Do I Deserve a Good Guitar??!

[whataracket]

Regardless of your ability, assuming you have the money to spend, the only reason to buy a cheap guitar that isn't exactly what you want is if you are not sure you are going to stick with playing. Once you know you like playing and will not be giving it up, you should buy what you want if you can afford it. It will give you endless hours of enjoyment at eventually less than a buck an hour, and a higher end guitar doesn't lose more than a third of its value, then often starts to go up. My 335 is worth at least 500 more than I bought it for new, and it has been a great source of enjoyment.

 

Others have mentioned another point, and I'll elaborate. Often people who have only played a short time or who haven't ever gotten that serious about playing buy their amplifier as an afterthought, and never realize how critical a good amplifier is to their playing and enjoyment. Your long term plan should include a well researched purchase of at least one versatile, high quality amplifier (notice I said high quality, which doesn't necessarily mean big).

[Doctor Morbius]

Big fan of Mexican Strats here. I like the Standards for modding platforms and the Classic Players as is. No mods really needed for the Classic Players unless you really want to pimp it out with Callaham bits or something.

 

Right now you can probably find a used but practically mint Classic Player '60s or '50s Strat for around $500. They're fabulous guitars at that price.

[dogfish]

I've been "playing" for about a year and a half (I'm a middle-aged guy who just picked up the guitar in response to the scheduled mid-life crisis). I've had about five months of lessons, stopped because I didn't have enough time to practice. I probably have more guitars than I know chords.

 

Wanted a strat, bought a squier affinity, sold it ('twas crap).

 

Wanted something better, got a PRS SE, still have it.

 

Wanted an acoustic, bought a cheap Yamaha acoustic, still have it.

 

Got GAS for a tele, got a Lite Ash tele, still have it.

 

Got GAS for a Jaguar, got a Jagmaster, still have it.

 

Bought a Gretch Americana, since it was $30. (It's in the parlor ;-).

 

Got GAS for a First Act Garagemaster, the kids "bought" it for me for Christmas.

 

So now I have what, six guitars? Too many. Some of them (all of them) are very well built, all were cheap (400, 300, 150, 125, 125, 30). I feel like I should get rid of at least three, maybe four of them, but haven't gotten over any of them (the PRS feels so good, the tele is beautiful, the Jagmaster is 24" scale and a breeze to play, the Gretsch is in the living room next to the couch, the Garagemaster is going to the office)... My wife is very understanding, considering I've blown ~$1000 on guitars and I don't really know how to play.

 

Maybe somebody should come to my house and pick out two of my guitars and steal them, then I'd only have four and not feel embarrassed about it.

 

- Dogfish

[SkippyX]

 

(Edited for Brevity) I've been "playing" for about a year and a half (I'm a middle-aged guy who just picked up the guitar in response to the scheduled mid-life crisis)...So now I have what, six guitars? Too many.... My wife is very understanding, considering I've blown ~$1000 on guitars and I don't really know how to play. Maybe somebody should come to my house and pick out two of my guitars and steal them, then I'd only have four and not feel embarrassed about it.

 

 

Dude, I'm in the same boat w/ regard to time playing time & relative age. I played an acoustic when I was a kid. Well, really, I used to beat out Neil Young & CSN tunes (badly) on an acoustic while my buddies and I passed a joint around.

 

It was a hoot.

 

30 years later, I no longer smoke herb and in a fit of mid-life angst I bought a guitar. That was a year and a half ago. Now I've got a Strat, An Agile AL2000, an Agile Harm 3 and a Guild GAD-50. Buying guitars is addictive. I've got far more guitar than I have ability, but I don't feel bad about it. I love every one of the damned things and enjoy each of them in a different way.

 

Heck, I'm starting to work up GAS for another acoustic. I was trying to learn that old Simon & Garfunkel chestnut "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" and was wishing for something w/ a little more space between the strings for finger picking.

 

Don't feel bad about it. Go w/ it. $1k spent on a hobby for a middle-aged guy ain't alot. After all - how many guys do you know that are into motorcycles or cars? They spend far more.

[samuraiBSD]

Please, if we all played the gear we deserved to have, I'd be using one of these

 

 

Just don't worry about it and play whatever it is you want. Good gear is more fun to play on, remember...unless you take some {censored}ty gear and make it great gear...a la my Strat. $100 got me a cheap Strat, and a few hours and about $50 in upgrades and it plays like a {censored}ing dream. It's right on par with my Les Paul in playability...it's so good that the two switch off being my go-to and my backup.

[Guitin Better]

. . . Maybe somebody should come to my house and pick out two of my guitars and steal them, then I'd only have four and not feel embarrassed about it. - Dogfish

 

I'm on my way!!

[JrMaFia]

If you are talking about cheap guitars being great players i am still on my first guitar. IT is a xavier strat copy everytime i go to play with someone they are shocked at the sound that comes out of it then shocked at the price tag. 230with shipping and case, guitar plays like a beast

[Guitar Heel]

 

I don't know. Do I deserve a better amp? I have a Traynor YCV50Blue with JJ Tubes in it. I often feel like I'm slumming it.

 

 

Hey, I love that amp!!!

 

To the OP, just buy the best that you can afford, and enjoy it. My collection has gotten a little out of control, and I'm not a great player. But, I have a lot of fun playing them, and having a nice collection always seems to keep things interesting to me, and it makes me want to play more than I would. There have been times that I've felt guilty with my ability:gear ratio, but those days are over. Life is short.