How Many Guitars Do You Own?

[djelley]

Okay, I may have a problem. I just looked at the spreadsheet that I use to keep track of my collection. I am planning on selling about thirty-five guitars and I will still have enough to be counted in the last category. I need to really look inward.

[joe2758]

Okay, I may have a problem. I just looked at the spreadsheet that I use to keep track of my collection. I am planning on selling about thirty-five guitars and I will still have enough to be counted in the last category. I need to really look inward.

lol! maybe you should have had this thought when a spread sheet became necessary. no judgement here, enjoy

[GNAPPI]

The saying "beware of the guy who only has one xxx he just may know how to use it"

Has been around forever.

All my adult life I have been a firearms instructor and I can say with 99.9% confidence that it is pretty far from the truth in 99.9% of the situations I personally have seen.

As far as gits go... I truly have seen some single git owners play brilliantly and many others that never got past 3 chord songs AND they played them badly.

Add to that many had zero creative streak so for certain a broad paint brush stroke does not always apply.

[radiofm74]

Hi Gnappi,

I have 8 stringed instruments at home(s) but “sociologically” (or psycho-pathologically) I belong in your second bracket of utilitarian multi-owners.

My essential guitars for gigging and practice are acoustic archtops (with DeA pickups) and telecasters. As I spend half of my week in one city, and half in another and I don’t want to have to carry a guitar back and forth, I have two of each… that makes 4, but I’d have 2 if I only lived in one place.

Then I like to have a strat around: I have one.

The rest are two instruments that I keep because of sentimental value but barely ever touch (1 classical guitar I have since I was 13, and an acoustic I have since I am 25), and a cheap Squier bass I bought “just in case” (for home recording, or if I have a lazy bass player in the band).

So all in all, in reality I only have 3 instruments Wait… did you say something? “Cheat”?

[Spook410]

Hmm.. no. This isn't quite right.

It should be your age divided by the number of guitars you own.

[doc w]

Tele (custom job from Mark Rutters)
Fender Strat (a really nice partscaster)
1961 Gibson ES-345
1952 Gibson Les Paul
1935 Gibson L-12
Beneteau acoustic
cheap classical
cheap 80s Washburn acoustic

I don't think that is excessive, given that I played professionally, including some studio work. But all you other guys are excessive.

[Mark M.]

I have 8 currently. I had to part with a few in order to make way for a Jose Gonzalez Lopez flamenca negra, which is maybe the nicest guitar I ever played. On the plus side, I was able to keep my L5CES. However, I had to part with my ES 175 ‘59 RI VOS. I am down to one archtop, but that’s all I need. My playing is moving more toward flamenco and spanish classical these days.

[Mark M.]

In order of acquiring them, here are all the guitars I have ever owned,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


'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 Double Cut #
Martin 000-16SGTNE
Taylor T5 Custom
Gibson L4CES #
2008 Campellone Standard #
2000 Gibson ES175
Takamine classical


2010’s


Taylor GS6
2006 Gibson L5 CES*
Breedlove Bossa Nova electric nylon string crossover
2012 (?) Gibson ES 335 Block #
Eastman E6OM LTD*
Benedetto Bravo
2015 Gibson ES 175 ‘59 Reissue VOS#
Fender Strat MIM
Godin Multiac nylon string
D’Angelico New Yorker (Korean reissue)
Eastman T386
Eastman T486
‘60’s Gibson C-2 nylon string
Alhambra 9P classical
Partscaster w/ Vintage Vibe bridge p/u and Lollar Charlie Christian neck P/U*
1981 Alvarez Yairi CY125* (converted to flamenco guitar)
Republic “Clarksdale” Tri-Cone
Martin 00016 Custom*
Hermanos Camps Primera Blanca Flamenco*


2020’s


Fender MIM Classic 50’s Lacquer Telecaster w/ Biltoft Vintage Vibe P/u’s installed
Eastman T64VT GB*
2019 Jose Gonzalez Lopez Flamenca Negra*


*Currently own
#Wish I still owned

[Peter C]

I have an Ibanez PM2 archtop, a modded mid-80s Japanese Strat and a c. 1980 Suzuki dreadnought, all of which get played regularly. A fourth guitar is an Ibanez Artcore archtop which has developed as yet undiagnosed neck buzzes and is currently on long term leave.

With a demanding "day job", family etc, I find 3 guitars to be quite enough to maintain - that's 18 strings that need changing!! I don't personally see much point in having a guitar that you don't play.

If I had a gig (ha ha in the current situation) and the archtop was in the shop for whatever reason? I'd probably slap some bigger strings on the Strat (the trem is already blocked) and be done with it. But realistically, how many times does that happen?

[Triple_Jazz]

Until recently I’ve spent a long long long time as a one electric guitar guy. I’m now a 3 electric guitar guy, the good one 17”, the gigger 16”, and the beater 15.5” semi hollow.

[Joeontheguitar]

I came across this article: How much is enough: is amassing a huge gear collection really good for your playing - or the planet? | Guitar World

[Lobomov]

Tele (custom job from Mark Rutters)
Fender Strat (a really nice partscaster)
1961 Gibson ES-345
1952 Gibson Les Paul
1935 Gibson L-12
Beneteau acoustic
cheap classical
cheap 80s Washburn acoustic

I don't think that is excessive, given that I played professionally, including some studio work. But all you other guys are excessive.

That is the bare minimum ... You don't need an electric archtop?

[Beaubs]

Currently; Breedlove 250 Studio acoustic, Telecaster 72 reissue thin line, Charvel S-type, Godin Montreal Premier. The Tele and Breedlove sit idle, they are on the selling block and I have my eye firmly fixed on a Godin A6. That would then bring me down to a versatile number of 3 guitars...and that’s all I need.

[jpb]

One archtop for jazz
One Martin D-21 flat top
One telecaster for everything else
That's all.

[Midnight Blues]

4 - Gibson Les Pauls ('72/'54 Limited Edition, '76 Deluxe, '11 Frampton Signature model, '13 R9)
1 - Gibson ES-355 ('08 Alex Lifeson Inspired By)
1- Gibson L-5 ('14 Wes Montgomery)
1 - Fender American Strat ('06)
1 - Washburn D10s ('06)
1 - Martin D-35 ('11)

[Beaubs]

Currently; Breedlove 250 Studio acoustic, Telecaster 72 reissue thin line, Charvel S-type, Godin Montreal Premier. The Tele and Breedlove sit idle, they are on the selling block and I have my eye firmly fixed on a Godin A6. That would then bring me down to a versatile number of 3 guitars...and that’s all I need.

Now down to 3 - Godin Montreal Premier, Charvel S-type, Godin A6 (in transit).

[coolvinny]

(looks away)

[ah.clem]

During the last year stuck in the house, I've added a '98 Ibanez AAF207 7 string "Jerry Sims" and a '98 Ibanez AJ307 7 string Acoustic/Electric flat top to the throng. I'm pretty close to owning all the Ibanez Jazz and Acoustic 7s. I have no idea why, but I do like collecting and playing Ibanez guitars. I've also been talking with a local luthier about a 7 string commission. I'm thinking that it might be time to cull the collection of instruments that just don't get played much. I rotate them every few weeks, but some just aren't making the rotation. My grandkids have no interest in them so I've been considering donating them to Harvest Guitars for the Troops.

[matcarsa]

- Peerless Monarch
- Gibson SG std 98
- Ibanez RG652
- Gitane DG255
- Cordoba C10 cedar
- Washburn D10

There is not many genre I can't approach with those 6.

Envoyé de mon SM-G930F en utilisant Tapatalk

[pingu]

2 similar ibanez lam archtops
1 for home
1 in a gigbag ready to go ...yeah right

thinking of getting a solid body
a yam pacifica maybe

[Zheul]

Gibson es330 1960
Gibson L50 (with floating cc pickup) 1934
Fender telecaster 1975
Traveler guitar « strat »
Classical

Very happy with thé L50. I have Just received it 1 month ago and i played it twice with my band. No real issu with feedback, just a wonderfull tone


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[JCjazz]

I thought I'd chime in too!

Like many others, I've had quite a few different guitars for the past years, searching for the right one(s). Until recently I had 3 electric guitars (and one very cheap Classical one which is more like part of home decoration now), then I sold one of them just 2 days ago and now I'm down to 2. A Eastman thinline hollow body and a Sadowsky archtop. I acquired both 2nd handed, which is still relatively recent purchases (had them for 3 years and 1 year respectively).

The thing is, it feels very liberating in many ways. Most of all, I feel I can connect with them on a deeper level.

I think they are really all I need, at least for now. They inspire me and I feel that they represent my present musical voice the best. I guess I'm lucky to have found the right ones.

It's not that I'm not tempted by all those other cool guitars out there any longer. I still like looking at them. But I'd like to minimize distractions and focus on making music much more, and I think having only a few real favorite guitars works for me very well - like having a couple of best friends.

Things change of course, so who knows... I'll make sure to read this post back whenever I'm starting to lose the way.

[Tricky Fish]

3 for me:

Classical - handmade for pure classical playing

Flamenco - handmade by me with a luthier, an all-round nylon string guitar for flamenco, jazz, folk etc

Beater nylon string - a factory made flamenco guitar that comes with me on holidays, camping trips, etc


i will probably add fourth guitar soon specifically for amplified purposes (nylon electric).

[Mark M.]

The current count is seven. Archtops L to R: Eastman El Rey 7 string, Campellone Custom Standard 17”, Trenier Model E 16”.

Acoustics: On the wall: Martin 000-16.

L-R on the floor: Jose Gonzalez Lopez flamenca negra, Mijail Kharash flamenca blanca, Mijail Kharash cedar/rosewood classical.

I am likely adding a Kharash flamenca negra next year.

[TAA]

In #7 nopedals said…..

Interesting that nobody has one guitar. Years ago that was the norm. I played for decades before buying a spare guitar. Anybody else remember the 60s 70s differently? You just owned the best guitar you could afford.

I too have just one today and can connect directly with the comment about the 60’s and 70’s. We were kids snd no one had a “spare or backup” guitar. We bought the ones we could afford, played them and really enjoyed them.

For me in 1967-1978 it was a 1967
L-5C that I eventually sold in 1982. MANY jobs, sometimes 6-nights a week. I got re-infected in 2021 and bought a 1952 L-5C.,..my single guitar today but no longer gigging…don’t need a spare.

Tom