Guitar Acquisition Syndrome
Some people have it bad. Really bad.
Take Keith Richards for example. He has over 3,000 guitars. As he put it: “I’ve probably got too many.”
My collection is quite modest. I currently run only 4 electrics: an early 70s Les Paul Standard, an early 80s Ibanez AS-200, an early 90s PRS Custom 24 and a late 90s American Deluxe Fat Strat.
It has been ten years since I last picked up an electric. And now it is time to add another guitar to the stable. The Strat is my current first guitar for all my live work. I use the other guitars when I am tracking in the studio. I really enjoy playing the Strat and I am considering adding a 56 NOS from the Custom Shop or an Artist Series Eric Johnson. Two-tone sunburst. Maple.
There are now so many Strats that it is difficult to nail down a suitable candidate. This fellow even went on a quest for the perfect Strat. He really liked the Eric Johnson machine. I wonder if he also went for the tattoo?
But the Nash Timewarp S-50 gets a lot of positive views. A bit battered for a new guitar but I guess I wouldn’t worry about nicking the instrument.
There are also some interesting choices with Suhr and Tom Anderson.
I’ll be making a run into Toronto over the next few days hunting for a new instrument. I’ll let you know what happens.
Hi, Richard, I bet you knew I would chime in”¦.
I have been experiencing GAS for at least 30 years. However, I have a solution – my wife – she is more important to me than acquiring additional instruments and as quoted by Keith Richards, you can only play one at a time. I think Keith got that quote from Sue.
So, leads me to a question – are you solely inclined to a maple fingerboard? I have 1991 Strat Ultra with an ebony fingerboard on a maple neck and love it. It is of course personal preference but I have never been drawn to maple fingerboards for some reason, likely the lacquer; I find the rosewood my favourite, then ebony. Only my Telecaster has a maple fingerboard, but it is rarely played. The twang sounds nice on maple, though.
Just curious….hope all is well and good luck guitar shopping.
p.s. Bring nose plugs – it is getting rather ripe downtown as the garbage continues to pile up. I am not kidding here – I ate lunch on a patio yesterday and when the wind shifted it was disgusting….every corner container is overflowing onto the streets”¦
Tourists beware.
Rob
Hi Rob,
My current Strat is ebony so I am not bound to maple. The EJ model — at least the one I was looking at — was a maple. I should have made that clearer in the post.
Ah, so the picture of you in the “tough day at the office” picture is that of your cherry red late 90s American Deluxe Fat Strat? I did not know the Fat Strat’s came with an ebony fingerboard. Nice.
The EJ model does look great – I have always admired him as a player. Great tone! Fingers at play vs. toys. A Fender guitar out of Fender amps.
Please keep us informed of your acquisition. It’s fun buying new guitars.
Of my 30 or so I have owned over the years, I think only about 3 have been brand new. As you know, I am a bit of a vintage nut.
I can still hear that PRS Custom in my dreams, and I’m upset that you didn’t list it as your favourite 🙁
Of the Four, it’s my fav by far!
…but new guitars are always fun, hehe.
Steve
Hi Rob,
Yes, the picture is me playing the American Deluxe Fat Strat. And it has a nice ebony fingerboard.
I have selected the new guitar. I’ll post about it in a few days.
Hi Steve,
The PRS is an awesome guitar. My brand new one is also awesome 😉
I can definitely relate with the Syndrome… I’m currently playing a 78 LP Standard, an 85 customized strat – Japanese, but with a thinline neck and a Dimarzio humbucker at each end (split, of course). Then there’s a Larrive 05, and for travelling, a shallow body Ovation. My son has a Tele, and an Aria Pro LP copy. Both of us are into home recording, but not on the scale you seem to be. I sometimes think of the T-shirt I saw at a Steve’s Music store. On the front, it said, “My wife said she’d leave me if I bought one more guitar…” And on the back it said, “Sure gonna miss that girl…” Oddly enough, my 85 strat, though it’s a Japanese one, and I only paid $350 for it, it plays like a dream and I don’t think I’ve ever played any guitar I would trade it for. With the Dimarzios and the split switches, I can get pretty much anything I want out of it. Recently picked up a Digitech RP2000 pedal, though if I had to do it all over again, I’d definitely go for the stomp box approach. More flexibility.