Is your most expensive guitar your best or favorite?

[MickZ]

Nope. My Martin 000-18 is my favorite and was one of my least expensive. Great playing and sounding guitar. Could be my one and only.

[Charmed Life Picks]

No, but close.

I don't own a ton of expensive guitars. I tend to buy used and am very patient and methodically in finding the guitar I want.

Here are my two favorite guitars:

1) Eastman E-10SS (adi over hog)
2) Martin 1991 HD-28

The Eastman I suppose could be referred to as a poor man's J-45, but it owes no apologies to Gibson or any other manufacturer. It has become the guitar I always reach for first.

The main reason the Eastman sees so much playing time is because of its versatility. Specifically, it is an insanely good fingerstyle guitar, a type of playing I find myself more and more drawn too. It has a real "snap" that the Martin lacks. And of course it's also a terrific

[Charmed Life Picks]

No, but close.

I don't own a ton of expensive guitars. I tend to buy used and am very patient and methodical in seeking out the guitar I want to buy.

Here are my two favorite guitars:

1) Eastman E-10SS (adi over hog)
2) Martin 1991 HD-28

The Eastman I suppose could be referred to as a poor man's J-45, but it owes no apologies to Gibson or any other manufacturer. It has become the guitar I always reach for first.

The main reason the Eastman sees so much playing time is because of its versatility. Specifically, it is an insanely good fingerstyle guitar, a type of playing I find myself more and more drawn to. It has a real "snap" that the Martin lacks. And of course it's also a terrific flat-picking guitar.

The Martin, however, is no slouch. If you're lookng for that traditional rosewood box with the classic clanging tone so familiar through the Beatles' recordings and so many others of that era, it's pretty hard to beat.

I love both and consider myself fortunate to have them together in the barn.

scott memmer

[Fret-O'File]

My favorite guitar changes now and then but lately my Eastman AC-822 is my favorite and my Webber Roundbody is my most expensive.

[Andromeda]

Yes and no. My most expensive guitar is my Takamine GJ72CE 12-String. It is my favorite 12-string but not my favorite guitar which is my Alvarez MD95 which is my most expensive 6-string.

[Mezner]

If I purchased my guitars new? At their market price, yes, definitely. But I really only buy used, so in that case no. I was fortunate enough to grab my Webber OM second-hand for (what I believe to be) a steal of a price.

My Webber OM has quickly become my favorite guitar (my Larrivee and Pono are no slouches either). But my Recording King is the one I grab for 70% of the time since it's usually next to me.

[jkilgour2000]

My most expensive, ‘19 Martin OM-42, is currently my least favorite. I never play it. Not sure why

[Bluenose]

Thankfully, yes the 2012 Martin OM18A that I bought used online in 2019 is my favorite. I paid more than 3X what I paid for the Eastman new and it was a gamble at the time but no regrets. I'm a long time finger picker and I find it to be an outstanding f/p guitar.

I'm just trying out a set of medium GHS Thin Core PBs on it which makes it an even better f/p guitar IMO by reducing the tension of its long scale a little making it a bit easier to play down around the nut.

[blindboyjimi]

Yes, my 1936 000-18 is my holy grail guitar and the most expensive I currently own. My second place guitar is my second most expensive and my favorite rosewood guitar the Paua shell fancy Franklin German/Brazilian OM.

[Caddy]

My most expensive guitar is my least played, by quite a margin. A 1978 Martin D-18. Reason being that it is a dread and I am not a fan of either the size or sound of dreads. Only reason I have it because back in the late 70’s/early 80’s I was playing mandolin in a bluegrass band and our guitar player gave me good deal on it when he bought a new HD-35. I would sometimes play it at jam sessions around campfires in the evening after the shows were over. Got out of the band in 1085 and have very rarely played it since.

Much prefer my smaller bodied guitars for both comfort and sound.

[gmel555]

Related to OP question. The most disappointing guitar I owed was the one I paid the most for. Purchased new, it was a special Limited addition I had to pre-order, so I could not play it in advance. It was sinker redwood over Brazilian and as some earlier posts allude to sinker Redwood can sometimes apparently sound like “wet socks”. Unfortunately this was my case. Tried a dozen different strings, changed the pins and saddle, etc. and played it nearly every day for a year and a half hoping it would open up but it never did. I sold it for pretty much what I paid for so not a disaster but perhaps a lesson(s) learned.

[Skip Ellis]

I'll let you know when I get my new Brook Lyn Custom in November - it's the most, by far, that I've ever spent on any instrument so I'm expecting great things. If it's as good as my 2013 Brook Torridge, I'll be a happy camper.
I'm starting to downsize to just one electric (Tele), one amp, and two (maybe three) acoustics.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

Yes, my 1936 000-18 is my holy grail guitar and the most expensive I currently own. My second place guitar is my second most expensive and my favorite rosewood guitar the Paua shell fancy Franklin German/Brazilian OM.

Wow. 1936? Must be amazing.

sm

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by jkilgour2000

My most expensive, ‘19 Martin OM-42, is currently my least favorite. I never play it. Not sure why

I wish I had that problem lol

[Robin, Wales]

At 340 GBP (about $400) nearly new this A&L Legacy is my most expensive guitar. And it is also my favourite.

Perhaps one day I may join the real guitar owners' club but, so far, everything upmarket that I have tried has either been too much guitar for me in size/volume, or run away with me due to its overtones, or was pretty sounding but simply lacked any character. But I'm still looking.

I can appreciate beautiful sounding guitars but in my hands they just don't seem to be a good fit - they can sound like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir doing Sex Pistol covers i.e. totally wrong!!!!! I have come to realise that I need a small bodied guitar that's a bit fundamental in tone and rough around around the edges. If I could actually afford to move up a peg or two then I think that the Gibson LG-2 would possibly be a good "fit" for me but a Collins OM would not. If that makes sense? Until then, the A&L Legacy will remain my most expensive guitar and my favourite.