ksdaddy Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Someone asked me how many I have and I decided to count them. I only counted guitars and basses, and did not count basket cases in the junk pile. I didn't count lap steels, pedal steels, the upright bass, the banjos or the mandolins, just guitars and electric basses. I'm at 106. I have a problem. I think. Maybe not. I don't know. 64 of them are Applauses and I'm pretty bored with collecting them. They could all go away at this point and I wouldn't miss them. But they'd all have to go. About a dozen are inexpensive ($100 or less) guitars that I either currently have on consignment at the local music store or are waiting in the wings. I'm not bragging about this but I'm also not quite sure how I got here. I'm tempted to start a "one in, two out" rule and see how that goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Well you have undoubtedly got the finest collection of Ovation Applauses in the world..... Have you really got 64 now? Time for another Applause museum video tour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Compared to that I'm a beginner and guess I will stay one. In particular, I own just one Applause guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Someone asked me how many I have and I decided to count them. I only counted guitars and basses, and did not count basket cases in the junk pile. I didn't count lap steels, pedal steels, the upright bass, the banjos or the mandolins, just guitars and electric basses. I'm at 106. I have a problem. I think. Maybe not. I don't know. 64 of them are Applauses and I'm pretty bored with collecting them. They could all go away at this point and I wouldn't miss them. But they'd all have to go. About a dozen are inexpensive ($100 or less) guitars that I either currently have on consignment at the local music store or are waiting in the wings. I'm not bragging about this but I'm also not quite sure how I got here. I'm tempted to start a "one in, two out" rule and see how that goes. There are music shops with less stock than yours. :huh: Do you have a massive house or live in one room? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sg50 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I share this purely to offer insight into the psychology I like to think that I use to limit the herd -- most importantly, this is a view into why I fail to keep my herd smaller. But you sir have too many, no way around that unless your name is Nigel Tufnel. If we're talking about 6 string guitars, my goal is to have two. I currently have six: four electric, one acoustic, one reso. The plus side is that I don't lust after another guitar... except maybe Pippy's Paul because it's beautiful. But really, I don't want to go out and get another guitar. I've got my tonal wants covered. Mostly. There's a little SRV strat tone I can't get, but I can get close enough and I can accept that. I also would love to have a well-setup beater acoustic that I can "leave out in the rain" but c'mon, that's clearly ridiculous. One electric doesn't count, it's purely sentimental and it never gets played. It might as well be a pocket watch or something... in fact, it'd be first to go... consider it gone. So I have five electrics and two acoustics. For those of you who pay attention and read long posts like this, you will note that I have just made my first of several excuses and given a guitar that I never ever use an excuse to stay on the island. Of the two acoustics, the reso can go. I bought it for slide, and it's fine for that. It's a Republic, and while it sounds good n reso-ey, it's poorly made, and despite being pretty to look at, it's just not fun to play. You can tell it was made by a nine year old Chinese girl when you look at it closely. She's probably a sweetheart, but she lacks the experience to be a good luthier. I allow myself to keep it because it's shiny and I like shiny things. The other acoustic is nice. I love it, it sounds excellent, and I will not part with it. It gets one of my two slots of keeper guitars. I like to think about which of the four electrics I'd sacrifice to get down to just one electric, since the acoustic gets one slot. The sentimental pocket watch doesn't count, so there's one. The Tele (baja) would go I guess. It's great fun to play, and it sounds nice, but its inexpensive construction is tough to ignore. But it's got a sparkle finish, and that's just too much fun, so I can tolerate the little space it takes in its petite gig bag. What's left is a Casino and an SG. The SG is all around a better guitar. So there we have it. One SG, one nice acoustic. Done. But the Casino is a great hanger guitar. I leave it on the wall, pick it up and play for 45 seconds, and put it back. No case, no strap, no worries. Just a quick 1-4-5 to get me through. Or plug it in for longer jams... those P90s sound ****! And I couldn't risk a finer guitar to be sitting exposed on the wall out of its case... so I can afford the little wall space to let the Casino stick around. So that's that. Six guitars and four excuses. But aren't you in Maine? Shouldn't you be burning guitars for survival in the cold dark winter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 sg50, there's also a 'place' aspect that can be useful - I have 3 guitars but one lives at my office for if I want to play at lunch or after I've finished working so only 2 at home. KSD - I'm bookmarking this one in case my wife ever raises an eyebrow at my 'herd' - thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 But aren't you in Maine? Shouldn't you be burning guitars for survival in the cold dark winter? I have a wonderful thermostat. I forgot one so it's 107. As to the Applauses, they can all go straight to Hades and I am considering putting one or two a week on ebay until they're gone....just like I did the 135 transistor radios I used to collect. When I sever my collection of anything, it's complete. Sold all my antique bicycles in 2001 I think. They were all destined to be on display in Cracker Barrel restaurants, so I was told. Our house is fairly large, an oversized 1963 ranch with 100% of the basement used. There's one room down there full of Applauses, all 64 of them, half on the walls, half lined up on the floor. There are guitars hanging hither and yon on hangers and some in cases in a wooden rack at one end of the basement. I think there's 40 or 50 cases on that rack, some with guitars in them, some not. Currently the LYS, an '87 Strat and an '83 Precision Bass are in the living room, my Seresta classical is here in the kitchen with me (as always), the Southern Jumbo, the Telecaster, and the Gibson Victory bass are in a corner of the bedroom. I've got a couch, coffee table, tv all that down cellar and a bunch of them are in stands in that area, one of the J200s on the wall beside a 1900 Oscar Schmidt. I guess I wouldn't care how many I amass but I've got GAS and I haven't been doing any good garage sale flips lately. I want a Jazz Bass because I don't have one, I want an old archtop...an L-5 is on the bucket list but I'd be happy with an old L-48 or L-50 just to quench the fire a little. I could dig an old Jaguar too. With heavy flatwounds. But if any of those things are going to happen I will need to dump a bunch of current guitars. I've seriously considered forcing my own hand, finding a 1947 non cutaway L-5 for $5000, putting it on the plastic, and then peddling Applauses until it's all paid. If the Applauses don't cover it, then others must go. I've used that tactic before. It's scary but it forces me to make marginally painful decisions that ultimately work out for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splake Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Someone asked me how many I have and I decided to count them. I only counted guitars and basses, and did not count basket cases in the junk pile. I didn't count lap steels, pedal steels, the upright bass, the banjos or the mandolins, just guitars and electric basses. I'm at 106. I have a problem. I think. Maybe not. I don't know. 64 of them are Applauses and I'm pretty bored with collecting them. They could all go away at this point and I wouldn't miss them. But they'd all have to go. About a dozen are inexpensive ($100 or less) guitars that I either currently have on consignment at the local music store or are waiting in the wings. I'm not bragging about this but I'm also not quite sure how I got here. I'm tempted to start a "one in, two out" rule and see how that goes. I see no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sg50 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 $5000, putting it on the plastic, and then peddling Applauses until it's all paid All I'm going to say is that you've got more than 60 guitars, presumably occupying several hundred square feet, and you believe that they probably aren't worth $5k. You could exchange all of them for a Segway. You might get some cash on the deal, and you'd also get an entire room back... to drive the segway in... or something else... up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonKramer Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 KSD - I'm bookmarking this one in case my wife ever raises an eyebrow at my 'herd' - thanks in advance. NO KIDDING! Anyone ever looks sideways at my (growing) collection, I'm just going to point them here. Holy OCD, Batman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Nothing wrong with collections, so long as you have the space. If you are concerned you've got too many, I'd do what you mentioned and trade some in for just one which is more desirable and in this case I'd certainly go for an L5 if I were you. I myself am now up to 31 guitars (that's one for every year I've been on the planet!) and also have 5 folk & world instruments, a violin, some harmonicas and a melodica, plus 5 or 6 amplifiers. I'm getting worried by the time I'm 40 or 50 I will have collected way too many myself, but there are so many more I'd like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 As to the Applauses, they can all go straight to Hades and I am considering putting one or two a week on ebay until they're gone.... A change of heart then.... And you have enough to keep selling them for the next year!!! I recently sold one of my guitars; I have 9 left and a bass..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 It's not an addiction!It's a way of life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 The Appluases don't count- that's a COLLECTION in the real sense of the word. Can't say, or won't say either way what you should want to do. That leaves about 40-50. A dozen or so cheapies, so maybe 30? Yea, that's a lot. It's just stuff. How much stuff a guy (or gal) should have, doesn't matter. What matters is how much emphasis you or importance you put on it, what you sacrifice or get in return, blah blah. Me, personally, I often fell nostalgia about stuff I no longer have, and sometimes even mourn wishing I still had it, but overall, if I had all the stuff I wish I had back, I would rather not have to deal with it all as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Thank you! I feel better after reading this~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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