The argument for keeping just one guitar

[EuroAussie]

I saw last night a well know local British musician who regularly plays in town and around the country and is basically 100% professional in that his entire living is sourced from gigging and a few record sales. He's played before in London for many years and moved to Prague 10 years ago.

 

I enjoy watching him play solo as its a great learning experience in how to maximise (with taste) the full spectrum of the guitar in terms of using shuffles, keeping a strong groove with ghost strums (guitar taps) and effective but subtle use of effects.

 

But I also noticed how connected he is to his guitar, which happens be a rosewood Jumbo Lowden that he's had forever. This guitar has a fantastic, deep, rich but very dry tone which sits well with his dry vocals. I can see the man and this Lowden are connected at the hip and have grown together and written great songs, in many ways the gutar and its particular tone defined his overal 'sound' which is quite distinct.

 

So it made me think about the virtues and benefits of owning and playing just one guitar, but getting to know it so well and intimately that it becomes an extension of you and defines you own sound.

 

Now, Im not about to go and sell the whole herd as the 'tonal variety' is an argumetn that is hard to beat, and one which I do subscribe to. However it also makes me think how would it be if I just had one acoustic like my fave in stable (AL Southern Jumbo) and grow with it.

 

I'm not going to go down that path but I am seriously thinking of thinning the heard, and selling a couple which I play rarely like the 69'er and 00-15 and focus more on the 'core'.

 

Anyway, Im noodling a bit here, but the point here is that for those that have one or two guitars, dont be envious, as you may well get more long term benefit than those that have multiple guitars.

 

Your thoughts .. ?

[MorrisrownSal]

I have been heading in that direction, albeit in a "two steps forward one step back" kind-of way. I used to own about 12 guitars. I now own four: My SJ, a D15, an inexpensive resonator (which is great) and a Mex-Tele. I can see me giving away the resonator at some point, and maybe trading the Fender MexiTele for a Classivibe tele, but the D15 will never ever leave, and I doubt that the SJTV will either.

 

Simplicity is nice, as is focusing more on playing than possessing. However thou shall always have two acoustics. Always. What if I come over? I dont want to drag my crap. Jeeez.

[Del Nilppeznaf]

I think any musician but especially acoustic instrument players tend to bond with their instrument of choice.

 

So 1 guitar is natural for me... it's nice to have a few..like you know.. a travel guitar..and maybe a totally differnt model for different styles, but it seems to me most pro acoustic guitarists..and esp singer/guitarist work with only one instrument.

 

My J35 is all i have been playing since purchase...I don't really need another..except for on the road...beach...camp fire shenanigans . :) I wonder how many of you with like 4 acoustic guitars plus get to even play each of them much ? Being a bit of a collector is a different matter of course.

 

Still..i would like about another 10 nice acoustics ;)

[BlackWater]

Sheesh! You guys are talking about something that's been on my mind for months now,I've accumulated,played then subsequently sold,a lot of guitars,over the last few years,-now I'm up to 11 -both electric and acoustic,I'm aiming to cull the herd,in the next month or so,and leave me with maybe three acoustics,I'm sick of lugging around so much gear,plus the guitars,(it's an age thing) some people get by,like the aforementioned player in the title post,with one guitar.....

[blindboygrunt]

I have to agree with EA's sentiment. I'm financially forced into having one Gibson. I also lucky enough this time to not have to sell my lowdeny thing in order to purchase it. But quite honestly the Gibson has 100% of my playing done on it. The other one is great if someone calls round and I also am very fond of it .

I've had years of having to have nothing except my takamine , or a martin d1 . every single time I look at the Gibson I think how just fabtastic it is to have one.

I've also had one in the past , a martin d28 both had to be sold for basically rent money.

I do absolutely drool over hummingbirds and j200's not to mention other brands . and maybe if I got a big lottery win then I'd have a few. But I'll admit that the only reason for having more than one is 99% self indulgence. Before I get told off , every one needs some self indulgence in one form or another , and none of us are aspiring to be Trappist monks so that's a fine reason.

But , one / maybe two is all anyone needs .

 

Good topic Aussie

[jedzep]

Comforting words, EA, as I compose my Ebay ad to sell the D18. I can only hope that the vibe and sound of the L00 will further morph with me and 'define' my voice and style. I'll be looking for a second acoustic down the line, but for now I'll have to quiet the G.A.S. Your point will help me keep the whining to a minimum.

[flatbaroque]

Yea good post EA. A pepto- bismol post....anti-gas!

Only Tom Waits has used that in a song 'the sky turned the color of pepto-bismol'....

But seriously it makes a lot of sense.

[ParlourMan]

I wonder how many of you with like 4 acoustic guitars plus get to even play each of them much ?

 

In my case, not as much as I would like. I've always got 1 out, but they rotate, however, the two most common being the J-45 & J-50, the gigging guitars. The SJ-200TV gets an outing, but I'm not really gigging it, not because it's fancy or pricey, but due to the K&K needing adjustements between using the LRBaggs element in the others, I prefer to avoid having the change all the levels to suit me changing guitar. The wee Keb Mo model is very cool, my singer uses it on occasion and I mess about with it at home, but if I were to be brutally honest, it's the most expendable of the guitars I still own.

 

.. had to be sold for basically rent money.

 

Been there matey, I sold an early 60's LP that was bought for me, sold it in 99/2000 because I needed a new PC, rent, living money that I wouldn't go asking my parents for. However, what I bought with it helped me get to the position where I needed to be, which in turn is why I'm here today doing my job.

 

I do absolutely drool over hummingbirds and j200's not to mention other brands .

Good topic Aussie

 

I have the cash sitting in my 'fun money' pot that could buy me a JB or a Lowden yet have thus far resisted for the very reasons mentioned in this thread. In a n idel world I'd have 2-3 guitars in total. Just haven't got the urge to offload another few to get there, I might not use them all that often at the minute, but they're all very nice guitars.

 

Dare I say, I'm GAS free and if anything it would be something headed out the door.

[Mojorule]

This is an interesting post, EA. I'm financially in a place where I can't afford more than one high end guitar, and happen to have a second because a kind relative gave it to me. I do also own a 'herd' of cheapies, but they have either developed playability issues, ended up in storage due to our nomadic life, or have developed playability issues while in storage. So within easy reach I currently have the Woody, my Gibson Howard Roberts electric and my old Washburn/Lyon beater. Because both of my amps are currently out of action/in storage, I don't play the electric much at the moment, and I only really pick up the beater in situations where I would fear for the Woody. So I am essentially operating as a one-guitar player.

 

I like things this way with a good acoustic, as it does mean that the guitar gets a better chance to open up than it would if played in alternation with other guitars. Probably more importantly for me, though, I like the fact that I get to know the guitar better, have more chance to figure out its strengths, weaknesses, limits and tonal variance in different conditions. I also have pretty well always had one guitar which got played to the exclusion of all others, so it's kind of how I do things. Originally it was my old classical, then for a while my first electric, then my Epiphone Casino, then my old classical again. In Hungary, I alternated between the Howard and the beater until I got the Woody, but it was usually one or the other which got the majority of play in any one season. There is a definite comfort in always returning to the same instrument and slowly putting some wear on it. It remains an essential, cherished object, but increasingly as a tool with a musical purpose, and less and less as a fetish item with monetary value. The music becomes more of a focus than the pretty guitar, and ultimately, I think that that is a good thing.

 

My old classical really got worn out through being played. It doesn't have holes in the soundboard like Willie Nelson's Trigger, but it has a lot of dents, slivers of soundboard wood missing and worn paint on the fingerboard. It only became unplayable when one of the machine heads fell off and I couldn't be bothered to replace it. After a while it stopped mattering if the guitar got knocked or fell over. I don't expect that I'll ever quite reach that stage with a Gibson Southern Jumbo, but I would like eventually to graduate to a point with the Woody where it is like an extra limb, and where I don't really worry about it. I don't want to get there by putting dents on the guitar early on. Rather the way to get to that stage is to play it a lot, probably to the exclusion of other instruments (though the Woody will never make the Howard redundant).

 

I don't think you should thin your herd out, though. I'm ultimately not envious of those of you who have more nice instruments, but I certainly do experience bouts of GAS, and if I had the means and space, I might be more inclined to put together a small collection like yours. If you keep them all nicely humidified and safe, you can afford not to sell any, but to put the Aaron to the fore for a while.

[BluesKing777]

Boo!!!!!

 

 

 

I have been having such fun the last few days, and I look around, come back from lunch and there are not one but, YES, TWO TURDS in the pool!

 

 

 

Kidding, a bit.

 

 

 

I played one guitar most of my life, for a while I needed a spare while in bands, and then when I started concentrating on Acoustic Guitar, I just played my 76 Metal Dobro for many years.

 

A touch of madness ensued when I had some more guitar lessons and the teacher had a lovely row of all kinds of guitar on a long rack.......

 

Madness settled for a bit, but flared a few years ago when I gave up smoking, into full blown acquisition!

 

 

 

Could I survive on one guitar?

 

 

Of course!

 

Do I want to?

 

Not really.

 

All the different guitars have been an experiment and a search to find the best guitar for fingerpicking, mainly acoustic blues and vocal accompaniment. I have learned a number of things - the most important being that I like 1 3/4" nuts or larger for my fingerpicking. These are very hard to come by in this country, as are any kind of vintage guitar that is not a dread.

 

 

Next step?

 

I have moved 3 guitars on recently. In Monopoly Game terms, the next step would be to gradually trade up my little houses for hotels!

 

 

 

I work contract/hourly rate - no holidays/sick days - I work at home and the whole house of cards could fall tomorrow and then I move towards my guitarist destiny of living in a trailer/van with one broken guitar, I suppose.

 

Meanwhile enjoy it while we can!

 

 

 

 

BluesKIng777.

[littlejohnny]

I think its not so much the matter of how many you have, but to focus on one for a certain time. I had to think of Jeff tweedy of Wilco who certainly owns a dozen guitars, but you see him with just one or two certain acoustics through a certain time period in his career.

Owning just on will make focussing definitely easier.

 

I only have one gibson acoustic and thats basically fine for me. But EA, let me know if you want to get rid of your Hummingbird TV.

[jedzep]

Of course, when a song comes barreling into your head and you grab your ONE guitar and notice the bridge is lifting...you're F'd.

[vacamartin]

Of course, when a song comes barreling into your head and you grab your ONE guitar and notice the bridge is lifting...you're F'd.

 

 

 

 

 

LOL........+1

[zombywoof]

Congratulations. You have entered the Guitar Zone where logic does not apply.

 

For me what defies logic is not that I own what I do but if I put several of them on the chopping block that elusive late 1930s J-35 that continues to haunt me could be mine.

[BigKahune]

.

Bah . . . . just more: one guitar/desert island talk and speculation.

 

The opposite sex and guitars - say no to monogamy - the more the merrier. . B)

 

 

.

[blindboygrunt]

.

Bah . . . . more one guitar/desert island talk.

 

The opposite sex and guitars - say no to monogamy - the more the merrier. . B)

 

 

.

 

HA ! We all know your type !!

[ParlourMan]

.

Bah . . . . just more: one guitar/desert island talk and speculation.

 

The opposite sex and guitars - say no to monogamy - the more the merrier. . B)

 

 

.

 

Ooooo'er big man... what ye wearing?

[bram99]

I have had these thoughts too and at one level really want to be a one guitar guy..fully focused on the idiosyncrasies of just that guitar. I currently have 8 guitars, but my LG-2 gets 90% of my playing time and that is the first guitar that could fill that role for me. But ....it will never be the strummer that my J-45TV is, so I have to have 2....oh and...my wife bought me the D-28, so I can't sell that one so I have to have 3.....I also hand built a cedar top classical and a spruce top flamenco...can't get rid of those so I can get down to 5. But I am not quite ready to quit electrics cause I have a Marshall 1987x-pw (the white with mod target, limited to 50 Paul Weller amp) that I am not ready to part with...so either my Les Paul or my ES-330VOS has to stay.....6. But I have already put money down on another (NGD coming soon)...7. But I already have eight so I guess that would make....9.

 

Save yourselves....I am a lost cause.

[E-minor7]

Naaaarhhh, , , see the point though - A man and his horse.

Been there done that. Had the D-35 plus a bonfire-guitar and a stage-thing for 15 years.

Yes, got very close to that 35, but though versatile it had limitations.

 

To collect a herd is not only good fun - it's continuous inspiration.

You find out when you have a handful that

one is none.

2 is quite another story - you really know the Gibson when playing the Martin and vice versa.

3 will be very interesting (a ménage à trois is always something special).

4 a fest.

5 is a bit high

more than 6 is best. . . .

 

But, , , , still there will be one or 2 that stand out as favorites. And being able to set them on stand by for different side-rides only makes the joy of reunion hotter.

[blindboygrunt]

I can see the attraction of a collection of guitars. Who couldn't ? We all love the sound of acoustics more than anything . but all the talk about 'this ones good for fingerpicking' and ' this other one here is good for strumming' .... That's a collectors point of view. Now there's a grey area here , and this is not a you're all wrong argument...but the guitar you play IDENTIFIES your sound as a musician. Damien rice with his lowden , Richard Thompson with his - he doesn't seem to have any trouble picking or strumming ? James Taylor with his Gibson then the Olson...Neil young perhaps the most famous example - martins for how long now ?

If you get a thrill from having a collection of desirable guitars then that's great , theres a massive attraction there that no one can deny..but admit it. Say that's the reason for the collection. ... You don't need 15 guitars . you just dont

[ParlourMan]

You don't need 15 guitars . you just dont

 

Absolutely.... it wont stop folk finding ludicrous excuses to have them though... I find a simple "I prefer a variety of looks and feels" comes over better than the "this is my strummer and this is my blues box and this is my travis picking one and over there is my theory one, there is my jazz one and this is my skiffle one and....." and so on....

 

Enablers are enablers, be it people or fanciful excuses... If you can't do it all on one guitar, you probably can't do it all on 15... I'll get crucified for it, but it's true.

[michaeljohnr]

I dropped down to a single J45, but when you want to do open tunings and standard in the same night it's kind of a pain to keep retuning.

 

That's a possible drawback to owning one only.

[blindboygrunt]

I dropped down to a single J45, but when you want to do open tunings and standard in the same night it's kind of a pain to keep retuning.

 

That's a possible drawback to owning one only.

 

That's a good point.. As is the 'get a tune and your bridge is lifting'

[ParlourMan]

but when you want to do open tunings and standard in the same night it's kind of a pain to keep retuning.

 

That's a possible drawback to owning one only.

 

The most justifiable reason I have for owing a few.

[Jayyj]

If you can't do it all on one guitar, you probably can't do it all on 15... I'll get crucified for it, but it's true.

 

Actually I'd say that pretty much nails it, at least for acoustics. It's nice to have a collection, but you don't need a dozen acoustics to cover your bases tonally.

 

If you think about it, it's rare to see a classical player change instruments mid concert, unless it's something like flute to piccolo, or a baroque instrument for a particular period piece.