How Do You Guys Justify Multiple Guitars?

CrossingStar · #1 09-05-2004, 08:44 PM

I myself have (only?) 8 electrics. When I started out I had ONE guitar, a 78 Stratocaster with a hum & a Floyd and that was enough for me for many years. I never looked at or for other guitars. (This was pre-internet BTW). Now I have all of these guitars, 3 of which are RG 550's yet I really only play one of them. In fact I mostly play this one over all of the other 7. My problem is, I feel like I should play the other ones. So I pull them out sometimes to ease my guilt, when in the back of my mind I'd just rather be playing the ONE. Thing is, being old RG's I wouldn't get much money at all if I sold them, since I've also modified them from stock. So I really don't want to sell them. I always think, well at least I have spare parts in case anything goes wrong.

What do you guys think? How do you justify? I know some have many more than 8 guitars.

BeastofLove · #2 09-05-2004, 09:31 PM

An easy justification is for recording purposes. Different guitars yield different tones. Sometimes, you want a really good neck single coil sound. You ain't gettin' that from an RG550, even with an HFH in the neck.

And also, personally, I like my RGT3120. I play it the most in my house. But when I'm somewhere jamming with friends, I like to bring a hardtail- easier to tune to others, don't need to worry about string breakage and restringing, alternate tunings, etc.

If you're in a gigging band, it's even easier to justify owning nearly identical guitars for backup purposes.

-Ben

Gresh · #3 09-05-2004, 10:31 PM

It really sort of depends on what you do. My tastes and styles in music vary greatly, and combine that with a over-developed sense of "if I want it, I just get it" and you wind up with several guitars to cover many tonal bases. An RG never cuts it as a surrogate strat so, want a strat...go get a strat.

Right now I've got the Taylor 714CE, UVPWH, J-C 1680, RG-Art, Strat and a nylon classical deal. About the only thing I can't cop is a hollow body tone and a 12 string acoustic (next on the list).

So I justify multiples because each of these guitars is unique in tone. The most similar stylistically are the 1680 and the Art, but the Art is basswood while the 1680 is mahogany...and it's got the single coil. Some folks just like one sound and collect everything that gets them that sound, and that's cool too...

microdmitry · #4 09-06-2004, 03:15 AM

For a while I had two guitars. One 7-string, and one six string. Now as soon as my order with Carvin comes through I'll have only one, but man, what a nice guitar it's going to be!

CrossingStar · #5 09-06-2004, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by microdmitry

Now as soon as my order with Carvin comes through I'll have only one, but man, what a nice guitar it's going to be!

See, I wish I could get back to that. I don't think I ever could. It's like once you open Pandora's box, no going back.

screamndemon69 · #6 09-06-2004, 08:19 AM

i like the idea of having different guitars for different sounds and feels - live or in the studio. i also learn a lot about what i really like as you can only road test one in the store in small doses and i can play the one i own thru any combo of amps and uses at any time for comparison to other guitars.
i started with one main axe when i found jemsite (Strat USA Plus '91), two acoustics, a Stingray 4 string bass (sweet!) and my first guitar i ever bought myself - Charvel Model 4 '89. now over 2 years later i'm somewhere around 21 guitars including a bass (Stingray went bye - bye

) and a Tacoma acoustic.

i have learned soooo much in this process about guitars (pups, woods, frets, necks, setneck vs bolt-on and even about different strings that i prefer. the strings just kinda fall in the mix as you are constanly changing them on sooo many guitars.
i have fallen in love w/ mahogany neck and body, tune a matic bridge and Seymour JB and '59 combo in the guitar. i wouldn't have a clue as how "I" feel about this combo w/out having had lots of time to play it thru my set up.
i have bought guitars and even though they sounded and felt awesome at the store - i get home and they sometimes don't have the same vibe i fell in love with at the store.
owning lots of guitars is a process rather than an event. it gets expensive to buy one only to take a hit re-selling it if it doesn't have a sound or feel you're looking for. because you go thru these trials w/ sooo many different guitars, when you do come across the right ones - you know it is for real. kinda like dateing

i'm starting to learn some of the things that makes a quality guitar for my tastes and style of playing but there are so many others i haven't tried - so back into GASland i go!!

Robotechnology · #7 09-06-2004, 01:27 PM

For myself I see no reason needed to justify having a bunch of different guitars as long as they're just that--different guitars. If I had duplicates of the same model then I think it would be time to have a talk with myself in the back room

AndersPGM · #8 09-06-2004, 02:34 PM

As long as you can afford´em and have room for´em I don´t see any reason why you should have to justify having lotsa guitars. Isn´t that what we all want?

krizz · #9 09-06-2004, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndersPGM

As long as you can afford´em and have room for´em I don´t see any reason why you should have to justify having lotsa guitars. Isn´t that what we all want?

Yeah, of course, but having is something else than wanting. Sometimes just wanting is better.

I now own two electrics and one accoustic, with one electric I started and is rather crappy (LP-copy) compared to the new electric (Ibz J-C S540). I will keep them both to have different guitars, for different tones, floating/nonfloating bridge etc.etc.etc..

But I don't see any use in buying 3 of the same guitars unless you need them as backups on stage. I think even if they all had different pups it makes no sense.

CrossingStar · #10 09-06-2004, 03:23 PM

"I have learned sooo much in this process about guitars..." - screamndemon69

That's a good point I hadn't thought of. I never would have got to this one I like so much had I not purchased all of the others. With each of the guitars there were problems that I had to fix myself, so I learned (like you said) about many different things. Thanks, I don't feel as bad now!

krizz · #11 09-06-2004, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrossingStar

"I have learned sooo much in this process about guitars" - screamndemon69

That's a good point I hadn't thought of. I never would have got to this one I like so much had I not purchased all of the others. With each of the guitars there were problems that I had to fix myself, so I learned (like you said) about many different things. Thanks, I don't feel as bad now!

It's all part of the search for the holy grail...ehh, sorry axe. :P

Gresh · #12 09-06-2004, 05:17 PM

Also, having different guitars that speak to you in different ways help to open up creatively. I am convinced that I play differently when I've got a strat versus when I'm holding the UV or the Art. Each guitars' tone influences what comes out of my hands...I guess more to the point of having guitars that sound different.

matt_cater · #13 09-06-2004, 05:24 PM

I have one guitar that i use (RG1550), but have another guitar which is crap and useless.
I'll buy a 2nd RG550 as a backup guitar, and I'd like a heavy set neck guitar for recording as it'll have better sustain for some solos

LennyNero · #14 09-06-2004, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robotechnology

If I had duplicates of the same model then I think it would be time to have a talk with myself in the back room

What about having a backup for your main guitar? That woudl justify two totally (okay, nearly totally) identical guitar!

microdmitry · #15 09-06-2004, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrossingStar

Quote:

Originally Posted by microdmitry

Now as soon as my order with Carvin comes through I'll have only one, but man, what a nice guitar it's going to be!

See, I wish I could get back to that. I don't think I ever could. It's like once you open Pandora's box, no going back.

Actually, I think unless you're a working pro, Pandora's box detracts you from actually playing the stuff that you own. For me simplicity is key. I've been through the "rack" phase and found I spend more time tweaking my rack than actually playing. With multiple guitars it would be pretty much the same thing. Having a 7-month old kid to look after I don't have much time to play my guitar. So whenever I do have time, I'd rather spend it playing. So give me a tube combo and one 6-string guitar any day.