How Many Guitars Is Too Many?

[bdadad]

My wife is the subject matter expert on this....

[jay7347]

If its not getting the love by being played, its too many! ;-)
A guitar is like a dog... both need playful interaction at the very least daily!
-jay

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

50 is too many, 49 is fine..............unless you live in a country with a vowell in it's name, then it's 63 unless it's cold outside, or you own Goldfish. Simple.

AHH YES ! "Goldfish" the hall mark of "The Uncertainty Principle"

[laocmo]

I've seen a rigorous proof for this theorem somewhere on the Internet. But I'm not sure anymore where I found it. But an easy little proof shows that it is actually impossible to own too many pocket knives, guns, or guitars.

[bdadad]

Originally Posted by laocmo

I've seen a rigorous proof for this theorem somewhere on the Internet. But I'm not sure anymore where I found it. But an easy little proof shows that it is actually impossible to own too many pocket knives, guns, or guitars.

Again, I must defer to my wife... all those items have a "too many" threshold. I know, because I have crossed the threshold for all of them.

[Sain't]

After years of research, the correct answer is 5. With an extra one for emergencies.

Michael

[oatordeal]

really depends on what you play and how you play. for me, one guitar for one need/function . one acoustic, one elec.

i play rock/ alternative and blues. that's all i need really, at least for my skill level.

[Tunes]

An odd number is definitely required, preferably a prime number also.

[blues2rock]

I'd say around 4-5 max. That gives me about 2 more to go. One is definitely gonna be a J-200

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by Sain't

After years of research, the correct answer is 5. With an extra one for emergencies.

Michael

Yup, that's the official number.

[nobo]

Tricky one. I'd go with the n+1 answer!

I suppose it depends on your needs, what styles you play, your finances, etc.

I've accumulated a few over the years. And I'm not very good at parting with them. In many ways, I have too many: electrics (3), steel strings acoustics (8), bass (1), nylon (3). I could - and should - rationalise this. Maintaining and storing this many is a pain (I'm short on space) and costly. And I'm feeling frustrated and guilty about not having enough time to spend with them all.

I am selling at least 2 of these and I do have 3 cheapies (a beater nylon, a beater steel string and my first guitar - a Squier Strat) in the collection which are basically collecting dust but not really worth anything, so hard to part with.

If I had the finances and time to re-jig this, and the ability to sell off the I could rationlise this to:
1 nylon
1-2 bass guitars
2-3 electrics (1 single coil strat/tele type, 1 humbucker LP type, one maybe a jazzer/hollowbodied)
3-4 (or more...!) steel string acoustics (for different tunings and tonalities, different wood combinations, manufacturers)
1 baritone acoustic (still on my GAS list, though I'm presently using my Lowden as a baritone)
1 travel guitar (I presently have a Larrivee Parlour but would be keen to swap for a short- or regular-scale carbon bodied guitar)

(In an ideal world, I'd want all of these to be custom made with at least 46mm nuts, 60mm string spacing, sound port, arm bevels, etc. But I'm dreaming here!)

So thats 9 - 12 guitars, which is still a lot! And then I guess there's always 12 string guitars ... !!!

Hopefully at least some of you can use this for ammunition for buying more guitars!

That said, if you're just into steel string guitar, there's quite a good argument for just having one or two really nice guitars. But it takes a bit of journey and a bit of time (not to mention fun) to work out what that dream guitar (or several) is!

[ivorybridgepin]

Originally Posted by Sain't

After years of research, the correct answer is 5. With an extra one for emergencies.

Michael

That would require me to relinquish 15....aint' happenin'.

[Allman_Fan]

You guys are crazy!
How many guitars do you need to own before you purchase a banjo?

[philjs]

Originally Posted by Allman_Fan

How many guitars do you need to own before you purchase a banjo?

The only correct answer would be "all of them!"

Phil

[nobo]

Originally Posted by philjs

The only correct answer would be "all of them!"

Phil

LOL!