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

[cedartop52]

I have a 60's Stella and an 80's Strat that I will keep until I get to the 'end of the runway' for sentimental reasons (I'm 72yo). My daily finger picking luthier-built guitar will probably change every 3-4 years only because I enjoy a change of scenery now and again or until arthritis takes me out of the guitar game all together.

[Bluenose]

As another old dude here (70 this spring) I've had the disposable income and the time to put together a nice little collection. I think I 'd like to own a ladder braced Waterloo because everybody raves about them for old timey fingerpicking but I'm not actively looking for one. If I ever come into some serious money (highly doutful) I'll buy some boutique or vintage prewar pieces but I don't really think it's in the cards.

[Nymuso]

Sure, got one now. Had a bunch of ‘em, but most are gone.

[Gordon Currie]

I have three.

A Larrivee I bought in 1981. Other than buying a relatively inexpensive eBay Larrivee to use as a beater, I didn't buy another acoustic guitar for 37 years...

... until 2018, when I bought an Irvin SJ cutaway.

Then in 2020 I commissioned another Irvin for my first ever custom build.

I do not enjoy FINDING the perfect guitar. I enjoy USING the perfect guitar.

[rmp]

I have guitars I can sell

I know what they are, and what they are worth.

I have guitars I will not sell.

I know what THOSE are too, and there's no price tag I can put on them.

[BlueBowman]

I absolutely love my Larrivee. I do have guitars that are more responsive, but the Larrivee is so perfectly articulate, and it shines either finger picked or "plectrum-ed"

I can't imagine ever parting with it. It's also my 12-year old nephew's favorite (he's rapidly advancing from beginner status on guitar), so I guess it will stay no matter what!

[Br1ck]

At some point I may not be able to play anymore. I've thought when that time comes, everything goes and I hope to be able to get a twenties Martin 00. If not I'll get whatever small SCGC that will sound good with silk and steel .010s.


Right now my SCGC D P/W has not been around long enough to tell. A year is not enough time, but it's a fine guitar. My 70 Guild D 35 has the most attachment to me because I resurrected it from the life of a dark closet. I've had it for twenty years, for ten it wasn't playable. Never is a pretty high bar to meet, but I am not a trader by nature.

[Brent Hutto]

I don’t have any Sentimental attachment to objects or possessions, including guitars. I own one acoustic guitar, which I’ve had for 15 years or more and can’t really imagine ever selling it, but only because I’m not really looking for a different or better acoustic to replace it. if I did for some reason ever get another guitar I’d rather play than that one, it’s worth enough money than sure I would sell it on and get some of my money back out of it.

For me a musical instrument, no matter how nicely made or how well it suits me, is just a thing I make music with. Its value is entirely “instrumental”, you light say

[Bluenose]

I understand what you're saying but I don't get sentimentally attached to hammers or saws but when I find one that works well for me I keep it.

[Steve DeRosa]

The 2013 Gretsch G6136DC double-cut White Falcon I bought in 2018 was the realization of a 55-year dream for me, ever since I saw my first one in the '63 catalog as a kid...

My 2016 3-PU cat's eye Gretsch G5622T-CB is a production version of a design I bounced off a then up-and-coming (and now world-renowned) luthier about 40 years ago: cost about one-third what he quoted (in 1983 dollars - probably about 5-6 times that now), felt/sounded immediately familiar from day one, and I can live with the minor differences from my original conception...

Learned my lesson when I sold my "for life" '73 D-45 for all the wrong reasons...

Neither one is going anywhere while I walk this earth - anything else is negotiable...

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by cip

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

I will keep my Hsienmo sinker redwood for the long haul most likely.

The exception may be if I order a grand auditorium sinker redwood from Hsienmo in which case I would probably sell the smaller one I have now down at a local guitar store.

...

[Zissou Intern]

My ‘04 D18GE will stay with me to the end. I owned several more expensive guitars, and maybe even some that are better sounding, but none that fit me like this GE.

[SFCRetired]

At 65 years old I do have my life guitar. Just don't ask me which one it is. I can't see me buying any more guitars. Except maybe one I have always wanted to try out. But that's a big maybe.

Most of us older folks have our life guitar because we have already been through the catch and release program.

[Mycroft]

I have a couple custom built boutique guitars. I have a couple old guitars. My oldest tenured guitar I bought with the intention of reselling it. (The one and only time I have ever bought a guitar with resale in mind) I have had it for 27 years. Another I've had for 22 years.

They are all for sale. So far, no one has met my asking price...

[Mark Stone]

Two == a 1978 K. Yairi classical, hand built (for emo reasons) and a Taylor 110e (2015), for practical reasons.