Official Luthiers Forum!

Something Filippo said in another post made me wonder how many guitars a typical (if there is such a thing) guitar maker owns, and what would be their favorite one. I bought a Framus guitar when I was in the army back in 1970. I really don't like it that much, but I've still got it. Right now I guess I own three of my own construction, I kept them because I think that although they sound good they are too flawed for gifts. I should also say I don't play guitar (I'm trying), just took this up as a hobby 2 years ago when I retired. Guess I'm just curious to know how many of a good thing the average builder calls his/her own. Pictures of a personal favorite would be nice. Hope this post isn't too off target to post here.

You can never have enough guitars IMO.

I've got my first ever bass guitar and my first electric. I also have a Martin, voyage air, a warmoth les Paul that I finished and put together. Plus 2 acoustics I built. So all together I have 7 and there are probably about 30 on my wish list lol.

Here are 5 of em

I'm sure it varies a lot from person to person. Right now I have four arch tops (one of which I scratch built and one I re-necked and customized), a vintage uke, a vintage mandolin, another mandolin which I've nearly completed, a uke that has been in the mold about three years, and a newly finished banjo. I also have a flat top guitar on loan to my niece. And I have the first guitar I ever built, a classical which has semi-self-destructed over the years. Some day I will rebuild it. That's a crazy number of instruments and I'm not even getting into the vintage clarinets and saxophones cased up in the music room. YIKES! I should move some of these instruments on to other people.

Some years ago I read that several of our members actually turned professional or semi-professional because they had acquired so many instruments they were forced by space limitations to sell them. My problem is that I really have no interest in turning my hobby into a job, so I just keep making new instruments. At least I do it slowly and I haven't run out of room yet.

Here's the arch top I built a few years ago. The banjo can be seen in another current thread.
Patrick

(6) Acoustic (1) Dobro (4 ) Mandolin/ Mandola (2) Dulcimer (1) Banjolin ( 1 ) Acoustic Electric Bass

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/

I have many instruments .
Some old some new.
Classical, Flamencos, Gibson, Martins
Fenders( 63 Strat.)-My own guitars!(3)
The 3 my son has made!
I have a Steven Boone steel string also!
Great guitar!
Plus a Blackshear Flamenco.
Hasselbacher 75ano
2 Hannabachs
Taylors,Harmonys
Stellas-wow the list goes on!

O,K, I'm done!
can't have to many geetars!
Plus I've been doing this for 40 years.
It's been easy to collect so many.

Mike

_________________
Mike Collins

Too many.
Closer to 3 dozen assorted stringed things on last count.
Another dozen being built.
Ya...too many.

_________________
.

Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


.

Every time I think I know, I find a new (old) one or someone returns one from loan that I had forgot about.

_________________
Pat

I have more guitars than I need...but not as many as I want. 3 acoustics and one ukulele.
I guess you keep as many as it takes to build them good enough to sell/give away

Too many, but I have a hard time letting loose of them... My wife says were running out of room...

_________________
Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

My main ax these days is an archtop I built, then I have my prototype size 2, one of my early OM's, an Eastman 805ce archtop, and a 53 Epiphone Triumph Regent I fixed up. Oh yeah, my first kit guitar, one that my son build for me in the early 90's and a Gibson RB250. That's not too bad.

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I've personally never owned more than two at a time, though through buying and selling, I'd be surprised if I haven't owned 30+ overall.

I have two right now: a Strat, and an OM, both built by me. I'd love to have a larger acoustic and a hollowbody electric of some type with HB's.

I've learned through olympic weightlifting, and now kettlebell training, that when you have too many options, you focus on the wrong things and don't get it done. I think same applies to most hobbies. Have the essentials, limit the luxuries.

I've owned hundreds, the most ever at one time was 15.
Right now I have a fretless Jazz, a cheap Ibanez RG, a highly modified The Paul, and the cheapy Washburn I am slowly converting into a mandocello.
That's not counting bodies and necks just laying around in storage.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I own 3, 2 of which I built. I saw this on facebook the other day and it made me laugh

_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Too many, yet not enough. Still trying to figure that one out. I'll let you know if I ever do.

_________________
Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Well I played in 6 different bands till I was 30 and never sold nuthin Bought a Martin 13 years ago and have built three that are laying around the living room, my 14 year old daughter plays and sings, so lets see 3 Strats, Nashville B-bender tele, 335 dot, Les Paul, Martin OOO-28EC, Taylor Nylon string, White Oak O, 13 fret Maple Nick Lucas & a 1937 spec D-18. Get two Strat necks finished and there is another Strat and Tele and a bunch of steel strings laying around the shop oh yeah a couple F-5's its pretty bad:)

Just one - I donated the other five (electrics).

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I own 1 guitar, none of my own & the one I do own is out on loan so I don't even have one at home.
Plan to make myself one next year (a keeper)

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

1 Fender Strat
1 OM made by me
1 OM Santa Cruz PW (definitely my fave)
1 hollow body electric by Ibanez (actually a really nice sounding guitar)
2 Lakewood OM s - one all Mahogany one their "New Century" - bought when the century was new
1 lanakai tenor uke
2 self made ukes
And will have a new acoustic in about 3 months when I complete the Dreamsicle (so named because it is maple/Sitka with all Cocobolo appointments

Would love to have a Santa Cruz H but can't justify any more guitar purchases given the $ spent on lutherie :/

My favorite guitar migrates from guitar to guitar. One of my all time fav's is a classical I built about 15 years ago. I guess I got real lucky with that one because it sounds great and I'm always trying to achieve that sound on new projects. But I own other makers stringed instruments including mandolin's, banjo, electric and acoustic guitars like Washburn, Fender, Gibson and some vintage classical guitars. My favorite at the moment is a little parlor guitar I built last year.

I'm in the Padma category. Some old relics, a few nice ones, and some I've built. But too many. It seems the more I own the less I play.

I probably don't count because i am a beginner. But 5 Gibson SG's 1 Les Paul. A Taylor Koa. Taylor Mini GS. Larrivee OM3. Gibson Dove. Deering Maple Blossom, Bacon and Day 5 string 1932 Epiphone Tenor. 1 round neck Dobro. and a bunch of Ukulele's.

Get outta here! Just collecting vintage cases in that empty office.

currently:
electrics: gibson Les Paul standard 1993, Gibson ES335, fender tele, 1 squier strat, 1 strat I built myself
steelstring: Yamaha compass series, 1 OM, 1 baritone, both home built
classicals: my crappy first guitar ever, can't remember make or model, my little bit less crappy guitar I studied on, can't remember make and model either,
and the classicals I've built: 2 Torres FE19 (1 in EIR, 1 in alder, yes, alder! ),
2 Enrique Garcia, one 650mm and 1 640mm scale length
1 Ignacio Fleta
oh yes, and in a week or 2 a Reyes flamenco, if I get it finished.

Confess me father, for I have sinned....

Guild Jumbo six, Guild Jumbo 12, 1970 J-45 Deluxe, 80's Yamaha 6, Swann O-style (first), Swann size 2 (Mesquite-O)...

Am. Strat, Mex, Strat, Les Paul Studio, Mex Tele, Swann Tele...

Soprano Uke, Tenor Uke, and an awful Chinese Mandolin nicknamed the "Chinese Junk."

In progress on the bench (and scattered through the house): 2 parlors, 4 telecasters, a 7 string Les Paul, and a Les Paul acoustic...

Thanks for making me take inventory.... time to thin the herd!

Five guitars, two mandolins, two fiddles, one carved upright bass. I built all of them. Pals, Vic.