The topic for the day involves G&L and many others. As many of you know, I have way more guitars than I need. There are many people on the forum who have several guitars and some have many. Some are very deliberate in the guitars they chose and others are looking for something especially if it is interesting and at the right price. I have not been deliberate in my overall selection of guitars. So the discussion today is what are your views and how do you plan, or do you plan your next guitar out in detail. I thought long about bringing this up as it can be very personal. Jaystrings wrote a book about GAS. We all joke about it, but what is really behind all this. Most of us on the forum do not depend on our music for our living although some of you are very successful at doing just that. For those that do, the guitars and gear are tools of the trade. I think it is safe to say that many of us on the forum are passionate about our guitars, especially the G&L product, as that is what has brought most of us here. I am going to share my thoughts and I hope that you will share yours.
After many years away from playing, I returned back to it in 1999. I had a 67 Fender Mustang bass and a 1966 Bassman amp, neither of which I still own. Our original band reunited that summer to do a gig for a class reunion. Although quite rusty, we had fun. We did a few more gigs and it was fun in a way it had never been in the past. In 2000, I bought a new American Deluxe Jazz bass and an SWR Workingmans 15, actually both gifts from Ginny. She was responsible for getting me back into gigging as she enjoyed it.
In 2005, our singer left his Strat with me while visiting California during the winter. I was doing some work on it. I began playing it and I was back into it. Just this week, I did some inventory research to really look at what has transpired. I was surprised at what I found as it was never a calculated adventure. Since 2006, I find myself with 42 guitars and I have traded or sold 32 during this time. I currently have 12 different brands. This could raise some eyebrows but it has been transparent in the way it has evolved. It has just happened. I am always looking for something interesting. I do not have unlimited funds so when some come in, some go out. Last year I had 14 in and about the same amount go out. There were some I picked up early on because the price was right. Some of those were easy to trade when I found the "right one". Nine of my G&Ls, mostly Legacys, are gone for other G&Ls.
Sooner or later it becomes more difficult. I have a selection that I really like and have a bond with every one of them. I now am not willing to part with any of them, in other words, I no longer have any trading material. Ginny has heard it all so what do I tell her now? We appreciate these things for their art value as they have sheer beauty in just looking at them, especially the woods on some of the G&Ls. Picking one and playing it every morning is another bonus. I made a mistake and referred to them on another forum as an investment and had some investment dude climb all over me about guitars being a poor investment. He was probably right and I had used a bad choice of words. In my opinion, guitars are a solid asset if purchased correctly but what this guy didn't understand was the emotional value we get from guitars. I love working on them, playing them and especially looking at them. This isn't GAS. Its love, and like love, it just happens.
So it is confession time and let us know your thoughts about all this, and if you can share a story about you guitars and how you got there, lets hear it.
Okay, one more Ole.
To those in North Dakota , Minnesota , and for that matter the rest of the country, including Canada and Down Under, I must report the sad news that Ole was shot. He was up by the Canadian border on his 4-wheeler cutting some trees when some rangers looking for terrorists spotted him.
According to the news reports, the rangers shouted to him over a loudspeaker, "Who are you and what are you doing?"
Ole shouted back, "OLE..... BIN LOGGIN'!"
Our wall has changed considerably in the last year so here is the latest version. Thanks for having me this week and I am looking forward to next week with Robbie! I will check in on Sunday.
-- Darwin
I recently decided a that if I'm going to keep buying guitars and form a collection of sorts, then those guitars might as well be from the G&L Custom Creations Department. One every couple of years should be fine. 