Never stop searching for that perfect guitar!

Interesting thread... I personally have always been amazed (I'm 69) how many times a new acquisition would be "the one" - - so perfect in tone and playability, so cool, that there's no way it would ever get sold. Bonded for life. But then at some point I'm tired of it, the neck's not so ideal, the tone's not killing me anymore, you all know the drill. And it's gone. Some I deeply regret and wish I had back, but I got tired of them once...

I've owned about 300 guitars (most for flipping), many acquired sight unseen, and only 15-20 were special like this. Maybe humans are just inconstant by nature.

Maybe the old blues guys were right, have one guitar and get dangerous with it.

 

I'm searching as you read this

 

The perfect amount of guitars is N+1

 

I’ve found my perfect guitar.........many times!

 

Never stop searching for that perfect guitar, or amp, or pedal(if you're into them).....

 

I have a perfect pair of Lucchese ostrich-skin boots.
Look great, feel comfortable, amazing construction—and they should last me for-(dang-near)-ever, if I don’t abuse them too much.

But they look mighty stupid when I wear shorts with them...and they’re not steel/composite toe, so I can’t wear them to work, plus I don’t want to get construction (concrete, dirt, mud, scuffs, etc) on them...and I sure don’t want to wear them when I’m going to be walking in the rain or mud or mowing the lawn or mucking out a stall...and the leather soles don’t grip good if I need to run or hike or climb something...

So they’re imperfectly perfect.
I have to have other shoes and boots.

Now, guitars are a little different, but my “perfect” Telecaster will generally suffice for dang-near everything.

But the crazy pinstripes kinda stick out on those rare occasions I play a “dressy” gig...and when I had a surgery on my shoulder, I sure was happy to have a slightly lighter guitar on hand...and, try as I might, it doesn’t sound much like a Strat or a Gibson...and it sure as heck ain’t an acoustic (steel string, nylon string, 12-string or resonator)...

So I have other guitars.

Yes, those Lucchese boots and that pinstriped Telecasters will be the ones I grab when the house is on fire—but the house ain’t on fire, so...

 

I didn't need to look further after buying my first electric in 1970.

 

The perfect guitar? Putting GAS and personal attachments to certain guitars to one side for a moment, I would like to say that for me, this is my perfect guitar… compact, comfortable, and uncomplicated...

 

William James noted that while we may stumble upon absolute truth, as humans we are incapable of recognizing it as more than one of a series of enthusiasms.

 

Unfortunately, I can't afford the perfect guitar:

http://www.stereogum.com/1944163/je...3rd-most-expensive-ever-sold-at-auction/news/

 

I played one of these once at a party where someone had it laying around. Couldn't put it down. I may need to go looking for one...

 

When I take a guitar out and play it, and I am happy, it is a Perfect Guitar.

 

Maybe the perfect guitar is the one that was only 80% set up that we parted with. Maybe it had the wrong string gauges for the neck/fret heights and needed the frets dressed .

The guitar is the body, neck and frets, everything else is just sprinkles on the Ice Cream.

 

What's sad is I can't play the guitar,

 

Is there such a thing as 'the perfect guitar'.? Or more likely could we convince ourselves there is?

 

Probably not as a store purchase. Can one feel better than another ? Sure. But unless we actually know why its all a pipedream.

The perfect guitar, or the one that we LIKE the most (probably not 100% perfect) may be the one we set up or have set up to our desire, it won't happen on its own and its not hanging on a wall somewhere in a store waiting for someone to buy it.

We may change string gauges, have the frets dressed, adjust neck tension, have a new NUT installed etc...that brings us closer to euphoria ! Then of course, my perfect guitar may be the one that others put down first, their last choice !

Many years back when I was a Nascar fan I was watching a race and they were talking live to Bill Elliot during the race, he said he had the perfect race car. It was about 4 or 5 laps later he wrecked, on his own with no help from anyone else !

 

The Holy Grail is a moving target. Today's Holy Grail is tomorrow's Reverb sell.

 

There should be more 25" scale guitars or aftermarket neck for 25" scale. Scale length IS the most important element in a guitar along with neck shape & radius. whatever anyone says, 25'5" is harder than all the rest for bending and many open chord shapes...