There's this dilemma...

[Aikara]

So I have been thinking lately and now I have this dilemma...

But first some context: I'm pretty happy with my guitar collection at this point and part of that collection are three Ibanez JPM models (a P1, P2 and a 90th HAM). The last couple of years I've diversified my collection quite a bit, and there are still a couple of guitars I'd like to get at some point. One of the results of diversifying my collection is that my JPM's are not getting played at all. That was in part actually also a conscious decision: since they're collector items I didn't want anything to happen to them.

Now recently I bought a house which means I'm not willing to make any additional budget available for new guitars. Because the JPM's represent a significant value, selling them would mean I have a substantial budget for the guitars I sill like to get (Tom Anderson Angel, PRS Hollowbody, Aristides headless). I still think the JPM's are incredible cool guitars, and to me they're like a symbol of what 90's Dream Theater meant to me in my musical development. I've always said that I will never sell them, but now I'm a bit surprise the though of actually doing that has come up.

So I'm curious to hear what you guys would do? Would you sell the dream guitar of your 17 year old self, to get funding for guitars that will get played and are actually superior guitars? Or would you hold onto that (former) dream guitar for sentimental value and hang them on the wall as collectors items?

 

[Kyle Jordan]

I’ve been wrestling with the same problem regarding my two USA Soloists over the past couple of years or a bit less.

My Black Cherry SL2H was THE pinnacle for me. I wanted it for over a decade and once I got it, it was actually far better than I anticipated. The problem is, I picked up an 8 string 9 years later that ended up being, and I hate using this term but it’s completely accurate here, a massive paradigm shift for my playing. It didn’t change my opinion of my Soloists, it changed what I desired in an instrument.

I also sold off nearly all of my gear over a decade ago to buy a house. I do not regret that, but there are two pieces of gear I miss. As time has gone on and I’ve gotten some other items, that has lessened. Right now, it’s basically just the fondness I had for them that pokes its head up from time to time.

In your case, you’ve already mentioned that the JPMs don’t get played now. If they are just there to be admired, I say sell them and climb new mountains that current day you wants to pursue. You already fulfilled the dream of your old self. We all grow and change.

That said, I cannot recommend enough that you take the next couple of weeks or even a month and play them. The biggest thing that keeps me from selling my Jacksons is picking them up and playing them. They are no longer what I seek for most of what I do with a guitar, but that are still both phenomenal examples of the design and joys to play, alongside all of the love and memories. I still get use out of them.

 

[laxu]

Keep the one you like most and sell the other two. I do agree about deliberately playing them, maybe you will find the thing that made you love them. I remember drooling at all the nice guitars in 1990s Ibanez catalogs and wanting to own half of the stuff available at the time. But a few decades later the guitars I love are very different things.

Take this advice with the caveat that I don't want to be a collector, I'm the type who tends to sell gear if I find they are just collecting dust.

 

[Schmeer]

I was recently in your situation. Had a JPM that in addition to being a cool guitar, was also the first "real" guitar I bought with my own money. So some hardcore sentimental value there.

I ended up selling mine for several reasons:

1. I didn’t really play it all that much
2. While I still think the graphics are awesome, they kind of look out of place in the bands I’ve been in lately. And finally
3. With the prices these guitars are fetching these days, I’d be crazy not to sell it.

Of course, the prices might continue to rise which could be an argument to hold on to them.
I’m curious as to how much higher the prices on these guitars can get though. I managed to get about $3200 for my P4, and quite frankly, I think it’s kind of insane for what’s basically an RG with a fancy paint job

 

[Aikara]

Thanks for your perspective guys.

My current state of mind is pretty in line with what's been said above: I have been fortunate to own 3 versions of what once was my dream guitar, but of course I've changed quite a bit since I was in my teens, and there's some sort of acceptance of letting that part go.

Furthermore, the JPM's don't offer anything specific that's not covered by other guitars in my collection. I have an EBMM JP15, which is a superior guitar from a quality perspective and covers the same musical ground (and actually much more). In short: I like playing the JP15 more.

I don't want to take the decision to sell those 3 JPM's lightly, because I will not have the opportunity to reverse that decision. So this is going to be a little bit of a process...

 

[bronxct1]

I agree with the poster above that you should keep your favorite and let the other two go. I would also take your time and try not to think about moving fast. If in 3 or 6 months you still feel the same then you can list them while feeling better about the decision.

 

[Bdtunn]

Sell your least favourite then wait a few weeks or even a month or two and see if you have major regret. If not then sell the second one.

 

[skullfxr]

I third the person who said to keep your fav of the three and keep that.

 

[Dark Aegis]

I would really hold back on selling them just for the fact that they would be hard to replace if you would change your mind. There are several guitars that I’ve sold that, at the time, weren’t terribly sought after and were “cheap” but are now either impossible to find and/or ridiculously priced.

 

[Aliascent]

So I have been thinking lately and now I have this dilemma...

But first some context: I'm pretty happy with my guitar collection at this point and part of that collection are three Ibanez JPM models (a P1, P2 and a 90th HAM). The last couple of years I've diversified my collection quite a bit, and there are still a couple of guitars I'd like to get at some point. One of the results of diversifying my collection is that my JPM's are not getting played at all. That was in part actually also a conscious decision: since they're collector items I didn't want anything to happen to them.

Now recently I bought a house which means I'm not willing to make any additional budget available for new guitars. Because the JPM's represent a significant value, selling them would mean I have a substantial budget for the guitars I sill like to get (Tom Anderson Angel, PRS Hollowbody, Aristides headless). I still think the JPM's are incredible cool guitars, and to me they're like a symbol of what 90's Dream Theater meant to me in my musical development. I've always said that I will never sell them, but now I'm a bit surprise the though of actually doing that has come up.

So I'm curious to hear what you guys would do? Would you sell the dream guitar of your 17 year old self, to get funding for guitars that will get played and are actually superior guitars? Or would you hold onto that (former) dream guitar for sentimental value and hang them on the wall as collectors items?

If you're willing to hunt for a replacement 10 years from now at whatever price it will have reached, then sell them. Otherwise just wait for better days and acquire new guitars then.

 

[bostjan]

17 year old you is gone now. Get the guitar for now now. Sell the guitar for back then to someone who will see it as their guitar for now.

 

[c7spheres]

I've learned the hard way a couple times to not sell anything you're happy with in order to get something else (guitar, amp etc). You may never be able to find anything that good again. Even if you decided to buy back a JPM it may not be as good as the one you sold. - I call these guitars 'the one's that got away.'
- It's also possible you could find something better too, but it's hard to beat something you're already comfortable with.

 

[Amer Alameddine]

Sell your least favourite then wait a few weeks or even a month or two and see if you have major regret. If not then sell the second one.

I agree with this. For me, I like playing the guitars I own. I totally understand the value of a collector's item, but having said that, you have 3 of them, you can can just keep your favorite, the one you played the most. Even if you sell the other two, you still have your memories with them as well as the last one you can put on display or something. Then you can use the money from the other two to buy a new guitar to make new memories with and help with paying off your new house, congrats for that by the way!

 

[technomancer]

Eh these are already rare and aren't going to go down in value. Can't say I'd sell them to buy something not rare that you could save for and pick up eventually

I had a JP90HAM that I sold and of all the guitars I've been through it's honestly one of only 2 I wish I hadn't sold.

 

[mmr007]

Dont sell anything you like. Financial circumstances change all the time. You want to keep buying but a mortgage wont allow? Then get better at saving or having patience because eventually you’ll still have wants but nothing youre willing to sell to get it. If you needed advice about selling then youre not ready to sell. There are whole threads titled regret.

 

[Hoss632]

Someone said it already. But pick the JPM you like the most and keep that and sell the other 2. Otherwise just budget yourself to save every time you get paid until you can afford the next guitar on your list.

 

[Andromalia]

Of course, the prices might continue to rise which could be an argument to hold on to them.

Petrucci and DT are pretty much where they can get in terms of popularity. I doubt the JPMs will rise much more in value other than maybe just following the inflation unless for some reason DT starts selling Metallica or U2 numbers and become mainstream. Likely won't happen at this point.

 

[aesthyrian]

Keep them all. When you regret selling them, you'll just have to pay even more and it'll be harder to find them.