One expensive guitar or several inexpensive ones?

[BBN]

(not to stir the pot) - but we'd also need to define what 'expensive' is, in order to solve some of the debate above.
I think you can find some killer inexpensive guitars ($700). To me, the tipping point for an expensive guitar is anything over $1500.

Back to the original post. I'd rather have one excellent expensive guitar, than a few cheaper ones.
I have 40+ guitars. Many vintage, almost all of them are outstanding (and what I would consider expensive).
But in reality, I only play a few of them on a regular basis. And gigging wise - I juggle between maybe 4 of them.
So I really don't 'need' more than that.

 

[RevDrucifer]

I’m even more stoked I picked a bunch of cheaper guitars rather than dumping all my money into a Norlin-era Silverburst, because now I’ve got 5 badass guitars AND the Epiphone Adam Jones model seems to be quality enough and has the right aethetic that I can snag one for $1200 in a couple months, fix my Silverburst lust AND now I’ll have 6 awesome guitars instead of one that I most likely wouldn’t want to gig with!

 

[Dimi Guitar]

"Subjective" and "objective" are not always opposites; there's different kinds of each, from metaphysics to epistemology.

That said, I'd rather own a guitar that speaks to me, whatever this involves, expensive or cheap.. cheap, assuming the guitar's neck won't go bananas during the winter.

On average, more expensive (assuming it's a similar kind of design to what I want) will have a greater chance of having the kind of soul I'm looking for.

But there's exceptions.

 

[OrganicZed]

... I’ll have 6 awesome guitars instead of one that I most likely wouldn’t want to gig with!

That's a fair consideration. If I were gigging in places where having gear stolen or damaged was a serious prospect I would definitely own a few sub-$1000 guitars for that purpose.

 

[MDubYa10]

You know what is interesting about this? I just sold a Core PRS because I have 2 PRS SE's and I could hardly tell the difference between the Core and SE's. The new sub 1k guitars are incredible. I don't think I own a guitar that is over 1k now, and have been really happy with that. I was even more shocked at some sub $500 guitars coming with stainless frets!

 

[BBN]

That's a fair consideration. If I were gigging in places where having gear stolen or damaged was a serious prospect I would definitely own a few sub-$1000 guitars for that purpose.

I made the mistake of owning a brand new Tom Anderson once. It was the most gorgeous top I had ever seen. I NEVER took it out of the case. I was so afraid to ding it.

I sold it. No use owning a guitar that I'm afraid to breathe on.

 

[OrganicZed]

I made the mistake of owning a brand new Tom Anderson once. It was the most gorgeous top I had ever seen. I NEVER took it out of the case. I was so afraid to ding it.

I sold it. No use owning a guitar that I'm afraid to breathe on.

Thankfully, I don't suffer from that form of paralysis. I will definitely have a bad day when I manage to put the first gash on my Tom Anderson but that isn't going to stop me from playing it as often as I can.

 

[Budda]

I toured a custom 22 in emerald green with wraptail on the diy circuit for 2? years. Had it insured along with the rest of my rig. Its the PRS I probably miss the least, despite being my white whale.

 

[marsonic]

So....there definitely is a side of this where a guitar can be "too nice for you", by which I mean that I don't think it's worth owning anything that you're afraid to play. If that includes gigging for you, then it includes gigging.

But, that also seems like a personal "problem" rather than anything to do with the guitars themselves.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Have the guitars that you want. Every one of mine speaks to me. Some speak to me even more after tweaking the electronics, but they all came in the door because they had something I liked....

 

[secondwindow]

I made the mistake of owning a brand new Tom Anderson once. It was the most gorgeous top I had ever seen. I NEVER took it out of the case. I was so afraid to ding it.

I sold it. No use owning a guitar that I'm afraid to breathe on.

I had a similar experience, also with a Tom Anderson. It was an amazing guitar, playability, sound, and looked stunning. See the pic.

But, I decided to return it and got a great deal on a couple of Suhrs that I wouldn't be too afraid to gig with.

 

[Andy Eagle]

I honestly don't know if this is a joke.

A lot of people like them, yes. I do. But, there are a lot of people who say they're not special, that they're not worth anything, that they're just blackface amps with a tube screamer built in or a whole bunch of other junk.

Have y'all really never seen this?

Yes I've seen this from people who have never played through a real one or ever really listened. And then let's not forget the people who think wood makes no difference and its just the pickup. To really appreciate the difference you need one in front of you and an amazing guitar plugged straight in. In this circumstance you would not find anyone to deny the sheer quality of tone. Is a Ferrari better than a Ford? is anyone really going to say this is subjective without data, does the self evident build quality and performance mean nothing???

 

[Dimi Guitar]

Yes I've seen this from people who have never played through a real one or ever really listened. And then let's not forget the people who think wood makes no difference and its just the pickup. To really appreciate the difference you need one in front of you and an amazing guitar plugged straight in. In this circumstance you would not find anyone to deny the sheer quality of tone. Is a Ferrari better than a Ford? is anyone really going to say this is subjective without data, does the self evident build quality and performance mean nothing???

At least in terms of making an aesthetic judgement, yes, I'm sure some won't like the dumble even if plugged straight in with an amazing guitar.

 

[Andy Eagle]

At least in terms of making an aesthetic judgement, yes, I'm sure some won't like the dumble even if plugged straight in with an amazing guitar.

Yes some won't like it but they will recognise it as great. There is plenty of amazing music out there that I don't personally like but that doesn't make it bad. I am perfectly capable of acknowledging greatness without it needing to be "my" favourite.

 

[Dimi Guitar]

Yes some won't like it but they will recognise it as great. There is plenty of amazing music out there that I don't personally like but that doesn't make it bad. I am perfectly capable of acknowledging greatness without it needing to be "my" favourite.

Would "great" be about many others making positive aesthetic judgements of a given thing?

Or would you say this isn't about what people's aesthetic judgements of the thing generally are, but about you thinking certain characteristics (whatever they may be) should evoke a "positive" aesthetic judgement?

Even if we're talking about build quality, I think, at times, the line between what are essentially aesthetic judgements and empirical observations of what a thing is, can blur together.

But sure I think we can make observations without these being aesthetic judgements.

 

[Andy Eagle]

Would "great" be about many others making positive aesthetic judgements of a given thing?

Or would you say this isn't about what people's aesthetic judgements of the thing generally are, but about you thinking certain characteristics (whatever they may be) should evoke a "positive" aesthetic judgement?

Even if we're talking about build quality, I think, at times, the line between what are essentially aesthetic judgements and, say, an empirical recognition of what a thing is, can blur together.

But sure I think we can make observations without these being aesthetic judgements.

What about an acknowledgment of objective quality.

 

[Dimi Guitar]

What about an acknowledgment of objective quality.

What do you mean by "objective"?

 

[Dimi Guitar]

What about an acknowledgment of objective quality.

If it's about "a piece of gear having a set of empirical characteristics", sure, these characteristics are metaphysically objective. That is to say: they exist without minds. At least, that's what I think.

On that end specifically, some of the disagreement seems to be about what the proper means of epistemic objectivity are in this scenario. Meaning: how to determine what a given set of characteristics are.

(If we'd be talking about aesthetic judgements, I don't think epistemic objectivity would apply, as the means for determining truth would be metaphysically subjective themselves).

On that end, of course we don't use peer reviewed journals to figure out whether there's a cat in the closet. In guitar world, I think there's genuinely quite a bit expertise even if it doesn't quite manifest itself like it does in some other fields.

But I can certainly understand people's skepticism, depending on the issue at hand.

 

[Andy Eagle]

What do you mean by "objective"?

Can you not hear the difference between a hi fi and an mp3 pocket speaker? Can you not see obvious build quality, fit a finish? It only gets subjective when these things are matched and then you only have preference left. Quality of build and sound is not for the most part subjective and when you get up to the really high end stuff in a comparison both will be great then you preferring one doesn't make it better it just means you like it. The objective quality is already recognised.

 

[Andy Eagle]

If it's about "a piece of gear having a set of empirical characteristics", sure, these characteristics are metaphysically objective. That is to say: they exist without minds. At least, that's what I think.

On that end specifically, some of the disagreement seems to be about what the proper means of epistemic objectivity are in this scenario. Meaning: how to determine what a given set of characteristics are.

(If we'd be talking about aesthetic judgements, I don't think epistemic objectivity would apply, as the means for determining truth would be metaphysically subjective themselves).

On that end, of course we don't use peer reviewed journals to figure out whether there's a cat in the closet. In guitar world, I think there's genuinely quite a bit expertise even if it doesn't quite manifest itself like it does in some other fields.

But I can certainly understand people's skepticism, depending on the issue at hand.

I judge a musical instrument on ergonomics, build quality and sound. you can add aesthetics but it doesn't affect quality.