Do you guys gig your expensive guitars?

[Murphy Slaw]

Yes.

Always have.

Why would I want to gig a cheap guitar?

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Coop47

I know this is a thing, and would love to learn more. Do you have it?

Many herein have instrument insurance and I highly recommend it for anyone who has more than a few thousand dollars wrapped up in instruments. The cost is usually between $200-$300 per year. There are many searchable (think a few per year) threads in the archives.

[6L6]

I have no "hanger queens". I gig/play out with everything I own.

[ChrisE]

It’s always a little bit funny to me when someone spends say, $2,000 on a guitar but won’t play it and has to spend another $300-$500 on a “beater” because they don’t want to play the nice one. In essence they’ve just paid $2,500 for a beater.

Not that I I don’t understand why; but funny nonetheless. [emoji41]

[Laughingboy68]

Yep. Did I buy it to leave it at home? - I don’t think so. I always regard my guitars as tools, not pieces of art. I try to care for them reasonably, but after 10-20 years, most of them get a couple of battlescars. I doesn’t seem to affect how they sound or perform.

[colder]

I have a cheap Yamaha for the only gig I am playing right now, at a children's church service

I used to bring an expensive guitar, but I have to leave whatever I bring near the HVAC where it's terribly dry and warm, so I felt a laminate guitar would be best so I didn't need to worry about it.

The audience won't know the difference, and if something were to happen to the guitar I wouldn't be worried about it. It doesn't sound half bad, for an all laminate cheapo

[beatcomber]

I just bought a $423 Farida specifically for bringing to performances.

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

It’s always a little bit funny to me when someone spends say, $2,000 on a guitar but won’t play it and has to spend another $300-$500 on a “beater” because they don’t want to play the nice one. In essence they’ve just paid $2,500 for a beater. .. [emoji41]

👍🏼Chris....amen. I've never thought of it exactly like that. Yep.

[llew]

Originally Posted by ManyMartinMan

👍🏼Chris....amen. I've never thought of it exactly like that. Yep.

Yep...you nailed it Chris!

[nitram]

Buy a more expensive guitar and leave THAT one at home.

[s2y]

As long as it's not in a horrible neighborhood. Nowadays, I'm too old to be messing around in bad neighborhoods.

[Pickcity]

Originally Posted by eecamichael

I think I read it here, but I totally subscribe to it..

Life is too short for a B rig.

I feel I play better with my best gear. I bought them to be played.

100% agree.

[Blueridgebound]

When I discovered that my Stonebridge was a bit rarer than I had thought I went out and bought a Fender Paramount 000 that I wouldn't worry as much about.

[John K]

For gigs, I always bring my D35. All I will ever need.

[Michael Watts]

Very definitely! My guitars were built with the intention of performing, writing, touring, recording and anything else I wanted to get up to. I would not feel comfortable sacrificing that quality in front of an audience that has paid to hear me at my best.