How many guitars is too many?

[stratguy23]

I agree with what others have said that the financial stability to afford the guitars and the space to store them are the top priorities. I think there is a thing as too many because you can't reasonably play all of them when you get to a certain point. I currently own 8 guitars:

Two Strats (I have a third but it's in pieces and some of the parts have been sold) one is SSS the other is SSH with a Floyd Rose
Two Tele/Esquires one has a TV Jones in the neck and Fralin in the bridge (going to convert it to a 12-string) the other is homemade from parts and has a tapped Don Mare pickup in the bridge
PRS Tremonti which I plan to sell (got it in a trade for a guitar that was worth much less and don't like it as much as the Floyd Strat)
1962 Fender Jaguar all stock
1965 SG Jr (it's been refinished) which I might sell after I finish my pine Tele Jr project
Taylor 314CE stock

I mainly play the homemade Esquire and Taylor.

I could see adding four acoustics (though not in the near future) another regular six-string to have one in open and one in standard, a baritone (maybe one of those 8-string baritone Taylors), a 12-string, and a nylon string.

For electrics, I could see owning a bass, a baritone, and maybe a few more with oddball pickups (I want to do a Dano inspired build for example). I also lust after a hollowbody Gretsch after playing a Silver Falcon at a store and loving it.

With my guitars, I try to avoid redundancy, so each one can do something different. I know it works for some guys, but I wouldn't ever want to own like 8 Les Pauls all with the same specs for example I'd rather just get one really good one (and maybe a backup).

For now, I don't foresee myself buying any guitars. If I add guitars, they will be homemade electrics, and I will likely sell off some stuff, so my collection will likely stay in the 6-10 range, but I could see expanding to 20ish someday. I doubt I could reasonably play many more than that.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Truth bomb... I am so guilty of this. Never ending carousel of guitars in, guitars out. Buy something I thought I loved, only to return it in a week.

Personally I won't go above 4 and at the moment have three. DZPL Dellatera (tele), Gibson LP Trad Pro, and PRS SE Custom 24 w/Floyd. I even found I had to force myself to keep the Dellatera.

Thin69's right... it can easily become an addiction.

I'm a relative lightweight, but at one time I had 13, maybe 14 instruments at the same time. Acoustic and electric guitars, banjos, mandolin, bass guitars. I had a bunch of stuff, besides the ones that kind of made a home here for a while, some for a day, some for a week, some just turn around when I got home and take 'em back. Bought one in Arkansas returned it here in California in a week. I bought a lot of expensive stuff too, had a D-28 Marquis. Two AV 52s, a slew of American Teles and Strats. Now I have decent, but relatively inexpensive stuff, and I'm not shelling out big bucks for anything anymore. Down to two acoustics, and my AV Tele Custom. My wife has a decent little Taylor 314ce that I gave her probably seven years ago. She has a piano, but the only thing I had to do with that was paying the bill.

 

[Silverface]

The real problem will be the kid with big buck teeth chewing on the guitars.

Or in my case, a suspect Senegal parrot!

 

[Bionic_man]

Gibson sg
Epiphine sg
Fender strat
Ibanez bass
yahmaha acustic
Koegner acustic
ural 650

 

[ChicknPickn]

If you’ve searched every square foot of your house looking for a particular guitar and then remembered you sold it in the eighties, you might have too many guitars.

 

[brookdalebill]

I had 19 a few years ago.
It was fun, but way too many.
I now have 5 electrics, 2 basses, and 1 acoustic.
I really only use 2 electrics, and the acoustic.
My bass playing career is slow these days.
I actually am quite satisfied, though I want a nylon string (Yamaha NTX700) and a different Les Paul.
My R7 gold top may "become" a 54 or 68 Custom RI.
it's just my opinion, but if you don't use or dig a guitar, set it free.

I’m back up to 19!
Well, 17, 2 are basses.

 

[Linkslover]

Looking for input from people on this one to help me feel better about my G.A.S
I currently own:
- Gibson SG
- Fender MIM Tele
- Tokai Goldstar Sound
- Squier Strat (Project guitar)
- Ibanez ART120

This seems like enough guitars for anybody but I still cant get rid of this urge to buy more guitars!
I would love to go by the method of "I'll sell one and then I can buy another" but the only expendable ones to me are the Squier and the Ibanez... The squier being unsellable due to it being a (frankly slightly lame) project guitar and the Ibanez having been a beginner guitar present from my late father so it now holds sentimental value.
Today I found an advert for a bloke in my area selling an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro for £250 which sounds like a brilliant deal (especially since I've been wanting a les paul), however my question is this:

How many guitars is too many?

Let me know what you guys think and how many have you owned at any one point!

I think the common feeling around here is that "too many" would be 2 guitars more than you currently own.

So, go right ahead and buy that guitar you've been jonsing over. You won't have "too many" unless you buy a second guitar after that.

LL

 

[W.L.Weller]

If I exclude the guitar I gave my son that he doesn't play, and the bass that I gave my son that he doesn't play, and the guitar that was my dad's, that his sister had for decades before she gave it to me, that's currently in my dad's house (that he doesn't play), and the 2 guitars currently in pieces on my bench, and the 3/4 size acoustic that needs serious structural work, and the plywood LP Custom copy (that should probably go back to the curb where it was found), then I only have 2 guitars!

Gosh, when I put it that way, it sounds like I need another guitar!

 

[1stpitch]

Another zombie thread dragged up. This one had not been posted to in 6 years. And the zombie dragger fits the usual profile.

 

[RoscoeElegante]

How many guitars is too many?

Yes.

As in, Gravity may bend somewhere in Quantumtown, but not 'round here, bub.

As many as you can afford.

(Then send them to me.)

 

[W.L.Weller]

This one had not been posted to in 6 years.

Well, it's a very time sensitive topic.

 

[DekeDog]

When you have more than you can play, or when you lose the desire to play one (or more).

 

[Jupiter]

Well, it's a very time sensitive topic.

the world is only now ready to hear the answer

 

[redhouse_ca]

The most I ever had at one time was 45 guitars and basses. That is WAY too many. Impossible to play and keep up with them all. Many ended up with issues just from sitting in cases for too long.

I'm currently at 15 guitars and basses. Everything either gets used regularly, or has extreme sentimental value and is some sort of family piece.

I still have stuff that hasn't come out of the cases in years. For real. It just sits.

Always wanting one of everything was an issue I used to have. Now I know it just doesn't work.

Oh man, I feel so much better after reading this. From now on, my answer to the inevitable "why" question will be (after I try staring silently for a moment and then say, "but this goes to 11.", which just doesn't land much these days): "I know of a dude who had 45 so puh-leeeze."

 

[redhouse_ca]

I don't know how many is TOO many.

Up until last year I was up to about 90 guitars and basses.

I purged the low-med quality guitars in my collection and bought a few nice guitars with the money.

I've got and agreement with my wife on what and how I can buy.

I have to sell guitars out of my collection to buy any guitars I want.

They guitars I buy have to be good quality guitars.

No more low- med quality guitars.

I agreed to this and I've been finding at least 4-5 killer deals on good quality guitars every year since our agreement.

Since last November I've picked up 8 guitars and out of those 5 were amazing deals.

Right now I'm down to about 51 guitars and basses.

My next purge will be dependent on what guitar I run into that I HAVE to have.

Curiously, any big regrets about purchases or sales? If so, you mind sharing what?

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

You are looking in the wrong place if you want to hear about not buying more guitars.

 

[Hodgo88]

One is enough, two is sound, three is versatile

Four is redundant and anything past 5 is getting absurd

I own 10 currently and am shopping for a Kiesel Solo in another tab

 

[gridlock]

I have 8 and working on 9 this weekend. Maybe 10 is enough?

 

[msalama]

I have to sell guitars out of my collection to buy any guitars I want

Yup! I've got a similar deal with the wife too, i.e. my guitar trades have to fund themselves and in case they don't, I have to have money saved upfront for the difference. So no breaking-the-kitty spur of the moment purchases anymore and the total amount of guitars in my possession will have to stay at or below 10 (I've got seven now + one beater at our 2nd home). And yeah, it's all good, since quality not quantity is what one should aim for anyway, isn't it?

 

[Tonetele]

All sorts of folks have a hobby or love ( went to a funeral the other day where the guy loved a peculiar form of dancing, who am I to condemn?). So, if you can afford it and it doesn't diadvantage anyone ( like no food for family) buy what you like and makes you happy.