How do they do it?!

[Frank McNerney]

WC Fields said. - "Women are like Elephants; I like to look at them but I wouldn't want to own one"

i SORTA feel that way about guitars. - in that I hate changing strings, messing with action or intonation, etc.

On the other hand I do want one of everything. - what I need is a shop with guitars to rent - never gonna happen but I'd pay pretty good to have a SSH to play with for a few weeks, or a 594 HB, or a Vela, Mira, yada. yada yada

PS. Please no cracks about wanting to do more than look

 

[Moondog Wily]

At last count I had 13 guitars (if you count basses, otherwise 11). I play my 594 HBII 95% of the time (other choices that get played are Martin J-40, PRS PS CU24 and PRS CU24 in that order of frequency) but will never part with the others for sentimental and other reasons. Once set up, I rarely have to make any major adjustments. When it comes to string changes, I usually play them till one breaks (which is rare) or I am going to be recording for a track. Even then, I don't automatically change for a recording, but if strings are a couple months old or more, I will put some fresh ones on and give them a day of playing to break them in before recording. Can't imagine changing strings on all of them on any heavy rotation! Good luck resisting another guitar!!!

 

[gemyneye]

WC Fields said. - "Women are like Elephants; I like to look at them but I wouldn't want to own one"

i SORTA feel that way about guitars. - in that I hate changing strings, messing with action or intonation, etc.

On the other hand I do want one of everything. - what I need is a shop with guitars to rent - never gonna happen but I'd pay pretty good to have a SSH to play with for a few weeks, or a 594 HB, or a Vela, Mira, yada. yada yada

PS. Please no cracks about wanting to do more than look

That’s a good idea, but I think you’re right, I don’t know if guitar rental would happen. Which is weird, because you can rent other instruments. Maybe a new business venture?

 

[gemyneye]

At last count I had 13 guitars (if you count basses, otherwise 11). I play my 594 HBII 95% of the time (other choices that get played are Martin J-40, PRS PS CU24 and PRS CU24 in that order of frequency) but will never part with the others for sentimental and other reasons. Once set up, I rarely have to make any major adjustments. When it comes to string changes, I usually play them till one breaks (which is rare) or I am going to be recording for a track. Even then, I don't automatically change for a recording, but if strings are a couple months old or more, I will put some fresh ones on and give them a day of playing to break them in before recording. Can't imagine changing strings on all of them on any heavy rotation! Good luck resisting another guitar!!!

Resisting another guitar… lol … I was just admiring a headless Kiesel. But I just pulled out a different guitar than what I was playing and that curbed the urge.

 

[TLVA]

Ok, so my collection is now complete. The Santana finished it. (Yes for real this time and I love every one of my guitars). And I can't help but wonder how people with many guitars do it! I have 11 plus and acoustic. If I play a different one ever day, obviously it will take me 12 days to get them all in. I suppose I could change out multiples in one day. But on top of that, if I do maintenance and setups, it takes me all day to get them all done. Now that may be because I am setting them up now to the way "I" like them and the string gauges plus regular maintenance. I will say I am so glad I learned to do my own setups last year! The money I'm saving, I could buy another guitar next year! (hahaha, nope no more guitars, maybe start learning about pedals and amps??). So, any way I don't know how people with like 20+ guitars go through all their guitars and maintain them!

Do you play any alternate tunings?

I keep my Noventa Tele in Open G and my CMG Ashlee in Open G (sans the high e).

My 594HBII and Tele Thinline stay in standard tuning.

I play all 4 of those every day.

I also have an Aerodyne strat with Wolfetone pups but i don’t really pick it up much these days.

 

[11top]

 

[ScottR]

There is a fifth demention, that which is not known to man…

 

[gemyneye]

Do you play any alternate tunings?

I keep my Noventa Tele in Open G and my CMG Ashlee in Open G (sans the high e).

My 594HBII and Tele Thinline stay in standard tuning.

I play all 4 of those every day.

I also have an Aerodyne strat with Wolfetone pups but i don’t really pick it up much these days.

I'm still trying to get normal tuning down and I want to be extremely fluent in it. So, it may be a while before I work with alternate tunings.

 

[shinksma]

I have what I would have thought at one time to be an impossibly large number of guitars, yet I want more. Still looking for a Westie, an SC-J, maybe an earlier ME. A Fiore might be cool. I have a ME V on order.

Yet...over the last few weeks/months my main guitars, played probably 95% of my playing time, have been my SC HBII and my core Angelus, plus a mandolin. Because we're currently recording out next album, so I practice and record on what I want to use, and the SC HB II is nailing all my desired guitar tones right now.

Normally for an album I will use 4 or 5 different electrics, maybe a 305 or other SC axe for a certain sound, and my Reclaimed SH Vela for a certain other twang, etc. But not this time around.

So all my other guitars look forlornly and in jealousy at the SC HB II as I walk out to drive to my bandmates (where they have home studio).

My wife's other basses probably do the same to the GG-4 she takes to the studio sessions.

So...yeah, it's a tricky thing - when do you decide the herd needs culling? "I know I haven't played it in months, but I think the DiMeola Prism might be what I want to use on the next recording, or practice, or gig!"

 

[AP515]

I have about as many as the rest of you. More than some, way less than others. It isn't about the number. It is about your level of enjoyment from them. As long as you have the expendable income and want what the next one offers, go for it. I have guitars I haven't played in a couple years. My life is upside down right now with a home improvement project that is all consuming. But when I do pull out an old friend, I remember why I love it. Same with the amps. As long as they give you something you wanted, the number in the closet is immaterial.

 

[MarcWink]

I have a slightly more modest collection of 8 fiddles, and pretty routinely play several in a given set when I gig. Each guitar has a specific tuning and set of songs that it gets used for. As an example, for a typical bar gig, I'll have two guitars, one in Drop C# and one in Db standard. When I'm playing at home, which guitar I grab is dictated by what tuning the guitar is in.

 

[Rhythmisking]

I feel like I have too many. I do have a rule that any guitar that hasn't been played in a year should go, and so far the only one that meets that criteria is a funky old electric 12 that gets a pass because it's there 'just in case' (it plays and sounds awesome though). I think there's 28 or so...seems like 10-12 would be better, but I can't seem to do it.

 

[strat63]

I've found that downsizing can be quite a challenge. I have guitars that I don't play a lot but I still hold on to them just in case. Guitar maintenance ends up being a good stress reliever for me so having extra guitars sitting around is not the end of the world though.