How do you guys afford all these guitars?

[1982CARLPEMGS]

I scour pawnshops, eBay, second hand gear sources/stores, etc. and pickup whatever I can find that's undervalued then either resell it for a more accurate value or part it out if it's a beater that has valuable parts for at least twice what I paid for it. It's hit or miss. I don't make a lot off of it, but that little bit of action has pretty much paid for most all of my guitars in the last 7 years...with the exception of my 1982 Gibson LP Custom Color w/EMGS...which my Employer Annual Bonus paid for...can't wait until next years...cause I'll be hunting down a 1977-1979 LP w/Maple Fretboard!

 

When you find "under the bed kept"/"closet classic" guitars in pawn shops or gear stores...1986 Non Serial Numberd Kramer Stagemaster in Dayglo Pink w/OHSC for $199.99 (sold for $650.00 during hard times or I would have kept it forever...they're $1000-1200.00 now!), another closet classic 1989 Kramer Pacer Custom Sustainer Flip/Flop White w/OHSC and Case Candy for $550.00, Gibson Flying V for $349.99, 1987 Ibanez RG550 Desert Yellow Maple Board for $175.00 w/OHSC, 1987 Ibanez RG550 Black for $199.99 w/OHSC...you get the point.

 

Finally...I second the "stay in college" comment...or at least find a trade, become a contractor, flip properties...something that makes you some disposable income...although I have a couple of 2 kids 13 &10 , a house payment, a car payment and I'm single...and be selective in your purchases.

[Archer993]

Worked 60 hrs a week for many years. Don't gamble or smoke. I do buy expensive beer ;-) No kids - that's the BIG one.

I pay cash for everything - that's another BIG one.

[Stewie]

Worked hard, both my wife and I went to college and got great jobs with benefits and fat pensions.

Any spare money I invested in retirement funds, paid my house off early and didn't borrow on the equity. Bought Chevs instead of Buicks or Cadillacs. Bought muscle cars when they were cheap. (had a feeling they would go through the roof).

And Retired early.

Now I have tons of money, lots of time great health and I can do what I want in the guitar area. I still find it hard to spend large sums on guitars but I am slowly filling out my collection.

[AS90]

No kids' date=' steady job, supportive girlfriend...

That, and I haven't had a decent meal in years :)

 

As with most others, my collection represents years of trading up.[/quote']

 

Trading up, thats the secret. I buy any great deals I see, if I see an old E series Squier going for a song I'll pick it up, give it a going over, take some nice pics and sell it on for a decent profit. I can buy a couple of old Squiers and maybe a Standard Fender from the US and make enough profit in the UK to buy an SG or a LP Studio. At the moment I have three Fenders, a G400 and maybe an old 70s SG to put towards a new SG VOS.

[ALIEN8]

I buy Chinese fakes!!:)

 

(I'm kidding btw)...

 

I am always willing to go into debt when I find a guitar I like. I have now started piling money away for my next purchase, so I can get ahead next time... hopefully the pile is big enough by the time I find what's next!!

 

I've cured my GAS for the most part, like my smoking addiction, it's all about choice...

[RIPRIDER]

Ian,

You've got a good start...I have all kinds of cool stuff...A large gun collection, I go hunting with Ted Nugent, I have and ride Harleys, I have a Race Car...Lots of property...lots of material things, you just aquire over the years...I work Hard and Play Hard...it keeps ya young..Be Patient and Smart...it'll come to ya..

[gearbasher]

Between the commute and work, I waste 60 hrs. a week. I work 4-midnight w/tues-wed off, so no night life for me. I'm more addicted to bicycling than guitar playing (6 bikes and 13 guitars..that don't make sense) and I spend about 20 hrs. a week on the bike. Figure 18hrs. a week for eating and showering. The rest of my waking hrs. (about 14) for working on the house, shopping for food, cutting grass, etc. I don't have time to spend my money on anything else. Also, I drive a 60 Volvo and only about 1000 miles a year. Good public trans. here. I live in sneakers, t-shirts and jeans. No wife, no kids, can't even remember what my last girlfriend looked like. So, there you have it.

[NeoConMan]

I've been buying and selling guitars for the last few years. I operate on the buy low' date=' sell high, principle.

My personal collection of guitars have value and were paid for with profits made from my hobby. [/quote']

 

Good job!

 

I've yet to turn a profit on a guitar sale.

I figure breaking even is good enough.

 

Just got remarried two years ago, no kids at home anymore.

Bought a new house cuz we got a smokin' deal (market is WAY down!) and doing some other stuff monetarily.

I've slowed down on the guitars a little - only bought two so far this year, sold three last year.

 

When I can free up a little more money I'll start buying guitars (and guns) again.

Just started a side business as a gun dealer, any profit from that will go back into my gun collection.....

 

:-)

 

Without the Second Amendment, all the others are worthless.

[OKlunchbox]

I'm 24 with one LP and I really want to start adding to the collection as well. I've just in the past month started commuting to work via bicycle (court made that decision for me but, whatever). Sure it kind of blows right now waking up at 4:30 to ride 8mi and be at work by 6 then working for 10hrs and biking another 8mi home, but I'm saving buckets of money doing so. Without a car payment and gas to buy I'm saving about $400/month (and that's a pretty conservative estimate considering gas prices). Not to mention I'm not blowing my cash on random stuff. It's amazing how much I don't spend when I have to make a physical effort to do it. Riding to target to buy that new movie or video game just doesn't really seem worth it. I figure I'll be able to afford my the Custom I've been GASing for here in a few months, and at that point everything will have been worth it.

[Loud N Proud]

I got really lucky and had a very good friend who worked at a music store. He would call me when people would bring in trades to see if I wanted them and I would get them at what ever value the store would buy them at. Sometimes we would walk through the store's warehouse and dig out cases that were covered in layers of dust just to see what was there. I got some amazing guitars this way too. Since they had been sitting there for years (one for almost 10 years) the owner of the store was willing to let them go for pennies.

 

I went from 1 guitar to 15 in about 2 years and spent less then most people did on a single guitar. I thank my lucky stars every day for that opportunity. Unfortunately I moved and have not been able to get any sweet deals like that since. In fact I just bought my first new guitar in about 3 years last week.

[dutchie49]

just workin and savin man!!! and it is totally worth the wait

[FennRx]

1) Priorities.

 

I dont like spending lots of dough on anything but guitars. I refuse to spend 50 bucks on a pair of jeans or more than 70 bucks on a pair of sneakers.

 

2) Haggling

 

I understand that GC will not be doing this in the furture. But other places still will. And it's really bad not to, especially since I have to pay 7% sales tax. Internet ordering is attractive because I can dodge the tax all together AND haggle a bit...and yes, MF will haggle.

 

I will be the first to admit, i dont always haggle. But if you're buying a LP, argue with them. Make the sales guy eat his commission, who cares? If I had paid sticker for my new R8, it would have cost me 3316.99. Haggling saved me several hundred dollars. Don't be afraid to walk away. If they want the sale, they'll come after you.

 

3) Buy used.

 

Assuming you know what you're doing, the used market is great. Now don't go to GC to buy a used LP. I saw the other day they had a 2007 LP Std and wanted 2200 clams! But craigslist, gbase and eBay are good places to look, but you have to be patient. But I have seen mint LP Std Faded's go on ebay for only $1200!

 

4) Watch the online dealers and wait.

 

Don't hesitate to buy blems or returns. The warranty comes with it and you get a discount. And then you can haggle! And don't forget the stupid deal of the day from this week. $1700 for a LP Std plus a $500 mail-in rebate??!!! What a deal! Even if it's ugly and you hate it, you can still turn around and sell it for more than $1200...

 

5) Financing

 

12 months same as cash on my R8. But you have to be RESPONSIBLE to do this. Because if I don't pay it off in 12 months, I get smacked with a 24% interest rate...ouch!

[phil_104]

How do I do it? Simple : when the little voice in my head tells me it's not responsible to buy another guitar, I don't listen. Just kidding btw.

 

Actually, I find that the best solution, like everything else, is to establish goals, like specific gutiars, and to target pieces that you won't want to get rid of.

 

That's what I do, and I end up making some sacrifices ( less time at the bar with my buddies...) and end up with the money faster than you think. This method has permitted me to score a les paul studio in september, and now I will be moving in on a firebird next weekend. It's all about sacrifice and priority. Oh, and insanity, obsession, crazyness, childishness, and did I already mention obsession?