How many of you actually truly believe you have a "for life" guitar? Not possible?

[rllink]

I don't go through guitars, I don't own a dozen of them and I'm not in search of the so called "holy grail" of guitars. So I think I'll have my GS Mini because even if I didn't play it, which I do, but if I didn't I would shove it in a closet and not think about it. So not because I have finally found that one guitar that will forever fill all my needs and desires, but because there is no reason to ever get rid of it.

I think there are a lot of people like that. People who just buy a few guitars that they are satisfied with and hang onto them. Sometimes we get the impression that everyone suffers GAS and it is the norm to buy and sell guitars based on how the wind blows, but I think there are plenty of people who aren't doing that.

My Guild was a birthday gift from my wife and she takes gift giving very seriously. She really thinks about just the right gift. The Guild is not going anywhere. There's that, and like the Mini, I just don't flip guitars. I can't think of a reason I would get rid of it.

[rollypolly]

I've been on a quest for a few years but I think I'm just not at a place where I can keep a $2k+ guitar and feel good about it. I'm more comfortable with a few $1k guitars that I can sling around and play the crud out of and bond with.

For electrics yes I have a ‘69 tele thinline reissue that I can’t see myself ever selling.

[mike o]

I have several keepers. No reason to look anymore.

[s2y]

I have a bunch that I have no intention to sell and I'm hopefully in a position where I'm not obligated to sell.

I have a few I might sell when it's time to "upgrade" something or make room.

I have a vintage voiced rosewood DN that I might eventually sell. I "fell" for the idea that everyone needs a dread. There is very little bluegrass in my area and I don't need it. I suppose that makes for a good excuse to work on a bluegrass course. I also have a 28.6" scale jumbo baritone. I'm small and it's a bit too much. Might get a smaller body and shorter scale length at some point.

Otherwise, I've been playing long enough to know what I'll like. I generally don't enjoy mahogany. I have enough vintage voiced guitars.

[Wolfram]

Back in 2011 I was lucky enough to be able to spec and order a custom guitar from Mike Baranik - here's the build thread.

It is my perfect guitar - I love it as much now as the day it arrived. I succumbed to acoustic GAS only twice in the 13 years since it arrived, but I don't think either of those has been out of the case in over a year. I won't rule out ever buying another acoustic guitar, but I have zero GAS right now and haven't had for several years now. But I do know absolutely for certain that I will own my Baranik Aurora to my grave!

Cheers.
David

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by cip

A guitar that you truly believe you will never ever get rid of.

I recall seeing grown men cry during this song that was about saying good bye to a guitar that the person loved.

I'm not sentimental or anything but recently bought a guitar that absolutely sings. I've never heard such a high caliber sounding guitar before, in any store or professional recording studio and I can't Believe I actually own it. I don't think this guitar will ever get sold.

Hi cip…

I'm 75 yrs old. I've owned my best 4 acoustic guitars 15 years, 19 years, 20 years and 31 years. I've owned my Strat 31 years and the Tele for 13 years.

I own the bass my son owned when he passed away 20 years ago.

None are leaving the home by way of selling or trading.

I may gift some of them to grandchildren or friends before the great-transition.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Well, sure, of course I do. But lookit, at 72 I don't have much life left!

[6L6]

I have three acoustics I will never part with:

* '97 Martin D-45V

* '74 Martin D-35

* '71 Guild F-312NT

[Charlie Bernstein]

PS -

My forever guitar is the same model as the guitar I had when I was twenty. Don't remember what happened to it, but I loved it. After that, I had lots of others over the years, Gibsons and Martins, but they never really did it for me.

Then I ran into this one maybe a dozen years ago, and it felt like a family reunion. So I grabbed it. I'm back!

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by mike o

I have several keepers. No reason to look anymore.

'Zackly Ditto dat!

[davidd]

My EF500 RAN the wifey bought me in 2006.

The rest is just "stuff".

[stevo58]

Age as a factor was mentioned earlier. I’m 65, and at some point will move out of this house into an old folks apartment. I don’t want a lot of stuff then. And I don’t want to saddle my kids with figuring out what to do with it. So my OM-21 and Epi Devon suit me just fine, and realistically cover all my wants and needs. Occasionally I get the urge for something different (like right now I’m jonesing for an L-00) but I wait it out and it goes away. There’s always something new and shiny that distracts me for a few minutes. I just don’t act on it any more.

So, barring disaster, I have my lifers.

[fwphoto]

Originally Posted by rllink

So not because I have finally found that one guitar that will forever fill all my needs and desires, but because there is no reason to ever get rid of it.

I forgot about that one! :-) One of the first guitars I ever had is still in my possession. It's a '72 Yamaha G-130A that insurance paid for when an older, beat up Yamaha I had bought from a friend for $20 was stolen. Was my only guitar 'till I bought my D-18 in '75. Since then it has been played very little by me but was loaned to a friend of a friend for several years before being returned in OK shape but with a totally trashed OEM chipboard case. I eventually replaced that case & it has sat in the closet for many, many years except for the rare occasion I pull it out & replace the nylon strings. I've thought about selling it or even giving it to deserving young student but have been too lazy to put either of those things together so it will probably still be in the closet when they put me in the ground.

Frank

[BrunoBlack]

I think this is a question about personality more than guitars. Some people appreciate what they have and keep things; others like to hunt. There is no shortage of fantastic guitars, so either choice can be satisfying. I tend toward keeping guitars I have found to be great for me, but still like to try different desserts.

[mr. beaumont]

Oh, I'm definitely not parting with a few of my guitars, for various reasons...totally "lifers."