One Man's Struggle w/ G.A.S. - Am I alone??

[slang05]

OK so I have been going through my old craigslist ads and discovered I have had a ridiculous amount of guitars in the last few years. No matter how happy I feel with my current setup I start getting that bug, that desire for a new one. Now, I won't say I'm poor, but I'm not rich. So if I want something new I usually have to trade. I have been fortunate recently that I have always have been able to flip into something better. So as of this moment I am very guitar happy..but I am starting to feel that bug inside eat at me. Which is dumb. And I know it. So this is my one man confessional to my fellow PRS lovers and friends in hope that by admitting I have a problem I can try to fix it. And I'm hoping someone else out there has some issues also and can give me some advice to keep what I have and be happy!

Now I know this is kinda silly, but it does cause me a lot of stress at times and a lot of miles on my car. My wife is VERY supportive but I can tell it's gotten old with her. It's gotten old with me too. Sometimes I'll make a trade in hopes I can flip it into something better. For example..earlier this year I flipped my beat up DGT (non 10 top with moons) for a Les Paul Deluxe and a Martin acoustic. Then the Les Paul for a nice CU24, then the CU24 for a McCarty and a Tele..and then the Tele, Martin, Cu24 and a Strat I had (USA Standard that I picked up for $350) for my Paul's guitar. So even though a lot passed thru my hands, basically the beat up DGT and a Strat became a new Paul's Guitar. See how that can be addicting??!?!

But sometimes I get burned. I traded a American Deluxe Ash Tele for a Regular Deluxe Tele and have regretted it ever since..The tele I got was crap!

My hopes is by admitting this on here among friends and some fellow G.A.S.-oholics that maybe I can see how dumb this is and start fixing my problem. A problem I love to have, but none the less, a problem...

So here is a list of what I have traded and owned (and no longer have) since Jan 1st of last year....

PRS
513
McCarty (Royal Blue)
McCarty (McCarty Burst)
McCarty (Purple Sparkle w/bird on the body)
Standard 22
Singlecut Trem
Custom 22
Custom 24 (Green)
DGT (Sunburst)
USA Tremonti
Artist V
Swamp Ash Special
DC3
CE

FENDER
FSR Stratocaster
Deluxe Telecaster (Butterscotch) 1
Standard Telecaster (Sunburst)
Hwy 1 Stratocaster
Lite Ash Telecaster
Standard Stratocaster
Standard Telecaster (Black)
Deluxe Stratocaster (Honey Blonde)
Deluxe Stratocaster (White)
Deluxe Telecaster (Butterscotch) 2
Eric Johnson Stratocaster

OTHER
Gibson Les Paul Traditional
Gibson 73 Les Paul Deluxe
Jackson PC1
Martin Acoustic
ESP LTD GL Kamikaze
Tom Anderson Short T
Peavey HP CT
Charvel San Dimas

See what I mean...kinda dumb.

Right now I have a 98 Custom 24, Paul's Guitar and a Wood Library DGT..2 guitars that I really love and 1 (cu24) that I really like. So I'm in a really good spot.

Any advice? Thoughts? Laughter?

 

[tabl10s]

I have the guitars I have because I wanted an instrument that had all the best pickups available. I need a 513 and something NF equipped.

 

[Rider1260]

You are nowhere near MaPete think he is past 50 guitar moves, looks to me like you are going thru guitar phases.
I am not as bad as you BUT I have moved

PRS Tremonti SE
Ibanez Artcore Hollow Body
Ovation 12 String
Gibson Flying V
Ibanez RG
Fender Telecaster 62 Reissue
Robert Cray Stratocaster

Replaced with

PRS SCT
PRS 408
PRS 305
PRS KL33
PRS Mira 245 P90
and another soon to be announced PRSi

Sounds like you have a great setup now just hang on to what you have now and save for the next hunt.
or try pedals

 

[slang05]

Well, this is just the last 2 years. I am somewhere around 175-200 guitars in the last 10 years.

 

[László]

Slang, you've gone through more guitars since January of last year than I have gone through since January of 1967! And I thought I had GAS!

Now I don't feel so bad.

Seriously, I feel I've gone through way, way too many in the past 20 years.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Why would anybody sell a CE?

 

[jfb]

Don't ask me for help. I am an enabler of the highest order.

 

[slang05]

Why would anybody sell a CE?

And the funny thing was I owned that particular CE in 2011 also. Traded it to a guy and then called him last year and traded back for it!

 

[jfb]

ADDICT ^

 

[slang05]

ADDICT ^

No doubt!

ENABLER^

 

[Egads]

I hear you. I have a way to help you keep your guitars, since you have professed your love for them. You probably aren't going to like it, though.

One word: AMPS! Nothing changes your fundamental tone more. Hang on to your guitars and find some cool new/used/vintage amps to play through.

My name is Eric. I have a couple problems.

 

[JustRob]

Don't ask me for help. I am an enabler of the highest order.

This.

i almost bought 2 guitars last Friday, but I thought about calling Jesse to talk me out of it. Then I realized if I called him I would have bought 3.

 

[HANGAR18]

Over the years, my habit pattern has been a "see it, buy it, try it, see something else, sell it to buy the new one" vicious cycle.
However, my collection seems to be stabilizing quite a bit. What is different is that lately I have been talking to my guitars and requiring them to tell me what they contribute to the collection that makes them so special.
So as a result I have been thinning the heard in favor of different guitars which really contribute a lot toward my goals in tone and comfort playing, as well as having an attractive appearance. Perhaps similar to a hockey coach choosing his team members.
Now, the majority of the guitars in my small collection are not likely to go anywhere in the forseeable future. Any new guitars I get will have to pass a much stricter evaluation process before I decide to buy them.
I don't want to have a huge collection of guitars just for the sake of having a lot of guitars. I'm leaning toward quality over quantity at the moment.

 

[rugerpc]

My problem has been more like:

buy a guitar.
see a 'good deal' on another and buy it.
repeat step 2 over and over.

I finally broke the cycle last year when I traded 3 guitars for a DGT.

BTW - don't call Jesse...

 

[clcwarlock]

Try starting a new practice regimen. Set a goal to learn a certain song or lick you always wanted to. Break up your practice so its not all intricate work. I warm up a bit with some scales, work on new songs, then I do some blues and i usually start to wonder around a bit and work on originals with a drum track. I am not quite the flipper/sellar you are but this helps me. My guitars nevers sounded so good the more I play them. Also, make sure you have a good amp.

 

[markie]

Slang ..................................... I think I can work with you on this problem .................................................................................................. OR NOT :vroam:

 

[John Beef]

And the funny thing was I owned that particular CE in 2011 also. Traded it to a guy and then called him last year and traded back for it!

That's gorgeous!

 

[Todd_FindingMyWay]

Are you guys SINGLE or LOTTO WINNERS?? LOL

 

[geese_com]

Don't ask me for help. I am an enabler of the highest order.

Truth. JFB, is an enabler of the highest order.

 

[garrett]

I'm not one who buys/sells/trades often, but my analysis comes down to two questions:

1. Do you enjoy buying/selling/trading? If the answer is "Yes" then keep on doing it. The number of guitars that pass through your hands is irrelevant as long as you're enjoying yourself. This is contingent on...

2. Does buying/selling/trading hurt anything (does it cause financial struggle, marital strife, mental stress)? If the answer is "Yes" then stop to do some serious evaluation of your wants and needs and curb the activity. Honestly, the best measure is to stay off the internet; it's the best marketing tool ever created.