The longest time a guitar has been with you?

[Slothead56]

I still have my first guitar, a Harmony classic that I bought in 1974. It’s been in the closet for decades.

I bought a Gurian JR new in 1978. Sold it in ‘92 or ‘93 but bought it back a couple years ago. So I guess it’s still with me.

My HD-28vs has been played consistently since 2001. It’s a monster and still in showroom shape.

[L20A]

That would be my 1981 Martin D-35.
Got it new that year.
Still the guitar that all other guitars are judged against.

[Chipotle]

I still have my first "real" acoustic, a 1979 Yamaha FG335, bought new. I had an undersaddle pickup put in it in about 1985 and gigged with it until just a couple of years ago. Still plays great, sounds good and comes out if we need an extra guitar for a jam.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

My first guitar is a Stella that I got in 1966. I still have it but don't play it. My oldest acoustic guitar that I still play is my J200 that I got in '89.

[pieterh]

My first decent acoustic is my Guild D35. I got it from my dad in around 1984-85 I think. I don’t know if he had it from new but he bought it as a back up to his Gurian (which he still has). Using the serial number I dated it to around 1977-78 so that makes it over 40 years ago. A few years ago I changed the tuners from the nasty sealed units to Grover Sta-tite open backed tuners. The old plastic bridge pins have been swapped out for ebony with pearl dots years ago (still have originals) and both the bridge and nut have been swapped out for Tusq (I still have the Micarta originals too).

Just this month I had a tech look at it. He has a D25 roughly the same age that plays beautifully so I told him if he could get mine to be any where near as good I’d be delighted. He did a great job of levelling a fret or two and tweaking the neck and it plays better now than it has for years! A 40+ year old guitar and still not needing a neck reset! Through the years I have considered selling it and putting the money towards a Martin but no longer, it’s going nowhere!

[raysachs]

In 1979, when I’d been playing a year and a half or so and realized I was pretty into it, I bought a 1968 D-28 and a mid-70’s strat. I had both of them for 25 years and they were basically my only guitars for that time (I also had a Gibson Firebird for about a year in the early 80’s, but I think that’s it). Sold both when I hadn’t been playing for a while and didn’t expect I’d ever start up again. But then I got way back into playing again about three years ago and had to figure out what I liked again. A strat is still my main electric (but I have a tele too) and I don’t like playing dreads anymore, so I have a Martin 000-15SM and an Emerald X7 and I don’t seem to be gassing for anything else, although it took trying some stuff before I settled down with my current gear...

-Ray

[CoffeeFan]

I've had my Alvarez Yairi DY66 since 1987. It's not going anywhere...

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by beatcomber

I purchased my Rickenbacker 330 brand new in June 1984.

Nice nostalgic picture! I'm guessing that's a younger you in 1984 or thereabout....

[Perchman]

My Yamaha FG450s that I bought in a pawnshop around 1990. Just can’t bring myself to part with it. Really no reason to actually. Plays like butter.

[zeeway]

I bought my Alvarez in 1975, and it is still a beautiful guitar with rosewood sides and back. It was my only guitar for about thirty years, but it is mostly is a wall decoration these days.

[dave42]

I bought a 1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard in 1977 and kept it 25 years. The last 15 years I had it it didn't get played much, so I sold it in '02 and with that money bought a custom Weber mandolin in '04 that I still have.

My '97 Martin D-16TR and '97 D-42, both bought new, will be 23 yrs in my possession next year and closing in on the longest kept guitar(s).
[IMG][/IMG]

[tubeamps]

I had a 1988 PRS Custom for over 30 years, recently used it as a trade towards my Boucher OM Hybrid/cutaway.
Letting it go was easy, I hadn’t played it in 15 years and I have plenty of electrics to use for fun or gigs.

[jazzguy]

I decline to answer this question on the grounds that it may incriminate me.

[Spyvito]

D-28, 1974-2017, 43 years.

[ceciltguitar]

I still own my 2nd guitar, an $80 Ventura classical guitar purchased in1971. I haven’t played it much since the late 70s. It was passed around by my younger siblings until 2000, when I had new frets put on it. One of my sons has had it for several years now. It sounds better than most $1000 guitars.