Do I sell my expensive, rarely used, non gigging guitar?

[Mandobart]

I say don't sell, but my situation is far different. When I gigged, I brought my best custom instruments (about $3000 each) to play. I never damaged them at a gig.

Music for me is a hobby I'm passionate about, but not my main source of income. The money from my gigs ($200 for a 2 - 3 hour show) is not enough to support our lifestyle even if I had gigs lined up all week.

Finally if you love your non-gigging guitar you will regret selling it. Later you'll try to replace it but it just won't be the same.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Graylocks

For a gigging musician guitars are tools. If you not using it for gigs and you're not even drawn to pulling it out often to play it at home then it's time for that tool to go to someone who will use it.

This.

I fairly recently sold off a basically unplayed Lowden walnut cutaway, a Larrivee L-05, a RK ROS-06, and a 39' Epiphone Triumph. All great guitars, but each had qualities that didn't align with my personal preferances.

If you know you won't be changing your mind in the near future then you are really just leaving someone else with the issue down the road.

If you DO change your mind you will most likely be able to find a similar guitar later at a similar price.

Having fewer "closet classics" simply unclutters my life, and that makes me feel more comfortable about the stuff I do have and use regularly.

[WFO!]

Tough decision. Keep this in mind: I know this is hypothetical, but if you sell it will you be a position to replace something owned and paid for down the road? That would be my concern. Sellers remorse sucks. That $2500 will come and go quickly...

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[mr. beaumont]

I guess I'm confused, why don't you gig it?


EDIT: Missed the other post. Sell it.

I'd never own a guitar I wouldn't gig.

[jcpharm]

i'm in the sell it camp. if you find you want the J45 back, they are fairly available at about the same price you sold it - it's not like the rarest guitar in the world. i also question how much you really love it since you are even contemplating selling it and prefer to gig with the Walnut (for reasons you listed and make sense). if you have a sentimental connection with the guitar, then that is another question because it is hard to put a monetary value on that.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Shadowfox

I'd sell the Walnut J45, if you like the Standard better. Then gig the expensive one.

Same here. The J45 Standard was built to be a working guitar. Forget about the price tag and go to work with your best sound. That's the way pros do it.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I just answered that above...

1) it's not easy to play for long 3-4 hour gigs. Between the heavier (12's)
strings and the body size (thickness), it can wear me down after a long gig.
2) I worry about theft and/or getting it dinged up
3) I worry about it when outside and it might rain or it's very hot

I wouldn’t sell it. Instead, i would consider the following:

1. Go with lighter strings, or low tension 12’s.
2. I carefully watch any guitar that i take to an insecure environment (festivals, gigs). If that isn’t the way you roll, and you can’t adopt a different attitude about a more expensive guitar possibly being stolen, this is an obstacle. Insurance is an option, but might not be cost effective for your stable.
3. While water and heat are not the best friends of wooden instruments, you might be overly concerned about how much of a risk rain and heat might pose to the well-being of your guitar. Maybe you could relax about this a bit.

I haven’t addressed the comfort issue. That is the one that might prompt me to sell if i were you. I am 6’1”, have long arms, and while i have a belly, it isn’t that big…so the only guitar that was truly uncomfortable for me was a jumbo baritone (29” scale). But if that ever changes, i wouldn’t keep a guitar that made me uncomfortable.

But if i had the same concerns/fears as you, and I couldn’t ease those in some way, i dont know what i would do. I hate to sell a good guitar, but I wont own guitars that i am reluctant to play because they are too expensive for me to enjoy.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by JackB1

1) it's not easy to play for long 3-4 hour gigs. Between the heavier (12's)
strings and the body size (thickness), it can wear me down after a long gig.
2) I worry about theft and/or getting it dinged up
3) I worry about it when outside and it might rain or it's very hot

I can relate to #2 and 3# but that’s not enough for me to sell. Especially if I enjoy playing them.

#1 would get me off of the fence. I have several guitars that don’t get as much play as others but they all feel and sound great. If a guitar was not comfortable then it would be gone.


For your reading pleasure
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=618500

[Wade Hampton]

Jack, I read your responses in this thread, and it seems as though the walnut guitar is just better suited for your needs. So I voted to sell.

Rather than spending the money on random stuff, though, I’d suggest you use it for a guitar that has similar properties as your gigging guitar. Wouldn’t hurt to have two.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[kizz]

Sell it now and buy one later when you need it more.

[SecondCity]

I vote sell. I dislike owning things I feel like I do t use enough. So you asked whether you should sell it to buy something you use more. That tells me you should sell.

[guitarxan]

Based on your 3 criteria, I vote sell. No sense in having it sit around. If your criteria change, go find another one at that time.

[Kaydee]

No,don’t sell it .Drag it out of its case and play it as your gig guitar till it dies a good death.
only my opinion ,but I truly cannot understand owning expensive things,whether the things be guns,guitars,mountain bikes ,watches,shoes,or whatever,that don’t get used to the max.
If you buy it as an investment I might just cut you some slack,otherwise why bother owning the thing.

[gibpicker]

Set on it for now, and if you still feel the same in a few months, sell it. Just look around the forum with all the regrets!

[jricc]

Im with u Jack. I would gig my J45 Walnut and leave my nicer 45 at home. Even if my nicer 45 was as comfortable, I'd still leave the nicer one home. Besides, the Walnut 45 is a great guitar.

To answer your question, I'd keep the nice 45 too.