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What gives you more pleasure, buying a guitar or playing it?
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02-05-2026 05:33 AM
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Selling it for a higher price
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Playing it. Buying is always a process of second guessing. Do I need this? Am I overpaying? Will I be able to sell without taking a big loss up the road if the guitar no longer inspires me?
But playing a great guitar can be transformative. It can get you into that zone where everyday worries are insignificant.
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Nothing brings me more happiness than my first few notes of the day. I sit down and just focus on making a good sound, usually on nylon string. Tone production. I do it right after my Tai Chi when I'm feeling energized yet centered. It's one of the most important parts of my day.
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"And the cares that hung around me thru the week seem to vanish like a gamblers lucky streak'
Originally Posted by Stringswinger
The number one thing that gives me joy (after my spouse, dog and motorcycle) is playing live for a appreciative audience, whether it's 20 or 200 people. I spent a great deal of my career in recording studios and lost interest in sitting around trying to tweek a solo for hours. Hopefully the performance is enjoyable and brings joy-even if there are a few clams.
And oh yeah-I do enjoy guitar shopping. However I have everything I need and was pretty much cured of GAS when I obtained my 1990 Benedetto Cremona.
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Very similar approach. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
Morning routine..Zen practice..stretching exercises..hearing two or three notes..playing them..let them ring..being thankful I am a musician.
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Playing it.
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Playing this one the last 38 years!
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Playing. Thankful for what I have and the time to play them.
Last edited by Shamrock; 02-13-2026 at 02:48 PM.
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Playing although I did have a bit of a pile. To deal with it I have gotten rid of 5 guitars, four amps, and some pedals.
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I love playing. Then I like to take my guitars apart and stare at the pieces.
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Your description of the guitar’s tone makes me nostalgic for the first instrument I ever played. I’ve tried a few accessories from fabfitfun reviews and noticed how even small tweaks can enhance performance, kind of like your setup here. It’s fascinating how personal preferences really shape the sound. Your attention to detail in string selection and setup is inspiring.
Last edited by benhatchins; 02-21-2026 at 03:57 AM.
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I prefer playing. I have not bought a guitar in this century.
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Definitely playing over buying. I’ve bought and sold enough guitars (and amps) now to realize that the thrill of buying is utterly negated if you realize that it was just a temporary infatuation. I also realize that when I buy a new instrument I lose playing time fiddling and upgrading it to make it “perfect”. Enough already!
I’m at a period now where I just want to play the guitars that weren’t a mistake and still thrill.
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If "buying a guitar" includes the entire process of trying out a bunch of candidates and finding how they sound and play, then "buying" (shopping, really) can be a lot of fun. But its pleasures are quite distinct from playing, especially playing with others for an audience. Though the late-night sofa session has its satisfactions as well, especially the part where you discover something about a tune or an arrangement or even just a chord progression. But then, I love just about everything guitar-related. Well, changing strings maybe not so much, but such necessary maintenance leads to stronger pleasures.
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Selling gives me no pleasure, even for a large profit. I've sold a grand total of three guitars in my life, all for more than I paid, and I regret selling all of them. Playing and learning the nuances of a new guitar is fun, but the actual purchase is meh at best. If I couldn't play I would be very sad.
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I sold quite a lot of guitars and lutes. I think I had (at least in the past) a feeling for a good deal... and sometime I bought guitar, played it for a year or so and then sold it almost always without losses (I consider of course in some cases with new instruments a certain loss can be foreseen and reasonable, I assume it is normal that you pay something for using the instrument). When I sell I also invest efforts that the buyer should be pleased. I want that he would be happy with the instrument and the instrument finds a good owner. Originally Posted by sgosnell
But I really miss only one guitar, it was Aria Herb Ellis prototype (with Gibson headstock), I bought it with a ruined binding and some other issues very cheap (but it was just luck) while I was still in St.Petersburg in Russia and there it was not easy to find such guitars.
Occasionally I came across a guy who was a professional in art objects restoration (specifically woodwork) and amateur in instrument making and for him it was more of a pleasure to restore it, so he asked what was basically the cost of material. It took him quite long as it is not his main job but he did it all wonderful.
And I liked the guitar. But I had to sell it due to circumstances and I sold it much at a much higher price than I had paid for it and for the restoration but I still miss it... sometimes I think maybe I panicked too much at the crisis moment trying to get cash quickly and I sold a few more instruments at the moment which I do not miss... but this guitar, maybe I could keep it and find the way to bring it where I am now.
Maybe it comes back one day who knows... the way it happened with Bill Frisell Gibson, he told a story in one of the interviews...
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Both have their moments, playing and buying guitars. I love playing, and especially with others in casual, informal settings like jazz jam sessions. But there's joy, too, in buying.
Having indulged the latter joy a bit too much over the years, during the past few years I focused more on playing than buying, and enjoyed using my collection. And at the same time letting go of several items to fund possible future purchases if something catches my fancy, taking an inspiration from other esteemed forum members to fund new purchases with sales. Even so, while letting go, I played each purchased item always with love and good memories, letting go as we all have to do at some point, even of what we love best.
Last year, I was in Tokyo with the Mrs. to visit some of our former students now living and working there. One of them came with us to check out G Club, a large guitar store in Ochanomizu with a floor of vintage guitars. Ten years ago, I bought my 1960s Gibson ES-125TD there, which is my main jazz jam session guitar. This time, I spied a 1970s Gretsch Chet Atkins "Super Axe" with onboard compressor and phaser, and it seemed inspiring for a solo set guitar. I tried it out for a while, went to dinner with the ladies, and came back the next day to try it again. Looking at photos my student took later, I was smiling ear to ear when playing it. The Mrs. had the credit card, so I asked "What do you think?" She said with a smile, "I want you to be happy." So I bought it and soon began playing it for an upcoming solo set, as both the purchasing and playing came together around love.
Wishing you all the best in purchasing and playing your pleasant and pleasurable guitars!
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I think we need to play as many guitars as possible in our lifetime.
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I get more pleasure out if getting to know each instrument , I enjoy the thrill of finding exquisite instruments to add to the Family
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