An Interesting Thought About A Collection

[Alnus Rubra]

Use technology, man! Lush them all.

Yeah but they would have to be PS.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

With a piano, of course.

Grand.

 

[tbp0701]

Interesting look at collections. I have been thinking about collections quite a bit lately, particularly as a friend is dealing with her late father's estate, and he collected a lot of things, including dozens of guitars. Despite that, he passed without a will, and I suspect most of us have seen how things left behind can bring out the worst in people.

Also, my parents and many of my relatives are/were collectors, so a lot of childhood memories involve yard sales and flea markets, then seeing the found "treasures" wrapped up and stored, with a few put on shelves. So I think that, along with moving around a lot in my younger years had me avoid collecting a lot of things. I also decided to focus on buying things I will use.

Yet, as I look around and consider simplifying, I see I've still managed to accumulate quite a bit of stuff. Most of the things are books, records/CDs, and musical instruments.

By the way, what is it about guitars that make people want to accumulate them? When I played woodwinds, mainly sax and clarinet, I didn't keep looking for more once I found one of a certain type. I'd want a soprano sax once I had an alto or tenor, sure, but not multiple tenors. Yet not long after getting my first guitar it wasn't long before I thought of getting another (although I did hold off on buying a second for eight years).

But then again, after buying a bicycle for the first time in decades I started thinking about a second. Still only have one, though.

So I'm rethinking a lot of things. As much as I like books, there are a lot I don't plan on re-reading. Once I put the CDs in digital form I don't play them again. The LPs get played more, but I have also digitized many of them.

I can also count the number of electrics I have on one hand, but it'll take all digits. And I'd need two more for the acoustics. (As for what I haven't collected, I've never bought a Gibson nor any close copy of an LP. Tried several but never brought one home.)

For other instruments there's a tenor sax, which was my life's focus for a time, and a basic digital piano. I couldn't manage to part with the sax even after breaking my leg while not having insurance (which sucked up what I'd saved for a house).

A major problem of paring down a collection is dealing with people who just want a bargain and don't care how much a guitar, book, or record helped get you through life. I guess that's the downside of only accumulating things I'd use. If they'd just sat on cases or shelves shedding them would be easy. Thus, even though I realize paring down to two electrics and an acoustic would still be an abundance, I'm struggling with the decision.

So I've rambled and doubt anyone will read this, sorry. I'm having one of those re-evaluating the life led days.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Speedo??

Ok, that would work.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

With a piano, of course.

Ha, I'm even worse on that than on guitar. I haven't played piano in... holy crap, 46 years!

 

[veinbuster]

Interesting look at collections. I have been thinking about collections quite a bit lately, particularly as a friend is dealing with her late father's estate, and he collected a lot of things, including dozens of guitars. Despite that, he passed without a will, and I suspect most of us have seen how things left behind can bring out the worst in people.

Also, my parents and many of my relatives are/were collectors, so a lot of childhood memories involve yard sales and flea markets, then seeing the found "treasures" wrapped up and stored, with a few put on shelves. So I think that, along with moving around a lot in my younger years had me avoid collecting a lot of things. I also decided to focus on buying things I will use.

Yet, as I look around and consider simplifying, I see I've still managed to accumulate quite a bit of stuff. Most of the things are books, records/CDs, and musical instruments.

By the way, what is it about guitars that make people want to accumulate them? When I played woodwinds, mainly sax and clarinet, I didn't keep looking for more once I found one of a certain type. I'd want a soprano sax once I had an alto or tenor, sure, but not multiple tenors. Yet not long after getting my first guitar it wasn't long before I thought of getting another (although I did hold off on buying a second for eight years).

But then again, after buying a bicycle for the first time in decades I started thinking about a second. Still only have one, though.

So I'm rethinking a lot of things. As much as I like books, there are a lot I don't plan on re-reading. Once I put the CDs in digital form I don't play them again. The LPs get played more, but I have also digitized many of them.

I can also count the number of electrics I have on one hand, but it'll take all digits. And I'd need two more for the acoustics. (As for what I haven't collected, I've never bought a Gibson nor any close copy of an LP. Tried several but never brought one home.)

For other instruments there's a tenor sax, which was my life's focus for a time, and a basic digital piano. I couldn't manage to part with the sax even after breaking my leg while not having insurance (which sucked up what I'd saved for a house).

A major problem of paring down a collection is dealing with people who just want a bargain and don't care how much a guitar, book, or record helped get you through life. I guess that's the downside of only accumulating things I'd use. If they'd just sat on cases or shelves shedding them would be easy. Thus, even though I realize paring down to two electrics and an acoustic would still be an abundance, I'm struggling with the decision.

So I've rambled and doubt anyone will read this, sorry. I'm having one of those re-evaluating the life led days.

Interesting.
I mostly want to thin out collections that could be challenging for my daughters to dispose of.

Vinyl is easy - the youngest will just take it and over time, give away the ones that are less meaningful to her. Books: I’ve put hundreds in senior libraries and more recently free libraries - my eldest will filter through what’s left at her leisure. CDs will just get given away to a thrift shop.

Bikes take a ton of space, but my youngest knows bikes and will give them new homes. All are quite different, so that collection won’t get much smaller, unless I stop being able to ride.

Guitars I will make a smaller problem because it will be too much work for them to deal with.

I’m still shrinking my wife’s collections, and probably will spend another year on that.

Did I mention I have 30 years worth of gaming consoles?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Interesting.
I mostly want to thin out collections that could be challenging for my daughters to dispose of.

Vinyl is easy - the youngest will just take it and over time, give away the ones that are less meaningful to her. Books: I’ve put hundreds in senior libraries and more recently free libraries - my eldest will filter through what’s left at her leisure. CDs will just get given away to a thrift shop.

Bikes take a ton of space, but my youngest knows bikes and will give them new homes. All are quite different, so that collection won’t get much smaller, unless I stop being able to ride.

Guitars I will make a smaller problem because it will be too much work for them to deal with.

I’m still shrinking my wife’s collections, and probably will spend another year on that.

Did I mention I have 30 years worth of gaming consoles?

So many similar points for me. I have over 1000 albums and over 1500 cds. I think my wife will just give away that and all the stereo equipment.

It's the guitars I worry about. Even if I stick around a few more years and my grandson is legit playing and loving guitar... we can't just dump 17 guitars, big tube amps, multiple speaker cabs, 50+ freakin pedals, modelers, and a ROOM full of cables, accessories and stuff, all on my grandson. Heck, he might not even be interested in playing guitar by the time I exit.

I've kind of considered having a specific friend prepared to assist her with all the gear. Someone who knew enough about it to make sure she didn't get taken advantage of, etc. But... how do you choose that friend and if you do now and live 15 years, well, you know... what if they don't last as long as you do.

I mean, we're not talking anything like the amount of guitars/gear some of you have, but it's enough that it needs to be addressed somehow. My wife wouldn't have a clue what to do with all of that stuff.

 

[László]

By the way, what is it about guitars that make people want to accumulate them?

What makes a guitar an easy and desirable instrument to collect?

IMHO? Economics, mainly.

For starters, most guitars aren't expensive; there's really no such thing as a 'concert quality' electric guitar - they can all be played on any stage from the local bar to Madison Square Garden, and critics aren't going to pooh-pooh your choice. You can get in the game with worthy instruments for under a grand. The average working stiff can buy a lot of them over the course of a few years.

And guitars look different from one another, so there's an ooh-aah factor. They're painted different colors. And they sound different from one another, enough for even the untrained ear to hear the difference. Thus, a collection of even average guitars wows people.

You can also get out of the game pretty easily. There's a ready market for used guitars, even the cheap ones.

On the other hand, a Selmer Paris series sax is a $20K investment. A Selmer Series II is $30K. A medium quality Yamaha sax is over 5 grand. A really good clarinet from Selmer is 9 grand.

A bunch of saxes or clarinets don't really look all that much different from one another to the average person, even if they sound different. If you want a decent collection, you need significantly more disposable income than the guitar collector to get in the game.

Then there are violins. An inexpensive modern concert quality violin is close to 30 grand. The kind most concert players play is mid-six figures, and of course we all know about the Amatis and Stradavari being seven or eight figure investments. Collecting violins is strictly for very rich people.

Very few people want to collect pianos. They're too big to have a bunch in one room, unless you have a VERY big room!

 

[alantig]

A friend's dad was a hoarder. When he died, my friend said he couldn't believe some of the stuff his dad kept. Like a canoe paddle. His dad never owned a canoe. He had an airplane propeller. All kinds of bizarre stuff. He said he was afraid to just toss anything because one of the things he had was a console from an old car - which had his old wallet with money in it. He said he started getting the idea to buy a handful of bizarre things to leave behind for his kids to find when he dies - things that he has no desire or need to own, and no interest in. Just to leave them the mystery.

I said I'd like to leave my kids a note somewhere that said to make sure they didn't just get rid of a certain book or CD w/o opening it - then listing a book or CD I've never owned.

But more seriously, I've made sure that my wife knows I'm not doing what her father did. He was very secretive about money, especially money from his trains and hobbies. He hid money in the basement and didn't tell anyone where it was - anyone, including my mother-in-law. Then he'd tell his train buddies he had tons of money stashed away. Needless to say, when he died somewhat suddenly, my mother-in-law wasn't sure if she found it all or not. She was checking stuff as she sold it, but she still didn't know if she missed something or not. When we've talked about it, my wife has been very pointed that she doesn't want me to do that, and I've told her she knows where all my stuff is.

Still, I'm tempted to leave a note somewhere that just says, "Psych!"

 

[Deleted member 5962]

When my dad passed, my mom kept finding money he stashed for her, as she'd go through his things. One sock had $1000 in it and another one had over $700. Numerous other $100 bills hiden here and there in his drawers, clothes, etc.

Needless to say, when mom passed, we were very careful to go through everything to make sure she had found it all before getting rid of anything.

 

[Mozzi]

By the way, what is it about guitars that make people want to accumulate them?

Different guitars sound and/or play differently and offer a greater 'palette' of tones to colour your music with. A Piano or Tenor Sax or Violin for example is its 'sound' but you have different Acoustic guitars for different sounds too - inc Nylon strung or Jumbo vs Parlour size.

With electric, there is so many different shapes, sizes, scale lengths, neck shapes, colours etc to have a wide variety to suit ANY one - All offer something another doesn't and whilst you could play everything with a Les Paul, you may prefer to hear a Strat sound coming out your amp, therefore, you buy a strat too and as you grow, your 'collection' grows, some may 'disappear' too along the way, but you end up with a 'collection' of instruments - especially if you are gigging because you may need quite a few to switch between for different tunings or if something breaks and for any to be in repair shops (refretted/re-crowned, repair, general maintenance etc) whilst you are gigging.

There is always something 'new' on the market for Electric Guitar players - pedals, amps etc all change the tone and it's like an artist wanting a 'large' palette of colours to paint with, Electric Guitarists want a collection of 'Tones' to colour their music with...

 

[tbp0701]

Interesting.
I mostly want to thin out collections that could be challenging for my daughters to dispose of.

Vinyl is easy - the youngest will just take it and over time, give away the ones that are less meaningful to her. Books: I’ve put hundreds in senior libraries and more recently free libraries - my eldest will filter through what’s left at her leisure. CDs will just get given away to a thrift shop.

Bikes take a ton of space, but my youngest knows bikes and will give them new homes. All are quite different, so that collection won’t get much smaller, unless I stop being able to ride.

Guitars I will make a smaller problem because it will be too much work for them to deal with.

I’m still shrinking my wife’s collections, and probably will spend another year on that.

Did I mention I have 30 years worth of gaming consoles?

My major take-away from what my friend is going through is to leave documentation. Don't just tell relatives what you want them to have, especially if several say they were all told the same thing.

I'm looking at what to donate to various libraries and leaving some in Little Free libraries. I have a few that are worth a bit, though.

And I don't have children, so a lot of what I leave will likely be sold in bulk or just dumped.

Funny you mention bikes. After finally getting back to riding in 2020 I soon wanted a second. Particularly a gravel bike to go with my hardtail MTB. The shortage kept me from getting more, though.

I didn't even think of the gaming consoles and games. I don't have too many of those, though.

So many similar points for me. I have over 1000 albums and over 1500 cds. I think my wife will just give away that and all the stereo equipment.

It's the guitars I worry about. Even if I stick around a few more years and my grandson is legit playing and loving guitar... we can't just dump 17 guitars, big tube amps, multiple speaker cabs, 50+ freakin pedals, modelers, and a ROOM full of cables, accessories and stuff, all on my grandson. Heck, he might not even be interested in playing guitar by the time I exit.

I've kind of considered having a specific friend prepared to assist her with all the gear. Someone who knew enough about it to make sure she didn't get taken advantage of, etc. But... how do you choose that friend and if you do now and live 15 years, well, you know... what if they don't last as long as you do.

I mean, we're not talking anything like the amount of guitars/gear some of you have, but it's enough that it needs to be addressed somehow. My wife wouldn't have a clue what to do with all of that stuff.

Yeah, I went through that in choosing an executor, as there aren't a lot of reliable relatives. And none that share my music and literature interests. I made an Excel spreadsheet highlighting some of the more valuable things, thinking it might be easier, but I haven't kept it up to date. I don't have nearly that many albums, but still quite a few. Mostly jazz.

What makes a guitar an easy and desirable instrument to collect?

IMHO? Economics, mainly.

For starters, most guitars aren't expensive; there's really no such thing as a 'concert quality' electric guitar - they can all be played on any stage from the local bar to Madison Square Garden, and critics aren't going to pooh-pooh your choice. You can get in the game with worthy instruments for under a grand. The average working stiff can buy a lot of them over the course of a few years.

And guitars look different from one another, so there's an ooh-aah factor. They're painted different colors. And they sound different from one another, enough for even the untrained ear to hear the difference. Thus, a collection of even average guitars wows people.

You can also get out of the game pretty easily. There's a ready market for used guitars, even the cheap ones.

On the other hand, a Selmer Paris series sax is a $20K investment. A Selmer Series II is $30K. A medium quality Yamaha sax is over 5 grand. A really good clarinet from Selmer is 9 grand.

A bunch of saxes or clarinets don't really look all that much different from one another to the average person, even if they sound different. If you want a decent collection, you need significantly more disposable income than the guitar collector to get in the game.

Then there are violins. An inexpensive modern concert quality violin is close to 30 grand. The kind most concert players play is mid-six figures, and of course we all know about the Amatis and Stradavari being seven or eight figure investments. Collecting violins is strictly for very rich people.

Very few people want to collect pianos. They're too big to have a bunch in one room, unless you have a VERY big room!

Excellent points. When I was in music school (late 1980s) I was jealous of guitarists as they could spend far less on gig-worthy instruments than I could. At least without hearing it from all the snobs And there were so many varied and colorful choices. Plus, they were cool. I'd often gaze at them when buying reeds but figured I needed to keep focusing on sax and clarinet.

Oh, I was also jealous guitarists and any non-woodwind players didn't have to deal with reeds.

And it's astounding how little I've seen pianos go for. Even some having trouble giving them away. I do wish descent, affordable digital pianos existed in the 1980s, though, as I at least tinkered at every piano I could get time with.

Speaking of saxes, I started school with a US Selmer Omega (which was stolen after a gig.) I was mainly searching for a used Paris Mark VII or Super Action 80, when I heard about a Mark VI. I went to check it out.

Met an elderly man who had a very impressive collection of saxophones. He said he could no longer play the VI and instead played a vintage Cigar Cutter which was very cool. So I tried out the VI, loved it, and he offered it at a reasonable price, which I accepted. It turned out I was auditioning for it. His wife told me afterwards that he liked my playing. Others had come to look at it, but he didn't think they were good enough to sell to them. I've sometimes imagined doing similar when ready to part with it.

Anyway, here's a partial photo. It's a 1965.

Different guitars sound and/or play differently and offer a greater 'palette' of tones to colour your music with. A Piano or Tenor Sax or Violin for example is its 'sound' but you have different Acoustic guitars for different sounds too - inc Nylon strung or Jumbo vs Parlour size.

With electric, there is so many different shapes, sizes, scale lengths, neck shapes, colours etc to have a wide variety to suit ANY one - All offer something another doesn't and whilst you could play everything with a Les Paul, you may prefer to hear a Strat sound coming out your amp, therefore, you buy a strat too and as you grow, your 'collection' grows, some may 'disappear' too along the way, but you end up with a 'collection' of instruments - especially if you are gigging because you may need quite a few to switch between for different tunings or if something breaks and for any to be in repair shops (refretted/re-crowned, repair, general maintenance etc) whilst you are gigging.

There is always something 'new' on the market for Electric Guitar players - pedals, amps etc all change the tone and it's like an artist wanting a 'large' palette of colours to paint with, Electric Guitarists want a collection of 'Tones' to colour their music with...

Good points. I was thinking more along the lines of people I've known who had multiples of one type of guitar. But I've heard how different even identical looking Strats or Les Pauls can be. Saxophones can be different, too, but not as varied. (Reeds, though. Argh). Probably has to do with organic/inorganic materials. Clarinets are very similarly constructed but can sound vastly different, as can acoustic pianos.

 

[veinbuster]

So many similar points for me. I have over 1000 albums and over 1500 cds. I think my wife will just give away that and all the stereo equipment.

It's the guitars I worry about. Even if I stick around a few more years and my grandson is legit playing and loving guitar... we can't just dump 17 guitars, big tube amps, multiple speaker cabs, 50+ freakin pedals, modelers, and a ROOM full of cables, accessories and stuff, all on my grandson. Heck, he might not even be interested in playing guitar by the time I exit.

I've kind of considered having a specific friend prepared to assist her with all the gear. Someone who knew enough about it to make sure she didn't get taken advantage of, etc. But... how do you choose that friend and if you do now and live 15 years, well, you know... what if they don't last as long as you do.

I mean, we're not talking anything like the amount of guitars/gear some of you have, but it's enough that it needs to be addressed somehow. My wife wouldn't have a clue what to do with all of that stuff.

I thought no it would be easier for a spouse than a child, if only because they will probably stay in the house for some time and can comfortably be more leisurely about it. My wife in particular knew several people with lots of guitar knowledge and would have called on them when the time came to do something - might have been a year or three.

A designated friend can be tricky, for lots of reasons. I’m planning to search out a designated store, which is easier to re-evaluate from time to time without uncomfortable entanglements. The girls will also get contact information for a couple people I know will give them an honest second opinion. Even so, I am actively doing things to make their problems smaller. A friend told me the Swedish have a great word for this process, which I should search out so I can appear smarter and more worldly.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I thought no it would be easier for a spouse than a child, if only because they will probably stay in the house for some time and can comfortably be more leisurely about it. My wife in particular knew several people with lots of guitar knowledge and would have called on them when the time came to do something - might have been a year or three.

A designated friend can be tricky, for lots of reasons. I’m planning to search out a designated store, which is easier to re-evaluate from time to time without uncomfortable entanglements. The girls will also get contact information for a couple people I know will give them an honest second opinion. Even so, I am actively doing things to make their problems smaller. A friend told me the Swedish have a great word for this process, which I should search out so I can appear smarter and more worldly.

Agree. So, as of now, pending when, how long, the grandson and all that, we have a default that my wife will go to a certain local dealer who I've dealt with for years, for assistance. If it was happening soon, I'd start passing out some things here, but I'm hoping it's not that soon.

 

[László]

If it was happening soon, I'd start passing out some things here, but I'm hoping it's not that soon.

If I knew when it was going to happen for me, I'd start passing out.

You know, as in 'losing consciousness'.

It's best that certain things remain unknown.

 

[László]

Since posting this thread, I've stepped back a little and looked at the question from as many sides as I could. I've really enjoyed reading and thinking about all of your responses.

Seems to me that I've reached a working definition.

A ciollection isn't really 'a bunch o' stuff'. That's just, well, a bunch o' stuff.

A collection is a matter of both positive intention, i.e., 'I'm going to collect items that include [insert type of item]', and negative intention, i.e., what I collect isn't going to include [insert items to be excluded]'.

For example, 'I'm going to collect Les Paul and PRS guitars' includes certain guitars, and excludes everything else. "I'm going to collect guitars." includes the set consisting of guitars, but excludes beanstalks. Even magic beanstalks.

In a related way, a collection is a curated thing.

Having a lot of something can be curated, or not curated, but if not curated, you haven't put together a collection. It's just a pile o' stuff.

I have a bunch of rocks in the ground in my back yard. I didn't put them there, but they're in the dirt if you want to dig around. Having that pile of rocks doesn't make me a rock collector.

Never mind that owning the home does make me a rock owner. It ain't a collection, any more than I'm a brick collector by virtue of owning the house, or a shingle collector, or a coffee mug collector, or a tile collector, or a faucet collector, or for that matter, an underwear collector because I have more than one pair of underpants (I havre two pairs and rotate them every other week ).

I could go on. But...nah.

I'll grant you, the dictionary definition probably includes 'pile o' stuff' in 'collection'. I think it shouldn't. Just as a book requires an author (even if some bot wrote it), a real collection requires an individual who sets criteria for the collection.

Using these criteria, I'm not really a guitar collector. I'm a guitar owner who has more than one.

I'm not a microphone collector, I'm a microphone owner who has more than one.

I'm not a cable collector, though I have more than one cable. F#ck, I have a steamer trunk full of studio cables I'm not longer using. Literally. The copper is probably worth more than my house.

Same with guitar straps, guitar cases, string packages, and humidipaks.

There's nothing I intentionally curate or collect. There's nothing wrong with being a collector, but my only conclusion is that I simply don't qualify.

However, at one time I was actually a collector: I wanted to have a collection of Asian pottery. I spent a decent amount acquiring some, including stuff that was a couple of hundred years old. But that went by the wayside long, long ago. Besides, I'm a couple of hundred years old, and I'm not collecting myself. Though I should!!

 

[alantig]

If I knew when it was going to happen for me, I'd start passing out.

You know, as in 'losing consciousness'.

It's best that certain things remain unknown.

A sports news site I subscribe to was talking recently about adding a feature to give users notifications when their subs run out, and they wanted to know what people thought.

I said, "I have a lifetime sub. I don't think I want that notice."

 

[László]

A sports news site I subscribe to was talking recently about adding a feature to give users notifications when their subs run out, and they wanted to know what people thought.

I said, "I have a lifetime sub. I don't think I want that notice."

Speaking of subs, I recently read that the survival rate of Kriegsmarine U-boat crews was only 25% in WW2. 75% were killed. Highest casualty rate of any service, from any country, in WW2.

The survival rate of American crews was 80% and it was STILL the worst attrition rate of any US service.

Avoid subs. Really.

Bomber crews had around a 50% death rate. So also not a great gig. If you go back in time, it's best to avoid serving on bombers.

 

[aphantomvaper]

Since posting this thread, I've stepped back a little and looked at the question from as many sides as I could. I've really enjoyed reading and thinking about all of your responses.

Seems to me that I've reached a working definition.

A ciollection isn't really 'a bunch o' stuff'. That's just, well, a bunch o' stuff.

A collection is a matter of both positive intention, i.e., 'I'm going to collect items that include [insert type of item]', and negative intention, i.e., what I collect isn't going to include [insert items to be excluded]'.

For example, 'I'm going to collect Les Paul and PRS guitars' includes certain guitars, and excludes everything else. "I'm going to collect guitars." includes the set consisting of guitars, but excludes beanstalks. Even magic beanstalks.

In a related way, a collection is a curated thing.

Having a lot of something can be curated, or not curated, but if not curated, you haven't put together a collection. It's just a pile o' stuff.

I have a bunch of rocks in the ground in my back yard. I didn't put them there, but they're in the dirt if you want to dig around. Having that pile of rocks doesn't make me a rock collector.

Never mind that owning the home does make me a rock owner. It ain't a collection, any more than I'm a brick collector by virtue of owning the house, or a shingle collector, or a coffee mug collector, or a tile collector, or a faucet collector, or for that matter, an underwear collector because I have more than one pair of underpants (I havre two pairs and rotate them every other week ).

I could go on. But...nah.

I'll grant you, the dictionary definition probably includes 'pile o' stuff' in 'collection'. I think it shouldn't. Just as a book requires an author (even if some bot wrote it), a real collection requires an individual who sets criteria for the collection.

Using these criteria, I'm not really a guitar collector. I'm a guitar owner who has more than one.

I'm not a microphone collector, I'm a microphone owner who has more than one.

I'm not a cable collector, though I have more than one cable. F#ck, I have a steamer trunk full of studio cables I'm not longer using. Literally. The copper is probably worth more than my house.

Same with guitar straps, guitar cases, string packages, and humidipaks.

There's nothing I intentionally curate or collect. There's nothing wrong with being a collector, but my only conclusion is that I simply don't qualify.

However, at one time I was actually a collector: I wanted to have a collection of Asian pottery. I spent a decent amount acquiring some, including stuff that was a couple of hundred years old. But that went by the wayside long, long ago. Besides, I'm a couple of hundred years old, and I'm not collecting myself. Though I should!!

I cannot believe you've never taken a moment to collect yourself, Les.

 

[Greywolf]

to answer that question what is it about X? that makes you want to collect them ... For me it started as the typical hero worship of wanting one like whatever Artist . After aquiring the basics ( Les Paul Custom/Strat/ Tele/ SG/335) it became more about construction style, aesthetic beauty and TONE .

Today I buy instruments that for me I can't refuse, those special finds you know you'll kick yourself for not being a steward if only for a while. There's still a few on my bucket list ... mostly out of reach ...unless I hit the Lotto .. like this one