Is your most expensive guitar your best or favorite?

[donlyn]

Is your most expensive guitar your best or favorite?

Gibson J-200. Even better in rosewood. So, yes to both best and favorite. Simply a great guitar, which I've had for a shade over 35 years.

However my septuagenarian age often tells my hands to play my short scale Taylor 412e-R, also rosewood. Some days are better than others, no matter what I play.

I fingerpick all my instruments using my nails as picks. And both of these guitars wear Elixir PB HD Lights, .013 - .053, as do a few others of mine.

Don
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[KevinH]

Not right now. My Taylor 522 wasn't the most expensive, but it always seems to have something good in it.

[Jim Comeaux]

Well, yes, it is, but I need to qualify that. You see My most expensive guitar isn’t expensive at all. I have 3 acoustics, a Yamaha FG 830, a Recording King RDS-11-FE3-TBR, and my favourite, my Recording King RD 318 and one sadly neglected acoustic bass.

[Tnfiddler]

Now that I’ve discovered that EJ17s sound PHENOMENAL on my Bourgeois AT Vintage D Banjo Killer, it’s my favorite over my D41. I just strung up a new set on it tonight and the sound just explodes out of this guitar now that it’s really opening up. Super crisp, clean tone with tons of volume.

[jdto]

My favourite guitar changes frequently. This weekend, it has been the LG-2, which isn’t my most expensive.

[Scolaguitar]

The most expensive, just north of 2k, is luthier built Northwood and I would have to say it is the best and somewhat my favorite for playing for myself.

That being said, it's not a singer-songwriter type of guitar for me. So lush and rich and balanced. Definitely doesn't sit in the background with my voice. The least expensive, an Eastman, under $800, is better for that. Pre-covid, I used it to lead worship in a monthly prayer meeting. A bonus that I didn't have to fuss as much over it.

[jpd]

Sold all of 'em. Decided my "lower end" builds were all I wanted and needed...until the next G.A.S. attack

[M Sarad]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

I'd check on that. I believe if you're a direct descendant, there's no inheritance tax, so it's separate from income (?) Then presumably, the value of the mineral rights would be tax free (unless it exceeded $11 million or something).

Not sure what capital gain you're referring to. If to the increase in value to your house (keep your receipts), that only becomes an issue when you sell the property. Your state or county's assessment of your property, though, could take a harsh increase, due to your improvements. Which increases your property taxes. Such is life.

When I inherited the mineral rights they had no value until they were leased by a major oil company. The money I received was income, a capital gain.

[Benjo]

The Lowden PBSM is my favorite guitar by a country mile. An incredible guitar and beats the pants off any other guitar I've owned.

[davidbeinct]

Yes, and by a lot, but I only have three guitars and one is a Martin Backpacker. That one is only for road trips in the Miata, and since my wife and I haven’t done any of those in a while it stays in the closet. I did have the Alvarez out on a stand in the living room but we got a kitten so it’s put away. When I play I play in the spare bedroom and never even think of grabbing anything but the Waterloo.

[k_russell]

My most expensive guitar is my favorite.

It's a classical guitar, so it's best for that purpose. I wouldn't even consider trying to flat pick a bluegrass tune with it.

[Shades of Blue]

2 months ago, NO, my most expensive guitar would not have been my favorite by a long shot. That is why I sold it. It was a fancy PRS Custom 24 that got very little playtime, and cost me nearly $4000.

Today, I only have one acoustic and it is my favorite and most expensive, my Taylor 717. I have a J-45 inbound, which was within $50 in price, and so I feel pretty good about my stable.

Electric-wise, my ES-335 is my most expensive and favorite, but I only spent $1900 on it because I got it used. My goal is to keep future purchases under the $2500 mark.

[generalliamsayn]

Originally Posted by whvick

I have a friend who has a 10K Bozo Podunavac
but hardly plays it, favoring a Martin OOOX1 instead.

Bozos were beautiful but, like many other 1960's-70's era guitars, by today's standards many might consider them overbuilt.

[Vognell]

Yeah... although my most expensive is still inexpensive by the standards of many on the forum.

My Yamaha FSX5 is by far the best-sounding, best-playing guitar I own at about a $1400 investment.

My next favorite acoustic, though, is a $200 Ibanez AW54OPN. I notice the downgrades in the tuning machines and fretwork, but the thing sounds fantastic, and is an easy player.

My most favorite electric, my PRS SE Chris Robertson, is a little less expensive than my PRS SE Pauls guitar but takes the nod for best sounding/best playing in my electric collection. These, and my SG standard (2015... don't laugh.. got it new for about $800) do round up my top 3 in electrics.

That said, I have some of the Squire Classic Vibe (60s Strat, 50s Tele, 60s Thinline) and Vintage modified series (VM Jazzmaster, Jaguar, and '72 Thinline), and Epiphones (2002 LP Custom, Dot Deluxe, Wildkat) that generally impress me for the money.

I think you do get what you pay for, and it can be worth it to save up a bit and invest in a more expensive, higher-spec guitar, but it seems like there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in the sub $600 market these days.

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

Yes, and by a lot, but I only have three guitars and one is a Martin Backpacker.

Ahh..the backpacker! I was embarrassed to play that even when camping. How did that ever make it out of R&D?

scott