Selling guitars to do grown-up things hurts [poll added!]

[JamesSGBrown]

Telecaster, Les Paul, one other. That’s the lie that I live by.

Recently sold 2 of 5 guitars that I really don’t need. Fortuitous tax bills meant that I got away with being a bit spendy & not needing the cash back straight away. All that’s happened is I’ve got loads of guitars sitting cases & no motivation to just sit on them for 10 years waiting for the price to increase.

The great part about the selling plan is the last few months I’ve bought untold amounts of pedals & at least 2 amps. So now I’m selling guitars to pay back the debt from those

To be fair, the crux of the issue here is do I keep a Jag AND a JM, or is it either/or (and if so, which of either)?

The Marr Jag, Tele, and one of the LPs would give me all I "need"... but it ain't ever that simple!

Yeah given I sold a bass then immediately bought a Hydrasynth as a 'consolation prize' last week, the temptation to go "oh I guess I can afford one of those Chase Bliss pedals now" is strong, and I have often defeated the entire point of selling in the past! My cross-addiction extends to synths, microphones, plug-ins- I'm a hopeless case!

[cestlamort]

It sucks to have to sell (or even feel like you have to sell) things you enjoy.
It’s also really fun to hunt and build up a collection of guitars and amps (and effects).

I voted to keep the Marr Jaguar (there’s a reason you’ve had it for years) and the 58 JM for the milestone.

For the rest of the guitars, maybe select them on their own merits. For example, the silver burst LP is rare but that has to do with how many others are out there, not anything in itself. The JM with wrhb is a cool sound and look. The AV jag sounds great. But I’d guess that although both the Marr and jm get close to a LP sound, it’s not the same thing.

You could also pretend that you’re moving abroad and can only bring 1-2 guitars. What would make the cut?

For me at least, it was almost more enjoyable to accumulate the guitars than to have them in a collection (7 total) and some of them honestly haven’t been played in a (long) while so are more important as ideas than as actual guitars (or tools). I find that I’ll buy a guitar to explore a sound or feel, and either return it quickly or keep it, even if I eventually move on to something else. In that case, it can go away if needed.

My current anti-collector philosophy: If you end up finding that you need that guitar again in the future, it’s for the sound or playability. Not for its rarity. (The good qualities can be rare though).

[JamesSGBrown]

Yeah you're right of course- you can't hear a colour, and keeping the most expensive one in my collection simply because of the finish is a bit indulgent.

I'm surprised to see the Tele leading the poll- it's just a run-of-the-mill Custom Tele in 3TSB, there's loads of them about! It is so well-worn though, it plays like an old shoe feels to wear! Again- annoying because although I can easily get another Tele, this one is special for reasons that can't be easily found in any other I've played (and we've had 3 come through the shop in the last 4 months!).

[JSett]

Yeah you're right of course- you can't hear a colour, and keeping the most expensive one in my collection simply because of the finish is a bit indulgent.

I'm surprised to see the Tele leading the poll- it's just a run-of-the-mill Custom Tele in 3TSB, there's loads of them about! It is so well-worn though, it plays like an old shoe feels to wear! Again- annoying because although I can easily get another Tele, this one is special for reasons that can't be easily found in any other I've played (and we've had 3 come through the shop in the last 4 months!).

One thing I've learnt about Teles, through making the mistake before, is that once you find one that really works for you, just fucking keep it. It'll be a loyal friend. I sold my first AO60s Tele and had instant regret...so glad I tracked down another.

And it's going nowhere.

FWIW I voted for Firemist JM, Tele and T-Top as that covers most things in my opinion. Jags are great, but they're not particularly flexible compared to the others (yes, I know they are on their own, but comparatively, no)

[zhivago]

One thing I've learnt about Teles, through making the mistake before, is that once you find one that really works for you, just fucking keep it.

Truth. ^^^^

[sal paradise]

One thing I've learnt about Teles, through making the mistake before, is that once you find one that really works for you, just fucking keep it.

Truth. ^^^^

Quoted for more truth.

And treble truth for anyone who has a Tele with binding

My cross-addiction extends to synths, microphones, plug-ins- I'm a hopeless case!

I feel your pain: my vinyl collection is ever growing & my hifi tastes are getting scarily expensive.

[JSett]

And treble truth for anyone who has a Tele with binding

It's the best look but, god DAMN, is it tough on the forearm

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

AV65 Jag and JM because out of production and great instruments! and either of the Tokai LPs (I voted for the one with P90s)

If you keep a Strat then JM and Tele would all share the same scale lenght… therefore Jaguar so that you have a little bit of everything (scale wise).

Having to sell equipment always sucks. I had to last year to be able to afford my mere existence/rent and food.

[JamesSGBrown]

And treble truth for anyone who has a Tele with binding

It's the best look but, god DAMN, is it tough on the forearm

I got used to it from playing Les Pauls for a few years. This one is killer though. I don't know what was in the poly in the 80's/early 90's MIJ finishes but they age a lot more like nitro in my experience. The neck is just so smooth.

AV65 Jag and JM because out of production and great instruments! and either of the Tokai LPs (I voted for the one with P90s)

If you keep a Strat then JM and Tele would all share the same scale lenght… therefore Jaguar so that you have a little bit of everything (scale wise).

Having to sell equipment always sucks. I had to last year to be able to afford my mere existence/rent and food.

Yeah, the AV65 Jag is almost better than the Marr in every way, but I've written so many songs on the Marr and whenever it comes out in the studio it seems to bring a clarity no other guitars have. But my dream Jag was always the D&B of the '65 so I really don't wanna let that one go either... so I may end up being Jimmy 2 Jags...

The hard thing about this is... I genuinely don't want any other guitars (besides a nice acoustic). This is a small collection I've curated and it's pretty much the best iteration of everything I've ever wanted. So they all feel irreplaceable in that sense. It's not like these can go but I can lick my wounds by getting other stuff I fancy- this is the stuff I want to keep forever!

[zhivago]

One thing to keep in mind is, that no matter what you downsize to, (provided you are not 100 years old), you will probably end up getting more cool guitars down the road.


I think of my rig like a sculpture...every purchase/flip is like getting the sculpture smoother and more detailed...everything is always in some sort of state of flux.

[sunburster]

Keep the AV65 Jag and AV65 Jazzmaster. Then keep one other one you really like (I'd pick the Marr Jag), and sell the rest. That's what I would do. Actually, that's pretty much what I did (kept an AV65 Jag, Marr Jag, and a Jazzmaster -- sold off everything else).

[OffYourFace]

I picked the AV65 Jag, the Silver JM and the Goldtop Les Paul. Idk which les paul you prefer so i just picked the one that i'd keep.

[marqueemoon]

I voted Tele, 58RI JM, and Marrguar.

P90 Les Paul if I get another pick.

[Unicorn Warrior]

I did not know Tokai made nitro instruments

Tell me more about these

[JamesSGBrown]

I did not know Tokai made nitro instruments

Tell me more about these

The shop I moonlight in is a dealer, these are the ‘lacquer’ series, so maybe not nitro but not poly as thought of typically? Catalysed? Either way-both beat the living shit out of any Gibsons I’ve played. Proper specs, aside from not fret nibs (fine by me- just another thing that Gibson fucks up the QC on)