All of my guitars are new. . .

[Whogo]

Hi All,

After my latest addition just this past week, I have been reflecting on my guitars. After thirty years of playing, and seventy-one total guitars of all types owned in that time, I am now down to six--two classicals, an acoustic, and three electrics (my all-time high was nine at one time). It dawned on me that the ones that I have now were all bought brand-new by me locally, despite the fact that the majority of my purchases over the years have been second-hand guitars. The only exception is a '68 Framus classical that I scored at a local flea market. This actually surprises me, and as I looked back over my catalogued list of the seventy one, there were two that stood out that I should have kept--one of them also purchased new and another I got from a friend.

Any thoughts or reflections about this or your own collection?

Greg

[smolder]

Three of mine out of the 20 or so I've owned the last 4 years were bought new. The rest were used. Buying new can be explained by more income, knowing what you want so not so worried about resale, and impatience for the target to surface on the used market... amongst others.

What is more interesting to me is that I actually prefer new wood. Surely there was some magic in the 58's and 59's... but I'm just not likely to own one. Guitars are manufactured better now that they ever have been. For my money newer guitars seem to make sense.

[gulliver]

I like it when someone else initiates a guitar with scratches. Of course, if you shop at Guitar Center, it doesn't mean it's not a new purchase.

[Windup 43]

I've had more success over the years w/ new guitars vs. used. The ones that tend to stick around are the new ones- only used one I've really bonded with is a '62 Hot Rod Strat which I still have. Something about purchasing a guitar new and making it your own...

[wilblee]

All but one of my acoustics were bought new. The used one is the only one I bought with premeditation. The others were just me killin' a lunch hour at a guitar shop and lovin' what I had in my hands and taking it home.

All of my current electrics were bought used. As a matter of fact only two electrics, out of all the ones I've owned, were bought new.

[Whogo]

Originally Posted by gulliver

I like it when someone else initiates a guitar with scratches. . .

I understand--I actually like that, too. But then who was it (Jimmie Vaughan maybe?) who said somewhere in an interview years ago something like "I like to put my own scratches on 'em." I'm like that too. Even though it can feel like a punch to the gut when you put that first scratch or ding on a new one, if it's a good guitar, and you keep on playing it, the ding is easily forgotten in a few days, and any new dings or scratches matter less.

Years ago I bought a new ES-135 (at Guitar Center, and it's one that I wish I still had) and played that thing daily for about three years. It's one of the few guitars that I just played and played and played without paying any attention to how it was wearing. One day I looked it over and realized that it was taking on some aging and actually looking great--like a guitar that had been played because it had been played. It's also one of the only guitars I just didn't fuss over even after I realized that it was looking worn.

[kwaping]

Originally Posted by wilblee

The used one is the only one I bought with premeditation. The others were just me killin' a lunch hour at a guitar shop and lovin' what I had in my hands and taking it home.

I believe that is the core of it, right there. We buy used with our heads, and new with our hearts.

[gulliver]

Originally Posted by kwaping

I believe that is the core of it, right there. We buy used with our heads, and new with our hearts.

...a few times, I purchased used from a music store, those ones I can say I bought soley with my eyes.

[Guitar Josh]

The only guitars I've ever truly bonded with were purchased used.