When I moved out of state and was in grad school and then moved back to Chicago, I only had one electric—my Rev Flatroc. I used it for everything and coaxed all sorts of tones out of it but eventually just got tired of it and wanted a change. This was around 2014 and I’ve been on a bit of gear carousel since. But I’ve learned a bit about what I actually dig.
Given how much you’ve posted about buying, selling, and basically rebuying the same general type of instrument, I think you’re doing retail therapy vs. really pursuing a tone/vibe/whatever.
Guitars are tools and sometimes the job they have to do is frivolous stuff like looking good or making you feel confident/inspired when performing. I’m a firm believer in the notion that a new guitar can kickstart ideas or change an approach in a way or signal a different vibe for a band/project/whatever.
I would like to be a one electric person in theory, but given what I do which is splitting time between recording and playing live, I find it easier to have a couple things.
I have a strat because that’s sort of a home base guitar sound and every time I don’t have a strat, I find myself strat shopping. They’re easy to flip and replace because people dig them and there’s a million strats so...
I have a Godin hollowbody that is mostly a gigging guitar. I perform as a singer/songwriter and this is a good difference splitting option for playing out and it is an attractive prop. I like it and it does the job, but I could easily imagine a world where I don’t own it.
I have two Tele-shaped objects—one a G&L in the Keef configuration which is a great Swiss Army knife. And I just got a Cabronita which is simply a joy to play. I could probably live with just one of the two, but they play differently and I like having the options when recording.
So yeah, if I had to...I could launch most of these six strings and probably hang on to one of the Teles. I’m currently more partial to the Cabronita. I do tend to sell and replace vs. stockpiling...and I’ve been trying out some different stuff over the last few years and swapping out gear as I change projects/start a new album. But I kind of make it a point to get something out of gear that I’ve owned before I move it along. Maybe you should challenge yourself to write and record a song using a guitar before you consider flipping it or shopping for a new one?
