Electric Guitarists. Choice History. Worked? Foolishly Traded away? Still Own to this Day?

[Dismalhead]

Traded a '95 US Hamer Special straight across for my '07 American Series Tele. Love my Tele, one of my favorite guitars that I'ver ever had, but sometimes I miss the Hamer. I should have figured out a way to get the Tele and keep the Hamer. It was the perfect dual P-90 guitar IMO.

Traded this:

For this:

 

[Tele-beeb]

I was a teen with a job in 1977… let us not speak of those that passed through my hands. The pain (and memory) are still too clear…

 

[mojavedesert]

The thing I regret is liking the sound of vintage Fender guitar amps that are getting too heavy to chuck in the car while eating a donut, holding a coffee and talking on the phone.

 

[richiek65]

I've had a lot of electric guitars: Peavey T-60, Les Paul, 335, BC Rich Mockingbird, and a Tokai Strat and the only one I miss is the Tokai. It was a really nice white on white strat I bought off the rack back in 1990 for $300 with case.

Like Chigtr4x I had a 68 DR (first year silverface with the trim around the grill cloth). It was so clean and just sitting on the Guitar Center floor with a bunch of different Fenders for $400. I had it recapped and put a Weber Speaker in it and I was done. I too thought I would never sell it-until my youngest son was diagnosed with Autism and needed ABA therapy.

Tokai guitars rock! My most gigged guitar is a Tokai strat that I bought super cheap around 1990. It's heavily modified, not much of the original guitar remains but playing it yesterday, I'm completely connected with it.
How's your son's journey thru life going?

 

[teletimetx]

Though I started playing guitar in 1966, nothing from that era remains in my custody. An expensive, but worthwhile divorce in 2005 cleaned out just about everything except an ‘85 SG, which I still have. For some time, I had that SG, but no amp to play it through.

I have since acquired stuff that will stay, but I have also given away 6 or 7 guitars and a mandolin and a banjo to family & friends.

I have a Gibson flattop (CJ-165) acquired in 2006 which has been a lifetime keeper. A 2001 James Burton Std MIM which just won’t quit. A Logan custom tele that’s killer, but maybe belongs in someone else’s hands, IDK. A PRS SE 245 that is just too good to let go. Have maybe 8 or 9 other guitars and such around and I like having them around. I played for almost 30 years having just a beat up Goya acoustic, so.

Some nice older Fender amps, good stuff, no reason to sell.

Pedals? Not much sentiment there.

The few things I’ve sold or traded are from a sad, deep rut of depression and I don’t miss anything related to that period of time.

Glad to have weathered a few storms and grateful for many reasons.

 

[Doomguy]

I've managed to hang on to the Epiphone LP I started on but most of the gear I got in my early playing days has been sold/traded for other gear. I don't regret selling anything.

Guitar wise, I've sold off a Squire Bullet Strat, Ibanez S Series, a Jackson RR and a cheap Jackson seven string. The Bullet and the S series funds went directly into my ESP seven string. The Jackson seven funds went into my Epiphone G-400 SG. I still have both of those guitars and love them. I was able to track down the guy I sold the RR to and reacquired it for a decent price, he'd modded it a bit and switched out the bridge pickup.

I've only sold one amp and used the funds to grab a Line 6 combo. After I started taking playing more seriously, I leveled up into my Orange and Quilter heads.

I've been buying and flipping pedals since the beginning, more have come then gone. My only real regret is buying an old school, 90's DOD Death Metal. I grabbed it for more then I should've, it sucks, and I can't resell it.

 

[gimmeatele]

I started saving for my first really good guitar in 1974. I wanted a Les Paul, and used ones cost $225 in 1974. I saved and saved for one. By the time I saved $225 they were up to $250. As a college student, I had to save every spare penny for three years, chasing the cost of a used LP. Each time I would save the right amount the price would have gone up. Finally in 1977 I was invited into a hot band and needed a serious guitar. I had saved $425. I traveled back to my hometown and went through the stores looking for one. The new Nashville LPs were in the stores, glossy and slick. I wanted a gold top but all I could find anywhere near my price was an older one in a sort of indescribable sunburst for $475. The manager of the place had seen me in and out for three years and finally took pity on me. I got my LP and he got my money. I quickly fell in love with its unique finish. It's been through lots of miles, smiles,bands, gigs, and sessions. Whenever my little family ran into financial difficulties I offered it up to sell as my only worthwhile possession, but my lovely wife refused to let me sell it. I still love it and play it.

1978 in '50s group Diamond Dan and the Cut Gems.

Bob

Beautiful guitar and that rig behind you set of a streak of nostalgia a mile wide.

 

[Kandinskyesque]

I don't regret selling any guitars I've had.
Financial need at the time meant selling my two Roland JC 77 amps, which I still mourn.
Pedal wise, trading in my WEM copycat for a new Boss digital delay in the 80s in hindsight looks like a schoolboy error now.

 

[4pickupguy]

I have sold or traded a couple of vintage Fenders. 57’ tele that I owned for a week.., a 62’ strat that was really sweet. This was in a time when vintage guitars were not priced like they are now. Those guitars were good, well the strat was really nice but the tele was truly a pig, but honestly, the guitars that I have since cobbled together sound and play better. I only wish I had them now to sell. Amps are a different story. I wish I still had all the BF Fender amps. There were times raising our three boys though that were so lean I would have sold my wretched soul for them. Its all only stuff. We don’t get to take any of it home with us.

 

[elihu]

Tokai guitars rock! My most gigged guitar is a Tokai strat that I bought super cheap around 1990. It's heavily modified, not much of the original guitar remains but playing it yesterday, I'm completely connected with it.
How's your son's journey thru life going?

He’s doing well thank God. He’s in high school and is able to function pretty damn well in groups with just occasional prompts. He knows he’s different and he’s accepted it. Thanks for asking.

The few things I’ve sold or traded are from a sad, deep rut of depression and I don’t miss anything related to that period of time.

You’ve still got that early 60’s Tremolux BF head, right? I say it because I had one too for a short time and loved everything about it. And those red JB Tele’s are fine guitars.

 

[teletimetx]

He’s doing well thank God. He’s in high school and is able to function pretty damn well in groups with just occasional prompts. He knows he’s different and he’s accepted it. Thanks for asking.

You’ve still got that early 60’s Tremolux BF head, right? I say it because I had one too for a short time and loved everything about it. And those red JB Tele’s are fine guitars.

Yep, still have that Tremolux head and the little 2x10 cab I built for it. That will be with me always - thanks for thinking of that! It was what I used for a weekly house band gig in Houston until the dreaded unspeakable arrived.

Now I’m up here north of Denver, finally retired from the day job and working with a new band. Been using the little SF Princeton no-verb, because we’re playing smaller venues, but haven’t done a whole lot of gigging just yet. Oh, but that Tremolux is pure BF goodness!

 

[marc2211]

Can't say I really regret anything that was my own decision.

I had my first 'real' guitar, a MIJ Silver Squier Series Strat' effectively destroyed beyond repair by a 'friend' when I was about 16 - I would have loved to have kept it.

I still have my first Fender - a 1993 MIJ Strat that I've had for 25+ years, that I'll never get rid of.

I recently made a list of my guitar history, and there is pretty much nothing I regret getting rid of compared to where I am now - I think a lot of it was a journey to my current gear, to find out what I actually liked.

My guitar list, with comments, I still have the bolded ones, or they are ones I regret letting go. This list started in ~1988 when I started playing:

Encore Strat - ok beginers guitar. Traded for LP.
Rockwood Honer Les Paul - nut broke into 3 pieces, had no idea this could be fixed easily. Traded for Strat.
MIJ Silver Series Squire Strat - Unicorn. Destroyed
Cort Random guitar - part of a trade, no real memory of it. Traded.
Jimmy Vaughan Strat v1 - Ice pick treble. Sold.
PRS Santana SE v1 - HUGE neck, hated to play it at the time. Traded.
Fender Strat MIJ - STILL HAVE. Number 1.
Fender MIM Strat Blue Sparkle - Nice guitar, great color, nothing special. No idea what I did with it, presumed sold!
Sunburst Epiphone Les Paul - Bought used, turned up with paint delamination, traded on within the week
Takamine Acoustic - 90's LOVELY, mother of pearl inlays and binding, do kind of regret sellling this one!
MIM 60s Classic Strat 3TS - Never gave it a chance as it didn't make me SRV with 13's installed, sold.
Lemon Burst Epiphone Les Paul - Terrible fret work, sold on
Gibson SG faded - borderline unplayable, sold quickly
Black MIM Standard Strat - bought on the rebound from the SG, was ok, no regrets selling
Lag Acoustic - Good cheap accoustic, gave to a family member
Epiphone Gold Top Les Paul - STILL HAVE. Perfect for open G.
Tele Squier 70’s Custom Thinline - Some regrets here. Dropped a camera on it and couldn't live with the small chip damage. Lovely guitar that played amazingly well. No real regrets as it wasn't that great plugged in.
Partscaster white Fender Strat - never the sum of it's parts. sold.
Prs Custom 24 SE - Hmm, played ok, terrible electrics. Still sounded like a PRS with Jimmy Page pickups. Sold.
Gibson SG 50s Tribute - kept for years, could never adapt to the 24 frets and large 50's neck. Sold.
Epiphone LP 1960 Tribute LTD - Was ok, never played it much, not as good as the Goldtop. Sold.
Fender 60’s Classic Tele - 40th B'day present. LOVE IT. STILL HAVE.
Fender Performer LTD Tele, humbucker neck - Very disappointing pickups. Played ok. Sold.
Jimmy Page Tele - Really nice tone, this one has a larger neck than I really liked. Sold.
Warmoth Strat - Custom everything to my tastes, no expense spared. Didn't like the result. Sold.
Gibson Les Paul Special - Dark dark dark pickups, huge neck. Sold.
Squier Esquire LTD SFG - Ice pick treble. Sold.
Epiphone dot MIK Cherry - STILL HAVE
Epiphone dot MIK Blonde - STILL HAVE
Yamaha fs350 - Tiny, really small, could drive a car under the strings. Sold.
Schecter solo 6 - STILL HAVE
Epiphone Firebird - STILL HAVE

Amps:
Fender Deluxe 112 Chorus - solid state. First amp. Sold.
Fender Blues Deville 4x10 - So loud it took slates off the roof. It's a miracle lives weren't lost when it was up past 3 - semi regret here due to the lunacy of this amp. It was unplayable in a house.
Laney Lionehart 112 - Nice, made a trrrrrrible humming sound at idle. Sold due to lack of use.
Marshall Origin 20 head. OK, not enough gain. Sold.
Fender Mustang Modelling 10w something. No regrets selling
Orange Micro Terror - Great amp, used for years, but no regrets in the end.
Vox MV 50 Clean - Very cool. Too clean. Sold.
Marshall Studio Silver Jubillee Head and 1x12 Cabinet - present from my wife. STILL HAVE. Love.
Supro Blues King 10 - Still Have - Pretty cool. May sell, but has it's uses.
Blackstar HT20r Mkii - LOVE IT, most versatile amp I own. Adore it. Loved it from the first note.

 

[ClashCityTele]

I've never sold anything that I wish I'd kept.
In fact, I have no idea what happened to some of the gear I no longer have - sold, given away, lost???
That includes an old SS combo, an acoustic guitar and at least 3 pedals.

 

[beep.click]

Love at first sight: Parallel Universe Jag Strat.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I've never sold or given away an instrument and then wished I had it back.

If I had to stretch it to a little bit of wondering "what if", I did briefly own a very nice Gibson mandolin that would probably be worth more today than the very reasonable price I paid for it more than a decade ago. The neck and string spacing really didn't work for me at all so I almost immediately sold it on for roughly what I'd paid for it. In retrospect, maybe I could have doubled by money or something by holding onto it for 10-15 years but life's too short to worry about that sort of "what if".

 

[uriah1]

My 63 SG special and tremolux with cab and Marshall super lead 100 66.

My SG broke her neck twice. But still loved it..Wish I kept
The other ones lost in divorce settlement thingy.

 

[kuch]

I'm not a collector by any means...
I've bought and sold a lot of guitars and amps in the past and kept the ones I like best

my keeper list today

electrics:
Fender AVRI 52 Hotrod Tele
Fender EJ Strat
Gibson ES-330
Gibson ES-335
Fender SF Vibro Champ
Fender 65 PRRI

acoustics:
Martin D-28
Martin 000-28EC
Martin 000-18E Retro

guitars sold that were great:
Fender Teles-AVRI 52s, Deluxes, too many to list
Fender 63 Jaguar
Gibson LP standards-several
Gibson LP DCs-several
G&L USA Comanche
Fender strats-EC, too many others to list
Epiphone Casinos-60th anniversary, JL Inspired, Elitist, MIK TQ, MICs, others

old amps that were great, but wouldn't be played these days:
Fender 63 Blond and 65 BF Tremolux with matching 2x10 cabs; IMHO best fender amps ever
Fender Twins-too many to count
Fender EC Vibro Champ
Fender 65 Bassman
Fender 64 Bandmaster
Deluxe Reverb-might pick up another one someday, maybe even a TM

Can't remember what else

 

[DekeDog]

I only started my commitment to playing again in 1996 after a 25 year layoff. Been a serious player/hobbyist since then.

Gone (in order of acquisition):
1) Handmade Flamenco nylon string acoustic (1965?)
2) Handmade Classical nylon string acoustic (1966?)
3) Kent Strat-style electric (1967?)
4) 1983 Takamine F-341 acoustic with Gibson open book headstock
5) 1995 Washburn Mercury Strat-style electric
6) 1996 Gibson Les Paul Studio
7) 1999 Fender AS Strat (Dimarzio Area pickups)
8) 2005 Gretsch 6120 Nashville
9) 2007 Gibson ES-335 (Memphis)
10) 2005 Fender Modern Player Jaguar
11) Epiphone Joe Pass
12) Ibanez Artcore AFJ-91

13) 5-watt Crate amp
14) Fender Princeton Chorus SS amp
15) Roland Cube 80XL SS amp
16) Roland Cube 100 Bass amp


Still Own (in order of acquisition)
1) 2007 AS Fender Tele (traded Studio LP)(Fralin Steel Pole 42 pickups)
2) 2009 Carvin SH550
3) 2014 Epiphone Dot (Fralin P-92 pickups)
4) 2008 Gibson Les Paul Standard (soon to have Fralin Pure PAF pickups)
5) 2017 Fender MIM J-Bass (Fralin J-Bass pickups)
6) 2020 Gibson ES-335 (Nashville)
7) 2021 Epiphone Frontier acoustic

8) Mesa Boogie Express 5:50 amp (original)
9) Carvin MB-210 Bass amp
10) Fender ToneMaster Deluxe Reverb (updated firmware)

Probably around a dozen pedals. Still own them all.

 

[fretknot]

The first rig I ever had was the best one, purchased in 1972.

1970 Les Paul Gold Top - Paid $375.00
1961 Showman amp w/ JBL D120F - Paid $40.00

Young and foolish, didn't appreciate what I had and let them both go. The Les Paul was too heavy for my skinny-ass, so I bought an SG.

Still regret those poor choices.

 

[fretknot]

The first rig I ever had was the best one, purchased in 1972.

1970 Les Paul Gold Top - Paid $375.00
1961 Showman amp w/ JBL D120F - Paid $40.00

Young and foolish, didn't appreciate what I had and let them both go. The Les Paul was too heavy for my skinny-ass, so I bought an SG.

Still regret those poor choices.