Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

[Silver]

Been thinking about this for a while.

My best years of guitar playing were when I first started and I had just one guitar and one amp. I made it work for whatever I needed to play. These days, I'm sure I spend more time fiddling with gear than I do actually playing.

Have you ever just wanted to get rid of everything and start from scratch? Maybe that would involve buying a really high end guitar... something masterbuilt in a custom shop or by a boutique brand, or maybe something made specifically for you by a luthier.

And then once you have it... just sticking with it, and making it work for you!

When I think of the greats, there is a little variation in what they play... but not much. Hendrix made the strat work for him, so did Gilmour and Knophler. May has his red special. Angus and Iommi made the SG work for whatever they needed. Slash has his LP. The theme is that they just adapted their sound and technique to suit their instrument.

There are a few exceptions of course: Gilmour and Knophler both used a Les Paul on a couple of tracks. Gilmour used a Tele once or twice, as did Brian May. Slash used the Mockingbird once or twice. But overall, they had one type of primary instrument and used it for several successful albums and world tours. Why can't we do that?

I gotta say too, the best guitarists I know in real life have very simple gear. Usually one high end guitar that they make work for them, and one amp. The worst guitarists I know in real life have 8 guitars and a ton of amps/effects.

One final dimension. If you had to pair down your rig like this, what would you go for? One guitar, one amp only... a few basic pedals if you want.

 

[Diego]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

Sure as hell not only one, but currently I own 5 electrics and I could well downsize to 3 and be happy about it.
I don't use my Jackson (and it has the best pickups I own, WTF?) and I've got an extra Strat that's currently disarmed.

Just one is asking too much. I could sell all my guitars and buy a USA PRS or something, but I can get much more out of 3 mid-tier guitars.
I've tried high-end instruments and they're amazing, but I get nothing out of them I can't get out of my own guitars.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

I've given that serious consideration, but if you want a Tele, a Strat( or a few), a SG,a 335, and a metal guitar( or two or three), your just gonna have to spread yourself thin. For all the cash I've blown on all my axes, I could have definitely had one great one.

Just think of the possibilities if Gearjoneser had pooled all his assets into one guitar..boggles the mind.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

A lot of players switch guitars based on the sounds they want at that particular moment. For me, I want to have a bunch of guitars that are versatile (going from crystalline cleans to heavy djent in a second) but all sound the same so that I can use them in different tunings. I played a Schecter Banshee Elite 7 string recently and thought that it felt and looked great. If I bought like 9-10 of those in various string configurations and tunings, I would be happy. I hate having to change the tuning on a guitar and I'll tend to just leave it in that tuning for a while before I change it back.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

The problem is, even with a high-end guitar, you have to try a few to find that special one where everything is right. But yeah, if you can find that one, that would be a way to go. Keep in mind a lot of those now high-end guitars originally were just off the shelf guitars, nothing special. In fact, some of them were undesirable (particularly Les Pauls in the early/mid 60's) at the time they became legendary - in the hands of particular few people. So that one guitar for you could/should actually end up being a mid-level or affordable guitar that, with a few personal mods, really does everything you need.

 

[Silver]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

Just think of the possibilities if Gearjoneser had pooled all his assets into one guitar..boggles the mind.

Ok, let's use Gearjoneser as an example (if you don't mind, Joe). He has some great gear, some of it pretty high end too, and a wide variety of standard types. Or... or... he could have one 1964 Fender Stratocaster and learn to make that his sound.

I think it's forum bro wah-wah who has the vintage strat and old 15w fender amp? Killer player though.

Honestly, sometimes I think I would be better off making a list of what I really like in a guitar and then having a luthier make it and I'm done forever.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

No matter how great a single guitar might be, I'm always going to want others that are different. I realized that when I got my USA Soloist. It's a fantastic guitar, but it's never going to be a Telecaster. Or an SG. Or a jazz box. And I really value that variety.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

Yes, very much so. But the problem with one guitar is it becomes very totally limited. Some guitars can be pretty versatile, but I find that they do their different sounds only adequately. I rather like them to do their one characteristic sound very well, even though it's not as versatile.

 

[Silver]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

A lot of players switch guitars based on the sounds they want at that particular moment. For me, I want to have a bunch of guitars that are versatile (going from crystalline cleans to heavy djent in a second) but all sound the same so that I can use them in different tunings. I played a Schecter Banshee Elite 7 string recently and thought that it felt and looked great. If I bought like 9-10 of those in various string configurations and tunings, I would be happy. I hate having to change the tuning on a guitar and I'll tend to just leave it in that tuning for a while before I change it back.

How about one those guitars with the motorized bridges or a hipshot trilogy?

Something like this: http://axcenttuning.com/

 

[NeedForPower]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

One Tele one Champ one beer. Works for me.



However, your premise is incorrect. Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa for example have literally hundreds of guitars. Most of the really good money making guitarists I have run across have large collections. They mostly stick to a few regulars for performing but enjoy collecting and experimenting.

 

[Silver]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

Sure, but isn't wanting that variety just naming the problem that I'm highlighting here.

Why the variety? Why not just have one sound? It's good enough for the guitar gods.

Very few great guitarists need 8 or 9 radically different guitars to satisfy their creativity. Most use just one type.

 

[daenius]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

I have over 20 guitars

I can easily do with just ONE of the, ANY one of them

I run a Boogie Mark V 25

So why do I have so many?

I like waking up and the first thing I see is a whole bunch of guitars

 

[2ndhandband]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

I make this point to my musician buddies all the time, and they mostly laugh at me but it's true. The real artists... the guys we grew up listening to... have THEIR sound and don't try to mess with it very much. They're not trying to get every tone on the planet.

OTOH, those of us who play for a significant chunk of our income but aren't rock stars don't always have that luxury. When I play live it's fine; I go out there with my bright, poppy, single-coilly range of tones and have never had any complaints. But when I do sessions, I have to be able to get what the producer wants. If that wasn't the case I wouldn't even own anything with a PAF sized humbucker in it. It's not a bad sound but it's not MY sound.

As somebody upthread pointed out, a lot of times the people with the most options are the worst players. Amongst my students down through the years have been a number of middle aged men with money, and they always seem to have a wall full of nice guitars and enough amps in their basement to provide backline for Ozzfest... yet despite having been at it for decades they can't play for crap.

If you're spending more time tweaking then playing it's easy enough... just stop. Get a live rig that works for you, replace stuff only when it needs replacing, and be happy. I only have as many guitars as I do so I can keep stuff in different tunings for different gigs. If I was in a situation where I was playing my own music all the time and it was all in standard or all a half step flat or whatever I could get by with one main guitar plus a backup.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

Sure, but isn't wanting that variety just naming the problem that I'm highlighting here.

Why the variety? Why not just have one sound? It's good enough for the guitar gods.

Very few great guitarists need 8 or 9 radically different guitars to satisfy their creativity. Most use just one type.

How many of those guitar gods don't have large diverse collections? Besides, I don't really care what they're doing. I want guitars because I want them.

Thing is, I don't have any strong, monolithic artistic vision or voice. I'm a hobbyist, a dilettante. I play to amuse myself. If I see someone playing a Les Paul and I like what I hear, maybe I'll want to try one. Monkey see, etc. I usually play a Floyded superstrat with hot pickups, but sometimes I want something different.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

A lot of this is dependent on the style you are after. You won't get classic tones at their best from anything but a vintage guitar. and a vintage amp..a prohibitively expensive 50's or 60's Gibson Fender etc.

If you want modern tone and playabilty , you are pretty much sol with the old school guitars.When you look at Pierres beuatiful; collection, you see what I mean. If you play with gobs of gain, vintage is pointless.

I'm after classic vintage, and If I had to do all over again, I would have bought a 50's Gibson, and a 70's 335, at the time ( prices have skyrocketed and continue to do so) that would have left me maybe enough money for a 80's Strat and SG, and a Warmoth Tele or something.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

I have 62 in my collection, and yes it is ridiculous. Most of it would be considered high-end...G&Ls, Gibsons, Martins, vintage Music Mans, a Taylor. A lot of those were bought used. I always try to buy low with an eye for investment. I play out with all of them. And I love them all.

I have several budget guitars too, but they are all wonderful instruments. Ibanez, Takamine, Hondo, DanElectro...all bought fairly cheap, but they perform well and serve a function.

Every time I open a case around here I'm like, "Oh WOW!" I have better inventory than Guitar Center, seriously. No guilt...I have been playing for a LONG time and worked hard to get here. I made a living playing music for many years. Gave up a lot to do it. I don't have kids, or a hot car or a boat. I don't ski, sail, golf, or travel much. Don't drink 30 year-old Scotch or fine wine. I don't do drugs, don't smoke or blow my money on ridiculous tattoos or piercings. I prefer to buy gear.

I think I have ten that I could let go without too much trauma, but I would want to have an upgraded replacement for at least two of those.

Got a stable full of Mesa amps too; probably have three or four more than I really need, but I'm hanging on to them.

All of my guitars have something that speaks to me, something special going on. Over the years I've got a good handle on what I like and what works for me, and that's what I buy. I do have a lot of duplication, but these are the guitars I love. And yes, I do have some favorites.

So one guitar and one amp? Not going to happen. I like where I'm at.

Bill

 

[2ndhandband]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

A lot of this is dependent on the style you are after. You won't get classic tones at their best from anything but a vintage guitar. and a vintage amp..a prohibitively expensive 50's or 60's Gibson Fender etc.

If you want modern tone and playabilty , you are pretty much sol with the old school guitars.When you look at Pierres beuatiful; collection, you see what I mean. If you play with gobs of gain, vintage is pointless.

I'm after classic vintage, and If I had to do all over again, I would have bought a 50's Gibson, and a 70's 335, at the time ( prices have skyrocketed and continue to do so) that would have left me maybe enough money for a 80's Strat and SG, and a Warmoth Tele or something.

I strongly disagree about the vintage guitar thing. Guitars in general are being made much better and more consistent than they were back in the day (certain companies notwithstanding) and you can get 100% authentic reproduction pickups from a number of manufacturers. I completely reject the notion that old guitars have some kind of voodoo.

Also, you can get modern sounds from vintage pickups with intelligent use of outboard gear. You can't do it the other way around.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

One is too much and a million wouldn't be enough.
So, no.

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[Securb]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Ever get sick of acquiring gear and just want one great guitar?

I strongly disagree about the vintage guitar thing. Guitars in general are being made much better and more consistent than they were back in the day (certain companies notwithstanding) and you can get 100% authentic reproduction pickups from a number of manufacturers. I completely reject the notion that old guitars have some kind of voodoo.

Also, you can get modern sounds from vintage pickups with intelligent use of outboard gear. You can't do it the other way around.