Does anyone else get extreme anxiety after a huge purchase?

[Dbone]

No. Sounds like you need something that you really need to be anxious about to take your mind off the purchase. Keep it in perspective. You only live once. Enjoy the guitar. Worse case you sell it. Everyone keeps going on around here about how good the resale is on Martin so in theory you have not much to worry about if you change your mind.

The other solution is to get both. There’s the GASaholic solution to all your problems.

Welcome.

[frankhond]

There are very few bad d28’s and you would know right away if this one was a dud. Don’t worry, just play it a lot. It will become the best d28 as the finish wears off the neck where your fingers have been.

[GrillzVonSizzle]

Congratulations on your new D28! You saved the money and put a lot of thought into your purchase — now breathe and enjoy it.

[capefisherman]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

This is buyer's remorse, and it affects people depending on their perspective on the cost of the object and the perceived value.

Money in the bank (hopefully not on credit, but this still applies) represents untapped potential. The options on how to spend it are many, maybe infinite. As soon as its spent, those options are gone. Buyer's remorse is our sense of loss for those now unavailable options.

I believe you would feel exactly the same no matter which guitar you chose.

This may be the explanation of buyer's remorse that I've ever heard.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

This is buyer's remorse, and it affects people depending on their perspective on the cost of the object and the perceived value.

Money in the bank (hopefully not on credit, but this still applies) represents untapped potential. The options on how to spend it are many, maybe infinite. As soon as its spent, those options are gone. Buyer's remorse is our sense of loss for those now unavailable options.

I believe you would feel exactly the same no matter which guitar you chose.

Great and precise explanation. As my funds are limited, I always feel remorse when spending money that could have gone to my empty pension fund. Especially when buying a vintage guitar, the question is whether the bought guitar has any hidden defects. In the end, I usually regret the small items bought that end up not being used (e.g., nice new glasses for wine). I could beast myself up for not saving all the money just for the expensive items that I DO cherish.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Crossroads684

So, I've been wanting to upgrade to a serious acoustic for awhile now, but I kept going back and forth between a Martin D18 and D28. At one point, I even put a down payment on a D18 only to change my mind. Every time I thought I knew which one I wanted, it changed. Partly because I could never find a store that had both in stock. Well, today I found a store that did.

Long story short, at first, it seemed like the D18 was more alive and it was the sure fire winner. However, as I played both more, the D28 seemed to open up and..., I pulled the trigger and bought the D28.

I should be happy right? Well, I am, but my brain is stupid and I keep going over every D28 I've played, in every store, and I can't stop wondering if I bought the best one. It's stupid and I know I got one hell of a guitar no matter what.

Does anyone else go through something similar? If so, how do you stop yourself and just enjoy your purchase?

Here's the thing. Both the D18 and the D28 are fine guitars - which is why you see so many of them.
Sooner or later you'll have both, but you have to start with one.

Those old Martins didn't always start out by being "GREAT" - they became great by people working them and making them resonate like magical things.
You have the wand, now you play the living daylights out of it to give it the magic.

The rosewood D28 is more subtle and complex, and the mahogany D18 has more raw power.

I play Collings now but had Martins from the late '60s until 1999. I even played a D35 in my most intense bluegrass days.

Play, play and play your D28.

Play that D28 and

[DownUpDave]

I can relate to “did I buy the BEST D-28 I’ve played”.

Here is the thing, you did and you didn’t, it depends on the specific day. I have gone into a guitar store with three D-28s on hand played them all then picked the winner. A few days later I play the same three guitars and pick a different winner. Playing different guitars in different stores is even worse.

We change both psychologically and physiologically from day to day. Some days I like bright, other days warm. Some days soft and sweet, other days loud and bold.

You liked what you played, you picked the D-28 over the D-18 which you loved. Enjoy it for what it really is.........an outstanding instrument that can give you a lifetime of joy. The pursuit of perfection is the enemy of being happy

[hubcapsc]

I think it's more the money

It's a D-28, it didn't depreciate to nothing when you took
it out of the store.

Enjoy the snot out of it and be confident you could
sell it and recoup a fair amount of your money if it
came to that...

-Mike

[Crossroads684]

Originally Posted by capefisherman

This may be the explanation of buyer's remorse that I've ever heard.

I absolutely agree and it hits the nail on the head. I slept on it and he's right, I feel much better and I'll feel even better once I pick it up Saturday.

[Crossroads684]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

I can relate to “did I buy the BEST D-28 I’ve played”.

Here is the thing, you did and you didn’t, it depends on the specific day. I have gone into a guitar store with three D-28s on hand played them all then picked the winner. A few days later I play the same three guitars and pick a different winner. Playing different guitars in different stores is even worse.

We change both psychologically and physiologically from day to day. Some days I like bright, other days warm. Some days soft and sweet, other days loud and bold.

You liked what you played, you picked the D-28 over the D-18 which you loved. Enjoy it for what it really is.........an outstanding instrument that can give you a lifetime of joy. The pursuit of perfection is the enemy of being happy

This actually makes me feel even better. I swear our ears change on a minute to minute basis and it can drive us insane. I've picked up some of my old guitars that I had not touched in a while only to fall in love with them all over again. It's a strange occurrence and I really think that's what's going on here along with what the other poster said about buyer's remorse.

Thanks again everyone, this really has helped!

[RP]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

...I believe you would feel exactly the same no matter which guitar you chose.

I agree. Your anxiety is based as much on the decision that you didn't make as the one you made. I'd have to wonder whether you doubt yourself in other facets of your life as well...

[shockfinder]

I think, perhaps, that some of the anxiety comes from the idea that there is some perfect magical guitar out there. You’ll find that sentiment all over in phrases like “It’s a cannon!”, etc.

So we question whether we actually found the one.

I’ve done that and still do. I have a D18, a D28, and an HD28, all from the Reimagined updates. I ended up with all 3 by chasing “the One”. What I’ve learned is that in every group I’ve played with, they get tons of compliments on how they sound. I let a friend play them, and he is a great player, and suddenly I realized there were no real deficiencies at all. They sounded great!

I still look for something else. I talk myself out of it all of the time. I’ve realized that I have some great guitars and the only thing holding them back is me. So I’ll tune out the voices telling me to find the one and try to be the one who makes these nice guitars sound fantastic.

Oh, and if you’re looking for me, you’ll probably find me in the classifieds. I’m sure I need a better guitar.

[Methos1979]

This is why I only buy guitars online that I've never played before! That way I have nothing to compare it to, only itself, in my home. If I love it, I keep it. I'm rarely disappointed. If I don't, I return it (if bought new) or sell/trade/flip it for something else. I'm also fortunate to be at a stage in my life where I can afford a nice guitar now and then without worry that the money should be being spent elsewhere. But that's a whole different (and more legitimate) type of buyers remorse. I've always subscribed to the 'pay yourself first' thinking when it comes to saving and retirement. It really helps to have a wife that hates to spend money.

[zombywoof]

There does seem to be a whole lot of second guessing going on these days. Best guess is it as to do with the sheer information out there and the ease in getting opinions on the question "did I make the right choice."

I am guessing some of the questioning involves the tendency of new guitars to come alive or "open up" when played for a while but then go right back to their same old used to be after they are brought home and sit around for a bit. One of the things I do when going with somebody else to look at new guitars is to give the instrument a slight whack with the side of my thumb on the top and side and then listen while feeling how much vibration passes through my body. Not exactly scientific though.

[musicman1951]

No, I never second guess a purchase. But I've got a few things going for me:

I think (mistakenly or not) that nothing is too good for me.

I spend less on a guitar than I do a car, so it's really a pretty cheap purchase.

I'm going to die some day, and I'm getting closer every day.

What the heck, it's a guitar. Play it. Enjoy it.