Retirement has ended my GAS

[M Sarad]

Not necessarily what I want, but what I know I can no longer afford.After 35 years of teaching,6 in private schools and 29 in public schools, I no longer have enough spare cash to indulge guitars that used to be on my wish list. I talked to Kim Walker years ago about an OM 28. I was paying for my son’s college tuition and couldn’t swing the 11k Kim quoted me. That guitar would be worth 30k now. After playing Larry Pattis’s Michaud, I placed an order. I realized that as I was soon to retire, it would cost almost two month’s instead of just one while still employed, so I cancelled the order.
I want a Wingert, but when Kathy was starting out, her prices were less than a month’s net. Now they are 3x +50%.
Laurent Brondel suggested I get on Burton LeGeyt’s list. We talked, and once again it was a long waiting time and beyond my pocketbook.

In 2012/2013 I bought both my Brondel Essential and Franklin OM28. When the taxman came calling, the Franklin had to go.

I compromised by going down the electric path by acquiring an SG Standard with Throbak PAFs, a PRS with Soapbars, a Tele, and two new Amps. The combined expense for all those was just one month’s retirement check spread out over a year.

I still hunger for a 1930-33 OM 18, Wingert, Claxton, Michaud, LeGeyt, a certain Bourgeois/Swan Soloist, even the John Kinnaird I let go a dozen years ago.

Maybe when the house is paid off in a few years I can get back in the game, but for now, prudence is keeping me sane.

[RP]

It sounds like a case of champagne tastes and a beer budget. Other options are to go back to work or learn to drink the common swill....

[Rosewood99]

I have five years before I retire. I guess the lesson is I better get some more guitars while I can.

Congratulations on your retirement! Sounds like it's the best thing that could have happened to your savings account.

I, too, am a recently retired teacher, and I decided that I had better make peace with the guitars I currently have, as there would be far fewer purchases going forward. I love what I own and want for nothing. But then, all three of my keepers aren't worth half of what one Wingert would cost.

I'm grateful my standards are aligned with my budget.

[Pitar]

Yep. A haute palette on fast food alley.

But, there's such a wealth (errrr) of affordable and fine instruments available that need not scare the socks off the pennywise.

I was contrasting red meat and black beans for their food value and health attributes. The black beans won hands down with no possible cardiovascular implications. Why red meat is more popular among men is because of the haute aspect of it. Only peasants eat beans. A red meat diet is a symbol of affluence and preferred even now with its proven detriment to health. The cost of protein from the red meat that equates in measure from black beans is $3.00/100 grams versus $.50, respectively.

In the same sense, many lower priced guitars I find to be on a par with the so-called boutique variety in many ways, and to the ear especially where it should matter most, but there's that haute factor of the boutique stuff that confounds such logic.

[pszy22]

Get a part time job doing something you like. Even if you only work a handful of hours a week, at close to minimum wage, the money will add up over time. It may take a year or two, but you'll get there.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by M Sarad

....couldn’t swing the 11k Kim quoted me. That guitar would be worth 30k now.....

Man, you're living in a different guitar world than I ever thought reasonable. Those are some pretty expensive tastes, to say the least!

I am immensely happy with my Guild F50R (<$2,000). Don't know why you wouldn't be.

[Earl49]

Congrats on retiring. You don't have to go in every day, but you also don't have the same disposable income for GAS. You need to re-calibrate your wish list.... I bet you could make a fair chunk of guitar money by tutoring, without the full time headaches of "going to school". Or perhaps teaching guitar lessons.

I have to agree with DC Cougar, BTW. The most I've ever spent on a guitar was ~$2800, although I flirted with a couple on the $6-8K range.

[M Sarad]

I ended my career early due to long term effects from a bike accident in 2013 that made me deaf in one ear, screwed up my vision, short term memory, and ability to put up with admin and smarmy kids. The last year was terrible. I can no longer teach.

My last steel string was a Northwood deep body L-00. Plain Jane Mahogany and Torrefied Adirondack combine to give a prominent bass and sparkling trebles. It was $3500. The equivalent in a Santa Cruz would have been pushing 5k. Sadly, the used market for Northwood guitars is great for the buyer and disappointing for the seller.
I also got a Kenny Hill New World classical to scratch that itch.
With 7 acoustics, a Weissenborn, SG, Les Paul Jr, two PRS, three Fenders, Brondel Strat, two Fender Amps- ‘58 Tweed Deluxe an 1980 hand wired Blackface Deluxe Reverb, Tech 21 65 Watt, PRS H amp, Victoria Tweed Deluxe, Hughes and Kettner Blues Master and a suitcase full of pedals, I am stuck between collector and hoarder. I even bought Klotz cables.

[Mandobart]

Its about wants vs needs I guess. I have some very nice mid-level custom instruments. I also have lived well beneath my means all my life. When we started out, my wife and I had one financial goal - to save enough for a down payment on a house. Not easy when living in San Diego, then Seattle. We did it. We've always paid off our mortgage in less than 15 years. Then that ~$2 k per month went toward college savings for our kids. Then that $$ went to savings (above our 401k's and 457's). No debts, no obligations, lots saved for retirement, I could commission a $25k instrument. But......that's never been a need, much less want for me.

[tadol]

First, congrats on the retirement - and I hadn’t thought about it, but if retiring might force me to deal with my GAS, that could be a major plus -

You have a great collection of guitars (and amps) - and extremely good taste in choosing more. You might not have the cash available to just order them, but you have the knowledge and connections to keep eyes out for used, and maybe you’ll find a couple goodies over the years that can help satisfy that itch. And you’ll have the time to go out and play a lot more, and maybe find a couple of the inexpensive but exceptionally good ones that are floating around out there -

It will be good to hear what new musical projects you launch into, now that you have the time - ;-)

[M Sarad]

Tad, the Brozman Bari for sale here is killing me. I would let the Brondel go if I couldn’t live without the Broz.

[fitness1]

Much better than GAS ending your retirement

[alnico5]

I don't know what to say. Since 1967 I have owned a total of 17 instruments, all inclusive of acoustics, electrics, nylon string and basses. In the last several years I have made more money playing them than I have spent on them in my life. I don't buy $11K guitars, however, or even think about buying them.

[rick-slo]

To me owning a bunch of guitars is just a burden and a reminder of questionable choices from the past. My ideal would be having
just one guitar, but for playing a variety in music styles that doesn't quite work out.