How many guitars do you "NEED"?

[@sonofnun7803]

My greatest worry is, that if I die, my wife sells my guitars for the price I told her I paid for them

[@mikmaz77]

lol...too funny!

[@philr2984]

you and me both

[@vichardy3504]

Truer words were never spoken...

[@nirmalamatya8564]

Son of Nun gb

[@ousiavazia]

LOL

[@somfmusic1723]

My dad owned a drum store growing up where he sold drums and taught lessons. People would come in and judge certain floor models, telling him “oh that kit sucks, it doesn’t have great tone.” He would proceed to sit down on the kit and throw down a nasty drum fill or groove then set the sticks on the snare and say... “hmm, funny...sounded good when I played it.” Just goes to show you don’t need the latest and greatest gear to sound good. You need years of practice.

[@empathysgone96]

Great story thanks for sharing. 🙏❤️

[@robinleebraun7739]

See Ray Charles in Blues Brothers movie playing the electric piano that Murphy Dunne says “has no action”.

[@jasoncarroll4463]

"when we're shopping for guitars, we aren't playing guitars" damn that hit me

[@williamscalzitti217]

exactly. people constantly shopping for gear vs people spending the time practicing.

[@joedavis8481]

Oops ....that's why I have 20 guitars and can't play better than I do 😖

[@1pixle]

unless you're shopping in the store

[@Jester-Riddle]

A French Philosopher wrote a long time ago that 'the more books people own, the less they read' … The same concept.

[@Lysdexia]

Shopping for guitars is up there with truly great ways to spend your time - you do get to play them after all.

[@greevar]

The answer is that you only need one really great guitar. The others you have are just the ones you tried while trying to find "the one".

[@PageandPlant4Life]

I've got some redpill videos you need to watch bro

[@ferox965]

No. If you are a working musician, you need a minimum of two. You need a backup if something happens. Break a string onstage? Just grab the other one.

[@Sulordan]

100% true about the “other guitars”. Lol It’s fun to have a variety. But there’s always one that’s your real go to.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

Correct.

[@questfortruth665]

I've got my six "essential" guitars, and I'm by FAR the best guitarist in my own living room!

[@fivewattworld]

Mission accomplished!

[@Colhogan06]

Hey you too! I thought I was the only one! :) . For me it's always the last one I seen that moved me. Honestly, when it comes to guitars it doesn't take much to move me. Lol

[@semiografo]

I have four guitars and two bass guitars... 50% of each group are essential ones. Perhaps I could stop in six guitars if I had a thinline Tele and a Charvel San Dimas... and one Precision bass.

[@jonathanhudak2059]

Questfortruth....I have 5 and I'm the same way lol! 👍

[@joshofofw945]

The wife disagree🤪joke

[@brandonwrightmusic]

This video is literally like rehab for me

[@fivewattworld]

Glad to help Brandon. Watch the “shopping” video for a booster shot. :)

[@TAJMUSIC81]

brandonwrightmusic facts

[@machinehead8546]

ha ha GA

[@tnorton4997]

Brian May and his Red Special has to be the ultimate one guitar guy

[@thispal1438]

he's got more than one Red Special...and he owns a pretty collection at home....we're all sick, we never have enuff of that evil thing called guitar

[@Falstaff-mr8fk]

I think an even better example in Willie Nelson with at well worn classical guitar.

[@kelengyel]

this one was the most obvious example! i missed it too

[@ItsVictoriaG]

@@thispal1438 most of his collection are replicas of his Red Special. Prototypes of the mass produced lines, his two Fryers as his backups, and then other replicas like his Badger with the f-hole. And then he has his acoustics and the black telecaster he played Crazy Little Thing Called Love with on tour... but beyond that? He once said Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor has a more unique/bigger/rarer collection of guitars!

[@PrinceWesterburg]

Except that he doesn't play it so much in the studio, most of Queen was Telecasters apparently

[@motorbikeray]

"I don't need more guitars, I need more guitar practice" -- Me, owner of a Squier Bullet Stratocaster

[@richsackett3423]

The red '94 Squier Bullet Strat I bought this summer bested (after new electronics, tuners and bridge) the '98 MIA Strat I bought new. I sold the MIA within two weeks.

[@stefanlandau3913]

IMSLP ftw :)

[@rockguitarist931]

Squiers are under-rated. I had a friend in college who paid $200 for a squire strat and it was surprisingly playable for the money.

[@Left-Earth]

The Squier® Bullet® Strat® is a fair guitar for the price. I've owned one for about 8 years. It's a great platform for cheap and free modifications. I recommend a great set of strings. Personally I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkies (Pink pack 9-42) I also recommend sanding down the outside fret edges, setting up correct intonation, and maybe a pickup upgrade. Overkill options include: a brass or bone nut, locking tuners, Floyd Rose tremolo, push pull potentiometers, and a complete rewiring job using specific treble bleed capacitors of your choice.

[@jmacc9876]

Still have my 89' squire bullet in red it now lives in my son's room.

[@rillloudmother]

a long time ago i changed my focus from acquiring gear to acquiring musical knowledge. it's much cheaper and much more rewarding.

[@acegibson9533]

yeah me too. 90% of the time I am playing a Jackson USA Rhoads. I've got a bunch in the closet and I am really starting to think about selling a bunch off. Not too interested in collecting guitars anymore, BUT I am spending hours and hours re-learning songs and writing my own songs. It's a phase that everyone goes through.

[@carlitoxb110]

neh I'll get a new tele custom shop to play smoke on the water

[@cgavin1]

Well said! I can and do play anything, even 'shaffordable' guitars with wonky frets and crappy electronics have a character of their own through a good quality amplifier. Nothing beats the feeling when you first, truly, play a guitar to the extent you become lost in the music. It took me many years to realise that I am the source of the magic, not the piece of wood the transducers are screwed too. I wish more people stopped searching for inspiration in new guitars and took a chance on addressing their own limitations. Do you remember the first time you played in a live mix? Suddenly the lettering on the headstock of whatever guitar was strapped to your body didn't matter at all..

[@xmillion1704]

I don't have the patience or attention for more learning so I just continue to consume luthiered craftsmanship and boxes of electronics in hopes that one day I'll sound ok. ;) Instead of van Gogh or Rubens I have works by Fender and Gibson on my walls.

[@gcvrsa]

Yeah, and I heard tone is in the fingers, too.

[@eocha24]

3 1. Strat 2. Acoustic 3. Whatever you want

[@davidlopez1208]

Meeeee toooo hahaha

[@TheMrUsername111]

I think it could be a les Paul strat or Tele. Just one of the classics.

[@troycrann3933]

The third one should be a cigar box guitar universal instrument really

[@topdog91]

Why would anyone need a Strat? Horrible thin sounding things that need humbuckers and / or mid boosts to rock out. PS My tone may be trolly, but my point isn't. For me the most overrated electric guitar ever.

[@eocha24]

topperdoggle So you say that Hendrix, Gilmour, SR Vaughan, Clapton and many other great guitarists dont know jack shit about guitar?? GREAT

[@dclipper8052]

Well, I'm perfectly happy to say I just WANT a bunch of frickin' guitars because I love 'em.

[@secretdaisy6484]

That’s cool but I prefer keeping it simple like the Bauhaus-‘less is more’ Herr van Der Roger.

[@elmofudd5]

I'm with you 100%. Lived much of my guitar playing years with a single guitar, because that's all I could afford. Now that I'm older, there are few things I enjoy spending money on more than gear!!

[@willwilburn9473]

@longrider I don't even want to think about all the amps and speaker cabs, microphones, pedals, loopers ............. My boys are all budding musicians, just starting a Rock & Roll band. I'll give them my equipment when they are ready (If they need to play Giant's Stadium ROTF )

[@LKtube1]

I have GAS too, .. guitar acquisition syndrome. 13 electrics now, very nice ones!

[@derekfarrar2912]

I AM SO GLAD TO KNOW I'M NOT ALONE!!!

[@ghalsor]

I am going to call my guitars what they are for me. Toys to be played with. They are not my tools, they are not my work materials, they are not a means to an end. They are my toys and I like having a variety so it is always a fresh and new experience. Great channel. I love the history of guitar models you have done.

[@geoffreyanderson2285]

This is me as well. I like well made, pleasing instruments, that I enjoy playing. When I was younger I had to economize. Now I play what I want.

[@doctorskull8197]

Well said 👍

[@jasfiona]

Brian May would probably be the very best example

[@nigellangridge1975]

jasfiona YES!

[@BM-ub9gh]

jasfiona , absolutely!!!

[@bensteward8937]

Even brian may has about 4 versions of the red special

[@bwebb90]

​@@bensteward8937 Only for live performances, if a string breaks.

[@TheScottJeter]

@@bwebb90 Actually, he plays the copies and only breaks out the original if a string breaks. Plus the copies have slightly different setups for different songs. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHvCgJSjjZKDd5o

[@bessiebraveheart]

Hi from England. Including my two pedal steels. I have 25 guitars. And I love playing all of them. I have my favourites, but I like them all. I'm 73 and since I lost my old sweetheart, and my little dog, they keep me going. I do understand the one guitar players though.

[@maxcuthbert100]

all two of them,you mean ?

[@iduncanw]

Good to hear you've found your "happy" to keep you going. Rock on John from England - from down under in Australia 😎

[@stuartanthony6409]

Awww. I feel for you. Pleased the guitars keep you company - if you’re a guitarist then there’s nothing like a guitar to give you many happy playing hours.

[@royabelrh]

I have 52 and hope to be a kick ass guy like u if i can make it.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Foster, honey. You'll have another dog before ya know it. nothing like playing drums or whatever with a dog sitting inside the kit. :)

[@fretbuzz1878]

"When we are shopping for guitars, we aren't playing guitars" Damn that one got me...

[@loopie007]

"When we are watching youtube about guitars, we aren't playing guitars". I know my enslaving dragon...

[@marcoalessandro2034]

@@loopie007 No. not true. While watching about guitars, i dinged my favorite ( nearly new one) on its own case latch (revenge of the envious guitar case...) i blindly put it down

[@jbussa]

actually while watching this video, I absent-mindedly strapped on my strat lol

[@jray5363]

If I played as much as shop, I would be the best guitarist on the planet!

[@Happy-Me.]

Yes when we're shopping for guitars we aren't playing them but it means that we're still thinking about them. Looking is just a very short break from playing! which is healthy!

[@frankzappa951]

A Strat styled guitar with single neck, single middle, Humbucker in the bridge plus the five way switch is a good start for the “one guitar” option. Lovely videos man, I have watched a fair few every day since discovering y’all. Peace be upon you.

[@markfahey3921]

a bit of a late reply here, I gigged for seven years with a usa strat moded out with a symour duncan JB in the bridge, normal strat sigle coil in the middle, P90 in the neck. never needed to change guitars unless a string broke, which was rare.

[@EggTamago7]

Seriously. I love the HSS setup. I more or less need a humbucker in the bridge position for metal, but I prefer single coils in the other two positions. Throw in a coil split on the humbucker, and you're left with a total genre-hopping instrument.

[@xmillion1704]

Damn! Based on the title, I was somewhat expecting to encounter a recommended, gear-oriented list. Instead, my mind was somewhat blown from being treated to a thoughtful and profound philosophical discourse on mankind's struggle to fully express our experience and find our unique musical voice through a given piece of six-string art. I greatly appreciate how this reasoning has obvious, broad application to most aspects of life in general, especially in light of our culture's rampant consumerism and rapidly diminishing planetary resources. Thank you so very much!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks "X"! This was a pretty early video and I've done more stuff on this subject. To be honest it's a road I'd been down only to realize that fewer guitars and more time on each is where I am happiest. I'd searched this subject myself and felt that the message was lacking. Seems 350K folks have wondered the same thing in one form or another. See my recent video "When to buy and when to sell gear" for a more recent ramble on a similar subject. Thanks for watching. Keith

[@wades2132]

There’s also most notably Brian May, who has relied on his Red Special that he built with his father over 50 years ago. He occasionally used other guitars for different songs,, but that was mostly because of how distinctive the sound is from his Special.

[@Briansmusic-]

Brian has at least a dozen replica's of his main guitar. There is avid somewhere that his tech did.

[@wades2132]

Frank B aye I might have seen that also. I think he got part of the wood from an old mantel or something.

[@TheMichaelseymour]

yeh ...but he STILL owns , teles , strats, etc etc ....he may only play the red special mainly ...but for those times you want different well .....you cant get all those sounds from his red special .

[@tramlad2]

Well yeah, but although he is a great guitarist, i don't like the tone and sound, its a bit scratchy for me, i don't like shredders for the same reason, always squealing with no feeling, but that is just my opinion

[@DesignInNature]

Jason Bogikes Probably because Brian May actually owns a few dozen Red Specials. You can see the photos of him sitting around in a room full of them if you search google hard enough. He also used to tour with a few black telecasters along with it through the 80s as well. The players he mentioned here, such as Clapton and Page, truly only had the one instrument for large periods of their professional life. We like to think that the instruments themselves were SO amazing and unique, that that’s what made them special. The older I get, the more I get the feeling that these guys simply bonded with one instrument so hard, and learned its idiosyncrasies so well, that when they would play a different guitar, it just felt like a stranger to them. Let’s not forget that many of the iconic guitars we salivate over, actually came to these players from other players who rejected them to begin with. SRVs number one was traded in as a reject from aother player, at the store where Stevie later found it. The Page ‘59 Les Paul, came from Joe Walsh. Joe had it refinished and had the neck sanded to make it slimmer. After that, Joe did not like the feel of it anymore, and he vigorously pushed Page to buy it off of him. Now that guitar is simply synonymous with the sound of Led Zeppelin to this day. I think once you have put in the time, you learn the limits of what that individual instrument can do. It becomes part of your voice. Second nature. And then when you play another seemingly identical instrument from the same brand, it just does not respond in the familiar way you expect it to. That’s what tricks your mind into thinking the first one was more special. Instead of realizing that the work you put in with it, is what made it feel like so. I think that’s what really happens.

[@jackwest5295]

I've come to the conclusion that guitars are also an art form, as well as being functional and making amazing music.. you can enjoy just sitting and looking at them, studying their history and so on, I am sure I,m not the first to see that.. this is why they are so collectable -desirable..

[@caverna1969]

I Think just like you. I have lots of guitars and I play, but I can´t even call myself a musician.

[@freakbiker]

I have 60 and consider myself just beginning. Some of my friends have collections that dwarf mine

[@laurameeks8653]

@@caverna1969 I own 9 stringed instruments, all different sizes, shapes and sounds. I play for me, I hang them on the wall because they are beautiful to me, and it encourages me to grab one and play everyday.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I always said all you need is a Tele, a Strat and a Les Paul. But now I reckon it’s a Tele, a Tele and a Tele. Brian May not only played his Red Special on every Queen album he made the guitar himself with his father.

[@juliengoguen17]

I agree with you. Except, you also need an acoustic. Bare minimum is a Telecaster and an acoustic. Telecasters can give you close to the sound of both the Strat and the LP.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

@@juliengoguen17 I was never into acoustics. I had an expensive Takamine in the 90s but sold it around 2006. If I was buying another I’d buy an Ovation Celebrity. Like the electro acoustic sound.

[@mikelundquist4596]

I'm pretty sure that I could get away with a standard Tele... and a Tele with humbuckers... and a Tele with P90s... and a Tele with Filtertrons. Yeah, that's all I need.

[@mikelundquist4596]

@@juliengoguen17 I feel the need... for a steel string acoustic, a classical, a resonator... maybe a tenor. Oh yeah, multiple steel strings for different tunings. And lastly, one strung for Nashville tuning.

[@johnsmith-bk4ps]

Brian may prolly has the worst sounding guitar in rock history

[@ridhowiranatakusumah6531]

Joe bonamasa left the chat

[@nelsonmcdonald7129]

@ridho best comment!!!

[@jacobesmagobes8664]

Amazing

[@loveone4292]

👍👍👍

[@yaboy2124]

😭😭😭

[@cardbored_]

ROFL 😂😂😂💀💀💀

[@shelovesweetcron]

Video: *exists * Guitarists: I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that

[@lindsaywest5266]

I have a tele, a strat, a Les Paul, an SG and an acoustic. All good quality guitars. I don't own them because I'm addicted to owning guitars. I own them because I like the variation.

[@bubbasouth69]

I got all the guitars you mentioned and then some!

[@tonydeaton2890]

Got a dozen guitars. I play two of them 90% of the time.

[@DavidIancu]

- strat - tele - lp - sg - 12 string electric - schecter or other 7 string guitar - 1 semi hollow - bonus: acoustic, nylon classical guitar, 12 string acoustic Of cours, this is only my dream list. Actually I have only a cheap fender acoustic guitar and a cheap bc rich electric :))

[@preetamsarmah9040]

BC rich daymn , they are so rare these days

[@JJ-nq3ll]

The problem with us guitar addicts is that we are constantly searching for that tone that resonates in the back of our head. It’s a never ending quest. 🧐🎸

[@tangentz0007]

Buy an expensive older tube amplifier. Its there.

[@rmaxtpmx]

That's just an excuse to buy cool stuff. I know, I've had that conversation a whole lot with myself over the years. If you're searching for that tone by buying a bunch of guitars, you're either not shopping correctly, or it's simply not in the guitar. Find the guitar the feels natural in your hands, and you're halfway there.

[@riclrk9947]

Ime guilty as charged,badly addicted since the late70s

[@BuckJoFiden]

Build a 5e3 clone and mod it.

[@JJ-nq3ll]

@@BuckJoFiden It's not enough. 😅

[@PrinceWesterburg]

I have 30 guitars now but you made me realise I only play one strat and one acoustic really!

[@patrolduty8715]

But dont sell 28 other guitars. No one force you to stop buying. Keep buying and still playing regularly at the same time. It is best of both world. Hahahahha. I will collect enough guitar to fill my multi-floor house until I die. And I still love to play guitar every day. Nothing wrong with own many guitars, even if you dont play all guitars. There is only ONE reason to stop buying: "Your financial status is bad, you need to keep your family happy first, then your inner happiness second".

[@michaelschertell2821]

On some level: guitars are art and the idea of having one is like having one painting in your home...

[@EdBender]

Exactly! We even hang them from the walls too! And unlike paintings, you can grab one and make your own art with it.

[@catzdollz9810]

I have to say AMEN to that.

[@bluesman6873]

Or: Guitars are tools and you have to make art with it. In that sense one can be plenty enough. That's more like my idea of it. (Even though I have three and I do hang them on the wall. :)

[@bas1sokkie604]

I play on a cheap old beaten up nylon string guitar that doesn't even tune right. I love it!

[@paradiswest4395]

Huh, I have that exact same guitar!

[@Jimjolnir]

Sounds like my first guitar... I've got a couple others, but nothing sounds like that 23 year old, beat up nylon string.

[@jaydobber7691]

I saw a rig run-down with Angus Young's guitar tech and he said everything has to be kept the same. The amp settings always the same, the guitar the same, the speakers the same, because the sound is so iconic, and the fans expect a certain sound. That's why many pros use the same guitar. Because it's like their voice and the fans expect that sound. I have multiple guitars (3) because I love guitars. If i was a millionaire I'd have 20 or 30 guitars. I'm never gonna have my own sound, but I love what different guitars offer.

[@greatkingrat]

You missed what I would call the Ultimate One Guitar Guy...Brian May. It might not be a factory built guitar but it’s possibly one of the most famous “One Guitar for the entire career” guitars in the world.

[@bananarama-nw9md]

So much so, that while playing live he only swaps guitar if necessary (such as needing an acoustic or a different tuning). If a string breaks he uses a back up (all his backups and tuning guitars are copies of his red special btw) and his tech changes the string and he gets it back right away. He always uses the one guitar.

[@error404m]

I couldn't believe that a whole video about single guitar players went by without Brian May being mentioned.

[@leokimvideo]

When I think of a player with an iconic guitar it's Paul McCartney. In particular the Hofner Bass that has the Beatles playlist on the side. He's seen playing it at many concerts and it appears in many video clips. (My Brave Face is a great example). I dream of owning that but I know it's an impossible dream. That Bass would be basically priceless. Anyone trying to estimate a value of an item like that would go mental trying to do so. Then there is that missing early Beatles Hofner bass, that one is still out there....somewhere!

[@Snakefinger1000]

I saw a Hofner Violin Bass at Harry Landis Music at Bankstown , a suburb of Sydney Australia. Must have been 1968 I guess, get ready for the price,...$65. I was just a kid in my teens so I couldn't afford it but my mate Richard had the money and he bought it before he went home to England. He better still have it or I'll be cross with him if I ever see him again. I really miss him and his family they were kind to me.

[@cgiunta6542]

And his 4001 bass

[@derkaholic]

Ps: It’s in my living room

[@salildeshpande7]

@@derkaholic is it comfortable to sit with? I'm only getting one bass in this lifetime and have that one in my sights.

[@russelmurray9268]

Don't forget he played a Rickenbacker

[@rjake61]

2 of each, in case 1 breaks.

[@nosmoking2933]

Especially if it's a Les Paul.

[@jts3339]

Two of each kind, like on Noah’s Ark so that they become fruitful and multiply.

[@secretdaisy6484]

I didn’t think of that. Thanks.

[@soullessSiIence]

This video seriously misses the most important fact: you can get robbed anytime. Fellow Mexican musicians would agree... You need at the most absolutely minimum 2 electric guitars, and if you're a cafe guitar player, you need two acoustics. It's common sense. And on top of that, you could break a string, or the electronics could fail and you're screwed.

[@soullessSiIence]

I literally read a post about a musician being robbed once every few months

[@Goynes42]

I have yet to find a style of music that can't be played on a Strat. But I could also say that about any iconic model. The caveat is that it has to be a GOOD one. Whatever guitar it is. A responsive, resonant guitar will do whatever is asked of it. That said, I do a fair amount of studio work and play music for a large part of my income. So I have several good guitars that each have a specific thing they do better than the other ones. BUT I could walk into a gig with any one of those guitars, play the whole show with it, and be totally fine. Again, the caveat is they have to be quality instruments. "Your instrument should be better than you" is a quote I heard many years ago, and it still rings true. You always want to have the feeling that there's more music for you to find inside the instrument you're playing. Most cheaply made instruments don't inspire that feeling.

[@outsidethelines8502]

Willie Nelson's Trigger is an absolute disaster but I don't believe he would perform without it.

[@glenkepic3208]

Pat Metheny retired his ES-175 because its falling apart but he doesn't trust anyone to work on it. After the years he'd bonded with it, I can't blame him.

[@theedrstrangelove]

Willie uses several guitars.

[@keithpierce5264]

This video is changing my life. I have watched this over and over as I work to simplify other parts of my life. I think the "one guitar" idea can be interpreted a couple of ways: trying to find the Swiss Army knife that can do it all is one way, and the other is consciously choosing to limit yourself to a particular tool, knowing that it CAN'T do it all - which is closer to the famous examples you reference. I am still working on this, but you've given me a way to think about it.

[@FreddyFuFu]

You need one guitar per tuning. I dont like to take 2 min between songs changing the tuning. So for me... Standard E, Eflat, Open D and DADGAD

[@epipick]

Yeah I have my Dobro tuned to Open G.

[@tallthinkev]

Forgot DADDAD

[@guitaristssuck8979]

No, you need AT LEAST 2 guitars per tuning!

[@lipstickspeedball]

@My Trash Don't Forget Led Zep. The Rain Song DGCGCD

[@lipstickspeedball]

I'm the same , one for each tuning. But we can't forget LED ZEPP RAIN SONG DGCGCD And don't forget when you change your tuning all the time especially tuning that are higher to a lower and a Wide Range of Keys in between Each ends of the Spectrum like Nashville Tuning From the Highest Note to the lowest note in Nashville tuning . Some even use different string for Nashville Tuning to get a better slide sound like a lap steel. Those strings are like the thin string on the twelve string, Those are the strings some people use for Nashville Tuning. You can't de- tune those enough to get a Proper Low C. change causes Different Stresses on your guitar. Especially from a Low C to Nashville tuning and keeping it in those tuning for a while and see how good it keeps tune with the big difference in the stresses on the neck. Yes People can do it with one or two guitars. But we'll see how they feel after a while. Switching up between 5-6 different tuning and tell me after a long period of time. God All the Pro's have at least 3-6 Guitars for live work. Especially breaking a string live. Watch gonna Do Son? It takes a toll on a guitar switching up like that. Plus Time on stage . You really want to be de-tuning after every song. Not me. I want to be handed a guitar in perfect tune and one that will stay in that tune because the stresses isn't fucked with after every song change . There are Pro's And Cons of it. God even Brian May keeps at least 5-6 different guitars. and he never changes one unless for a different tuning or string break. Less Hassle More Guitars. More Hassles and the embarrassment of having to tune replace and tune up a new set of strings live on stage in from of thousands of people for one guitar. You Pick!

[@ThorneyedWT]

One. My answer before watching. All you really _need_ is one guitar. How many you _want_ is another story...

[@baoboumusic]

​@kevindlinc What is a heavy metal guitar? If YOU are heavy metal, then I think you can show up with a Gretsch White Falcon and still blow them away. (Having said that, I do own several guitars myself - but then again, I'm not a very good guitar player ;) )

[@ChrisEck13]

You need at least two if you're playing gigs. Even only occasional gigs. You gotta have a back up. No one wants to watch you change a broken string of diagnose an issue and attempt to fix it. Something will go wrong with your guitar at some point. Even if you don't play gigs you should have a backup. If you have to take a guitar in for maintenance, it's likely going to be at least a few days for even the most minor thing. That's a few days without playing if you don't have a backup.

[@ferox965]

@@ChrisEck13 You beat me to it. You need two minimum.

[@patrolduty8715]

@@ChrisEck13 YOu are right. And because I am too careful of those circumstance, I had to buy 12 guitars in case 11 other guitars of mine have problem. And I am worrying about my 12th guitar already. Hahaha

[@jorgedelgadillo8147]

love the bit about the instrument disappearing and letting the music 🎶 flow out through the hands and out the speakers. As someone just starting to dive in to this world, this video really helps me keep my impulsive purchasing itch at bay and focus on learning first and buying second.

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks man! You know how they say on the shampoo bottle, "repeat as needed"? Watch this video when you get the itch to buy. I will be doing the same thing.

[@hurlburt808]

I am a newbee to playing guitar so thank you for helping me I am 65 newly retired with no excuse to not practice your statement of " when your shopping for guitar your not playing" is ringing in my ear I have my rig and now time to go practice !

[@r.wdubero3166]

I have many but only need 3 Acoustic Classical Electric

[@shanemichaels8289]

All you need is a good telecaster. The only complaint I've got is having to re-tune it every three months.

[@markjaeckel2633]

funny!

[@chrisullery3386]

I love my telecaster and don't need or want anymore, actually going to sell my sg for some pedals and I'll be happy.

[@richardjames6623]

Nailed it !

[@stringbender57]

Right on brother! The most basic yet most versatile guitar on the planet. God bless Leo Fender and the Telecaster!

[@andreasleonlandgren3092]

I dont like em. Im like: no humbucker for bridge pickup..??

[@TheBeatle49]

Flat top, archtop, solid body, classical, resonator, 12 string, electric 12, semi-hollow, baritone, 7 string, 8 string, 10 string, harp-guitar, 3/4 size, half size, Django style, tenor.That's 17 categories alone.

[@craigerollins5736]

Michael Brook Shovel guitar or cigar box and I’m working on turning my old skateboard into a lap steel guitar

[@richsackett3423]

I am genuinely distressed by owning instruments I don't actively play. It's very upsetting and I'm not 100% sure why.

[@c.r.blankenship9040]

I know I have a thing where I feel I have to justify having wanted a piece of gear, even if I bought it with my own money and had the money to buy it for myself. My circumstances were my circumstances, but I'm willing to bet I'm not the only person who feels this way

[@imageskj1]

I've sold guitars that I wasn't playing feeling the same anxiety. It's like they were mocking me for not using them. I've always regretted it and wish I still had them 😂

[@chriskitchen4772]

I had that problem so I sold most of them. I loved all of them. I like the idea of just focusing on playing one or two and getting to know them inside out.

[@JodyDube]

Excess is its own form of poverty, strange as it sounds. I get it. I really do. I recall my early days of playing when I couldn't afford one of my own and learned on borrowed instruments. When I got my 1st, a Rickenbacker 4001 bass, I was so totally in tune with it. I foolishly sold it when I was broke and desperate years later and have had a succession of basses & guitars since. I believe we value each instrument a bit less the deeper we get into 'instrument acquisition syndrome'. Better to love a soul mate than to have a harem.

[@jedione1904]

a professional needs "just enough" to do the job. Hobbyists however, well, its a hobby. same applies to cars, guns etc.....i am a hobbyist.

[@lewisbeeman]

Jedi One well said

[@JacobPetersenPage]

Exactly. A pro needs several guitars!

[@davidhenrylake2047]

@@JacobPetersenPage I'm pro and have one.

[@mickeyguide3112]

well it depends on the gig...would it surprise you that many of them do just fine with one ( their main go to axe)...if you're a session player on many different types of session of course then you will need a lot of different guitars but only in that case

[@michaelwertzy9808]

The only thing I can add is if you're a "player" you can use 5, but you have to admit how many, "seriously" do you need to be content? Including a bass, and a mandolin? I have no respect for collectors.

[@daviddavol3410]

A frequent topic of discussion in my little circle of guitar obsessives. I'm a full-time professional musician, performing 175-200 shows annually as an acoustic soloist, but even after forty years of working, I still really enjoy playing guitar, even if my technical skills are fairly modest. I play in my studio lots of stuff I don't do in my work, and have several guitars to work on specific areas of technique and expression. I also feel like all the different guitars inspire me to continue playing a wider variety of sounds, styles, and techniques, and that rotating them in my studio keeps the flow of motivation and enjoyment happening. So if I have a Strat, a Paul, a Tele, a classical, a hollow body or two, and a selection of steel string acoustics, it may not reflect my "needs", but keeps me wanting to play, to progress, to work on stuff, and to keep what is now a fifty year fire burning...

[@nickjimenez6138]

So very well said. Each of my guitars allows me to express what's inside of me the best possible way. Playing each one is like a conversation with an old friend. Sometimes they have alot to say and sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get something out of them.

[@alexanderpotts7308]

Yes, you need at least one decent steel strung acoustic guitar and at least one electric to get started. However, you definitely get different tones out of different pickups and hollow bodies from solids, so for me I have a 330, an acoustic and an Epiphone Emperor.

[@evanmorrow1234]

@@nickjimenez6138 Totally agree with you re. David Davol, and may I say Nick, your comment also...."So very well said".

[@nickjimenez6138]

Thanks Evan, I currently have 5 guitars. 2 acoustics and 3 electrics. Dreadnaught and Jumbo, and SG copy, Strat, and the latest addition a Squire Jazzmaster. I love them all for different reasons but have made the greatest connection with the Jazzmaster. The least amount of time played on yet I feel connected to it somehow. The action is perfect and the sound is great. Considering how inexpensive it was and that it has no name pups in it I'm amazed at the playability and ease with which I can think the sound in my head and it seems to come from the amp. My playing has taken on a new dimension, more aggressive and confident. I think I'm falling in love with the my new axe, but don't tell my wife. The body was painted a sparkling silver and it has the reverse headstock. I plan on changing the pups and putting a new trem system but I love playing this guitar. But I'm currently upgrading the Strat so one thing at a time.

[@marcoalessandro2034]

I agree . in a word MOTIVATION. it is key to life and art, too.

[@SeemsLikeSomething]

I’ve been playing the same Japanese SG copy made by El Degas for 25 years. I’ve always wanted a Jaguar and I think the guitar gods must’ve decided it was time to reward me for my dedication to a single guitar, because a few months ago I was at a friends place (a friend who works at a music shop and has many guitars on the walls) and saw a Jaguar hanging there collecting dust. I asked about it and he just said “it’s yours. I’m just happy to see someone give it life again”. I’ve spent the last few months learning how to properly refinish a guitar. I wanted to make it my own and it needed it too. So I’m now in the middle of the lacquer process. It’s going very well and I can’t wait to have my own custom refinished Jag to add to my “collection” lol. Lucky for me it had a couple nice upgrades to it already! Good pickups and a better bridge. It’s gonna be awesome! Edit: forgot to mention I did a nice wood stain. I like the natural wood look and i got a sweet stain from it so it should be pretty great!

[@tunesmith7437]

Rock On Seems Like Something...you deserve it.

[@SeemsLikeSomething]

bullitt foruu Thanks!!

[@secretdaisy6484]

Congratulations. That guitar will really mean a lot to you. I hope you enjoy it.

[@SeemsLikeSomething]

Daisy Chase Appreciate it, thank you 😊

[@vmat1000]

Great story. Build sounds great. In '01 or so i saw Squier Jagmaster in a shop window. i was in love, sb/ts. A few months later, its covered in dust and left for dead. mentioned this to my Wife she bought it for a x-mas gift. funnily enough became my Robben Ford hb style jam axe.

[@stephenwalroth-sadurni6937]

Sage advice. For myself, I think there is a case to be made to own a semi-hollow electric (like a 335) and a solid body electric (like a Les Paul). Both have a wide range of sounds, but the aesthetics and tone of each are a bit unique. And some days, one feels better than the other. This very small difference can help one break through moments of stagnation in our development as artists. Great video.

[@telecasterbear]

I have said in the past, "You don't go golfing with one club." At age 58, I now have two telecasters, and two les paul deluxes from the 1970s.

[@telecasterbear]

Update. The 1975 LP deluxe, and the 1973 lp deluxe are now gone. Just the 75 and 77 telecasters now. The 24 3/4 scale felt short after all the tele playing.

[@telecasterbear]

Update. The 1975 telecaster has been sold. Only the blonde 77 telecaster is here.

[@greg7656]

Something no one has brought up: I'm a lousy guitar player, and the fantasy that I'll suddenly be good with the next guitar runs deep. I was sure a Les Paul would turn me into Jimmy Page. It didn't. Now I'm not only tired of the LP's weight, I'm obsessed with have a lighter Fender, something with a trem bar. I'm sure that will fix me. It won't, of course, but that drive is a strong one.

[@mcdee56]

THX

[@MetalGuru965]

I've never understood the "My LP is too heavy" school of thought. I have a LP that weights 10 lb and when I strap it on I don't even notice it weighs 40% more than any Tele I own. Unless your sick or have no muscle mass whatsoever, 5 lb shouldn't matter a bit.

[@Silkaz7]

@@MetalGuru965 Having a les paul that weights 10 lbs for years before i had any other guitar, I get your point of view, i used to think the same, but after i bought several other way lighter guitars, they are more comfortable in every way... and i imagine if you are a gigging musician (which I am not) those sort of things matter a bit more... just my 2 cents. I still love and play my Les Paul but i get it when people want lighter guitars even if they don't have any physical impediment.

[@johnbennett3714]

Greg hey brother it’s all part of the fun IF you can afford it. I know what you mean. We’re all finding our way in different ways... best is to enjoy! 👍

[@greg7656]

@@johnbennett3714 Agree completely John. There was a time not long ago when I could afford it, and enjoyed every aspect of the buy, sell, buy up, sell, buy even more up, etc. But times a bit harder now, so I mostly just dream of a new Strat, or maybe someday a LP Jr TV Yellow. I'm sure I'll be Johnny Thunders then!

[@luisantolafrancis519]

Roy Buchanan,s telecaster pure magic in his hands .

[@MiguelSantos-qm9oz]

I bought a used PRS custom 24 about 22 years ago... it has been my main ever since. I typically have a second guitar as a backup for live shows, and that guitar keeps changing as I sell one to buy another. I love the minimalist approach of a simple guitar/amp system with little to no effects. In my opinion, this approach has helped me develop a deeper connection with the instrument, it has helped me express myself musically, and like you suggested in the video, when we are that intimate with the instrument, it seems like it all vanishes and all is left are our hands and the sounds we hear. Addictive and inspiring! Thank you for the great content!

[@galaxieman24]

Someone has to buy them. Might as well be me.

[@fivewattworld]

Ha! That's the spirit. Just doin' your part right? I like that. Hope I don't need to use it (and can stay on the buying wagon myself.)

[@10bobbob10]

Grim Jeepr Word

[@billwestgarth9892]

You're quite right... They won't buy themselves!!

[@lancephilip]

I currently own 45 guitars. In reality most were a want and not a need. I found my perfect guitar years ago but that hasn't stopped me from wanting others. Some I love based on feel, some on tone and others because I think they look cool.

[@marckuffler8486]

We are brothers by different mothers.

[@evanmorrow1234]

@@marckuffler8486 Fathered by Les Paul who fathered the electric guitar from the parts he pirated from his mother's phonograph....and so it is written

[@SuperCyril2]

Guitarholic

[@CesitarLabarthe]

In some way you are right but.....for people like me who love the instruments itself It’s so lovely to see them and touch them...even though they will not make me a better guitarist !!!

[@davidcohn7235]

Another POV for us hobbyists … some guitars will remind us of milestones in our lives. A special birthday, professional achievement, birth of a child, etc. Can’t have too many of those!

[@EricBlackmonGuitar]

I own over 100 guitars, and I play ever freak'n one of em at one time or another, and have a ton of fun doing it. I also play bass guitar, keys, drums and right now I am working on alto sax. Any instrument I don't need, I sell. Some folks buy cigarettes. I buy guitars. Guitars cost less and they will never give you lung cancer.

[@IamINERT]

are you rich

[@joeschmoe6802]

Yeah, when they ask you about your number of guitars, do exactly what you posted here. Just fill in the blank with a disease that a guitar won't giver you: " Guitars cost less and they will never give you _______________________."

[@stuartanthony6409]

You’ve got about the same as my local guitar shop ...

[@geneck11]

Tell me where I can buy a guitar for the cost of a pk of cigs??? Then again, now that I think about it, I bought my first used no-name acoustic in 1964 for $15. It was a piece of shit. I got rid of it and bought a brand new Harmony H56 w/vibrato for an extra $135. Hey! and WOW! $15 is what a pk of cigs cost in New York today. What a strange coincidence!

[@andersonteo7415]

Eugene Horhut I think he meant in the long run, consistently buying cigs can pile up large amounts of money

[@cwodragon]

I love guitars so I don't think you can ever have too many.

[@billlybarrue5953]

Thank you for mentioning Clarence White. Very under appreciated player.

[@kraytkopacki4034]

1.Strat 2.Tele 3.Les Paul 4.Shredder (for example an ibanez) 5.Acoustic 6.Semi hollow

[@JellyrollHorton]

Maybe, like margaritas, "One is just right. Two is too many. Three isn’t enough."

[@andreasleonlandgren3092]

JellyrollHorton yeah!

[@marckabarintos3405]

I used to have 3 guitars. Epiphone Dot 335, Epiphone Tom DeLonge Signature, Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Playing in a Punk band, those guitars absolutely helped me perform the songs the way they should sound. Last year, I decided to buy a Telecaster. Since my personal music taste somewhat changed (maybe because I’m getting more mature), I tried to play the Tele. It’s the most amazing thing that happened to me as a guitar player. After all those years of wanting to sound like Blink-182 and Green Day, the Telecaster made me sound like myself. It gave me the tone that I want now that I matured in terms of music. A few weeks ago, I got a Jaguar. It sounds good and all but there’s really something about the Telecaster that even a Jaguar can’t give me. I sold my Epiphone Dot and Tom DeLonge signature but I kept my Les Paul Jr. because it’s the first guitar I bought using my own money. Just sharing.

[@fivewattworld]

Nice!

[@stuartanthony6409]

That’s a great way to change your style. Tele’s and strats tend to give you a less constrained playing in my experience as well. Still - there’s plenty of models of tele to go at 😄

[@danvol3835]

Until you grow a second pair of arms, you only 'need' one guitar. Finding out which one is why you have half a dozen on your wall.

[@s4lroachclip]

You only need one at a time, or one for each song.

[@spinmancorner7543]

I have 37 guitars and I love every one of them. They are like my daughters. I play them through out the week. It’s a matter of ones opinion…

[@humbuck59]

I really connected with this. I have 15 guitars and am at best a mediocre player. Every time I pick up a new guitar I spend time exploring its capabilities and experimenting with is sound instead of exploring my own capabilities... I think it’s time to have a long hard think about going down to just one instrument... thanks man

[@Heriberto975]

spend time doing both in tandem as the overall result will be in you being a better player and happier person.padawan

[@humbuck59]

Thanks for the thought man 👍

[@tomlaw8821]

1 guitar for each year you are alive seems reasonable to me.

[@auntjenifer7774]

I dig it.

[@Holden-C.]

An upside to getting older

[@georgewilson8360]

Agreed.

[@SumoRabbitOfDoom]

I'm never going to live long enough!

[@alexandertorrente198]

143 guitars, got it

[@cary67]

I had many guitars and played for more than 20 years before I picked up a Fender Telecaster. I had always thought Teles were lame for some ignorant reason. The day I first honestly played a Tele was the longest I ever spent in a guitar store. The way it felt, they way it played, the neck and, of course, that sound....it was all over after that. Wish I could afford a vintage, but I am privileged to own a 2011 60th Anniversary model and I'm telling you that guitar will be buried with me. I'd be just fine if that was my only guitar.

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

Same here. Twenty five years of playing a strat, played friends Gibsons and PRS's etc, but never a Telecaster. I bought a Telecaster during the first Covid lockdown and I haven't looked back since. I've also started noticing, now we have access to so much great guitar content on KZbin, how many serious pro's use Telecasters. And if you have a Telecaster with a humbucker in, well, you can conquer the world.

[@PureMagicStudios]

Had a crush on the CS Nocasters when I was like 16 years old(im 28 now). Found one last year and bought it. Never looked back. My dream guitar..

[@jimbradley727]

I don't know how many I need but I'm on 12 working on 20.. I do know I'll be sharing these guitars as the grandbabies grow up and possibly show an interest.. I'll pass them on in a charitable way to someone else in need..

[@evanmorrow1234]

Be judicious when bestowing the gift of music....the other day while throwing out the garbage from my apt. I saw a guitar in the dumpster. I recognized it as one I had meticulously resurrected and gifted to a neighboring tennent 5 years ago because he kept bothering me by constantly asking to borrow one of mine. I fished it out of the garbage and put some new strings on it and it plays fine. Needless to say it will be a cold day in hell before I do anything for that ungrateful bastard again.

[@AlBert-ow7xi]

@@evanmorrow1234 I've been burned like this more than once. Same story with women I have loved. I have no doubt it will happen again. In the end it's the fact that your own intentions are honorable, and if you keep doing the right thing, eventually SOMEone will have their life truly changed for the better because you cared. [ not sure where that came from, but it's out there now]

[@proileri]

I'd say if you're gigging, then TWO - one main and one backup axe. If you're gigging in very different styles, you might want a couple of more.Then again, some guitars are very universal, like an LP. Big tour players seem to usually have 5-6 guitars in the rack. Main + couple for specific songs and tunings, plus a backup for each.

[@twootters7433]

I don't think a universal guitar is such a thing. Let alone an LP. Rockabilly on an LP? I don't think so. Ska? Reggae? Not at all. Now Tele can do all three of those and more but even it can't play it all.

[@edhubble]

I just went to buy a 60’s rosewood Tele and the guy had a second with a maple neck. I spent two hours with him agonising which one. I came home with both. I drove home wondering whether I’d have buyers remorse. Next day I had buyers bliss. That said, I know in my heart I should spend more time playing and less time shopping. But boy, it’s fun... and all those rock stars who are famous for one guitar - true, but you know they have a ton of guitars at home that they don’t play- and they own them for the same reasons you and I do. ❤️

[@MrPINKFL0YD]

So true

[@murraymcleod7605]

Three electric guitars for me. Two working and the one I’m constantly modifying. It sits on the bench with wires hanging out 50 percent of the time but I’ve also learned a lot from it as well.

[@anthonytomb8857]

All I need is a telecaster,Stratocaster, Acoustic, and a les Paul and I’m good

[@tysonrinker5958]

Wow that's exactly what I I have. I mean exactly. Tele strat les paul and a j45 clone

[@moyogichris1731]

+ 355..

[@bobbydazzler8684]

Interesting post - thanks. The one thing you didn't discuss was simply loving the aesthetics of guitars. I currently own four acoustics and eight electrics. They're all different and do cover the range of tones and styles one traditionally attempts to cover. However, it's more than that. I love guitars as objects. I find it intensely satisfying to set up and modify a new instrument. I have also built guitars from kits, upgraded parts and designed the paints job and finishes. They are desirable, beautiful objects. The fact that I also get to play them and become a better player is not incidental but it's not the be all and end of all my 'need' to own more than one guitar. PS: I disagree about Clapton. He may have played one instrument at a time but that has been a reflection of his personal journey in creating tones for the music he has been into at any given moment. Clapton's discography is a testament to the diversity and range of electric instruments available. You can't pay Bluebreakers era Clapton without a Les Paul. You can't play Derek and the Dominoes era Clapton without a Strat.

[@tauntonengine3]

Brian May built his first guitar with his dad and still plays it today.

[@robertwhitcomb6105]

Although he tours with maybe 6 replicas by a few manufacturers

[@tauntonengine3]

@@robertwhitcomb6105 He does but in an interview he said he wants to play his original the most. When a string breaks he wants it back as soon as the string is replaced. Also they are as close to his original as you can get.

[@thePronto]

And the pickups are gouged up because he uses a 'sixpence' (a British coin dating back to the 60's) as a pick.

[@mrlongtree]

Greetings from Scotland. Your comments regarding need and want are so, so true. I've been enjoying your videos since I came across them and look forward to seeing more.

[@fivewattworld]

Welcome to five watt world!

[@davidwalter2282]

I think some of the obsession with guitar buying is actually a desire to become an active participant in the history and conversation around each legacy. For example, I love Buddy Holly, so I need to have a 50’s strat to get as close as possible to who he was. I want to feel with my own hands what he felt, and try to achieve the same sound with the same constraints. And I want to talk and share about that legacy and those 1st hand experiences with my friends on social media. It’s not chasing the tone, and it’s not just conspicuous consumption; it’s about participating in the legacy from a 1st person perspective, rather than a 3rd person perspective. I think that’s also why legacy brands continue to be attractive and hold faithful buyers, even while having outdated and sometimes frustrating designs. Everyone knows that PRS has a better designed headstock than a Gibson, and that G&L has a better floating tremolo than the original 6 point tremolo. Those modern designs may help us achieve our sound more easily, but they do not connect us with the legacy and the social conversation. And because we’ve grown up on a variety of musical styles and genres, we desire one of each guitar of each particular guitar god that we revere. If I only stuck to my 50’s strat, I could participate in the strat forums, but I wouldn’t be able to participate in the conversations about Les Pauls, nor connect to that lineage and history. Ditto for Teles and Gretches, etc. Suddenly, I’ve got 15 guitars, trying to connect to all that history and legacy. I DO agree that the grounded musician who is focused on a sound in his head will not have a need for a bunch of guitars, because he really is chasing his own unique sound. He is not trying to experience someone else’s legacy.

[@evanmorrow1234]

Your commentary is most impressive with a natural flow to your words that makes it easy to read......

[@tylernewton7217]

Wow, wonderfully said. I came here to say something similar, but your words will do a lot better than mine. I think that many commenters here are missing the idea that it’s not just guitar MUSIC we love but GUITARS themselves. I actually find myself talking about and thinking about the guitars, amps, etc. just as passionately as the music that comes from them.

[@pedrocgallardo]

@@tylernewton7217 I totally agree with both of you, the iconic brands and shapes are just art an their own and I just appreciate that so much! but yeah I'm good with my strat, tele and my jazzmaster 🤙🏼

[@devilsoffspring5519]

Funny thing is, none of the greats ever worried about it all that much. They just got whatever guitar they could find and played it. They didn't have anything specific in mind as far as hardware goes. That's why they were great--they got into playing and made do with whatever they could find instead of fussing over every nitpicky little thing.

[@Wargasm644]

Nice word-smithing. You sir are a cunning linguist

[@LeChaunce]

I have exactly what I want: one hollow body electric, one solid body electric, one twelve string electric, one six string acoustic, one twelve string acoustic.

[@uspsdaveable]

I love ever guitar I have and each has a sound and personality of its own , I don’t play professionally I play for my own enjoyment, Strat, Tele, Les Paul, SG, Epiphone Dot, Taylor and a few more.... I make myself happy...

[@Bixll09]

I started 8 years ago, at 47 yrs old. My wife bought me a Squire. Now I have 7 electrics. I have built 3 as well. a 1954 tele Ash body to spec except locking tuners, a 55 tele Ash back birdseye Maple top with 2 P-90's and I built my Son in law an Ash LP with P-90's. I have an Ibanez LP and an SG, 3 squire strats that I have totally done over each guitar. Only parts that are original is the wood. LOL. They are all set up differently and play fantastic. I even set up one start with a P-90 in the neck, standard strat pickup in the middle and a humbucker in the bridge. Love it. It is about enjoying the ride, however you chose to enjoy it. Doesn't matter if you have one or 100 guitars, as long as you are enjoying yourself, have at it. Does it matter if you play a Squire or a Suhr ? You can also make a squire play like a Suhr if you do a great fret job and set up. I also have a bunch of differnt style acoustics, classical, 28 Dread, mahogany triple 0, Adirondack and Rosewood triple 0, 12 string and a Vintage Dobro.. It is a sad case of GAS, but it is so much fun. Cheers,

[@noahtenshen]

It's a lot like asking how many kids do you need. I have 12 guitars now--I gave three away. If I had to pick just one, I couldn't. My favorite--absolute favorite--is the one I am playing at any moment (usually). They all feel different--so that goes against the 'get used to one and get good at it' principle--and I love that. I guess monogamy is great for some and not so for others. Do I NEED 12? Of course not. They were all stepping stones to find what really worked for me. Turns out they all do. Like children, I don't feel like I can give any up. Every family needs a pet--and that is where the Drums I recently got come in. Maybe the keyboard as well. A dog and a bird. I love to play--not perform. So the "family" all sits around while I pick one to focus on for that time. They all know they will get their turn--otherwise it would behoove me to let someone adopt, and I'm not ready for that yet. P.S. It took me 50 years to purchase my second one--the rest came in the following 18 months. Unlike Crack, I can enjoy these a LONG time (if I have a long time left).

[@fivewattworld]

Hi Noah, I just have to one kid so you see my problem with your metaphor. :) . Thanks for writing this up. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times. Funny stuff. And no, I didn't count my two keyboards, the Dano Longhorn bass, the mandolins (one is going soon), the banjo (college but handmade for me then so...), and you'll notice I haven't done a "How many amps do you need?" video yet? Yeah well... First things first, I was feeling like I needed to come to girps with the number of guitars and that's been working as I've trimmed back six or seven in the last year (one shipped this morning actually.) As you could probably tell this is a good mental exercise for me and this idea of "how much" just doesn't seem to come up often enough in our consumer culture so this is all me dancing with that concept, whether or not the dance gets me to the other side of the room remains to be seen. Think about subbing. I think we could use you over here in the five watt world. Keith

[@ravecaster]

I've found that each of my guitars inspires me in different way to play different things.

[@earlyraybonneville1762]

Excellent!

[@b.j.surfdog3724]

Great humorous and informative video! I understand my level of musicianship and know that buying a new guitar won't make me play any better than my current level- that keeps me from any new aquisitions. That said, i think a few different guitars allow for varied sounds in your recording mixes.

[@BBQgeek]

This question has been dwelling on my mind since I went on a bit of a guitar spree over the past couple years. I was always a proponent of cheap guitars. I had played them all my life and had a great time. Expensive guitars didn't make sense to me, and I didn't really have the money to acquire a bunch of cheap guitars. Then an amazing guitar shop opened near me - Righteous Guitars - and they began to educate me on the benefits of quality guitars. Suddenly, I had more than a few boutique guitars and amps in the house. Unfortunately, none of them made me play any better. That's when I started asking myself the kind of questions you are posing in your videos. I am working on putting together the rig that makes most sense for me, piece by piece. I think I have finally found the amp that is my sound. I know this because I don't like any of my other amps now and I am constantly thinking I should sell them off because they feel wasteful and make me feel guilty. I think I am getting closer to finding the one guitar that is me, although it might have to be the two guitars that fit me. I love single coil and humbuckers equally. I really want to get down to no more than 3 guitars, my one amp, and a sensible and flexible pedalboard.

[@timsharkey1993]

After wanting one all my life I finally got around to buying a Fender Telecaster a few years ago. I can’t believe the range of tones that I’ve been able to coax out of that guitar. Everything from smooth jazz to twangy country to hard rock. I only own a few electrics, but if I had to get rid of all but one the Telecaster is the one I would keep.

[@michaelhopper4545]

you did not mention Rory Gallagher,as far as I know he bought the first strat to come to Ireland,paid a huge amount for it back then but kept it forever.If I spent as much time practising as I do shopping guitars and watching KZbin I would be a decent player.

[@daveguitarnowski4402]

"kept it forever." ... not counting the period of time when it was stolen from him, and, crazy enough, found lying in a ditch eventually and finally returned to him, as I read the story.

[@flyingstratosurfer6285]

But he owned a lot more guitars than just his legendary strat - a Telly, an Esquire, Les Paul Juniors and Melody Makers, a Gretsch Corvette and a couple of others.

[@rdmkeytohwy]

Great video! I know you can play a whole gig on one guitar and i love watching Clapton squeeze different tones out of a strat. He usually plays one Fender EC Signature Strat all night. And i know i'm not him but if i were going to play one gig with one guitar it would be a strat.

[@ikigai47]

I had over 20, then started realizing how sad it was all the ones that didn't get played regularly, if at all. So I sold most off. Need? For most non pros, just one. Home songwriter that records? Ideally 6. 3 electrics that all bring something different to the table, and 3 acoustics. Steel, nylon and 12-string. Assuming you'll use them all. In which case make it 7 / add a bass. But my days of having more than I'll use regularly are over. Unless you're rich living below your means, or inspired by investment, collecting for the sake of collecting is just another dopamine hit

[@georgebarry3153]

Yeah..that's where I am at,currently. I have 20..none are expensive axes.Nothing worth more than 500 USD. But I record and often want very specific tones..ones that seem to come from VERY specific instruments. I could probably train myself to get it all out of one guitar (like Eric Johnson)..but that kind of expertise requires years of practice. I work FT..where am I going to get that time? It's like cutting your own lawn..you can hire a kid for peanuts...why would you do it yourself? You could work an extra hr at work and have 3x that money. So,,exhales..is it wrong to see it this way? Namely, expertise takes time. Time =Money. And I don't have much time so...buy another guitar to get THAT sound.

[@ikigai47]

@@georgebarry3153 - Just out of curiosity, what tones would require 20 guitars? There really aren't that many notable variances of tone are there? None that would be that distinctive once you got past 6+ guitars with different tones to my ear. But hey, if you play them all and their tones you find all different and contributing to your recordings, *_'mo powa baby!'_* Luckily for neck/mid all I need are my solid body strat tones. Bridge is more complicated, my tastes vary.

[@georgebarry3153]

@@ikigai47 I play in the genres of Rock/Pop/Country and Reggae. Along the way I need Passive HB tones,Passive SC tones, Active HB and Active SC tones, 6 str acoustic dreadnaught tones, 12 str ac tones, 12 str electric guitar tones, Passive 4 str Bass, 6 str Elec active Bass, Midi guitar for synth parts, 1 nylon str gtr and backups for key instruments for live work (I do play professionally). That gets me to around 12..and I wind up having a few in various states of experimentation so I can learn from my mistakes in private and NOT in front of a paying crowd. What do ya think?

[@ikigai47]

@@georgebarry3153 - Ah okay. Have you ever tried something like a Variax modeling guitar? You can get all those tones out of them pretty convincingly with less lugging around and less worry from theft. Go from tele to EMG 81 to even things like the sitar at the flip of a dial. Seems like a great fit for an eclectic performer like yourself. Unless you just enjoy all the gear in which case awesome. If it were me in your shoes, I would probably sell off 90+% of them, get a half dozen high quality guitars that make you say OMFG every time you pick one up (including maybe a hybrid Taylor T5 for diversity on tones), and a nice Variax. But of course every man's different. When I was younger I was all about quantity over quality. If I had an extra 500 for gear I couldn't wait, I'd buy a guitar rather than save up for something nice. After a while I regretted that and now only get things that excite the hell out of me with quality (even if I had to build it from parts).

[@tonezone111]

It is a nice hit though...😉

[@victorcostilla8395]

Much-needed perspective! I'm really enjoying your channel, thank you.

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Victor

[@bradyoung1052]

This channel is very refreshing thank you

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Brad! Glad you like it. It's either the stuff I'm thinking about (aka need to remind myself of) or things I want to research (like the amp videos,)

[@billiam6461]

Two. My Gibson SG, & my Taylor 614

[@FernandoRodriguez-if5xo]

I fully agree with You, but some points, there’s always a collector and inside some of us. There’s also the beauty some of us find in the instrument, so is not always about the playing but the having I’m pretty sure that while the great guitarist you have mention plays the majority of the time with one guitar they have several So yes, but...

[@monahantp3767]

After a 10-year absence from guitar, I recently purchased a PRS CE24 to be my "one" guitar. Currently at three weeks into shopping for an amp with a small budget... The CE seems perfect for me, as I LOVE the clarity and note separation of its humbucking pickups, and the option to get single coil tones with the push/pull tone knob. Always liked bolt-on necks, and PRS has a nice wide neck width for my large, aging hands. Discovered 5-watt world while amp shopping... It's been an encouragement as I return to the instrument at an 'advanced' age :) Thanks guys!

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Truth is with a Nice Strat or Les Paul with a Great Amp and modern effects you can play almost anything !! 2 - 4 Guitars would cover it all though I think, and all the Greats have multiple Guitars and play them !

[@timothytobin1481]

If I had to limit myself, there is absolutely no question in my mind or my heart that it would be my telecaster and my pre-1954 p-bass copy.

[@jamesandpeggylingwall2335]

As always, you are spot-on here, Keith. In 1979 at age 17, I got my first "good" guitar -- a brand-new Gibson "The Paul." Partly due to budget but mostly because the instrument was so good, it was my only axe for the next 10 years. For all my band gigs, The Paul could rock with the best of them but also offered rich, complex natural tones for mellower tunes. It played easily, never went out of tune, and the electronics were rock-solid. What was not to love? As Keith mentions here, this guitar was the perfect "tool." Like a quality tool, it was 100% reliable under the most demanding conditions. I still love The Paul and play it regularly. Later, I discovered the the joys of Fender instruments with 1974 hardtail Strat, which has now become another sort of "go-to" instrument for me. Way back in 1977, John Bell, my guitar teacher at Richardson's Music in Lawrence, Kansas told me, "All you really need is a Les Paul and a Strat to cover pretty much everything." 45 years later, he is still right.

[@johnsmith-bk4ps]

And a 12 string electric.. and a dobro.. and a martin.. and a baritone

[@mch1n118]

I’ve been thinking a lot about one guitar to rule them all lately. Stuck between something like a custom SG and custom Tele. Have to wait for covid to clear a bit more before this journey continues. Great video!

[@rowdync]

I had thirty-five guitars at one time. I think I dropped down to eighteen but bought a few more so I'm up in the twenties.

[@MichaelDouglasSkewes]

203 GUITARS AND BASSES ,I LIKE COLLECTING THEM! BUT WHEN i PLAY LIVE,IT IS THE SAME GUITAR EVERY TIME! THEY ARE MY BABIES AND i LOVE COLLECTING AMPS TOO,34 OR 35! IT TAKES ALL KINDS,AND WHEN YOU HAVE A HOUSE FULL OF DIFFERENT GUITARS,SOMETIMES PICKING UP A DIFFERENT ONE HELPS BREAK YOU OUT OF A SLUMP!

[@martinpupelnickel3673]

If you watch what you buy and have some knowledge of guitars - collect as many as you can they are sound investments. And awesome to play.

[@bigkingbud]

Muddy Waters used one guitar for pretty much his entire career. a 1958 Telecaster that he painted red, replaced the neck and knobs, and he called it "The Hoss"