Why So Many Guitars? Acoustic Edition

[Methos1979]

1974: First acoustic, no name, didn't learn anything. Don't know what happened to it.
1983: In the Navy, bought a used Yamaha dread (no idea model), really nice, didn't learn to play it. Sold it to a buddy.
1996: Bought an Alvarez dread (no idea model), discovered OLGA and tab, finally learned to play chords. Sold it but can't remember details.
2004: Bought a Tacoma EMC9. First solid wood guitar. Very nice. Played it a little but not much. Sold it here.

Joined Acoustic Guitar Forum...

2013: Traded a Taylor T5 for a Martin 000-28EC. Oooo, love this guitar.
2013: Bought a Martin 00-28VS. Whoa, really love this guitar.
2013: Bought a H&D 00 SP Custom. Very nice, too much like the 00-28VS. Traded it for a...
2013: Kronbauer TDK eng/ziricote. Wow factor visually, nice tone. Sold the 000-28EC.
2013: Bought a Kronbauer SMB. Off-the-charts workmanship. Thing of beauty. Sold the 00-28VS.
2014: Bought Journey Overhead sitka/rosewood. Sold it.
2014: Bought an Emerald X20 Artisan (blue). Very nice. Sold it.
2014: Really missed my 00 Martin. Looked around to see if I could find one.
2015: Bought a beat 000-28EC from a buddy, had a neck reset, sold, made money.
2015: Traded the TDK for a Martin D-18GE.
2015: Traded the SMB for a Martin OM-35, sold it. (Deliberate)
2015: Traded the D-18GE for a Martin 000-28VS. Didn't like the neck or scale.
2015: Traded the 000-28VS for a Santa Cruz OO sitka/rosewood. Boom! Winner. Still have it.
2016: Bought Rainsong Shorty APLE. Great guitar!
2016: Bought Martin 00-18VS UMGF to try out a 12-fretter in sitka/hog - love it, still have it.
2016: Sold the APLE to recover some cost overruns on home improvments.
2016: Picked up a Journey Overhead OF660 carbon fiber travel guitar as my travel/beater/harsh environment guitar.

At least some of these are incorrect in their dates and details as I did them from memory!

[jpd]

My collection would be larger if I could remember what happened to all my acoustics and electris in the 60's......

[jp2558]

I started playing in 1974 on my brother's guitars. He had a Gibson parlor type acoustic, and now that I think about it I think it was all mahogany. It had a dead fret up a around the 10th fret. I learned my first songs, CSNY and Dylan type stuff.

Five years later ('79) I bought my first guitar, a MIJ LP custom copy. In 87 I traded up for the real thing as I was beginning to jam regularly with a couple of guys I met in college. Now I was actuallly learning whole songs. By '89 I bought my first Strat.
It
Then in 93, I found my Takamine EF341C. We were still 99% electric, but I had an acoustic/electric should the situation ever warrant it. It didn't. By 2000 I had a Tele and another Strat.

Then in 2009 our bass player, same bud from college, and I did a weekend at Fur Peace Ranch, which is a bit more acoustic focused, but I took my Tele and spent four days with GE Smith doing electric stuff.

But the evening jams were more acoustic oriented, and shortly after returning home my interest in acoustic was starting to resurrect itself.

So by May 2011 I decided it was time to own a D-28 or D-35. I went shopping at a mom and pop less than two miles from my home, and they first presented me with an M-38. It was a bit pricey but man did it have the tone. I tried a few other Martins (because I knew that is what I wanted), I think they were PA series, but they didn't compare to the M-38.

Then Alice, the mom, comes out with another case, opens it and says try this.

It was an M-36. Basically the M-38, but with a three piece back as opposed to two piece on the 38, and less bling.

I played it for about twenty minutes, and that was that. It's mine, and is everything I wanted in a Martin. I never even tried a D-28 or 35.

So later that year in early November me and the bass player again return to Fur Peace. This time I took the M-36 and a Strat. On the first day they do a meet and greet with all the students, and lot and behold, a guy introduces himself and it turns out he live less than ten miles from where we've been practicing since 1987. So on the last day of guitar camp, it's raining, in Ohio in November, and the guy we met chose to ride his motorcycle but now he has to ride home in the rain, so he asks the bass player if we can haul his equipment home for him and he'll pick it up later that week.

So we agreed and when he came to get his gear he saw our practice space, and on the spot we asked if he wanted to join us for a practice/jam session.

Fast forward to this year and we've had several well received gigs over the last two years, with this past year being our best. As a result I decided it was time to upgrade the Takamine, which led to my Martin GPC-35E. This is pretty similar to the M-36 but it has a cutaway.

Our drummer buddy from college has been in a difficult job for the last four years so we've been an acoustic three piece trio mostly for the last three years. And this Friday is the drummers last day at his current hellhole of a job.

There's a real good chance he will regularly be joining us in 2017, but these last three years of acoustic jamming has really changed my focus. And I don't see that changing with the addition of percussion!

[tstrahle]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

At least some of these are incorrect in their dates and details as I did them from memory!

I'm impressed with your memory.

[tstrahle]

OK, I decided to do some videos on this subject, here are the first two...

[RP]

My guitar "journey" has been long but unguided. It would probably be the travel equivalent of walking but not really getting too far. Along the way I've purchased a bunch, sold a bunch, regretted selling a few, but really didn't know what I was doing until the past couple of years. I would have to admit that I only really began to learn about acoustics after joining AGF in 2006...

[Everton FC]

I learned guitar on an Univox Mosrite copy. Was a real wicked guitar! I also had a Silvertone by Harmony 1454 Archtop Electric DeArmond, Bigsby 1964 Sunburst Airline. Had to sell it when I came to Canada. $400 to a bluegrass pro in K.C. The thing had massive feedback. In a good way. But my heart was leaning acoustic....

I've played a lot of different electrics - reject-type instruments from friends who didn't want them. Many copies. A Hohner bass for a while, from a friend, then a Kramer bass (1980) when my friend wanted the Hohner back.

In my signature, I've had my Alvarez 5062 for some time. First new guitar. Had it as my "one and only" here in the Great White North until I found the Yamaha in my signature. Then saw the Suzuki #9 for CDN$9.99 in Value Village, so purchased it to learn garage luthier skills! Never got to pulling it apart, though. The CBS Masterworks and the Kiso-Suzuki classical were my next two "thrift store" finds, followed by my favourite, the Arthur Hensel parlor guitar, circa 1930s. I'll always "lean" towards thew second-hand/charity shop finds, "just because". More character, perhaps. Certainly more affordable!

[islandguitar]

My guitar journey started in the fall of '66....HAD to learn how to play and traded my trombone playing and many concert band and symphony experiences for a new way forward with music.
Fall of '66- Gibson J-50.....which quickly turned over to a '64 Martin D-18. Later on in college, a Gibson B-25 12 string (sold some time after college)
The Martin stayed with me for many decades with off and on again playing coupled with work and family commitments.
Traded the Martin for my Bourgeois JOM around 2007. Much more suited to my playing style and I was now playing seated 100% of the time. Right around then, the '67 Martin D12-20 arrived.....purchased at a GC!
The pace quickened in 2008 with a Martin OM-35.
Till then, always a used guitar purchase.....until I turned to a new 2010 Bourgeois 00 and let the OM-35 go to help pay for the guitar.
I dreamed about a bucket list experience of commissioning a guitar, and this came true in '13-'14 with a wonderful Tom Doerr Legacy. What an awesome guitar and experience!!!
2016 again led me to sell the Bourgeois 00 so I could purchase a 9 year old Tony Vines Artisan.....wonderful instrument!!
With 4 guitars.....I think after all these years, I've hit my "sweet spot". No regrets......thanks to AGF for playing a part in all this!!

[The Bard Rocks]

Stared with an old kay archtop, not what I wanted, but what my parents bought. then traded it for a classical. Why did I ever do that? That carried me for 10 years. When I got my first real job I spent $275 on a new Martin. ITt didn't make much difference to me what model (a 0018, if you are interested) as long as it had the right label. I am a slow learner. That did well for me until I played on at the Martin factory, an HD28. That was SO nice, i could never be satisfied again with the 00, so I began to look. After a few months I'd completely forgotten what the HD28 sounded like and finally settled for an M38. Nice guitar, and I kept it nearly 20 years, adding aD12-20 along with the (a D35 was sold to get it).

Years pass and I am playing in song circles and jam sessions pretty regularly, and having a blast. Only I can't hear myself (a blessing, onlyI didn't know it - joking). So I thought I'd get a boutique and played a lot of them. Along the way, I also played one by John Kinnaird. It was too fancy for me but I liked it and did some research only to discover that he could make a custom for me as cheap as the used one was from the store. I ended up buying a custom and a Goodall, so I had something to play while it was being made.

Obviously with time, I was earning more, also learning more about guitars and tonewoods. Those two opened the flood gates and were SO much fun, that I began to think of what else I could justify. And you can figure out the rest from my signature.

[tstrahle]

Originally Posted by RP

I would have to admit that I only really began to learn about acoustics when I joined AGF in 2006...

It is such a great resource. I wish I had it back in the 70's when I started playing.

[RP]

Originally Posted by tstrahle

It is such a great resource. I wish I had it back in the 70's when I started playing.

I wish I'd had an electronic tuner...

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by RP

I wish I'd had an electronic tuner...

Amen! I loved my old Lyle Hummingbird (purchased in a pawn shop in Junction City Kansas in 1974) but it would not stay in tune! I would struggle sometimes for several minutes getting the low E close enough and then have to tune the other strings by ear to that E. If I had a Snark it would have saved me lots of hassle.

[tstrahle]

Originally Posted by RP

I wish I'd had an electronic tuner...

Haha. I had a strobe tuner that I would cart around. Like they had in band class.

[ArchtopNYC]

Carl Verheyen??! Wow!

1997 - first guitar/acoustic, $150 - I think a Samick - not a fun guitar; no idea what happened to it

2005 - wanted a nice guitar, so I bought an Ovation Elite at Guitar Center; I never really got into acoustic and when my sister expressed interest in guitar, I let her borrow the guitar - she still has it

2009 - after being all electric, Santa Cruz 1929 000; having this acoustic led me to being invited to play at a coworker/new friend's wedding in the SoCal mountains; great bonding experience rehearsing together; late after the wedding, a couple there that was shy earlier asked if they could use my guitar and they sang a duet, they kind of lost track of timing and I tapped my leg to get them back on track; they were very grateful for the whole experience - gave me a hug in the morning - 9 months later they had a kid - was it from that night?

late 2015 - found a Santa Cruz 000 (spruce top, rosewood sides and back) for a very cheap price because of lacquer checking; didn't think I needed two acoustics so I traded it for a Les Paul R6, sold the R6 a day later and funded an archtop

spring 2016 - started getting interested in Dreads and vintage Martin's - figured I should grab a straight grained, QS Brazilian Martin to hold onto and found a clean '66 D28; I played some Stones on this guitar for my 10 month old nephew - he started dancing and let out a giggle!

this week - Reverb.com had a 15% off sale and I always remembered the '50s Martin's I tried out at Mandolin Bros - out of about 20 guitars I tested, some upwards of $18k new, the $3k 00-17s and a Santa Cruz 1929 000 were the most impressive - found a '55 000-18 that would be a nice complement to my all mahogany 000 and the Dread


Amps...I couldn't even tell that story. Must be over 120 amps that have come in and out.

Archtops - I think 6 acquired in the course of 4 months late last year-early this year. For the money, I don't think there's a better deal of quality/workmanship to price.

Hopefully, my flat-top interest doesn't explode like these two. I feel done now on flat-tops. 6 in 20 years, 3 still here, and 1 with my sis, not bad!

[tstrahle]

Originally Posted by ArchtopNYC

Carl Verheyen??! Wow!

Amps...I couldn't even tell that story. Must be over 120 amps that have come in and out.

Yeah, Carl was doing what I wanted to be doing, sessions, so I figured who better to take lessons with.

120 amps? That's amazing.