How can I reconcile the fact that my more expensive guitar is my no.2 guitar?

[acrvr]

I own two telecasters, one a mexican that's been heavily modified, and another lightly modified american professional 2. The american professional sounds good, I love the neck and the frets and it would've been my no.1 guitar had it not been for the mexican.

The mexican started out pretty meh, but over time has become my project guitar and ever since installing a set of Lollars, I just feel so guilty everytime I enjoy the sound coming out of it compared to the more expensive american pro 2. I'm not trying to bash the am-pro, and/or anyone owning one. After all, sound is subjective. I just feel so bad everytime I play the mexican and looking at the pro 2 as some sort of a backup guitar. The mexican neck actually feels too small for my hand (it's modern C profile) and I hate the neck so much I'm making a custom neck for it.

I'm sure other members here with way more guitars than I do have an experience with this sort of a situation...

 

[Vibroluxer]

I was in the same position and ended up selling the more expensive guitars.

 

[McGoldTopp]

My #2 cost me more than my #1, but my #1 is more valuable…

 

[swervinbob]

My #1 is my Am Pro II Tele and my #2 is my Les Paul Standard. They both have their place when recording, but when I pick up one just to play, it’s the Tele.

 

[WingedWords]

I own two telecasters, one a mexican that's been heavily modified, and another lightly modified american professional 2. The american professional sounds good, I love the neck and the frets and it would've been my no.1 guitar had it not been for the mexican.

The mexican started out pretty meh, but over time has become my project guitar and ever since installing a set of Lollars, I just feel so guilty everytime I enjoy the sound coming out of it compared to the more expensive american pro 2. I'm not trying to bash the am-pro, and/or anyone owning one. After all, sound is subjective. I just feel so bad everytime I play the mexican and looking at the pro 2 as some sort of a backup guitar. The mexican neck actually feels too small for my hand (it's modern C profile) and I hate the neck so much I'm making a custom neck for it.

I'm sure other members here with way more guitars than I do have an experience with this sort of a situation...

I'd be interested to know which one you've had longest. My avatar MiM was bought after a long period of lacking a Tele, damaged shop stock really cheap, as a platform for me to to practice mods more than to play. I think now only the wooden bits are original and it's become my #1 player electric. I've tried expensive Teles, not been gripped and spent my money elsewhere, on several occasions on other cheap Teles and partscasters.

 

[hopdybob]

a guitar is like a glove, it fits ore it does not.
like clothing, it can be a 'brand' but if it does not fit, you will not enjoy it.
maybe a nice anecdote.
a older family doctor always drove a volvo SUV.

https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/cars-car/carousel/2019/10/258005_updated_volvo_xc90.jpg?w=892&h=502

one day i see him parking his new car in front of our neighbors and had to work himself out of it, because it was not so easy.
his new car was the much lower sitting BMW Z4

https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/2022/09/P90479475_highRes.jpg?w=892&h=502

2 good cars, nothing wrong with them.
but the troubles for him getting out of that BMW made me wonder if that glove fit him after all

 

[Milspec]

Never owned an aquarium obviously. When your $2 fish ends up eating your $30 fish, you understand that cost doesn't equate to better all the time. If picking a good wine, the higher the cost, the better the wine. It doesn't work that way with guitars, the best guitar is the one that fits your needs best....price tag means nothing.

My number 1 is actually my 5th most expensive guitar, it just fits me best.

 

[Masmus]

My two most played guitars right now are a Chinese Austin LP copy and a Chinese Hofner Verythin. They are both fun and great guitars. I don't even think twice about not playing an expensive one. I would only feel guilty if I bought a guitar if I couldn't pay rent. Other than that enjoy.

 

[Peegoo]

Soon as you discover the math equation that explains why a certain guitar pulls at you harder, please post it here because you will save a whole lot of people buckets of cash.

 

[gimmeatele]

I don't think my most expensive makes the top three!!!

 

[24 track]

my first truly left handed 78' AM strat cost a ton (1700.00 back in 78') took many years before I would ever played it, from the factory it sucked. After I finally took care of the mechanics of the set up ,too much to mention here and I had bought this new, I found a wiring and pick up set that worked for me .
Then I bought a left handed pawnshop special AM 96' strat (250.00 taxes in), it was a mess so I dismantled every nut ,bolt screw and set it up like my 78' with different pick ups, now both of these guitars are fun to play.

the moral of the story is you need to make the guitars talk to you, and if you cant find that balance then its time to thin the herd or totally revise what you need the guitar to do for you, I got lucky but it took me a few years and tons of experimentation.

 

[Orpheum]

The price is the price, but the value is the value...

 

[Tonetele]

I feel the same way about a Partscaster I put together over my 2004 Fender ( USA) Hwy. 1 with Seymor Duncans. I reconcile by just living with it.

 

[WingedWords]

On the other hand, my resonator is the priciest and the best guitar I've ever had. But on terms of the hours of enjoyment it's cheap. Value is value.

 

[Wound_Up]

I own two telecasters, one a mexican that's been heavily modified, and another lightly modified american professional 2. The american professional sounds good, I love the neck and the frets and it would've been my no.1 guitar had it not been for the mexican.

The mexican started out pretty meh, but over time has become my project guitar and ever since installing a set of Lollars, I just feel so guilty everytime I enjoy the sound coming out of it compared to the more expensive american pro 2. I'm not trying to bash the am-pro, and/or anyone owning one. After all, sound is subjective. I just feel so bad everytime I play the mexican and looking at the pro 2 as some sort of a backup guitar. The mexican neck actually feels too small for my hand (it's modern C profile) and I hate the neck so much I'm making a custom neck for it.

I'm sure other members here with way more guitars than I do have an experience with this sort of a situation...

Don't get so hung up on how much each one costs in monetary value. Nobody other than you knows that fact.

 

[wulfenganck]

Well, since you modified it "heavily", it's no longer the stock Mexican. You modified it to your needs, so where is the big deal?
Anyway my No. 1 guitar for years was an Ibanez Artcore AF75 which I bought second hand for 250,- Euros.
I had other guitars with a higher pricetag, but the Ibanez was the most comfortable neck to play on and once I switched the stock humbucker for an Artec P90 in neck position and changed the electronics to a single volume- and single toneknob, it also was the best sounding guitar I had.
Now my No.1 is a Music Man St Vincent which happened to be also the most expensive guitar I ever owned. Well it's worth the money.

 

[Skyhook]

I own two telecasters, one a mexican that's been heavily modified, and another lightly modified american professional 2. The american professional sounds good, I love the neck and the frets and it would've been my no.1 guitar had it not been for the mexican.

The mexican started out pretty meh, but over time has become my project guitar and ever since installing a set of Lollars, I just feel so guilty everytime I enjoy the sound coming out of it compared to the more expensive american pro 2. I'm not trying to bash the am-pro, and/or anyone owning one. After all, sound is subjective. I just feel so bad everytime I play the mexican and looking at the pro 2 as some sort of a backup guitar. The mexican neck actually feels too small for my hand (it's modern C profile) and I hate the neck so much I'm making a custom neck for it.

I'm sure other members here with way more guitars than I do have an experience with this sort of a situation...

The price tag reflects market price. Not subjective value.
You know which guitar is your #1!
Just be happy you have a high end backup that feels and sounds good.

 

[Cyberi4n]

My #1 guitar is the Telecaster US Performer in my avatar. Paid £1099 for her, new, and since then she’s had locking tuners, a new nut, a stacked tone pot and a SD Mini Humbucker. The neck has a slight twist which atm does not affect playability. I’ll probably get a new neck when it does.

My most expensive guitar is a PRS USA CU24. Paid £1499 s/h for her some years ago but a new for old replacement for insurance purposes would be £3400 or thereabouts. Played almost exclusively from 2013-2017. Now? She’s not even my #2, she’s currently a wall hanger….

Go figure.

 

[Addnine]

I'd bet for the vast majority, their favorite guitar is NOT their most expensive. Mine isn't. I have 3 PRS's. They're perfect. I hardly ever play them. I've been playing my old Agile for four days straight.

 

[redhouse_ca]

I own two telecasters, one a mexican that's been heavily modified, and another lightly modified american professional 2. The american professional sounds good, I love the neck and the frets and it would've been my no.1 guitar had it not been for the mexican.

The mexican started out pretty meh, but over time has become my project guitar and ever since installing a set of Lollars, I just feel so guilty everytime I enjoy the sound coming out of it compared to the more expensive american pro 2. I'm not trying to bash the am-pro, and/or anyone owning one. After all, sound is subjective. I just feel so bad everytime I play the mexican and looking at the pro 2 as some sort of a backup guitar. The mexican neck actually feels too small for my hand (it's modern C profile) and I hate the neck so much I'm making a custom neck for it.

I'm sure other members here with way more guitars than I do have an experience with this sort of a situation...

You would never know if you didn’t have both.