ShortScale.org

So I was thinking about the guitars I own and trying to justify owning them all to my sister in law who obviously knows nothing about guitars or the difference between them. Anyway, I've always said that I play all of my guitars depending on how I feel, though recently this might not be so true any more.

I have 4 guitars that at the moment I almost play equally, and usually a week doesn't pass without playing each of these 4. They are:

- Custom made Les Paul - this is my no. 1 guitar - made entirely to my specs and sounds massive.
- CIJ Jag w/ P90s - still has that Jag sound to it, but with the P90s and the series/parallel mod can sound really fat.
- CIJ '68 Strat - For those times when only a strat will do.
- Ibanez ORM-1 - my newest guitar, so still in the honeymoon period a little, but it's a good guitar and get a biting rock tone from the rail pickup.

Of the rest there are some that I play occasionally:

- Legend Les Paul copy - my first guitar. Don't think I can get rid of it for sentimental reasons and the fact my parents bought it for me. It went for years without being touched but a couple of years ago I changed the pickups and even used it on most of the recording I did with the band last time out.
- Fender Jagstang - essentially I retired it from gigging for fear of having it stolen or damaged. It has great sentimental value, it having been my main or only gigging guitar for about 8 years. Still the best neck I have ever played. I will never sell it. Doesn't come out of it's case much...though really should play it more.
- Yamaha APX10L - electro-acoustic - I mostly play electric, but everyone needs an acoustic and this has seen plenty of use at open mic nights over the years.

And finally some that I just don't play:
- 1962 Fender Duo Sonic - the only time I have bought something as an investment. Recently have contemplated selling it, as it being right handed, just doesn't get played at all by me. Initially I had a go on it regularly, but there's really a limit to what I can do on an upside down guitar. Want to keep it and sell it for loads of money in the future haha, but also could get something I actually use instead.
- Noho Mercury - I like the idea of it - there's only one in the world (lefty) and it was built for me. However, I've never really got on with the pickups and it sounds pretty weak. The neck profile is a bit flat and not that comfortable to me. I guess no-one would buy it for anything much at all so I'll keep it and see about upgrading it one day.
- Cort Bass - I played bass in a band for a short time a few years ago and got this. I haven't really played it since, but I always think that it could come in handy. It's not worth much so probably not worth getting rid of it until I desperately need the space.

So do you have guitars you don't play? And if so, why do you still have them?

It's a shame about that Duo, Thom. The only one I have that I don't play at all is the Jag-Stang, that's in its case under my bed. I don't play it 'cause I'm not terribly fond of it, but don't want to get rid of it as it was a gift and it's in pristine condition and have some misguided idea that it'll be worth loads one day, though I still doubt I'd sell it. Stupid sentiment. I hate having to justify having more than one guitar to people who don't understand anything about them, "you can't play them all at once!"

Any guitar that I don't touch over a month period, I tend to put in the classifieds.

So far have shedded a Gibson Les Paul, A Teisco mustang, a fender duo reissue, a jagmaster, and most recently an eastwood hi-flyer.

The Telecaster definitely gets played a lot less than the Jagmaster, I often don't touch it for several months. It's always useful if I just fancy playing something single-coil though. I dunno if these count but I have two ukuleles (an electric and an acoustic) which I used to play all the time but now barely ever. The SX acoustic and Tanglewood bass get played whenever I need an acoustic or a bass really, so they're useful for doing demos and stuff.

My CIJ Jaguar but thats only because it was needing a setup. Its being sorted out now. So hopefully it'll be my main guitar again = D

Was contemplating selling it a good couple times, but couldn't because of the sentimental value.

- Custom made Les Paul - this is my no. 1 guitar - made entirely to my specs and sounds massive

I need to see photos of this sir.

I currently only have 1 guitar that I play. I have an acoustic that has a cracked bridge but works fine in baritone tuning. But I only ever play that when I just leave my stuff at my drummer's house. I wish I had more guitars to neglect. Because i wouldn't id play them all. Looking into getting a jazzmaster next.

i go through periods where i'll use both guitars or just one at a time.
sometimes it's only my strat, other's it only my jaguar, or both.
i need a new acoustic to fuck around with, i love the sound of an acoustic guitar...
anymore, it's been more about amps with me, i like and want guitars still, but i'm more into tone and shit.
if anything i'd sell my strat to fund a univox hi flyer, or a hallmark mosrite, these day's i'm more into mosrite then fender.
i'd never sell my jaguar, fuck i've tried to fund better stuff, but then i'll sit down with it, and not want to sell it anymore.
and plus, my dad helped me buy it, and that also keeps me from selling it.

To answer your question it's "no".

When I get bored of a guitar I sell it on. Sometimes I regret this.

I had a really great Gibson SG that I sold on too cheap at teh time I needed the cash... and I sold on the guitar my Dad bought me. It was a Gibson Explorer with a Kahler bridge... it was made for he 1980s metal market, and he bought it in a pawnshop in the early 90s for $300. I was all into Nirvana and grunge so that guitar was "uncool" at the time but I was a young pup and I didn't know shit.

I only ever play one guitar at a time. Got a bunch of Hagstroms, a '69 Jag, AV Jazzmaster, Tele, Electrical TB-500-alike, but I've used a Musima Elgita for the past six months or so.

nwordjim wrote:

- Custom made Les Paul - this is my no. 1 guitar - made entirely to my specs and sounds massive

I need to see photos of this sir.

Sure - thread is here: http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22415

I've only got 3.

An oldish Fender San Miguel Acoustic with 6-in-line headstock
Squier Vista Jag
Squier Protone Strat

I've got an ancient, heavily modified Hofner 182 Shortscale bass that used to be my dads. My bass-playing pal's usually got it though.

It looks like this but Black, with a different knob-plate, scrathplate and a squinty humbucker in the middle:

I used to be able to justify owning each of my guitars. At one point I had six, and played them all. But these days, I'm more about utility rather than looks...so there are only two I really ever play. The one that sees the most use is an Ibanez RGA121. The Prestige necks feel just plain perfect in my hands...call it blasphemy if you will, but I don't think I will ever go back to playing a standard Fender style neck. I like it so much that I want to get another. I do quite like the Carvin neck on my Strat, though...that's the other guitar I play when I want a Strat sound. So...I have a Tele, an Ibanez Roadstar II, and a Vester super strat just mucking about. I plan on selling the Vester and the Tele, but the Roadstar has too much sentimental value, and I wouldn't get any money for it anyway.

yes, too many, unfortunately. but i tend to emotionally bond with that stuff, shit. so i have 2 or 3 MIJ strats around somewhere, each one with its story. my dad's old SG custom i "inherited", and then some...

Pat.

i have 3 (electric) guitars currently:
- greco les paul - main guitar
- fender jaguar - for sale
- squier telecaster - on loan to a friend

i'm not opposed to collecting and certainly would if i had the cash, but lately i've found myself selling off all the guitars i'm not in love with. which have mostly been vintage shortscale fenders. (oh no!)

BobArsecake wrote: "you can't play them all at once!"

My friend has used that line numerous times on me. "You just don't understand!" haha..

I use all 4 of my electrics regularly. Just comes down to what kinda tone I'm trying to get at; if the one I'm playing isn't cutting it I'll switch to the next. This doesn't mean I always end up playing the same guitar in the end though, it changes from day to day.

Only have/need one acoustic being that acoustics generally all have similar tones and I think it really comes down to getting one that feels good.

Jag

Cheap Acoustic

All I need.

i never ever play my framus. it's a shame, it looks amazing but i just don't get on with it. must get round to selling it...

when i was going through my gear shedding phase a few months back i realised the only two guitars i'll ever need and will never sell are my duo II and coronado. having said that, i kept my compstang because a) it's in really nice condition and i thought it'd be a good 'nest egg', and b) it looks cool as fuck. i've also been playing it more recently, and it's been my backup guitar at the past few gigs.

BobArsecake wrote:The only one I have that I don't play at all is the Jag-Stang, that's in its case under my bed. I don't play it 'cause I'm not terribly fond of it, but don't want to get rid of it as it was a gift and it's in pristine condition and have some misguided idea that it'll be worth loads one day, though I still doubt I'd sell it. Stupid sentiment. I hate having to justify having more than one guitar to people who don't understand anything about them, "you can't play them all at once!"

All this applies for me too. JS is the only one I don't play, for all those exact reasons.

The last time someone told me I had too many guitars he was rather erroneously informed that he had "too many moms".

Thom wrote:

nwordjim wrote:

- Custom made Les Paul - this is my no. 1 guitar - made entirely to my specs and sounds massive

I need to see photos of this sir.

Sure - thread is here: http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22415

Now that’s a nice guitar, you sir are a lucky bastard...