Gear minimalism as a thought process...

[Jaguar018]

At this point I have gear that does have sentimental attachment. What I have tried to do is reduce that to the bare minimum. If that hypothetical worst-case scenario happens I could get rid of 80% of my stuff. I could easily go down to one electric, one acoustic, an amp and a few pedals. [And if my house burns to the ground I would probably replace everything with that more minimal setup]

The rest of the stuff is just a bunch of stuff that sits around. Every so often, like a specialized tool that you just need for a certain job, you reach for that guitar or pedal that gives you the sound you need and you totally appreciate having that piece of gear. When you have the luxury of space and a decent income it is really easy to live this way.

[Daitong II]

I recently got back into playing after a few years of not picking up a guitar. I kinda went crazy on getting stuff I've always wanted, mostly in the parts guitar variety, although I did pick up a Gibson j-45 as well. I was always a telecaster kind of guy but I've fully transitioned over to offsets. My recent Jaguar build has me over the moon. I don't think anything tops that in my arsenal at the moment. If I had to purge them all, that's the one I'd keep.

I am pretty limited in how much I get though as I share a one bedroom apartment in NYC with my wife. Only so much room to put stuff. Hopefully we upgrade very soon, but I'm thinking of unloading a Japanese '81 Epiphone Riviera and my VO telecaster custom to make space for other crap coming.

[luau]

When you have the luxury of space and a decent income it is really easy to live this way.

Exactly this. Guitars make me happy, I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford things I like, have space to store them, and soon I'll be dead. It's not any more complicated than that. It's the short story and the long story. When one or more of those things change then I'll make adjustments that reflect that reality.

[sal paradise]

I’ve the too many jackpot… 9 guitars and 2 basses is too many.



1 x ‘91 Les Paul
1 x AVRI 52 Telecaster
1 x MIJ Mustang
1 x Tele Deluxe parts build
1 x ‘76 Strat
1 x ‘73 Strat
1 x squier cv Tele
1 x squier JM XII
1 x Martin 000-15M

1 x ‘76 Precision
1 x Squier jazz bass

1x JCM 800 2205
1x 65 PRRI
1 x cab

2 x pedalboard
+ Other pedals

[marqueemoon]

I actually sold a guitar yesterday! My bandmate bought it to give to his 10 year old niece for her birthday.

I think a lot of my problem with letting stuff go is the transaction feels icky.

I’m also planning to get a few things repaired this year and deal with some annoying setup-related issues that are bugging me about a few guitars I have that I otherwise really like.

I don’t need more guitar crap. I just need what I have to be stuff I’m excited about, and the more gear I have the more I can put things off.

[seenoevil II]

I love how this thread is evergreen.

The Burning Building Scenario

I have a ton of guitars still, even though I tend only to play three of them. However, if my house were on fire (or more realistically there was a tornado warning) and I could only grab one guitar from the group, I have no idea what I would grab.

Kind of illustrates the subtle difference between abundant minimalism and enforced minimalism.

The following dialog would play out in my head as the tornado bore down upon my neighborhood:

I love my Guild Mark I classical, and it's very special to me for a number of reasons, but it's only worth less than $350 (it's in rough but playable shape) and classicals can't do it all.

If I go by pure value, then it's my Es-335 I should save. But, that's not even my favorite Gibson, let alone electric, let alone guitar (god I'm spoiled now). Although the potential for versatility of an Es-335 is enormous.

Ok, so grab the Firebird. Hmm, yes, ok. Amongst a collection of guitars that covers all the major bases, grab the most exotic and niche instrument that's also the most temperamental and fragile (it can't even be leaned against an amp). Plus the case is bigger than a bass's.

Longest owned guitar?
The cheap, broken Squier Strat.
Most sentimental?
The worthless and dysfunctional Squier Tele.
The most played?
My similarly worthless Jazzmaster or Yamaha acoustic.
Best one instrument to have in many contexts?
Why that's a good dreadnought acoustic and my Guild D-25 (once I finish repairing it) would be great. Except it's far from the most valuable, and I struggle to play my compositions on tough steel strung acoustics.
Then, a big electric jazz box would be best as it can project enough acoustically to get by and be plugged in at other times.
Again, not worth very much and also kind of niche.

As I danced back and forth on my tip toes, wiggling my fingers rapidly in agitated indecision saying " I don't know, I don't know, I don't know," the cyclone would uproot my house and I along with my guitarsenal would be flung into the air. We will have become truly inseparable after all. Quite literally as a mingled mass of rosewood, phosfphor-bronze and viscera.

[windmill]

I love how this thread is evergreen.

The Burning Building Scenario

As I danced back and forth on my tip toes, wiggling my fingers rapidly in agitated indecision saying " I don't know, I don't know, I don't know," the cyclone would uproot my house and I along with my guitarsenal would be flung into the air. We will have become truly inseparable after all. Quite literally as a mingled mass of rosewood, phosfphor-bronze and viscera.

I know which one I would grab, but...

Also know the order of the next few and I would burn while trying to juggle 3-4 guitars.

[JSett]

Just about to list another guitar which should take me down to 5 electrics, a bass and an acoustic. That's about the lowest I can go now as all of the remainder have definite jobs

Inca JM - my forever guitar
BMM Tele - my main gigging guitar
Guild S-60 - backup gigging guitar
Ric 360 - solo stuff guitar
56 LPC - for the joy of owning it
*

Acoustic - obvious reasons
Jag Bass - gotta have one lying around really

Pedals im actually down to about 25-30 now, which has been a long-term chip away over the last 2 years. Amps I'm making a dent in:

Balls 50 - gigging amp
Victory V30 - backup gigging amp
VibroChamp - home amp
Ad-5 - recording amps
Cube 40 - solo stuff amp

Fluff: Cube 60 bass, DIY Modulus amps thing that's been in the attic since I finished it. I sold my HRD and an Orange Super Crush. And I found a silverface twin in the garage ( ) I forgot about. That went quick and easy to a friend with a stronger back than me.

*the astute among you might notice what's missing here and might be able to work out what will be up for sale today/tomorrow

[zhivago]

I've resumed my guitar selling after a brief pause...three-four more will go over the coming months.

I put the first one on ebay a couple of days ago, once that goes I'll move on with the rest.