Which guitar have you owned the longest?

[flaggerphil]

I've had my Taylor 510-LTD for 15 years.

OTOH, I still have my late Dads 1937 mandolin...in the family for 80 years.

[Shaneh]

Bought when I was 16 and had it 27 years

[guitar george]

1971 Yamaki Deluxe Western. Looks like a D-28. I went to buy a Martin and the salesman convinced me that this lawsuit era copy was as good or better at half the price.
Sounds pretty good.

[Steadfastly]

This thread makes me smile because when I moved 2 years ago I sold all my guitars except my Godin 5th Avenue. I just sold that about 6 months ago and bought an Alvarez MD60. I have had it for 6 months. My newest guitar is one week old.

[Pura Vida]

I took 10 years off from playing, and when I resumed in 2015, I switched from primarily electric to acoustic. So, in a way, I'm in the middle of an acoustic guitar reboot, and all of those guitars are less than three years old. I've been buying and selling, and I'm getting close to finding equilibrium.

I still have a 2001 Brian Moore electric, and I recently sold my 1987 Ibanez that I had gotten for my 16th b-day. Technically, my late 80s / early 90s Hondo bass is probably my oldest guitar (using the term loosely).

[jaybones]

Bought new in '94. Ordered straight from factory/distributor when I taught lessons for a store.



Solid TB&S bird's eye maple.

[1Charlie]

Purchased it using money from my paper route in 1975. It has gotten moved from place to place for over 40 years, and is still with me.

[Scootch]

I have early sixties Harmony Monterey archtop that I bought in 1973.
Also purchased about the same time, a Sears Teisco made hollow body.

Both are hanging in my den. I strum the harmony now and then.

[Pickcity]

Originally Posted by Rodger Knox

$300 was a lot more in '68 than it was in '85. Probably a pretty good deal then, and the '68 was probably a better guitar than a new one in '85.

It was the best deal I could find in town at that point in time. It was a dark, natural stain with black pick guard. It was in fine shape too. If I could have any one of my guitars back, it would be that SG.

I'm enjoying reading all these keeper guitar stories.

[Steel and wood]

My Samick Greg Bennett Royale thin line semi.

[thegazza]

First ever classical guitar - can't recall brand and stored elsewhere - and a Hondo Dread. Both 80s guitars. The Hondo Dread is pretty decent and records really well too.

Gazza

[ghostnote]

It's not my oldest guitar, but it's the one I've owned the longest:
An '89 American Std Strat that I bought new. I still love that thing.

[HHP]

Addendum. I posted my longest held guitar but. the instrument I have had the longest is a Harmony mandolin I have had for going on 31 years. Odd because my interest in mandolin faded after I got it and I concentrated on guitar. Hasn't gotten much play in that time. In May of this year I re-committed to mandolin and have gotten farther with it in 6 months than all the previous years. But, I never sold or traded it. Maybe because it is so unique and maybe I knew I'd eventually pick it up again or maybe it was just because it didn't take up much space.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Mahoganymadness

I’m only 19, so not too long. But I can tell you my dad still has had his first guitar, an old Kay, since the late 1950’s... (my dad is old for having a 19 year old son) that thing looks like it’s been through hell and back..

That's a guitar you want to hold on to if you can, even if it isn't playable.

[fitness1]

After owning only one nice acoustic from '91 to '02, and doing probably 700-800 gigs with it (an '89 Taylor 512c) I found this forum.

The rest, as they say, is history. The guitar I've had the longest is now my '13 Mcknight/Poling, with the Charis a few months behind.

Neither will ever leave because of the manner in which they were acquired.