Do you PRACTICE with your most expensive gear?

**christianm77** · 02-09-2019, 06:39 AM

If I had an expensive guitar I didn’t want to play most of the time, would probably sell it and get another one.

**sgosnell** · 02-09-2019, 12:00 PM

I had a very expensive guitar for awhile, and I was afraid to play it lest I put a ding or a scratch on it. I played it perhaps a half dozen times. But I bought it as an investment, not to play, and I sold it for enough profit to put a new roof on my house, which I sorely needed. That was a rare opportunity, though. The others I either bought to play or received as gifts, and they all get played now and then, some more than others. Monetary value has nothing to do with it, though, nor does possible wear. I play the ones that I enjoy playing. The older, cheaper ones tend to be neglected.

**candido** · 02-09-2019, 12:34 PM

Fret wear would never stop me from playing a guitar.

In general I would say practice with whichever guitar you're going to the gig with - this way you are most comfortable with the tone and feel you want in the live setting. The only exception might be if I had a guitar that was really a collectors instrument, say an authentic'59 Les Paul. I would probably not drag that one to the bar.

**tonyb300** · 02-21-2019, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by p1p

wondering if I should just go ahead anyway and face the re-fret at some point..

A refret is like making your favorite guitar brand new again, had my PRS HB done by Gary Brawer a couple years ago and DID NOT REGRET IT ONE BIT!!

**entresz** · 02-21-2019, 06:27 PM

I just practice on the guitar I want to play at the point in time...
Some days I want to play an acoustic archtop, others I want the dry thunk of a laminated archtop. Sometimes I want the even sustain of my Les Paul Recording.

On the topic of refretting - I'm getting my Les Paul Recording refretted. The old fretless wonder frets were extremely worn. It's like changing tyres on a car, just has to be done every so often....

**snoskier63** · 02-27-2019, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

It took me 50 years to wear down the frets on my '68 Stratocaster. (I played the heck out of it.)

I do practice with my most expensive guitars. I love them too much to let them sit. BUT, I rotate the guitars so that they share the fret wear. Thus, even my '38 Gibson still has acceptable frets.

You must have a heck of a lot of guitars to rotate through to be able to keep the frets on your ‘38 Gibson acceptable.

**arielcee** · 08-08-2019, 05:16 AM

Well my most expensive stuff cost me like $400.

It seems practical to "practice" the instrument you perform on. Unless you have a cheap and similarly set up copy of your good rig.

**wintermoon** · 08-08-2019, 02:46 PM

Absolutely, I didn't buy them to be wall hangers or closet queens.
Play 'em!

**Greentone** · 08-08-2019, 02:54 PM

Like Wintermoon, I sure do.

It's inspiring to play the best ones you have.

**citizenk74** · 08-08-2019, 11:04 PM

Yes.

**Pierrot** · 08-09-2019, 09:53 AM

Why on the earth would I have a nice instrument if I wasn't going to enjoy it every day?

**greveost** · 08-14-2019, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by fep

The only guitar with fret wear that I have is the one I've had the longest... 47 years. And, the fret-wear is minor and doesn't bother me.

I don't think of value or fret-wear when picking up a guitar, I just play what I want. So I guess it's 50/50 but not for the reasons you noted.

Same for me, and it so happens that I prefer to play on my less expensive gear because I like playing it. The price is a non-issue.

**christianm77** · 08-14-2019, 04:14 AM

Good point.

Actually I find my more expensive guitars (old guitars) can be harder and less 'enjoyable' to play than my cheaper ones.

I play the expensive guitars because they sound really good. So I have to work a bit harder to get in shape for a gig.

Of course some expensive guitars play like butter. Most new guitars play very nicely.

**Alter** · 08-14-2019, 05:23 AM

Sometimes during the summer, when it's hot and sweaty, I might pick up the tele instead of an archtop, but that's about it

Finding a really good guitar tech/luthier is important, and then you can enjoy your guitars and fix whatever might need fixing..

**Greentone** · 08-15-2019, 12:41 PM

Slight modification...

Keeping track of things, I realize that I rotate through my guitars in a week's worth of practice sessions. Everything from the most expensive, carved-body, custom archtop, to the home-assembled Telecaster copy gets used at some point during the week.

I guess this promotes (1) even wear across the stock, and (2) no instruments just sitting in cases, suffering neglect.

**Sleeko** · 12-03-2023, 11:22 AM

Life is short, tomorrow isn't promised so play what you want when you want and don't worry about wearing it out. Though the next owner will surely appreciate your efforts, by then it's too late for you.
Personally I like to cycle through what I have as I admire them for different reasons. My L4CES is my clear favorite for it's effortless sound and feel but none of the others are a dud, just different which I like.

**frabarmus** · 12-03-2023, 11:42 AM

50/50... I try to play a different guitar every day (got 5) and some times it doesn't work that way as, on a given day, a certain guitar might "call me louder". It also depends on what I'm working on... but I have to say, at the end of the day, my most expensive guitar is the one I've played the most...

**rpjazzguitar** · 12-03-2023, 04:19 PM

I play two guitars regularly. One is the cheapest Yamaha Pacifica 012 and the other is a Comins GCS-1. The Yamaha is easier on my hands, but the Comins sounds better. I used to gig with both, but the Yamaha died on a gig once (a wire from the jack to the pot pulled loose) so I stopped trusting it, even though I fixed it. I now carry a repair kit in my car which includes the necessary screwdrivers and a soldering iron.

**zephyrregent** · 12-03-2023, 04:27 PM

I play on my most expensive guitar the majority of the time. Sometimes it's good to have a change for comparison or to get a refreshed appreciation for a particular guitar's characteristics. The Trenier Jazz Special sounds good acoustically as well as amplified. The L-5 sounds good amplified but has some buzzing issues acoustically, so I usually only play it amplified. I have a 1951 Epiphone Epiphone Zephyr Regent that is my least expensive guitar. I bought it in 1970 and the frets were already low but playable. I finally had a fret job done in 1995 when it had become almost fretless. I played a lot in the 70's but much less later. It plays alright for what it is. As mentioned by Deacon Mark about his D'Angelico, it resonates and I can feel the vibration in my body. I recently put 11 gauge strings on it for the first time and it's easier to play. It's loud acoustically. I used it for many years playing with people and it was acceptable.

**StoneWaller** · 12-03-2023, 07:53 PM

I've had one guitar for years, and was completely happy. When I bit the bullet and sprang for #2, the most expensive guitar I've owned, I just couldn't get along with it and couldn't figure out why. I'd go back to my old beater every practice session. The new one played better than anything I've ever had, tone was right out of my head, looked great. Checked all my boxes. Should of been a dream come true, but I seriously thought about selling it many times.

Eventually I realized I was afraid of it. "Too expensive, chops aren't worthy, no vibrato or bends or you'll wear the frets!" Silly things really. I played it so timidly, like it would fall apart, which of course made my playing sound even worse than it normally is. The stress of it's cost kind of owned me.

Went on vacation, and when I came back I took the new #2 out of the safe and intentionally left old #1 to rest. Haven't looked back since, and play it every day, as it's meant to be. It's a wonderful guitar, and very glad I didn't sell it. I do however remind my new reigning #1 every now and then that it's nothing more than bits of wood, just like the poor bastards I feed to my stove. Work with me, and we'll get along just fine.

Kidding of course, but it is all just stuff: nice, expensive stuff that I worked really hard to aquire, and should enjoy every second of my time with it.

**Boogaloo** · 12-03-2023, 08:21 PM

Why not the best everyday? Gibson es Les Paul with MHS pickups and a Trinity tweed deluxe. Heaven.

**Doug B** · 12-04-2023, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

my motivation was that I wanted to play melodies I heard in my head. Either for songs that I liked or melodies that I improvised on to create a nice line.

This exactly.

**Archie** · 12-04-2023, 01:27 PM

One shouldn’t play their most expensive gear, one should play their best gear.

**hotpepper01** · 12-04-2023, 01:43 PM

I practice with what I intend to play at a gig. My advice: play with the gear that you intend to perform with and vice versa. Coming weeks I will perform with the bigbands. Outdoors in the low temperatures, I do not take my vulnerable, expensive solid wood and nitro Gibson L5CT, but a much more ruggedized laminated poly Gretsch White Falcon 6136DC. The amp does not mind being out in the open. So, at this point in the season, I practice with the Gretsch and will perform with it.

**coyote-1** · 12-04-2023, 06:13 PM

I just recently acquired a beautiful jazz box. Happened in late spring. It is my most expensive music purchase ever.

I’m 61 years old. It would be foolish of me to not practice with it. Especially since I’m not gigging. Gotta play it some time….