What has your guitar ownership history been?

[L4CESN]

I thought it might be interesting to see where we've individually come from and where we've ended up..

Me:

Yamaha G-228 Classical (first guitar)
Cimar by Ibanez Strat copy (awful, my first electric)
Charvel Model 3 super strat (hey, it was the 80's and I was a teenager)
MIJ Fender Strat with EMGs (very versatile gigging guitar with those pickups and SPC)
*Gibson L-4 CES (because I'd discovered Tuck Andress but couldn't find an L-5)
Tokai Goldstar Sound Strat (better than the MIJ, or at least more vintage sounding)
Danelectro U2 (lo-fi fun. Wish I'd bought the baritone).
*Larrivee L-19 (sounds great, but is falling apart on me)
*Gibson '56 Reissue Les Paul (my number one)
Gibson Les Paul Standard (a chambered 2008, too Rock for me)
*Gibson '59 Reissue ES-335 (love it. Replaced the LP standard. brighter, more versatile and lively)

*marks the ones I still own

A pretty modest history for 30 years of playing, in my opinion (but not my wife's). I'm pretty happy with the 335 and the Les Paul. I sometimes wonder about replacing the L-4 with an L-5. As a long time strat player I feel incomplete without one, and have to do something about it... And a tele.

Where I'd like to be: 56LP, 335, L5, 56 Strat, Nocaster, Small body Martin or Collings.

How about you?

[Tom Karol]

The year is when I got it; the underlined ones are what I have now:

1960 Stella Plywood Flattop; Harmony Broadway Archtop
1961 Vega Hollow Body Electric
1964 Harmony Archtop Cutaway; Harmony Baritone Uke
1967 Guild F-47
1968 ‘59 Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 6120
1969 Gibson ES-150TDC; Guild F-50; EKO 12-String
1970 No-Name Classical; Martin D-41; Guild M-20
1973 ‘66 Gibson L-4C; Gibson L-6S
1976 ‘75 Gibson Les Paul Signature
1977 Martin 000-28
1995 ‘83 Bill Lawrence Telecaster©; ‘89 Fender ‘62 Stratocaster© Reissue
1996 Yamaha RBX-250-II Bass
1997 ‘94 Hamer USA T-51
1997 ‘95 Godin Acousticaster Ltd.
1998 Vagabond Travel Guitar
2008 Crafter SA-ARW A/E Guitar
2008 Crafter SAT-TMVS A/E Guitar
2010 Crafter SEG480TMVS ‘335’ Clone
2012 Eastman AR403CE-SB
2013 Godin Montreal Premier

[feral guitar]

this was fun

1980? Harmony steel string acoustic
1980? Arbor solid body
1980? no name classical
1986 Gibson SG ($800 new)
1988 ? classical
1991 Thames classical (3K new)
1957 Guild Stratford X-350 ($1K)
1997 Eastwood solid body 7 string ($1700 new)
2001 McKerrihan Anastasia Solo 7 string ($4k almost new)
2005 Gitane 250M ($600)
2009 Alhambra classical electric (gift)
2005 Dell Arte (2K)
2011 Fender Squier 7 string Strat ($100)
2008 Stroup archtop (gift)


only 14 guitars from age 14 to 43

I've made a living playing for 20 years and it is also my lifes' work - I need more guitars!
But I focus on the music not the instruments - not mutually exclusive, I know, but there is something to it, I think.

[robertm2000]

1972-1976 - Fender Telecaster
1978 - Harmony Bobkat, stripped it to natural wood and put a Gibson Melodymaker pickup in it. Highlight was a community jazz jam band at the local community college; that Harmony sounded better than a Gibson L5 one of the other students had!
1979-1999 - Cheap stuff of very little quality
1999- Worked in a music store-Washburn Strat knockoff, Seymour Duncan Cool Rails in neck position. Sounded like Gibson hollowbodies we had at the store.

Current main guitar-Frankenstein: Squier 51 neck, USA Custom Guitars alder Strat body, Vintage Vibe-Pete Biltoft pickups. Also a hockshop special - nameless neck, similar to a Gibson Sonex, single P90 pickup, Guitar Fetish Les Paul Jr. body. Sounds great, needs action work.

You may have guessed, I don't play professionally or even much in public.

[brad4d8]

Okay, this is going to be tough, lots of guitars, lots of years, most of the dates in the 70s are guesses.
~1962-Kay, cheapest one in their catalogue. Cost my Mom three books of Top Value Yellow stamps.
1964-Japanese classical, pretty nice guitar actually.
1965- Guild F-212 (still have)
1966-Hagstrom I or II
1967-Supro resonator (traded the Hag for it-was stolen in '69 or so from my partner's apartment on the lower East Side)
1971-National electric
1972 or '73-Gibson LG-1
1974-Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe Regent
197?-Guild Mark V (still have, traded the Epi for it)
197? Guild D-50
197? Gretsch Country Gentleman
197? Fender Telecaster
197? Rickenbacker lap steel (stolen from my band house)
197? Fender Pedal Steel
197? A couple of no name non-pedal steels
197? Ibanez 2355
197? Ovation classical electric
197? Guild archtop, similar to the T-50 but 2 PUPs and cutaway
1979 Guild F-50 (still have)
1986 Guild X-170 (still have)
1987 Martin D-12-20 (stolen from my son's apartment)
1990 Harmony Sovereign ($10 at a tag sale, remember those days?)
1990 Bernabe Classical (described by Sr. Bernabe as a guitar you play in the street and then throw in the trash, made from scraps around his shop, but a sweet little guitar none the less) still have.
No idea on the years of the ones since then, but here they are in no particular order (* still have).
Harmony Sovereign*, Harmony Patrician, Guild D-50*, Epi Masterbilt AJ500RC*, A couple of Dorado 12 strings, Guild Artist Award*, 1930s Metro B archtop*, Gibson Chet Atkins CE*, Godin ACS*, Guild F-40*, Guild T-250*, Guild F-512*, Samick made Epi Howard Roberts*, Pawless Mesquite Special*.
Probably missing a lot. In the 70s, I taught at a guitar store and played out regularly, so guitars were traded as the gig changed. Now I'm an aging boomer with more income, so buy more guitars even though I only play out once in a while.
Brad

[fumblefingers]

Kent 335 clone for Christmas when I was 13. within 4 months traded in a for a Fender acoustic (Martin knock off).

Then:
Gibson ES335-TDW
Ibanez GB
Yamaha classical
Gibson L5 CES
Gibson L6
Gibson ES-347
Guild/Benedetto Johnny Smith Award
Buscarino Grand Cabaret
Ricardo Sanchiz Carpio Classical
Gibson Lee Ritenour
Gibson Le Grand
PRS Private Stock
Gibson Johnny A
Gibson ES 356
Gibson Citation
Ramirez 1A
Gibson J200

[jazzrat]

Too many to list.
I would be a much better player if I would have stayed off the gear bandwagon.
Rather than list all mine...by contrast I'll tell you about Mike.

First stated playing gigs with him when he was in High School...had an Ibanez solid body.
Later I saw him with some off brand hollow body which he traded to his brother for a
MIK blond D'Armond semi-hollow. After 4 years of college studying with Corey Christiansen and his dad
and cruise ship gig's, he's been an adjunct prof at our local junior college for the last 3 years...
same blonde guitar and plays the heck out of it.

My only justification is to separate music from the hobby of swapping guitars.
I love both but, in my case one has interfered with the other.

[Engine Swap]

Fun, hope I don't forget anything.

1980: late 50s Harmony archtop that my mom got at a garage sale for $2
1986: Fender Squire strat that I modded and played until I wore out the neck
1987: 60s Hagstrom II, castoff from my sister's boyfriend
1989: bought a used 1985 Japanese Fender P-bass
1991: bought a Gibson SG special new.
1998: built a partscaster Warmoth/Chandler parts
2013: bought a new SX EG7 archtop
2013: bought a new Eastman 371

still own all, except for the Squire

[pierre richard]

1960's Islander...all plastic strung with Martian Bronze Wound strings..

1960's Sears Silvertone with amp in case...

1960's Gretsch 6120 and Gretsch Playboy amp

1962 Fender Stratocaster...bought new...$260.00 with case,strap,cord,polishing cloth.....through a Danelectro DM-25 Piggy Back amp

1977 Ibanez 2355...bought used in 1978...through a 1985 Polytone Mini Brute..

thats it...

only have the Ibanez and an Ibanez Acoustic Flat Top...

time on the instrument..

[cosmic gumbo]

Starting from 1974 in chronological order:

Kent archtop - stolen
TortureKing plywood flat top - smashed
Epiphone flat top w/bolt on neck! - stolen
Conrad MIJ dobro style - traded
Madeira by Guild jumbo concert flat top - stolen
Teisco yard sale electric solidbody - gave away
Madeira by Guild parlor size flat top - traded
Guild S-100 solidbody electric - traded
Sigma MIJ dreadnaught
Epiphone Scroll SC450 electric solidbody
Yamaha Pacifica Tele style
DeArmond electric bass
Fender Stratocaster
Ibanez AS73 semihollow archtop
Squier Telecaster
Rogue lap steel

I'm not afraid to gig with cheap guitars if they play well and sound good, and everything sounds good through my 1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb.

[Broyale]

Started playing guitar in 2010
First guitar was a Fender starter pack acoustic...broke that piece of unplayable sh1t

Martin 000X1AE acoustic

Washburn HB-35

Heritage H575

Gibson L5 Wes Montgomery

[L4CESN]

Started playing guitar in 2010 First guitar was a Fender starter pack acoustic...broke that piece of unplayable sh1t Martin 000X1AE acoustic Washburn HB-35 Heritage H575 Gibson L5 Wes Montgomery

A WesMo as your 5th guitar, and less than 4 years since starting to play. Well done. Slightly jealous.

[David B]

Started in 2006 or 7.
Yamaha SA500
Fender '50s Tele w Bigsby (CIJ)
Yamaha SA503 TVL
MJT relic Tele
Aria FA71
Gibson ES339
Moffa Maryan
Epiphone Elite Byrdland

Have only ever had max of three guitars at a time. I only have the Moffa now.

[balthazar]

Hi,

The list is short but I'm very young.

1982 to 2004: Cuenca 30 classical guitar (stolen)
2004 to 2013: Cort electro-acoustic (to replace the Cuenca and then swapped for the Tele)
2010: Ibanez AG95 (impulse buy)
2013: Squier Standard Telecaster (because of that forum)

[GoergeBenson]

Takahura Aucustic (MIJ)

Sunn Mustang (Made In Hell)

Epiphone Les Paul Copy (MIK)

Fernandes Randy Rhodes (MiJ)

Takamine Santa Fe

Epiphone Sheriton

Hofner Vice President (new one)

Godin Freeway

Greco Go II

Yamaha FG300

Ibanez 2355

Ibanez 510nt

Ibanez Fa800

Ibanez 2640

Ibanez Custom Agent

Yamaha Ae1200(s) 90's version

Gibson Tal Farlow (sunbusrt)

Gibson Tal Farlow (Blonde)

Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III

Gibson Es-350T (blonde)

Greco Fa-95 (Es-175)

Washburn J-10 (MIJ Es-175 the rarest of the rare)

Epiphone Elite Country Gent (Chet Atkins)

Epiphone Elitist Les Paul

Fender Tele Baja

Ibanez As 120 (mik)

Tokai UFA180 VNT (MIJ ES175)

ARIA PRO II EFA-650 (ES175 MIJ)

Fender Stratocaster 'Plus' 60th Anniversary Model (96)

Fender Stratocaster Plus 'Deluxe' (97)

Fender Eric Johnson

Bitsa Warmoth Strat

Tokai ES100 (MIJ DMO Es-335)

Guild X-700

Guild Starfire III

Gibson ES-175 (2006) Blonde

Stonebridge D22

[Doctor Jeff]

Wow remembering these was hard, but a fun journey nonetheless. Current herd with asterisks.

Guitars:
~1967 Teisco or Silvertone 3/4 solidbody
~1968 Teisco or Silvertone soldibody
~1968 No Name flattop
1980 Goya classical - Sweden, 1970 (ex-wife has it)
1982 Gibson ES-175 (sold 1987)
2002 Epiphone Dot (traded)
2005 Alvarez RC20 classical A/E (sold)
*2007 Alvarez AC60 classical A/E
*2007 Epiphone Joe Pass - Korea (Samick), 1999
*2007 Grizzly classical guitar kit (son has it)
2008 Harmony Archtone - 1960's (sold)
*2008 Electra bass - Japan, 1970 - found in trash and restored
*2010 Kay K36 mahogany archtop - 1956
*2010 Silvertone tobacco-burst archtop - made by Kay, early 1960's
*2010 Silvertone Sovereign reissue - China (son has it)
*2011 Fender Telecaster - originally MIM, many upgrades - GFS paulownia body, Warmouth neck, SD pickups, GFS tremolo
*2012 Harmony Brilliant Cutaway - 1966
*2013 Washburn Rover travel guitar (blue) A/E

Amps:
1982 Fender Frontman 112 (sold)
2002 Peavey Classic 30 (traded)
2005 Ibanez Troubadour TA15 (traded)
2007 Epiphone Valve Jr. (traded)
*2010 Fender SCXD
*2012 Ibanez Troubadour TA30 - upgraded to new maple cabinet
*2013 Fishman Loudbox Artist
*2013 Danelectro Honeytone battery amp

Ukuleles:
*2007 Lanikai tenor spruce top cutaway A/E
*2008 Oscar Schmidt concert koa
*2008 Oscar Schmidt concert mahogany

*Mountain Dulcimer

[cooltouch]

I don't know if I've ever made a list before of all the guitars I've owned. It's been quite interesting reading about the guitars that other members own or have owned. I started playing guitar in 1965, 49 years ago, and I've owned a few. Those guitars with asterisks preceding them I still own.

Kay acoustic - $20 at Western Auto, impossible to play, I remember wrapping my fingertips in electrical tape because they hurt so bad.
Harmony single pickup solid body electric, my first "real" guitar because it was playable.
Fender Strat, circa 1963 model, my dad bought it used for $300. If I only knew then what I know now . . .
Gibson SG Special, twin P90s, great guitar, I still miss it ($125 in 1967)
Gibson Les Paul Custom, 1968, first year of the reissue ($650 in 1968)
Gibson SG Standard, trade.
Goya steel string dreadnaught acoustic (? In 1972)
Aria cheapo classical (? In 1973)
Ramirez 1a Especial 10-string concert classical ($3k in 1974, sold for $4k in 2003)
*Osborne prototype, maple solid body, twin humbuckers, sounds like a Les Paul ($300 in 1977)
Takamine lawsuit 12-string dreadnaught acoustic (had the too-close to Martin headstock, $180 in 1978)
Strat kit, Boogiebodies body and neck, SD Hotstacks pickups, fantastic sounding (~$400 in 1980)
A couple of no-name classicals, don't recall what I paid for them
*Aria MH-100 classical ($2300 in 1983)
*Fender American Standard Stratocaster (~$700 in 1996)
Silvertone archtop f-hole acoustic ($60 in 1997, sold for $160 in 2004)
*Gianinni classical, an old one ($125 in1998)
*Kramer Focus 1000, circa 1986 model ($125 in 1998), came with a bridge pos humbucker, added a P90 to the neck pos
Ibanez 2455NT big blonde jazz guitar 1977 "lawsuit" ($600 used in 1999, sold for $1200 in 2010), my first "real" jazz guitar
Fender Squire Venus, Courtney Love model ($350 in 1999, sold for $850 last year)
Godin Multiac nylon string, worked great with my Roland gr-33 guitar synth ($700 used in 2000)
*Gibson Les Paul Special, twin P90s ($650 in 2000)
*Gibson SG Showcase Edition -only 250 built in 1988 only - ($350 in 2000)
*Francisco Navarro Grand Concert classical ($1500 in 2003)
*Condal classical ($800 used in 2004)
*Ibanez AE405TV thinline acoustic electric ($170 in 2004)
*Fender Squier HSS Stratocaster ($100 in 2013)
*Ibanez AG85 hollow body jazz guitar ($300 in 2014)

I started building guitars in 2004. Since then I've built one steel string acoustic (for myself), about 15 classicals, eight of which were 10-strings, kept one of the 10-strings and all of the 6-strings - mostly because I was still learning the craft and, while they all sound good, cosmetically there were some errors. Currently I have four 10-strings and one 6-string in various stages of completion. My immediate future plans are to put together a baritone guitar using a Telecaster body and a Warmouth Bari neck. After that, I plan to build a solid body fan-fretted 8 or 10 string, haven't made up my mind yet.

[jazzbow]

Here goes...

All the ones in bold type are still around.

Cheap plywood acoustic from newspaper advert 1978
Hondo II Les Paul custom 1979
Wem rapier bass in blue (60's)
MIJ Vox standard 25 (strat a like) 1980
Hondo II Precision bass 1980
Hondo II Rickenbacker 4003 1980
Fender Squier jazz bass 1983 (MIJ)
Fender precision bass 1969 (the one I should have kept)
Manson Kestral fretless bass 80's
Kramer fretless bass 80's
Rickenbacker 4003 1980
Guild B301 (70's)
Fender Mustang bass 1977
Masano (MIJ) Martin copy 1983
Wem rapier bass in red (60's)
Yamaha classical guitar
Epiphone violin bass 1990's
Epiphone Sheraton (MIK) 1990's
Fender Telecaster 1988 (the one I should have kept)
Le Voi small hole Maccaferri 1990's
Zenith archtop (50's)
Tanglewood TRG 1 hollow jazz guitar, two off, 1990's
Yamaha BB300 bass
Yamaha AEX 502 P90 MF Rawk geetar
Harley Benton flat top acoustic bass 2009
Squier JM Jazzmaster 2011
Squier CV 60's custom Tele 2010
Dallas Tuxedo (60's) UK's first production solid bodied guitar (waiting for full restoration)

I also have about 10 ongoing acoustic & electric guitar projects

[Mark M.]

In order of acquiring them, though the exact years are beyond my memory:

'80's:

Yamaha acoustic flat top (bought my first guitar with the $ from the sale of my last motorcycle.)
Ibanez Strat copy
Alvarez flat top
Sigma D style flat top
Guild GF50 flat top
Alvarez Yairi flat top

I didn't play any jazz in this era. I was trying to absorb the fingerstyle players - Kottke, Fahey, Cooder, etc, and the early acoustic blues players. Also, the Chicago blues players (& their disciples): Guy, the 3 Kings, Otis Rush, clapton, Allman, etc.

'90's

Fender Squire Telecaster
Heritage H575
Fender American Standard Telecaster
Heritage H576

Started playing some jazz & took lessons during this period.

2000's

Fender ‘62 reissue Stratocaster
2004 Gibson ES335 Dot
Gibson ES135
Gibson Faded Les Paul DC
Martin 000-16SGTNE
Taylor T5 Custom
Gibson L4CES
2008 Campellone Standard
2000 Gibson ES175
Takamine classical
Taylor GS6
2006 Gibson L5 CES*
Breedlove Bossa Nova electric nylon string crossover
2012 (?) Gibson ES 335 Block *

I think I had 5 guitars at one time during this period (the 2004 ES335, the LP Double Cut set up for slide playing, the T5, the H575, and the Guild GF50). The thought was to have something for every style/situation. Then I decided that I really just wanted one or 2 really nice jazz guitars. Eventually, I traded & sold some & eventually had the Campellone, ES175, and 2004 ES 335 at one time. Then sold the Campy & the 175 to get my L5. Eventually traded the ES335 for the Taylor GS6, etc, etc.

*Currently own.

I do regret selling some of these, though if I hadn't I wouldn't be able to afford the L5. the '62 Reissue Strat was a great guitar, though I didn't have a need for it after awhile. The Campellone was very nice, but it was a 16" and never really opened up the way I hoped. Someday, I'd like another Campy, but a 17".

[Klatu]

I do regret selling some of these, though if I hadn't I wouldn't be able to afford the L5. the '62 Reissue Strat was a great guitar, though I didn't have a need for it after awhile. The Campellone was very nice, but it was a 16" and never really opened up the way I hoped. Someday, I'd like another Campy, but a 17".

I see why you would part with your '62 Strat with some sadness. On the upside, such guitars are usually readily available at reasonable prices on the used market whereas guitars such as your Campy and the L5 are a bit harder to come by.

I have a very hard time letting go of my jazz guitars. Actually, the only guitars I've ever sold have been solidbodies that I've always felt would be easy to replace should the need arise.

[iim7V7IM7]

I unfortunately didn't begin to play until I was 30-years old so my guitar history only begins about 25-years ago. So here is what I have owned by decade:

*asterisk denotes still own.

1990-1999 (8 guitars, 1 remaining, 1 for sale)

Electric:
Squire Stratocaster
Ibanez Artstar AM200
Valley Arts Larry Carlton Standard* (for sale)
Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Fender Japanese Telecaster
Epiphone Emperor Regent

Acoustic:
Sigma 000-28
Martin M-38

2000-2009 (3 guitars, all gone)

Electric:
Heritage Sweet 16
Heritage H-535
Fender Custom Shop Nocaster

2010-Present (5 guitars, all remaining, 2 on order, 2 for sale)

Electric:
Ron Kirn Strat*
Comins Classic*
CP Thornton Professional*

Acoustic:
Gitane DG-370 Model Dorado Schmidt* (for sale)
Bourgeois OM-150* (for sale)
Chasson Concert (on order)
Lehmann Model Manouche (on order)

It is sobering to look back at the shear number of guitars that have come and gone over the last few decades.

[Broyale]

I unfortunately didn't begin to play until I was 30-years old

Same here, man.

[zigzag]

In my life, I've owned eleven electrics and four acoustics. I currently own five electrics and one acoustic:

Carvin SH550
Gibson ES-335
Epi Dot
Ibanez Artcore AFJ91
Fender American Standard Telecaster

Takamine F341

In the last year, I've parted with:

Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Gibson Studio LP
Gretsch G6120 Nashville

[Broyale]

A WesMo as your 5th guitar, and less than 4 years since starting to play. Well done. Slightly jealous.

Honestly, I'd trade it for your 30 years of skills.

[Jonathan0996]

I don't usually jump into these kinds of threads, but this one got me thinking. I can't remember them all, but here are some highlights (and lowlights) from what I can remember of 50 years of guitar playing:

Early '60s Kent (what an unplayable dog!)
Early 60s Fender classical
'62 Fender Stratocaster (The real deal. Traded for something I'm sure was probably stupid)
Early 60s Gretch Duo Jet with humbuckers
'69 Gibson ES 340 TDN (my main horn for about 15 years, then stolen... grrrr...)
'70s? Alvarez acoustic
Tokai strat
'90s PRS Hollowbody (an absolute keeper)
Yamaha tele (great $200 guitar)
Tacoma OM acoustic
Yamaha APX 6 acoustic-electric
Washburn J-10 Orleans archtop
Godin Multiac Nylon Duet
Hamer Daytona (strat) with Fralins
Holst 16" laminate archtop

Not one of these made me a better guitar player, although a couple of them made me want to play more. Generally speaking, none of them really even changed my sound that much, which led me to believe that your sound is 90 percent in your hands. The gear chase can be fun, but it's largely futile.

I'm sure there were more guitars than I've listed here, but they were probably crappy guitars. Sometimes a bad memory ain't so bad.