I've Bought TOO MANY Guitars...Why Having LESS Guitars Is Better

[@poesybeat]

Biggest problem with having lots of guitars is you’ll dial in your pedals/amp/modeler to sound great, then switch to some of your other guitars, and it sounds like crap. It introduces too many variables into your rig.

[@TheElectricfishmusic]

I've definitely run into that problem, and sold off guitars because they required too much adjustment of amp and effects.

[@nuthinbutlove]

Yeeesssssss!!! That was when I really began to appreciate my multi-effect processor. I was able to program various sets of patches for each guitar. Then it was just a matter of having to remember the patch I needed so I could pull it up in an instant. I love pedals but a great processor really comes in handy for some situations and are worth more than their weight in gold... at least until you add in the time it takes to program. 🙄

[@Thearcherfl]

Totally agree. And to make it worse, add in a few amps. That’s always a fun time separating out loop pedals when coming from say a blues jr to an amp with fx loop. Kiss your delay settings goodbye lol

[@iamstan_rimp]

Absolutely!!! I’ve narrowed it down to just 2 guitars. That’s it!

[@JCroozy]

Totally agree. For example in a live situation it's crucial not to have to deal with It. Just change guitar and continue.

[@nedludd3641]

I got way too many guitars and I'm a crappy player. However, I'm helping to keep guitar manufacturers/retailers in business and I enjoy playing a different guitar each day. Today I played my headless Steinberg and it was challenging fun

[@elevenAD]

i also have too many but i cant count the number of times i have been inspired to get up and practice because of this, i have my go to guitars at the ready but sometimes i just get burnt out on playing and ill grab something different, ill look at the clock and hours have passed. My rule is if i dont like playing it, sell it.

[@timchalmers1700]

Yeah man! We're critical to the industry.

[@MrAngryTwinkie]

The biggest benefit to me of multiple guitars is having them setup for different tunings without needing to adjust setups after a tuning change.

[@CalTN]

Yep..Drop D, Open E Nashville Tuning, C#, etc

[@JasonT-xp3kh]

Never apologize for your playing, it's absolutely world class. If someone doesn't want to hear it, they can always fast forward.

[@jw6588]

That's what I do, actually. I don't know why, but I recognize that while he is objectively an excellent player, I don't like his playing. I like his insights though.

[@officialWWM]

Yep, he’s a great player but I always skip forward 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@shiftd_1114]

It get's annoying -

[@aflux2908]

Yep, i skip too. Its definitely a youtube guitarist thing. Pretty much all the guitar channels i follow all do the same thing, 2-3 minute jam shesh that i have to skip before getting into the subject of the video. I mean, the playing is good but im here because im interested in the topic of the video, if i wanted a jam sesh i would have just searched for that instead

[@jw6588]

@@aflux2908 My theory is that the better the guitarist, generally the worse the music they make when it comes to songs. This didn't used to be true, but I think it has been since maybe the late 90's. To give an example, Noel Gallagher is a high intermediate player at best but I would much rather listen to an Oasis album than an album of that Charles Berthoud guy, even though he's a fantastic bassist. Because you get a full song, not a weedle-fest. Maybe an exception would be Neal Schon (although he isn't a KZbin guitarist). Every solo you get from him is in the context of an amazing song. That's where I think solos belong. But then again there's also the point you made. I click the videos for the topic, not the weedle.

[@slawsonscot]

I’m down to five electrics and two acoustics and that is absolutely more than enough for me. The more you have, the less you develop relationships with each instrument. The fewer you have, the more you connect with them and pick them up.

[@nuthinbutlove]

Yes 💛

[@musiccreation1198]

With limited funds, I prefer a few high quality guitars versus a larger collection of less expensive guitars. Me: Tuttle Strat & Suhr Alt T custom & Martin 00018.

[@musicalcompanion5890]

3-5. guitars. Is all you need. You can have as many as you want. Especially if you play music for a living and i dont mean "rockstar" im mean playing weddings, cooperate events, Quinceañera! If you just buy and collect that's your business. Just understand the definition of need vs want. and that's that.

[@nuthinbutlove]

Well said!

[@aleadbrick1222]

I was in the middle of doing stuff and I had your jam in the background. I didn’t even realise you switched guitars, I just came back to the video and went “oh, he’s changed guitars”. All I heard is your sound. It shows how when you’re not thinking about the sound, you don’t notice it at all. Maybe if it was extreme like a guitar with single coils against very high output humbuckers. But in general I think the benefit of different guitars are mostly how they play and how they inspire your playing.

[@BrBOGO]

same for me. I thought he was just cycling through pickup positions.

[@serpensnovus9869]

Two is enough for me - a pair of the same guitar so I always have a spare that feels the same under the fingers.

[@willrobertsmith]

As the intro shows it doesn't matter how many guitars you have you still sound like you.

[@SisGuitarGAS]

I always enjoy my guitars more when I have fewer of them cluttering things up. Sometimes that means hiding them away rather than selling them.

[@IamMusicNerd]

I kind of agree. I only had 3 guitars for about a decade, and was completely fine with that. But then I caught the bug and over the years amassed over 20 guitars. However, with the exception of 1 or 2, I don’t regret any of the purchases. If I don’t love a guitar, or connect with it, I don’t keep it. So even though I have 20+ guitars, I play them all and love each one for different reasons.

[@thehappyheretic2136]

we can love more than one women at a time lol

[@JasonT-xp3kh]

Other than the fact that now isn't really the best time to sell stuff, be careful about what you let go. I've often had deep regrets about the gear I've sold. At 35, I'd try to hold on to as much as possible. You never know what opportunities the future might bring. Wait until your in your 50's to start dumping major pieces of gear. By that time it won't matter as much. Those golden opportunities would have come and gone by then. Just my two cents based on personal experience.

[@officialWWM]

As someone in my 50s, I totally agree. I’ve let go of way too much great gear that I should never have let go of! I still do it 😳

[@nuthinbutlove]

A while back i realized that i don't need more than 4... a Strat, a 335, and two acoustics - steel and nylon stringed. The rest were going to waste just sitting and taking up space, not getting the love they deserved from having someone play and appreciate them. I made the decision to sell and give them away. Feels good to know so many people are appreciating them.

[@poesybeat]

I own 10 electrics and wish I could narrow it down, but I can’t seem to part with what I have. If I was starting over, I’d keep it to 3.

[@nuthinbutlove]

@@poesybeat sounds like you just narrowed it down

[@poesybeat]

@@nuthinbutlovebut which 3!? Lol

[@nuthinbutlove]

@@poesybeat my bad. I thought you already knew which ones you'd keep.

[@Rob-qr2kn]

I have seven and want three more🤣

[@poesybeat]

@@Rob-qr2kn I mean, I had seven, and then bought three more, so I totally get you!

[@Michiel1972]

For me about 10 guitars is ideal. 1. Stratocaster (single coils) 2. Telecaster with B-bender 3. Gibson Les Paul 4. National Style O (resonator) 5. Martin D18 6. Classical / Nylon String Guitar (Ramirez) 7. Archtop / Jazz Box with P90s 8. A guitar setup for slide with humbuckers (Gibson SG or a PRS) 9. Stratocaster with bridge humbucker and synth pickup 10. Telecaster for experimenting with alternative tuning

[@EdoLeonardi]

My main guitar is a Prs custom22, the second guitar is a Strat custom made, that’s all I use for live gigs

[@thomashogan1985]

Exactly the same, great combo

[@nikolaki]

Need vs want... As a lefty, each instrument is a minor miracle and it's hard to let them go. Face off. I really need to let at least half of them go. Doesn't help that it's a buyer's second hand market at the mo.

[@zeljkomihalic55]

I feel you...I have way too much guitars, especially considering I am a hobby/enthusiast "player". I have tried to "declutter" number of times, and always and up falling in love with the new one, as each one is special (at least this is what I am trying to convince myself). Just like lenses for the folks doing photography, they would understand :). It is not just the G.A.S. only, it is the thing that sometimes there is one that just inspires me....I'd like to be strong character and have 3-5 and call it a day...

[@girotn9065]

The Ibanez Premium AZ42P1 and the Suhr Pete Thorn Signature are very versatile guitars. I could easily live with either one. "The Family Man" is one of my favorite Nicolas Cage performances.

[@simonedimarzio2557]

My sweet spot is 3 guitars. Acoustic, electric with single coils, electric with humbucker. Everything over this list is likely to remain unused or kept for affection rather than effective usefulness

[@huli8557]

Exactly my position!

[@RobONeill-b5e]

What I've done is hold on to my favourite strat, tele, LP and Gretsch. Then I got the best bang for the buck semi-hollow, offset, acoustic, 12 string electric and bass for when those are needed - a perfect 10. I don't need anything else although often tempted

[@thehappyheretic2136]

kind of my line of thinking

[@StrumBelievable]

Never apologize for your playing! I always love the music at the beginning. Many times I finish the video and return to the beginning to listen once more. You don't need fewer guitars. You just need a good wall rack! Stick the cases/gig bags in the basement.

[@bc5295]

I have too many guitars (9 + 3 basses) but the main reason is that I'm very poor at selling them. I'd happily sell at 2 of the basses and 4 or 5 guitars if someone offered me something close to market value.

[@CrazyLazyDave]

I just like having guitars. I'm typically only playing one or two. I have space for what I have....currently. I agree we're all "comfortable" with certain guitars. But switching it up can keep you inspired to play. When I get a new guitar I play more. When I re string a guitar I haven't played in ages I play more.

[@johnsouthern9562]

I honestly forget how many guitars I have without writing them down……it is not a good thing, just love the little buggers, but they are stuffed everywhere and I neeeeeeed to get rid of 10 to be less embarrassed. My National type O-14 is on a mount on the stairs because I didn’t want to play it but didn’t want to let it go…..just too iconic…and my L5 sits in a wardrobe because the Frenchie licks it when put on a stand, probably the tortoise shell and nitro mix 😂

[@theystoleitfromus]

Six here, and I'll go ahead and put myself in a third category. I'll get as many as I want for various purposes, but - and here's the important part - if you ever hesitate to choose the appropriate tool for a given situation, you probably need to get rid of something.

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

5 guitars in the studio: 2 single coil (tele and strat); 2 humbucking (lp and sg); 1 p90 goldtop. And Leaving Las Vegas.

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

That's a great mix.

[@FlorentChardevel]

LP and SG kinda sound the same imo. Maybe yours have different sets of pickups?

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

@@FlorentChardevel the Les Paul has 61 burstbuckers, the sg has a local boutique, tiki-man, his version of pearly gates. Highly recommend. Out of Branson. They sound and importantly, feel very different to me. In fact I think you must not own both if you think they sound the same; they couldn't be more different. I mean, the neck pickup isn't even in the normal position on an SG, so how could it possibly sound like anything else? The LP has low- and high-end the SG doesn't have, and that's not just acoustically. I can reach higher by far on the SG fretboard than any other guitar as well, making it the one for tough parts. Clean though, the SG is all but useless in the studio. Its overdriven and distorted sounds are distinct enough from the Les Paul to pick out by ear. I think you need to buy an SG or Les Paul, whichever one it is you don't have.

[@csharp57]

5 is a good number to have

[@FlorentChardevel]

@@csharp57you’re saying this because I have 4 lol

[@MichaelSheaAudio]

I used to want a lot of guitars, but I realized that more guitars means more maintenance and more guitars sitting on the rack collecting dust. Having extra guitars around for the odd time I might need them is a waste. I currently have 7 guitars, but only 4 electric guitars, and I could even go down to 3 if I really needed to. I know what I want, so my guitars are all versatile enough to do just about everything I need. I have 2 guitars in standard tuning, a Schecter Omen 6 with 2 volumes and both humbuckers coil-split individually, A custom Warmoth build with a vibrato bridge, HS pickup configuration, humbucker also splits and only has 2 volume controls, A Schecter C-8 Deluxe with the same mods as the Omen 6, and a MIM Fender Strat with a single humbucker, volume and tone controls, in dropped C. It chugs and that's all it needs to do. If I didn't want a guitar with a vibrato, I'd get rid of the Warmoth, but my guitars are so tailored to my preferences that no one would buy them for a price that doesn't royally screw me. I also have a Squier Jazz bass that I could play for the rest of my life, an acoustic, and a classical acoustic. The acoustics sit in gig bags because I'm not an acoustic player, but they're the extra guitars I keep around because I never know when I'll need an acoustic for a recording. Electrics are interchangeable, I don't need all different guitars for slight tonal variations, you can't really fake an acoustic though. XD

[@TheJamieAbraham]

I Play 4 guitars: A Tele, a musicman Steve Morse an Ibanez artcore and a Yamaha Classical which is basically one guitar for each style I play. As a suggestion - pick the three you love the most and try to stick with them for a couple of months - then decide :)

[@swatchcovers5401]

I have 3 currently. I haven’t had the luxury to keep more than a few because I usually have to sell to afford another.

[@PedalBattle]

It's impossible to have TOO many guitars, it is possible to have not enough though

[@nitbot]

I got 3 guitars right now, but I basically only play one of them. I have no intention of getting more

[@gitarendirk1]

I think it's best to have 2 guitars that are as different as can be; for instance a single coil and a humbucker guitar. As soon as as you increase the amount of guitars, you - or I - start noticing the sounds you're still missing: ah, that tele twang, the clear ring of a jazzmaster! 'If only I had a p90 guitar for that growl! The lipstick thing of a Danelectro! There is no end to that. Keep it simple and become the more creative by having to coax all the sounds out of the tools that you do have at your disposal. Also the bonding with and knowing the guitar will be at another level. That's my theory, at least for the present.🙂

[@chrisfraley7090]

Funny you posted on this topic, as I just sold two guitars yesterday that I really didn't needed. I've been playing for about 3 years and I have realized that less is more and variety is the key :) I am down to 5 guitars now, but I will most likely reduce it to my top/fav 3 guitars in due time. A good Nick Cage movie - National Treasure for sure!

[@simonpark843]

I'm 52 and I own four electric guitars and one nylon-stringed acoustic. I've bought and sold a lot of guitars over the years and I think it's a question of quality over quantity. Just hang on to the ones you really, really enjoy playing. I've got a Godin G-4000 from 1993 that I love and won't part with. I have a 2007 Les Paul BFG that I love, and I have a couple of Mexican Fenders (an Albert Hammond Jnr. Strat and a Brad Paisley Esquire, both from 2021). I don't plan on buying any more, and I've got all the pedals and so on that I ever wanted to buy, so I just enjoy what I've got. I used to buy way too much gear, though, and I think it's a thing that you do when you're younger and it's perfectly ok. I've had so many different types/brands of guitars I can't remember them all, but they all seemed like a good idea at the time so I have no regrets. You'll know the ones you want to keep. Thanks for the videos, they're all really enjoyable.

[@davegrice3423]

At 18 guitars now, and agree with you 100%. I could probably live with 3-4 of them. It's a storage issue, maintenance issue and kind of silly to wrap up that much cash in that many guitars.

[@rigorhead01]

I used to have several guitars. A few years ago I got rid of all my guitars that I kept around for just whatever reason, and kept my two high-end guitars that I felt I connected with: a modern, custom shop strat and a 2004 PRS Custom 22 with a solid rosewood neck, both of which I adore.

[@pearsonart]

Yes and yes. Would reduce to 2 teles and 335 here. All have similar necks - .90 or thicker at 1st fret and 1.65 or wider at nut with tall frets and 9.5 or flatter radius. Nick Cage performance - I’ll go with Valley Girl.

[@BrandonShannonPaul]

Hi! Would you mind sharing what exact models? I’ve been looking for guitars with fat necks but to no avail.

[@pearsonart]

Sure thing. Built my teles around the necks. Ordered several Fender Mexican 50’s and a custom Musikraft. I had to shop for a while for the 335. Tried many brands and settled on a Gibson custom shop 59 reissue. I hear good things about the Tokias but they’re hard to find here.

[@pearsonart]

If I was shopping again, I’d look at Tokai, Sire and high end Epiphones for the 335. 50s tele models are usually a safe choice.

[@ScottyBrockway]

I have three guitars, it's the best amount for me. The string thing is an absolute valid point, and strings aren't getting any cheaper. Space is definitely a consideration too, I don't have space for the cases for more either. I would like an acoustic though as a fourth guitar.

[@timchalmers1700]

Please keep on playing in every video. The thing I notice with switching guitars daily or every two days, is that a guitar works better on the second day in a row; three days in a row and the guitar almost plays itself. And yeah, for a YT channel it's important to be able to play and talk about different guitars, including affordable guitars. I would like to see a comparison of the S-style alternatives from G&L, Music Man, and that other company that Leo started - what was it called? Oh yeah, Fender.

[@PapajamaJoe]

Settled with two electrics (Fender Thinline Tele, Gibson Les Paul 60s Standard), two acoustics (Martin 000-17, Cordoba classical nylon), two amps (‘65 Princeton Reverb reissue, Vox AC15HW), couple of pedals (Deco, Polychrome, Shanks) - more than what I need - and I’ve been very content.

[@caseylockwood5512]

I dunno, I have like 12 guitars, but I try and play them as much as I can. They all have their purpose. One is a 7 string, one a baritone, one a single coil, one with a 2 way trem and locking nut, one without a locking nut, one with a 1 way trem, etc. I have a few trem guitars set up for specific tunings. I also have guitars that are cheap that I take on trips with me, and studio guitars that will not often leave my house. I play a very wide variety of music. I think having that many guitars is definitely a luxury, but its one I can justify and it brings me joy. Still, I do see the appeal in minimalism.

[@Homermad81]

My dude, never apologize for playing the guitar at the intro to your videos. Watching you play and sharing your thoughts on all things guitar is what makes this channel one of the best. Thank you for posting your videos. Started my old man guitar journey not too long ago and your stuff keeps me motivated to keep going. That PRS is really neat. I like the sound because it feels less traditional than the Strat and Gibson.

[@davidcavazos2270]

I am about the same way- my electrics are: 1. Classic 2HB: Les Paul Standard 2. Modern 2HB: PRS McCarty 3. Strat: Fender Amer Ultra Strat 4. Higher Gain Strat: G&L Legacy (Modified with Harmonic design Z90 pickups) 5 - a wildcard - Vox Virage (The triple coil pickups are insanely versatile) Fav Nic Cage Performance? Colour out of Space :)

[@garywaddell6309]

I think it depends on your practice space.I have 10 (and still want 1 or 2 more) but I feature them with lights etc as art pieces on the wall and every day I look at them and simply love the beauty that goes into the making of any guitar. The hardware, the finish, the paint, every guitar is like art to me even if it’s an inexpensive instrument, so it’s not just about playing them. The cases are stored away out of site, but I don’t need a case for every guitar either. Maybe just clean up your space John, and feature your favs more tastefully than just sitting around and perhaps sell what’s left over.

[@CraigularjJoeWoodworks]

one custom shop + one opposite guitar seems to be my favourite way to keep my collection down.

[@jamesgoddin8880]

I regularly gig my Japanese Tele, Nashville Tele, PRS SE 24-08 and my Jazzmaster. I’ve got other guitars I never gig but won’t ever part with for sentimental reasons (1982 Japanese Squier strat, Jaguars). The rest I could sell without remorse. Kickass

[@mortonwilson795]

Celebrating 50 years of ownership of my first electric from when our band kicked off. These are the guitars I used in the studio up until the mid '90s when I stretched out a bit (with purchase dates). 1. 1974: 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom 2. 1978: K. Yairi Nylon String 'Classic' 3. 1978: S. Yairi Steel String 'Parlour' 4. 1980: Roland FGN Stratocaster + GR303 Guitar Synth. 5. 1985: Ovation Steel String w. Piezo (Bought at Robert Fripp's urging to accommodate his New Standard Tuning) 6. 1992: Sadowsky NYC S Style HSH Over time I added a few that were handy for particular projects or that I had an urge to own: Sadowsky Electric Nylon, Ibanez 12 String Electric, Jerry Jones Sitar Guitar, Taylor 'Concert' Steel String, Yamaha Stereo Nylon String . . . all great with their own 'thing'. In the last decade: Duesenberg Starplayer TV, Gretsch Japanese Made Solid Body, Gibson LP Special and a few budget Epis with the express purpose of modding with Monty's, Bare Knuckles, Lollars etc. because I'm thinking of starting a small boutique brand and . . . research, basically. If push came to shove I could happily survive with the first 6 on the list but I enjoy rotating them all from studio to home every week or two - new ideas, inspiration for writing etc. There are none I neglect or want to get rid of, even though some get more use than others. Everyone has different 'needs' but I would caution anyone under 50 years of age from getting rid of instruments unless absolutely necessary . . . you might never see their like agin' 😅

[@scottmay1489]

4 electrics: Heritage 535, Ron kirn custom tele, grosh custom strat hss, and LP standard. 1 Sire Bass, 2 steel string acoustics Taylor 710ce had for years, and my old Sigma dread from 1982 refret with new life my version of a vintage Martin. Several amps and modelers. Covers all the bases without too much maintenance.

[@marcohermans3207]

I've 13 guitars, strat, superstrat, tele, jazzmaster, 335,335 with p90, les paul, les paul with p90, dreadnought, 12 string jumbo, classical, mandolin, cheap bass. I use them all regularly depending in which mood I'm in or which song I'm working. on. For amps a Victory V40 Deluxe head and appropriate speaker, a Marshall JMP 50 watt mk2 combo and a Fender mustang 3 modeling amp. I like it to have choices.

[@tlopez51]

I tend to mostly agree. I have a Fender, Schecter, Gibson, PRS and two Ibanez - the Gibson and PRS being the higher value instruments out of the pack however, the PRS is what I play the most. Now some might argue that 6 guitars isn't all that too many but your right! If a guitar just sits where it hardly gets touched then it becomes one of those things where, I too and without fail, find myself getting involved in some form of routine maintenance rather than just play. However, they do appear to decorate the walls quite remarkably well aside from the pride you also get in ownership.

[@hybridnoisebloom]

Echoing other sentiments, NEVER apologize for your playing ... your playing is outstanding, and it's an absolute highlight of being here.

[@jasonswitzer1748]

Best Nick Cage performance. That’s like asking me to choose a favorite kid! Gun to my head… Face/Off. Also… what was the other question? Side note… I love how you play your Les Paul just like you play every other guitar you own. A Les Paul is a rock machine, man! Bust out some power chords or at least classic rock open chords and some rock riffs!

[@afurinperil]

It's worth mentioning that the guitars are taking up so much space because they're in cases on the floor, which is probably also why you don't play them as much as you wish you did. that's why it's a good idea to always have them out. If you hang them, you can put the cases away, reclaim all that space and maybe play some of them a bit more

[@jeffainsley6000]

Nicholas Cage performance: Con Air. "Take one step closer and the bunny gets it."

[@rocktorrocks]

I have a decent size guitar collection and fully agree. We’re about the same age and I feel like I’ve had many of the same experiences and noticed many of the same drawbacks. As a player I think my Les Paul with humbuckers, my tele with single coils, my SG with p90s and my Charvel with floyd rose is all I need as a players to cover the sounds I want. However, I enjoy the collecting and nerding out aspect as much as the playing so I’ve got a few more guitars which I keep because they are somewhat rare or unique and would probably be hard to replace if I were to miss them and want to buy it again. I do find myself not touching a guitar for long periods but then I’ll have a phase where that becomes one of my main players.

[@garrysimmons111]

I have a few more guitars than I need (or want) but the used market sucks right now, so they stay put for the time being. After trying a bunch different guitars, I've decided that I want five: an HSS Strat-style, a Tele, a two humbucker LP-style guitar, something with P90s, and then a wildcard/boutique/oddball thing. Plus an acoustic guitar. And a bass.

[@BC_INC_85]

It's nice to have a backup for the primary player. Exactly the way you described that you are playing the yellow k line strat and have the blue k line strat put away for a bit. However, the backup should only apply to the primary guitar. The issue arises when a player changes to a different style guitar (strat to tele, tele to LP, etc)... then guitarists find themselves with extra guimost. Personally, I have a PRS USA HBII, and it's my most comfortable playing guitar and represents my tone and style the most. I have a cheap modded strat, but my secondary guitar is a strat. So with just 2 guitars I can have the choice of different pickups (humbuckers or singlecoils), neck material (rosewood or maple), neck construction (bolt on or set), etc.

[@Anshul1614]

Two months ago I got it into my head, to sell all of my guitars, barring an 8 string (because as a metal player I could play and learn songs in any tuning) and a classical guitar. The reason for doing this were many. One of them being when I had 13 guitars, I kept them in different tunings, and at times when I just wanted to pickup and play, I would switch guitars midway my jam, sometimes switch multiple guitars, sometimes go through all guitars. It used to comes between me and playing. Even though I abosultely loved my guitars, I had waited sometimes years to get some of them, I got rid of them, no more option parallysis. Now I am actually playing less than I used to since I changed jobs, I have eliminated any option parallysis that I have faced and I just play.

[@williambentley5877]

Love your intro playing. I am really hesitant to get rid of my guitars because many of the ones I sold in the past I have really regretted. Now when I look them up on sale sights they are out of my budget.

[@bryceoconnor3927]

I just got a second after 10 years of owning only a tele. I now have just upgraded my tele, and then added a superstrat (schecter AM6) to my collection. I definitely think playing tele only has positively shaped my style over the years.

[@stoneyroberts9118]

No apologies sir. I may be guilty of scrubbing forward only to hear your video comments but always go back to hear your remarkable playing and inspiring technique And as far as guitars go, what messes me up is yes, I would be better off with only a couple and would really progress quicker staying on the same instrument but everytime I go to sell one I’m dreading it and reminded of why I really love that guitar and bought it in the first place 😥. And then I look at my little collection and see a bonamassa nerdville video and suddenly I don’t feel so bad owning just a handful lol. Cheers

[@JoeyColors]

I agree that string life on guitars that are not played often is shorter than string life on guitars that are played frequently. And, I seem to get a wider range of sounds on guitars that I play more frequently than I can get from a guitars that play less frequently.

[@adamflanaganmusic]

I feel like I’m in a similar situation with volume of instruments vs space. Although everything does get used at least once or twice a year (counting miscellaneous instruments such as banjo, mandolin, baritone etc), there’s only so many places to store things with a two bedroom house and four kids! We are looking to move, but it’s probably not worth moving everything if it’s unlikely to be used much/at all at the next house. Pedals I find get out of hand as well.

[@kluker]

I have seven electric guitars-one is a Gibson Les Paul, which sits mainly in the case, and my first electric guitar, which is barely playable now. So, I only play on five guitars. If I get a new one, I need to sell one to keep the magic number 7. Sometimes, I take 3 guitars to rehearsal and play only on 1. It all depends on the songs I play. I enjoy playing singles at home, but humbuckers work better on rehearsals.

[@jakollee]

Talking only electrics, I’d say up to 5 is pretty reasonable, and you can spend enough time playing each that the strings don’t start to corrode from lack of use, as you noted. When one starts getting up towards 7, 8, 10 guitars, then I’d say one is a collector, and it’s probably not possible to play them all in a regular rotation. I do think it’s worth getting to know one guitar really, really well.

[@26theband]

As a producer I need the 4 or 5 basic food groups to cover all of the styles…Tele style, strat style, LP style, Gretsch style, something with P90’s and a good acoustic. If you have that it’s all you “need” to cover 99% of my needs… then the only thing you may occasionally “need” would be something a bit more “odd” like a baritone or a twelve string. Less is definitely more… if I were “just” a guitarist and not a multi-instrumentalist producer/mixer I’d probably stick to as few guitars as possible and make them “my sound”.

[@sethglenn9022]

Never apologize for playing in videos. This is the content I want. I watched my friend learn to play on a crappy Squire Strat. Someone noticed him at a talent show and invited him to his house. This guy had a loft with 40+ guitars. He graciously welcomed my friend to play any guitar and any amp and just noodle around. He ended up spending a lot of time with a white American Telecaster with a maple neck and some sort of 2x12 digital Vox amp. This combo sounded GODLY to my ears and to his. This wonderful man with a guitar store for a collection said , "it's yours." To buy the same gear today would be at least 3k dollars. I am so thankful to watch his guitar journey with this guitar. He ended up taking this guitar to study music at university and still daily drives this Telecaster 20 years later. My journey ended up loving to set up and repair guitars. But I can't play worth a damn. Before he went to college, I gave him my "cheap" Fender acoustic guitar that I learned to re-fret and set up. Today, he has his late father's Offset V Jackson, Telecaster, and my old acoustic. He has never bought a guitar with his own money, but all of his guitars are priceless to him. To this day, that Telecaster is my holy grail guitar. After 15 years of guitar work he let me re-fret his beloved Telecaster.

[@pedalhead2641]

Tried a 3 PRS experiment last winter. Hollowbody, DGT, and SAS. Thought I could go with that but I couldn’t. The SAS didn’t have the right strat tone. The neck on the DGT didn’t work. Then I mistakenly picked up the right guitar to test something with and that sent the hollowbody to a new home. Now I have 5 and that feels right. They are all modified or beaten up. Maybe the increase in character and lack of resale value will make these stay.

[@jimjim7008]

I had 1991 Gibson Les Paul classic since new and in 2016 bought a 1997 Gibson Les Paul standard. I've played them and enjoyed having them. Last year out of curiosity I played a 2023 regular Gibson Les Paul custom and the guitar felt and played far superior than my classic and standard so I replaced both guitars with the custom and it was the best decision I've ever made. Less is good, totally agree.

[@malcolmevans2663]

Classical musicians tend to find the one instrument that suits them for feel and makes the sound they want. Then they practice like crazy. GAS can be a big distraction from becoming a great musician. Guitarist can get a graphic eq pedal and use it to tone shape a Strat to sound like a Les Paul and vice versa. If you want a guitar collection, by all means, but it won’t improve your playing.

[@yeehawtwistyarms]

For my first 15 years of playing it never even occurred to me to have more than one guitar, it was the 1980s and there wasn’t the internet - coincidence?

[@jacobpittman1996]

@jonathancordy you won’t ultimately regret the changes motivated by care for your family and home life. I still own about 10 various stringed instruments that I don’t get called on to play quite as much as I used to (it’s ok; I make my living elsewhere), but I have a beautiful growing family, and they are gonna make a mark in this world that I could never match. Keep playing, and keep loving that family no matter how many guitars pass through those hands.

[@bluecollarguitarist]

1 acoustic, 2 basses, 4 electrics, and a Line 6 Variax. The variax is kind of the ultimate at home tool and backup for my other guitars. I've owned tons of guitars in the last 25 years or so and the variax pretty much cured my G.A.S.

[@johnbarry731]

My most comfortable guitar is my Stratocaster. It’s an HSS and very versatile. I also have a Tele and a Les Paul, but the Stratocaster is the one I go to. I tend to use the Tele for open G Stones songs so it has its special place for that.

[@tiagoramalhais5493]

Nicolas cage in City of Angels, but i prefer to have lots of guitars with different bridges, tunings and pickup configurations ... the trick for finding space in a bedroom is guitar wall hangers, lots of them, you can also put them in the living room walls as guitars are also nice for decoration.

[@BlugubriousMusic]

Non-pro here (not anymore) - If pro - the amount to play the music that pays you, if not pro - the amount that inspires you to grab one (and probably one or two more) - and Raising Arizona... hands down, best.

[@alien4422]

I have 9 guitars a Japanese Strat, an American Tele, 2 Ibanez Prestige RGs, a Charvel model 6, a Les Paul type ESP, a Yamaha FG750S Acoustic , a Taylor GS mini and a pretty good Classical guitar. Sometimes I think about selling a guitar which isn't getting much play but I always feel bad about selling. Most of my guitars were bought 2nd hand in very good to as new condition except my Strat which I bought new in the late 80s and the Charvel which was bought used and has a few battle scars. If push came to shove I could survive with my 62 Strat and my RG2550Z. Though I would end up buying a Yamaha Silent guitar to replace the Classical and keep the neighbours happy.

[@dmac3316]

Favourite Nic Cage movie is Wild at Heart. Matchstick Men was cool too.

[@BradMiller007]

I only gave 4 guitars. Lonestar Strat, Epiphone Sheraton Pro II, Suhr Modern and Peerless Jazz City archtop and they cover everything. Favourite Cage performance would be The Family Man.

[@JTB--]

I have 3 Electrics(All PRS) and one Acoustic(Super shallow Ovation). I like those National Treasure Cage movies and The Rock

[@Rob-qr2kn]

Every time I see a PRS with a satin finish, I almost always get it. They are not put out as frequent as the others. Two months ago I bought two CE-24'S the wood grain LTD ones and one with a satin finish. My bills are paid and I am not going in debt making the purchases so .... I'll stop at ten. I want a les paul Jr too .

[@alexmbrenner]

I have 20 and I use them all however I wish I could just have 5.

[@taylornutt]

I am currently sitting on about 9 electric guitars. I am starting to know what I like and get rid of guitars I am not playing. I also try to buy guitars with a specific sound or purpose in mind. If I like certain guitars, I might get a second one with different options. Some guitars might sit for a bit, but I try to mix them in and upgrade pickups if the sound is not inspiring me.

[@officialWWM]

As a guitar player, musician, singer, producer etc, I just have lots of guitars, amps, recording gear, microphones (I really have too many microphones!) because I love being surrounded by it! My studio is my safe space and I just love having all this creative gear around me. I don’t have many guitars compared to some guys, maybe 10 or 12 but I have a Tele I use for just about everything 😂. They all get played but not as often as they should 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Samuelhj]

I just added the PRS SE CE24 with a maple cap as a fourth next to the three archetypes also featured in the video and it makes so much sense! Was always forcing my tele or strat to be something they weren't and now I can finally grab the CE24 when I need a versatile guitar for more technical stuff, especially higher up the neck. Also love that each guitar is completely different to the other yet not in an overwhelming way as each serves a different purpose - 4 guitars with 4 different fretboard woods, 3 different body woods, 3 scale lengths, 3 pickup configurations and either fixed bridge, more modern tremolo or a vintage tremolo. Also have my tele strung with 11s adding another layer and also related to the feel when bending on a tele vs. strat.

[@tomm5023]

Just imagining maintaining all those plus string changes …never understood having 30 guitars unless you have a pro recording studio to provide musicians with options..

[@Guitarman007]

For gigging/performance 3 is enough. For recording, I feel like 5-7 will do it if we are talking electric only.

[@cortmiller]

If you have a lot of guitars where there are some that aren’t getting played a lot you do have to invest in coated strings like elixers or long lasting ones like nyxls or you would be constantly changing strings

[@joereed7793]

It really all depends on your needs. One guitar won't cut it if you gig, or if you're a bedroom player who uses multiple tunings. I play guitar, bass, lapsteel, mandolin and mandocello. Add a few alternate tunings and a few acoustic options and Im looking at a dozen instruments. Sure, if I HAD TO I could give up the other instruments and cut myself down to only the guitar option, but thats a drag. I would miss playing the other types. Just like someone else might miss playing 10 different types of electric guitar. Who am I to tell them. And I have nothing negative to say about folks who collect for the sake of collecting. It sure beats collecting Norman Rockwell dinner dishes or a meth habit.

[@thierry18]

I use one guitar (Gretsch g2622), two basses (Spector NS and a P-Bass), one amp (Fender Rumble, it sounds great for guitar as well), and one pedalboard (Boss gt1000 core, expression pedal, distortion, compression, octaver). I have yet to be wishing for more since I obtained this setup, except maybe an acoustic one day.

[@deddiev1718]

12 electrics. Saw a gig where the guitar player had three guitars on stage. S les Paul a Tele a Strat. It resonated with me

[@georgeminhinnick-vu3iz]

Isn’t it strange that for all other instrumental players they will just have one top/superior instrument; flautist, cellist, French Hornist (I am one), harpist, but I’ve never met a guitarist with just one guitar. I’ve just got to the point where everyday I try to play guitar more than I spend time looking/browsing/fantasising/wishing about guitars, and if I actually ‘play’ more than those other guitar related activities, then that’s been a good day! Great video as always, keep up the good work!

[@deepzepp4176]

I’m currently thinning out my collection. I’m aiming for four guitars. Would rather have fewer guitars I absolutely love, than many that i’m not too sure on. They also collect dust and need setting-up.

[@danielkongmusic]

Floor space is really an issue. I can fit 9 electrics on a Hercules GS525B, and its pretty compact but my room is still small that this means I don't have space for an amp. I run a lot of alternate tunings so that's how I justify keeping so many instruments out. I wish there were more options for double-decker stands. They are a LOT more expensive just because less people make them. I've been considering for a long time whether getting a local carpenter to do something custom might be a good idea: with individual slots on the bottom rack for guitars and the top rack just being a long space to line up all the gig bags neatly. The pile of gig bags and god forbid, hard cases, are an even worse problem!

[@timfletchermusic]

This is why I have 2 variax guitars : )

[@robmcnamara4632]

The Tele is my ‘go to’ guitar. But also have a Les Paul, SG w/p90s, Semi Hollow, Acoustic & nylon string classical guitar. As a relatively new player (3 years) I like having to adjust to each guitar. Adds an extra dimension to my guitar learning experience. Still don’t have a guitar with a tremolo. Considering a Strat or the PRS SE DGT.

[@juliancarmichael]

Don’t apologize for playing in your videos, man. You sound good and it’s fun to listen to. Always enjoy it 🦾

[@fr3ak1shh]

What strings do you use? I use GHS Boomers, they seem to have a great lifespan. If you have a lot of guitars, you kind of just have to focus on a couple at a time. You don't want to put new strings on a guitar and only play it a few times over the next couple months, because you're just not getting the full value of your strings! So every time you change strings, play the crap out of that guitar until it starts feeling stale, put it aside, and then next time you want to play it again, change strings and the cycle repeats. More guitars is definitely more maintenance, but if you can find the space and time it's great!