Is your most expensive guitar your best or favorite?

[M Sarad]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

Ouch!! OMGoodness!

My Dad left us with mineral rights. Our first check was for 25k. I used 22,000 to put a new roof on my house and garage. The remainder paid bills. Since it was a capital gain added to my income, I had to cough up 6k.

[InsertNameHere]

My first acoustic cost maybe $200 in 1992. My next acoustic cost $3,100 in 2021. Is the second guitar better? Hell yes, by a longshot. Is it better because it cost more? Absolutely not, it just so happened to be better in every conceivable way, regardless of price.

[biotechmgr]

Originally Posted by whvick

We can shake this bush many different ways. My most expensive is a Taylor 414. Around 2K in today’s dollars. Not a lot for AGF, but a good bit for this old cheapskate.
But for a good while my favorite guitar has been a 2002 Tacoma Orpheum made in Indonesia. It was $650 in 2002 ( about $950 in today’s dollars). It is also a solid wood guitar...spruce and IRE, and since I had a good set up done a couple of years ago it plays as good or better than the Taylor, and I just like the sound better.
I have a friend who has a 10K Bozo Podunavac
but hardly plays it, favoring a Martin OOOX1 instead. And he makes that guitar sound great!
So how about you? Is your favorite guitar your most expensive guitar, or has a lessor price guitar usurped it in you heart and favor?
Discussion thoughts:
Why is your favorite the favorite?
Why is the most expensive not your favorite? What made you look past the price tags to declare the less expensive your favorite?
And any other thoughts you have that
are germane to the discussion.

Yes it is my best Martin D28 MD.
I love all guitars except the Taylor.
Each has a tone and purpose.
Fingerstyle on the Yamaha, great old wood overtones.

In a long session last night, play the MD till my fingers wear out on the 13s, Then switch to the D16 12s.
2.5 hours.

[Oldguy64]

The list below is my guitarsenal.
The most expensive is probably my Journey Instruments travel guitar.
It isn’t my favorite, but it’s high up the list.

Otherwise, my “favorite” guitar is usually what is in my lap at any given time.
From the $100 Alvarez that I’ve been playing for 26 years to the Gibson I’ve had for a week.
Unless I’m actively A/b-ing guitars, whatever I have out is my favorite at that moment.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Actually, the guitar which made me spend the most money is actually my latest guitar: the Taylor 322ce 12-fret. I also have a 414ce which, new, would've been the most expensive; but since I bought it used, I spent considerably less than my other two Taylor. My two Ovation, considering the inflation, are about the same price as my three Taylor in average; but I got them at a ridiculous price.

Having said all that, it'd be veeeery hard to pick which one is my favorite. I have a very soft spot for my two 12-fretters, one from each brand, which also happen to be my two with sunburst finishes. So my two favorite where bought at very different prices.

[Br1ck]

I don't have a clear favorite, but based on cool factor, it would be my Texan. That I also paid a lot more than my others would make it my most expensive. I play three guitars about equally, the Texan, my Martin Custom D 35 and my Guild D 35. There is a $2000 spread between lowest to highest. I guess it would be the Guild that would stand out when considering cost, flipping the question around. Best neck of the bunch.

[Rosewood99]

Hard to say because my favorite keeps changing.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by M Sarad

My Dad left us with mineral rights. Our first check was for 25k. I used 22,000 to put a new roof on my house and garage. The remainder paid bills. Since it was a capital gain added to my income, I had to cough up 6k.

I'd check on that. I believe if you're a direct descendant, there's no inheritance tax, so it's separate from income (?) Then presumably, the value of the mineral rights would be tax free (unless it exceeded $11 million or something).

Not sure what capital gain you're referring to. If to the increase in value to your house (keep your receipts), that only becomes an issue when you sell the property. Your state or county's assessment of your property, though, could take a harsh increase, due to your improvements. Which increases your property taxes. Such is life.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

Otherwise, my “favorite” guitar is usually what is in my lap at any given time.
From the $100 Alvarez that I’ve been playing for 26 years to the Gibson I’ve had for a week.

Aw c'mon, you're going to be playing that Gibson a little more often for a while, aren't you? Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd expect a pretty good review of that Bozeman product....

[brencat]

No it is not. My Santa Cruz 1934D is my most expensive guitar by likely resale value. But if it came down to it, I would choose either of my Merrill C-28s instead.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by whvick

…Discussion thoughts:

1. Why is your favorite the favorite?
2. Why is the most expensive not your favorite? What made you look past the price tags to declare the less expensive your favorite?
3. And any other thoughts you have that are germane to the discussion.

Hi whv…

• My 1993 Olson is my favorite because it's not only the best guitar I've owned, and it's affected (and still affects my playing positively). It's still the 3rd best guitar I've ever played in the last 28years.
• The Olson IS my most valuable, & if I had to replace it, it would then be most expensive. I paid more $$$USD$$$ for one of my others others simply because it moved in with us dozen years later.
• My Olson is my favorite/main guitar. My Bashkin, & Kronbauer are certainly NOT on my 'avoid playing these' list…
• People change, and changing one's mind is not necessarily a bad thing.

[guitarxan]

My McPherson Camrielle is my most expensive by a factor of 3. However my favorite is my Martin DC-Aura. Doesn’t mean I don’t like nor want the McPherson. Just like the Martin better. It’s an all around great guitar. Just wish it didn’t have the barn door pickup. Oh well nothings perfect!!

[bunnyman]

now it is,,....sold the Collings I never played

[TBman]

nvm........................

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Aw c'mon, you're going to be playing that Gibson a little more often for a while, aren't you? Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd expect a pretty good review of that Bozeman product....

In truth, I will be playing the Gibson most for a while.
But it’s not my most expensive guitar.
The travel guitar that is my “beater”. Was a few hundred dollars more than the Gibson.
And even when not on the road, it gets played a lot.
It can be left in the car in the heat. It’ll fit in a plane overhead.