If I do it for a living, I have to look out for a new gear all the time, and of course I can't say I'm not enjoying it! I always think how can I improve my sound... I don't look for new guitars anymore, 'cos I already got... 2, and I only use 1 anyway! More like pedals, amps, recording gear. And when it tax return time, welcome my accountant

It's not like it has to be done today, but there is always one more.

Gretsch has helped me with my gear acquisition. Gretsch has altered my perspective to seek out quality over quantity. It started with their drums. When I saw and heard the Gretsch Renown 57 drums I knew I wanted them right away. I was so blown away I went and sold a Mapex drum set that was given to me as an endorser of the company back when I was a budding young wannabe rock star. I also sold all my other random drums I had in storage except for a vintage Ludwig kit. For guitars, as soon as I realized that I liked my Corvette and 5120 better than my other guitars I knew I had to seek out the ultimate guitar for me that shared the same level of quality and tone that the Gretsch Renown 57's gave me with drums. Enter the Duo Jet!

I'm really happy now with what I have but I'm still always looking for good deals on a Gibson Les Paul or thinking about building parts Strats and Teles.

I do not need them though...I do not need them though...I do not need them though.

I started to stockpile guitars a few years ago. I started to have enough instruments that I was having difficulty maintaining all of them. That is when I realized that there was really no point in having so many. I've slimmed down the collection to 4 guitars, one amp, and an overdrive and delay pedal. The only thing I crave is a tremolo pedal from time to time. I made sure that I had a variety of tones at my fingertips before I sent a guitar away to a new home. There are two guitars that I do miss. Sometimes I wonder if I should buy them back. I find myself thinking that I already have a lot of tonal territory covered with my current instruments. I think about what it was like figuring out where to keep all of the guitars and how I was going to afford just buying strings and making sure that I played them all of the time. Having too many instruments just complicated my life. I'll stick with quality over quantity any day.

I always thought of my guitar collection as a "toolbox" with the right tool for whatever needed to be played. What I ignored was that no one ever wanted me to play anything. But now that several bands (OK, 2) actually WANT me to play with them, the approach has some validity, but really I only need one guitar, a Tele, for both gigs, maybe a second Tele as a backup (got that covered several times over).

One look at my ebay history suggests I suffer not from a chronic case of GAS, but likely a terminal case. But there may be hope. I went into TrueTone yesterday (they said to say "Hi" to the GDP) to pay off and take home my new amp, and, having divested my Vibrolux faster than I thought I would, I had some extra cash. Despite several trips around the store, I couldn't find anything else I needed to take home. That never happens.

I'm to the point that with three Gretsches, I'll either sell or trade for any future "want".

I'm not a pro, not a collector, just a part time picker that LOVES the Gretsch instrument.

As far as amps go, I've got two small ones, and don't see anything that is a "must have" at this point.

I won't trade a guitar for an amp, but have traded amps, some vintage, for a guitar.

I have a few pedals, and an outboard reverb unit.

I consider myself very fortunate for having the equipment that I do have, as I'm just a hobby player. That said, I work hard for my money, and feel that when I can buy a new toy, I deserve it. My "deserving" never gets in the way of my personal finances.

I try my best to think ahead, and yes, I've been in the valley and on the peaks of life financially and emplyment wise. Part of what life throws at you I guess.

I've always tried to learn from others. Why would a person buy a new "must have" piece of equipment, only to have to sell it in a short time, because of the need to fix the car/house/pay bills etc. The thrill of the fix is just that, and it just adds more headache/stress in the long run.

I will consider a "killer deal" on an amp/guitar, that I think I can flip and make a few bucks on, and I used to do it a lot. That's helped me aquire what I have, at very reasonable rate of cash out of my pocket.

Guess I'm kinda goofy on this subject, but I've seen so many folks just dig a hole for themselves with GAS. It's sad to see, and for some, a darn serious situation.

Just my thoughts on this subject, and sorry for being so serious. Just one of those days

For me, it correlates to budget...up to a point. If I made $2 million a year, I'd have a LOT more gear. But if I had $2 billion, I don't think I'd have much more than I'd have if I made $2 million/year. I'd always be interested in different gear. But I don't imagine I'd ever own more than 10 guitars (I own five, soon to be three in order to upgrade my GreTscH) and a few amps. But some of those might be sold to acquire others to maintain variety. A Rose, a Club, a Jet, a tele, my Rev Rick V, a Rick 330 in burgundy, and maybe a hollowbody with vintage P90s or AlNiCo staples would about do it for me, along with my Guild acoustic. Though I might want an exotic hight end guitar like the Kunkel Jazz Deco as well:

"When is enough gear... ENOUGH?"

About nine guitars and three amps ago.

But I didn't let that stop me.

Paul/FF909

Each time I buy something. I say "Well, that's enough." Then a few days or weeks later, I'm on the prowl again and I buy something and say "Well, that's enough." It has been enough since my first guitar and it will never be enough till I die.

when most of it being unused,.....

when most of it being unused,.....

Good answer, the way I see it. I also agree with the idea of "quality over quantity".

Since I do mostly originals I think that I have found MY sound so RIGHT NOW I'm happy enough with what I've got. Heck, Where are ya gonna put all that stuff anyway, right?

It really never ends, but there are varying degrees of obsession - Mustafa Stephan Dill

Exactly right pal. There are periods when the obsession seems to die down and all feels relatively well. Then (usually after a visit to a place like the GDP) the NEED begins to flare up again. Then it begins to feel like maybe...well probably...well no doubt about it...YES DAMMIT I'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT! Perhaps it's the gear - or rather the desire for it - and not artistic discipline, that is the real heroin of the musician's creative junkiness. Nah, that can't be right...can it?

...

I'm there. Two Gretsches, two Guilds, two Fenders, two Gibsons, and an Ovation (that rarely gets played) are enough for me. I've decided to simply learn to love and play what I already have. Sure, there is still that occassional twinge for a Super 400, but I know that the longing for it is sweeter than the actual getting. Frankly, I simply don't need it. If I really needed it, I would buy one tomorrow. I will continue to add to my amp stable as I feel like, but only because building them brings me pleasure.

Strings, I need to have a decent supply of strings. I get pretty nervous if I don't. I have to order them from abroad. It's next to impossible nowadays to find those nice French "Argentine" gypsy jazz strings where I live. And if I can find them, the price is about twice as high. Four or five sets should be enough. But I prefer to have a few more, just in case. When there's only two left, I feel like I'm living on the edge.

French "Argentine" gypsy jazz strings? T-Man, have I been missing something all these years?

See what I mean Vern?

What is this "ENOUGH" of which you speak?

Old saying: "He who dies with the most toys wins". I went through a phase where I thought enough was enough....(In fact I'm at that point with old cars right now)....but it's only a phase- You'll be ok soon.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Actually just reading this thread made me get on ebay to trolling lol. Now watching a couple more :P I don't have that many guitars (10) though so maybe I'm not able to comment on this thread....?

Right after the next one

Gear is only too much when I have multiple things covering the same ground. But when there is a new need, or a new taste develops I try and not judge.......myself

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Right after the next one