How many guitars do you own?

[C-ville Brent]

I've been at this for nearly 40 years and have sold one electric and one acoustic during that time. Wish I hadn't, but needed cash at the time. Currently I have 18 acoustics ranging from a Rogue Starter to a D-41. I also have 12 electrics from my first guitar (Electra) up to a 2014 Gibson Les Paul Traditional. It is a lot, but comes out to less than one new guitar a year, although there were many years when I was younger that no guitars were added. This is my one indulgence.

[mercy]

Im surprised about how many guitars people own. I mean guitars are expensive. And Im surprised at how many people own 30 or more.

[ishtar]

Over the years a lot have come and gone. Probably around 100. Lots of seller’s remorse but never without something that I appreciated. Most at one time was 12. Tried to keep moving through them in a rotation.

Eventually, I dropped the number in residence because I felt I could develop a more familiar and intimate relationship with fewer instruments and focused more sharply on less,, but they were ones I felt more affinity toward. I currently have three and am appreciative of them and don’t know why, but I always feel a longing, gas for something else. But three is a good number. Manageable.

[djg]

4, if you count the electric, which has gotten very little play in the past . . . well, decade, at least.

1 OM, 1 00, 1 classical.

[LadysSolo]

Originally Posted by mercy

Im surprised about how many guitars people own. I mean guitars are expensive. And Im surprised at how many people own 30 or more.

None of mine are all that expensive, I own 8 and only one was $1000, all of the rest were $200 or less. I am planning to reduce by one or two, a grandchild of a fellow church member is looking for a nice parlor-size, and I have one looking for a home for about $100 (I paid -I think- $125 a few years ago, so not a real loss - I "rented" it for a few years.)

[EverettWilliams]

Originally Posted by mercy

Im surprised about how many guitars people own. I mean guitars are expensive. And Im surprised at how many people own 30 or more.

As far as carrying costs associated with big guitar collections, it’s really quite low. Hobbies like cars, boats, and planes carry comparatively high entry points and much higher carrying costs. Do I have a stupid number of instruments? Absolutely. But if you’ve got the space and the resources and it’s fun for you, why not? It ties up capital (in a sometimes efficient way) but unlike a lot of hobbies, once you’ve got the asset, there’s not much of a downside to holding it.

[Dustinfurlow]

Hats off to all you single-guitar-owners. Happy wife, happy life.

[Godfather]

The 3 in my signature line are may current crop.

I have been at this for about 7 years, been through over a dozen different guitars, even a couple incredible customs, and finally realize 00’s suit me best. My most recent acquisition is the H&D....this is a spectacular guitar in every way.

Guess I am done, that is, until the next one comes along.

[Neil K Walk]

I’ve honestly lost count since I started learning how to build them. I have three playable acoustics, 2 playable electrics, I hand built ukulele and hits and pieces of several unbuilt or dismantled/unplayable guitars.

EDIT: OK, this is a cop-out. I have 5 that I could pick up and play, 1 that needs repairs, 2 under construction and 2 more that are permanently retired and in constant jeopardy of going in the dumpster if it weren't for their sentimental value. I didn't 10 though; I voted 6-7 because I could repair that 1 and have something that would likely be ready to fall apart. The 2 under construction are not likely to be completed anytime soon.

Active (acoustic: )
1: Larrivee OM-03R (2006)
2: Martin D-16GT (2009)
3: DIY Medium Jumbo (western red cedar/mahogany) (2013)

Active (electric: )
4: Fender American Standard Stratocaster (ash) (1998)
5: Kramer Stryker (1989)

Inactive (acoustic: )
6: Epiphone Texan FT-160N (12 string, year unknown, inactive due to loose neck block)
7: DIY Medium Jumbo (Carpathian spruce/East Indian rosewood, under construction; body is complete but still working on the fingerboard/frets)
8: DIY OM (sitka spruce/black walnut, under construction; I have the neck ready for fretting yet only have black plate assembled so far but have most of the materials set aside; I am in the process of making molds and jigs to aide the process)

Retired (acoustic: )
9: Takamine F-360 (1973, broken bracing and compromised laminated top and neck joint)
10: Kay K-401 (1973, split neck heel, compromised laminated top)

I have the first 4 upstairs and the rest are lurking in my basement/workshop along with 7 cases.

BTW, I also have a McKnight ukulele but can't play but a couple of songs on it.

[FrankHudson]

I have more acoustics than I need and way more electric guitars than is sane. I play most of my acoustics regularly, but the larger group of electrics is a somewhat different story.

As to those that wonder at the cost or storage space, 30 electric guitars store in less space than a car or boat or an extra queen-sized bed. As to cost, I assure you that if you enjoy cheap and cheerful brands bought at used and close out and stupid-deal prices, the cost of my accumulation wouldn't get you a late model used car.

I'd like to sell some, but as I joked in another thread, most of them are hardly worth the trouble and time to sell. At my age I should be getting rid of some, but I spend my time now playing them not selling them. If I'd been a sensible and committed collector I'd have salable assets. I was and am a player/composer and accumulator, and so to a large degree I don't have things most other buyers want most.

Another common, sensible question is: do you play them all? Every day? No. But it's fun to pull one out of it's case and put it back where I can see it and grab it. It's pretty much NGD without the cost other than a fresh set of strings. The other thing with electric guitars is that I love them as sculpture. The colors and shapes just please me. If I was richer I'd have a big room like you see in some folks pictures with all of then displayed like Brancusis but instead a dozen hang in my not pretty studio/rehearsal space and a second dozen sit ready to grab in racks, while the "dirty dozen" doze in cases under a stairwell at home. I often play four or five of them in any one session, along with one or more of the four electric basses there (flat wound and round wound basses, a Squire Bass VI, and a Jack Casady model hollowbody bass with flats that's my current favorite). I'm also well stocked if someone sits in.

Even my "Studio B" (a small 12'x12' "home office" converted bedroom) has an acoustic guitar, a fretless, and flat and round wound string electric bass, a Tele, a 339-sized semi-hollowbody, a dual humbucker solid body with a MIDI pickup, and an electric 12 string and a little plastic MIDI keyboard with drum trigger pads.

Could I just move stuff from one location to the other? When I was younger, that's what I did. Now I'm old, I don't gig, and carrying a half-dozen guitar and bass cases up and down stairways is not pleasant, while playing still is.

What comes out of this these days? Well my little non-commercial blog/podcast that mixes words (mostly other people's poetry) with original music and a whole lot of enjoyment. I think it's worth the space, trouble, time and money.

That's a long winded answer to a casual poll, but there it is.

[chasingchet]

one acoustic but soon to be none! my new martin d41 reimagined..is sadly now
up for grabs....time do some contemplating and start over fresh...but yeah just one guitar!

[thomasinaz]

I'm about 1 guitar above where I'd like to be. I look at Craigslist occasionally and saw a Gibson L-00, which has been on my maybe someday list. I played it and liked the sound, but there were some minor issues that the guy didn't list in his ad. He wouldn't move on his asking price so no deal. However.... a call to MF landed me a brand new L-00 at a really good price, below what the guy was asking for his used one. So now I'm 1 above where I should be and can't really figure out which one I'd want to sell... That's how this too many guitars stuff happens.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by joshua89

I'm just wondering, how often do you guys play each?

I hang mine on the wall and tend to play each almost every day in rotation.

[roylor4]

5 acoustics
1 resonator
3 Electrics

They all get played although I haven't played the reso much lately.

[Ludere]

I currently own the six in my signature; but I voted "4 or 5" because the Epihone was my dad's and I only own it because of that; I don't ever play it. (It's truly a dog - sorry, Dad). Pretty sure it will become wall art at some point ...

I play all of the others at least once a week, usually 2 or 3 different ones during the course of a typical day ... I like them all for different reasons.

I am pretty content with this number (actually feeling a bit guilty for owning this many and not really feeling that I'm an 'accomplished' player yet), but I do have aspirations to "trade up" a few of them at some point ... maybe even add one ...

~ Paul

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