You appear to buy a lot of stuff.

JakeDobner
You appear to buy a lot of stuff.

At least t's not as bad as folks that suffer from H.A.S. (Hammond Acquisition Syndrome). With G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome), the portability and space factor is somewhat better. How many Hammond B3s or Leslie 122s do you see hanging from a pegboard in someone's music room? Truthfully, and I'm not ashamed to admit it, I am a guitar junkie. My epiphany, on Monday, was that "apparently I've been buying too much of the wrong stuff." Of the seven electric 6-string guitars that I currently own, only three of them can pull off the sounds I really want, when I start recording...my Fender Telecaster, Fender So Cal Speed Shop Strat and Epiphone Les Paul Jr. 90. To help facilitate collecting the guitars I really want (need), I'll sell off the four that don't fit my intentions (needs). Once those are gone, and my reconfigured collection is complete, I'll actually end up with less guitars than if I didn't get rid of the dead weight, but kept collecting the ones I'll actually record with.

dwgregory1
At the end of the day equipment should not really matter. What is more important to you? Equipment, or writing good music?

Gotta agree with ya, on this one. While I may soon to be a partially reformed guitar junkie, I'd guess it's parly the Virgo perfectionist in me, in my quest for the right sound, for my current and future creations. Alternately, and especially since I currently have nothing for an effects chain, my future effects chain shouldn't be all that bad...reverb, echo, fuzz, uni-vibe, wah pedal. I'll wait until I have my bucks available, to go for a tube amp, and of course I'll test drive quite a few of 'em, since I'll also be looking for the versatility of being good for at home/studio work, and on the road. Except for a cheap-but-good-n-playable acoustic that I can take places, my acoustic collection is in place (6-sting, 12-string, bass), and will be what I use to discover future creations.

Fifteen years ago, with my first guitar (an Epiphone PR100), I created my first two songs...one country gospel, one surf instrumental. That guitar got stolen eight years ago, along with my first 12-string (acoustic Kamen Montana). I've owned a goofy lil' Synsonics portable guitar that, when strung with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky strings, and through a 10W Realistic combo, I actually learned to play bass on (the distortion on the amp at 2, bass cranked, mid and treble about half-way), picking out and following songs on my CDs or the radio. The Synsonics/Realistic rig got stolen six years ago (I figure they had to be that hard up for drug money, to think a pawn shop would give them much of anything, for either piece). I bought my first bass (Squier Bass Pack...a good place to start) not long after the Synsonics was stolen, and I've pretty much bought a guitar a year, since, until last summer when the obsession bit me.

Like I said above, I've bought too many of the wrong guitars, in that obsession...I guess in my quest for the right sound, I ended up going with quantity versus quality. Of the two songs that I created fifteen years ago, and have played on every electric guitar I've had my hands on since, I have actually found the sound for both...Telecaster for the country gospel one, Epiphone Les Paul Jr. 90 for the surf guitar instrumental (Gibson Les Paul Faded Double Cutaway P90, if I play it live). Of all things weird, a Fender '72 Telecaster Deluxe (lead position) will actually work live for anything I create with my So Cal Speed Shop Strat. And as I was typing this reply, it occured to me to not replace my Squier Fat Telecaster with a Fender '72 Telecaster Custom, as in a small fit of reality, I've figured "it's either got single coils, or humbuckers...I don't need fat!" At the same time, I've decided I don't need the Peavey JF-2 EXP, as well...the Gibson LP I'm planning to buy will serve me very well, recorded and live, for rockabilly and surfabilly.

I thank the both of you for (even if partially) curing me of my G.A.S. attack. In all the thinking I did, while typing this reply, I've pared my arsenal (current and future) down to a total of 15 guitars, for eliminating my "need" for a Fender '72 Telecaster Custom and Epiphone EB-3 SG Bass. Everything will fit into two 7-space stands, since one future guitar will be a lap steel. If only I could've been as certain as I am about my future effects chain, when I started collecting guitars six years ago, my arsenal would be nearly complete. Live and learn, I s'ppose.

Matt

Fast Cars & Loud Guitars!