Selling guitar ‘collection’ to acquire a smaller number of great ones

Richardrichard

Has anyone ever done this? 

I’ve amassed a collection of around 10 guitars, none of which I have ever spent more than £1k on (most of them much less), and have probably had 10 others over the years that have been moved on. I have a hard time letting go of guitars, despite the fact that I don’t gig or do anything other than noodle around in the house. I have a couple in the garage that haven’t been out of their cases in years that I keep just because they have a bit of personal history, e.g the Epi LP I used to go to the music shop and deposit my pocket money at for 6 months until I could bring her home.

whilst I like them all in their own way, I think what I really want is a smaller collection (3-4) of truly great guitars and ideally with no sentimental attachment so I won’t feel bad about trading then to eventually land at my perfect stable. Of course, I might sell (most) everything and regret it!

so to the original question, anyone done this?

Iamnobody

I’m in the process of doing this - have sold 4 guitars so far and have a few left to go. I built up a collection if you like by trading up and it’s been fun but the playing side had definitely been neglected.

I’m not even a great player and I just don’t need so many guitars. Someone else posted something recently and I really related to the turn of phrase - choice paralysis. Ok it’s probably not quite that bad but I related to it anyway.

I’d rather have less guitars that get played regularly are kept in great playable order with new strings and setups when needed rather than a load of guitars sat there doing nowt.

DrCornelius

Yup, typically 2 or 3 times a year :-)

If the process were a computer program it would be

10 I think ' A Tele and a LP s all I need'
20 Sell everything else.
30 Buy a semi as everyone needs one of those - usually a Gretsch. 
40 MikeS has something gorgeous for sale cheap so I buy that.
50 I listen to John Mayer and buy a Strat
60 I remember how nice my Musicman Albert Lee was so buy another one on here
70 Goto 10

sweepy

More importantly; what guitars are you going to buy ?

BlueStrat

Fewer but better guitars would beat lots of cheap guitars 

CountryDave

Yup, For years (due to kids/finances etc) I had two guitars that did every gig. A Squier Strat and a PRS Custom, both bought 2nd hand, the PRS was part funded by money I got for my 21st and shit loads of overtime. As the kids got older and started working/paying their way, and me playing lots of gigs I had a bit of spare cash so bought a guitar or two (or three).
I found that after an initial buzz about the new arrival I was picking up the same guitars for most gigs. Until I got a damn good telecaster (52ri) that took the place of the PRS.
Long story short, I kept the PRS for another ten years, hardly playing it until I bit the bullet and let it go. I also sold off a few more guitars and have ended up with 4 that I love.
The only thing I will say is don’t let price/reputation overrule your thoughts on what is ‘best’. 

The 52ri is still no1, but the others that have stuck around are a Japanese Paisley tele, a Mexican Roadworn strat and a PRS SE Zach Myers. All are very well built, play fantastic and sound great. Over the last 10 years I’ve been through numerous USA strats and Teles, a couple of USA PRS Customs and as great as they were, the stuff I have got more play time, so stuck around.

Hattigol

Great idea. My aim ultimately is to have 'just' the following:

Strat
Tele
Jazzmaster
Les Paul
345

Realistically, and mad GASsing aside, what more would you need? Or what more would others give you that those don't?

DB1

My current mantra is 'one jazzer', one vintage, one solid body, one acoustic, one thinline'.

That's OK as far as it goes - bought a little vintage one at the weekend, and a jazzer will be going. Sorted. I was going to relist my Little Sister Private Build as it doesn't fall into those categories particularly. Then I played it for a bit and have invented an 'electric parlour guitar' category.

I bought an ES-335 the other week - I also have a Lucille. That was easy, I wanted another 335, so the Lucille could go. Then I played the Lucille and it's totally different to the 335 and very lovely. Then I though, 'right the 335 can go'.  Then I played the 335 and I'm thinking that I need another category - 'thinline with no f holes'.

However, I have also found a category for myself that coincidentally also begins with 'f'.

GoldenEraGuitars

“Her”... well, you can’t sell that one surely?

Hattigol

DB1 said:

My current mantra is 'one jazzer', one vintage, one solid body, one acoustic, one thinline'.

That's OK as far as it goes - bought a little vintage one at the weekend, and a jazzer will be going. Sorted. I was going to relist my Little Sister Privater Build as it doesn't fall into those categories particularly. Then I played it for a bit and have invented an 'electric parlour guitar' category.

I bought an ES-335 the other week - I also have a Lucille. That was easy, I wanted another 335, so the Lucille could go. Then I played the Lucille and it's totally different to the 335 and very lovely. Then I though, 'right the 335 can go'.  Then I played the 335 and I'm thinking that I need another category - 'thinline with no f holes'.

However, I have also found a category for myself that coincidentally also begins with 'f'.

Brilliant!

Gassage

I did this a year or so ago.

Wholly cathartic.

I am left with the poverty levels of

1959 Strat

1966 Tele

The Peter Green LP

Swiss (real) Blade

1973 Thinlne

Double cut Special.

All of them play like gods, all of them have newish strings, all of them I know.

DrCornelius

Gassage said:

I did this a year or so ago.

Wholly cathartic.

I am left with the poverty levels of

1959 Strat

1966 Tele

The Peter Green LP

Swiss (real) Blade

1973 Thinlne

Double cut Special.

All of them play like gods, all of them have newish strings, all of them I know.

I feel for you man - not sure if I'd be able to cope with such a modest collection !

Richardrichard

sweepy said:

More importantly; what guitars are you going to buy ?

See my other thread, I don’t really know!

I’ve come full circle on preferences it seems, and I believe what I really like is super strats so I’m currently looking at Tom Anderson and Suhr. I like versatile pickup configurations so HH with a split, I don’t like overly thick necks, I feel a bit lost without a trem and I like fancy figured tops. Seems superstrat/ PRS to me??

TINMAN82

4-5 “great” guitars trumps 10+ mediocre ones, yes.

However if you already have the great ones in your core collection, then nothing wrong with adding a few peripheral extras if space and finances allow....slide guitar, something with a locking trem, beater acoustic etc.

munckee

Gassage said:

I did this a year or so ago.

Wholly cathartic.

I am left with the poverty levels of

1959 Strat

1966 Tele

The Peter Green LP

Swiss (real) Blade

1973 Thinlne

Double cut Special.

All of them play like gods, all of them have newish strings, all of them I know.

We ought to have a whip round really. 

Richardrichard

GoldenEraGuitars said:

“Her”... well, you can’t sell that one surely?

That one actually I don’t like, but can’t bring myself to sell it as it’s an interesting thing to pass on to my kids one day. Of course they’ll shrug and go back to their x box or whatever and I’ll feel like a mug.

Hattigol

Gassage said:

I did this a year or so ago.

Wholly cathartic.

I am left with the poverty levels of

1959 Strat

1966 Tele

The Peter Green LP

Swiss (real) Blade

1973 Thinlne

Double cut Special.

All of them play like gods, all of them have newish strings, all of them I know.

'The' Peter Green LP??

mgaw

just get a great one

Richardrichard

munckee said:

Gassage said:

I did this a year or so ago.

Wholly cathartic.

I am left with the poverty levels of

1959 Strat

1966 Tele

The Peter Green LP

Swiss (real) Blade

1973 Thinlne

Double cut Special.

All of them play like gods, all of them have newish strings, all of them I know.

We ought to have a whip round really. 

 Not sure how one copes with such a modest collection!

clarkefan

I'm very attracted to the idea of limiting the gear I have so I have to explore and push the limits of what I've got.

Not saying I couldn't cut more, but having a clearout, not necessarily to reinvest in more stuff, has been almost a relief.  I definitely focus more on playing.

Keefy

I haven’t intentionally set out to do this, but a couple of times I have brought a new guitar home, looked at what was in my rack, and realised I could now move on two existing guitars.