Revisiting Olde Guitar-Shaped Friends

[Synchro]

Having 13 guitars is a blessing. I collected most of them during a period when the prices were reasonable and I had the disposable income to work with. But there’s a downside, in that some guitars get played more than others. I have no idea why, but it seems to be cyclical. In the past few weeks, I’ve made an effort to be some reacquainted with all of them. Two weeks ago, I gave special attention to my Guid T-400, and tonight, my G6120 DC was on the receiving end of some attention

The Guild, through the right amp, and with the right amount of reverb, is just amazing. It seems to love the Tweed tone stack in my Tremor, and loves plate reverb. The 6120 DC, is just such a delight to play, lightweight and with the sweetest playing neck I’ve ever experienced.

How about the rest of y’all; do you ever pick up a neglected guitar and wonder why it’s not played more often?

 

[Marv666]

Absolutely! Also sometimes that happens after a String Change.
It's weird all guitars seem to have their time to shine (and some not so much)

 

[new6659]

All the time. @Stefan87 's recent post on "needing a Stratocaster" made me dig out some sadly neglected ones and revisit why they were a mainstay for me for more than three decades. Les Pauls will be next

 

[Ricochet]

Same! Also with foods. Last year during bbq season I had a couple of weeks were I had a craving for steak and I reluctantly indulged to get it out of my system. Now it's back to spicy fried chicken and Teles, and there ain't nothing wrong with that.

 

[juks]

I kinda went crazy with buying over the last couple of years. So I take them out by color to ensure all get played. Right now it's a red week. Or 2 weeks as I have too much work and little time to play.

 

[thunder58]

do you ever pick up a neglected guitar

... maybe it's time I should

 

[Stefan87]

I do it a lot, i have the ones i gravitate too more but try to play all as much as i can, the one i probably don't play as much as the others is my black penguin only because i don't want to get it scratched (yes im that guy).

Otherwise it would be my schecter, it will be 20 years old this yeah and im the orriginal owner, it is a great guitar and was perfect for the music i grew up playing when i was 15-25 but i don't play that way much anymore so i grab others instead.

But like Marv said, when it does get played its definitely shines above the others for what i use it for.

 

[BCRatRod73]

Having multiple guitars is great for different tunings. Just leave a few tuned to different tunings to encourage breaking out of the same old same old. I have seven electrics, and after sitting for a while unplayed, I pick them up and remember why I’ve kept them. They’re like a comfortable pair of old shoes. Sheraton with P90s in a humbucker, Riviera P93, Guild Starfire II ST with P90s in a humbucker, Ibanez AS93 with Pearly Gates & Seth Lover, and an Epiphone Swingster with Guild Lil’ Buckers. They all give me something different through my amps than my two Gretsch guitars. They don’t get much playing time these days but I am not parting ways with them.

 

[Highroller]

I have a few I picked up knowing fully well they'd be "specialty" guitars - a nylon stringer, a resonator, a series of basses thru the years. For me, they're worth having because when I want what they provide, I have it available. But I won't spend the big bucks on that type thing. They're all reasonably priced models, so I don't feel so bad if they sit for while. Sometimes a long while.

And of course, the other downside to having a lot of guitars is keeping fresh strings on them! You just can't go changing strings every two weeks when you have a couple dozen guitars.

At least I can't. Gotta buy food, too! Ha!

 

[Robbie]

I envy people who can own large number of guitars. I personally can’t make it work…it’s how I’m wired I guess.

I’ve whittled down to five from a dozen and I still drive myself crazy doing things like string changes on guitars that are seldom if ever played. I believe I was happiest when I had my 355 and a back up 135. These days my Panther gets all the attention and the 355 stays in the case. Maybe I should be selling the 355 to @Tony65x55

And then I won’t play either the Panther or 355 at outdoor concerts so enter my LP Special and I wonder why I’m not playing it more often. I really need to go back to two guitars. But I really like my LP. I forgot about my Tele, then maybe……forget it.

 

[cielski]

13 guitars?!?!?!
You've got to buy one more for good luck.

You bought that guitar for a good reason. Play it again to remember why.

 

[Synchro]

13 guitars?!?!?!
You've got to buy one more for good luck.

You bought that guitar for a good reason. Play it again to remember why.

I guess there’s a remote possibility of either a custom Strat or a Jaguar.

 

[Shock]

I collected most of them during a period when the prices were reasonable and I had the disposable income to work with.

Same here. Empty nest and and now don't have to pay for tennis shoes and video games for the kids, and the wife is working full time. So during the lockdown I worked full time, overtime and oncall and couldn't get a day off. So I had the opportunity to pick up some guitars that should not have came my way under normal circumstances. Wasn't always like that.

I remember back in the day, if you had any guitar that worked, you felt fortunate. Had to make decisions like, should I pay car insurance, buy dinner, or pay rent. If I could do 2 out of the 3, I had a pretty good day. So when a tax return came in, I could buy one of those $295 GC Epis, or something used. The one from a couple years ago, with the crackely pots and jacked up neck (which I probably took a file to a half a dozen times to get rid of fret buzz) would be retired to the closet. And I would proceed to wear out the next one, which would be relegated to the same fate.

 

[loudnlousy]

I have a problem with guitars that are new to me.

It usually takes me a long time to get accustomed to them.
I remember that I sold guitars that I owned for years that never saw a stage although I had them in my hands on a regular base.

I have to completely disassemble every new guitar first. Then make a complete setup. Eventually asking my luthier for help.
Then I have to play them on my couch for weeks without ampifying them.
At last I have to find a good pairing with an amp.
As I wrote elsewhere here, it usually takes me a long, long time to find the tone I am looking for. This is something that I am really nerdy at. (In an idiot-way...)
I really hate that process.

Only then a guitar becomes "part of the family".


When I go into a new project I usually begin with two very similar guitars to have a backup for stage-use.
During the project I will only play those two, exclusively. Sometimes for years. (This usually coresponds with that amp that I dialed in for months to sound cool with this guitars.)

I usually change guitars and amps when there is a new project in sight, just to make it feel different and to get some inspiration,
And the procedure starts again.

So I am circling back and forth between these pairs. Usually I know them all inside-out and don`t discover some "forgotten friend". I had them for many years and I remember well how they felt and sounded.

In the meantime I am always looking for an even better replacement for each of them...

 

[cielski]

Happily, many guitars are girl shaped.
Stay away from the pointy ones.

 

[afire]

Nope. I don't think I've ever owned a guitar long enough to neglect it.

 

[duojet55]

Remember that "new guitar feeling" of acquiring that cool new guitar to take home with you? That's the feeling I get when I pull out an instrument I hadn't played in a while. Also, someone here will post something about their guitar and it'll peak my interest in breaking out a similar guitar I own, but hadn't seen in a while. My former Governor Mike Huckabee is on a current tv ad playing his Fireglo Rick 4001 bass, so I just had to go get mine out, too.

 

[afire]

Remember that "new guitar feeling" of acquiring that cool new guitar to take home with you?

That's another thing I've almost never experienced in over 30 years playing and countless guitars. I can think of only four occasions where I went to check out a guitar, either at a store or from a private seller, and took it home with me. But pretty much all of my guitar interests are either niche models or vintage, neither of which can often be found in central Wisconsin.

 

[JC higgy]

I try and rotate them every month,but some of them are in need of strings and even a fresh setup,i have too many guitars,there.....i said it.

 

[Synchro]

Remember that "new guitar feeling" of acquiring that cool new guitar to take home with you? That's the feeling I get when I pull out an instrument I hadn't played in a while.

Exactly!