Just how many guitars does a man need?

[GuitarIv]

Cheers everyone!

It`s been a veeeery long time since I posted here, life has gotten the better part of me and I've been pretty busy doing stuff you do when life gets the better part of you, if you know what I mean haha 

Anyway, I just spent the whole day working on my Strat, completely shielding the electronic cavity, throwing in some new pots, an Orange Drop cap and doing a complete set-up for the 10-49 Elixir hybrid set I put together since I needed a stiffer response on the low strings. Finally this baby is everything I ever wanted in a guitar, quiet like a church mouse and delivering everything from metal to blues with the Sinner/Slowhand/Slowhand combo in there. Now I'm sitting in my kitchen, listening to the Edge of the Earth album by Sylosis and having some beers to celebrate a succesfull day of giving some TLC to my favourite instrument. Is there a better moment to start a guitar related discussion? Didn't think so 

I've been asking myself this one specific question a lot lately: why do I own 12 stringed instruments when I really only play my Strat and my relatively new Jackson Rhoads? (NGD Thread SOON!!!) I have three amplifiers, two 4*12 cabs, way too many I pedals I don't use, various pickups collecting dust and lots of other gimmicky stuff lingering in guitar limbo.

I made a decision to get rid of everything I'm not using, gathering the cash and investing it into some high quality equipment that you can't go wrong with, stuff like a used 81' JCM 2203, or a 6505, or a proper recording setup (since I'm not gigging currently and probably won't in the foreseeable future), maybe just invest into more guitar lessons. Heck I have a 62' Framus Hollywood and a Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass my grandfather has given to me and those two need to see a luthier in order to be restored to their former glory again. Decisions, decisions...

So I was on the verge of setting up an Ebay account and getting rid of stuff. And then I had a conversation with my dad.
And this were his words: "Why sell equipment when you're only going to lose money in regards of what you payed for it in the first place? Just have some patience, keep it. Eventually you'll earn the cash and you'll still have all your stuff. Your guitars aren't hurting you sitting around in their cases, are they?"

So my question to you fine folks here at the BKP forum would be: what's your opinion on this? Have you ever been in a similar situation? Is it wiser to get rid of guitars or equipment in general you're not utilising to full potential or is it fine to give in to the guilty pleasure of owning stuff just because you can?

I think my father is right to a certain point, money comes and goes, but a guitar, an amp, a pickup, a pedal, that's something you can use sooner or later, even if you're not doing it right now.

Sorry for the long post, I'm a bit tipsy and very eager to hear your opinions on this topic after being afk for so long, so to summarize: Just how many guitars (equipment) does a man need?

Fire away and cheers! 

[Dave Sloven]

I tend to agree with your dad.

Most of my stuff I wouldn't sell because I wouldn't be sure if I'd need it again, and I always lose on the exchange.

Stuff I regret selling:

EHX Metal Muff with Top Boost
Peavey Unity Koa bass (early '90s)
Boss HM-2 (Taiwan made)

Stuff I don't regret selling:

Line 6 Pocket Pod
Maxon OD-9
BC Rich Warlock bass ('89 or '90 post Bernie Rico US made pile of cr@p)
Mooer Black Secret
Peavey Microbass amp (teal stripe early '90s)


Stuff I'd like to get rid of:

MXR 6-band EQ
MXR Bass Envelope Filter


Stuff I have serious GAS for:

Squier Troy Sanders signature Jaguar bass
Audere preamp to fit that bass
A second 410 bass cab
MXR Bass Compressor
BKP Miracle Man bridge pickup
A guitar with a Floyd Rose tremelo ...


Note that the GAS list is the biggest!

[dave_mc]

I'd tend to agree with your dad as long as it's you can easily afford to keep it and it's not taking up room that you need (or that you might be able to use for something you'd use more).

I kind of suspect it mainly depends on what AO implied- whether you regret selling it or not later

[richard]

If you have ten guitars you hardly ever touch I say let them go. They still need maintenance even if they just sit in their cases. Think of the other stuff that you could get fun out of if you raised the cash by selling things you really don't need.

[GuitarIv]

Well, regret, that's kinda my biggest fear there. When it comes to space it certainly wouldn't hurt to get rid of some things, but then again I don't have a misses right now to share my apartment with me, so that's no issue at the moment haha 

I have a cheap Stagg SG copy I really don't need, fixing that thing and selling it would probably get me a hundred, maybe two hundred bucks including the case and the Duncan JB in there, which kinda sucks since I got ripped off big time on that POS when I still was new to the game and couldn't spot a bad guitar. Then there's my 4*12 Laney Cab with Celestion 70 Eighties (horrible speakers) that's collecting dust ever since I got an used ENGL 4*12 with Celestion V30s, and my Jet City JCA50H which is cool but way to loud for home use.

I wanna keep my Valveking 100 just in case I need it for a gig (not the best head but cool cleans and does the high gain stuff with a bit of tweaking). Then there's my Ibanez RG, cool beater guitar I use for the downtuned djent funsies when I feel like it, probably would get me 2/3s of the price I originally paid for it including upgraded pickups and set-up.

My biggest issue would be my Jackson Dinky and my Jackson Fusion. The Fusion would get me a good amount of cash, but it would probably be a guitar I'd regret selling since it's a 1993 Japan Pro model and the rare Mahogany version as well. The Dinky is MIJ as well and nothing too special but it feels and plays nice plus it looks way too cool.

So you see I ruled out some candidates but I'm not sure how much I'm gonna miss things.

Regarding my G.A.S. list I really only have one thing on there: a nice amp for home use. Been thinking about the Laney IRT-15 rack (loads of home recording features) or the EVH 5150 III LBX 15 watt lunchbox head soon to be available...

[dave_mc]

It also depends on what you're like- some people regret their mistakes more while others regret the chances they didn't take more. In this instance I guess "mistake" would be selling something you later regret letting go- so just be careful you're not listening to someone who's completely different from you for advice. Their advice may well be genuine and right for them, but it might not be right for you.

[_tom_]

I don't like keeping stuff hanging around if I never use it so I'd probably be inclined to sell up unless it has some kind of sentimental value. Don't really see the point keeping a load of clutter around if it never gets used. I'm the same with my bikes as well, no point keeping it if I'll only do a ride its best suited to once or twice a year!

Then again sometimes it's just nice to play or ride something different for a change. Hence why I have 3 guitars and a bass I guess. The guitars are all different though - sg with humbuckers, LP with p90s and strat which will soon have single coils again.

[PhilKing]

As someone who is getting close to 80 guitars, I thought I should add my bit.  When I was younger and didn't have much money, I would have to sell or trade to upgrade.  Sometimes it worked out and other times I should have kept the guitar I sold.  As I got older and had more money and space, I decided that I wouldn't sell anything unless I either really hated it or was getting a deal on something I really wanted and had something that was pretty much the same (I sold my reissue Firebird 1 and VII to get a vintage Firebird III).   In your case I really wouldn't sell the Jacksons if you like them, as it will probably cost you more to replace them.  Bitsa guitars and cheaper ones don't bring much, so unless you think you will never use them again, or you need the money, then I'd keep them too.

I once thought that I'd got out of playing Gibsons, I was using a 61, a 63 & 57 reissue Strats and a Tele.  So I sold my 62 white Les Paul SG Junior.  That was a really stupid mistake and is what finally stopped me selling guitars I liked, even if I hadn't played them for a bit.  I just used my Explorer at a rehearsal after about 18 months, and loved it.   Part of the reason for that though was finding a gig bag for it!

Anyway, make your own mind up on these things, but I love coming back to a guitar that I haven't played for a bit and using it again.

[CommonCourtesy]

Out of my 7 guitars only 2 don't really get played much, they live in their case in storage. But I can't bring myself to sell them, cos they do have some sentimental value. One was the first guitar I bought with my own hard saved cash, and I used it a lot in bands and during my time at institute. The other is an acoustic, and was also a first guitar I got when I was about 13/14, it was the one I played for years when learning about it and stuff, so I couldn't sell it.

The other 5 get used pretty regularly (I'm a private tutor as well as band member) so I've kinda justified my reason for buying them. I'm not a collector and don't think I ever will be, if I buy a guitar its cos I intend to use it regularly, and it has a certain sound I require. I have the 3 main types (Strat/Tele/Les Paul) so I can cover most tones I need them for.

I've only ever sold one guitar, which was about 4 years ago, an electro-acoustic. Purely cos I didn't like the way it sounded. Storage wise I have 3 in my room and 3 in a storage room. The other lives downstairs in the front teaching room. Couldn't really house any more though unless I get rid of one.

[Dave Sloven]

I sold my 62 white Les Paul SG Junior.

Damn!! I'll bet you can't find one now for the price you sold it at!!!

[PhilKing]

Even finding one that was originally white is hard!  And yes the price has gone through the roof.  I think I sold mine for £500 or so.

[GuitarIv]

Of all the guitars I own there are really only two I could get rid of without having any sentimental regrets, those would be as already said the SG copy and the Ibanez beater. Part of the problem, as PhilKing mentioned, is that they are cheap instruments and wouldn't get me much cash.

The reason why I'm contempletating on selling the Jacksons is, as _tom_ pointed out, that I already own a dual humbucker guitar that fullfills all my needs. Really unsure what to do.

I guess for a start I'll just put up the RG and the SG on sale and see what I get offered...

[Dave Sloven]

I wouldn't sell the Jacksons

[GuitarIv]

I'll keep the Fusion and the Dinky for now. Especially since I'm a sucker for the Jackson headstock design...

[PK]

isnt the real answer here just 42???