What'cha Got v. What To Get -- The Power of G.A.S.

[Edward]

...OTOH, I have met some great people over the years that I have bought/ sold/ traded with.  So while I have probably spent a small fortune and in the process, kept Brown in business over the years, I have had a lot of fun, met some great people, and played a whole bunch of great guitars.  So how's that for a rationalization!...

Yeah, I think I'm good with that one! 

For me, I typically get enamoured over the idea of a cool guitar (dang internet and you stinkin bloggers  ) before I end up getting one.  I never have done an guitar-impulse buy, but I have obsessed over a model x or y, then sought it out over time.  Sometimes it sticks and she becomes a keeper, sometimes it doesn't, and I move on.  But the bottom line is I like to keep only what I truly will play, and play often.  Those guits that I love "having" for whatever reason (style, aesthetic, fill in the blank) eventually have ended up going out the door because I just feel bad (guilty?) about having gear that truly is not used.  So for me, GAS is always checked, eventually, by utility.  Acoustics, electrics, amps, fx ...you name it: if it ain't picked up regularly, out it goes ...despite the longing
But heck, I got the joy of owning and playing it for x-time.  Knowing what I don't want to keep is oddly just as gratifying as keeping what I do end up bonding with.  How's that for tweaked

Edward

[cigarfan]

I've been chasing Taylor tone for over 12 years now, buying and selling literally dozens of guitars in that time - Both new and used.  Through the years, I've found a few that really exemplify what I like to hear and see in a guitar.  It has to be both - I've had beautiful ones that didn't trip my trigger in the tone department, and at least one lapse of reason that I can think of that allowed me to sell a Taylor that sounded great but looked like a train wreak (IIRC, it was a 1988-ish 615 where the original owner so over humidified the guitar, the top bowed up and literally shattered the nitro finish.  Of course, that opened the top and she was a cannon!).

Anyway, I'm at a point now where each instrument in the collection is a killer example of that model both tonally and visually.  It's a good thing, right?  Well, yes, until GAS kicks in and a new one comes along that catches your eye.  At what point does G.A.S. diminish your ability to think rationally, allowing to make a big mistake trading one of the prime instruments in the herd simply to get something 'new'?  Can you control yourself?

Do you know "when to say 'when'"?!?

I will admit that I will play this game at least once a month, saying to myself, "Oh, I'll sell this one because I don't play it much anymore...".  Then I'll pull that one out of the case or off the wall (Depending on the time of year), tune it up and play it for 20 minutes or so.  Then I'll really examine it, studying the grain of the woods, the craftsmanship of the build, the geometry of the instrument, and realize that I'm an idiot for even thinking for a minute of selling the guitar.  It's at that point that the urge to buy goes away and GAS heads back into remission for a few more weeks.

Anybody else go through this exercise?

You know Gutch, now that I actually have some really sweet wood in my collection I do have a similar experience. I rotate my cases from extra bedroom to my study where I play most so that each gets a share of my attention. After playing and admiring the wood and workmanship any thought of letting the guitar go is quickly squashed.

On the other hand, the emotion that wells up when G.A.S. hits is kinda fun too! Is that adrenaline, endorphins ... what the heck is that? You must maintain control! ... You must maintain control! ... You must maintain control!

Like has been said before, just string what you got up with a new set and enjoy. Soon your G.A.S. troubles will be but a distant memory ...............  NOT! If only it were that easy.