Justifying multiple guitars

LastMantra

I don't have many guitars because I can't afford it, plus I'd feel a bit daft having loads and only noodling at home. 
I do have two electrics because I wanted a bit of variety when recording but haven't really recorded anything for ages. 

stratman3142

Just my electric guitars - in order of purchase.

Squier Strat: Because I saw Alan Murphy using one.

Strat Plus: Because I saw Jeff Beck using one

HSS American Standard Strat: Needed a Strat with a bridge humbucker. My main gigging guitar and the most versatile.

Traveler guitar: Needed for holidays. Fits in a suitcase.

PRS S2 Custom 24: Wanted a dual humbucker guitar. Good to have one guitar with 24 frets. My spare guitar for gigging.

Les Paul Standard: Because Paul Kossoff was my first guitar hero.

Telecaster Professional: Got it with some of my retirement money. I'd reached that age.

nick79

I like having them. That’s enough justification for me.  

Universal8

Hattigol said:

Friends of mine think I'm an idiot for spending say £2,500 on a secondhand guitar. Those same people will spend £10,000 on a fortnight in Disney.

At the end of the day, I've got a guitar worth £2,500. They've got some photos and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.

And a lifetime of memories of a family holiday 

nacnudnai

Though I am the millionth person to say this now, I don't see a need to justify multiple guitars much like I don't need to justify having multiple clothes, multiple pans in the kitchen, multiple consoles, multiple tools or anything else. Buy what you like, sell what you don't - just stick within your means and don't get into debt over it.

Roland

Justification: I’m learning about guitars, which means I have to try out lots of different features. One approach is to buy and sell guitars. My preference is to make and modify. I’ve been modifying guitars for 50 years.

Want to know what a steel base plate does? Make and fit one. Want to know about neck profile? Out with the cabinet scraper. The neck on my current main squeeze was scraped down whilst strung up, so that I could play and feel the difference as I worked on it.

stratman3142

Having a range of guitars from a nylon strung acoustic, high action heavy gauge steel strung acoustic, various electrics and at least one a bass makes it easier to feel comfortable picking up any old guitar.

Trude

I guess I must be some kind of outlier then, because I always feel uneasy owning guitars or amps that I don't have a clear and justified use for.  This limits my overall numbers, but it means I've been through quite a bit of chopping and changing over the years as my micro-analysis of my gigging/recording needs has tweaked the lineup.

In terms of electrics I have three that are my Stones tribute "uniform" (as Keef I have a LP Black Beauty, 72 Tele Custom with Variax innards and a Guild M75).  Then I have one "other" that I take out for non-stones gigs.  This one tends to change from time to time as I search for the ultimate do-everything guitar.  That's about it these days.  I've tried owning another LP on multiple occasions but I always end up moving them on as it just seems silly to have one alongside the Black Beauty.

Two other important motivations for keeping the numbers to a minimum - insurance cost and setup/maintenance cost.  I wouldn't want to "run" 15 electric guitars in the same way I wouldn't want more than one estate car and one runaround in the family!

Pedals are a bit different due to their smaller footprint (in terms of both space and cost) so I worry less about having loads hanging around doing nothing.  

Trude

Oh, acoustics, basses and "others" (dobro, nylon, mandolin, harmonicas, banjos, drums, keyboards etc) are obviously a completely separate topic, but within each category I have a similar urge to only own what I need

PhilKing

A long time ago, I decided that I'd like to try to get all the guitars I wanted when I was younger, or had had and sold.  That was part of my justification, the rest is just that I like guitars.  Fortunately, my wife is very easy going with this.  When I was having racks built in our old house, I had about 80 guitars, so she told me that I should make space for 100, as I would buy more.  Of course I had to fill that racks then!

TheOtherDennis

Because the formula for happiness is H=N+1, where H is happiness and N is the number of guitars you currently own.

TheOtherDennis

octatonic said:

Honey badger don't give a fuck....

As someone else said before, another one I wish I could lol and wiz at the same time.

thegummy

Hattigol said:

Friends of mine think I'm an idiot for spending say £2,500 on a secondhand guitar. Those same people will spend £10,000 on a fortnight in Disney.

I've came across that strangeness before a few times where someone who does spend plenty on their own unnecessary purchases purely for fun but then express disbelief when others spend the same amount on something that person doesn't personally want.

Used to know someone who would spend ridiculous money on house music vinyl every week but then scrimp to the extreme about everything else, e.g. saying that anyone who pays for a takeaway curry is mad when it's cheaper to get one out of the supermarket lol

At the end of the day, I've got a guitar worth £2,500. They've got some photos and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.

Just mentioning this for the sake of interest but psychological studies have found that generally, spending money on doing things rather than spending it on acquiring things gives people more long term happiness.

ewal

Different tunings and I built 3 of them and refinished another. No-one else would want them.

dindude

Strat = home
Suhr Alt T = articulate
Les Paul Special = fat
FGN Odyssey = fun

DrJazzTap

I'm fortunate enough to have a very understanding partner. So long as I have enough money to pay my share of the bills, then all is good. 

I'm not a member of a golf course or gym.

I don't own any super expensive watches, bicycles, clothes or drive a super flash car. 

I've been playing for nearly twenty six years. I've spent a small fortune on stomp boxes and have only had 16 guitar's in that length of time. Four of those were over £1000. I've currently got six , one doesn't really count as it's a £20 piece of junk.....I do have a rather special unexpected NGD coming though.

Cranky

Electric:

SSS Strat because I need one like every other guitar player does
P90 Tele, was a gift, use to have HBs but it's been modified to look very 1970s, a keeper
SS Tele, because (see Strat)
SS Jaguar, because surf and grunge and 24" scale
P90 John Lennon Casino, because 24.75" scale, it sounds amazing, hollow body, my daughter loves The Beatles and sometimes I find myself sad about John and spinning *Plastic Ono Band* for prolonged stretches.

Acoustic:

Guild D40 Traditional, because solid wood, mahogany, extremely nice, great for country and blues
D'Angelico Excel Bowery, because solid wood, rosewood, electronics, 25" scale, Venetian cutaway, very nice for rock guitar and fingerpicking
Vintage Yamaha FG-340, my birth year and open F tuning
Vintage Yamaha FG-180, because Elliott Smith, open G tuning 

Neil

Hattigol said:

Friends of mine think I'm an idiot for spending say £2,500 on a secondhand guitar. Those same people will spend £10,000 on a fortnight in Disney.

At the end of the day, I've got a guitar worth £2,500. They've got some photos and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.

Or you could look at it that the money paid for a family holiday time where they were all together and will remember forever versus one person's purchase of an object purely for themselves. 

SpiritOfTheAge

If I start thinking of which ones to let go I enter a maze of confusion, so I let it be.

 

LastMantra

I think people want guitars that look right for certain styles as much as anything. 
I mean you can play pretty much any style on any guitar.