What is the longest time you have owned a specific guitar (revised)

[Twin Six]

The only guitar I presently have I bought in the late spring of 1994.

Admin note: the OP of this thread is here: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...65#post6525265 but is out of order due to merging threads.

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Note from OP:

The original poll topped out at 5 years, and I requested the Admins move to a new poll with longer range options.

Some replies in the thread will mention short responses, which might be confusing to newer responders.

Thanks for your participation.

-a.h.
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[RichardP]

My longest is 70 years. Yep...I’m 81 and my dad bought a Martin D18 in 1950. It quickly became mine and I still have it. Still sounds great.

[Always Learning]

I have owned three of my five guitars for 25 years (well almost 25, if you round off to this coming January). The other two were recent purchases.

1996-ish Guild DeArmond M75 - Les Paul (Moon Blue) (Korean Made)
1996-ish Seagull S6 Spruce Top Dreadnought (Canadian Made)
1996-ish Amalio Burguet 2M Rosewood/Cedar (Spanish Made)

[Wade Hampton]

The guitar I've owned the longest is the custom Baxendale Mossman 000-42 that Scott Baxendale built for me and sent to Alaska in the spring of 1989. The next runner-up is the Engelmann spruce and black walnut Larrivée OM-03W that I was fortunate enough to be able to pick out at the Larrivée factory - in the worst heroin addict-ridden part of Vancouver, British Columbia - in 1998.

Matt Larrivée told me that they called that part of town "Ground Zero!"

But the musical instrument that I've owned the longest is the Sitka spruce and black walnut mountain dulcimer that Duane Waterman built for me in my native state of Missouri and delivered to me in 1974. Dulcimer is actually the instrument I'm best at - I won the US Championship on it at the Winfield Festival in 1980, which opened up a lot of opportunities, including a recording contract and a series of overseas concert tours. So that's - what? - 46 years I've had that one.

I still own and use it quite a bit, including in live performance, even though the only music I've been playing for audiences since this pandemic hit has been in Zoom worship services for my church.

But it's a great-sounding dulcimer. When I met Bill Monroe and played "Salt Creek" for him on it, he said: "That's GOOD! That's how dulcimer SHOULD be played!" Lacking any paper to get an autograph from him, I handed him a ballpoint pen and asked him to autograph my dulcimer for me. He basically carved his name in the lacquer, and when I got home from the festival a buddy of mine filled his signature in with Rapidograph ink.

I normally never name my instruments, but that dulcimer has been "the Monroe dulcimer" ever since.

The instrument that I've owned the next longest after the Monroe dulcimer is the 1927 Larson Brothers mandolin that my godmother gave me in 1976 when she learned that I was learning mandolin, as well. I was playing a real crapola plywood mandolin when she gave me the Larson Bros mandolin that she'd bought new as a teenager, and my mandolin playing improved dramatically once I jettisoned the crappy mandolin in favor of hers.

But the guitar I first learned on now belongs to the son of a friend of mine. It was a really good sounding solid wood Harmony Triple O copy, and I kind of wish I'd never traded it off, but the kid turned out to be a fine guitarplayer so all's well that ends well. It's got a good home.

The truth is that I've managed to keep almost all of the really good instruments I've owned along the way.


Wade Hampton Miller

[maxtheaxe]

Actually, five years as a top-of-the-range seems a bit short-time to me, but I guess that perspective depends on how long one has been a player, period.

Of my acoustics, I've had my Taylor 412k the longest, having bought it in 1996...24 years, followed by my Larrivee L-03, bought in 2004 (while the Taylor was at Gryphon getting a re-fret). The newest acoustic I own is my Larrivee L-10 Custom, bought in 2015.

I also have a custom-built Strat clone that I've had for more than 40 years; best playing/feeling neck of any Strat I've ever played, including my other 3 Strats and my Telecaster.

[Cool555]

I have a cheap beater classical guitar that is about 13-years old. Its brand is Congress and it’s made in China. I don’t play it anymore but keeping it for sentimental reasons. Bought this guitar as I had stopped playing for quite a long time prior to that.

Strange, but when I look into the sound hole, the sides n back look like they are made of solid rosewood. It costs me only US$111 to buy that guitar then.

[rick-slo]

A couple (one a classical and one a flattop) I made myself 50+ years ago.

[raysachs]

I had a 1968 D-28 and a mid-70’s strat each for about 25 years. I bought both of them in late 1978 or early 1979 and had them both until about 2004 or so. They were my only guitars for nearly that whole time. I wasn’t playing for several years toward the end of that period (career, family, other interests, etc) and I sold them both. But they were both great guitars. My two main guitars now are a CEO-7 (dreads are too big for me now) and a hardtail strat. I have a second electric (SG with P99s) but I play the strat and the Martin the vast majority of the time. I’ve been around the block since I started playing again about four years ago, but ultimately, my tastes haven’t changed much...

-Ray

[EZYPIKINS]

The first guitar I bought myself $5.00 at a yard sale in 1972. A student model Fender Musicmaster. Although it's not playable anymore. It sports Corvette Rally Red paint with Gold Leaf scroll work and pinstripes. Personalized with my name.

[madison]

I purchased a Martin D-28 new in 1972, sadly just missing the Brazilian era. I hadn't played it in years, but recently had it refurbished by a luthier, including replacing the pick guard which had curled up around the edges. I asked him to check whether it needed a neck reset. He said it's just fine as is, and my refound joy in playing it has confirmed that.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

My Harmony Stella that I got for my birthday in 1966.

[Big-E]

41 years with my Yamaha FG365s. It's served me well over the years, though like me, it's getting a bit rough round the edges nowadays.

[The Bard Rocks]

Good thing you added the edit - this looks more like a poll for the shortest time. Over 60 years of playing, I have owned 19 guitars of which 4 were owned less than 5 years. But one of these was bought to learn about baritones while I was waiting for a build to start.

[HFox]

My wonderful wife bought me a new Martin HD-28 in 1993.
Still have it....Always will.
She's still with me also....she's a keeper

[beatcomber]

The one I've had the longest is the Rickenbacker 330 that I bought brand new in June 1984.