Your forever guitars

RaymondLin

downbytheriver said:

I’ve sold every forever guitar I’ve ever had, and there have been a few! Life overtakes, one does what is necessary. It’s only a tool 

I wish I could be like that, but I don’t see them that way, I see guitars like pieces of art.  I see my cameras as tools however, sold me entire Canon system last year because it was surplus to my Sony. 

That said, my camera value were and always going down whereas my guitars are actually appreciating in value.

Strange world.

stimpsonslostson

I've got two.
https://i.imgur.com/26HrQWZ.jpg
My Born to Run Esquire

And my Faith Mercury Naked acoustic. 
https://i.imgur.com/MHdVR7G.jpg

Neither are the most expensive/desirable guitar I've had, but I've never considered parting with either of them- they just fit. 

HAL9000

Two forever ones here...

A US Std Lite Ash Tele that was a 50th birthday pressie from Mrs9000.

A MIM Std Strat that has been lightly modded, and just sounds and feels so right.

other stuff comes and goes but not these two.

ICBM

Electric - 1984 Aria RS Standard. A replacement for my first electric guitar, which I modded beyond repair in the late 80s/early 90s - it took me the best part of 20 years to find another one, and it's so identical I sometimes forget it isn't the same guitar. I don't want to go through that again!

Acoustic - not my Gibson Dove, which is the best 6-string acoustic I've ever owned, but it's perhaps not the forever one - that's my 1971 Martin D12-35. I've owned it longer than any other guitar or (I think) piece of musical equipment, and it's been used on every serious recording project I've done as a guitarist. It's a pig to tune but it sounds amazing.

Bass - 1973 Rickenbacker 4001. The 4001 fits me like no other bass, and this particular one is the best I've ever played.

Winny_Pooh

Modded ES-330 CS

Jackobean

No such thing as a forever guitar. They're all expendable for me.
 Assemblages of wood and wire don't warrant emotional attachment.

Stuckfast

There are a couple that I wouldn't let go for sentimental reasons, including one I never play. My mother had it made for her when she lived in Spain in the early 60s so it's a bit of a family keepsake.

Other than that, I dunno. I suppose I'm always going to want a Strat and a Tele around. The ones I have now suit me, and I don't lust after other ones, but if someone offered me a bizarrely huge amount of money for them I wouldn't feel bad about letting them go.

artiebear

I have a lot of guitars I have owned and used for a long time, my philosophy being, if you find a good one keep it (they all get used across the various jobs I pick up ), but if there was one that would be painful to let go it would be my Martin D28. I have had it for somewhere around 30 years. It's been on approx 400 gigs and has survived the baggage handlers of the world. It has also been a writing inspiration and paid for itself many times over. It's well dinged up and scratched top and back, has needed a bridge plate reinforcement and really needs a refret sometime soon. I don't play it so much day to day but it is like sharing a few whiskeys with and old friend when I do.

<a href="https://imgur.com/nviBgQm"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nviBgQm.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

mudslide73

I've never sold a guitar. This would be the last to go if I did - my 95 Standard. I've stopped gigging it and it stayed in its case for about 15 months until a few weeks ago. Seeing the photo again has made it first play tonight when I get in  

guitars4you

Had my Yamaha SG2000 the longest at 42 years

My PRS Hollowbody at least 15 years, maybe longer

Everything else has come/gone or had less than 5 years

Universal8

My forever guitar is coming in 2 weeks, a Martin D28. Wanted one for years but haven’t been able to justify the purchase. Just been made redundant after 16 years ( company relocated to Holland). Treating myself with the payout.

skullfunkerry

I'm not sure that I've got a forever guitar: I've sold loads including:

• My first ever guitar
• The LTD EC1000 that I won from Guitarist magazine
• The custom shop Jackson Kelly I bought in memory of my girlfriend

Of the guitars I have now my Performance has the most history, but the one that I play most at the moment (and which is worth the least, so is probably the one I'd keep if it came to it) is my SL3X Soloist:

guitargeek62

Almost all of my current ones are (intended to be) forever guitars:

• Yamaha F310 - budget, average, worthless guitar, but it was my first one and I've put more blood sweat and tears into this than any other I've owned, and I still enjoy playing it seventeen years after getting it.
• '87 PRS Custom 24, a birth-year model in players/non-collectors condition from my favourite brand that I snagged for an amazing price. This is one of those guitars I never expected to own, but now that I do I don't intend to ever part with as it suits my playing style perfectly.
• Chibson DG-335/Trini Lopez tribute - a) it's illegal to sell on in current form, as it's got a G logo, and b) it was a fun experiment and I genuinely love playing it. I've had it for ~6 years now and haven't ever had second thoughts (except for the logo, but I can fix that).
• Squier Bullet Mustang - bargain basement guitar that's not ever worth selling. I love mustangs, particularly comp. stripe ones, and this was bought as a project guitar to try out various modifications and repair techniques on more than as a regular guitar to play. I'll likely use it as a loaner guitar to friends & family though as and when asked.

The only one that's remotely questionable (long-term) is my Eastman E10SS. I bought it earlier this year with an allowance from my first ever annual bonus (I'd been a contractor for a long time), and as such it's automatically got some sentimental value. On top of that, it's a fantastic instrument, so I don't really see a need to replace it. J-types are my preferred acoustics, and short of "upgrading" to an Atkins or an early 30s/40s one I don't think there's much room for improvement. 

Still, I have a bad history of gear churn, so I'll probably look back and laugh at how ridiculous this was in a year or three.   

richardhomer

Martin D28 - it’s a ‘91 - I bought it NOS in ‘93. That’s the longest I’ve owned a guitar - though lots have come and gone over the years....

Stevepage

randella said:

Stevepage said:

My 68 reissue Strat. Had it 20 years now and won't ever get rid of it, it would be like cutting a limb off if I were to get rid of it.

@Stevepage - is that a Japanese guitar by any chance?

Yeah one from the Crafted in Japan era. Made in the Tokai factory

enjo

Keepers:
Partscaster Strat
https://i.imgur.com/z5GLMwy.jpg

Partscaster Tele
https://i.imgur.com/OCYSeo9.jpg

Ibanez AWD-72 (Pictured with eldest son)
https://i.imgur.com/iZIRRqB.jpg

Squier VM Jazz (Pictured with youngest son)
https://i.imgur.com/6SsrDIF.jpg

I also have:
Eastman E1-OM
I know from previous experience that I would be too precious over anything more valuable to enjoy it like I should - the only guitar that I've played that had an appreciable improvement in timbre to me was a £3k Martin - my playing is much more of a drawback than the guitar so it will probably stay.
https://i.imgur.com/kvbGIav.jpg

Fender CP-60s
Garage guitar for woodworking blues/campfire/travel guitar. I'd probably rather a GS mini but then I wouldn't want to keep that in the garage so it will also probably stay.
https://i.imgur.com/w8rTMdc.jpg

I've always loved the look and sound of Les Paul's but never found them comfy. Maybe I'll get one eventually but I'm pretty happy with what I have tbh. Plus I have them all hanging so I can grab them and play at a whim, my wife would insist on a bigger house if another guitar was going to be hung up somewhere which would make it pretty expensive.

JerkMoans

Jackobean said:

No such thing as a forever guitar. They're all expendable for me.
 Assemblages of wood and wire don't warrant emotional attachment.

Now that's just crazy talk  

Pete.R

I've had more than 50 guitars during the last years,

the current herd is 10 - and I don't hink I'll sell any of them in the near furure

https://i.imgur.com/J8HQrKO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jguqP9l.jpg

6x FGN

https://i.imgur.com/hhqSkuB.jpg

2x Epi

https://i.imgur.com/TnvtYOh.jpg

1x Squier

https://i.imgur.com/4PZnlqX.jpg

1xKala Uke

munckee

@enjo that telecaster looks like a great piece of wood.  I'm not into strats with humbuckers but a lovely looking guitar.

enjo

munckee said:

@enjo that telecaster looks like a great piece of wood.  I'm not into strats with humbuckers but a lovely looking guitar.

Thanks @munckee, the tele is actually a really nice bookmatched two piece swamp ash made by Jamesguitarparts. I added comfort cuts and finished it with wood dye and tru-oil.