How many guitars are too many?

[blacai]

The question should be "how long does the initial regret last?"

I mean, G.A.S is there and always will be. It has no sense to ask yourself "do I have enough guitars?" Under a G.A.S attack we alreay know the answer

Just try to avoid financial problems. If you can afford 2-3k every 6 months it means you should be able to spend 3k per year in guitar stuff without regrets.

 

[Pav]

∞

 

[Arkeion]

Personally, 4 guitars (I have 4 right now but 2 are on the way out) is just right. But I don't believe there's a right answer for this. I can see myself having more than 4 because I think guitars are more than just playable. They're art and collectible.

One limiting factor to the amount of guitars you should have is space. If you're limited on space, like I am, there shouldn't be any instance where a guitar is mistreated by being stored in unfavorable conditions like out in a shed. So if that's the issue, you have too many. Sell 2, and buy 1 nicer. But I don't think every guitar you own has to be a regular player. If you've got the space and the money, and it wont cause a divorce, the more the merrier!

 

[Tegara]

Two guitars and a bass is perfect, for me. Just enough to have variety and they both fill a purpose. And I think I would appreciate my guitars less if I had a whole bunch of them.

 

[Masoo2]

I find five guitars or so is the perfect amount for me.

Two sixes (Drop C, Drop B/A#), two sevens (Drop A/Ab, Drop F), and one 8 (standard, low C#/whatever low tuning)

That would cover the majority of tunings whilst also giving enough physical variety in terms of different pickups, neck shapes, bridges, switching, etc...

Two basses (Drop F, Drop a) would be nice to, but for the time being I just use Kontakt for that. Again, would cover the majority of tunings I play in (Drop F could be tuned up to Drop C with a low G or Drop A# with a low F, for example)

 

[InFlames235]

Just learning the lesson now that other people said where I want to have guitars that actually can do something my other guitars can't. Right now I have an EBMM JP6 and a custom Black Water guitar. After getting new pickups and leveling the fretboard on the Black Water, I decided I prefer it slightly over the JP6 and there's not enough difference between the two to justify keeping both.

Currently trying to trade my JP6 for a JP7 so I can have guitars that fill a different purpose. Plus, and I know this is weird, I've never had 7 string so I think it's finally time. After that, I think a couple years down the road I want a strat since I don't have a single coil guitar and then I feel like I'd be set with three different guitars that can cover a wide range of music.

 

[Jake]

I was holding myself to a 5 space rack and a wall hanger but I bought too many

Now I have 2 7 space racks and pretty much that's gonna be where I have to hold myself too. That's 6's 7's 8's and a bass though lol

I'm gonna probably have to downsize eventually with moving out depending on if I don't just buy a house and such but for now It's decent. And by downsize I mean consolidate money from selling everything I have into a hell of a purchase or 2 hah

 

[gpbarnett]

43 is too many.

Everyone knows the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42 guitars.

 

[MoonJelly]

Just ask Joe Bonamassa

 

[Choop]

Four guitars seems like a pretty good practical number. Personally, I'm looking to own 2 that are fairly similar so that one serves as a backup, and then a couple that offer more drastic changes in shape/component makeup. Of course peeps can buy guitars for whatever reasons they want. Some guys like collecting, and that's ok. Personally though I'd feel like I were wasting the guitars that rarely got played if I accumulated too many.

 

[techjsteele]

I currently have 10 instruments (two 8-strings guitars, two 7-strings guitars, two 6-strings guitars, one 6-string bass, one 5-string bass, and two 4-string basses) but honestly only play about 5-6 of them at most. I could get away with keeping my two 8-strings (one is tuned F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E and the other is tuned B-E-A-D-G-B-E-A), my Schecter C-1 E/A for some semi-hollow goodness, my 6-string bass (tuned B-E-A-D-G-C), my five sring bass (tuned F#-B-E-A-D) and maybe my Schecter Stiletto Studio 4 bass (tuned E-A-D-G). I feel that I could sell the rest and be happy.

TLDR: Own 10 instruments, but would be happy with 6.

 

[StevenC]

You have too many guitars when the fort you can build with the cases is bigger than your house.

 

[MoonJelly]

My feeling is, if you have money, you can have a lot of anything you like.

However, if music making is your living/day job, the more the better. amirite?

 

[bostjan]

How many guitars is too many? Hmm. Go ponder on the tree of woe....

I was a guitar junkie. My worst was right after I joined here. I had too many guitars. I was hoarding them, no doubt. At one point, I had:

Epiphone Les Paul
Washburn MG24
Danelectro DC
Danelectro Baritone
Samick POS7
Washburn 7 String
Ibanez RG7620
Ibanez RG7321
Ibanez RG540
Fender Japanese Strat
Fender American Tele
Fender Mexican Strat
Dean Avalanche7
BC Rich American Mockingbird 7
BC Rich ST III
Freenote Strat 19-EDO
Dean Stylist Deluxe
Tiesco Del Ray
Yamaha Superstrat
Takamine Acoustic Folk
Takamine Acoustic Nylon
Ibanez AJ307CE
Fernandez Revolver 7 w/ Sustainiac
Washburn Acoustic 12 String
Stella Acoustic
Fender 12-string Strat
Some no-name 10 string steel guitar
C&J 10 string steel guitar
Parker Fly Classic
Parker Fly Deluxe

Hmm, I might be missing two or three, but that's about it.

Now I'm down to a couple Onis, my US BC Riches, my Parkers, the Freenote, the Dean Avalanche 7 (which I've been thinking about converting to 19-EDO for ages), and two acoustic guitars, and a project Mockingbird 6 string knockoff...still double digits, but pared down quite a bit. None of that includes basses.

 

[Church2224]

Just ask Joe Bonamassa

Still not enough.

 

[vividox]

Just ask Joe Bonamassa

I'm pretty sure I haven't even played that many guitars in my life. Definitely not that many amps. Jebus.

 

[espdna]

whoa.

 

[blacai]

yesterday morning I thought 8... after buying the 8th a couple of hours later my mind changed.
I think 9

 

[metale]

Yeah... The RG8 arrived. Then I bought an Epiphone Dave Navarro acoustic. And now I'm looking at 7s... And Gary Clark Jr Casinos.

Help...

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Yeah... The RG8 arrived. Then I bought an Epiphone Dave Navarro acoustic. And now I'm looking at 7s... And Gary Clark Jr Casinos.

Help...

I have found very little help here. Sometimes I'm scared to even look at new threads. But I swear, after this next one, that's it. <--- said the guy with very minimal willpower. I am trying though... only visited Reverb 3x in the last couple days. Baby steps... baby steps.