GAS and Enough Guitars...OR, Why do we need so many?

[Just Strum]

Hopefully that's not her in the picture' date=' waiting. [/quote']

 

[JefferySmith]

I have my retirement in AIG (the biggest one to go belly up this month). As a result, I've lost about $110,000 in value in the past 9 months just because of the idiots on Wall Street and in the mortgage business. I've probably spent $20,000 on guitars, but will have to put pencil to paper to be sure.

 

The bottom line is that I'd rather spend $20,000 on guitars and enjoy them instead of losing $110,000 while sitting in a chair watching the Fox network blame it on democrats. One has to maintain one's perspective.

[taxman]

Let's be honest -- we are getting older and older. If we don't get 'em now, when will we?

 

That reasoning got me to buy two basses this summer and to finally buy the Casino I've wanted for fifteen years.

I'm also going to add an Epi acoustic/electric and that Vox AC30. If I don't get'em now, when will I have time to get them and enjoy them?

[Dennis G]

I wish that they were as easy to sell as they are to buy.

 

Guitars or spouses?? LOL Nine guitars, three spouses but this ones a keeper. Anytime I buy any guitar/amp/accessory/etc. she just says "Okay". Of course, she also knows she'll be getting a comparable goody to offset :-)

[Cruznolfart1281734103]

So -- how many of you have only had ONE SPOUSE?

 

You mean of our OWN?

[Just Strum]

 

Guitars or spouses?? LOL Nine guitars' date=' three spouses [u']but this ones a keeper[/u].

 

The last guitar or the spouse/

[JefferySmith]

 

Guitars or spouses?? LOL Nine guitars' date=' three spouses but this ones a keeper. [/quote']

 

The wife or the guitar?

 

Mine tolerates my hobbies with a rolling back of her eyes.

[Dennis G]

 

The last guitar or the spouse/

 

Both!!

[lpdeluxe]

I have nine instruments, and I can provide a rationale for each one. That doesn't make me much different, I know, but as a kind of musical utility outfielder I can make the case:

 

1, A solid, gig ready electric solid body: check. 1970 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe road warrior. Killer tone and stays in tune.

2. A "nice" electric for whatever: weddings, church gigs, you name it where tone is not paramount: check, '00 ES-335. Solid, good looks, predictable tone.

3. A good sounding acoustic: check. '60s Ventura flat top with a custom bear claw spruce top, inlays I did back when I was a hippie, it sounds like a piano. Even has the correct Ventura hard case.

4. A flashy custom acoustic: check. Flamed maple, with ebony and rosewood binding, abalone butterfly inlays.

5. A jack-of-all-trades Dobro: check. 1984 Long Beach OMI Dobro D60, tuned to G. Sounds like a Dobro.

6. A cool retro vibe resonator: check. '30s Regal spider bridge, looks as old as it is, great for playing acoustic stuff when I want to look even older than I am.

7. A reliable fretted bass: check. 2006 Fender Classic '50s Precision with flatwounds. If you can't get a good bass sound out of this, something is terribly wrong.

8. A fretless bass, for when #7 just doesn't cut it: check. 2007 Fender Standard FSR Precision with a Warmoth fretless maple fingerboard neck. See remark immediately above.

9. An off-the-wall cool bass: check. 2006 Fender '51 reissue Precision. Damn it's fun to play.

 

Of course, these were preceded by 21 other instruments (it's not the destination, it's the journey).

[bluesstringer]

[quote name=lpdeluxe (it's not the destination' date=' it's the journey).

[/quote]

 

This is what it is for me - the Journey ! I don't keep most of the guitars I buy for too long. I lke to buy, play, trade, play.

 

I was the same way with Harleys for most of my life. Different experiences, nice variety, but rarely do I commit to long term guitar relationships. I won't part with my current Strats, my 95 Sheraton, my Takimine, or my wifes, 82 Ovation 1861 legend, everything else will eventually be sold for something else or more like traded as part of some deal.

 

This process keeps me playing and working on alot of different guitars and eventually leads me to the occasional permanent preferences. I do the same with amps.

 

 

I've had as many as 30 or so guitars, as well as 5 Harleyys at one time and as few as 1 of each. I lean more to the low side these days as time and $$$ are more of a factor than they used to be.

 

What is the destination anyway ? I've never been good at confining my interests to arbitrary goals anyway !

[28v6r]

 

Is it just the "love" of them' date=' or "he who dies with the most toys, wins?"

I (personally) have way more than I need, or can even play, on a regular

basis...BUT, of course, I don't really want to sell any of them, either. LOL!

Must be some kind of "acquirement" insanity? ;>)

 

Any thoughts, serious or otherwise? ;>b

 

CB[/quote']

 

 

In that case my friend - "You're Going For Gold" I don't think anyone can come close as to what you have ( Well, maybe Svet?)

 

I like your second observation though, that you don't really wanna sell any of them, I have friends that are the opposite and change guitar like a change of underwear. Some a fine pieces of work and others well... lets just say "plank" is an appropriate term. But "to each his own" and all that....

 

Nothing wrong with a healthy dose of OCG (Obsessive Complusive Guitar!)

 

Keep on "Obsessing" I say..........

[ef_in_fla]

I got GAS bad this year' date=' mostly because of inexpensive guitars available on Ebay.[/quote']

 

That works for me too. There are a lot of good used deals out there on Ebay, CL, and pawnshops. You clean em up, fix em up, upgrade here and there and you have a nice guitar you can be proud to play. I get a lot of satisfaction from "rescuing" a nasty guitar.