Have you considered paring back to just one or 2 guitars?

ICBM

It's a remarkable conundrum, isn't it? You can have two guitars of *the same model* which sound totally different when you're playing them, and even noticeably different to someone listening in the same room... but put them in a totally isolated context with no technique references, and all electric guitars sound the same to a very close degree. Both things are true at the same time.

darthed1981

Nope, I do often consider buying more though

TimmyO

ICBM said:

It's a remarkable conundrum, isn't it? You can have two guitars of *the same model* which sound totally different when you're playing them, and even noticeably different to someone listening in the same room... but put them in a totally isolated context with no technique references, and all electric guitars sound the same to a very close degree. Both things are true at the same time.

Wis 

TimmyO

For me it'd be either the LP Goldtop or the DGT that were the one. 

Not a terrible situation to find oneself in 

JezWynd

Dominic said:

He who dies with the most guitars leaves his heirs with a headache.

ftfy

Philly_Q

JezWynd said:

Dominic said:

He who dies with the most guitars leaves his heirs with a headache.

ftfy

Joking apart, that does cross my mind sometimes. 

We're in the process of sorting out my Dad's estate at the moment and I do find myself thinking shit, what's going to happen to all this stuff I've amassed when I kick the bucket?  Some of it has a real value, but most of it's just junk to anyone other than me.

SlopeSoarer

If you do go down to two guitars what do you do with that excess GAS?

thegummy

ICBM said:

It's a remarkable conundrum, isn't it? You can have two guitars of *the same model* which sound totally different when you're playing them, and even noticeably different to someone listening in the same room... but put them in a totally isolated context with no technique references, and all electric guitars sound the same to a very close degree. Both things are true at the same time.

Both things aren't true - that would be like saying that in a McGurk effect video, the audio is saying 2 different things at once, but it isn't.

tony99

SlopeSoarer said:

If you do go down to two guitars what do you do with that excess GAS?

Why custom tailored stage outfits of course. From Jimmy Page's sequinned dragon embroidered jump suit, the crotch thrusting neon lycra leggings of the big haired 80s, through to Mumford n Sons and their Chas n Dave inspired Grandad Chic. 

It's probably a forum all of it's own really.

*puts on Aladdin Sane make up

Roland

monquixote said:

TTBZ said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

You don't need to cover a range of tones in a covers band at all. Hell, half the bands get by playing the songs wrong let alone using the right gear.

Wiz. Nobody in the audience knows what a singlecoil sounds like vs a humbucker unless they play guitar, and even then they're not going to care too much if you haven't completely nailed the tone. I got on fine doing rock covers with my Les Paul - bridge for most stuff, neck for clean, middle gets hollow enough to approximate the singlecoil sort of thing. Variety in guitars is for my personal enjoyment, not anyone elses

Absolutely, I think any tonal advantage in changing guitars in a pub gig set is easily outweighed by the loss of momentum introduced by bigger gaps.

Now I can agree with all those points. Limiting degrees of freedom inspires creativity, leading to landmarks like Keith Jarrett’s Köln Konzert. I gig with one guitar plus a backup. I’m also passionate about discovering how to get the best out of any particular piece of equipment, rather than trying to buy solutions. However there are things to be learned from different guitar types. Maybe in my dotage I’ll be confined to a care home, and I’ll be allowed to take one guitar with me. Or I’ll have to choose what I take to my Desert Island. Until then I’ll continue to enjoy my options.

darthed1981

Philly_Q said:

JezWynd said:

Dominic said:

He who dies with the most guitars leaves his heirs with a headache.

ftfy

Joking apart, that does cross my mind sometimes. 

We're in the process of sorting out my Dad's estate at the moment and I do find myself thinking shit, what's going to happen to all this stuff I've amassed when I kick the bucket?  Some of it has a real value, but most of it's just junk to anyone other than me.

You won't have to worry about it, that's the principle advantage of being dead...

thegummy

Roland said:

monquixote said:

TTBZ said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

You don't need to cover a range of tones in a covers band at all. Hell, half the bands get by playing the songs wrong let alone using the right gear.

Wiz. Nobody in the audience knows what a singlecoil sounds like vs a humbucker unless they play guitar, and even then they're not going to care too much if you haven't completely nailed the tone. I got on fine doing rock covers with my Les Paul - bridge for most stuff, neck for clean, middle gets hollow enough to approximate the singlecoil sort of thing. Variety in guitars is for my personal enjoyment, not anyone elses

Absolutely, I think any tonal advantage in changing guitars in a pub gig set is easily outweighed by the loss of momentum introduced by bigger gaps.

Now I can agree with all those points. Limiting degrees of freedom inspires creativity, leading to landmarks like Keith Jarrett’s Köln Konzert. I gig with one guitar plus a backup. I’m also passionate about discovering how to get the best out of any particular piece of equipment, rather than trying to buy solutions. However there are things to be learned from different guitar types. Maybe in my dotage I’ll be confined to a care home, and I’ll be allowed to take one guitar with me. Or I’ll have to choose what I take to my Desert Island. Until then I’ll continue to enjoy my options.

Don't want to derail the thread but Koln Concert is one of my favourite records ever. What limitations were imposed for that? I don't know anything about the record other than absolutely loving it.

Philly_Q

darthed1981 said:

Philly_Q said:

JezWynd said:

Dominic said:

He who dies with the most guitars leaves his heirs with a headache.

ftfy

Joking apart, that does cross my mind sometimes. 

We're in the process of sorting out my Dad's estate at the moment and I do find myself thinking shit, what's going to happen to all this stuff I've amassed when I kick the bucket?  Some of it has a real value, but most of it's just junk to anyone other than me.

You won't have to worry about it, that's the principle advantage of being dead...

There is that.

guitars4you

Such a reduction of guitars to 1 or 2 would 

see far less NGD posts on FB
see a serious reduction in used guitar values as the number of guitars for sale could double maybe treble
see you, or partners, wondering what to do with your savings
see you thinking about what to do with the empty guitar stands or wall brackets in the house
chances are you won't need a man cave, so what to do with that spare room

Must be more but need to think of them

monquixote

thegummy said:

Roland said:

monquixote said:

TTBZ said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

You don't need to cover a range of tones in a covers band at all. Hell, half the bands get by playing the songs wrong let alone using the right gear.

Wiz. Nobody in the audience knows what a singlecoil sounds like vs a humbucker unless they play guitar, and even then they're not going to care too much if you haven't completely nailed the tone. I got on fine doing rock covers with my Les Paul - bridge for most stuff, neck for clean, middle gets hollow enough to approximate the singlecoil sort of thing. Variety in guitars is for my personal enjoyment, not anyone elses

Absolutely, I think any tonal advantage in changing guitars in a pub gig set is easily outweighed by the loss of momentum introduced by bigger gaps.

Now I can agree with all those points. Limiting degrees of freedom inspires creativity, leading to landmarks like Keith Jarrett’s Köln Konzert. I gig with one guitar plus a backup. I’m also passionate about discovering how to get the best out of any particular piece of equipment, rather than trying to buy solutions. However there are things to be learned from different guitar types. Maybe in my dotage I’ll be confined to a care home, and I’ll be allowed to take one guitar with me. Or I’ll have to choose what I take to my Desert Island. Until then I’ll continue to enjoy my options.

Don't want to derail the thread but Koln Concert is one of my favourite records ever. What limitations were imposed for that? I don't know anything about the record other than absolutely loving it.

The piano was knackered. He nearly walked away from the concert because it was so bad.

It's him coming up with inventive ways to get around the limitations of the sub par instrument that ended up causing him to improvise such amazing stuff.

ICBM

guitars4you said:

Such a reduction of guitars to 1 or 2 would 

see far less NGD posts on FB
see a serious reduction in used guitar values as the number of guitars for sale could double maybe treble
see you, or partners, wondering what to do with your savings
see you thinking about what to do with the empty guitar stands or wall brackets in the house
chances are you won't need a man cave, so what to do with that spare room

Must be more but need to think of them

Probably bankrupt several manufacturers

stickyfiddle

I've purposely kept out of this thread as I've been going through similar "argh! too many! feelings of late"> 

I have 4 absolute keepers (CS336, SG, Paisley Tele and bitsa Strat) that will stay with me forever. I've have all of those for longer than everything else, have played very nearly every gig I've ever done on some combination of them*, and all have huge sentimental value. I can also cover basically any non-metal setlist with any one of them, if I need.

Then there's the one really great acoustic, an HD28. Again, no plans to ever get rid

I also have a Cabronita, JM, ES-330 and Les Paul. I like all of those a lot. They're all phenomenal musical instruments. But I don't need any. The LP is already for sale and the 330 may or may not go as well. The JM and La Cab are both partscasters, and hence are worth far more to me as instruments than they arena the market, so unless I really decide I want to blitz everything they'll most probably stay with me.

If it weren't for sentimental reasons and "just because" I would could get by for everything I want out of music with the Strat and any of the other 3 "main four", and certainly don't plan on buying any more electrics, though a small 12-fret acoustic would be a nice (and very tangible) contrast to the HD28.

That all being said, I've also bought a drum kit and have plans on building another amp or 2...


* from memory, I can think of literally 2 gigs where I didn't use any of those 4.

guitars4you

ICBM said:

guitars4you said:

Such a reduction of guitars to 1 or 2 would 

see far less NGD posts on FB
see a serious reduction in used guitar values as the number of guitars for sale could double maybe treble
see you, or partners, wondering what to do with your savings
see you thinking about what to do with the empty guitar stands or wall brackets in the house
chances are you won't need a man cave, so what to do with that spare room

Must be more but need to think of them

Probably bankrupt several manufacturers

less guitar string sales
less guitar strap sales
less guitar stand sales
reduction in vat collected - bad for the economy

Roland

thegummy said:

Don't want to derail the thread but Koln Concert is one of my favourite records ever. What limitations were imposed for that? I don't know anything about the record other than absolutely loving it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Köln_Concert

DrBob

stickyfiddle said:

The JM and La Cab are both partscasters, and hence are worth far more to me as instruments than they arena the market, so unless I really decide I want to blitz everything they'll most probably stay with me.

FWIW I bloody love your La Cab and JM

but I already have too many guitars and am eternally broke so don’t make any selling decisions based on me !