Do your guitars earn their keep?

[mirrorboy]

here's all I currently have and what they do

Goldstar - recording
Squier stratocaster - rehearsal
Ric 620 - gigs and recording
Dano U2 (tuned open G) - rehearsal, gigs and recording
Hondo II black beauty (tuned open E) - rehearsal, gigs and recording

I'm not lusting after anything new as they're just tools to me now and I no longer stare at them in wonderment. I can understand folks trading all the time as I used to do because that is the sure way to end up with a better instrument.

Admittedly, being poor does have a tendency to force one to come to terms with that and make do with what you have. Despite that, I am currently addicted to wristwatches so I think I have to admit that there is no escape from the acquisitive tendency in modern man.

 

[marcusnieman]

My thought is, you can only play one at a time. I've played every guitar I own.... they don't make the cut until then. I've never bought a guitar to stick under the bed.

I want to sell a bunch but I'm not too keen to do so in this soft economy. I'm not out to make money on my sales.... would be nice but not realistic. However, I do want to break even. But that may chance in the event that I HAVE to liquidate for $$$. Knock wood that hasn't happened yet.

 

[marcusnieman]

Despite that, I am currently addicted to wristwatches so I think I have to admit that there is no escape from the acquisitive tendency in modern man.

One of my best friends is a watch broker here in Dallas.

http://www.tic-tock.com/wingates/

 

[MIJvintage]

in short, No :lol: none of my guitars or amps earn a plug nickle

I don't gig, don't rehearse, don't record, and don't play for a financial return.
all I do is crank up the amp every morning & piss off the neighbors :lol:

but for real, the last time I was in any 'band' situation & not a playing member (as I was there for mainly equipment related issues) politics involving the band members ended up destroying the band.

after some time, the bass player & the lead guitarist eventually re-grouped & talked me into attending band rehearsals as their rhythm guitarist
Within three weeks a table saw accident :evil: shortened my career :lol: as a rhythm guitar player ........
It took me three surgeries & two years before I could actually start to play, and to pickup where I had left off, before the table saw issue.

I play for fun, for my own entertainment, I don?t have to accept anyone else?s BS, and they in turn don?t have to accept my BS.
For me, it?s all about having fun with music, and about being free from the politics & the BS ????????

 

[JVsearch]

Me neither - made a few bucks, but NOWHERE near the cost of the guitars!

 

[Anonymous]

If I use a guitar or amp for a gig, I tell myself it's earned it's keep. Even if it cost several hundred ?s & I use it for one gig & earn ?25. :lol:

I'm not saying it makes sense, but it's a form of justification that works for me.

Mike

 

[Ozeshin]

Mine ALL get used for various projects be it live or recording.
My Samick super strat gets a fair bit of recording use coz of the Floyd but then so does my LS80.
My USG45 is my woodshedding axe here at home and gets used for recording demo's of new tunes.
The Explorer HAS been sitting in it's case for quite some time so it's time to share the wear.

 

[JVsearch]

... it's time to share the wear.

That's a good point - when you have 2 or 3 guitars (or more) and rotate them around, they earn their keep by minimising wear on a particular guitar thus allowing for much longer periods between expensive repairs (re-frets).

Plus, what Mike said - if they're making music then they're earning their keep even if you get bugger all financial return!

 

[Big Willie Style]

Marcus if you ever do start downsizing, I want to be one of the first to get a pm with a pricelist. I've seen some of your collection and Jason wanty!!!

:lol:

 

[marcusnieman]

Marcus if you ever do start downsizing, I want to be one of the first to get a pm with a pricelist. I've seen some of your collection and Jason wanty!!!

:lol:

You're on

 

[Anonymous]

One other point is that most of the guitars we discuss on here tend to hold their value over the years, so they're not depreciating assets, even if you view them as the tools of your trade. A new keyboard may be obsolete & worth next to nothing in five years, but I'm willing to be bet that a 30 year old LS50 or ST50 will still be worth at least the same in five years. So we get to use them for free. God knows what our cars will cost us in depreciation over the same time.

 

[DrJzT]

It's a funny one this, im ridiculed for buying another guitar!! I think if it makes you happy thats the main thing. I do wonder what was to happen if i needed a lot of cash fast. I'd probably sell my dvd's, cd's and stomp boxes before I even thought about my guitars.

Currently i've got

A late 90s Gibson SG standard in heritage cherry signed by Allan Holdsworth. Thats the guitar i pretty much learnt my chops on in college. I bought that for ?799 px'd a Strat plus for it. I wouldnt sell it though, too much attachment. And its signed by AH :lol: And its got a few dents and scrapes on it. natural relicing?

A modded epiphone dot, which has a knackered truss rod in The guitar has a crazy *** paint job done by a local artist. Its got over the top switching on it, coil splits and all that. It took me ages to get the guy to do the graphic work, and id get pretty much half of the money id sunk into the guitar

A Tokai ES130 in sunburst, which is my current favourite. It's such a versatile guitar, sounds and looks fantastic

A 86 Goldstar 62 american model, lake placid blue with maple neck. Pretty much identical to my first Jap Squire. Bought for less than ?230 on the bay, and delivers the strat thing when i want it

Now i've always been against swapping guitars on stage, but im getting to the point where Im thinking about taking the two tokais. Trouble is im paranoid about denting or scuffing the ES130 I dont want to use it for gigs! But then I bought it too play! just have to take care of it!

 

[DrJzT]

memory like a sieve, ive also got an Old Yamaha APX-4a which my parents bought for me when i was 15 Again for the price of what i'd sell it for, i'd rather hang onto it. Only pootle around on an acoustic every now and again. Although id like a nice Simon and Patrick, one without a pickup!

 

[MIJvintage]

One other point is that most of the guitars we discuss on here tend to hold their value over the years, so they're not depreciating assets, even if you view them as the tools of your trade. A new keyboard may be obsolete & worth next to nothing in five years, but I'm willing to be bet that a 30 year old LS50 or ST50 will still be worth at least the same in five years. So we get to use them for free. God knows what our cars will cost us in depreciation over the same time.

my guitars have maintained their value much better than my house I bought in 2003 :evil:

how sad .......................

 

[Anonymous]

my guitars have maintained their value much better than my house I bought in 2003 :evil:

how sad .......................

Indeed. And how many people would have predicted that?

 

[Big Willie Style]

Earn their keep, no. Earn me a place on the sofa? Very close a couple of times! :lol:

Jason

 

[JVsearch]

my guitars have maintained their value much better than my house I bought in 2003 :evil:

how sad .......................

Don't worry, your house value will come back, so, as long as you don't have to sell you don't have a problem!

 

[MIJvintage]

my guitars have maintained their value much better than my house I bought in 2003 :evil:

how sad .......................

Don't worry, your house value will come back, so, as long as you don't have to sell you don't have a problem!

well, I don't have to sell it but I want to sell it, and move to Florida 8)

thing is, I can't sell in this market unless I want to lose my a** :evil:

so, that means I'm stuck until the housing market gets much better, or until I just get so sick of Minnesota winters that I find losing my a** is more acceptable than putting up with the weather :evil:

whatever happens, I have a few great MIJs ...............

 

[JVsearch]

my guitars have maintained their value much better than my house I bought in 2003 :evil:

how sad .......................

Don't worry, your house value will come back, so, as long as you don't have to sell you don't have a problem!

well, I don't have to sell it but I want to sell it, and move to Florida 8)

thing is, I can't sell in this market unless I want to lose my a** :evil:

so, that means I'm stuck until the housing market gets much better, or until I just get so sick of Minnesota winters that I find losing my a** is more acceptable than putting up with the weather :evil:

whatever happens, I have a few great MIJs ...............

What about leasing until the market picks up again? Although it's a headache, this would allow you to move and hopefully regain all the value in your current property.