As a hobbyist player without any local shops nearby, I've been buying, trying, and reselling guitars. I’ve come across nine guitars that I truly enjoy, so I’m done with the constant turnover. I’ve discovered that lightweight solid-body guitars that don’t break the bank are incredibly fun to fix up, play all day, and leave out on a rack without stress. I sold off the pricier guitars and kept the most enjoyable and affordable ones.✌🎸
This hits home, I came to this same sentiment about 2 weeks ago, all my free time was dedicated to finding that one rare color, or model, constantly hunting, and losing sight of the joy of just playing guitar. I am downsizing my guitar stash considerably and keeping focus on playing and not worrying about getting Instagram likes for pics and meaningless attention. Thanks for always being honest.
I’m pretty fortunate to have avoided really getting into instagram, that place is truly awful if you don’t want to be tempted haha. I hope that guitar helps you create some awesome stuff
It is a serious problem we guitarists have. I work full time, in 2 bands and also an acoustic thing. I have way too many guitars and can’t seem to stop acquiring them. I am so embarrassed to say the amount but it’s over 40. There are some i have less than an hour on. Then when I gig out I never bring the nicest guitars, always the descent ones that are already chipped or dinged. I have no drug or alcohol issues but this obsession is not good. Great video.
I’m a hobbyist and have 6 in total, they cover everything I might ever need, every tuning I personally love. One of them is also a seven string guitar. My rule is to only own guitars I really play, if I don’t play I sell it or replace. Feels sad seeing great instruments collecting dust instead of being played. I might change my mind later but at this moment I do not want to own more guitars than these I already have, for as long as they inspire me to practice and write stuff.
I remember when I was 16 years old I thought you couldn’t have enough guitars. And for a while it was fun. But by the time I had 7 good electrics I started to realise that I always grabbed the three guitars I love most. Yet I still wanted to have more guitars. I wanted some of them because of the sound, some because of the vibe, some because it was completely different from anything I already had and some to just fool around with, refinish them, put in different pickups, basically turn them into something completely unique and all me. And to a large extent those guitars are still more precious to than most others. However, I’m 56 years old now and I know for a while already that I will never be the famous rock guitar god that I ‘knew’ I would become. Instead of having my own bands and writing my own music I joined a successful party band for a while. And that was freaking awesome. I had no idea I would ever be able to have fun doing this stuff, but I loved it. It was a semi professional band and we had everything: a big truck with our logo on it, a road crew (real ones), including a couple of sound guys (front of house and one to do the stage mix), techs, people for the lights and gimmicks, we had a beaten up old limousine for the band, an unbelievably beautiful looking female chauffeur who also sold our merchandise (I’m talking about a gigantic double merchandise booth with 20 plus different items that were constantly changing), it was an amazing time. Thing is, I didn’t have to do anything. I had four guitars hidden in a big flightcase in the truck and they would be tuned, set to go… and during the 10 years that I played in this band I never changed a guitar during a set. Well…, it happened twice, because I broke a string twice in all those years. Anyway, before I digress any longer, I quit the band due to some physical issues and it took a long time before I got all my stuff back and I didn’t get it back in a good working condition. I lost my right leg, and I suffered from a subarachnoid haemorrhage which caused me to lose my ability to play. I relearned, knowing I would never be as good as I used to be, but I gradually got better and I was asked to join a coverband. I lost most of my gear, but I still had a quite a few guitars. Probably around 12 or 13 stage worthy electrics. However, apart from my beloved black Gibson ES-347 and my highly modified mid nineties black American Standard Telecaster all guitars needed a lot of work and I didn’t have the money or the tools to make them work well enough (I promise I’m getting to the point). But despite all of that, I never felt so comfortable with my guitars. I could do everything I needed to do with these two guitars. I’ve played just these two for years! Then, because Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a real thing, I couldn’t control myself and I bought a beautiful Telecaster in Sonic Blue and I had one of my Stratocasters fixed. And oddly enough I felt really uncomfortable about it! I was completely happy with the 347 and the black Tele, but now I had to choose which guitar to play and which two I wanted to take with me for gigs. I felt much better when I didn’t have choice. The full story is much longer, but I won’t bother you with that. Sorry. 😅 I still buy guitars, but I can only afford them when I sell two or three for a dream guitar. I sold many electrics and replaced them with a couple of beautiful acoustics (something I started with when I was 44 already). And I’m trying to sell a great and really good Gibson Explorer plus an Early Japanese Stratocaster with some modifications, plus a bunch of pedals so I can buy my last (???) dream guitar: a modern Gretsch White Falcon (G6636T), because it would be the perfect partner for my 347. My brain never rests. 🧠
Full circle is the ending point of all things. I’ve learned not to be embarrassed or ashamed of the journey, or wisdom gained from the journey. It wasn’t a waste of time to end up where you began, only wiser.
I used to dig old cars and got into guitars. The problem with cars in the Midwest is they set in a garage for 5 months because of rain or snow. And each one requires insurance and a garage to keep them.guitars set in a room and you can play them anytime no matter the weather. You can buy several guitars for the price of one cool car. Just my opinion.
Yup, I became really indulgent and bought a ton of gear during the pandemic. part depression, part finally seeking that special something that i thought i was missing. turned into way too much spending and not enough moving the pieces i didnt use. and the worst part was that i wasnt inspired any more than i was when i didnt have the new stuff. in fact, i think my inspiration lessened because i felt that what i had was not enough even after acquiring so much more. i had actually reflected on this quite a bit over the past couple of weeks and realized that i need to sit down with what i have, determine what i need and get rid of the rest. it'll be hard because i'm very sentimental but it's necessary
So true. The love of music is what got me into playing guitar. At some point, the gear took over, and the music got pushed to the periphery. Now, I'd rather put my time and energy toward becoming a better player. I feel full and satisfied after a night of earnest practice; I don't feel this way after a night of perusing the internet for gear.
Wow you won’t get a lot of endorsements but you very well maybe one of the last honest you tubers out there. It took me entirely to long to realize I didn’t need a new guitar go get better I needed to practice. The time I spent chasing that peice I needed for my collection to be complete absolutely held back my playing. We only get so much time in this life to achieve our goals and I FINALLY realized that mine was much better spent in the music. Great video!
Great wisdom there. There's definitely a love of guitars themselves that drives us, buying, trying, seeing how a shape fits us, how features fit us, necks and fretboard. The sounds can really be had with amps, modeling, pedals. You're completely right about focusing on the music, the skills, the pleasure of playing. I've done very similar, having way more/better gear than my skills warrant. Arriving at the point where you've found what suits you, and you want to just play it, there's great peace in that. Thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom.
i had a lot of obsession with buying, selling, and browsing gear. what stopped me was when i got immersed in a church in a poor country that barely had anything. i gave out my old beat up telecaster for their sunday service and the person who used it could not have been happier about it. buying a lot of gear only matters in the first world but in the poorer countries, getting any form of gear is everything.
Hey Jim. I bought my first electric guitar during the pandemic and immediately got hooked on the appeal of collecting them. It's been a big source of stress for me when I can't afford my next guitar or buy a piece of gear that I've wanted for a long time. Recently I got in touch with an old friend from high school and decided to start a project with him, and I'm excited to start enjoying the creative time, and really doing what the entire purpose of this gear was all along. Thanks for the reassurance on this, I'm excited for the creative outlet and also going to stress less over it. Take care.
How i view it is, car guys often have multiple cars or at least change car very often. I have only had 1 car. but I've had like 15 guitars during my 4 years of playing and currently have 6. I like seeing my collection grow and always being excited about my guitars makes me pick them up more often. But no gear in the world will make you a better player, ONLY purring that time in will make you better
great channel, subscribed! In 2020 my wife and I moved from the Netherlands to the USA and shipping is expensive so my 25 guitar collection had to be reduced. Ended up with 10 guitars. I realized I enjoyed this and sold a few more and now to 7: 1 great acoustic, 1 bass for recording, 5 electrics. Still more than enough for me. I also sold several amps and effects, those accumulate fast as well :-)
Wow, I was just thinking about this yesterday. I also got into buying and selling guitars and it detracted from playing. This year I intentionally put them all away and left out two guitars to just focus on playing, writing, and recording. And I don’t miss the others. Occasionally I’ll grab one for a particular sound. But I agree with you: overconsumption of gear doesn’t make us better players. I also deleted Reverb from my phone and I’ve purchased far less gear this year (only buying what I really need). I am with you on selling the gear! I aiming to keep 4 core guitars (some for sentimental value).
Yep. I went down the pedal route, buying and selling a ton since 2020. I've mostly stopped with the pedals and started buying more guitars. They truly are works of art that you can play. I will likely sell a couple... eventually!
I think we have all accumulated lots of guitars over the last several years. I see ownership as part of the journey to find what you really like and the things you can do without. As a songwriter/ producer, I rely on different guitars to provide different colors and shades to my productions. Having said that, my main guitar rack is 5 guitars, but I could probably make do with a Strat (or Tele) and a humbucker guitar like a Les Paul or 335 (or in my case a PRS McCarty). I have several nice guitars that I could do without, but I don't really need to sell them and I would probably regret it if I did.
I feel, and quite strongly, that the major contributing factor to many guitarists always wanting more gear is entirely the same factor as the majority of society as a whole: Consumerism. The only difference is the focus of it. Why people become, or fall into being, consumerists is an entirely different discussion and a YT comment isn’t the place to have it. I’ve caught myself out in this and so I keep aware of it. It’s hard not to get caught up in whatever’s the status quo of the civilization in which one lives, most especially for those people who’ve never even known anything else in their lives. Those of us who lived perfectly happy lives pre-internet know what I mean here…I would hope. I see it (the consumerist mentality) in most people and yet most people don’t see it in themselves. I’m done buying guitars, I was done 2 years ago. I got a few effects last year but now I’m done with that too. I don’t even want anymore stuff as it’s a burden to care for it all when only a small amount of it is frequently used. I could seriously be happy with one or two guitars, one amp, and a dozen effects. If selling wasn’t such a hassle I’d get rid of most of my stuff today. When I had less stuff I was writing an albums worth of quality material every 6 months or so.* Instruments are simply the tools to do what you do, not the end in itself. This is what I’ve realized. I’m glad you’ve realized similar. *Today I’m not eveninterested in writing or playing for anyone other than myself. I’m over it all.
Saw a great tshirt that said "it's not hoarding if it's guitars" but there's definitely a chartable formula of when gear excess crosses with overcompensation for not just being dedicated to improving skills etc.
Totally agree. I went on a wild goose chase for the perfect superstrat for me and you know which one I play the most? The first one I bought, one of the Kramer Baretta reissues! I work on guitars for a living and I can't count how many I've had my hands on, and at the end of the day I'd be totally content with one or two of my favorites. It's a lot of fun browsing gear and looking for the next best thing, but we have to be honest with ourselves about what the actual goal is and what we want out of that pursuit, as you said. I think about how much more productive I could be if I browsed for gear less and spent that time playing, and I think a lot of us kind of battle that feeling. Thanks for sharing Jim!
Great video! You're 100% right. I must own somewhere between 45 to 50 electric guitars. They range from Gibson, prs to Fender usa & japan. I own every type of guitar you can imagine & yet they have not improved my playing at all. I'm now ready to offload at least 35 of them & start concentrating on improving my skill as a player. I just hope I can overcome the dreaded G.A.S. Wish me luck.
To be fair I think only a portion of the people selling are doing it because of these sorts of reasons… times are genuinely tough right now for a lot of folks. It’s all a mess
The way I got over gas was to acquire the right gear and recognize it was the right gear. At one point, I had over a dozen guitars yet I always played my partscaster. It took 10 years to put together, figuring out which pickup I like best (Tony Iommi humbucker) realizing I never use the tone control and never use the neck pickup. I ended up with, for me, THE perfect electric guitar. I have played a dozen other, beautiful guitars but at the end of the day, I’d rather play my parts guitar than anything else. If you figure out what YOUR style is and how to play it, what tone you need for that and just get and use that stuff, you’ll play instead of searching or tweaking parameters.
I think another point to make is that if you have learned what you like and what you want from your instruments and gear choices, there’s nothing wrong with buying the right gear for your needs, but you might as well wait and chill til the right piece of gear comes along rather than wasting money to get something that almost fits when you know it doesn’t tick all the boxes.
I appreciate the sentiment. There are always lots of reasons to stop or interfere with the creative process, some in our head and some outside of our head. I try to rely on positive creative people willing to provide positive input and collaboration. Lots of people will tell you why you can’t do something, park those thoughts and put them away. Hold on to those people who think you can. You might find yourself still making records that you and others still enjoy, even as you get “old”! I’m spending the Summer with one electric guitar. The collection will have to wait until I get back.
My gig days are long gone for the most part so this is just a hobby, i probably have 2 many guitars but for the most part they all get played so i dont feel too guilty. Variety always inspires me to play, i never played as much as i do now back when i was in a band but some people are inspired by different things, one of the dreams that inspired me to start playing guitar in the first place was having this massive collection of shiny guitars lol. That said i get where your coming from i just feel like now may not the best time to unload gear, market is painfully bad from what i can tell.
Without a doubt there's a lot of fun to be had in both playing guitar and collecting gear, but ironically the two don't work well together. It's like trying to excel at your current job while spending your day applying for others. The most happiness I've ever had playing, and the times I've made the most improvement, was when I had just one guitar.
They really don't play well together, I think the only scenario where they potentially could would be if you were collecting them while out on the road touring because you're still gonna be playing every night but then where the hell are ya gonna keep em all???? hahaha
Great video as I think it’s easy to get lost in the excitement of new gear, research etc and while that’s fun and gives a nice hit (and like you say people are free to do and spend what they want) the time especially could be spent by those of us who get a little lost, on improving and learning and creating which brings incredible joy, a measure of progress and something that exists because of the time we personally put in which is always awesome in my book! That said - can’t wait to hear more on the guitar you’re holding in the video haha hope you’re well mate !
I have some stuff I’ve started with the suhr almost ready to send over so you can hear how the new kind of full rig is working out ( drums being done here again )
When I had opportunity to get whatever I wanted, or needed, I went for it. That's the only advice I have for anyone. Just do it if you have the opportunity. I always separated my instrument hunts by want / need. There were ones I definitely wanted. There were ones I felt I needed. Many a purchase never went through, because I knew I didn't need it. Would I still like a Les Paul Studio? Yah. Do I need it? Well to get a complete collection of Les Pauls I do! But do I need it? Not really. If I had the cash and space, my wants would be a collection of Telecasters, SGs, and Thunderbirds. I really love those instruments. It all depends on the person. I'm a collector by nature. I had THOUSANDS of comic books growing up. I sold many of them, or would just give them away. Do I regret this? Nah. Not in my heart. My wallet shouts at me for selling the entire run of Claremont / Byrne / Austin era X-Men, but that's what I did when I was a teenager. I knew they were worth something but did it anyway. I feel so sorry for hoarders, who can't let go of things. It just must be a nightmare. And I know at least once a day I look at my collection and just burst out laughing at the absurdity of it. But I also really invested in myself for the first time in my life, and bought everything I needed to help make my creations kick ass. If no one thinks they do, that's alrite. I know they do. And I know to practice getting better all the time. As I'm a multi-instrumentalist, I have to rotate what I'm trying to be better at. lol. Best to you, and I hope you've enjoyed your experience, I certainly benefitted from you deciding to go UA-cam, and I'm sure a lot of others agree.
I can relate. When the pandemic started, I was finally able to practice and make breakthroughs in my playing after being busy with pre-med and med school since 2010. These gains came when I just used what I had (2006 Fender AVRI 70s Strat, 2008 Ibanez SV5470, and a 2013 Martin OM1GT). From 2021-2024, I spent too much time buying, selling, researching, and trying out many guitars. I believe I’ve finally reached the end of my search and ended up with a Suhr Classic S HSS and an incoming PRS CE 22. In my case, being a home musician who does not perform or gig, I’m happy owning a few quality instruments. I’m inspired every time I pick them up and it motivates me to practice more, which at the end of the day is what really counts so we can continue to make music.
I really enjoyed this video for a lot of reasons. A few years ago, a friend of mine said “if you play 20 guitars, you don’t play one guitar.” That really hit home. How much can I do with one electric, if it’s the only tool available? The other thing is that I decided I won’t buy/own a guitar unless I’m willing to gig with it. I owned in the neighborhood of 18 guitars before the pandemic started, and after quite a few transactions (both buying and selling) I got down to 6 (2 electrics, 4 acoustics) and was pretty happy. I’m back up to 4 electrics (currently no telecaster), still 4 amazing acoustics, and I added a bass, and it feels like a lot, even with weekly gigs with different guitars in the rotation each week. The acoustic collection makes sense and has seen lots of playing time: 2 guitars are my gigging guitars, one is the house beater when I host open mic night, and one is a fingerpicking parlor guitar. But I’d like to see the electric collection reduced again, maybe not immediately given the current market, but soon. Do I need a Gibson Explorer? No. Is it the most reliable Gibson I’ve ever owned? Yes. Would I be better off with a telecaster? After watching this video, I think so!
Amen! I’m keeping four. Four is enough to keep it interesting.. not so many that you feel bad for not picking up the others.. honestly one and a backup it’s probably all anybody needs.. oh and maybe an acoustic. 😂 4 seems fair.
Good video. I’ve done a similar thing. Since 2020 flipped so many instruments and I too feel done with it. Currently got ten - 6 electric and 4 acoustic - but this will likely turn into between 6 and 8. Musical creativity is the path, not GAS!
Amen. I went through the phase of dreaming and e-shopping for the perfect collection, even bought/sold about 5 guitars. Nowadays I spend far less time shopping, and more time practicing/creating. When it comes down to it, there's only 3 tones I'm really chasing, one I get with my strat, the other with my t-style, and the last is my acoustic.
Yep, Jim, the Covid period saw Thomann making quite a bit of money from me in terms of guitars and effects! This though sprang from me watching way more guitar youtube channels than I ever had (what else to do when you're locked in!!). And I was exposed to many types of guitars. This led me to wanting to try out guitars I'd never considered before, particularly offsets. Here I am now, 4 years later considering selling some things on also. The thing it did for me was to help me more find out what I liked the most. Which, right now, turns out to be what I'd really known all along - I like Strats and Teles! They are bread and butter, workman's, pretty much cover everything you'll ever need, guitars. And particularly if you're a mainly hobbiest guitarist with maybe a few gigs here and there, maybe 1 or 2 more considered, reasonable quality purchases, knowing what you like, is better than a load of maybe, lesser quality guitars, that can at times cause a little frustration. 🎸🎸
I’m totally with you. Many times we are just slaves of companies’ marketing. Good luck to you for your adventure with “true” music. We don’t need gear, we need passion, ideas and one guitar 😁💪🏼👍🏼👋🏻
I definitely bought too much during the pandemic. Eventually I got embarrassed about the amount of guitars I had and realized having them wasn't helping me play better. In fact, I was spending more time shopping and looking at reviews then actually playing. So, I sold a lot of gear to a local shop, and now if I want another guitar, I have to sell one first. The number of guitars I own doesn't go up. So far, that's worked for me.
I've been good at keeping 4 total (3) electric (1) acoustic ..but looking at just having (2) electric. However, finding the perfect neck was always an obsession.
4 electrics. And yes, the NECK is the home base. Thus my Japanese Jackson 12-16 radius is my "perfect feel". I have caugt hateful shit here on UA-cam for the amount of guitars.and pedals I have, but I realized that is not really what drives the " Haters". Haters just like to hate. Jealosy and good ol nastiness being the culprit. Guitars and gear are fun, I am not abnormal.
I love collecting guitars and left to my own devices I could see it get out of hand. My solution is I have set a hard limit, I will not have more than x guitars. So now if I want to add to guitar my collection then one has to be sold. To me this gives balance to the whole hobby.
I think it really comes down to the individual. For myself, I like a variety of clean tones. To that end I have a Tele for the single coil twang, an HSS Strat (cause nothing else sounds like a strat), a Guild hollow body to get that Brian Setzer sound and a Gretch to get that really twangy sound. Will be getting an Epiphone 59 reissue in the near future. That will cover all the sounds I’m after.
The Suhr appears! I have gone through a similar story minus the UA-cam channel. That's probably what has allowed me to still record a few projects with a good friend since 2020. And you're right, my Telecaster that I got way back in 2011 is the guitar I have used most when recording & writing. It is all you need.
For me, a Les Paul standard, a Telecaster, strat or super strat for tremolo, and a good acoustic. That combination right there will carry you through pretty much any guitar needs you have. But moving gear is a great way to keep you excited about playing as well. I can't tell you how many times I had a song come out just because the guitar I was holding inspired me to play something different. It comes down to striking the right balance between gear hunting and playing. And of course not over stretching financially.
your last part often gets ignored, I know a lot of people that finance multiple guitars at once... to me that's where it's time to take a good hard look at what's going on.
I too have hit the wall with guitars, I have more than I really need, I just play as a hobby, never have been in a band. I play for my own enjoyment. I did have a conversation with my wife last night out at dinner, I was talking about a Taylor 914, she looked at me and said you have a 414 what’s the difference…. I said 500😂😂😂
thanks for speaking the truth of the matter, consumerism creeped in so hard into something that was/is art and creativity (or we can also call it "magic")
100%. The guitar industry has become ridiculous. My goal has always been to find THE perfect guitar. Why own a guitar that you play 4 times? I have given away over a dozen guitars recent that I inherited. t first, I was so excited having all these cool guitars, but after a few weeks I realized I won’t actually play them so they have to go. Best decision ever. Made a lot of people happy and now my gear is stuff I actually use.
Great video ,…… you really spoke to many of us !! And if it makes ya feel any better , I went 25 years without touching a guitar , to going through about 50 or so , keeping 23 in less than 2 years …. I guess I’m hooked on the modding part , if I played as much as I tinker , I’d be great !! But I guess I have no end game , I’m a single dad , journeyman electrician that loves guitars instead of drugs and booze like I did when I was younger. But I do have way more than I need and I have finally stopped buying them. It’s great to hear I’m not nuts and that there’s plenty of others with too much heart and too much gear !!! Take care out there my people!!
My problem started getting really out of control when I quit drinking and smoking so my disposal income started to seem crazy after only a few months. There are far worse things to spend money on than guitars or any artistic device but man, it can be a rabbit hole
@@AudiomoMusic well said brother !! I even caught myself earlier today (payday) about to buy a bugera v22 infinium tube amp head but I stopped myself right before I hit click !! I’ve already got 5 freakin amps but no real tube amp (I don’t consider my epiphone valve junior a real one) so I’m kinda proud of myself hahaha … kid goes back to school in a week so priorities first! And I’m a recovered alcoholic myself so congrats my dude! That shit will kill a person fast as any other dangerous substance, drank myself into the hospital twice (pancreatitis) back in 2015 so I had to clean up! But anyways ,to me the greatest things in the guitar world is shooting the shit and sharing knowledge with people like yourself!!
As a singer, I have one vocal tone for everything. Guitar players can have 10 guitars, as many amps and pedals galore, yet it's still not enough. They're targeted by manufacturers, as many are willing victims of acquisition syndrome. Guitar players in the past recorded their first album owning just one guitar, the one their parents bought them. Think about how many albums you've released when adding to an already large instrument collection. I'm reminded of an old saying that applies to many things, not just guitars. The things you own end up owning you.
I found myself getting into G.A.S. in the past but I sold off most of my more expensive guitars that I was too afraid to play out with and started buying budget brands and I’m having a blast playing again. My latest favorite is the Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar. I’ve also sold off almost all my amps and just have a battery powered amp and my powered monitors that I use as a P.A. System/studio monitors. I’m now thinking of selling off all my stomp boxes because I can pretty much create any sound in Bitwig Studio on a cheap laptop. I’ve really been enjoying just plugging my guitar into an audio interface into my laptop and just using headphones and getting lost in playing again! For my needs I only need one really good playing acoustic, a 12 string (electric or acoustic), a resonator guitar (set up for slide playing), and one electric. You can basically get different tones by some creative use of EQ.
Even if I don't necessarily learn brand new skills all the time, I play about 30 minutes a day. I like having a 5-guitar rack to switch out electric guitars of various types, and then put others up in their cases or bags. I can focus on those and then move on to others. I just don't like selling, but I know exactly which 5 I'd keep if I needed to. The key is don't be a guitarist who doesn't play guitar. Haha
Haha you're right about that! I spend a lot of time playing but it's not always what I should be working on. I also find a lot of value in the variety of guitars but it gets to the point where I see how many I have to pick from and laugh at the ridiculousness and excessive amount I have. That's kinda what made me want to say alright, I'll keep 6 or so and the rest can go. It's more than enough
@@AudiomoMusic hey it's still the same Aaron here, I was too lazy to switch account handles! Haha. I'm fully with you! I hope you make a video, say, 30-90 days after you have your guitars sold and you've been enjoying your 6-select-guitars! It'll be a great look on it. For me I want some semi-redundancy of sound: I want two humbucking guitars, a traditional single coil, either Strat or Tele or even Jaguar(!), a Jazzmaster pickup, and a quality p90. With those pickups available, if anything goes wrong, I always have a backup for whatever I'm going for -- and truly it can be within any quality crafted guitar of any make, although I primarily have Fender/Squier and Gibson/Epiphone brands.
In the professional realm, we have players that amass pretty much umpteen versions of the same guitar: Malmsteem, Petrucci, as examples. Then, there are top pros who have many different guitars and use all of them, either in studio or live: Steve Howe & Bonamassa. The latter sticks to 3-4 models and the former to many more. There's a third group of top pros who own countless guitars, but only play one, or two live, at most: Vai comes to mind, who mostly plays his signature Ibanez and maybe one other one live(per the last time I saw him live). In the case of amateurs or hobbyists, I attribute the GAS syndrome to the proverbial "hitting the ceiling". Either hitting a creative ceiling, where no new ideas or inspirations arise, or a ceiling in the technical ability of the player. Getting a new instrument can be a way to crash through that ceiling, or so the musician believes! Ultimately, most learn that a new instrument doesn't help to break the rut. It's all about inspiration and the discipline to put in the time necessary to improve.
I know a lot of guys that have been touring the world for almost two decades in some instances, others that just regularly gig the USA circuit with no more than 2 guitars. One of my best friends has done it with just a a single Les Paul and continued to do all of his tracking and performing with it even to this day nearly 18 years after he started doing it professionally. People like Joe Bonamassa are extreme outliers.
I’m in early addiction. Used to be an “acoustic player”, now I’m loving electric and feel like I need this and that. Tomorrow I think the fifth guitar in a month will arrive, haven’t kept them all but the ups guy must think (know) I’m nuts.
I would buy and sell guitars trying to find the ones that suit me best. Currently I now have 2. One in standard tune, and one in half step down. Keep it simple.
I just recently bought one that I plan on keeping. That a PRS Custom 24. $849. That’s my gig guitar or if I happen to get on tour that’s what I’ll use it for. If I buy any guitar they’ll be cheap used for practice or small gigs.
What I have now is enough. I used to want more, like a guitar for each tuning, but that's just silly. I have 2 in standard, one in dropped C, an 8 string, a bass, and a couple acoustics that mostly just stay in their case until I need them for something, which is rare. I'm in the process of getting rid of things in general, so a bunch of music stuff is going too. I can't justify buying more guitars. I'll look at guitars for fun or curiosity, but then reality will set in and I'll remember that I have no use for another guitar, and the ones I have are great and aren't going anywhere. Really it was these past couple years of fact finding and myth busting videos by others, and a couple by myself, that made me realize that none of this stuff matters. My guitars already feel great, and switching them out for something else isn't going to sound noticeably different, so it would be a waste of money, and money isn't in abundance these days. My bank account is happy that I'm not buying gear, and I feel like I'm getting better results in recording by simplifying my options and processes.
Ha this is super fair. I have 5 basses, want to add more cuz I like the way different basses feel different in my hands, but I can’t make myself do it lol
I look at it this way. Brian May, arguably one of the top 10 greatest guitarists of all time used his one of one "Red Special" guitar for recording and playing all of that amazing music for decades. And to make it even more amazing is that the guitar is a frankenstein creation that he built himself. Eddie Van Halen also played one guitar in the early years of VH, one that he modded to the point of it being entirely custom. Stevie Ray used one guiitar. It aint the gear folks, its the work you put in as well as God given talent. And yes, I've got 12 electrics, 3 acoustics, a cigar box slide guitar, a mandolin and a dulcimer. Way too much for my talent level.
You can do a whole lot with just a little if you know your gear well. New gear doesn't make us any better, really. Only practice makes us better. Have a super day, everyone!
I’m fortunate to have live gigs to play here in NY, so I have excuses for the 8 guitars in my possession. I really only need five, but the others I acquired when I was younger and don’t have the heart to let them go. I’ll probably sell or give away some once I’m done with my gigging, but for now I need one more guitar. I don’t have an acoustic. It’s going to be a 12 string.
I have a couple of acoustics, a couple of strats, a 3/4 Les Paul and I’m trying to get a telecaster and a bass. One day, I may even learn to play a chord!
I went through the same thing, buying too many guitars and what I’ve come to realise is this: I sound the same on every one of them and can get most of the tones I need from any guitar. I’m pretty happy now with USA Teles and Strats, but do I need a Gibson? Sure!😅
That's always the most fun thing to do, pick up the "worst" guitar I have then the "best" one and remember it doesn't matter I still sound like myself either way haha
My must have setup is a T-style, an LP-Style and a really good acoustic. Next on the list would be semi-hollow, but I would be fine with just the T,LP and acoustic. Problem I found when I had six guitars, some of them just don't get played, which is really not fair to the guitar, since they were built by people for people to play and enjoy.
that's something i struggled with since doing youtube, i have so many guitars coming in to sell and make videos on that takes up the regular guitar playing time and so many guitars just sat unplayed that I really wanted to play but didn't. it's all ridiculous in general but a tele and a les paul really would be more than enough
@@AudiomoMusic I can see how that would be a much more of an issue with all the guitars you review and the time it takes to make videos. I actually feel bad for the guitar if I don't play it. Like I am hurting its feelings. A little strange I admit.
I managed to be “done” with alcohol after 15 years of drinking every single day and finally landing in the hospital for it, been 4 years now and haven’t looked back on it so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Since filming this video I’ve managed to sell six already and that’s already felt great. Would I crack if I was to be able to trade for a very specific Fender Jaguar? Probably. I’ll still be getting some guitars in to sell though so hopefully the brief time with them is enough.
@@AudiomoMusic Wow good on you and God bless! Perhaps you're one if the few who could make it happen. Half the fun is researching and trying different gear I have to admit!
It's an addiction. Since I don't smoke or drink, or any that other stuff, this is my addiction. 😊 But, yes, I've felt this shift in the last year too. I've traded and sold 12 this year. There are 2 I do want to get, but my "collection" is smaller than a year ago. Also, the time put into mods and upgrades, and the ones still on my list to do has me realizing how much of my time goes into that, when more of my time spent playing and creating would be better "therapy" for me, and cheaper.
What your heart desires and what you can afford are two different things. Even if money is not an issue ( I wish !) then finding that ultimate collection will take years and you will still find a reason to buy just one more. All i can say is stop looking and wasting you hard earned cash on what doesn't exist. The perfect guitar has yet to be made, be happy with what you have and play them.
I think i've been fortunate enough to find 2 of said magical guitars, funny enough they are a tele and a jazzmaster. It took ages to find out exactly what I wanted from them but I've never considered moving past them once I had them in my hands although it is a fools errand trying to do that with every guitar model indeed
You know what's weird, when I used to gig I had 1 guitar I used all the time. And 1 amp. But 15 years ago I snapped at a crowd and swore off performing live. Now I do a one-man record label music video channel on here, and I have fourteen guitars and 6 amps LOL Oh, and I went from 3 pedals to 13 in that time as well. But all this equipment is different and everything does its own thing, so it makes sense. Before, I had my sound. Now, I need tons of sounds. I would be happy with just my burst and plexi though. The rest is purely for the channel, and I could sell it all in a heartbeat.
Burst and a plexi is the magic, all the toys are nice but we don't really need them do we. I didn't realize you did youtube too i am going to check out your channel!
I'm gear obsessed for function. And only became so very recently like months ago. After 20 years of the same Ibanez and larrivee acoustic plus a Multiac those were my three Now with Eart and the level of Epiphone and Martin x series...I have a much wider variety now and a lot of pedals but I held back on gear for so long. Example i just inherited my stepdads gr55 and I've had a multiac steel SA for fifteen years....I had no idea how. Fun synth was! Especially fingerstyle, which is what I do. Slowly I'm migrating to all semi hollow electrics because I play more acoustic that electric generally just because....it's always sitting right there of course I play it more
i once had 7 guitars, now i just play my one les paul standard. it's good quality, the G string still never stays in tune, but i found myself actually playing guitar more, more than looking at gear that i'll never buy that is.
I hate it when someone better than me says "I'm by no means a skilled guitarist." I do the buying and selling too. My main business is being a guitar tech. I also have made a few of my own records, but those were when I just had 1 guitar and 1 bass. Now I have around 30~40 always fluctuating. I was just thinking when you were making this video that I wrote my most inspired music when I had only 1 guitar.
I certainly had the best progress when I only had one guitar and one amp. It's simple, less noise to worry about and that leads to lots of time to spend actually playing the guitar
I am not a collector or reseller, so for me gear is a means to an end. I consider my collection a bit indulgent. I have a les paul, tele, strat, and a charvel. Do I need all of that? Not at all. However, I have the disposable income and wanted to learn about guitar sounds. It has been a fun journey. Nonetheless, I prefer to spend my time practicing, learning, writing, jamming, etc. I've written off bands because of "drama". In summary, it is easier to acquire stuff than to work on improving one's musicianship or creating something. The latter, however, will always be much more rewarding. Afterall, my les paul will only sing if I wood shed those Clapton licks.
it's awful depending on what it is you're trying to sell. mass produced imports and american guitars that are still being made are worth half at best most of the time at this point.
Pianists, cellists, violinists and other musicians are happy to own one very good instrument. It’s only guitarists who need to own one of every kind of instrument… And I say this as someone who has really bad GAS myself from time to time, but it’s kind of a dead end at some point or another. The best guitar you’ll ever have is your own two hands. We’ve all just got to practice more.
I agree with the last part and I said it in the video, but the musicians you brought up are not even close to one for one examples. I know several professional musicians working in orchestras, the amount they spend on that one good instrument makes a fender custom shop look like a pack of gum by comparison price wise so it's a bit easier for them to avoid the whole GAS trap hahaha...
i currently have one...Gibson Les Paul. But ive bought and sold about 20 in last 4 years. Those days are over. I just need 1 more as a back up but am in no rush
sittin in front of at least 15 guitars sayin we don’t need many guitars. classic.I was hoping he’d say how many he really ended up with and which ones and how he decided. “I’m fixing to downsize one of these days” ; )
The jaguar, the es 335, the baritone, the red jazzmaster, a telecaster, a Stratocaster, and the green les Paul have all been sold since this video was posted/
@@AudiomoMusic congrats! I have trouble selling them myself that’s why I watched your post. I have 12 but each one is so different I just can’t get myself to sell any. but I know I should because I play the same few over and over. they’re like works of art to me
How many horns do trumpet players have? Saxophone players? Guess what they spend their time on? Becoming better musicians. Most guitar players are just that- guitar players. Big difference between being a musician.
I have learned the hard way that it’s better to have a few high quality guitars you love playing than it is to have a room full of wall hangers that don’t get attention.
going against the grain, i think having many guitars is cool IF you rotate them, have enough space for them, or use them as wall art. I think it's only kind of a bummer if they set in their cases for months/years on end.
"If you have a Telecaster, you're good." 😹
Truer words have never been spoken!
I'm tellin ya, it's a fact
Tory Slusher, the best guitarist in the world plays a tele. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for you.
@@mattdelany6799 Never heard of her so she can't be the best.🙃
@@mattdelany6799 Heck, she currently plays a Squier Affinity Tele, even! Talk about making a statement about "what you need".
@@chriskitchen4772 now you know. Before you knew nothing.
As a hobbyist player without any local shops nearby, I've been buying, trying, and reselling guitars. I’ve come across nine guitars that I truly enjoy, so I’m done with the constant turnover. I’ve discovered that lightweight solid-body guitars that don’t break the bank are incredibly fun to fix up, play all day, and leave out on a rack without stress. I sold off the pricier guitars and kept the most enjoyable and affordable ones.✌🎸
That’s the trick - find what you like and once you have it figured out call it a day
9 sounds about right
@@evanward4303 9 is ridiculous. LOL
This hits home, I came to this same sentiment about 2 weeks ago, all my free time was dedicated to finding that one rare color, or model, constantly hunting, and losing sight of the joy of just playing guitar. I am downsizing my guitar stash considerably and keeping focus on playing and not worrying about getting Instagram likes for pics and meaningless attention. Thanks for always being honest.
I’m pretty fortunate to have avoided really getting into instagram, that place is truly awful if you don’t want to be tempted haha. I hope that guitar helps you create some awesome stuff
It is a serious problem we guitarists have. I work full time, in 2 bands and also an acoustic thing. I have way too many guitars and can’t seem to stop acquiring them. I am so embarrassed to say the amount but it’s over 40. There are some i have less than an hour on. Then when I gig out I never bring the nicest guitars, always the descent ones that are already chipped or dinged. I have no drug or alcohol issues but this obsession is not good. Great video.
I’m a hobbyist and have 6 in total, they cover everything I might ever need, every tuning I personally love. One of them is also a seven string guitar. My rule is to only own guitars I really play, if I don’t play I sell it or replace. Feels sad seeing great instruments collecting dust instead of being played. I might change my mind later but at this moment I do not want to own more guitars than these I already have, for as long as they inspire me to practice and write stuff.
I remember when I was 16 years old I thought you couldn’t have enough guitars. And for a while it was fun. But by the time I had 7 good electrics I started to realise that I always grabbed the three guitars I love most. Yet I still wanted to have more guitars. I wanted some of them because of the sound, some because of the vibe, some because it was completely different from anything I already had and some to just fool around with, refinish them, put in different pickups, basically turn them into something completely unique and all me. And to a large extent those guitars are still more precious to than most others.
However, I’m 56 years old now and I know for a while already that I will never be the famous rock guitar god that I ‘knew’ I would become. Instead of having my own bands and writing my own music I joined a successful party band for a while. And that was freaking awesome. I had no idea I would ever be able to have fun doing this stuff, but I loved it. It was a semi professional band and we had everything: a big truck with our logo on it, a road crew (real ones), including a couple of sound guys (front of house and one to do the stage mix), techs, people for the lights and gimmicks, we had a beaten up old limousine for the band, an unbelievably beautiful looking female chauffeur who also sold our merchandise (I’m talking about a gigantic double merchandise booth with 20 plus different items that were constantly changing), it was an amazing time. Thing is, I didn’t have to do anything. I had four guitars hidden in a big flightcase in the truck and they would be tuned, set to go… and during the 10 years that I played in this band I never changed a guitar during a set. Well…, it happened twice, because I broke a string twice in all those years.
Anyway, before I digress any longer, I quit the band due to some physical issues and it took a long time before I got all my stuff back and I didn’t get it back in a good working condition. I lost my right leg, and I suffered from a subarachnoid haemorrhage which caused me to lose my ability to play. I relearned, knowing I would never be as good as I used to be, but I gradually got better and I was asked to join a coverband. I lost most of my gear, but I still had a quite a few guitars. Probably around 12 or 13 stage worthy electrics. However, apart from my beloved black Gibson ES-347 and my highly modified mid nineties black American Standard Telecaster all guitars needed a lot of work and I didn’t have the money or the tools to make them work well enough (I promise I’m getting to the point).
But despite all of that, I never felt so comfortable with my guitars. I could do everything I needed to do with these two guitars. I’ve played just these two for years! Then, because Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a real thing, I couldn’t control myself and I bought a beautiful Telecaster in Sonic Blue and I had one of my Stratocasters fixed. And oddly enough I felt really uncomfortable about it! I was completely happy with the 347 and the black Tele, but now I had to choose which guitar to play and which two I wanted to take with me for gigs. I felt much better when I didn’t have choice.
The full story is much longer, but I won’t bother you with that. Sorry. 😅
I still buy guitars, but I can only afford them when I sell two or three for a dream guitar. I sold many electrics and replaced them with a couple of beautiful acoustics (something I started with when I was 44 already). And I’m trying to sell a great and really good Gibson Explorer plus an Early Japanese Stratocaster with some modifications, plus a bunch of pedals so I can buy my last (???) dream guitar: a modern Gretsch White Falcon (G6636T), because it would be the perfect partner for my 347. My brain never rests. 🧠
Full circle is the ending point of all things. I’ve learned not to be embarrassed or ashamed of the journey, or wisdom gained from the journey. It wasn’t a waste of time to end up where you began, only wiser.
Thanks for sharing, man! I really need to follow your lead here. GAS is so real and I've been struggling with it for years.
I used to dig old cars and got into guitars. The problem with cars in the Midwest is they set in a garage for 5 months because of rain or snow. And each one requires insurance and a garage to keep them.guitars set in a room and you can play them anytime no matter the weather. You can buy several guitars for the price of one cool car. Just my opinion.
This is the video I needed to see. It’s 100% true. I can admit I’ve spent more time seeking out gear and less time utilizing the gear I already have
it's actual mental how well marketing works with guitar players
Yup, I became really indulgent and bought a ton of gear during the pandemic. part depression, part finally seeking that special something that i thought i was missing. turned into way too much spending and not enough moving the pieces i didnt use. and the worst part was that i wasnt inspired any more than i was when i didnt have the new stuff. in fact, i think my inspiration lessened because i felt that what i had was not enough even after acquiring so much more. i had actually reflected on this quite a bit over the past couple of weeks and realized that i need to sit down with what i have, determine what i need and get rid of the rest. it'll be hard because i'm very sentimental but it's necessary
So true. The love of music is what got me into playing guitar. At some point, the gear took over, and the music got pushed to the periphery. Now, I'd rather put my time and energy toward becoming a better player. I feel full and satisfied after a night of earnest practice; I don't feel this way after a night of perusing the internet for gear.
Wow you won’t get a lot of endorsements but you very well maybe one of the last honest you tubers out there. It took me entirely to long to realize I didn’t need a new guitar go get better I needed to practice. The time I spent chasing that peice I needed for my collection to be complete absolutely held back my playing. We only get so much time in this life to achieve our goals and I FINALLY realized that mine was much better spent in the music. Great video!
Great wisdom there. There's definitely a love of guitars themselves that drives us, buying, trying, seeing how a shape fits us, how features fit us, necks and fretboard. The sounds can really be had with amps, modeling, pedals. You're completely right about focusing on the music, the skills, the pleasure of playing. I've done very similar, having way more/better gear than my skills warrant. Arriving at the point where you've found what suits you, and you want to just play it, there's great peace in that. Thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom.
i had a lot of obsession with buying, selling, and browsing gear. what stopped me was when i got immersed in a church in a poor country that barely had anything. i gave out my old beat up telecaster for their sunday service and the person who used it could not have been happier about it. buying a lot of gear only matters in the first world but in the poorer countries, getting any form of gear is everything.
What country?
Hey Jim.
I bought my first electric guitar during the pandemic and immediately got hooked on the appeal of collecting them.
It's been a big source of stress for me when I can't afford my next guitar or buy a piece of gear that I've wanted for a long time.
Recently I got in touch with an old friend from high school and decided to start a project with him, and I'm excited to start enjoying the creative time, and really doing what the entire purpose of this gear was all along.
Thanks for the reassurance on this, I'm excited for the creative outlet and also going to stress less over it.
Take care.
Don’t diminish your skills! You are quite an excellent guitarist!
Agreed!!! He's an excellent guitarist AND a really great ideas person / songwriter. Very versatile. A guitarist's guitarist.
@@DrTomoculus They kind of guitar player you actually want to work with, instead of watch on videos.
@@Markleford Exactly ;)
you are all entirely too kind
How i view it is, car guys often have multiple cars or at least change car very often. I have only had 1 car. but I've had like 15 guitars during my 4 years of playing and currently have 6. I like seeing my collection grow and always being excited about my guitars makes me pick them up more often. But no gear in the world will make you a better player, ONLY purring that time in will make you better
Yea, time and the RIGHT sorts of practice. Don't ask me what that is!
great channel, subscribed! In 2020 my wife and I moved from the Netherlands to the USA and shipping is expensive so my 25 guitar collection had to be reduced. Ended up with 10 guitars. I realized I enjoyed this and sold a few more and now to 7: 1 great acoustic, 1 bass for recording, 5 electrics. Still more than enough for me. I also sold several amps and effects, those accumulate fast as well :-)
Wow, I was just thinking about this yesterday. I also got into buying and selling guitars and it detracted from playing. This year I intentionally put them all away and left out two guitars to just focus on playing, writing, and recording. And I don’t miss the others. Occasionally I’ll grab one for a particular sound. But I agree with you: overconsumption of gear doesn’t make us better players. I also deleted Reverb from my phone and I’ve purchased far less gear this year (only buying what I really need). I am with you on selling the gear! I aiming to keep 4 core guitars (some for sentimental value).
Agreed 100 % My attachment to "things" is changing and I'm considering doing a second wave downsizing of my stash as well, great work and honesty.
"things" are cool and we can get caught up in them but they absolutely shouldn't be what we put so much focus on
Yep. I went down the pedal route, buying and selling a ton since 2020. I've mostly stopped with the pedals and started buying more guitars. They truly are works of art that you can play. I will likely sell a couple... eventually!
I think we have all accumulated lots of guitars over the last several years. I see ownership as part of the journey to find what you really like and the things you can do without. As a songwriter/ producer, I rely on different guitars to provide different colors and shades to my productions. Having said that, my main guitar rack is 5 guitars, but I could probably make do with a Strat (or Tele) and a humbucker guitar like a Les Paul or 335 (or in my case a PRS McCarty). I have several nice guitars that I could do without, but I don't really need to sell them and I would probably regret it if I did.
Maybe an inappropriate comment in this context, but… gorgeous Suhr thinline right there.
it's certainly not ugly haha
I feel, and quite strongly, that the major contributing factor to many guitarists always wanting more gear is entirely the same factor as the majority of society as a whole: Consumerism. The only difference is the focus of it.
Why people become, or fall into being, consumerists is an entirely different discussion and a YT comment isn’t the place to have it.
I’ve caught myself out in this and so I keep aware of it. It’s hard not to get caught up in whatever’s the status quo of the civilization in which one lives, most especially for those people who’ve never even known anything else in their lives. Those of us who lived perfectly happy lives pre-internet know what I mean here…I would hope.
I see it (the consumerist mentality) in most people and yet most people don’t see it in themselves.
I’m done buying guitars, I was done 2 years ago. I got a few effects last year but now I’m done with that too. I don’t even want anymore stuff as it’s a burden to care for it all when only a small amount of it is frequently used.
I could seriously be happy with one or two guitars, one amp, and a dozen effects. If selling wasn’t such a hassle I’d get rid of most of my stuff today.
When I had less stuff I was writing an albums worth of quality material every 6 months or so.*
Instruments are simply the tools to do what you do, not the end in itself.
This is what I’ve realized. I’m glad you’ve realized similar.
*Today I’m not eveninterested in writing or playing for anyone other than myself. I’m over it all.
Saw a great tshirt that said "it's not hoarding if it's guitars" but there's definitely a chartable formula of when gear excess crosses with overcompensation for not just being dedicated to improving skills etc.
Totally agree. I went on a wild goose chase for the perfect superstrat for me and you know which one I play the most? The first one I bought, one of the Kramer Baretta reissues! I work on guitars for a living and I can't count how many I've had my hands on, and at the end of the day I'd be totally content with one or two of my favorites. It's a lot of fun browsing gear and looking for the next best thing, but we have to be honest with ourselves about what the actual goal is and what we want out of that pursuit, as you said. I think about how much more productive I could be if I browsed for gear less and spent that time playing, and I think a lot of us kind of battle that feeling. Thanks for sharing Jim!
We are all holding our own potential back by wasting time "shopping" for things we don't need to get to work on the stuff that matters
Great video! You're 100% right. I must own somewhere between 45 to 50 electric guitars. They range from Gibson, prs to Fender usa & japan. I own every type of guitar you can imagine & yet they have not improved my playing at all. I'm now ready to offload at least 35 of them & start concentrating on improving my skill as a player. I just hope I can overcome the dreaded G.A.S. Wish me luck.
The shame of it is, this is a bad time to unload gear because a whole lot of people are at the same point you are and are flooding the market
@@jasondorsey7110 Good point.
To be fair I think only a portion of the people selling are doing it because of these sorts of reasons… times are genuinely tough right now for a lot of folks. It’s all a mess
The way I got over gas was to acquire the right gear and recognize it was the right gear. At one point, I had over a dozen guitars yet I always played my partscaster. It took 10 years to put together, figuring out which pickup I like best (Tony Iommi humbucker) realizing I never use the tone control and never use the neck pickup. I ended up with, for me, THE perfect electric guitar. I have played a dozen other, beautiful guitars but at the end of the day, I’d rather play my parts guitar than anything else.
If you figure out what YOUR style is and how to play it, what tone you need for that and just get and use that stuff, you’ll play instead of searching or tweaking parameters.
Thanks for putting it all into perspective.
No worries!
Perspective? Nooo! Many of us can't handle perspective! 🙂
I think another point to make is that if you have learned what you like and what you want from your instruments and gear choices, there’s nothing wrong with buying the right gear for your needs, but you might as well wait and chill til the right piece of gear comes along rather than wasting money to get something that almost fits when you know it doesn’t tick all the boxes.
I appreciate the sentiment. There are always lots of reasons to stop or interfere with the creative process, some in our head and some outside of our head. I try to rely on positive creative people willing to provide positive input and collaboration. Lots of people will tell you why you can’t do something, park those thoughts and put them away. Hold on to those people who think you can. You might find yourself still making records that you and others still enjoy, even as you get “old”!
I’m spending the Summer with one electric guitar. The collection will have to wait until I get back.
My gig days are long gone for the most part so this is just a hobby, i probably have 2 many guitars but for the most part they all get played so i dont feel too guilty.
Variety always inspires me to play, i never played as much as i do now back when i was in a band but some people are inspired by different things, one of the dreams that inspired me to start playing guitar in the first place was having this massive collection of shiny guitars lol.
That said i get where your coming from i just feel like now may not the best time to unload gear, market is painfully bad from what i can tell.
Without a doubt there's a lot of fun to be had in both playing guitar and collecting gear, but ironically the two don't work well together. It's like trying to excel at your current job while spending your day applying for others. The most happiness I've ever had playing, and the times I've made the most improvement, was when I had just one guitar.
They really don't play well together, I think the only scenario where they potentially could would be if you were collecting them while out on the road touring because you're still gonna be playing every night but then where the hell are ya gonna keep em all???? hahaha
Great video as I think it’s easy to get lost in the excitement of new gear, research etc and while that’s fun and gives a nice hit (and like you say people are free to do and spend what they want) the time especially could be spent by those of us who get a little lost, on improving and learning and creating which brings incredible joy, a measure of progress and something that exists because of the time we personally put in which is always awesome in my book!
That said - can’t wait to hear more on the guitar you’re holding in the video haha hope you’re well mate !
I have some stuff I’ve started with the suhr almost ready to send over so you can hear how the new kind of full rig is working out ( drums being done here again )
@@AudiomoMusic oh man that sounds awesome I can’t wait to hear it!!!
When I had opportunity to get whatever I wanted, or needed, I went for it. That's the only advice I have for anyone. Just do it if you have the opportunity. I always separated my instrument hunts by want / need. There were ones I definitely wanted. There were ones I felt I needed. Many a purchase never went through, because I knew I didn't need it. Would I still like a Les Paul Studio? Yah. Do I need it? Well to get a complete collection of Les Pauls I do! But do I need it? Not really.
If I had the cash and space, my wants would be a collection of Telecasters, SGs, and Thunderbirds. I really love those instruments.
It all depends on the person. I'm a collector by nature. I had THOUSANDS of comic books growing up. I sold many of them, or would just give them away. Do I regret this? Nah. Not in my heart. My wallet shouts at me for selling the entire run of Claremont / Byrne / Austin era X-Men, but that's what I did when I was a teenager. I knew they were worth something but did it anyway.
I feel so sorry for hoarders, who can't let go of things. It just must be a nightmare. And I know at least once a day I look at my collection and just burst out laughing at the absurdity of it.
But I also really invested in myself for the first time in my life, and bought everything I needed to help make my creations kick ass. If no one thinks they do, that's alrite. I know they do. And I know to practice getting better all the time. As I'm a multi-instrumentalist, I have to rotate what I'm trying to be better at. lol.
Best to you, and I hope you've enjoyed your experience, I certainly benefitted from you deciding to go UA-cam, and I'm sure a lot of others agree.
Some of the best acquisitions are things that aren't necessarily fun, like an eq pedal or isolated power supplies
You have hit the peak of creativity, the art of not caring anymore what anyone thinks about the art you create and loving it all the same.
I can relate. When the pandemic started, I was finally able to practice and make breakthroughs in my playing after being busy with pre-med and med school since 2010. These gains came when I just used what I had (2006 Fender AVRI 70s Strat, 2008 Ibanez SV5470, and a 2013 Martin OM1GT). From 2021-2024, I spent too much time buying, selling, researching, and trying out many guitars. I believe I’ve finally reached the end of my search and ended up with a Suhr Classic S HSS and an incoming PRS CE 22.
In my case, being a home musician who does not perform or gig, I’m happy owning a few quality instruments. I’m inspired every time I pick them up and it motivates me to practice more, which at the end of the day is what really counts so we can continue to make music.
You picked two great ones, that's all ya really need and I hope you enjoy your time with them
I really enjoyed this video for a lot of reasons. A few years ago, a friend of mine said “if you play 20 guitars, you don’t play one guitar.” That really hit home. How much can I do with one electric, if it’s the only tool available? The other thing is that I decided I won’t buy/own a guitar unless I’m willing to gig with it. I owned in the neighborhood of 18 guitars before the pandemic started, and after quite a few transactions (both buying and selling) I got down to 6 (2 electrics, 4 acoustics) and was pretty happy. I’m back up to 4 electrics (currently no telecaster), still 4 amazing acoustics, and I added a bass, and it feels like a lot, even with weekly gigs with different guitars in the rotation each week. The acoustic collection makes sense and has seen lots of playing time: 2 guitars are my gigging guitars, one is the house beater when I host open mic night, and one is a fingerpicking parlor guitar. But I’d like to see the electric collection reduced again, maybe not immediately given the current market, but soon. Do I need a Gibson Explorer? No. Is it the most reliable Gibson I’ve ever owned? Yes. Would I be better off with a telecaster? After watching this video, I think so!
Amen! I’m keeping four. Four is enough to keep it interesting.. not so many that you feel bad for not picking up the others.. honestly one and a backup it’s probably all anybody needs.. oh and maybe an acoustic. 😂 4 seems fair.
that's the way the brains work right hahaha
Agree. I spend more time
Looking at new guitars instead of playing what I have.
Thanks for sharing dude 🤘
Good video. I’ve done a similar thing. Since 2020 flipped so many instruments and I too feel done with it. Currently got ten - 6 electric and 4 acoustic - but this will likely turn into between 6 and 8. Musical creativity is the path, not GAS!
Amen. I couldn't have said it better. Gear comes and goes. It's your hands that make it sound the way it does 🙃
Exactly!
Amen. I went through the phase of dreaming and e-shopping for the perfect collection, even bought/sold about 5 guitars. Nowadays I spend far less time shopping, and more time practicing/creating. When it comes down to it, there's only 3 tones I'm really chasing, one I get with my strat, the other with my t-style, and the last is my acoustic.
Happy you got your priorities straight and it sounds like you're far better off for it!
Yep, Jim, the Covid period saw Thomann making quite a bit of money from me in terms of guitars and effects! This though sprang from me watching way more guitar youtube channels than I ever had (what else to do when you're locked in!!). And I was exposed to many types of guitars. This led me to wanting to try out guitars I'd never considered before, particularly offsets. Here I am now, 4 years later considering selling some things on also. The thing it did for me was to help me more find out what I liked the most. Which, right now, turns out to be what I'd really known all along - I like Strats and Teles! They are bread and butter, workman's, pretty much cover everything you'll ever need, guitars. And particularly if you're a mainly hobbiest guitarist with maybe a few gigs here and there, maybe 1 or 2 more considered, reasonable quality purchases, knowing what you like, is better than a load of maybe, lesser quality guitars, that can at times cause a little frustration. 🎸🎸
I’m totally with you. Many times we are just slaves of companies’ marketing. Good luck to you for your adventure with “true” music. We don’t need gear, we need passion, ideas and one guitar 😁💪🏼👍🏼👋🏻
What a fantastic video for the guitar community have a wonderful weekend Jim ❤😊
Thanks Amin hope you have been doing well and the family is good
@@AudiomoMusic absolutely my right ear is blocked from the earwax also it is temporary deaf
amin how do you have such bad luck???
@@AudiomoMusic today 7 I went to the walk in clinic to get the earwax removed it was sussed sussed success
I just like guitars. Lots of them.
same
I definitely bought too much during the pandemic. Eventually I got embarrassed about the amount of guitars I had and realized having them wasn't helping me play better. In fact, I was spending more time shopping and looking at reviews then actually playing.
So, I sold a lot of gear to a local shop, and now if I want another guitar, I have to sell one first. The number of guitars I own doesn't go up. So far, that's worked for me.
How many did you end up with after selling down? What feels like the right amount now?
Well said. Thanks for sharing
Appreciate it, cheers
I've been good at keeping 4 total (3) electric (1) acoustic ..but looking at just having (2) electric. However, finding the perfect neck was always an obsession.
That really is a huge part of finding the "perfect" guitar. The neck is everything
Sometimes you can have perfect neck without knowing it, until you get a great setup.
This is exactly me, 3 electrics looking to downsize to 2, and 1 acoustic. I'm only chasing like 2 tones, all other pickup combos are just bonus.
4 electrics. And yes, the NECK is the home base.
Thus my Japanese Jackson 12-16 radius is my "perfect feel".
I have caugt hateful shit here on UA-cam for the amount of guitars.and pedals I have, but I realized that is not really what drives the " Haters".
Haters just like to hate.
Jealosy and good ol nastiness being the culprit.
Guitars and gear are fun, I am not abnormal.
I love collecting guitars and left to my own devices I could see it get out of hand. My solution is I have set a hard limit, I will not have more than x guitars. So now if I want to add to guitar my collection then one has to be sold. To me this gives balance to the whole hobby.
solid way of going about it
I think it really comes down to the individual. For myself, I like a variety of clean tones. To that end I have a Tele for the single coil twang, an HSS Strat (cause nothing else sounds like a strat), a Guild hollow body to get that Brian Setzer sound and a Gretch to get that really twangy sound. Will be getting an Epiphone 59 reissue in the near future. That will cover all the sounds I’m after.
The Suhr appears! I have gone through a similar story minus the UA-cam channel. That's probably what has allowed me to still record a few projects with a good friend since 2020. And you're right, my Telecaster that I got way back in 2011 is the guitar I have used most when recording & writing. It is all you need.
It's so cliche, but the only thing that can compete with a telecaster - is a different version of a telecaster to compliment it hahaha
For me, a Les Paul standard, a Telecaster, strat or super strat for tremolo, and a good acoustic. That combination right there will carry you through pretty much any guitar needs you have. But moving gear is a great way to keep you excited about playing as well. I can't tell you how many times I had a song come out just because the guitar I was holding inspired me to play something different. It comes down to striking the right balance between gear hunting and playing. And of course not over stretching financially.
your last part often gets ignored, I know a lot of people that finance multiple guitars at once... to me that's where it's time to take a good hard look at what's going on.
I too have hit the wall with guitars, I have more than I really need, I just play as a hobby, never have been in a band. I play for my own enjoyment. I did have a conversation with my wife last night out at dinner, I was talking about a Taylor 914, she looked at me and said you have a 414 what’s the difference…. I said 500😂😂😂
Great point, well said!
Appreciate it Adam
thanks for speaking the truth of the matter, consumerism creeped in so hard into something that was/is art and creativity (or we can also call it "magic")
magic happens regardless of the guitar that's in your hands, it's finding the moment or environment for the magic to happen
100%. The guitar industry has become ridiculous. My goal has always been to find THE perfect guitar. Why own a guitar that you play 4 times? I have given away over a dozen guitars recent that I inherited. t first, I was so excited having all these cool guitars, but after a few weeks I realized I won’t actually play them so they have to go. Best decision ever. Made a lot of people happy and now my gear is stuff I actually use.
exactly!!!
MORE IS MORE!! - YJM
Thank you. Needed to hear this
it's crazy how many people are in this boat
Love this video Jim! Thank you 🙏🏼
My pleasure!
Great video ,…… you really spoke to many of us !! And if it makes ya feel any better , I went 25 years without touching a guitar , to going through about 50 or so , keeping 23 in less than 2 years …. I guess I’m hooked on the modding part , if I played as much as I tinker , I’d be great !! But I guess I have no end game , I’m a single dad , journeyman electrician that loves guitars instead of drugs and booze like I did when I was younger. But I do have way more than I need and I have finally stopped buying them. It’s great to hear I’m not nuts and that there’s plenty of others with too much heart and too much gear !!! Take care out there my people!!
My problem started getting really out of control when I quit drinking and smoking so my disposal income started to seem crazy after only a few months. There are far worse things to spend money on than guitars or any artistic device but man, it can be a rabbit hole
@@AudiomoMusic well said brother !! I even caught myself earlier today (payday) about to buy a bugera v22 infinium tube amp head but I stopped myself right before I hit click !! I’ve already got 5 freakin amps but no real tube amp (I don’t consider my epiphone valve junior a real one) so I’m kinda proud of myself hahaha … kid goes back to school in a week so priorities first! And I’m a recovered alcoholic myself so congrats my dude! That shit will kill a person fast as any other dangerous substance, drank myself into the hospital twice (pancreatitis) back in 2015 so I had to clean up! But anyways ,to me the greatest things in the guitar world is shooting the shit and sharing knowledge with people like yourself!!
As a singer, I have one vocal tone for everything. Guitar players can have 10 guitars, as many amps and pedals galore, yet it's still not enough. They're targeted by manufacturers, as many are willing victims of acquisition syndrome. Guitar players in the past recorded their first album owning just one guitar, the one their parents bought them. Think about how many albums you've released when adding to an already large instrument collection.
I'm reminded of an old saying that applies to many things, not just guitars. The things you own end up owning you.
Sick burn.
I found myself getting into G.A.S. in the past but I sold off most of my more expensive guitars that I was too afraid to play out with and started buying budget brands and I’m having a blast playing again. My latest favorite is the Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar. I’ve also sold off almost all my amps and just have a battery powered amp and my powered monitors that I use as a P.A. System/studio monitors. I’m now thinking of selling off all my stomp boxes because I can pretty much create any sound in Bitwig Studio on a cheap laptop. I’ve really been enjoying just plugging my guitar into an audio interface into my laptop and just using headphones and getting lost in playing again! For my needs I only need one really good playing acoustic, a 12 string (electric or acoustic), a resonator guitar (set up for slide playing), and one electric. You can basically get different tones by some creative use of EQ.
Yeah EQ makes a gigantic difference. Even just one amplifier and an eq pedal gives you so many tone options.
Even if I don't necessarily learn brand new skills all the time, I play about 30 minutes a day. I like having a 5-guitar rack to switch out electric guitars of various types, and then put others up in their cases or bags. I can focus on those and then move on to others. I just don't like selling, but I know exactly which 5 I'd keep if I needed to. The key is don't be a guitarist who doesn't play guitar. Haha
Haha you're right about that! I spend a lot of time playing but it's not always what I should be working on. I also find a lot of value in the variety of guitars but it gets to the point where I see how many I have to pick from and laugh at the ridiculousness and excessive amount I have. That's kinda what made me want to say alright, I'll keep 6 or so and the rest can go. It's more than enough
@@AudiomoMusic hey it's still the same Aaron here, I was too lazy to switch account handles! Haha. I'm fully with you! I hope you make a video, say, 30-90 days after you have your guitars sold and you've been enjoying your 6-select-guitars! It'll be a great look on it.
For me I want some semi-redundancy of sound: I want two humbucking guitars, a traditional single coil, either Strat or Tele or even Jaguar(!), a Jazzmaster pickup, and a quality p90. With those pickups available, if anything goes wrong, I always have a backup for whatever I'm going for -- and truly it can be within any quality crafted guitar of any make, although I primarily have Fender/Squier and Gibson/Epiphone brands.
In the professional realm, we have players that amass pretty much umpteen versions of the same guitar: Malmsteem, Petrucci, as examples.
Then, there are top pros who have many different guitars and use all of them, either in studio or live: Steve Howe & Bonamassa. The latter sticks to 3-4 models and the former to many more.
There's a third group of top pros who own countless guitars, but only play one, or two live, at most: Vai comes to mind, who mostly plays his signature Ibanez and maybe one other one live(per the last time I saw him live).
In the case of amateurs or hobbyists, I attribute the GAS syndrome to the proverbial "hitting the ceiling". Either hitting a creative ceiling, where no new ideas or inspirations arise, or a ceiling in the technical ability of the player. Getting a new instrument can be a way to crash through that ceiling, or so the musician believes! Ultimately, most learn that a new instrument doesn't help to break the rut. It's all about inspiration and the discipline to put in the time necessary to improve.
I know a lot of guys that have been touring the world for almost two decades in some instances, others that just regularly gig the USA circuit with no more than 2 guitars. One of my best friends has done it with just a a single Les Paul and continued to do all of his tracking and performing with it even to this day nearly 18 years after he started doing it professionally. People like Joe Bonamassa are extreme outliers.
I’m in early addiction. Used to be an “acoustic player”, now I’m loving electric and feel like I need this and that. Tomorrow I think the fifth guitar in a month will arrive, haven’t kept them all but the ups guy must think (know) I’m nuts.
You don't hit the nuts category until the guy knows you by name and is seeing you 3-4 times a week... ask me how I know haha
@@AudiomoMusic 😆
I would buy and sell guitars trying to find the ones that suit me best. Currently I now have 2. One in standard tune, and one in half step down. Keep it simple.
I just recently bought one that I plan on keeping. That a PRS Custom 24. $849. That’s my gig guitar or if I happen to get on tour that’s what I’ll use it for. If I buy any guitar they’ll be cheap used for practice or small gigs.
What I have now is enough. I used to want more, like a guitar for each tuning, but that's just silly. I have 2 in standard, one in dropped C, an 8 string, a bass, and a couple acoustics that mostly just stay in their case until I need them for something, which is rare. I'm in the process of getting rid of things in general, so a bunch of music stuff is going too. I can't justify buying more guitars. I'll look at guitars for fun or curiosity, but then reality will set in and I'll remember that I have no use for another guitar, and the ones I have are great and aren't going anywhere. Really it was these past couple years of fact finding and myth busting videos by others, and a couple by myself, that made me realize that none of this stuff matters. My guitars already feel great, and switching them out for something else isn't going to sound noticeably different, so it would be a waste of money, and money isn't in abundance these days. My bank account is happy that I'm not buying gear, and I feel like I'm getting better results in recording by simplifying my options and processes.
Ha this is super fair. I have 5 basses, want to add more cuz I like the way different basses feel different in my hands, but I can’t make myself do it lol
wow and i thought I had more! I just have 4 but I really only use the 3, especially the one with the floyd
I look at it this way. Brian May, arguably one of the top 10 greatest guitarists of all time used his one of one "Red Special" guitar for recording and playing all of that amazing music for decades. And to make it even more amazing is that the guitar is a frankenstein creation that he built himself. Eddie Van Halen also played one guitar in the early years of VH, one that he modded to the point of it being entirely custom. Stevie Ray used one guiitar. It aint the gear folks, its the work you put in as well as God given talent. And yes, I've got 12 electrics, 3 acoustics, a cigar box slide guitar, a mandolin and a dulcimer. Way too much for my talent level.
Very valid examples and proof that it is indeed all in the hands
You can do a whole lot with just a little if you know your gear well. New gear doesn't make us any better, really. Only practice makes us better. Have a super day, everyone!
I’m fortunate to have live gigs to play here in NY, so I have excuses for the 8 guitars in my possession. I really only need five, but the others I acquired when I was younger and don’t have the heart to let them go.
I’ll probably sell or give away some once I’m done with my gigging, but for now I need one more guitar. I don’t have an acoustic. It’s going to be a 12 string.
I have a couple of acoustics, a couple of strats, a 3/4 Les Paul and I’m trying to get a telecaster and a bass. One day, I may even learn to play a chord!
I went through the same thing, buying too many guitars and what I’ve come to realise is this: I sound the same on every one of them and can get most of the tones I need from any guitar. I’m pretty happy now with USA Teles and Strats, but do I need a Gibson? Sure!😅
That's always the most fun thing to do, pick up the "worst" guitar I have then the "best" one and remember it doesn't matter I still sound like myself either way haha
My must have setup is a T-style, an LP-Style and a really good acoustic. Next on the list would be semi-hollow, but I would be fine with just the T,LP and acoustic. Problem I found when I had six guitars, some of them just don't get played, which is really not fair to the guitar, since they were built by people for people to play and enjoy.
that's something i struggled with since doing youtube, i have so many guitars coming in to sell and make videos on that takes up the regular guitar playing time and so many guitars just sat unplayed that I really wanted to play but didn't. it's all ridiculous in general but a tele and a les paul really would be more than enough
@@AudiomoMusic I can see how that would be a much more of an issue with all the guitars you review and the time it takes to make videos. I actually feel bad for the guitar if I don't play it. Like I am hurting its feelings. A little strange I admit.
I don't find it strange at all
You're absolutely right but if I had a dollar for every time heard somebody say, "Thats it Im done", I'd be retired!
I managed to be “done” with alcohol after 15 years of drinking every single day and finally landing in the hospital for it, been 4 years now and haven’t looked back on it so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Since filming this video I’ve managed to sell six already and that’s already felt great. Would I crack if I was to be able to trade for a very specific Fender Jaguar? Probably. I’ll still be getting some guitars in to sell though so hopefully the brief time with them is enough.
@@AudiomoMusic Wow good on you and God bless! Perhaps you're one if the few who could make it happen. Half the fun is researching and trying different gear I have to admit!
It's an addiction. Since I don't smoke or drink, or any that other stuff, this is my addiction. 😊 But, yes, I've felt this shift in the last year too. I've traded and sold 12 this year. There are 2 I do want to get, but my "collection" is smaller than a year ago. Also, the time put into mods and upgrades, and the ones still on my list to do has me realizing how much of my time goes into that, when more of my time spent playing and creating would be better "therapy" for me, and cheaper.
far cheaper. I like working on things too but it gets to the point where why spend all the time just modding stuff if ya never use it right
What your heart desires and what you can afford are two different things.
Even if money is not an issue ( I wish !) then finding that ultimate collection will
take years and you will still find a reason to buy just one more.
All i can say is stop looking and wasting you hard earned cash on what doesn't exist.
The perfect guitar has yet to be made, be happy with what you have and play them.
I think i've been fortunate enough to find 2 of said magical guitars, funny enough they are a tele and a jazzmaster. It took ages to find out exactly what I wanted from them but I've never considered moving past them once I had them in my hands although it is a fools errand trying to do that with every guitar model indeed
Man I went down the rabbit hole too but I’m done with it and just want to play!
You know what's weird, when I used to gig I had 1 guitar I used all the time. And 1 amp. But 15 years ago I snapped at a crowd and swore off performing live. Now I do a one-man record label music video channel on here, and I have fourteen guitars and 6 amps LOL Oh, and I went from 3 pedals to 13 in that time as well. But all this equipment is different and everything does its own thing, so it makes sense. Before, I had my sound. Now, I need tons of sounds. I would be happy with just my burst and plexi though. The rest is purely for the channel, and I could sell it all in a heartbeat.
Burst and a plexi is the magic, all the toys are nice but we don't really need them do we. I didn't realize you did youtube too i am going to check out your channel!
@@AudiomoMusic That’s very kind thank you
I'm gear obsessed for function. And only became so very recently like months ago. After 20 years of the same Ibanez and larrivee acoustic plus a Multiac those were my three
Now with Eart and the level of Epiphone and Martin x series...I have a much wider variety now and a lot of pedals but I held back on gear for so long.
Example i just inherited my stepdads gr55 and I've had a multiac steel SA for fifteen years....I had no idea how. Fun synth was! Especially fingerstyle, which is what I do.
Slowly I'm migrating to all semi hollow electrics because I play more acoustic that electric generally just because....it's always sitting right there of course I play it more
It's entertaining for me to do a little bit of both. Always tell myself I have to get 5% better with each guitar. Usually one in one out.
Fair enough, it's a decent way to keep things in check
Much needed topic
it is what it is man
i once had 7 guitars, now i just play my one les paul standard. it's good quality, the G string still never stays in tune, but i found myself actually playing guitar more, more than looking at gear that i'll never buy that is.
Les pauls are worth the headache imo
I hate it when someone better than me says "I'm by no means a skilled guitarist."
I do the buying and selling too. My main business is being a guitar tech.
I also have made a few of my own records, but those were when I just had 1 guitar and 1 bass. Now I have around 30~40 always fluctuating.
I was just thinking when you were making this video that I wrote my most inspired music when I had only 1 guitar.
I certainly had the best progress when I only had one guitar and one amp. It's simple, less noise to worry about and that leads to lots of time to spend actually playing the guitar
Thank you for buying my stands.
I love your stands, I appreciate you making great stuff.
@@AudiomoMusic thank you for your support.
I am not a collector or reseller, so for me gear is a means to an end. I consider my collection a bit indulgent. I have a les paul, tele, strat, and a charvel. Do I need all of that? Not at all. However, I have the disposable income and wanted to learn about guitar sounds. It has been a fun journey. Nonetheless, I prefer to spend my time practicing, learning, writing, jamming, etc. I've written off bands because of "drama". In summary, it is easier to acquire stuff than to work on improving one's musicianship or creating something. The latter, however, will always be much more rewarding. Afterall, my les paul will only sing if I wood shed those Clapton licks.
"it is easier to acquire stuff than to work on improving one's musicianship or creating something"
You have hit onto a large part of the problem
Yes! Well said.
Thanks!
I totally agree with you but man, this is the worst time ever to thin out the collection unless you're prepared to make a loss :(
it's awful depending on what it is you're trying to sell. mass produced imports and american guitars that are still being made are worth half at best most of the time at this point.
Pianists, cellists, violinists and other musicians are happy to own one very good instrument. It’s only guitarists who need to own one of every kind of instrument… And I say this as someone who has really bad GAS myself from time to time, but it’s kind of a dead end at some point or another.
The best guitar you’ll ever have is your own two hands. We’ve all just got to practice more.
I agree with the last part and I said it in the video, but the musicians you brought up are not even close to one for one examples. I know several professional musicians working in orchestras, the amount they spend on that one good instrument makes a fender custom shop look like a pack of gum by comparison price wise so it's a bit easier for them to avoid the whole GAS trap hahaha...
i currently have one...Gibson Les Paul. But ive bought and sold about 20 in last 4 years. Those days are over. I just need 1 more as a back up but am in no rush
Les Paul and a tele is all anyone really could ever need
I whittled 15 down to 3... then PRS kept happening and I'm back up to 8, damnit!
Brutal, absolutely brutal hahaha
sittin in front of at least 15 guitars sayin we don’t need many guitars. classic.I was hoping he’d say how many he really ended up with and which ones and how he decided. “I’m fixing to downsize one of these days” ; )
The jaguar, the es 335, the baritone, the red jazzmaster, a telecaster, a Stratocaster, and the green les Paul have all been sold since this video was posted/
@@AudiomoMusic congrats! I have trouble selling them myself that’s why I watched your post. I have 12 but each one is so different I just can’t get myself to sell any. but I know I should because I play the same few over and over. they’re like works of art to me
How many horns do trumpet players have? Saxophone players? Guess what they spend their time on? Becoming better musicians. Most guitar players are just that- guitar players. Big difference between being a musician.
I have learned the hard way that it’s better to have a few high quality guitars you love playing than it is to have a room full of wall hangers that don’t get attention.
Just thought about this a few days ago.
going against the grain, i think having many guitars is cool IF you rotate them, have enough space for them, or use them as wall art. I think it's only kind of a bummer if they set in their cases for months/years on end.