When to Let Go/to Keep?

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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edwardskim
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When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by edwardskim » Fri May 18, 2018 8:52 pm

I, very much like many of you on here have an issue with holding onto guitars.

"I'm not gonna sell this one. I got a good deal on it, it's an awesome guitar, and I've always wanted one!"

*Sees __x__ guitar*

"Shit..."

"Well, if I sell this one I can buy this other guitar and have money for a better amp...etc"

At what friggin point can we stop this internal reasoning and keep buying/selling?
Or should we even stop?

I've acquired a guitar I thought I wouldn't own till I had a big boy job with kids. An ES-355 in Cherry w/Bigsby. Johnny Marr is the reason why I picked up the guitar.

I have a Guitar Mill Sherwood Green Jag body and just bought a Marr neck. Looking to put Marr pickups in there and try and be happy with it. For the record I've had every color Johnny Marr Jag including the Sherwood and like an idiot I sold it (see intro monologue).

Anyone else with me here?

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marqueemoon
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by marqueemoon » Fri May 18, 2018 9:04 pm

Buy the guitars you want when you're young and have nothing better to spend your money on.

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UlricvonCatalyst
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Fri May 18, 2018 11:28 pm

Either nibble away at bits for a PartsMarrguar or just save up and wait for one to come up at the right price. As Marq says, no time like the present if you're relatively commitment-free.

Watch out, though, or you'll end up with too many guitars....like me!

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stevejamsecono
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sun May 20, 2018 6:47 pm

I guess as long as it's not causing you problems, get whatever you want? I mean you're on a guitar forum so obviously we're all gonna be enablers here.

I will say this that generally when I'm busiest playing/writing music is when I'm worrying less about what I have/if I'm making purchases they are to solve immediate problems. I generally lapse more into "Oh I need this" when stuff is less busy and I'm starting to worry about it.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

Resident Yamaha Fanboy

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edwardskim
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by edwardskim » Sun May 20, 2018 9:53 pm

stevejamsecono wrote:
Sun May 20, 2018 6:47 pm
I guess as long as it's not causing you problems, get whatever you want? I mean you're on a guitar forum so obviously we're all gonna be enablers here.

I will say this that generally when I'm busiest playing/writing music is when I'm worrying less about what I have/if I'm making purchases they are to solve immediate problems. I generally lapse more into "Oh I need this" when stuff is less busy and I'm starting to worry about it.

Really interesting last bit. I’ve been really “empty” on the music front in the last 8 months or so. Nothing going on projects wise or even self recording. Actually with Marr coming out with a new record I’ll be busy learning all the new songs. I reckon this’ll hold me off for a long time again.

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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by stevejamsecono » Mon May 21, 2018 4:14 am

It's a good thing to just keep in check for yourself. For the majority of guitar history most people had a hard time finding stuff so the "tone quest" was more of just making use of the best thing you could find and developing your style around the idiosyncrasies of that. Having the cornucopia available is great for sure, but I also think people sometimes don't develop their own voice on the instrument or figure out their own needs before they start amassing a collection.

Case in point is my own relationship with the Yamaha SG. I lusted after one for years because of my fandom for players like John McGeoch and Stuart Adamson. It took me about a decade to finally find one and plunk the money down on it. Before this had happened I had gotten a Yamaha Studio Lord (Les Paul Custom copy) and had truly fallen in love with it after playing it for a year or so at gigs and on my last record. The SG was definitely a well made instrument and it looked awesome but what I ultimately found was that the body shape and weight didn't really fit me the way my Studio Lord did, so after an initial excitement it ended up getting neglected a lot until I finally sold it when I needed to buy an amplifier. I don't regret that I got to have one, but at the same time my desire to have one wasn't based in anything real so it ultimately didn't satisfy.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

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cmd2kx
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by cmd2kx » Mon May 21, 2018 4:27 am

marqueemoon wrote:
Fri May 18, 2018 9:04 pm
Buy the guitars you want when you're young and have nothing better to spend your money on.
Best advice ever!! HAHA :w00t:

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Embenny
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Embenny » Mon May 21, 2018 6:53 am

We all buy guitars for different reasons. Sometimes it's an instrument that does things musically your others can't (e.g. an acoustic 12-string when you don't have one already). Sometimes it's because you play it and it connects with you and inspires you. Maybe it's a vintage piece and you have a collection. Sometimes it's just because it was pretty, or on sale, or built by a company you wanted to support.

All those reasons are ok. As long as it doesn't cause financial hardship or relationship strain, it's more or less an academic exercise. Do whatever makes you happy.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Jaguar018
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Jaguar018 » Tue May 22, 2018 9:04 am

I have found that I have made up all kinds of dumb reasons that sort of sound sensible-- but often times they are fake. I buy stuff to fill this void in my life that is never actually going to be filled by some material purchase. I don't think it's 'bad' necessarily, but a lot of us are kind of fooling ourselves. I do this all the time.

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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Embenny » Tue May 22, 2018 9:10 am

Jaguar018 wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 9:04 am
I have found that I have made up all kinds of dumb reasons that sort of sound sensible-- but often times they are fake. I buy stuff to fill this void in my life that is never actually going to be filled by some material purchase. I don't think it's 'bad' necessarily, but a lot of us are kind of fooling ourselves. I do this all the time.
You're wrong, just plain wrong. I'm one noise-canceling vintage-output Telecaster away from true happiness, I tell ya.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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aliendawg
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by aliendawg » Tue May 22, 2018 9:48 am

Jaguar018 wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 9:04 am
I buy stuff to fill this void in my life that is never actually going to be filled by some material purchase.
I'm not sure about that until I get every piece of gear I dream of. I just to see if any of them with fill the void. Maybe the Jag I bought didn't, but I can't be sure about the '59 Jazzmaster unless I purchase it lol
"With the resurgence of offsets it seems like we're also seeing a resurgence of people who don't know what to do with them" - 601210

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Larry Mal
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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Larry Mal » Tue May 22, 2018 10:25 am

Music is kind of my, I don't know, hobby? I've been professional and semi-professional at it as well. I have studied music theory and composition and have a BA in audio production, and I've also studied on my own and in one on one settings. Music is what I do, when I can.

I will probably never make my living at it at this point, but there's nothing else that I love in life nearly as much outside of my children. I have a lot of interests but I've been learning, writing, making, dreaming and scheming about music literally every day of my entire life. I don't know what else would fill that void.

So I buy my guitars and software and microphones and I record music. From time to time I get a project going. I have the new thing that music is something I can share with my kids, so I'll teach them what I know about it and let them have access to the instruments, get them new ones, I'll build a small recording studio in my house (when I have a house) and I'll use that and they can also.

Like I say, I don't have any idea what else I would do with myself. I have a challenging, fun, and rewarding job that I learn at all the time, and I am undertaking a degree and once I'm done with that I'll keep on learning other things that can help me in my job. Learning things is what I do and what I am all about.

But at the end of the day, what I really love the most is music. And maybe the next new guitar isn't going to change my life or anything, but man, it's exciting to open that box, isn't it? And when you get a guitar that just, you know, does it for you, there's nothing better than that is there?

I got a J-45 the other day and I was like, oh, yeah, I should have been here years ago. This is it for me right here. This is going to inspire me to create something.

How would I have known that if I didn't get one?
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by aliendawg » Tue May 22, 2018 10:46 am

I couldn't agree more, Larry! At the end of the day we have to do what we really love, right? I like what I study, for example... And I'll probably enjoy working with it in the future, but most of the money I get will always end up on my hobby/true love which is music.

I think not everyone is lucky enough to work and make money off of what they truly love. Not everyone can be in a famous band, be a racer or a professional sports player. So people who love it will find other ways to enjoy it.

No one should feel guilty for buying stuff that makes them happy and inspired, whether it is a guitar or a car or anything else for that matter. Hell I don't even believe in complete happiness in this life but what's wrong in trying to get at least a glimpse of it?
"With the resurgence of offsets it seems like we're also seeing a resurgence of people who don't know what to do with them" - 601210

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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Embenny » Tue May 22, 2018 11:06 am

My last post was tongue-in-cheek, of course, but I'm with Larry. Music is my biggest passion outside of family. 4 years ago I bought a ukulele on a lark after seeing the dude from Train playing one on "Hey Soul Sister". Then I diversified into baritone, tenor, and bass ukes. Next thing you know I'm proposing to my wife in the form of a ukulele song I wrote, and I'm performing it at a Michael Keale show in Kauai. The next week, I'm sitting in on a gig of his, and meeting his (incredible) wife, being invited to stay with them the next time we visit the island. Played another song for my wife on uke at my wedding, despite it being the fretted instrument I've played for the fewest years out of all of them.

All of that because I saw a Fender logo on a uke on a frigging YouTube video and said, "damn, I want one of those."

Gear is more than gear when you use it to make music.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: When to Let Go/to Keep?

Post by Larry Mal » Tue May 22, 2018 11:29 am

I don't have a story that cool, but had I not learned how to play the drums when I was young, and spent time drumming in bands that didn't go anywhere, I would not be able to share my love of drumming with my little Big Guy.

Image

But I did, so I can do that. We'll need to get a drum kit pretty soon, he really likes music. He can tell you every instrument in an orchestra, whether they are a woodwind or what, he actually makes fun of me because one day I said the saxophone was a brass instrument but it of course is a woodwind. He thinks it's pretty silly that I would not know that, and we laugh about it.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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