Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

[waltschwarzkopf]

Hi guys,

A while ago, I took my first and one-and-only electric guitar (an old strat) from my parent’s house. I had gigged with it and done many things for the past 20ish years and I wanted to mod it. Therefore, I bought a backup guitar to be able to play while the other one was under surgery. Shortly after, I traded it for a much nicer guitar as someone offered me a Yamaha 604w in great condition.

While I was modifying the old guitar, I went to the best store in town to try some guitars. I made the “mistake” of trying a Les Paul, the versatility of 2 tones + 2 volumes and the shorter scale blew me away and made me want to buy one; however, I did not do it right away. I was looking at different options new, online and locally, and I could not decide, so I bought a used Les Paul thinking that I would help me “calm down” and also allow me to experiment with this guitar until/if I ever needed more, I could look for “the one” with time and something to use as a reference. Boy was I wrong…

The thing is, I like it so much (plays, sounds and looks good) that I do not want to change anything. BUT, I still want to try 50’s wiring, series/parallel, phase in/out, independent volumes, push/pull switches etc. Also, different pickups, AlNiCo II / V / IV?, maybe even ceramic or active. Therefore, I figured that I could get another used Les Paul in decent condition for these experiments. I have already found three candidates and I want to buy all three… I could afford them, but I’m not sure if I should make such an investment; I could always sell them with minimal loses if it would come to that. I was thinking that besides the mods I could also use them for different tunings, I mostly play on standard tuning, but I play a lot of Guns n Roses so it would be useful to have one half-step down, and some of Led Zeppelin songs are in (double) drop D.

What do you think? Which wiring/configurations/pickups would give me more versatility or contrast? The one I have is AlNiCo V, I’m thinking about AlNiCo II for Guns n Roses, and another with AlNiCo V plus four push/pulls for Led Zeppelin and maybe one with ACII on the neck and ACV on the bridge…

What do you think about my chronical GAS?

Thanks a lot for reading and for your comments,

Cheers,
Walter

P.S. If you live in Zürich (or anywhere in Switzerland) and want to get together and jam, send me a PM.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Gas is a cruel taskmaster

Good luck

I too had a single strat for years

Loaned it to a relative who's sold it

Went to get another .
Actually went to get a Les Paul

Ended up with an Ibanez

Then it was on strats, LPs, Pacifica, acoustics
Everything
Like you the short scale LP is the thing now

It gets worse
Soon you'll look at those catalogs, that you used to anticipate, with disdain
You will already have everything in it

 

[Greyum]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

"One around your neck and in both hands... so 3"

I was looking at getting a 3-guitar hercule stand, and whatever doesn't fit on there doesn't get purchased... but then I'm like "each guitar should have its own case and live there" and so on the thinking went. But I'm sticking with only 3, I've seen what GAS can do (anyone want to buy some Nikon gear?)

1. One Acoustic (currently a Talyor 314se on perma-borrowed status)
2. One Solid Electric (LP Model) to be custom upgraded such to hopefully cover as much as possible.
3. One Alternative Guitar, currently an old basic semi-hollow, but it has a lot of "quirks" and I'm tempted to sell it so I can get something better (Blues Hawk or custom semi-hollow?).

So you go back to the OP's comment, yes you can own too many guitars, and you reach that point when you look at what you have and think (what haven't I picked up in the last six month...?)

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Too many? Lol, no.

That Jackson Concept I bought the other day brings my collection up to 24, and I'm sure I'll keep buying more.

It never ends.......

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

"One around your neck and in both hands... so 3"

I was looking at getting a 3-guitar hercule stand, and whatever doesn't fit on there doesn't get purchased... but then I'm like "each guitar should have its own case and live there" and so on the thinking went. But I'm sticking with only 3, I've seen what GAS can do (anyone want to buy some Nikon gear?)

I like the idea of the stand, I already know where I could put it, but maybe a 5-guitar stand
Regarding the Nikon gear, I'm selling too...

So you go back to the OP's comment, yes you can own too many guitars, and you reach that point when you look at what you have and think (what haven't I picked up in the last six month...?)

Here I'll try to follow Steve Morse's advise: "You have your main guitar, maybe one with a tremolo and one with a different tuning. But when I get to double-digits, I start to feel guilty."

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Post reported for offensive content

 

[Godin15]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I cant say for anyone else , but for myself yes there is, there comes a point where I have to look at it realistically so I limit myself to three guitars. the guitars I have 2 Strats with different combinations of pickups and an archtop with dual humbuckers. That's good enough for me to play the styles of music I prefer. I will stay with the three. The arch top will be sold and replaced with an upgraded axe at some point I'm sure.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

No such thing as too many guitars; the real problem is not having enough space. "I can fit one more case in that back corner..."

They each have their own personality. I don't mind having several of the same model, even with the same pickups they sound and feel different from each other.

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I have more than I need thats for sure, but I like to have a variety of stuff with different tunings and pickups because since I only use a bridge humbucker I have to keep things exciting for myself.
I keep them all up and running and rotate them out every few days or whatever just to stay on top of them and keep them dialed in. Nothing worse than letting them sit around, I never saw the point in that really...

I suppose some other factors would be space, and if you have a woman in your life. Some are cool, some are not. Buyer beware.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

And of course, more guitars really is the only reasonable solution to the problem of having extra pickups sitting around unused...

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I have under 20 guitars but I'm trying to thin the herd. I think 6 to 8 guitars is adequate for any player.



;>)/

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I usually have a few guitars I keep for sentimental reasons, but never use, my one main MIM Strat I've had since highschool, and one guitar I build/mod that I use to play around with and then sell.

If you look back to the olden days of guitar, all the legends only had at most 5 guitars. Having a whole bunch came around towards the 70s.

 

[BTMN]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Ummmm Yes and No. :lmao:

I like to say a couple things about owning multiple guitars. I don't have a hot rod. I don't have a boat. I don't have ex-wives. I got some guitars though. :headbang:

Buy what you can afford and enjoy them if you are in a good position in Life. If it becomes a money thing then that is when you have to reign it in.

Thread is not good without a couple guitar family shots. :eek5:

 

[dave74]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I have 9, so I'm drawing the line at 10. lol The limit is always "one more"!

Honestly about a half-dozen is more than enough IMO, I'd sell a few of mine if the $ was right, which it wouldn't be.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Ummmm Yes and No. :lmao:

I like to say a couple things about owning multiple guitars. I don't have a hot rod. I don't have a boat. I don't have ex-wives. I got some guitars though. :headbang:

Buy what you can afford and enjoy them if you are in a good position in Life. If it becomes a money thing then that is when you have to reign it in.

Thread is not good without a couple guitar family shots. :eek5:

Oh no, going to have to have some details there bud. Some of those are just wow!

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I think 6 to 8 guitars is adequate for any player.

I will not tolerate any more of this offensive language. There are children here!

 

[tnvol]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

Ummmm Yes and No. :lmao:

I like to say a couple things about owning multiple guitars. I don't have a hot rod. I don't have a boat. I don't have ex-wives. I got some guitars though. :headbang:

Buy what you can afford and enjoy them if you are in a good position in Life. If it becomes a money thing then that is when you have to reign it in.

Thread is not good without a couple guitar family shots. :eek5:

Long time no see Gene. How have you been?

 

[Plessure]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

I have one strat, one short-scale nylon and one 12-string. I'd like to expand my collection with one dual-humbucker guitar, preferably a Peavey T-60 or an Esp Eclipse. Then i'd like something multiscale, and perhaps one guitar dedicated to a thicker string gauge. Also something 24.75" scale unless covered by the others. Can't think of more right now but of course this is all fluid.

At some point it gets quite selfish hoarding all that material and labour.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

So far the three candidates for my GAS and experiment with different tunings, wiring and pickups are:

2003 Epi Standard for 180CHF
2006 Epi Standard Plus Top? for 220CHF
2014? Epi Traditional Pro for 270CHF

The cheapest one has a missing pickguard, scratchy pots, and a loose jack plate, all of which I could fix myself pretty easily. The Plus Top I assume is a plus top because it has a very nice blue flamed top. And trad pro is almost new and comes with a bag and a strap.

Which one(s) would you choose?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Is there such a thing as having too many guitars?

So far the three candidates for my GAS and experiment with different tunings, wiring and pickups are:

2003 Epi Standard for 180CHF
2006 Epi Standard Plus Top? for 220CHF
2014? Epi Traditional Pro for 270CHF

The cheapest one has a missing pickguard, scratchy pots, and a loose jack plate, all of which I could fix myself pretty easily. The Plus Top I assume is a plus top because it has a very nice blue flamed top. And trad pro is almost new and comes with a bag and a strap.

Which one(s) would you choose?

Blue one
Because it's blue