Need opinions on downsizing / selling guitars
Every so often I go through a phase where I feel like purging some instruments that I don't use, however I know once their gone I'll probably regret it. It's not like I have too many, just 4 electrics and one acoustic. However, out of those 5 guitars, I play two of them about 95% of the time.
This weekend I played a mid 70's thinline Gibson 175. I was digging it, but the 2k price tag was making me balk, especially since I have a hard time justifying spending that kind of cash when I'm no longer in a gigging band that occasionally brings home some cash. Selling a guitar or two to finance the purchase could help take the sting out, but up until now I've avoided doing that because I didn't want to feel the regret of letting one go, even though it might be one that I don't play. One of mine that especially bothers me is a mid 70's Guild acoustic. It's a decent guitar, but a bit tough for me to play. There's probably some bluegrass picker out there that could get on with it better than me. I struggle selling it because it was my first good guitar and I'm hung up on this thing about not wanting to part with something that has a little value and is "vintage". I'm getting to the point though where I feel like it's time to move on and own guitars that I dig playing, and that fit with my current interests vs. just maintaining a collection for the sake of it.
Anyone else struggle with this stuff???
This weekend I played a mid 70's thinline Gibson 175. I was digging it, but the 2k price tag was making me balk, especially since I have a hard time justifying spending that kind of cash when I'm no longer in a gigging band that occasionally brings home some cash. Selling a guitar or two to finance the purchase could help take the sting out, but up until now I've avoided doing that because I didn't want to feel the regret of letting one go, even though it might be one that I don't play. One of mine that especially bothers me is a mid 70's Guild acoustic. It's a decent guitar, but a bit tough for me to play. There's probably some bluegrass picker out there that could get on with it better than me. I struggle selling it because it was my first good guitar and I'm hung up on this thing about not wanting to part with something that has a little value and is "vintage". I'm getting to the point though where I feel like it's time to move on and own guitars that I dig playing, and that fit with my current interests vs. just maintaining a collection for the sake of it.
Anyone else struggle with this stuff???
Comments
As for how many guitars to keep around, I debate this all the time. I have two teles that 100% of my play time goes into. I also have a guild hollowbody that I keep because it looks really cool and a fender lead 2 from the 70's that was my uncles when he was a teenager.
Ideally I would want to great electrics and an acoustic. That would cover all I need.
Do I play it?
Will I ever be able to get it again - and if not, can I live with that?
I own 7 guitars, and truth be told, if the house were burning down, there's only one that meets all the criteria, and I would grab before all else: my #1 tele. The others I keep for sentimental reasons (from my "band" days, I've had them 30 years now), or don't play them that much, or I do play them, but aren't "married" to any of them. Nice guitars, fun to play, but not my "desert island" guitars.
I could get rid of ALL my acoustics (I have 3) if I could find THE ONE acoustic for me...
Anyway, maybe I just should venture out ( = fork out) more, but I think I miss sold amps more than the guitars. And for those I also think that equally good or even better is out there.
I have two electric and one acoustic now, btw. a cheapo Squier Vibe tele being the one I play 90% of the time. It's not perfect, but certainly more perfect than I am, for sure.
My first guitar was a Yamaha C40, I sold it after 10 years. Was quite glad that the guy that I sold it to agreed to sell it back to me at a fair price like 5 years later, so I gave it as a xmas present to my brother-in-law. So, I get to see it and reminisce once or twice a year. That's nice, sure, but not essential to me in any real way.