Guitars I would buy again

downbytheriver

over the years I have sold something approaching a gazillion guitars, some because I didn’t like them (eg. every single 335, and there have been many), some because I bought a better one (eg. most Strats, there have been many more), some because I needed money (eg. every vintage guitar and then loads more) and some because I was stupid (countless). 

I am now quite content with what I possess (from a gigging pov) but I still look back (no doubt through rose coloured specs) and wish I still had many of them. I’m not including specific guitars ( Fender first year of Custom Shop 40th Anniversary Telecaster no 40 of 300, come home to daddy etc etc) but more those production guitars that were so good and that there is still a chance I might find again. 

So I would buy... 

Early Classic Player 60s Strat in Sonic blue. Fantastic guitar, the twangiest Strat ever and the match of any of the (more than 20) Custom Shop Strats i’ve subsequently owned. 

Epiphone 57 Les Paul Junior reissue in korina.  Killer guitar, even better with a Bare Knuckle P90 (this isn’t the bolt on, humbucker diseased epi junior but a pretty faithful repro of the real thing). 

Squier JV Tele. Nuff said. 

Epiphone Sheraton. This was a lovely reissue from a few years back - mini hummers, very retro trem, limited edition, not the standard Korean one. 

Many more... but that’s a start! 

guitargeek62

Good idea, although I must admit there’s not many that I’d buy back again!

- ‘93 PRS Custom 22, grey-black, stop-tail and birds, heavily worn finish, elusive Dragon 1s... bloody lovely thing that I bought for a song in 2006, I should never have sold that one! I think it went to @Pwalo perhaps on the MR/Intermusic forums?

- ‘04 Fender CIJ ‘62 strat, ocean turquoise metallic. My first decent guitar, I played it to death and wore the frets down to nothing in a little over a year. Stupidly sold it for a different strat before knowing enough about fretwork to have had it repaired properly!

Probably others too that I don’t remember right now, but they’re the two that instantly spring to mind

tekbow

Peavey Wolfgang/HP2, but only in black.

ESP (full fat) mirage/mk ii

SRD81

The one that still bothers me is an early 2000s Gibson SG '61 Reissue in cherry. It was a belter - great neck, wonderfully balanced pickups, perfect weight, lovely grain pattern on the body etc.

Like a complete bellend, I traded it for a Les Paul Standard that I was gassing for at the time and have regretted it ever since (The Les Paul was sold within 3 months)

It was only a USA model and had no right to be a great guitar, but the 3 or 4 other SGs I've had since, (including a custom shop model) have not come anywhere near so far and have long since been moved on.

tony99

downbytheriver said:

So I would buy... 

Early Custom Player 60s Strat in Sonic blue. Fantastic guitar, the twangiest Strat ever and the match of any of the (more than 20) Custom Shop Strats i’ve subsequently owned. 

Do you mean classic player strat?

ChuckManual

PRS EG4.

I loved it - but it had to go for short-term financial reasons.  I will have one again...

Teyeplayer

Gretsch G6114 new jet in amber. They were an unusual and quite rare run done for guitar centre or one of the other American chain music stores. Just a beautiful instrument and LP killer. Impending bankruptcy forced that one to go and I still hope to pick up another one day. 

A Rickenbacker 330 in natural with the most stunning flame top that I let go last year should have stayed put. That was a poor decision. 

fretfinder

This made me think about the dozens of guitars I’ve bought and then sold again, over the last few decades. Are there any that I’d buy back if I saw them for sale again? No, not really, there’s no obvious ’must haves’. There’s a few I’d consider - maybe my old 1995 PRS Standard 22 that was head and shoulders above any other PRS I’ve had. Maybe my old Hamer Artist Custom. Maybe my 1986 LP Custom in black that I bought in 1987 for £450 - heavy bugger though.

But none of the several Murphy-aged and other Historic LPs that I’ve owned would get my attention again, nor the two Terry Morgans, nor the various CS Relic Strats and Teles. Why not? Either they weren’t as good guitars as I expected them to be (the Morgans), or they’ve been replaced with better examples (the Relics, the R9). Or I realised they just weren’t floating my boat and weren’t getting used (the PRS Customs and McCartys, and every 335 I’ve ever owned!).

RandallFlagg

2006 PRS Modern Eagle Blue Jean Fade with solid Brazilian rosewood neck.

2016 Gibson Les Paul Custom R8

both sold and regretted

stimpsonslostson

Fender Blacktop Stratocaster- Sold it because I kept hitting my little finger on the volume knob.

Ibanez Paul Gilbert Fireman- Sold it because I wasn't cool/good enough to have a Paul Gilbert signature guitar. In hindsight it was brilliant and really versatile. It looked AMAZING. The neck and pickups were pretty special too. I still have an eBay/Gumtree alert for one of these.

axisus

I don't really regret moving any on, I haven't actually sold that many guitars, 10 or 12 I guess? 

In a perfect world I'd have hung on to four if I had space for them (I don't!) and I didn't need the money.

Superb Fender Custom shop 5 string Reggie Hamilton bass. Actually I do regret selling that a bit, apart from the fact that it was pristine condition - I hate shiny new stuff. Played like a dream.

Status 5 string headless with LEDs. Superb bass but annoyingly heavy.

PRS 20th anniversary CU22. Superb guitar, once again to shiny and new for my liking.

Patrick Eggle Vienna Pro. My first really good guitar. 

oh yes, I gave one of my sons my Parker Fly deluxe to persuade him to, let's say improve his lifestyle choices about 5 years ago. He did, but he never ever picks up the guitar now. Oh well, I miss the guitar but happily take the result.

munckee

I sold a roadworn tele, I would have one again with different pickups I don't need that specific one. I had a G&L Asat tele tribute which was also very nice.  I recently sold an MIJ 57 reissue from 1986, they are great guitars.

The only two I actually miss are the squier strat I repainted and changed everything on and the partscaster tele I recently sold because I bought all the parts individually, assembled,  wired it from scratch and spent a long time working on.

PonchoGreg

Gibson SG Classic (the one with dots, binding, P90s, gloss nitro). Cracking guitar, great neck, stupid sale.

Fender classic series 50s strat, 2TSB. I totally realise I could easily buy the same again (although prices are now a bit punchy I find) but nevertheless I shouldn't have sold it for a relative pittance in a shop part-ex.

All the others I'm not bothered (although I think I'll reflect similarly on the sale of my Tokai MIJ LP before long, even if it went towards buying an ES 335 that I prefer).

Grumpyrocker

I had an Epiphone Les Paul Standard with a beautiful plain top that I foolishly sold. I'd drunk the Gibson Koolaid. But the truth was that once I'd put a set of Irongear pickups in the Epiphone it was a wonderful guitar. Definitely wish I'd kept that.

Also had a Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 60s limited edition guitar. It was really nice. Fantastic neck, great sounds. And I let it go because I didn't love the finish. Daft really.

skullfunkerry

I've had a few RGs, including a very nice RG550 which I bought from Jaden Rose. I'd buy another one; proof of which is the fact that I'm currently negotiating with a guy on facebook to do a swap for my Squier...

lovestrat74

munckee said:

I sold a roadworn tele, I would have one again with different pickups I don't need that specific one. I had a G&L Asat tele tribute which was also very nice.  I recently sold an MIJ 57 reissue from 1986, they are great guitars.

The only two I actually miss are the squier strat I repainted and changed everything on and the partscaster tele I recently sold because I bought all the parts individually, assembled,  wired it from scratch and spent a long time working on.

Buy the Tele back! Didn't the chap list it on here again?

joetele

Godin LG P90, absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar and I'm an idiot. Lovely neck, lovely Duncan P90s. 

Godin Artisan TC - really nice Tele with a great neck, all it needed was some new pickups. Again, I'm an idiot. 

I won't mind another go on the Jap 62 reissue Fender Strat I sold, but I think I'm at peace with that one due to the neck. 

I wouldn't mind the Squier Strat I had in the early 90s again - cream body, white scratchplate, maple neck - again, might have just needed a bit of TLC and it would have been fine. 

skippy76

I traded a 2014 factory relic'd 63 ES335 in red, happily buy that one back   

merlin

1981 Ibanez Artist. I think it was an AR300 but not sure. It had the three way switches for each humbucker. Glorious old thing......not sure how I'd get on with the neck but I regret selling the mofo. I'd love to try another. 

Musicwolf

PRS SE Custom Semi Hollow (the first one with the Rickenbacker type sound holes).  I ended up buying a second hand one some years latter to replace it then gave it to my son and bought an S2 version.

Parker Dragonfly 624 in Root Beer.  Hated the colour, didn't think much of the piezo pickups and wasn't that keen on the magnetic pickups but it was the most comfortable guitar to wear.  Traded for my PRS Studio 22, so I can't complain.

Washburn KC70V in red.  My first 'proper' guitar.  I never really got on with the Floyd Rose type trem but a great looking guitar.  Sold it when I got my Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro but wish that I'd kept both.

Rickenbacker 400* (not sure whether it was a 1 or a 3).  It was Jetglow and some plank had fitted a precision type pickup between the two Rick's (and changed to a black scratch plate in the process).  Fantastic neck.

lovestrat74

Guitar I did buy again -

Epiphone Century. Single P90, tuned down to D with wound G string. The best home blues-noodle guitar. Don't even have to plug it in