How many guitars can you handle??

[DanleyJ]

I have 3 that I play mostly. But I have a total of 8. My D-18, Pono Parlor and Redline lap Dobro are my 3 main. My 40 year old Morris laminate dread does not get played much but it has sentimental value along with my Gibson lap steel that belonged to my Mom. The Yamaha FG700 I bought for my daughter. She rarely picks it up so I play it some. My brother builds guitars and mandolins but does not sell them. So I have one of his mandolins that I can chop some chords on and is a pretty good instrument. Then I also have a J-200 Gibson styled guitar made of birdseye maple that he built in the early 90's. Unfortunately the fret job was not very good (his second build) and the neck has separated some from the body so it is not playable right now. He swears he will come get it some day and give me one of his other builds until he can fix it but he lives in California and I'm in Kansas so.....

My band days are over so I got rid of my Gibson 335 and my pedal steel. I'm all acoustic now and prefer it that way. So I guess my number is technically 3 but I would really like to add a nice OM. Maybe an Eastman or Martin before I'm done.

[Cameleye]

I have 10 guitars with two for sale right now. Each is very different and serve different purposes. I don't rotate them, just pull out whichever one I'm interested in at the moment. So, some get played more than others.
GAS has been slowing down for me as I've aged and I've come to really respect and care for each instrument I own. By and by my very talented son will have them all.

[DukeX]

4 Acoustics: Each has different strengths. All keepers.
2 Electrics: Tele + ES335. 'Nuff said.
3 Amps: Because I can.

[The Bard Rocks]

I play 4 of them regularly. The baritone, 12 string, the metal-bodied resonator, and the folding neck one get used for special purposes. I have another on consignment.

[tippy5]

I maintain and play seven 6 string flat tops (plus a forlorn baritone and 12 string in dusty cases).

I keep 3 that I like and sell a few here and there. Bad habit, I know.

[BrunoBlack]

I currently own 8 and they all are enjoyably played. So I guess for now the answer to the OP is 8.

[Yrksman]

Better keep my head down 🤐

49 instruments altogether with 6 guitars currently on consignment.

[Woolbury]

2 see a lot of use, my Collings and Gibson. I also have a ES125T that I play quite a bit, usually unplugged. My Martin M36 languishes in a case with its skinny neck(1 11/16) but then I start playing with a pick and it comes back to life! It may move on someday. I have an old unplayable Guild I should clear out, and a Baby Taylor I never liked. An old Yamaha FG 150 has been an awesome travel and extra camp guitar for friends, it'll stay around. So 2 really. But a Waterloo is lurking in my future... I think I can handle 3 ok

[brencat]

I just got done telling the forum back in December that my ideal limit was 4. Bought another recently and having a REALLY hard time deciding what to sell. I can't do it right now as all are stellar.

So I guess my new limit is 5...

[maxtheaxe]

This is something I've been struggling with (see list); I've managed to thin the herd a bit, but then I run across something that I really really want, so the list doesn't really move very much. I'm also an inveterate tinkerer and I find myself tweaking guitars (especially the electrics) to improve on them.

I do like having multiple guitars, not only for the tonal variations but also the fact that I play with several alternate tunings and I like being able to dedicate particular guitars to those. However I've had that feeling sometimes when I walk into my studio and look at them all that it's getting to be ridiculous.

I've identified a few of mine that are somewhat "surplus to requirements" and will probably gear up to get these sold sometime this summer. I've also gotten to the point where I don't feel I could improve very much on what I have unless I committed to a seriously high-end purchase, like a braz Lowden or a Kinniard or something like that.

That aside, I'm going to stay pat on what I have, and build up a guitar kitty in case one of those others becomes available within my means.

[lowrider]

I'm perfect with 3, but I usually have four. I just sold a Sigma OMR-21 that I really like to get back to 3.

But I have a Martin cs J-17 Whiskey Sunset on order with at least 5 more months to wait.

So, 3 is ideal, but 4 is better!

[s2y]

Somewhere in the 30's, I think.

[Ed66]

Originally Posted by brencat

I just got done telling the forum back in December that my ideal limit was 4. Bought another recently and having a REALLY hard time deciding what to sell. I can't do it right now as all are stellar.

So I guess my new limit is 5...

Same here. I swore I was good at 6 (after selling 2 and being just "focused on the music") when along came a Furch and I caved. Now I have 7, but I justify them, with no guilt, as follows:

2 Seagulls hang on my wall at work; one is in standard tuning and one in DADGAD. I play one or both daily and enjoy them much more than any artwork I could imagine.

At home I keep 4 hanging on the wall of our office. The Furch, a couple Seagulls and an all Mahogany Alvarez. I rotate these, playing the Alvarez mostly during the week with the Furch and a Seagull Deluxe on the weekend. I keep a cedar topped Seagull in DADGAD which I play every few days.

Other than that the 7th (Alvarez AG75ce) is now my travel guitar and stays in a case so it's ready to go at a moments notice. I feel a little guilty about that one, except when I get away for a week and play it each day. I was able to do that a couple of weeks ago and was reminded it's really an exceptional guitar.

While I don't have the dollars invested that some do here, I feel very lucky in the quality of guitars I've assembled and don't have one I could say I don't want to play regularly. None would be easy for me to get rid of since they all bring something to the table.

[Tico]

My max was 9 or 10, but I'd like to trim it down to 4 or 5.

[Gordon Currie]

5 acoustic steel strings (4 are Larrivees)
3 electric guitars
2 electric basses (fretted/fretless)
1 acoustic nylon string

Most of my rehearsing/recording is done in a little basement studio with good humidity and temperature control. I have 5 wall hangers and can keep everything out on either stands or wall hangers so I can quickly rotate between guitars if the inspiration strikes.

I feel as though I am at the limit now. I may sell off my only non-cutaway guitar as I plan to initiate a custom build late this year.