Keeping guitars based on looks

[PetesaHut]

Originally Posted by palsed

How many of you have kept a guitar that you really don't play much or that sounds too much like another you have based on how it looks? That's what I'm battling right now. I just absolutely love the grain pattern on the back of this guitar and I fear I'll regret selling it if I do. The sound is amazing but I find I'm playing my others more. And I just bought other guitars that I like the sound and feel better and could use the money to pay off the new one and make room for it in the house. But that grain-- I can't let it go.

What to do, what to do?

A guitar can be like a work of fine art, beautiful to look at and admire, but I would much prefer the thing played well also. Therefore I don't think I would keep a guitar only because it looks beautiful, it needs to make me want to pick it up and play it too.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

This is just my personal opinion, but there’s not a guitar in the world that’s worth being in debt over.

Aaron's right, it's not a good financial move in most cases and especially if there are other instruments that could be enjoyed and would keep you from going into debt on another.

[jylarkin]

I get you. I bought an all koa Guild F30K some time ago - the 60th Anniversary model. It was downright gorgeous, and if it wasn't for it's looks, I would never have even considered buying it as I'm a spruce-rosewood and spruce-maple man. Anyway, while the Guild was a sweet sounding guitar, I just didn't play it much once I got over the New Guitar High. So this gorgeous guitar just sat in its case for months on end except for the occasional humidity checks. Eventually sold it, and that sale got me thinking about the other 15 guitars I rarely play. So, this started the selling spree. And I gotta tell you, the second best thing to the NGD is when I help the next owner have his/her NGD. About 10 more to go, and I'l be down to a few favorites. That is of course assuming I don't buy another guitar - and this would be an unrealistic assumption.

John

[AcousticDreams]

I Think the answer to the question of keeping guitars based on looks, might not be as simple as we would like to think.

There have been two guitars that I purchased based on tone, that just happen to look fantastic as well. One of them...I did not like the dark look of at first. It was beautiful, but just not what I was use to color wise. But the sound was something that intrigued me. So I purchased it.

Now I play another guitar 98% of the time. Yet I find it hard to part with the other two great looking guitars. Why? Well several reasons really:

*There is history of myself with those two guitars. I loved their sound for so long, until I found my current love. I keep thinking that with one little new change, like different strings, saddle material(or Bridge pins..ha ha) I will love that guitar once again as much as I used to.

* Those two guitars have a different tone. While their tone is not optimal for my particular style of playing in comparison with my latest guitar....Their tone is different & quite excellent. And because of that, when I do get around to playing those guitars I usually write songs with a slightly different flavor. In a nut shell, tonal differences, makes me write differently. For what they do writing wise..it is worth keeping them around.

* And finally, YES, I am hooked on Looks! My past profession I made a product that used extremely rare and exotic woods. I spent hour after hour searching the globe to find the most beautiful, most unique looking woods. So, Not only do I have history with those guitars, I kind of gotten use to having them around because they look so good!

O.K I will admit it...I am a little bit shallow. I love good looks!

[pjroberts]

Originally Posted by palsed

How many of you have kept a guitar that you really don't play much or that sounds too much like another you have based on how it looks? That's what I'm battling right now. I just absolutely love the grain pattern on the back of this guitar and I fear I'll regret selling it if I do. The sound is amazing but I find I'm playing my others more. And I just bought other guitars that I like the sound and feel better and could use the money to pay off the new one and make room for it in the house. But that grain-- I can't let it go.

What to do, what to do?

Sell/trade for tone and practical use. But I don’t care too much about visual aesthetics, especially if the tone is good. Of course I have my ugly limits, but no way would I have investment sitting there not doing anything just so I can admire its looks.

Here’s a better solution. You’re a guitar player, take some really nice glamour pictures of your guitar, print out a nice 20x30 print, frame it, hang it in your practice space and admire forever (maybe it’s a pic if you playing it:-) After you hang photo, sell guitar, buy one you actually like to play and listen to, or invest or save the money for something you need.

[Dustinfurlow]

I owned a guitar in the last year that checked every single box of visual, ergonomic and tonewood preferences I could think of...literally the perfect guitar in my mind...but it's playability and tone were not well-suited for my songs or in front of quality microphones.

At the end of the day our hands and ears will make the final call of what's worth holding onto.

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by Muddslide

I have never done this with acoustics but in my case the only acoustic guitars I could see keeping based solely on looks would be old vintage ones that were considered budget or beginner instruments that may not sound or play great, or be worth repairing, but often look so cool.

Old Harmony line stuff...Stellas, Kays, Silvertones, Airlines that had decalcomania or those stenciled paintings of cowboys and such, circa late 40s-early 60s.

I love the looks of a lot of those. If nothing else they'd make great nostalgic wall art (though I know some are very playable.)

This... I have a basket case framus 12 string 1967.
that just looks cool on my bathroom wall. But a 2-3000 dollar guitar would be
sold.

[gitarro]

If a guitsr isnt being played enough, then you do not like it as much as u think and it is time to sell.it and maybe its buyer will like it a lot more and play it more which is what a guitar is for after all regardless of how pretty it is.

[musicman1951]

I enjoy cabinetmaking as a hobby and often drive my wife crazy looking at beautiful wood wherever we go. But I almost never look at the back of my guitars once they're mine. I open the case, take it out and play. Maybe that's too bad, but it's what I do.

So I can't get behind keeping a guitar for the wood grain facing my belly. But you know what you like. If you're worried that you'll regret selling it there is probably a pretty good reason for that. I try to avoid doing anything that just doesn't feel right.

Logically I'd say sell it, but you can always change your mind a few months/years from now. But obviously don't be crazy - we all have many desires here and we can't afford to indulge them all.

[PorkPieGuy]

Originally Posted by Ludere

brother, can I relate to this!



...

I'm glad someone caught it.

[doublescale1]

If you own and operate a Prop House for movies, that is good enough reason to own a showboat guitar that may not sound as good as it looks. Other than that, buy and keep with your ears.