I'm not sure what's come over me.

Bucket · August 2017

I think it's because I'm pissed off at just having had to rearrange my entire room in order to fit in a second guitar rack, but I'm starting to wonder what the point is in me having so many guitars. As a lifelong gear hoarder who lives by the mantra "he who dies with the most guitars wins", this is troubling me.

This isn't the first time I've thought of it though. I currently have:

Blackmachine B6
MJT Strat
Ibanez RG550XH (30 frets)
Gibson Flying V (with Firebird pickups)
Raygun Relics LP Junior
Squier Jazzmaster
Tokai PR100
Taylor 114ce acoustic
Ibanez SR1205 bass

Currently I also have my dad's old MIJ Tele here, it's been on a sort of long-term loan to me since March.

So I actually have eight electrics here. Of those, the only two that get played with any regularity are the Blackmachine and the Strat. I do play the Tele on occasion, and I love Teles, but this one isn't my favourite. Other than that, the Flying V gets the next most use - every time I plug it in, I marvel at the sound and the playability. It's like an old glove.

The Junior and the 30-fret Ibanez are both great fun, for very different reasons, and neither were expensive, but I keep feeling like I don't use them enough any more to justify them staying, I just don't find them particularly useful. The Tokai is harder - it was my main guitar for a long time, it plays like a dream and I played all but one of my recently broken-up band's gigs with it, but since getting the Blackmachine I've only plugged it in once or twice. I loved it, but I don't know if it should stay... and the Jazzmaster is even harder, because that was my 18th birthday present from my parents and I feel as though they'd be offended if I were to get rid of it. But I've always found it a hard guitar to get the best from, and it sits gathering dust.

On top of all of this, I need the money for other gear purchases - I need to buy a Kemper, and there are other things I want as well - a new bass, my own Tele, and a lovely old Gibson that my dad sold to a mate a few years ago, which I've enquired about. Plus many more. All told, I feel like I've been kidding myself somewhat by saying I really need all these guitars, and I really do think it might be time to thin the herd.

I don't really know what the point is in posting this, but I guess I'd appreciate some of your perspectives on this situation.

TTBZ · August 2017

I don't think there's any point keeping stuff you don't use or need - better off to sell it and get something useful. I only have a bit of sellers remorse with one guitar (Pearl MIJ LP), even then I quickly get over it by remembering all the things I didn't like about it that made me sell in the first place.

JDE · August 2017

Some things are "you" and some aren't. My wife couldn't understand when I sold a bunch of stuff lately, things that I have said were "the best xxxx I've ever owned." I touched on this in a recent FS thread I had, just because something is really great, it doesn't mean you need to keep it. Die Hard is not "the best film ever" but it's still my favourite, if that makes any sense.
Keep your "top 3" from what you have, sell the rest. Buy other stuff you like. There is zero point to owning an unused guitar, imho.

Winny_Pooh · August 2017

I'll take the junior

Bucket · August 2017

Winny_Pooh said:

I'll take the junior

If the Junior goes, @McToot has first dibs.

BloodEagle · August 2017

Keep the Blackmachine, the strat and the Gibson V - jettison the rest

mikeyrob73 · August 2017

I can look after the Raygun for you till you miss it ;-)

dindude · August 2017

Bucket said:

Winny_Pooh said:

I'll take the junior

If the Junior goes, @McToot has first dibs.

Can I have 4th dibs or whatever dibs we are up to. Anyway that @mctoot fella already has a Raygun Jr the greedy get!

ICBM · August 2017

Keep the Blackmachine and the Jazzmaster - the best, and the one you feel most comfortable with... and the one that's the hardest work (as well as being a present) - which will make you play very differently. Possibly consider upgrading or simplifying this one to make it more useful.

Maybe keep the V, it's relatively unique.

Keep the acoustic.

Keep the bass until you replace it.

Everything else can go and can be replaced if you later really miss it.

Jack_ · August 2017

Sell them all and join a monastery.

Freebird · August 2017

You make me feel totally inadequate!

fandango · August 2017

ICBM said:

Keep the Blackmachine and the Jazzmaster - the best, and the one you feel most comfortable with... and the one that's the hardest work (as well as being a present) - which will make you play very differently. Possibly consider upgrading or simplifying this one to make it more useful.

Maybe keep the V, it's relatively unique.

Keep the acoustic.

Keep the bass until you replace it.

Everything else can go and can be replaced if you later really miss it.

I was going to say you should talk to your folks about the Jazzmaster/18th Birthday prezzie. They might appreciate being involved in your decision making.

But I echo ICBM's thoughts above, as a guitar that challenges you might help you become a better guitarist. It's easy to pick up the "go to" guitar and crank out the same old tunes, but the Jazzmaster is crying out for mastering.

For reference I have two (well three) very different guitars. Not for me is a rack of similar guitars. I got rid of my first guitar (an SG) a few months ago and no regrets. It can be done. Just make sure your expectations are realistic when setting prices.

Bucket · August 2017

ICBM said:

Keep the Blackmachine and the Jazzmaster - the best, and the one you feel most comfortable with... and the one that's the hardest work (as well as being a present) - which will make you play very differently. Possibly consider upgrading or simplifying this one to make it more useful.

Maybe keep the V, it's relatively unique.

Keep the acoustic.

Keep the bass until you replace it.

Everything else can go and can be replaced if you later really miss it.

The Blackmachine is actually harder work than the Strat - it would be easy to set it up with a very low action and 9s, but I consciously chose 10s and a higher action than I'm used to, in the hope it'll toughen me up.

There's no way the Strat would be going.

And @fandango - there's no way I'd do anything with the JM without consulting my parents first.

HarrySeven · August 2017

TTBZ said:

I only have a bit of sellers remorse with one guitar (Pearl MIJ LP), even then I quickly get over it by remembering all the things I didn't like about it that made me sell in the first place.

Well, if you ever want to visit it, just drop me a line!

ICBM · August 2017

Bucket said:

The Blackmachine is actually harder work than the Strat - it would be easy to set it up with a very low action and 9s, but I consciously chose 10s and a higher action than I'm used to, in the hope it'll toughen me up.

There's no way the Strat would be going.

OK… then keep the Blackmachine, the Strat and the Jazzmaster, and sell the V. That's still humbucker/single coil/birthday present, which is probably all/more than you need.

Once you start rationalising the others it's a slippery slope to keeping them all.

I've just had that sort of clear-out too, and I don't really miss the ones that have gone now, even though I struggled with selling some of them at the time.

timmysoft · August 2017

I got brutal on my collection a few years back, i had 5 strats, 2 teles, an SG, a Gordon Smith GS1, Blade Texas, Ibanez Artist, ESP Viper, 3 Marshall DSL100's, a JCM900 DR, Genz Benz El Diablo, Crate BV60 and a heap of Marshall cabs. I got rid of the lot and bought a PRS and a Cornford RK100. Since then i've struggled to own more than 1 guitar, there have been points where i've had two but the one getting the action has always stayed.

I now have only 1 guitar, i use three pedals and i have 1 amp (well technically i have three, but two are for sale!). I found that getting rid of the excess has made me a better player, a more constructive and efficient writer and i'm having a lot more fun playing rather than looking at gear!

Bucket · August 2017

ICBM said:

Bucket said:

The Blackmachine is actually harder work than the Strat - it would be easy to set it up with a very low action and 9s, but I consciously chose 10s and a higher action than I'm used to, in the hope it'll toughen me up.

There's no way the Strat would be going.

OK… then keep the Blackmachine, the Strat and the Jazzmaster, and sell the V. That's still humbucker/single coil/birthday present, which is probably all/more than you need.

Once you start rationalising the others it's a slippery slope to keeping them all.

I've just had that sort of clear-out too, and I don't really miss the ones that have gone now, even though I struggled with selling some of them at the time.

I could never sell the V.

The three that I am definitely keeping, which will not change, are the BM, the Strat and the V.

guitarfishbay · August 2017

I hit the same conclusion a few years ago.

I think cutting back makes a lot of sense, if you have the viewpoint that anything non rare can essentially be replaced almost like for like at a later time. You might even get a better example next time

stickyfiddle · August 2017

As said, there's nothing at all wrong with realising you have a handful of proper keepers, and some that aren't so important. I've sold loads of stuff as my own tastes and needs change, which is what you're finding here.

I'd keep the BM, Strat and V, and put the JM in a cupboard. Obviously keep a bass and an acoustic, and sell the rest. You'll probably come back to the JM at some point. They're not easy guitars to play, but it's really good to have something that pushes you in a different direction from your main instrument(s), particularly for recording.

Kebabkid · August 2017

dindude said:

Bucket said:

Winny_Pooh said:

I'll take the junior

If the Junior goes, @McToot has first dibs.

Can I have 4th dibs or whatever dibs we are up to. Anyway that @mctoot fella already has a Raygun Jr the greedy get!

Dibs for me, too, on the Jr, wherever down the line that may be

Chalky · August 2017

What's wrong with walking into a room and having lots of guitars to choose from? You make it sound like a bad thing!

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