t-always-bring-me-to-tears-if-i-hear-love-by-john-lennon/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I'm fully aware, I've gotten terrible reviews my entire career. It's not a really big deal; it's something I can deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-m-fully-aware-i-ve-gotten-terrible-reviews-my-entire-career-it-s/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I really don't have a method. I gravitate towards the organic/acoustic, but I still often complete songs musically before attempting to find the lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-really-don-t-have-a-method-i-gravitate-towards-the-organic-acoustic/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Young bands are so angry. There are young bands that are so incredibly successful, getting incredible reviews, and they are totally angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/young-bands-are-so-angry-there-are-young-bands-that-are-so-incredibly/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I always felt weird. I don't feel particularly likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-always-felt-weird-i-don-t-feel-particularly-likeable/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) [Explore all 101 Lou Barlow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) ## More Four quotes > [With young kids (I have four including the newborn) times passes weirdly for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-s-kemp/with-young-kids-i-have-four-including-the-newborn-times-passes/) [Paul S. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-s-kemp/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, 'with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-fermi/i-remember-my-friend-johnny-von-neumann-used-to-say-with-four/) [Enrico Fermi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-fermi/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [I'd love to have three or four kids. But my mom always says: "Speak to me after you have your first".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/i-d-love-to-have-three-or-four-kids-but-my-mom-always-says-speak-to/) [Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/when-we-read-a-story-we-inhabit-it-the-covers-of-the-book-are-like-a/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [Right now I'm doing four shows at a time, trying to read four outlines every week, four scripts every week, and watching four rough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-spelling/right-now-i-m-doing-four-shows-at-a-time-trying-to-read-four-outlines/) [Aaron Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-spelling/) [Browse all 7,977 Four quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road with me, it's a regular Martin. I bought a decent Martin with a pickup in it, and then I just take off the strings and have four strings on it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Barlow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-take-on-the-road-with-me-it-s-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Four" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-take-on-the-road-with-me-it-s-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/lou-barlow-5318_four_now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-tak_2635307.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now, when I have a four-string that I take on the road with me, it's a regular Martin. I bought a decent…” — Lou Barlow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lou Barlow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Now, when I have a four-string...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-take-on-the-road-with-me-it-s-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/now-when-i-have-a-four-string-that-i-take-on-the-road-with-me-it-s-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```