JIMMY JAZZMAN
Tele-Afflicted
Good for you. I love just playing as well, but different gear, does different things. I do respect your candor and humor.
I’m enjoying having only two guitars
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6stringcowboy
Friend of Leo's
Four electrics and one acoustic here. I had chronic GAS until I found the one, but like some of you in this thread, I've found that switching up electrics, now that I've got my #1, is only confusing. I play it 99% of the time, and have one for backup (the backup does change sporadically)@ the few gigs that come up and play my acoustic around the house or if I'm working out something new, or if practice gets called off and it's just me and the other guitar player, but yeah, the others are now tucked away in a closet and rarely see the light. One exception is my Tele (copy) that will be arriving back home this weekend after have a neck built for it. I'm definitely excited about that, but we'll see what happens as all my other electric guitars are 24.75" scale.
jrblue
Friend of Leo's
I share the OP's perspective. I love guitars, period, and at one time had a dozen (electrics and acoustics) but having hit that point I found that ownership for its own sake was a fairly shallow pleasure and that I experienced greater reward by committing myself to playing fewer, and better, instruments. I don't work with producers and don't have a tech, and thus the notion of grabbing the "perfect" guitar for a piece is actually a non-starter because it's a distraction and a time suck prepping and shuffling instruments around, getting the thing dialed in, etc. It's just an interference and a cop-out. I have found that with everything I own and use, from clothes to tools to guitars, that (1) "fewer and better," and (2) "only what you really use regularly" are good guidelines. In today's world, I find that having an excess pile of anything, from books to bikes to guitars, does not feel good to me. Instead of feeling successful, it makes me feel greedy.
mikeford
TDPRI Member
I've got at least ten and it's 7 too many. I'm going to try to get rid of the ones that just don't seem to get picked up as much as the others.
Mike
Mike
Tonetele
Doctor of Teleocity
I have three Teles, a Strat, a Taylor and two other acoustics. I can see a time where just a J-45 or J- 50 will do. One good guitar. Hell, I'm 66 and not about to join Keef and Co.
Well, it’s been exactly a month since I posted this and I bought three new guitars. Kidding!
I’m still at two electrics and two acoustics, with a third electric for sale at a shop. But I am tempted almost every single damn day! There’s just so much cool stuff out there. I don’t know that I’ll stay at four but I remain committed to not going overboard and staying at or close to my current quiver size.
I’m still at two electrics and two acoustics, with a third electric for sale at a shop. But I am tempted almost every single damn day! There’s just so much cool stuff out there. I don’t know that I’ll stay at four but I remain committed to not going overboard and staying at or close to my current quiver size.
I've been going the other way lately. Damn those good cheap imports!!! 
RobRiggs
Friend of Leo's
I get anxiety thinking about dropping below a couple dozen 
tubedude
Tele-Afflicted
I had 12 guitars at a peak. I'm down to two electrics now, a Strat and a Tele.
Well I still have a jazzbox that hasn't sold yet but I don't play it. And my Larrivee D9 that sees little action.
Now basses, that's another story, but down to three on that front.
Well I still have a jazzbox that hasn't sold yet but I don't play it. And my Larrivee D9 that sees little action.
Now basses, that's another story, but down to three on that front.
I have not been down to few enough to know how many in I dont know how long.
What is it like?
What is it like?
It’s great. Simplicity is beauty!
ReverendRevolver
Friend of Leo's
I was a much better player at 2 amps and 3 electrics (more to do with my gig/practice to work/other stuff ratio than gear quality or quantity).
But I knew exactly what sounds I'd get out of everything then. Now? I haven't even plugged all my guitars into all my amps. I think my 4th favorite guitar(mustang) is the only one that's been plugged into all of them, except what I just bought today. There is a certain truth to your approach.
Imma keep myself under 10 electrics. Jag this year, maybe a hollowbody next year.
You have more self control than me. Plainly.
Southpaw Tele
Friend of Leo's
I took it down to 3 electrics this year, a Player Tele, CV Jazzmaster and a semi hollow Gretsch g2622 Streamliner. The Gretsch gives me a “kinda” acoustic feel but I hadn’t touched my acoustic very much in the last few years so I sold it and a bass off. My home built Strat build was gifted to a lefty player at the local rescue mission and I feel good with just the three.
My strategy to manage excessive GAS:
Acquire one each of the iconic guitar categories for the music you like, for me it was three: Les Paul (or other dual humbucker), Strat and Tele. I try for similar playing time across all of them and they all need to be played every week. That way they all are getting regularly used, and I continue to learn the nuances that made them iconic. To acquire a new guitar, it has to be one that is falling out of favor over a long period and then has to be replaced by one in the same category. In my case, this limits me to three.
Acquire one each of the iconic guitar categories for the music you like, for me it was three: Les Paul (or other dual humbucker), Strat and Tele. I try for similar playing time across all of them and they all need to be played every week. That way they all are getting regularly used, and I continue to learn the nuances that made them iconic. To acquire a new guitar, it has to be one that is falling out of favor over a long period and then has to be replaced by one in the same category. In my case, this limits me to three.
Brent Hutto
Tele-Afflicted
Other than the wonderful acoustic I've had for years and years, I own three (electric) guitars which is one more than I want. Unfortunately, the one I need to get rid of was a little too expensive to just cash it at GC for 1/3 of what I paid but it's not expensive enough to be worth trying to sell and ship somewhere (shipping alone would be a significant chunk of what it's worth to a buyer).
It's an Ibanez "shredder" type guitar with a flat, wide fretboard, thin neck and very high output humbuckers really meant for heavy distortion riffage and not the type of music I try to play. It was my first electric guitar and I must have liked something about the sound when I bought it but I simply can not dial it in for any sort of pleasing, open sound like I get from my Telecaster's single coils.
I actually took it out of the closet just the other day to see if I was missing anything. It is easily higher quality, better made, and the mechanical bits are more well sorted than my Player Tele. Ibanez does pretty exquisite fit-and-finish work on even their $400-$500 price range instruments. And a beautiful piece of Ash with a transparent finish. Neck and fretwork are absolutely perfect.
So it's a very much first-world problem but wow, I wish I could have somehow combined the quality and precision of that Ibanez with the physical dimensions and tonal characteristics of my Telecaster and bought the whole thing for 500 bucks. It's really pity to have such a nice-to-play guitar that sounds like hot mud.
I don't really count it as a guitar I own. More like a guitar I'm stuck with, taking up closet space.
It's an Ibanez "shredder" type guitar with a flat, wide fretboard, thin neck and very high output humbuckers really meant for heavy distortion riffage and not the type of music I try to play. It was my first electric guitar and I must have liked something about the sound when I bought it but I simply can not dial it in for any sort of pleasing, open sound like I get from my Telecaster's single coils.
I actually took it out of the closet just the other day to see if I was missing anything. It is easily higher quality, better made, and the mechanical bits are more well sorted than my Player Tele. Ibanez does pretty exquisite fit-and-finish work on even their $400-$500 price range instruments. And a beautiful piece of Ash with a transparent finish. Neck and fretwork are absolutely perfect.
So it's a very much first-world problem but wow, I wish I could have somehow combined the quality and precision of that Ibanez with the physical dimensions and tonal characteristics of my Telecaster and bought the whole thing for 500 bucks. It's really pity to have such a nice-to-play guitar that sounds like hot mud.
I don't really count it as a guitar I own. More like a guitar I'm stuck with, taking up closet space.
Muckman
TDPRI Member
I was thinning the herd, a bit, until I got into building teles. I definitely don’t play all of my electrics to justify owning them all…some I’ve had for so long they are sentimental, hard to part with. The force is strong with you….me, not so much
Fret Fretterson
TDPRI Member
For me, it’s not so much about how many is too many, but just acknowledging that I enjoy two married, but separate hobbies.
One is making music, and the second is researching, building, modding, discussing, adjusting and maintaining gear to used to make the music.
One is making music, and the second is researching, building, modding, discussing, adjusting and maintaining gear to used to make the music.
Linkslover
Tele-Meister
I have 5 guitars, but they are spread over 2 houses.
I have a Fender Lead electric and Yamaha FG160 acoustic with Seymour Duncan sound hole pickup at my Florida house
At my northern house I have an American Standard Strat and Guild Bluesbird for electric (I prefer the Strat, but play the lighter Guild when my back is acting up) and a Taylor 314CE acoustic.
I don't really need anything else.
I had more than 2 guitars, when I didn't even play. They just hung on the wall...3 of them.
Here's my thinking on how many is too many...
I'm very sentimental AND a collector AND my son plays professionally and gives me his castoffs, so I have his first couple guits...can't sell those...2
Then I have the couple of really nice ones he's given me...can't sell those...2+2
I have the first nice guitar I ever bought, when I started playing, 3 years ago...my first Fender Tele..2+2+1
Plus I have a Chibson SG Custom I recently picked up...more or less just to see how good of a guitar it was...and I have a Flying V on the way...2+2+1+2
That's 7 I HAVE TO keep!
After that, I got a few cheap, used guitars I SWEAR I planned on modding or ....here's the genius of my plan... accumulating so much stuff that I could trade for less stuff, but of better quality...thus reduction by addition...my Epiphone SG, SX LP Special, Yamaha acoustic... possibly my Grote 335-type, and maybe my Fender acoustic electric....plus 4 amps would be added to the sell/trade group leaving me still with 2 amps, an amp head and cabinet...or two.
After playing the SX, over the last 24 hrs, I decided she'll make the cut and stay, but I'm on the fence about my Grote and Acoustic electric...
I NEVER play them, but they may be swapped out for better, similar guits...
That's 8 for sure keepers and if my sinister plan...that I don't REALLY wanna implement works, I'll get either an amp or another guitar from the stuff I trade off...
Bottom line...I'll have somewhere around 10-12 guitars and 4... maybe 5 amps.
Here's my thinking on how many is too many...
I'm very sentimental AND a collector AND my son plays professionally and gives me his castoffs, so I have his first couple guits...can't sell those...2
Then I have the couple of really nice ones he's given me...can't sell those...2+2
I have the first nice guitar I ever bought, when I started playing, 3 years ago...my first Fender Tele..2+2+1
Plus I have a Chibson SG Custom I recently picked up...more or less just to see how good of a guitar it was...and I have a Flying V on the way...2+2+1+2
That's 7 I HAVE TO keep!
After that, I got a few cheap, used guitars I SWEAR I planned on modding or ....here's the genius of my plan... accumulating so much stuff that I could trade for less stuff, but of better quality...thus reduction by addition...my Epiphone SG, SX LP Special, Yamaha acoustic... possibly my Grote 335-type, and maybe my Fender acoustic electric....plus 4 amps would be added to the sell/trade group leaving me still with 2 amps, an amp head and cabinet...or two.
After playing the SX, over the last 24 hrs, I decided she'll make the cut and stay, but I'm on the fence about my Grote and Acoustic electric...
I NEVER play them, but they may be swapped out for better, similar guits...
That's 8 for sure keepers and if my sinister plan...that I don't REALLY wanna implement works, I'll get either an amp or another guitar from the stuff I trade off...
Bottom line...I'll have somewhere around 10-12 guitars and 4... maybe 5 amps.
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