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

Schnozz

I currently have 0 guitars and I'm in between having a GAS relapse or quitting.

I very nearly bought a jazz bass this week, but I fought it a bit. It's a tough time.

Kittyfrisk

stickyfiddle said:

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.

Where you say "The JM and La Cab are both partscasters, and hence are worth far more to me as instruments than they arena the market...'
How can that not be a universal appreciation?
My most loved guitars, are not the ones that have the most marketable value, but they are undoubtedly the better instruments.
Not only my opinion, peer reviewed results   
Keep on following your feelings & instincts, sod the corksniffers,

thegummy

Roland said:

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

That's amazing thanks

robgilmo

Only two, no more , which means selling one to buy another, which can be hard.

stickyfiddle

Kittyfrisk said:

stickyfiddle said:

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.

Where you say "The JM and La Cab are both partscasters, and hence are worth far more to me as instruments than they arena the market...'
How can that not be a universal appreciation?
My most loved guitars, are not the ones that have the most marketable value, but they are undoubtedly the better instruments.
Not only my opinion, peer reviewed results   
Keep on following your feelings & instincts, sod the corksniffers,

I don't doubt most players would agree they're great guitars if they played them. But the current market values partscasters as less than the sum of their parts, which is a bit daft, but it is what it is.

The musician and guitar player in me is very happy I have them. I just get the feels of "I should be happy with fewer" from time to time, not least because we're starting to do a full Konmari on the rest of our stuff. That said, every one of my guitars brings me joy (even the LP that's for sale), and i'm lucky enough to be able to afford them so maybe I shouldn't over think it.

DrBob said:

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 !

Lol. So you're saying I should keep them? OK  

octatonic

What's the point?
I'd only waste it on food and bills.

NelsonP

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.

Very true!

 I've got an epi casino and a les paul jr dc. Both have gibson p90s. It's possible that if you played them both clean that you might not be able to hear too much difference in tone, although the hollow body definitely does affect it. But turn up the volume and gain and they become completely different animals...

They also feel totally different to play. With a bit of volume the casino vibrates and feeds back and feels alive, like it has a spirit of it's own. The les paul dc also feels great but in a totally different way.

I also have 2 other electrics and two acoustics. I should really sell one of the acoustics, but I wouldn't get too much for it,  so it stays. 

Barnezy

I would always choose to have 2 really nice guitars that you really want vs 5 mid priced guitars you just bought because they were a good deal/value or you gas'd for a particular guitar one day. I sold all my cheaper guitars and bought an R8 and CS Strat, both off here. Dont need anything more than that personally, and nor has most music for the past 60 years. 

I did just buy a J45 Vintage to have a decent acoustic, so now need to get rid of my Classical and Martin DJR, although I'm thinking the Martin would be good for my son when he's a bit older and not worth taking the hit on. 

I went to jam with a guy locally recently. His place was a dump and he'd placed all his guitars out in the room, to try to impress me I think. It was an Epiphone, Squire and Fender MIM fest. He must have had 8 or 10. When I took my CS Strat out, he was like "that's a seriously nice guitar! Maybe one day.", I was literally biting my tongue thinking why does anyone need all this crap and if he really wanted a CS Strat, just sell a few of these things that you clearly never play. He must spend more time changing strings than actually playing. 

I can see how in this hobby you can turn you in to a compulsive collector. I fell in to it at the beginning, as I was trying to find what it was I liked, but I'm hopefully breaking out of it now. Still get the odd impulse, but then try to remind myself how crap I am and that I should focus on practice instead. 

Nunogilberto

I’ve only got 2 these days, because I can’t be arsed with having any more of them. After swapping, selling and buying a fair few over the past 4 years or so, I’ve come to find Les Pauls as the guitars that suit me best, so I’ve got one of them, a Strat and that’s it. I barely play the Strat so it’s up in the classifieds.

DefaultM

I've tried many times unsuccessfully. The autism probably doesn't help things. 
"Right... So got to make room for a new guitar. I don't need this strat. Thats worth £350... I'll list it for £500 because IT'S MINE! I PLAYED A GIG WITH THAT! IF I SELL IT I WON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE! woah good point... Ok so maybe I'll keep that one. I've imagined the new one being in my house now though, so I'll still buy it either way".

Voxman

Barnezy said:

I would always choose to have 2 really nice guitars that you really want vs 5 mid priced guitars you just bought because they were a good deal/value or you gas'd for a particular guitar one day. I sold all my cheaper guitars and bought an R8 and CS Strat, both off here. Dont need anything more than that personally, and nor has most music for the past 60 years. 

I'm sure I read once from someone famous and wise that all any guitarist really needs is a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Strat and a Martin acoustic.

TINMAN82

Voxman said:

Barnezy said:

I would always choose to have 2 really nice guitars that you really want vs 5 mid priced guitars you just bought because they were a good deal/value or you gas'd for a particular guitar one day. I sold all my cheaper guitars and bought an R8 and CS Strat, both off here. Dont need anything more than that personally, and nor has most music for the past 60 years. 

I'm sure I read once from someone famous and wise that all any guitarist really needs is a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Strat and a Martin acoustic.

A lot of truth there. Interesting to see how many of us follow the same journey and end up roughly in the same place. No doubt that earlier in your “guitar playing career” you tend to buy cheaper kit so there will usually be some movement later on.

I also subscribe to the notion that it’s better to have fewer, really nice instruments so my core collection is R8, CS ‘61 strat and Martin 00028ec. Then there’s an AV52 tele for open G and a new Seagull S6 acoustic for the garden in summer which is in fact excellent in its own right.

Anything beyond this is largely for the sake of collecting, although a P90 junior set up for slide would be cool. 

And of course ill need an R9 before I die...

And if I ever start gigging regularly I’ll need cheaper backups...

jimmyguitar

Voxman said:

Barnezy said:

I would always choose to have 2 really nice guitars that you really want vs 5 mid priced guitars you just bought because they were a good deal/value or you gas'd for a particular guitar one day. I sold all my cheaper guitars and bought an R8 and CS Strat, both off here. Dont need anything more than that personally, and nor has most music for the past 60 years. 

I'm sure I read once from someone famous and wise that all any guitarist really needs is a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Strat and a Martin acoustic.

Funnily enough that’s exactly where i’ve ended up. Well, an Atkin OM37 instead of the Martin but it outplayed all of the Martins in GV and Andertons. Got a beauty of a CS strat and a really nice R5 LP.

I used to have an excellent vintage horde but just had the urge to sell em all one day and find instruments that actually fit me like a glove rather than buy them for their collectability/desirability/beauty. 

I do have an old J45 though which isn’t going anywhere. I think my must haves would be a Les Paul, strat and a j45 with the Martin style as the addition.

Vaiai

jdbwales said:
I gig regularly and I’ve got one main guitar, one backup guitar and am just about to get a further guitar. 

The backup in case of any broken strings/unforeseen nightmare is a LP Studio with similar pickups in it, and the incoming is a LP Junior style for a bit of home variation and as a backup to the backup/beater for gigs that may be rougher. 

I don't think it’s a midlife crisis thing, I think it’s more of a utility/comfort/dependability thing. I’d feel a bit guilty now having loads of guitars that don’t get used when I could spend that money on doing something my family.

That covers it all for me - I'd just add I'm quite practical and I have what I need for gigging and a backup - when I had more guitars I got that feeling it was a waste - I think I need something single coil and I'd eventually like a 335 but it's all luxury! I have 2 Suhrs and that's enough for now (but a cheap Classic Vibe as a backup is also a good idea for rougher gigs!)

Jalapeno

This whole thread is an abomination !!!!!!

dazzajl

I bet less than a single percent of us here could muster a watertight case for more than a couple of guitars. 

Beyond that we’re in to the realms of wants and desires and that’s a perfectly good place to be. Guitars become friends and sometimes doing exactly the same thing and achieving the same ends with different ones is just nice to do.

Just so happens that two is where I’m at right now. With much lust for several things in the classifieds here  

thegummy

dazzajl said:

I bet less than a single percent of us here could muster a watertight case for more than a couple of guitars. 

Beyond that we’re in to the realms of wants and desires and that’s a perfectly good place to be. Guitars become friends and sometimes doing exactly the same thing and achieving the same ends with different ones is just nice to do.

Just so happens that two is where I’m at right now. With much lust for several things in the classifieds here  

No one really needs a guitar.

But putting that aside, once someone has a guitar, the need to have an additional one is much much less than the need for the first one.

Then with every extra guitar they get, the need is less and less.

Personally I get why people want to have other types of guitars to get more tonal options but it baffles me when they get in to buying more than one of the same kind of guitar (except for when it's for a backup for live gigs and they're particularly known by the audience to play that kind of guitar).

That's when, to me, it gets in to the realm of when people just like to buy things for the sake of owning things - a world alien to me.

Voxman

When I was younger I had  no money and especially with amps if I wanted a Vox AC30 I had to sell my Fender Silverface, and when I wanted a Marshall I had to sell the Vox. I was twenty before I could buy a proper Fender Strat and that was with a bank loan. 

I had friends whos parents bought them gear including Les Paul Customs, and I probably felt a bit like the poor kid on the block. In fact it was only around 15 yrs ago that I was able to buy a LP Custom and only 10 yrs ago that I was in a position to buy more guitars and have more than 1 amp etc.  So I suppose by having a few different guitars now I'm  making up a bit for lost time. 

jimmyguitar

thegummy said:

dazzajl said:

I bet less than a single percent of us here could muster a watertight case for more than a couple of guitars. 

Beyond that we’re in to the realms of wants and desires and that’s a perfectly good place to be. Guitars become friends and sometimes doing exactly the same thing and achieving the same ends with different ones is just nice to do.

Just so happens that two is where I’m at right now. With much lust for several things in the classifieds here  

No one really needs a guitar.

But putting that aside, once someone has a guitar, the need to have an additional one is much much less than the need for the first one.

Then with every extra guitar they get, the need is less and less.

Personally I get why people want to have other types of guitars to get more tonal options but it baffles me when they get in to buying more than one of the same kind of guitar (except for when it's for a backup for live gigs and they're particularly known by the audience to play that kind of guitar).

That's when, to me, it gets in to the realm of when people just like to buy things for the sake of owning things - a world alien to me.

I need a guitar... otherwise I wouldn’t have a job!

DrBob

stickyfiddle said:

Kittyfrisk said:

stickyfiddle said:

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.

Where you say "The JM and La Cab are both partscasters, and hence are worth far more to me as instruments than they arena the market...'
How can that not be a universal appreciation?
My most loved guitars, are not the ones that have the most marketable value, but they are undoubtedly the better instruments.
Not only my opinion, peer reviewed results   
Keep on following your feelings & instincts, sod the corksniffers,

I don't doubt most players would agree they're great guitars if they played them. But the current market values partscasters as less than the sum of their parts, which is a bit daft, but it is what it is.

The musician and guitar player in me is very happy I have them. I just get the feels of "I should be happy with fewer" from time to time, not least because we're starting to do a full Konmari on the rest of our stuff. That said, every one of my guitars brings me joy (even the LP that's for sale), and i'm lucky enough to be able to afford them so maybe I shouldn't over think it.

DrBob said:

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 !

Lol. So you're saying I should keep them? OK  

Yeah, or at least until I manage to be less skint,
Which on reflection means you’ll probably end up buried with them...