Just how many guitars do you own?

[Arch Stanton]

I see on many of the signatures the number of guitars owned. Does anyone out there own over 5, 10 or more guitars?? Do you really play them all, how do you decide which one to play? Of all of them, what is your #1 go-to guitar?

[jaymarsch]

I think that there was a poll done not long ago that addressed this very thing.
I have owned as many as 7 and now will be at 5 once I take delivery of a custom due in a few months. I have a lot of variety in my guitars and play nearly all of them at least once a week. I have had two of them for 15 to 20 years and the others are newer acquisitions. One is pretty much a travel guitar. Another one I keep Nashville strung. My go to is my Wingert 12 fret E. It was custom made for me about 15 years ago and I play it almost every day.

I think that you will find that responses are all over the spectrum here. Some folks are collectors as well as players.

Best,
Jayne

[THart]

Once I walked into a music store & the clerk asked that question. She went on to say that their customers owned, on average, 7 guitars. I own 5, all very different from each other and they all get played. Not every day but when the mood strikes me. Throw in my 3 mandolins & I guess I hit the music store average. I've been playing on and off for 50 yrs but "collecting" for the past 6 & thoroughly enjoying it. When the time comes I think I'll get most of my money back because they're nice instruments & with 2 exceptions I bought used so I don't really look at the cost as being so high.

[Brent Hahn]

In addition to the ones in my sig, I have a Martin 016NY that's the "couch guitar," but my son plays it way more than I do. I also have a FrankenTele, '68 neck, '71 body, aftermarket pickups and stainless steel frets. Fantastic instrument. And an 80's Ibanez Blazer bass, P-configuration, maybe the best recording bass I've ever played.

I used to have quite a few vintage collectibles, but the apparition of my nickel allergy in around 2007 coincided nicely with a pre-recession bubble in the guitar market and my own financial unlucky streak.

[AndrewG]

Five; two dreads, one OO, one OOO and one electric.

[David Eastwood]

I've got 8 - 4 acoustic, and 4 electric. Add in a couple of lap steels and other assorted odds and sods, and the total is 13.

However, I've only spend serious money (over $700, say) on two of them. Interestingly, my go-to is my most recent acquisition (and also easily the most expensive) - an Emerald X20. This is now also the one now prompting me to downsize the collection.

If I'm honest, I could easily 'manage' with two of the acoustics, and two of the electrics.

[SuperB23]

I play all of mine weekly except my electric doesn't get played nearly enough. All of mine are listed in my signature.

4 acoustics, no electrics anymore. That's the most I have owned at once. I play them all equally, or at least I try my best to. I have no "go-to" guitar but I do tend to play the 14 fretters a bit more than the 12 fretters.

[bluesfreek]

I own just the three acoustic guitars in my signature. One is a dread, one a 000 style body and the third is an acoustic/electric with a shallower body. I don't own or play electric guitar anymore. I think with those three I have all my bases covered.

[Rosewood99]

I own all in my signature. I have no set way of deciding. All get played during the week. I suppose my OMs get a little bit more time.

[hat]

maybe too many? I'm currently looking to cut down a bit....
1954 J45
Custom L00
Custom IRW GA sized
Harmony H165
Frankenstrat
Custom Mahogany/Spruce 12 fret 000
Custom Acoustic/Electric (T5 copy?)
Walnut squareneck resonator (dobro)
curly Maple Squareneck Resonator
in progress - HD28 copy

[Steadfastly]

I don't think I have ever been over three. Been as low as one during a recent move and am back at three. I could see me going to five but that would be my limit unless I added a mandolin and a banjo.

[Paddy1951]

I have 6. All of them are different. OK, two of them are Martins but pretty different Martins. An HD28 and 00-15m. And they are older school Martins, not Reinvented.
Then I have a Gibson J15, a Guild OM 150, a Seagull S6 and a Taylor 312.
I play them in a rough rotation, favoring one or another depending on what I am using them for, song type, volume necessary, etc.
I like having diverse voices. I don't fall into the camp mentality as a result of the different voices. I can appreciate any given guitar for what it is.
I tweak each guitar to make it the way I prefer it to sound.

Not everybody can or will want to go this way. To each, their own.

[islandguitar]

The five listed in my signature. I'm a bit top heavy (for me), but intend to stay with this group. Would be hard to assess which to part with for anything additional!
These guitars are played very often...I keep them in different tuning so that's what makes a decision on what's played. When a new tune is composed, I'll bring them all into that one tuning to see which one "wins" for what I'll record with.
The Bourgeois JOM is my "take out" guitar.........if I travel.......it also has a pickup and would be the one I use if I play out. (rare, but sometimes occurs!).

[Cypress Knee]

I acquired a lot of guitars several years ago, then decided that since I couldn't play them all, then I would downsize and just keep a few nice ones. I have a Martin rosewood dred that I take to bluegrass and country type of things, a Collings mahogany OM that I like to fingerpick on, a twelve string and a classical. Not mentioned in my sig line is a Martin Norman Blake 000-28 that my wife thinks she might want to learn to play someday, and it is very versatile.

I rotate through the three steel-string guitars evenly over the course of six weeks. The 12 string and classical come out on occasion.

I also have a mandolin that I am trying to learn how to play, and a John Fogerty autographed "Blue Moon Swamp" telecaster that I never play and intend to someday hang on the wall as a decoration.

CK