Can't shake this electric thang....

[Shades of Blue]

I play acoustic 95% of the time, but somehow my electric rig keeps growing. I bought a Marshall Origin head and 2x12 cab last year, a Helix HX Stomp pedal and a Powercab to go with it, and a PRS SE Mark Tremonti guitar.

For those of you keeping score, that is about $2200 worth of gear that I don't use nor need. Of course, this is over the past year and a half, but things add up quickly.

When I sit back and really think about how much I play guitar, I seriously could get by with just an amp and a little reverb and delay. So, I will more than likely embark on the Craigslist/Reverb path and try to clean house to free up some cash for more cool acoustic stuff.

Is anyone else like this? Do you just not play electric guitar yet somehow your collection just continues to grow? I think it is my inner longing to join a band and play out, but I know those days are over for me. My issue is that I like to be "ready" for if I ever started playing at a church again, or if I ever really got back into it, but it has been close to 5 years now that I just can't get the drive to play electric anymore. Yet, I keep buying things to enable me to play.

[raysachs]

I go back and forth in terms of how much I play which - lately I've been playing a lot more acoustic than electric - but I can't envision a day when I don't have what feels like an adequate amount of gear for both. Our definitions of "adequate" may be different. I'm happy having one acoustic guitar. I can envision a time when I might want a second one, but it may or may not ever feel like enough of a priority to actually do anything about it.

With electric, I gotta have two and am happy enough having three, although can't envision ever wanting more. Maybe slightly different, but not more... Gotta have a strat - that's absolutely not negotiable - and something with P90s. At the moment I also have a tele I love, but I could live without a tele, and may again someday.

But the bottom line is I play both a lot, even if I'll go through phases where I play a ton more of one than the other. I just have one amp and a decent little pedal board (boost, OD, reverb, delay, a volume pedal, a looper, and a sometimes a wah I pretty much never use anymore).

I go back and forth, but I'd never deplete what feels like essential electric gear to indulge an acoustic whim, or vice versa. Of course, we all have very different definitions of "essential" and "whim". That's always the rub - figuring that part out...

[roylor4]

Well, we're all different. I'm going in nearly the opposite direction.

I am still a stronger acoustic player than electric, but not by much anymore. At first, I was put off by the need for playing cleanly and efficiently when playing an electric. I am a hard driving acoustic rhythm player (think BG power and speed without the ability to do great leads ).

Now, I appreciate and enjoy the ease of playing with 9's on electrics and spend more time playing electric than acoustic (just marginally).

In my mind, an acoustic is suited a little better as both a solo instrument and and as an ensemble than electric. Electric (for me) shines when I have a rhythm section and can play leads. Maybe you just need to find a playing partner to spice the electric up a bit?

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I go back and forth in terms of how much I play which - lately I've been playing a lot more acoustic than electric - but I can't envision a day when I don't have what feels like an adequate amount of gear for both. Our definitions of "adequate" may be different. I'm happy having one acoustic guitar. I can envision a time when I might want a second one, but it may or may not ever feel like enough of a priority to actually do anything about it.

With electric, I gotta have two and am happy enough having three, although can't envision ever wanting more. Maybe slightly different, but not more... Gotta have a strat - that's absolutely not negotiable - and something with P90s. At the moment I also have a tele I love, but I could live without a tele, and may again someday.

But the bottom line is I play both a lot, even if I'll go through phases where I play a ton more of one than the other. I just have one amp and a decent little pedal board (boost, OD, reverb, delay, a volume pedal, a looper, and a sometimes a wah I pretty much never use anymore).

I go back and forth, but I'd never deplete what feels like essential electric gear to indulge an acoustic whim, or vice versa. Of course, we all have very different definitions of "essential" and "whim". That's always the rub - figuring that part out...

Great post!

For me, adequate would be having a simple amp and a few pedals. The problem is I go down the rabbit hole quite frequently and start lusting after different tones/amp sounds/ you name it. My issue is that I feel that I "need" to have 2-3 overdrive sounds, and delays galore, and all of these different sounds, but I don't.

So, my thought is to possibly sell my PRS SE, HX Stomp, and Powercab and get a Deluxe Reverb and an overdrive pedal. Problem solved! lol Oh yeah, and then I need a headphone option for the late night playing...(which I haven't played with headphones in over a year!) haha

[M Sarad]

I have been playing electric with two bands full time since 2011 after many years off. I recorded an album and gigged with a band in the 90s before I switched to solo guitar.

My collection has grown like mushrooms on the front lawn:

Two Tweed Deluxes, Deluxe Reverb, PRS H 50 watt head, TECH 21 Classic 65,
SG, Les Paul Jr., Melody Maker, Tele, Three Strats, Two PRS, Electra copy of a Hagstrom, lap steel, a dozen pedals. It keeps on growing.

Last night blues band rehearsal was the Gold Top Double Cut PRS with Soap Bar P90s into a hardwired Blackface Deluxe Reverb with a Klon Centaur clone called the Minitaur. Just a sublime tone. When I play with the country band, it’s Tele into a Tweed Deluxe, either the ‘58 Fender or the 2000 Victoria with the Boss ‘63 Reverb Pedal. I want to sound like Don Rich or Marty Stuart. Marty uses Clarence White’s BBender Tele. I borrowed one and fell in love. Saving money and checking out the used market,

[Bob Womack]

I love both instruments. It's possible, thou knowest.


Bob

[alnico5]

I play acoustic and electric gigs. I have the equipment I need and spend time playing, not looking at new stuff.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I love both instruments. It's possible, thou knowest.


Bob

Good point, and is why I want to minimalize my electric rig. I play acoustic so much more often that I feel that I don't need multiple amp options and non-necessary guitars.

My issue is that my Marshall Origin 20 just doesn't sound great to me, but it looks AMAZING sitting in the room. It's almost used more for decoration at this point. I think I'd be better served with the Helix and Powercab, but I can't bring myself to sell the Marshall stack.

[Jaden]

My electric days are over because where I live I can’t turn the volume up even *a bit* due to neighbors close by. An outlay of funds would be required to rent a rehearsal space, and in light of all the other things I have to attend to, it isn’t going to happen.

I’ve protected my hearing from loud noise all my life so my sensitive hearing is a gift, and I’ve found a good quality acoustic guitar provides rich and subtle low volume performance which explains in my mind the overwhelming popular appeal of acoustic over electric gear.

[paulp1960]

Originally Posted by Jaden

My electric days are over because where I live I can’t turn the volume up even *a bit* due to neighbors close by. An outlay of funds would be required to rent a rehearsal space, and in light of all the other things I have to attend to, it isn’t going to happen.

I’ve protected my hearing from loud noise all my life so my sensitive hearing is a gift, and I’ve found a good quality acoustic guitar provides rich and subtle low volume performance which explains in my mind the overwhelming popular appeal of acoustic over electric gear.

For me even the acoustic guitar is too loud for late night practice so it's electric guitar through headphones most of the time. I love playing both though when I can.

[Mr. Jelly]

If I bought an electric guitar, again, I'd want to play with people, again. And I don't think I'd want to do that.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Good point, and is why I want to minimalize my electric rig. I play acoustic so much more often that I feel that I don't need multiple amp options and non-necessary guitars.

My issue is that my Marshall Origin 20 just doesn't sound great to me, but it looks AMAZING sitting in the room. It's almost used more for decoration at this point. I think I'd be better served with the Helix and Powercab, but I can't bring myself to sell the Marshall stack.

I have just moved into a Helix myself. I've been using a POD HD500X for years and it taken over as my practice rig and frankly, does most of the sessions I do as well. So the Helix is a move up. If you are willing to tweak and explore, you may find it is fantastic.


Bob

[Pitar]

Rick 360 in Jetglo and a Vox amp on a Byrds diet did that to me (for me?) a few years back. Then came a Strat and Tele and then there was nothing. None of it arrived with the same inspiration for playing acoustic so off it went to a greater audience.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

...Do you just not play electric guitar yet somehow your collection just continues to grow? I think it is my inner longing to join a band and play out, but I know those days are over for me. My issue is that I like to be "ready" for if I ever started playing at a church again, or if I ever really got back into it...

For about fifteen years starting in early 1970 I played no electric guitar, other than once every couple months at home; during that time I acquired a few electrics and amps, just in case...

In the mid-80's I picked up some occasional studio/arranger/hired-gun work, which lasted until I joined an acoustic group in 1993 - and the electrics were essentially relegated to the closet...

Hit an extended dry spell in the late-90's, made some trades, picked up some new/updated gear, played for my own enjoyment and with my students...

Did some hired-gun CCM/P&W church work for a while, made some more trades/purchases...

Found a bunch of like-minded people at the local senior center about two years ago - put together a band, been playing out regularly ever since...

Our ages range from 65 to 77...

Never say never...

[Steel and wood]

I play way more acoustic than electric these days, even though I'm happy owning one acoustic. (My Martin). I get to play it at work, down by my local river, on holidays etc. plus I love acoustic guitars pretty much equally as I do electrics.

However I just couldn't contemplate selling any of my three electrics (irrespective of how little they get played) and I still hanker for that Fender Blues Junior tube amp.