Are You Into Guitars Or Guitar Playing?

AlexC

I’m not throwing down a gauntlet or being sarcastic, but - if you were honest with yourself, are you really into guitars (and associated gear) or is the genuine pleasure from playing?
’Both’ would be obvious answer, of course. 
I marvel at some of the kit and instruments for sale put up on this forum. All my guitars are inexpensive mid range. My amp didn’t cost much. My pedal ‘board’ is probably worth about £200. This is what I have. This is what I use. I’ll happily play any guitar as long as it’s playable and stays in tune. Never bothered about neck profiles or pick-up output. I’ll happily fiddle with an amp until I get the sounds I want.
I do have a ‘collectors mentality’ - but for me it’s for books, films and music. (Which is cheaper than musical instruments, of course).
Be interested to read your comments and thoughts.

Philly_Q

Guitars.

I also have a collectors's mentality, be it CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, books, guitar magazines... everything has to be complete.  Unlike what you've said, I do have some quite expensive guitars and I am very into neck profiles, weight, playability, parts and components... I don't think of my guitars as a collection but I do have a lot of them.  They just growed.

Playing?  I've never gigged, hardly ever played with anyone else.  I would love to be a great player - or, more importantly, good enough to actually enjoy it - but it doesn't come naturally to me.  And I've never worked hard enough at it.  I don't dislike playing guitar, but it's a source of frustration more than pleasure.

Fuengi

I took it up as a hobby. I was also determined to have musical instruments around the house for my sons as I never grew up with them.

Being that I work from home, alone in a dedicated office building it also gave me some down time from drawing (architecture) which I find invaluable, especially as I can't chat to a colleague.

Playing v collecting.... everything I buy is to improve my sound but I must admit that I love buying and selling pedals. Fortunately I can afford to buy a couple each month these days. 

Playing isn't the be all and end all, but I really enjoy learning, especially theory. Having said that of all the guys I know who started late (after 40) I'm the most dedicated and have progressed the most. 

Roland

Both, but I’m not a collector. I’m interested in the way a guitar works, and the things you change to get different sounds and playability. It’s also my instrument of choice for making music.

Lestratcaster

Guitar playing primarily I'd say. I'm slowly getting into like pickups and woods etc but I'd rather just concentrate on the playing side at the moment.

martin8708

I get pleasure from owning a fine instrument , be it a bass guitar or electric guitar or acoustic guitar . Part of that pleasure is that they sound so much better and are easier to play than their budget counterparts .
My most expensive instrument is a classical guitar , which I play only to myself ( and sometimes the cat ) . I actually find this more satisfying that playing bass in a Pub band to a dis-interested boozed up crowd .
Some people spend a fortune on a picture to hang on the wall , others on 4 wheels and a souped up engine , I'm happy to spend my money appreciating and supporting the art of the Luthier .

stickyfiddle

Both for me. I love playing guitar, but I also love the ins and outs of the instrument itself.

Brize

Both for me as well, although I get a bigger buzz out of playing the guitar than acquiring them.

Sporky

Designing. I like it more than building, which I like more than playing.

They're all good though.

chillidoggy

My slant has changed from playing and buying everything in sight, to not playing anything like so much, and buying nothing at all. That said, I would be seriously tempted by a gun-metal grey Flying V Custom, even though the chances of me gigging with it are very small these days. I’ve just grown weary of humping gear, setting up, breaking it down, dealing with drummers, late band members, etc, etc.

spark240

I just like owing them....but I do play them all at some point, I tend to use the same few in general though.

Fretwired

Both. I do play, I do have guitars I don't play these days and logic tells me I should sell them and let someone else use them but I end up keeping them. I have plenty of guitar porn books as well.

My name's Fretwired and I have GAS ... :-)

TheBigDipper

Playing. I own more than one guitar, but I don't collect guitars as 'collectible items' - if that makes sense. 

Nikc

Playing - I've got the equipment that I need and now I just enjoy playing it - GAS come and went quickly for me

SidNewton

I've been playing for a shade over 30 years. I own one guitar. I'll leave you to come to your own conclusion.....

richardhomer

Both. I hardly buy anything now - partially due to a lack of spare cash - partly because I’m playing more and enjoying getting as much as I can from the equipment I already have. That said, I’m hardly ‘roughing it’ - I own some very nice guitars - they are the best I can/could afford. I’m a geek when it comes to the details and history of guitars - but that interest has grown out of being a player first and foremost.

I’m not a schooled player - but I’ve always taken it very seriously. When I played at tFB Huddersfield jam recently, I was dreading hearing the recording as I didn’t think I played well on the day. Why that should matter was purely a matter of personal pride - it’s not like I have a reputation which exists outside of me - I might need some therapy....

Garthy

Guitars for me. Love playing but love the actual instrument more. I spent three hours in an Aladdin's cave of LPs last year with a similar gear junkie just looking at about 20 different examples but we only played 5 between us for about an hour.

daveww

Both,  I'd love more guitars if only I had more money.  I keep them all out on hangers with straps fitted though so they all get played.  If I didn't play one I wouldn't keep it.

ESBlonde

It's really about the songs. I have a thing about tone and having mixed for years my ear is quite tuned in. Having gear was a big passion, the more knobs the better so mixers and racks of processing were great. Now I have half a dozen guitars, the pedal boArd is fairly static and I'm not seeking any more amps.

octatonic

I'm mostly in it for the playing.
I've had my years of gear-sluttery but I haven't bought a new guitar in a few years.

thumpingrug

I started as I wanted to learn to play and play well,  For the first 10-12 years I had 2 guitars, a squire  strat and an acoustic, i then realised i was never going to be as good as i hoped but reached a stage where I had a few bob and started buying on ebay and suddenly I had a small collection.  An uncle popped his clogs and left us a couple of grand so i bought a proper fender and a JTV69 and I suppose i then became a hoarder of mediocre gear.