What's the shortest & longest time you've owned a guitar?

[Artist]

Stay out of guitar shops. Don't browse ebay or the for sale threads on forums. Stay off of Craig's list.

Great post from LS, but that line is the best piece of advice you can get. ^^

I can go years and years without buying a single piece of music equipment. As soon as I start looking at threads or eBay a severe GAS urge kicks in. I start acquiring and trading guitars, parts, some which I never end up installing, reading forums all the time and to the point where I am only thinking about this all day. My spending ability usually is higher each round, so I end up replacing everything for higher end stuff.

I am getting way better at controlling it, specially by getting honest accepting that at this point my actual playing ability is not at the level of the high end equipment I own. (<This is specially true after seeing CR and all the artitst play at ExperiencePRS :adore: ) Now it is not the equipment hindering my progress. Everytime I see something I want I remind myself that another guitar won't make me play better and what I need is to practice and practice.

May sound silly but it also helps a lot to watch those Financial advising shows like Suze Orman's to bring myself down to earth and realize the effect all this has on my finances and rethink my priorities. Seriously... watch one of those episodes and you will start getting the guilt trip. Then I have started to straighten out all my debts, savings, etc.

Try to stay off all of those and even this forum for a while.

 

[slang05]

Great Advice Artist. I was on ebay just a few minutes ago! It's weird, because I love my new CE, makes me another one! I think I'll get off the internet for awhile and do some recording!

 

[László]

You're like yoda! lol.

Ha! That's because I'm older than Yoda!

Hang around the universe long enough, and you pick up on a few ideas...

Human civilization, being what it is, makes lunatics of all of us to a greater or lesser degree, and I assure you that I am among the inmates in this asylum.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I did really well for about ten years, I only played my silly skateboard guitars on stage and my CE24 and a LP classic for the studio and non-kitsch gigs, then last year I got a SE Tremonti in a trade, kept it for a week and traded it for my SE "O". I'm really trying to get down to only two guitars (not including nylon) but after selling my Tele a few weeks ago, I can't help but feeling there is a gap in my quiver that can only be filled by an EG. or maybe a 305. or perhaps another CE..... Damn, it's starting again.

 

[Egads]

I keep waiting to hear MA Pete's record...

Up until a few years ago, the only way I could afford a new guitar was to trade up. I've held on to a Godin Protoype LGX since the mid to late '90s.

I had a satin orange SC 250 for about a year. Between the hot pickups, the weight, and amp I was playing, I just couldn't make it work for the music we were playing. I want it back, now, but not at the expense of something I currently own.

I also really want my 1st year Chet Atkins SST back, damn it.

 

[aristotle]

I've never gotten rid of a guitar, so technically speaking, the shortest amount of time that I've owned one is the amount of time since my most recent purchase.

I still ask the question here that I've asked before in these sorts of threads. Although I don't "flip", I see nothing wrong with somebody who does it multiple times a month. If they're flipping used stuff anyway, are they really loosing money on it? I wouldn't imagine that they are, and even if so, probably not that much. I doubt that flippers ever really think that they're doing it to improve their tone or skill, or whatever. They just like doing it. Sort of like trading cards or high end watches or whatever.

 

[clcwarlock]

The longest is 28 years, My 84 Warlock Nagoya, a Chrstmas gift from my late grandfather. The shortest was probably around 6 months. I need time to evaluate a guitar to see if I really like it although some I kind of know sooner than later. For the longest time I did not buy any guitars that were expensive and I seemed to always have problems with tuning and intonation to the point that I didnt really like to play. I learned guitar originally by playing with cassette tapes(Wearing Them out) by ear and over the years I have become sensitive to tuning in guitars. PRS changed all that for me because I dont think about that much anymore I just play.

 

[11top]

The shortest may be this ME Quatro. I actually really liked this guitar, but I got it as part of a trade, and I needed to turn something.

The longest?
I bought both of these new in 1976 (36 years), and I still have both:

 

[tiboy]

I don't recall the shortest, but I still have an Ibenez acoustic purchased new in 1980- 32 years and counting. Probably has not been played in 30 years.

 

[Artist]

Although I don't "flip", I see nothing wrong with somebody who does it multiple times a month. If they're flipping used stuff anyway, are they really loosing money on it? I wouldn't imagine that they are, and even if so, probably not that much. I doubt that flippers ever really think that they're doing it to improve their tone or skill, or whatever. They just like doing it. Sort of like trading cards or high end watches or whatever.

I also see nothing wrong with frequent gear aquisition/trading, but when you max out all your credit cards, as Slang mentions, and your GAS is still going to the point that you can only trade to keep the aquisitons then I see it as something more serious. If it starts to affect your personal life, finances, relationship it is something to watch.

 

[veinbuster]

I still own the first guitar I bought myself in about 1974.
The shortest I've owned one is the one I designed with my wife in April and picked up from Brent a few months ago.
I shortest time I owned one that is no longer in possession is a classical I passed on to my daughter after 20 years.

 

[slang05]

I also see nothing wrong with frequent gear aquisition/trading, but when you max out all your credit cards, as Slang mentions, and your GAS is still going to the point that you can only trade to keep the aquisitons then I see it as something more serious. If it starts to affect your personal life, finances, relationship it is something to watch.

You know, I'd like to think it hasn't affected my personal life..But it has to some degree. I mean, my wife and I have a great relationship. We are the couple that everyone hates because we are so loving..but I know at times it gets old to her and bothers her. Again, it's minor. She's great about the whole thing. But I guess that's why I'm trying to get it in check now..I don't want it to be a major issue with us. I don't know if it ever could be...probably not, but why risk it? Funny thing is, I kept guitars for years and years before this outbreak!

I do however buy guitars and flip them to make a few bucks..I enjoy that! I have bought 3 or 4 American Strats off craigslist for $250-$300 just to sell. I don't lie to people or mislead them, I don't low-ball people either..But sometimes someone will post an ad with a strat for $300 with no picture or barely any description. After a few emails you learn its been under their bed for 10 years and its american made and rarely played and they just want to get rid of it. I had one guy that I told him if he had it restrung and cleaned up he could get 5 or $600 for and he said he didn't want to mess with it..Ok, I'll mess with it!

 

[BostonGuitar]

Longest: '95 McCarty (owned from 1995-2001 and again from 2007-2008)
Shortest 2008 DGT Goldtop with moons (Now owned by Todd as the travelling goldtop Original PRS Factory Relic) 2008-2008

 

[Rick]

The longest would be my Gibson. I have a '79 Paul that's been mine since ' 83 .
The shortest would be my 408 , but only 'cause I just got it 2 weeks ago.
I had an Ibanez 540 back in the 80's that I got rid of after about a month because I hated the neck
A good friend of mine loved it so I gave it to him as a gift
He tried to sell it to me a few years later , lol

 

[prsrocker1988]

Longest - 2003 Gibson SG bought new (the guitar I learned on, my first guitar)
Shortest - crappy Tele copy (had it less than a month)

 

[wilerty]

The shortest was a PRS SCT IRW that I had for about eight months. It was too heavy for me at about 9.5 pounds.

The longest was a Fender Strat Plus I had from 1988 to 2006. It was my only guitar for the first 16 years. It also weighed about 9.5 pounds ... but I was younger.

 

[Egads]

The longest?
I bought both of these new in 1976 (36 years), and I still have both:

'76 was a good year for you!

 

[iahawk36]

The longest?
I bought both of these new in 1976 (36 years), and I still have both:

Hey! That's the year BEFORE I was born!! He, he, he....

 

[JMintzer]

Hey! That's the year BEFORE I was born!! He, he, he....

Get off my lawn!

 

[11top]

'76 was a good year for you!

Understatement! I married the love of my life that year, and she's the best person I've ever known. I overachieved in 1976! :star:


And Andy.............bite me.