Thoughts on downsizing collection?

[Johnny Burrito]

I’m getting older, I’m playing less and less, and I’ve thought about downsizing my collection (about ten guitars of various styles) and maybe replacing them with two more expensive, nicer guitars instead. Has anyone done anything like this? Did you regret it?

[SignoftheDragon]

I just sold about half of my collection to obtain one of the Holy Grail guitars of my youth.

1000% worth it.

But- then all the guitars I sold ended up paying for the Grail Geet, plus a bunch more $$...

So I bought more guitars with the extra.

Started at 14 total, Down to 6, now back up to 12.

I've told myself I'm just buying/selling through a few to try them out- and so far that has been the case, But now I kind of like most of the new ones...

[Singlebladepickup]

Quality over quantity, always.

[smjenkins]

Quality over quantity, always.

This. So much this.

[HarlowTheFish]

Figure out what tones you actually use, see if there's anything you can get/mod that'll give you more than one of those, and go from there. Quality over quantity is important, but don't get rid of stuff you actually use either.

[CROSS_guitars]

I'm intending on trading my Squier Jags and Jazzmaster's for a couple of legit Fender one's.

[rank]

I tend to trade a few lesser guitars for a nicer one so I prefer to think of it more as upgrading than downsizing.

[Mechanical Birds]

I just sold about half of my collection to obtain one of the Holy Grail guitars of my youth.

1000% worth it.

But- then all the guitars I sold ended up paying for the Grail Geet, plus a bunch more $$...

So I bought more guitars with the extra.

Started at 14 total, Down to 6, now back up to 12.

I've told myself I'm just buying/selling through a few to try them out- and so far that has been the case, But now I kind of like most of the new ones...

Well, DID HE CUM?!?!

What’s the grail guitar?

[redchapterjubilee]

I've thought recently about doing what you are thinking of. But would I rather have one Custom Shop or vintage Jazzmaster versus 3 AVRI '62s, 1 AV65, 1 MIM Classic 60s, and a Squier CV that all have different pickups in them? I think for me going CS or vintage would be a slight improvement and I would lose the breadth of tones having a bunch of different pickup styles affords me. So in my case I'm standing pat unless I get a stupid amazing deal on something that I can't not do.

[burpgun]

I'm mostly a bass player and the lesson I keep needing to learn more than 30 years into this hobby is that at the end of the day, all I really need is one bass with a P style pickup with flats, and one P style bass with rounds, and I'm covered for 99% of anything I need to do. My bass collection has oscillated over the years and has moved outside the lines I just laid out. Hell, I just got a Jack Casady bass as a treat for hitting 50. My eye continues to wander but I'm trying to remind myself that getting that any new basses won't change anything for me when I make music. It will just add a distraction and give me another variable to think about when I'd be better off without it.

[SignoftheDragon]

I just sold about half of my collection to obtain one of the Holy Grail guitars of my youth.

1000% worth it.

But- then all the guitars I sold ended up paying for the Grail Geet, plus a bunch more $$...

So I bought more guitars with the extra.

Started at 14 total, Down to 6, now back up to 12.

I've told myself I'm just buying/selling through a few to try them out- and so far that has been the case, But now I kind of like most of the new ones...

Well, DID HE CUM?!?!

What’s the grail guitar?

Grail guitar thread- started as an 'impossible dream guitar' thread a decade ago, but here it is now: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=63398

Here's my selling thread - most sold on eBay, but a few have stayed in the OSG fam. Still a couple guitars on the block, and a couple more to make it on there soon:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=117944

[CaptainCrunch]

I think both are true.

I’d rather one great ”Gibson”, “Fender”, hollowbody, P-90 guitar, and bass than one of everything Squier makes...

But I’d also rather have one of everything Squier makes than one Custom Shop Strat.

Quality is better than quality, sure, but I am also not a good enough guitar player to get every sound I’d ever want out of one guitar. Heck, most of my guitars could easily be one-and-done for a better player. But a variety of sounds and feels leads me in different directions that I probably wouldn’t find on my own.

[shoule79]

I just sold about half of my collection to obtain one of the Holy Grail guitars of my youth.

1000% worth it.

But- then all the guitars I sold ended up paying for the Grail Geet, plus a bunch more $$...

So I bought more guitars with the extra.

Started at 14 total, Down to 6, now back up to 12.

I've told myself I'm just buying/selling through a few to try them out- and so far that has been the case, But now I kind of like most of the new ones...

Well, DID HE CUM?!?!

What’s the grail guitar?

Jesus Christ, man! There's just some things you don't talk about in public!

[shoule79]

I downsized a number of years ago, expecting to go down from 6 electrics to a JM, tele and LP. I had a mix of MIA/MIM/MIJ guitars, new and vintage.

At my best I got down to 4. I'm currently sitting at 7. At least that includes a JM, tele and LP (plus a Jag, SG and a couple Danelectos )

[Nevets]

I did some downsizing a few years ago. I tried to get down to five electrics, a Jazzmaster, Strat, Tele, Jag and a 12 string. In the end I couldn't part with my 60's Classic Lacquer JM so I have two Jazzmasters. Then I got another Strat. So, 7 electrics. While I love the "idea" of having one be all end all guitar like Doug Martsch, I can't decide between JM's and Strats, and I love having a telecaster and Jaguar in there. So a bit of variety over one or two really nice guitars is what suits me.