Collecting guitars for fun. Thoughts?

If I had more money, I'd have more guitars, and/or better ones, not just the two functional electrics I have.

But the fact is, I tend to settle into a groove, and play one almost exclusively for a long time. Yes, different guitars point you in different directions, but I'm happy communing with one, being really comfortable with it.
 
paranoid said:
welcome to the nut house! I collect Charvel guitars of all types because as a kid I was jealous of a kid in school that had one, and I could not afford one at that time, I have close to 100 now 35 years later.
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I had a somewhat similar experience in my late teens -- I remember sending a few bucks away in an envelope for the 1985 Ibanez electric guitar catalog, and I spent an unbelievable number of hours looking and dreaming at those pages. I had no money at the time, and those guitars seemed so wonderful and so unobtainable.

Years and years down the road (early 2016 to be precise), I finally actually bought one of those '85s, a ridiculously clean purple RS440, which was my dream guitar when I was 18. Pay no attention to that green guitar, the purple one is what's pertinent here...

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I don't know if Ibanez was just firing on all cylinders that year, or if I was just very impressionable, but an astounding number of guitars that I consider very desirable to this day, including my "cold dead hands" Modern Eagle look a lot like guitars in that '85 catalog. I still have a soft spot for Ibanez guitars of that era, though I've only bought the one. So far...
 
This is exactly what drives the market. Everyone just buys the dream guitar of their lost youth. This is why R9s and Fender Relics are so many peoples dream guitars because originals are now out of the reach of most.
 
I reckon its like sexual fetishes. If you imprint on something in your formative years, you will lust after it for the rest of your adult life. Artist signature guitars are our version of corsets and high heels and God help you if you ever become part of The Gear Page, because you will become like Quagmire when he first discovers internet porn.
 
I was very happy to have two good friends back in VA that are collectors - one over 550 guitars, one a measly 50 or so... :)

Fun to visit.
 
I also am in the habit of collecting more guitars then I need, although 15 to 20 guitars/basses isn't much for some people. For me it's part collecting, part investing. I buy guitars that I like to see, like to play, but are also a 'good deal' when I buy them. This way I don't loose any money when I need to sell them again, or maybe even make a little profit. But getting good deals takes patience, lots of research and acting fast. And if a do need to sell at a loss, I at least had the pleasure of owning and playing.
 
Thanks, you make me feel better. My score is 17 guitars hanging on the wall and there is no one I would like to sell at the moment, because they're all different. Good guitars are several values in one thing: A fine piece of wood, a piece of craftwork and something to actively express your creativity. Where else can you find this in a unit?
 
Andy Eagle said:
This is exactly what drives the market. Everyone just buys the dream guitar of their lost youth. This is why R9s and Fender Relics are so many peoples dream guitars because originals are now out of the reach of most.
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And precisely why I’m making a replica of Gilmour’s CAR Strat this year. And hopefully snagging an EJ Virginia Strat sometime after.

I lucked out when I was a teenager and a devout Vai fanboy. I used to sit at the kitchen table and stare at the Ibanez catalog with a JEM7VWH in it for hours. I’d literally just stare at it for hours. After a year, my father and his then-girlfriend decided to bribe me with it. If I moved to NYC from NH, they’d buy me the guitar. So I did what any devout fanboy would do, sold out and took the bribe!
 
this makes me feel much better. I have five in common rotation, and I kinda feel bad about having any others. Guess it's all good!
 
HerrSquid said:
I had a somewhat similar experience in my late teens -- I remember sending a few bucks away in an envelope for the 1985 Ibanez electric guitar catalog, and I spent an unbelievable number of hours looking and dreaming at those pages. I had no money at the time, and those guitars seemed so wonderful and so unobtainable.

Years and years down the road (early 2016 to be precise), I finally actually bought one of those '85s, a ridiculously clean purple RS440, which was my dream guitar when I was 18. Pay no attention to that green guitar, the purple one is what's pertinent here...

gp-3.jpg


I don't know if Ibanez was just firing on all cylinders that year, or if I was just very impressionable, but an astounding number of guitars that I consider very desirable to this day, including my "cold dead hands" Modern Eagle look a lot like guitars in that '85 catalog. I still have a soft spot for Ibanez guitars of that era, though I've only bought the one. So far...
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You're right about the influence on other brands. That purple Roadster looks so much like the EBMM JP6, just swap out the headstock and ditch the pickguard.
 
BBW said:
I also am in the habit of collecting more guitars then I need, although 15 to 20 guitars/basses isn't much for some people. For me it's part collecting, part investing. I buy guitars that I like to see, like to play, but are also a 'good deal' when I buy them. This way I don't loose any money when I need to sell them again, or maybe even make a little profit. But getting good deals takes patience, lots of research and acting fast. And if a do need to sell at a loss, I at least had the pleasure of owning and playing.
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A good deal in this way is no investment , who would see a loss on shares as having had the pleasure of owning them?? Some super high end utterly bullet proof provenance pieces 'are' a definite investment but only longterm. These must be either rockstar owned or 100% original 9.5+ and a guitar that has long term appeal , the rest are lottery tickets. Buy what you like to play and don't pay over the market rate and on a good day with the wind blowing the right direction you might get your money back less interest ,inflation etc.
 
I buy cause I like to, I never buy for the next owner. I enjoy my stuff to the full extent and do not care if any one else likes it. No seat covers in my cars!
 
HerrSquid said:
I had a somewhat similar experience in my late teens -- I remember sending a few bucks away in an envelope for the 1985 Ibanez electric guitar catalog, and I spent an unbelievable number of hours looking and dreaming at those pages. I had no money at the time, and those guitars seemed so wonderful and so unobtainable.

Years and years down the road (early 2016 to be precise), I finally actually bought one of those '85s, a ridiculously clean purple RS440, which was my dream guitar when I was 18. Pay no attention to that green guitar, the purple one is what's pertinent here...

gp-3.jpg


I don't know if Ibanez was just firing on all cylinders that year, or if I was just very impressionable, but an astounding number of guitars that I consider very desirable to this day, including my "cold dead hands" Modern Eagle look a lot like guitars in that '85 catalog. I still have a soft spot for Ibanez guitars of that era, though I've only bought the one. So far...
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That was a cool era for Ibanez. I picked up one in Hong Kong back in the day, that I never saw here. Neck through, very early edge trem, push button pickup selector, in addition to five way switch. Had the new headstock, and inlays that are common now. Seems like their take on the Jackson soloist, which was popular at the time. Wish I would have kept it.
 
Project Mayhem said:
I picked up one in Hong Kong back in the day, that I never saw here. Neck through, very early edge trem, push button pickup selector, in addition to five way switch. Had the new headstock, and inlays that are common now.
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1986 Ibanez Proline - nice guitars! I have a PL-1770... Bolt on neck, though.

Only thing I don't like so much is the joint of the neck to headstock joint.

They got it right with a scarf joint in 1987.

That 5-way plus push-button switch is genius!
 
unix-guy said:
1986 Ibanez Proline - nice guitars! I have a PL-1770... Bolt on neck, though.

Only thing I don't like so much is the joint of the neck to headstock joint.

They got it right with a scarf joint in 1987.

That 5-way plus push-button switch is genius!
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Nice catch! Completely forgot the model.

Google Image search shows most of them with dot inlays and a pick guard. Mine was metallic silver and had the Jacksonish Inlays and no pick guard. Switching was cool... but the buttons were pretty small and easy to hit the wrong one in the heat of the moment. Wasn’t fond of the pickups as I recall... but then again i was a kid with not much reference (or decent amp) at the time...so maybe they’re great.
 
Project Mayhem said:
Nice catch! Completely forgot the model.

Google Image search shows most of them with dot inlays and a pick guard. Mine was metallic silver and had the Jacksonish Inlays and no pick guard. Switching was cool... but the buttons were pretty small and easy to hit the wrong one in the heat of the moment. Wasn’t fond of the pickups as I recall... but then again i was a kid with not much reference (or decent amp) at the time...so maybe they’re great.
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Probably the 2550 like this:

Ibanez Pro Line PL2550 1986 Gold Pearl with OHSC
https://reverb.com/item/36030254-ib...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=36030254

I swapped the pickups in mine with some of the IBZUSA DiMarzio's from 87.
 
I have owned more Ibanez guitars that I can count and the best one hands down has got to be my JS-2450MCB. Best sound, Comfort and easy to play.
Ibanez JS-2450MCB.JPG
 
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