How much gear do you own, and how much do you actually use?

[Jonny]

I'm quite happy with my collection, as I use them all.

Alder, Indie Signature in Drop C - Cold Sweat/Warpig
Mahogany, Ibanez MTM2 in Drop B - TBC
Basswood, Ibanez RG1570 in Standard - Miracle Man Set + Trilogy
Basswood, Ibanez RG7321 in Standard

Line 6 Toneport UX1 + ClearTone cable, no pedals or effects.

I'm more guitar heavy because I'm in my University accomodation, but if a deal pops up I'm more than likely snapping it up and 'storing' it in my room *cough* which hasn't happened yet.

At home, however, I still have my BOSS GT8, VOX AD30VT and my Strat copy and a Jackson JS30RR which I want to sell ALL of them, apart from my Strat.

[gwEm]

i could certainly get rid of a few pedals, my rack and some cab.

as for the guitars, i would have huge sentimental type issues in selling any of them (expect my squiers)... but assuming i could do that i would probably end up with a V, a steinberger, my strat and my p90 SG to have all bases covered so to speak.

edit:
but then again, i don't even need my marshall or mesa cabs... i could just use my sansamp into a mixer. and as for guitars, even though i know the thing i wrote first would be logical, if i had to reduce my gear that much, i'd probably want two Vs and two steinbergers. mmm, then again.. anyway - difficult to reduce the number of guitars, everything else i'm not so attached to.

[PhilKing]

If I listed mine you'd all get bored and it would take a page anyway!  I play most of them over a month, though there are some that are in storage at the moment due to having to clear things out for a house sale (which isn't happening anyway in this market!).  I couldn't pick 2 guitars and one amp for several reasons, but the main one is that at different times I have played both guitar and bass in different bands, and also I would always want at least one acoustic guitar.  Same with amps, I would need a guitar rig and a bass rig.

The most recent guitars I was playing (last night), were my 1981 BC Rich with Cold Sweat set, WezV John Birch SG with BKP-90's, 1957 Strat with Apaches, 1986 LP Goldtop with PG Blues, Bravewood 1961 Jazz Bass (BK Jazz set) and 1966 Precision Bass (BK P-bass).  I also had the WezV lap steel and my Martin 000-28 out. 

Do I need all these, no, especially since I don't really have time to play in a band with my work at the moment (I have already worked 46 hours this week and it is only Thursday morning here!).  last night the wife was out and so I was able to pull out a lot of guitars and releax with them.  I would fall into the collector end, but as I say, they are not locked up and most of them are played regularly (also most of them are 'player' guitars, not collector grade).

I am in the lucky position where I played since the late 60's and have had a good job (and lived in the States), and so have bought a lot of stuff.  Even buying just one guitar a year over 40 years will add up (and I don't usually buy one guitar a year  8) ).

[dheim]

quite a lot of stuff... it's quite embarassing, to be true, but selling something it's always a pain!

guitars in order of how long i own them (they've been all tweaked, less or more recently. guitars i sold not included):

1)   Ibanez S470 (SD A8 bridge, BKP Sultan middle, SD Jazz neck), locked floating bridge and changed locking nut with "traditional" graphite nut, added a bit of rosewood in place of the bigger nut.
2)   Ibanez SC500C (nylon stringed S model, piezo pickup)
3)   Dean Cadillac (with 90s small headstock, BKP Mississippi Queen calibrated set)
4)   Epiphone LesPaul Studio Gothic (BKP Warpig bridge, BKP Pig-90 neck will soon arrive)
5)   Ibanez SA2020 Prestige (SD JB bridge, SD Pearly Gates neck), changed tone pot with coil-splitting switch
6)   LTD EC1000VB (EMG 85 bridge, EMG 60 neck)
7)   Gibson LesPaul Classic Antique (Gibson Classic '57 plus bridge, Classic '57 neck)
8 )  Gibson SG61 (BKP Cold Sweat calibrated set)
9)   Ibanez S320 (BKP Nailbomb calibrated set)
10) Ibanez RGR321EX (BKP Warpig calibrated set) changed plastic nut with graphite, changed 3 way switch with 5 way for "true" coil splitting
11) U.S. Masters Hornet Performer (BKP Holy Diver calibrated set already ordered...)

basses (same as above):

1) Yamaha MotionB 4 strings (transformed in fretless)
2) Ibanez AEB10 (4 strings acoustic, piezo pickup)
3) Cort Artisan A5 (5 strings)

quite basic amp rigs:

1) home recording: Line6 PODxt
2) live and rehearsal: Bugera 333XL 120W tube head, Peavey 2x12" cab, Digitech 2120 (as DSP unit, preamp turned off), Electro Harmonix Black Finger (tube optical compressor), Electro Harmonix English Muffin (tube overdrive), Dunlop Jimi Hendrix wah.
3) Fender 212R combo for various minor duties...

[dave_mc]

i use most of my guitar stuff (except for some old pedals which i need to get rid of).

i don't think it's fair asking me to strip down to two guitars, as with the exception of my first two guitars, each of my guitars since then (have 7 now) has been bought to do a certain job/tone, rather than be versatile. If i had to cut down to 2, there's a good chance i'd sell everything and get 2 new guitars custom built to my spec, lol (most likely an HSS or HSH superstrat and maybe something a bit more Gibson-alike- though maybe I'd keep my semi-hollow Eggle vienna for a more vintage Gibson-style tone.).

I guess if I had to, I could live with my Ibanez RG470 (HSH pickups, though I'd want to get a better trem fitted) and Eggle Vienna. But i wouldn't be too pleased :lol:

i could make do with one amp without too much bother, my engl savage SE was bought to be versatile. :)

[TheDev01dOne]

In Use:
2x 80s MIJ Fender Esquire reissues.
1x very modded Squier Telecaster
1x partscaster Esquire
1x Takamine acoustic
1x 7 String Armstrong acoustic (Pending me picking it up on Sunday)

Laney TT50 head and Marshall 1936 cab.
Vantage VG15R combo practice amp.

Planet Waves Pedal Tuner.

Not in use: (Reason)

Cimar strat copy, Epiphone Korina V, Partscaster strat thing, Nylon classical, Peavey Rage 158 Prac amp, Line6 Toneport - (Don't use these because they're at home in Australia.)

12W vave head - (No cab at home to run it through, I keep my laney at cab at our practice space)
MXR 10band EQ - (Don' need it with my Laney as it already has 3 seperate channels)

So I use the vast majority of my gear. I'll still play those other guitars when I get back to Aus as they're all good. I just don't hold onto things that don't get used cos I could spend the money on things I will use.

If I had to cut down to 2 guitars and 1 amp, at the moment it would be the Squier Tele, and probably the 7 string acoustic (I can't live without an acoustic) and then my Laney and Marshall cab.

[murraymurray]

Ive got a few different bands so need several gats, probably not all the ones I have, but im trying to sell off the unused one

80's Metal band:
Ibanez RG550 w/emgs
1985 Kramer Focus 1000 w/Painkiller
Epi Flying V - trying to get rid of

Hardcore Band:
Jackson JJ1 w/nailbombs
Epi LP w/JB&59
Gibson SG Silverburst GOTW

Bass:
94 Ibanez Iceman

Digital Guitars?
Casio DG20 - why the f do i have this?

Amps:
5150 mk1 covered in snakeskin
Laney AOR 100
Rack Bass set up of NZ made jansen preamp with a crown PA poweramp
Mesa halfback 4x12 with 2 EVMS and 2 black shadows
SWR 4x10

Effects:
Ibanez TS9DX
Ibanez SM9
Boss TU2
Boss NS2
Modtone analog delay

Line 6 toneport for bedroom jamming

I use most of my stuff, I like having 1 spare guitar for each band, so could probably drop a couple, use all my pedals at differrent points. Probably gonna sell off my laney, really like it but just dont use it enough to keep.

[Simon D]

This is a very interesting question, and it's been fascinating to read everyone's responses so far.
I'm going to have to give some thought to this one  - I play a lot of different styles (all of them badly), and I own a fair few guitars, and use some a lot more than others!

Guitars:
Yamaha Pacifica 812w (still my workhorse)
Yamaha RGX D6 (don't play that much, if I'm honest)
Yamaha APX4 electro (Play pretty frequently - at least twice a week, for at least an hour)
Epiphone Les Paul (being sold to a friend)
PRS SE Singlecut (used fairly infrequently - tempted to sell it)
Fender US Series Strat (used frequently)
Fender US Series Tele (used fairly infrequently, which is a shame)
Warmoth Soloist (played very frequently)
PRS Tremonti II (played very frequently - every day)
PRS SC245 (played very frequently - almost every day)

Amps
Mesa Boogie Express 5:50 head (used every day)
Mesa Boogie Roadster 2x12 cab (used every day)
Laney TF300 combo (used for jamming and rehearsal - can't be arsed to dismantle head/cab for 2 hour jam session)

Pedals - all used on very regular basis.
Boss GT6
Duncan Twin Tube Mayhem
Xotic BB Preamp
Dunlop Zakk Crybaby
Marshall compressor
Planet Waves tuner

If i had to go back to 2 guitars and one amp, it'd have to be the Pacifica (possibly with a pickup swap if that's allowed!) and the Tremonti, with the Laney amp and the GT6. Odd choice ampwise perhaps, but I'd have to go for the practical option.

[Antag]

I have far too much stuff & am too lazy to list it all.

Suffice to say I have 24 guitars, 1 amp, 2 cabs, 1 pedalboard, 1 3U rack (multiFX/BBE/powerstrip) & a huge box of cables.  I use all of it.  Like Phil, my favourites change regularly but there's nothing that never gets used...

[nfe]

Major point to add is this - if I had to strip down that much, I'd have to give up gigging with my current bands

I'm going to dive straight in and say I don't believe you  :lol:

[38thBeatle]

Two Strats and one Tele plus Laney VC30 and a few cleartone cables. DHA Purist pedal, Jejyll & Hyde pedal, Korg AX1500g. Fender Precision bass and Peavey combo bass amp. Average of 60gigs a year, a few sessions and thats me done.

[Philly Q]

Two Strats and one Tele plus Laney VC30 and a few cleartone cables. DHA Purist pedal, Jejyll & Hyde pedal, Korg AX1500g. Fender Precision bass and Peavey combo bass amp. Average of 60gigs a year, a few sessions and thats me done.

I don't want to sound like a grovelling toady, but in my ever-so-'umble opinion you're a great example to us, you've got the balance right.

I wish I was out there playing instead of obsessing over gear.  And I'd love to get my guitar collection down to just a handful, but now that I've got the things it's very difficult to part with them.  :(

[nfe]

Two Strats and one Tele plus Laney VC30 and a few cleartone cables. DHA Purist pedal, Jejyll & Hyde pedal, Korg AX1500g. Fender Precision bass and Peavey combo bass amp. Average of 60gigs a year, a few sessions and thats me done.

I don't want to sound like a grovelling toady, but in my ever-so-'umble opinion you're a great example to us, you've got the balance right.

Every full-time professional musician I know (which is tons) and also myself when I was one, was like that.

Generally pros don't make very much money, and the idea of needing more than a couple guitars and one amp is daft and simply not possible. People have a couple good bits of kit and their hands and ears and ADAPT.

I tend to think if you NEED a ton of gear, it's because you're either not very good or not very confident in your abilities. If just WANT a ton of gear. Fair enough  :) Why bother trying to justify it?  :lol:

[Twinfan]

I'd love to get my guitar collection down to just a handful, but now that I've got the things it's very difficult to part with them.  :(

That's the problem isn't it??  I'm exactly the same  :)

Major point to add is this - if I had to strip down that much, I'd have to give up gigging with my current bands

I'm going to dive straight in and say I don't believe you  :lol:

I'm very particular about my tone, and stripping the rig down that much would compromise how I want to sound in each band.  If I'm going to do it, I do it properly.

Granted, I'm not a struggling musician who can't have too much money tied up in gear.  I'm very fortunate that it's just my hobby, for which I am very grateful.

[Philly Q]

If just WANT a ton of gear. Fair enough  :) Why bother trying to justify it?  :lol:

You're right of course, but I do feel a need to justify it  :lol: .  Maybe it's just the way I was brought up, but I always feel guilty about spending money on things I don't need. 

So yeah, I spend a lot of time feeling guilty.  :|