+1, a guitarist heaven!

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riley

It's now a joke around our house. When my wife and I were first married some years ago I had a black and white Tele, the one hanging on the wall and a black and white fender bass. I usually only kept one out by my amp where I played and the other in the closet. I purchased another guitar also black and white (sorta on the sly) and stuck it in the closet still only bringing one out at a time. I figured out that when I'd save up enough to purchase another guitar all I had to do was just make sure that it was black and white and no one (my wife) would know the difference. That worked great for a few years until one day I fell in love with a red hollow body and had to buy it. Well I brought that thing home and my wife said in a very stern voice "you bought another guitar?". The cat was out of the bag at that point and I've found out since that she really didn't mind me buying stuff for my hobby as long as I paid the bills. Many guitars and amps later I still have that black and white MIM tele and it's my go-to guitar. I guess the moral to this story is, whenever you buy your first guitar make sure it's the color you would want if you had a dozen guitars that color.

You can never have too much gear. Ever.

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Keep rockin'

"Too much?"

Please explain. I am unfamiliar with this concept.

Ok. I'm going to be a very lonely voice of reason on this concept. A home player can have too much gear. In fact, a lot of them do. Sorry, guys. Stone me.

Not to be too cynical, but why do you think gear forums like this exist? You'll notice they are either run by gear manufacturers, or sponsored by manufacturers or sellers. That's cuz they are gear-purchase enablers. Ok, they are also fun and full of great information.

Now, I will say that having too much gear is a very personal thing. Some folks have more disposable income than others. Some find a few guitars just as pleasing as 20. I wouldn't impose my circumstances and outlook on anyone else.

For me, a good balance tends to be about five guitars, two nice tube amps, and board full of nice pedals. I have some recording equipment, and misc. items too.

When I buy stuff, I try to keep in mind not only if I'm paying today's bills, but if I'm in good shape with long-term financial plans. I like to make sure I keep a lil nest egg in the bank, and that I'm on track to save for things I will need in the future. (Would like to get outta an apartment and into a house, for example).

So when I do buy gear, I tend to sell off gear that I'm not using to its fullest. And I make sure I always get good prices on everything I buy. That way, if I end up selling it, I more often then not turn a lil profit.

In fact, might even start keeping a ledger on what I originally pay for something, and what I sell it for, deducting all the expenses associated with the sale, like Ebay fees. Ok, the ledger might be anal.

But as Mr. Miyagi said: "In life, all things balance."

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I should probably own up to the fact that I'm NOT strictly a "home guitarist." I play weekly at church, and am in several mainly original-music local rock bands.

But still, I could get by with a lot less than I have. I've almost never bought anything I couldn't buy with cash on the spot though, and have never gone into debt for anything.

In fact, right now I'm broke as a joke, and glad I have a batch of stuff I can sell off for ready cash, and still have a nice stable. Just sold my backup mandolin to a friend today.

"In fact, right now I'm broke as a joke, and glad I have a batch of stuff I can sell off for ready cash, and still have a nice stable. Just sold my backup mandolin to a friend today."

That's definitely one thing that should make us all feel good. If you buy good gear that keeps its value and try to get deals, you very rarely lose money. It's a akin to having a lil something in the bank, as long as you're willing to part with a few of your babies.

Plus, I definitely prefer for gear to be in the hands of players, home players or not. The stuff was built to make music, after all.

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I try to explain it to my wife like this. I know guys who have fifteen grand tied up in a bass boat and fishing gear and probably more than that in a truck to pull it around with. That's more than I would spend in a lifetime on guitars and related equipment and I don't have to buy a license to use mine every year. Anyhow I think it's "Each to his or her own madness" and what ever the pocket book or budget will allow.

4 or 5 guitars would never be enough for me I have about 30 stringed instruments and 27 are guitars and no 2 sound alike even my 4 Strats have individual tones-although all are Strats each has its own unique tone signature.I find the differences in guitar tones very intriguing and really enjoy having many colours available in my tone palette.The same goes for amps all 10 of my amps have remarkably different sounds and it's great to be able to explore the sonic differences and mix and match guitars and amps even combining the tones of two or more amps to create an entirely different sound.Every day is exciting as there are endless possibilities to the tonal combinations I can get.I live in my own little musical Heaven and still manage to get the bills paid.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

, i could lock myself in there for 2 weeks

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riley

If you start to think you may have too much gear it is probably time to start looking for bigger digs .

After all he who has the most gear when he kicks the bucket WINS

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Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.

When you run out of GAS and space.

If anyone does ever figure out what too much gear is, please don't tell my wife.

Haha, if only I had that much time!

That pic is actually from 3 years ago or so (closer to 4). I've sold a couple amps/cabs and a couple guitars, but have also bought some things, so if anything may actually have slightly more stuff than when that was taken.

Just a few things.....

[img][img]http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt172/torresfan/Guitars/DSC01048.jpg[/img][/img]

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2012 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
2013 Fender Pure Vintage 65 Stratocaster
2003 Gibson ES-355
2015 Gibson Les Paul Traditional
2002 Gretsch Duo Jet
1980 Rickenbacker 360/12 Fireglo
2014 Martin 000X1AE
2014 Fender Blues Junior III