Ways of justifying a new guitar purchase?

Hattigol

Just been lucky enough to splash some cash on a NGD. As ever, it took some internal wrangling before I pushed the button and went for it. I'm guessing that most people have the same thought process:

Do I need it?
Can I justify it?
Can I cope with the financial hit?

The argument that usually persuades my conscience that it's alright is the one that if you buy at the right price, you're not actually 'spending' any money at all. What I mean is that if you buy a guitar which you know you will be able to sell on at that price, there's an argument for saying that you haven't actually spent any money at all - you have just shifted your assets. In accounting terms, you have debited your cash account and credited your guitar account - but you still have the same overall net worth and you can always liquidise your assets if you need to by selling the guitar.

There. I've convinced myself again.

Anyone else got any ideas on justifying purchases?

Flanging_Fred

Do I need it?  No
Can I justify it? No
Can I cope with the financial hit? Probably not
Is the Mrs going to use my gentleman's veg as a necklace if I get another guitar? Definitely
Does it look cool? YES

= NGD

TTony

Hattigol said:

Anyone else got any ideas on justifying purchases?

Don't.

JerkMoans

Well the price is so good that I’d be foolish not to, and I flipped those pedals and my amp so in fact it works out practically free, or at least cost-neutral.

rossyamaha

Simple formula is this. 

Q. Do I have one in my collection?
A 1. No so it’s justified. 
A 2. Yes but need a spare so it’s justified. 

robinbowes

Q: Do I want it?
A: Yes

Ker-ching.

amarok1971

just get it, you might get run over tomorrow 

jellyroll

Is it an incy wincy bit different from the guitars you already have? Then, you NEED it!

jellyroll

PS. It's debit guitar, credit cash, not the other way round....

Roysterdoyster

Everyone knows the equation for new guitars.  N+1

*N equals the number of guitars you already have!

This equation can be applied at any time

paulnb57

If I can afford it, I do it, simple.......life is not a rehearsal....

richardhomer

paulnb57 said:

If I can afford it, I do it, simple.......life is not a rehearsal....

I agree with this. I have a friend who owns about a dozen guitars - he’s not a great player - but loves guitars and can afford them.

Money’s been tight for me for a number of years but if something I want can be bought without getting into debt - or causing an avoidable hardship - I don’t think you should deprive yourself.

My only other ‘rule’ is ‘buy used’ wherever possible....

NelsonP

Hattigol said:

you have debited your cash account and credited your guitar account

There you go. It's simply an investment, and one that you can enjoy at that. Otherwise the cash would just be sitting in the bank gathering dust.

One last question you should probably ask:
Do I have space to store it?

AlexC

I’m not in a position to buy guitars at present, but those I do have I own for a simple reason... Do they offer something different? Pickup combination. Look. Feel. Overall sound. For me a different neck profile, hard tail or vibrato, etc make me adjust my playing style. That’s how I justify it.

Corvus

1 - It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.
2 - Keep doing it and the other half gets used to it. Wear 'em down eventually.
3 - Learn from the Thatcher tactic - push for something, then settle for something less, which is what you really wanted anyway

Corvus

I'm being flippant (?) new stuff is funded by selling or trading, something goes to make cash & space. I mostly have to want something or fancy a different style or sound, though have bought things on a whim before (a Jazzmaster and a motorbike once when she went out for the night).

Hattigol

Corvus said:

I'm being flippant (?) new stuff is funded by selling or trading, something goes to make cash & space. I mostly have to want something or fancy a different style or sound, though have bought things on a whim before (a Jazzmaster and a motorbike once when she went out for the night).

The Jazzmaster and the motorbike on the same night? Hell of a night if so!

JerkMoans

Alternatively: “Just LOOK at it...”

hotpickups

amarok1971 said:

just get it, you might get run over tomorrow 

Totally agree. Without getting too morbid  etc I've seemed to have survived most of my immediate family and I ain't that old either. So I've come to the conclusion that life is too short. I don't buy carelessly but after much consideration and research I may buy stuff I perhaps shouldn't or can't comfortably afford but nothing too drasticly expensive. I guess it's all relative anyway. 

I'm about to take a huge plunge for me in getting a guitar built for me but it's something I've always wanted but hadn't been sure in what I wanted etc. In terms of justifying it to the Mrs/partner just forget it unless they are a guitarist also otherwise they'll never understand. As long as it doesn't leave you enough for the mortgage or food for the family etc

Corvus

Hattigol said:

Corvus said:

I'm being flippant (?) new stuff is funded by selling or trading, something goes to make cash & space. I mostly have to want something or fancy a different style or sound, though have bought things on a whim before (a Jazzmaster and a motorbike once when she went out for the night).

The Jazzmaster and the motorbike on the same night? Hell of a night if so!

No, spread those out - admirable restraint eh

Bigsby

Hattigol said:

The argument that usually persuades my conscience that it's alright is the one that if you buy at the right price, you're not actually 'spending' any money at all. 

I've used that one a lot. Even buying new (at clearance prices), and when I've ended up selling, I've usually done so for a tiny profit, which just makes it even easier to convince yourself the next time.

However, there is a 'downside'. I now have a collection of guitars that I really don't want to sell - in those cases that cash has really been converted into a long term guitar asset. The guitar account is filling up, and the cash account is looking severely depleted.