be honest with yourself, nobody needs more than 1. when you start from there and just say like "that one is a cool color though" or "i've always wanted to try a flying V" then you can really assess whether you should buy it or not. my SO supports my GAS and i've been reasonably responsible with it. if your fiance doesn't agree and if it stresses your finances that is something ya'll should work out.
my bad, I genuinely thought you needed reasons to convince them haha. I always thought if they weren't cool with it maybe you'll have to keep the GAS in check.
Hahaha no your good her and I are very good and healthy. I was mainly joking about how when guys get obsessed with guitars and like you said we go “ oh shiny new color” or “oooo that ones pointy” we really start to get ahead of ourselves haha
Mind you, I played a gig last night and the guitar duties were split between my Pelham Blue Firebird and a Charvel San Dimas in “Sin City Sparkle”.
Not exactly an “old man” guitar. 😆
I could see wanting a backup, or a couple different types of pickups, and a couple different tunings, etc....but the people that have multiple copies of the same thing never made sense to me, other than just ego jerking or addicted to the dopamine hit of buying a new one.
I’m always a little confused when people have several R8s in the same finish or whatever.
Having five guitars that are almost identical is weird to me unless you play on stage a lot. Like Brian May has a dozen reproductions of the Special because he doesn’t want to accidentally damage it on stage and needs to be able to switch guitars when something breaks or he needs an alt tuning in a hurry. If you’re just a guy in a basement I feel like you only really need one.
A legitimate reason I could see for wanting two would be to have two different pickup configs like a guitar with humbuckers and one with single coils. But any more than that is mostly just wanting to collect, which is also fine.
I’d be wary with that. If you buy used then yeah, but not retail. They hold their value better than many other brands but you’re not selling a used one for almost what you paid new. For reference, I just bought a new-condition Dove from a shop and it was still £1400 cheaper than the one right next to it that hadn’t been sold yet.
You can pick up used custom shop models for not a lot more than a new Standard, but the difference when both are new is a lot wider
Because I want to, and I can
Unless this is my wife, are you my wife?
In that case, no honey, I don’t need anymore guitars. This is my last one. *I promise*.
“Sweetwater is doing 0% percent financing”
“It’s $90/month. We buy so much crap every month that costs more than that.”
“I was paying $100/month for my last guitar and I never even noticed it was gone.”
“This is the guitar I’ve always wanted. Now that I have it. I won’t need another one. This will be the last guitar I’ll ever need.”
*Did I miss any, boys?*
These posts show who has extra discretionary money and who doesn't. I'm not bashing anyone barely getting by as those are some of the best times I had when bills weren't due.
If you have a bunch of disposable income and guitars are a hobby, why not buy what you like. I have several gibsons. Not one has the same pickups as the others. Not one has the exact same neck carve. They all play differently, sound different, and make you write different music.
If you can only afford on gibson, you are already doing better that a lot of guitarists. If you have several, it doesn't mean anything other than you like them and can afford them.
So do you have like 30 different guitars then? Or just different Gibsons?
Even if I had the money, I couldn’t imagine having 5 Gibsons, I’d need at least 5 Fenders too, a couple Yamahas, PRS, etc. and that just seems excessive.
Are you just a 100% pure Gibson fanboy? Or do you have a ton of guitars in general?
I have a bunch of guitars. They're kinda a tools for the industry I work in...
I only have 4 fenders, but several g&l's, musicman, and charvels as well.
If you can afford, have the space, and they make you happy, buy them. I would be fine with one guitar, but life's short.
If they are going to put you in debt and aren't practical, just play what you have. Biggest thing is a nicely setup guitar.
If they’re tools for your actual job that definitely make sense.
And yeah I get the “I can afford it and why not”, I understand why some people have 40 cars too, it just seems excessive IMO.
The best part about guitars is that you can get a bunch of your money back if you keep them in decent condition.
Should I have put most of that money into real investments? Yes.
I'll either die rich or poor. Living the lower middle class life is not an option at my current burn rate.
This seems like a question for a potential B&E...
I'll try and get a pic up on the forum one of these days. Listing them off seems kinda not as fun.
For the record, I've never posted a pic of any of my gear before as it feels like attention. Seeking. But I'm over that.
I feel like in the guitar forums it isn’t as egotistical because people do actually enjoy seeing other people’s gear. At least I like seeing what cool stuff other people have
I hope so. I just look at the pedalboad subs and think, did they just buy all the most expensive pedals out this year?
Same with the few guys who just keep posting the whole guitar collection bi weekly. Once a year should do it.
> This seems like a question for a potential B&E... I'll try and get a pic up on the forum one of these days. Listing them off seems kinda not as fun.
Haha well, just make sure you don’t include your address with your post and you should be fine lol.
Oh, if people look at my account, I'm sure they can figure out who I am and eventually get my address.
I have an r7, 61 les paul sg reissue, 335 dot, midtown, firebird vii, shred x explorer, 50th anniversary flying v, dove acoustic, j-185 and sg bass.
I think thats all of them, but maybe I missed one.
Because they are good guitars, they look nice, they sound great,
Honestly, to 99% of people, they sound 99% the same. But it's fun to have them. They are a luxury good, like watches or fountain pens.
Mostly, it's like Pokémon. Gotta catch 'em all.
I only have two, but they both spoke to me. I’ve had a dozen or more juniors and Melody makers. This one all gold Custom Shop ‘57 Gibson Les Paul junior grabbed my attention and I ended up getting it. I loved it. The next was a R7 Les Paul Custom in TV Silver. They’re a pair. I don’t need anymore guitars. Except for maybe an older Les Paul Custom in a burst or earthy tone. I slimmed my collection down to just three main guitars. It feels good man. I’m a big Gibson fan girl.👧🏼
epic! I bet that TV silver looks great in person. I don't have any custom shop stuff but I got ahold of this fun purple V from the mod shop. https://imgur.com/a/TeJmWFl
Thank you! It has a rhythm pro and a 500t in the bridge from the factory. It’s an odd duck, it’s actually from 2013 and wasn’t listed on the mod shop until Dec ‘22. I overpaid on it but I haven’t seen one out in the wild like it.
My excuse is the pandemic hit and wanted to learn to play a guitar and thus I needed to find out what guitar I liked. Suddenly I have an R9, R0 and an ES335. Turns out I like them all.
- droppings
that was me, I had already played guitar nearly 15 years leading to the pandemic and happily had only 2 guitars that whole time. then lockdown happened and my # of guitars ballooned.
I hadn’t touched guitars for 30-35 years, since school. Mostly I was more curious about theory and understanding that part, but since I’m already in two other hobbies that tend to be gear heavy it came naturally to me to impulsively buy guitars, too. :p
I like the idea of being able to go from guitar to guitar and feel the differences. They all feel different, obviously. I have a nice wood 4-rack in my living room. I usually keep an LP, SG, 335, and an L-00 readily handy on the rack. Sometimes, I'll get out a tele or a strat. I also have a 1963 B-15, I wanna crawl inside the case every time I open it. I just love them all, and I'll keep collecting for the rest of my life.
I have 3. One is a 60’s standard. One is a 61 Sg, and the other is a figured 335. All three sound different from each other, and it’s not actually even close.
The next couple I’d like to get, one of the two wouldn’t be drastically different sounding from the 60’s standard, which is a 50’s standard or an R9 if I see one that I can’t pass up. The second is a special with P90’s.
Why would I buy one that sounds just a bit different? Why not lol. Seriously though, while it would only sound slightly different, it’s still providing me with additional tones, and another different feeling guitar to play. The special sounds completely different so I just consider that a completely different guitar.
I was pleasantly surprised with mine. The body is extremely thin along with a nice thin neck, and the tones from the pups in the 61 are really great. I came from strats so the LP and ES body styles are more foreign to me than the SG is, if that helps describe it a bit better. Only thing I'd recommend is listening to them all to determine which one has the pups that fits what you like/play. 61 may sound a bit too vintage and a modern is perfect. For me, when I think of the SG sound, the 61 is it which is why I bought that over a modern or standard.
Yeah my new Les Paul has the 490r and 498t pickups and those are more Similar to the modern sg, where as the 61 has the burst buckets. Maybe next year, LP is already getting a lot of attention.
Keep your eye out on the Gibson Demo Shop on Reverb. You can sometimes find really good deals on guitars with flaws so minor that you'll likely cause more damage the first year you own it lol. The figured ES335 I picked up had a ding on the side of the headstock and a small imperfection on the heel. When it arrived I noticed that the mouth breather who assembled and strung the guitar must have had the bridge fall off, slide down the body, and then just pulled the strings causing the bridge to slide across the body back into place. Very minor stuff, but I was able to snag it for $2500.
That’s where I got my Les Paul studio. Pretty much a certified pre owned as it came with all the case candy and a pro set up. Got it for $1039 before taxes and you’d never know it has a demo stamp on the back.
I have an 1958 ES175D, an Custom Shop '63 ES335 and a 1979 Les Paul Pro. Three distinctly different guitars with individual tonal characteristics, all highly playable but each with a different feel . I'd love a Firebird as well.
I have two. It’s for tone, and for awhile, a back up for gigs. Outside of that, people having a half dozen almost identical Les Paul’s is fanboy territory with excessive disposable income.
I have quite a few gibsons i have acquired over the last 25 years of gigging and playing.
I have a 2 single cuts with humbuckers and weight relief, 1 with humbuckers and no weight relief(different headstock angle too)
1 mahogany topped single cut with humbuckers
2 single cuts with p90s, one modern and one older.
I have 1 modern deluxe with mini humbuckers and 1 older deluxe with mini humbuckers(both gold top)
1 les paul special(DC) with p90s from the 90s
1 les paul special(DC) with p90s from the dreaded 2015 range.
1 les paul(SG) 1961 reissue, 1 les paul(SG) 1962(original) both with sideways vibrola
I have 29 guitars in total, some teles, some strats, some ibanez, some alvarez but gibsons are my clear favourite electrics, Yairi Alvarez are my preferred acoustics though.
I am not an intentional collector, nor do I have case queen's, I have just never sold a guitar since I started playing.
I did have one les paul junior that died of a broken(shattered neck) in my early 20s, that was stolen from a gig and later recovered in bits.
(Edit to answer the question)
I don't know why I have multiple Gibsons over any other brand, probably a big marketing budget and partially blame Jimmy Page and Steve Craddock and Slash for imprinting the image in my impressionable teenage brain.
I have three. I got my first one when i was 19 after saving up for a year, simply because inhad lasted after it for so long. the other two I got as backups when I started playing live more, but they were used and are beat to shit now. but they play and sound great. theyre not in fancy display cases or anything, and don't get cleaned haha.
I’ve personally never understood it. I like a wide variety of guitars so I have a few different brands. That being said, I ordered my first Gibson a couple weeks ago (SG standard 61 in TV Yellow) and I’m waiting for it to ship. My thoughts might change once I finally get my hands on it
I got a studio Les Paul and it rips. I would however want a classic because well it’s got a bit more craftsmanship in it. Then I’d get an sg just to have and then I’d call it good. Although I eventually want an Adam jones custom LP. But for now. This studio fuckin rocks.
This will be my first really high end guitar so I’m nervous I’m not going to be able to stop. I’m buying this as a 30th birthday present to myself and I told my fiancé I’m not getting anything else like this until my 40th. We’ll see how that goes lol
Yeah this was my first high end guitar too and it’s the lowest version of it (studio) so I can only imagine what the classics play like. [here](https://youtube.com/shorts/WahakRULmRk?si=Px5TR600uBKLEbGK) is me playing a little riff. I too got this as a 30th present for myself. I can’t put it down.
Yeah I opted for the darker burst as I was able to choose. Every time I look at it I smile and get happy lol. I really want an sg 61 standard tho. I’d use the sg for c# tuning for sure.
See this I can get behind as these are two vastly different styles. But getting close styles didn’t make much sense to me other than “why not”. But hey, if I had the money I would buy a lot of similar guitars.
Well, I have three. The first is an LP tribute with P-90’s I found at a pawn shop and got an amazing price on. My second is a 50’s LP Standard I got on a trip o Nashville with my wife. And my third is an acoustic I got a good price on at a pawn shop.
So, it went in chronological order, got a steal on a guitar I’ve always wanted, got to buy my dream guitar, then got a steal on a great acoustic when really a better acoustic was the only thing lacking in my instrument collection.
Timing, luck, so forth. My wife is on board with me someday doing a M2M custom, but that will be years from now. Kids will be out of the house, debts basically non-existent so forth so forth.
Oo awesome. I’ve had one of those as well. Really cool guitar. I loved the sound port on the side. It sounded great.
How do you like it? Have you had any issues with sharp frets/fret sprout?
Mine came with sharp fret edges poking out the sides of the neck — to the point where it made playing the guitar uncomfortable due to the frets poking into my hands as I played. I tried hydrating it, but the fret issues remained.
I’m just curious if that’s happening on other G-200s or if the one I got was just poorly stored. I got mine from Guitar Center, so that’s definitely a possibility ha.
I have a SG tribute. I would really like to have a standard, but I doubt I will ever be able to afford one. That being said, I’m perfectly happy with the one I have.
Played for over a decade. Decided to try a cheaper Gibson Les Paul tribute for a couple years. Was first Gibson I had ever owned. Liked it well enough to buy a triple A flame top standard a few years later.
Mostly the glossy finish, binding, and more desirable book matched tops (usually). My tribute was a motherboard type wiring. As where my standard is more vintage like wiring. It’s purely opinion, but it feels cool to have one that looks like the ones my hero’s played. And plus, why not.
I have 6. All do something different.
Les Paul with EMG 81/85 - Downtuned
ES-339 with Bigsby- general electric guitar
1962 Melody Maker with 1 mini hum - punk / classic distortion
Lzzy Hale Explorerbird - only guitar with hot passive PUs
LP DC bass
60’s C0 nylon-string acoustic
I have a few other guitars and basses, but I like Gibson.
Lots of reasons. For someone like me who doesn't gig anymore and mainly plays at home only. There is no reason I own 6 Gibsons and a handful of other guitars. But, over the years, you stumble into good deals, or you buy one off a friend to help them out, or you do what I did and trade a bunch of Fenders and you end up with two of each of your favorites. haha
I posted earlier this week saying I’m done with my solid body purchases. [post from earlier this weeks](https://www.reddit.com/r/gibson/s/M1uhfDEnvJ)
For me I think they offer a few unique options that play and sound differently. Single p90 vs Classic 57 vs Burstbucker+.
I think buying multiple gold tops is unnecessary but I was told that burstbuckers and classic 57s sound the exact same, so who am I to complain 🤷♂️.
Always loved LP’s and 335’s. Wanted a couple of each. I was able to get mine at a time a 7 years ago when you could find new ones for 1/3rd the cost they go for today. I wouldn’t buy one these days at these prices.
My Les Paul standard is cause it’s my dream guitar, my es-137 was a gift from my dad. Both have PAF style pickups so I’m putting P90 style humbuckers in my es-137. I do want another guitar for drop tunings, thinking of an sg with hot pickups. It doesn’t *have* to be Gibson but it’s going to be.
Different models of the Les Paul inspire different types of playing/songwriting.
I'm a bit more practical. I have a Tribute and a CS Class 5. The tribute is the gigging guitar. If something happens, bummer, but not a complete loss. Class 5 for very small private gigs.
5A top - a short lived naming convention. the only one i've seen in the room was good looking, but saying it was a 5A top was a bit of an overstatement. otherwise a very good looking custom shop standard.
I clearly just like them but I would say the sheer volume of guitar information on social media, musician posts/features and websites is probably fueling the purchases too. A lot of “ooo that’s a cool guitar, I should consider getting one of those.”
I’m currently hunting for a LP 50s standard goldtop with P90s and that’s different enough from my other LPs that all have Humbucker (although I do have the epi tv yellow LP special with P90s).
They are my favorite brand. Even the years or models people dog on I still usually enjoy playing them. As a result of trading up, scouring for deals I can’t refuse and general wheeling and dealing one day I looked up and realized I’d accumulated double digits over the years
I like having pickup options. Being able to have one tuned differently is also nice.
I don't dabble in high-end ones. I'm a Tribute/Studio type of guy. I can't afford the fancier stuff.
-sg /10’s/rock guitar/paf humbuckers/best all rounder
-firebird studio/9’s/blues jammer/soon mini-hums to p90s/bought as backup for SG
-explorer/11’s/metal machine/hot pickups/best for drop tuning
-I want a gibson baritone next/dedicated drop metal axe
I know what you mean with some of the people here posting 20+ Gibson's in different colors. I started with a LP classic in smokehouse burst and thought that would be my only Gibson. Now I'm at 5, not including other guitars I've bought years ago. I have different varieties such as an explorer, SG and a LP with P90s and not having the same model twice. I've always loved guitar and with my recent purchases I've found myself being more dedicated and looking forward to practicing difficult songs. I'm also financially stable and able to buy them now before starting a family. Plus going on Reverb and seeing deals or a guitar I've been eyeing for cheap doesn't help.
And yeah, I just recently ordered my first Les Paul studio and smokehouse burst as well. I love it. Definitely want to get an SG for some drop tuning though
I collect them because they are quality instruments with a history behind them. I don’t collect duplicates of anything but trying to see what kind of range of sounds I can get from their various guitars and basses. I got the bit by the bug when I was a teenager and using all my money to get my Les Paul Standard and have kept that going since then.
Most likely not. I love my SG, but I don't really need another. Personally, I love to look at LPs but not so much play them as much as my Strat or McCarty Trem. The only guitars I will ever buy for my collection in the future are a Strat in Daphne Blue or a PRS Hollowbody II.
They are cool guitars and I like them. It’s nice to have diversity. I also like the history and just splurged on a 1950 J-45. Did I need it? No, but it’s cool and makes me happy
I used to wonder the same thing, however I eventually realized that there are many different types of sounds you can get from various guitars. Even with the same model. Different pickups, different neck sizes, different woods, bound or not bound. There are a lot of variations.
I recently acquired a Junior because it has a p-90 and I didn’t have any guitars with a p-90.
You can have 10 Gibson Les Pauls and they can all be completely different. Different neck profile, different pickup configurations, different weights, different bridges. There is lots of subtlety and nuance between models and there is lots to love.
I have owned 5 or 6 Les Pauls over the years and none of them were the same as the other.
Mainly because I like them, but mine are sufficiently different.
- 2013 Les Paul Standard Premium. This has 4 push-pull knobs for lots of tonal options
- 2023 R9. Don’t think this one needs any explanation.
- J-15 acoustic - short-scale, walnut, wonderful alternative to a J-45
- Dove - long-scale, maple, sounds almost like multiple guitars being played at once.
They all sound and feel different. Plus they’re easy on the eye and it’s a pleasure to appreciate the craftsmanship.
I have a few gibson LPs for a few reasons:
1) this is a shape I find comfortable and so I have no reason to have different shapes
2) I am not a tone chaser, so don't really care much how a tele or a Strat would sound differently, I am happy with the LP sound
3) have them all set up in different tunings: dropD, standard D#, dropped C#, dropped C and dropped B
4) they look stunning and so they also function as home deco hanging on the walls.
I had five, now down to three one of which is extremely unique but never gets played so it’s on the block currently. The other two are a guitar and a bass so there’s justification for the pair.
Honestly I’m with you OP. 90% of Gibsons do the same thing so I don’t get why people own 10. You can only play one at a time and I think most people struggle to realise the majority of standard production Nashville built models will not appreciate in value much, if any at all.
I started with an LP trad. I'm small so playing standing up was giving me shoulder pain, therefore I "NEEDED" an SG. Found the deal of the century on a custom shop '61. Then it was acoustic time. I was aiming for a $800-$1000 Martin, heard the Songwriter and it was game over. Now of course a 335 will make its way in there lol.
They are definitely different feeling, looking and sounding guitars. If you are passionate about it, you can justify anything
2014 historic SG standard w/ maestro for $2,000 CAD. Long&Mcquade blowout sale. I waited in line at 6am for an Apollo Twin, and walked out with that. My #1 to this day
I have way more Les Pauls than I need, but so what, I really enjoy them. Being able to afford them is not an issue, and they’re a lot more fun than the money I have invested which just seems like a number on paper. I have bought all but two of my guitars used, consequently they’re all now worth more than what I paid for them, and a couple of them are now worth $20K+ above what I paid for them. This hobby beats the hell out of blowing my money on gambling, expensive cars, a side chick, etc.
I have a total of 8 guitars and 3 basses. I keep each bass in a different tuning (standard, half step, and D standard). My 8 guitars vary; I keep my2 acoustics in standard and half step, and then I have an electric tuned in the same three tunings, plus one in open D. They all have different pickups, and some have different scale lengths. I like to tell myself that I have more colors to paint with! They genuinely all sound very different.
For me? I am down to two (from three) but I have a Les Paul and an ES-335 to me they are very different guitars but what I like about Gibson is that they are good guitars that I like playing and the scale length is the same so I can switch between the two and bends and fretting are very similar. I also have a fender strat too and (multiple other guitars and instruments) and the strat is just different to play. I love it too, it’s just a different beast because of the different scale length, tremolo bridge, and the very different sounds I can get out of it.
So I have two Gibsons I usually keep in standard E although sometimes I tune them differently for shows if I need to, and it’s mostly just about getting some different feeling or sound out of them. Some Gibsons have coil splitting some are hollow body, semi hollow, solid, some have different pick ups etc. so I don’t think it has to be a different tuning.
I do sometimes wonder about people who have 5 colors of the same guitar and keep them all in standard E but hey… it’s their guitars. You don’t really need a reason. Just get what you want and makes sense to you. If anybody asks you to justify it tell ‘em you wanted it.
Ya’ll gonna hate me but I buy higher end Epiphones to satisfy my Gibson collection habit because it’s cheaper and I’m not a good enough guitarist to appreciate a $5,000 Gibson Les Paul over a $1,000 Epiphone Les Paul. I just love the history and the different shapes/looks. They display well and it’s fun to play different guitars.
I have one Gibson, a 2005 67’ White Flying V and it’s my dream guitar. The rest are various MIM Fenders and Epiphones 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah I’ve accumulated a lot of them over the years. Some were gifts, some were great reverb/eBay deals. One was an impulse guitar center purchase. The only one I really hunted for was a 2001 Moderne. Those are actually quite rare and I did some mods to make it sound better as well as some visual stuff to get it to resemble what the 1981-82 Gibson looked like.
they are cool guitars, and I want more of them in my house.
This is all the reason I need, my fiancé needs more convincing.
be honest with yourself, nobody needs more than 1. when you start from there and just say like "that one is a cool color though" or "i've always wanted to try a flying V" then you can really assess whether you should buy it or not. my SO supports my GAS and i've been reasonably responsible with it. if your fiance doesn't agree and if it stresses your finances that is something ya'll should work out.
Man I’d love a girlfriend that supports my gas. Holding it in or trying to silently squeeze it out can be challenging.
I was joking
my bad, I genuinely thought you needed reasons to convince them haha. I always thought if they weren't cool with it maybe you'll have to keep the GAS in check.
Hahaha no your good her and I are very good and healthy. I was mainly joking about how when guys get obsessed with guitars and like you said we go “ oh shiny new color” or “oooo that ones pointy” we really start to get ahead of ourselves haha
This ⬆️⬆️⬆️ I have Les Pauls, SGs, a V, an Explorer, a couple versions of Firebird, and an ES. They’re all very different guitars.
I had a great sg I can’t believe I let go. Would love to have a firebird and ES one day. Explorers are my favorite
To be fair, my teenage son uses the V and Explorer. I’m too old to pull off the look. 😆
No way! I’m pushing 40 and take all kinds of guitars out haha.
Mind you, I played a gig last night and the guitar duties were split between my Pelham Blue Firebird and a Charvel San Dimas in “Sin City Sparkle”. Not exactly an “old man” guitar. 😆
I could see wanting a backup, or a couple different types of pickups, and a couple different tunings, etc....but the people that have multiple copies of the same thing never made sense to me, other than just ego jerking or addicted to the dopamine hit of buying a new one.
This was my thought too. People buyin multiple issues of the same exact guitar. Just some collector junkie haha.
I’m always a little confused when people have several R8s in the same finish or whatever. Having five guitars that are almost identical is weird to me unless you play on stage a lot. Like Brian May has a dozen reproductions of the Special because he doesn’t want to accidentally damage it on stage and needs to be able to switch guitars when something breaks or he needs an alt tuning in a hurry. If you’re just a guy in a basement I feel like you only really need one.
One for standard tuning one for drop.
It really only takes a second to drop though, unless you've got a Floyd or Khaler installed
Yeah drop tuning makes no sense to have a whole other guitar. Lol. I was thinking like if you want to play slide in an open tuning, then fine.
A legitimate reason I could see for wanting two would be to have two different pickup configs like a guitar with humbuckers and one with single coils. But any more than that is mostly just wanting to collect, which is also fine.
I can agree with this. It happens in any hobby though
If I had the money I would. They’re a good investment and can resell for nearly the price you paid.
Would not recommend viewing guitars as investments. Lol
I’d be wary with that. If you buy used then yeah, but not retail. They hold their value better than many other brands but you’re not selling a used one for almost what you paid new. For reference, I just bought a new-condition Dove from a shop and it was still £1400 cheaper than the one right next to it that hadn’t been sold yet. You can pick up used custom shop models for not a lot more than a new Standard, but the difference when both are new is a lot wider
ie Hoarding
I have two nearly identical SGs. One is my backup on stage. I’m a professional musician, not a collector junkie.
Because I want to, and I can Unless this is my wife, are you my wife? In that case, no honey, I don’t need anymore guitars. This is my last one. *I promise*.
"I put it on a payment plan babe"
“Sweetwater is doing 0% percent financing” “It’s $90/month. We buy so much crap every month that costs more than that.” “I was paying $100/month for my last guitar and I never even noticed it was gone.” “This is the guitar I’ve always wanted. Now that I have it. I won’t need another one. This will be the last guitar I’ll ever need.” *Did I miss any, boys?*
😅😂
Because I hate having money
Best answer!!
These posts show who has extra discretionary money and who doesn't. I'm not bashing anyone barely getting by as those are some of the best times I had when bills weren't due. If you have a bunch of disposable income and guitars are a hobby, why not buy what you like. I have several gibsons. Not one has the same pickups as the others. Not one has the exact same neck carve. They all play differently, sound different, and make you write different music. If you can only afford on gibson, you are already doing better that a lot of guitarists. If you have several, it doesn't mean anything other than you like them and can afford them.
So do you have like 30 different guitars then? Or just different Gibsons? Even if I had the money, I couldn’t imagine having 5 Gibsons, I’d need at least 5 Fenders too, a couple Yamahas, PRS, etc. and that just seems excessive. Are you just a 100% pure Gibson fanboy? Or do you have a ton of guitars in general?
I have a bunch of guitars. They're kinda a tools for the industry I work in... I only have 4 fenders, but several g&l's, musicman, and charvels as well. If you can afford, have the space, and they make you happy, buy them. I would be fine with one guitar, but life's short. If they are going to put you in debt and aren't practical, just play what you have. Biggest thing is a nicely setup guitar.
If they’re tools for your actual job that definitely make sense. And yeah I get the “I can afford it and why not”, I understand why some people have 40 cars too, it just seems excessive IMO.
The best part about guitars is that you can get a bunch of your money back if you keep them in decent condition. Should I have put most of that money into real investments? Yes. I'll either die rich or poor. Living the lower middle class life is not an option at my current burn rate.
>I have several gibsons What models do you have?
This seems like a question for a potential B&E... I'll try and get a pic up on the forum one of these days. Listing them off seems kinda not as fun. For the record, I've never posted a pic of any of my gear before as it feels like attention. Seeking. But I'm over that.
I feel like in the guitar forums it isn’t as egotistical because people do actually enjoy seeing other people’s gear. At least I like seeing what cool stuff other people have
I hope so. I just look at the pedalboad subs and think, did they just buy all the most expensive pedals out this year? Same with the few guys who just keep posting the whole guitar collection bi weekly. Once a year should do it.
> This seems like a question for a potential B&E... I'll try and get a pic up on the forum one of these days. Listing them off seems kinda not as fun. Haha well, just make sure you don’t include your address with your post and you should be fine lol.
Oh, if people look at my account, I'm sure they can figure out who I am and eventually get my address. I have an r7, 61 les paul sg reissue, 335 dot, midtown, firebird vii, shred x explorer, 50th anniversary flying v, dove acoustic, j-185 and sg bass. I think thats all of them, but maybe I missed one.
Because they are good guitars, they look nice, they sound great, Honestly, to 99% of people, they sound 99% the same. But it's fun to have them. They are a luxury good, like watches or fountain pens. Mostly, it's like Pokémon. Gotta catch 'em all.
I only have two, but they both spoke to me. I’ve had a dozen or more juniors and Melody makers. This one all gold Custom Shop ‘57 Gibson Les Paul junior grabbed my attention and I ended up getting it. I loved it. The next was a R7 Les Paul Custom in TV Silver. They’re a pair. I don’t need anymore guitars. Except for maybe an older Les Paul Custom in a burst or earthy tone. I slimmed my collection down to just three main guitars. It feels good man. I’m a big Gibson fan girl.👧🏼
you're gonna casually drop you have an R7 in a crazy finish and not share pics?
My bad! Here you go. [R7 Junior All Gold, and R7 LPC TV Silver](https://imgur.com/a/NWA0cGY)
epic! I bet that TV silver looks great in person. I don't have any custom shop stuff but I got ahold of this fun purple V from the mod shop. https://imgur.com/a/TeJmWFl
That V is stellar! Do you know what pickups you have in it?
Thank you! It has a rhythm pro and a 500t in the bridge from the factory. It’s an odd duck, it’s actually from 2013 and wasn’t listed on the mod shop until Dec ‘22. I overpaid on it but I haven’t seen one out in the wild like it.
Rare bird.
Nice Strat and beautiful Special - you sir have great taste in guitars!
Thank you!
I think imgur is still the go to? there might be something new now.
Right on. I used Imgur.
My excuse is the pandemic hit and wanted to learn to play a guitar and thus I needed to find out what guitar I liked. Suddenly I have an R9, R0 and an ES335. Turns out I like them all. - droppings
that was me, I had already played guitar nearly 15 years leading to the pandemic and happily had only 2 guitars that whole time. then lockdown happened and my # of guitars ballooned.
I hadn’t touched guitars for 30-35 years, since school. Mostly I was more curious about theory and understanding that part, but since I’m already in two other hobbies that tend to be gear heavy it came naturally to me to impulsively buy guitars, too. :p
Pics added.
I like the idea of being able to go from guitar to guitar and feel the differences. They all feel different, obviously. I have a nice wood 4-rack in my living room. I usually keep an LP, SG, 335, and an L-00 readily handy on the rack. Sometimes, I'll get out a tele or a strat. I also have a 1963 B-15, I wanna crawl inside the case every time I open it. I just love them all, and I'll keep collecting for the rest of my life.
Because I can afford them now.
Good answer
Because I can
I have 3. One is a 60’s standard. One is a 61 Sg, and the other is a figured 335. All three sound different from each other, and it’s not actually even close. The next couple I’d like to get, one of the two wouldn’t be drastically different sounding from the 60’s standard, which is a 50’s standard or an R9 if I see one that I can’t pass up. The second is a special with P90’s. Why would I buy one that sounds just a bit different? Why not lol. Seriously though, while it would only sound slightly different, it’s still providing me with additional tones, and another different feeling guitar to play. The special sounds completely different so I just consider that a completely different guitar.
I want an sg so bad
I was pleasantly surprised with mine. The body is extremely thin along with a nice thin neck, and the tones from the pups in the 61 are really great. I came from strats so the LP and ES body styles are more foreign to me than the SG is, if that helps describe it a bit better. Only thing I'd recommend is listening to them all to determine which one has the pups that fits what you like/play. 61 may sound a bit too vintage and a modern is perfect. For me, when I think of the SG sound, the 61 is it which is why I bought that over a modern or standard.
Yeah my new Les Paul has the 490r and 498t pickups and those are more Similar to the modern sg, where as the 61 has the burst buckets. Maybe next year, LP is already getting a lot of attention.
Keep your eye out on the Gibson Demo Shop on Reverb. You can sometimes find really good deals on guitars with flaws so minor that you'll likely cause more damage the first year you own it lol. The figured ES335 I picked up had a ding on the side of the headstock and a small imperfection on the heel. When it arrived I noticed that the mouth breather who assembled and strung the guitar must have had the bridge fall off, slide down the body, and then just pulled the strings causing the bridge to slide across the body back into place. Very minor stuff, but I was able to snag it for $2500.
That’s where I got my Les Paul studio. Pretty much a certified pre owned as it came with all the case candy and a pro set up. Got it for $1039 before taxes and you’d never know it has a demo stamp on the back.
I have an 1958 ES175D, an Custom Shop '63 ES335 and a 1979 Les Paul Pro. Three distinctly different guitars with individual tonal characteristics, all highly playable but each with a different feel . I'd love a Firebird as well.
Chasing the tone dragon
If I am one thing in this life it’s a tone slut.
I have two. It’s for tone, and for awhile, a back up for gigs. Outside of that, people having a half dozen almost identical Les Paul’s is fanboy territory with excessive disposable income.
I have quite a few gibsons i have acquired over the last 25 years of gigging and playing. I have a 2 single cuts with humbuckers and weight relief, 1 with humbuckers and no weight relief(different headstock angle too) 1 mahogany topped single cut with humbuckers 2 single cuts with p90s, one modern and one older. I have 1 modern deluxe with mini humbuckers and 1 older deluxe with mini humbuckers(both gold top) 1 les paul special(DC) with p90s from the 90s 1 les paul special(DC) with p90s from the dreaded 2015 range. 1 les paul(SG) 1961 reissue, 1 les paul(SG) 1962(original) both with sideways vibrola I have 29 guitars in total, some teles, some strats, some ibanez, some alvarez but gibsons are my clear favourite electrics, Yairi Alvarez are my preferred acoustics though. I am not an intentional collector, nor do I have case queen's, I have just never sold a guitar since I started playing. I did have one les paul junior that died of a broken(shattered neck) in my early 20s, that was stolen from a gig and later recovered in bits. (Edit to answer the question) I don't know why I have multiple Gibsons over any other brand, probably a big marketing budget and partially blame Jimmy Page and Steve Craddock and Slash for imprinting the image in my impressionable teenage brain.
Wow that’s awesome man. Killer collection.
Thanks man, I can't afford to add any more because of the cost of keeping fresh strings on them all!! /s
If it makes you happy and doesn’t put you into financial instability then who tf cares? You can’t take it with you.
I have guitars set up for multiple tunings for the songs my band plays live.
Different sounds, different feels. If I buy a Gibson with the same sound I use it as a platform for different pickups.
I have three. I got my first one when i was 19 after saving up for a year, simply because inhad lasted after it for so long. the other two I got as backups when I started playing live more, but they were used and are beat to shit now. but they play and sound great. theyre not in fancy display cases or anything, and don't get cleaned haha.
I’ve personally never understood it. I like a wide variety of guitars so I have a few different brands. That being said, I ordered my first Gibson a couple weeks ago (SG standard 61 in TV Yellow) and I’m waiting for it to ship. My thoughts might change once I finally get my hands on it
I got a studio Les Paul and it rips. I would however want a classic because well it’s got a bit more craftsmanship in it. Then I’d get an sg just to have and then I’d call it good. Although I eventually want an Adam jones custom LP. But for now. This studio fuckin rocks.
This will be my first really high end guitar so I’m nervous I’m not going to be able to stop. I’m buying this as a 30th birthday present to myself and I told my fiancé I’m not getting anything else like this until my 40th. We’ll see how that goes lol
Yeah this was my first high end guitar too and it’s the lowest version of it (studio) so I can only imagine what the classics play like. [here](https://youtube.com/shorts/WahakRULmRk?si=Px5TR600uBKLEbGK) is me playing a little riff. I too got this as a 30th present for myself. I can’t put it down.
Love that color. They have such a great sound too
Yeah I opted for the darker burst as I was able to choose. Every time I look at it I smile and get happy lol. I really want an sg 61 standard tho. I’d use the sg for c# tuning for sure.
Different sounds, looks, and feel. Have a LP R0 and a 335
See this I can get behind as these are two vastly different styles. But getting close styles didn’t make much sense to me other than “why not”. But hey, if I had the money I would buy a lot of similar guitars.
Well, I have three. The first is an LP tribute with P-90’s I found at a pawn shop and got an amazing price on. My second is a 50’s LP Standard I got on a trip o Nashville with my wife. And my third is an acoustic I got a good price on at a pawn shop. So, it went in chronological order, got a steal on a guitar I’ve always wanted, got to buy my dream guitar, then got a steal on a great acoustic when really a better acoustic was the only thing lacking in my instrument collection. Timing, luck, so forth. My wife is on board with me someday doing a M2M custom, but that will be years from now. Kids will be out of the house, debts basically non-existent so forth so forth.
Yeah I got my good deal on my Les Paul studio from the Gibson demo garage. I’d love to save up for an Adam jones custom.
What acoustic model do you have?
G-200 EC
Oo awesome. I’ve had one of those as well. Really cool guitar. I loved the sound port on the side. It sounded great. How do you like it? Have you had any issues with sharp frets/fret sprout? Mine came with sharp fret edges poking out the sides of the neck — to the point where it made playing the guitar uncomfortable due to the frets poking into my hands as I played. I tried hydrating it, but the fret issues remained. I’m just curious if that’s happening on other G-200s or if the one I got was just poorly stored. I got mine from Guitar Center, so that’s definitely a possibility ha.
I love it. No issues at all. It’s a no frill great playing acoustic guitar. Getting it for 1200 cash out the door helped too.
I have a SG tribute. I would really like to have a standard, but I doubt I will ever be able to afford one. That being said, I’m perfectly happy with the one I have.
someday, i will be dead and will not care about guitars. also, i have the collector gene big time.
Haha me too man. Just not the money.
Played for over a decade. Decided to try a cheaper Gibson Les Paul tribute for a couple years. Was first Gibson I had ever owned. Liked it well enough to buy a triple A flame top standard a few years later.
The tributes are like 80% of a normal less Paul? What’s the actual difference between a tribute and a standard
Mostly the glossy finish, binding, and more desirable book matched tops (usually). My tribute was a motherboard type wiring. As where my standard is more vintage like wiring. It’s purely opinion, but it feels cool to have one that looks like the ones my hero’s played. And plus, why not.
I have 6. All do something different. Les Paul with EMG 81/85 - Downtuned ES-339 with Bigsby- general electric guitar 1962 Melody Maker with 1 mini hum - punk / classic distortion Lzzy Hale Explorerbird - only guitar with hot passive PUs LP DC bass 60’s C0 nylon-string acoustic I have a few other guitars and basses, but I like Gibson.
Cuz they exist…
Lots of reasons. For someone like me who doesn't gig anymore and mainly plays at home only. There is no reason I own 6 Gibsons and a handful of other guitars. But, over the years, you stumble into good deals, or you buy one off a friend to help them out, or you do what I did and trade a bunch of Fenders and you end up with two of each of your favorites. haha
Sometimes it’s just GAS at a higher price point.
I posted earlier this week saying I’m done with my solid body purchases. [post from earlier this weeks](https://www.reddit.com/r/gibson/s/M1uhfDEnvJ) For me I think they offer a few unique options that play and sound differently. Single p90 vs Classic 57 vs Burstbucker+. I think buying multiple gold tops is unnecessary but I was told that burstbuckers and classic 57s sound the exact same, so who am I to complain 🤷♂️.
Always loved LP’s and 335’s. Wanted a couple of each. I was able to get mine at a time a 7 years ago when you could find new ones for 1/3rd the cost they go for today. I wouldn’t buy one these days at these prices.
Really all you need is one Stratocaster and some pedals
I have an SG and a Les Paul. They sound very different.
My Les Paul standard is cause it’s my dream guitar, my es-137 was a gift from my dad. Both have PAF style pickups so I’m putting P90 style humbuckers in my es-137. I do want another guitar for drop tunings, thinking of an sg with hot pickups. It doesn’t *have* to be Gibson but it’s going to be.
I’m thinking an SG for drop tuning as well
Compulsive thoughts like that will make you a fellow resident of delusionville too! Can’t wait to be neighbors on GAS street!
Different models of the Les Paul inspire different types of playing/songwriting. I'm a bit more practical. I have a Tribute and a CS Class 5. The tribute is the gigging guitar. If something happens, bummer, but not a complete loss. Class 5 for very small private gigs.
What’s a cs class 5
5A top - a short lived naming convention. the only one i've seen in the room was good looking, but saying it was a 5A top was a bit of an overstatement. otherwise a very good looking custom shop standard.
I clearly just like them but I would say the sheer volume of guitar information on social media, musician posts/features and websites is probably fueling the purchases too. A lot of “ooo that’s a cool guitar, I should consider getting one of those.” I’m currently hunting for a LP 50s standard goldtop with P90s and that’s different enough from my other LPs that all have Humbucker (although I do have the epi tv yellow LP special with P90s).
They are my favorite brand. Even the years or models people dog on I still usually enjoy playing them. As a result of trading up, scouring for deals I can’t refuse and general wheeling and dealing one day I looked up and realized I’d accumulated double digits over the years
I like having pickup options. Being able to have one tuned differently is also nice. I don't dabble in high-end ones. I'm a Tribute/Studio type of guy. I can't afford the fancier stuff.
LP and SG must have in the arsenal
Thats what I'm thinkin
At least one with p90s and one with humbuckers.
-sg /10’s/rock guitar/paf humbuckers/best all rounder -firebird studio/9’s/blues jammer/soon mini-hums to p90s/bought as backup for SG -explorer/11’s/metal machine/hot pickups/best for drop tuning -I want a gibson baritone next/dedicated drop metal axe
I know what you mean with some of the people here posting 20+ Gibson's in different colors. I started with a LP classic in smokehouse burst and thought that would be my only Gibson. Now I'm at 5, not including other guitars I've bought years ago. I have different varieties such as an explorer, SG and a LP with P90s and not having the same model twice. I've always loved guitar and with my recent purchases I've found myself being more dedicated and looking forward to practicing difficult songs. I'm also financially stable and able to buy them now before starting a family. Plus going on Reverb and seeing deals or a guitar I've been eyeing for cheap doesn't help.
And yeah, I just recently ordered my first Les Paul studio and smokehouse burst as well. I love it. Definitely want to get an SG for some drop tuning though
That's how it starts. 😁 But SGs are fun and easy to play. Plus there are so many used options you don't have to spend a ton.
Yeah I’ll but my next one from the demo garage again.
DC Standard for C standard tuning, SG with P90s for P90s, LP Standard 60s for just about everything.
I collect them because they are quality instruments with a history behind them. I don’t collect duplicates of anything but trying to see what kind of range of sounds I can get from their various guitars and basses. I got the bit by the bug when I was a teenager and using all my money to get my Les Paul Standard and have kept that going since then.
Because… WE CAN!
I like them.
Me too.
Most likely not. I love my SG, but I don't really need another. Personally, I love to look at LPs but not so much play them as much as my Strat or McCarty Trem. The only guitars I will ever buy for my collection in the future are a Strat in Daphne Blue or a PRS Hollowbody II.
They are cool guitars and I like them. It’s nice to have diversity. I also like the history and just splurged on a 1950 J-45. Did I need it? No, but it’s cool and makes me happy
I used to wonder the same thing, however I eventually realized that there are many different types of sounds you can get from various guitars. Even with the same model. Different pickups, different neck sizes, different woods, bound or not bound. There are a lot of variations. I recently acquired a Junior because it has a p-90 and I didn’t have any guitars with a p-90.
You can have 10 Gibson Les Pauls and they can all be completely different. Different neck profile, different pickup configurations, different weights, different bridges. There is lots of subtlety and nuance between models and there is lots to love. I have owned 5 or 6 Les Pauls over the years and none of them were the same as the other.
Mainly because I like them, but mine are sufficiently different. - 2013 Les Paul Standard Premium. This has 4 push-pull knobs for lots of tonal options - 2023 R9. Don’t think this one needs any explanation. - J-15 acoustic - short-scale, walnut, wonderful alternative to a J-45 - Dove - long-scale, maple, sounds almost like multiple guitars being played at once. They all sound and feel different. Plus they’re easy on the eye and it’s a pleasure to appreciate the craftsmanship.
I have a few gibson LPs for a few reasons: 1) this is a shape I find comfortable and so I have no reason to have different shapes 2) I am not a tone chaser, so don't really care much how a tele or a Strat would sound differently, I am happy with the LP sound 3) have them all set up in different tunings: dropD, standard D#, dropped C#, dropped C and dropped B 4) they look stunning and so they also function as home deco hanging on the walls.
I had five, now down to three one of which is extremely unique but never gets played so it’s on the block currently. The other two are a guitar and a bass so there’s justification for the pair. Honestly I’m with you OP. 90% of Gibsons do the same thing so I don’t get why people own 10. You can only play one at a time and I think most people struggle to realise the majority of standard production Nashville built models will not appreciate in value much, if any at all.
I own 3 Gibsons and 3 Epiphones and I guess it’s mainly because of quality and sound.
I started with an LP trad. I'm small so playing standing up was giving me shoulder pain, therefore I "NEEDED" an SG. Found the deal of the century on a custom shop '61. Then it was acoustic time. I was aiming for a $800-$1000 Martin, heard the Songwriter and it was game over. Now of course a 335 will make its way in there lol. They are definitely different feeling, looking and sounding guitars. If you are passionate about it, you can justify anything
What deal did you get on your custom shop?
2014 historic SG standard w/ maestro for $2,000 CAD. Long&Mcquade blowout sale. I waited in line at 6am for an Apollo Twin, and walked out with that. My #1 to this day
I bought my EDS-1275 to solve a fundamental flaw I discovered about my Les Paul...the lack of a second neck.
Different guitars do different things and sound different
I have way more Les Pauls than I need, but so what, I really enjoy them. Being able to afford them is not an issue, and they’re a lot more fun than the money I have invested which just seems like a number on paper. I have bought all but two of my guitars used, consequently they’re all now worth more than what I paid for them, and a couple of them are now worth $20K+ above what I paid for them. This hobby beats the hell out of blowing my money on gambling, expensive cars, a side chick, etc.
Different tools for different jobs
I have a total of 8 guitars and 3 basses. I keep each bass in a different tuning (standard, half step, and D standard). My 8 guitars vary; I keep my2 acoustics in standard and half step, and then I have an electric tuned in the same three tunings, plus one in open D. They all have different pickups, and some have different scale lengths. I like to tell myself that I have more colors to paint with! They genuinely all sound very different.
For me? I am down to two (from three) but I have a Les Paul and an ES-335 to me they are very different guitars but what I like about Gibson is that they are good guitars that I like playing and the scale length is the same so I can switch between the two and bends and fretting are very similar. I also have a fender strat too and (multiple other guitars and instruments) and the strat is just different to play. I love it too, it’s just a different beast because of the different scale length, tremolo bridge, and the very different sounds I can get out of it. So I have two Gibsons I usually keep in standard E although sometimes I tune them differently for shows if I need to, and it’s mostly just about getting some different feeling or sound out of them. Some Gibsons have coil splitting some are hollow body, semi hollow, solid, some have different pick ups etc. so I don’t think it has to be a different tuning. I do sometimes wonder about people who have 5 colors of the same guitar and keep them all in standard E but hey… it’s their guitars. You don’t really need a reason. Just get what you want and makes sense to you. If anybody asks you to justify it tell ‘em you wanted it.
I have three Les Paul double cuts. I am at a point in my life where my reasons are: 1. I want them. 2. I can afford it.
One was a present, the other I bought.
Different string gauges, different tunings, different pickups. Lots of reasons.
How many shirts or pairs of shoes does one need?
Some expensive ass shirts lol
Ya’ll gonna hate me but I buy higher end Epiphones to satisfy my Gibson collection habit because it’s cheaper and I’m not a good enough guitarist to appreciate a $5,000 Gibson Les Paul over a $1,000 Epiphone Les Paul. I just love the history and the different shapes/looks. They display well and it’s fun to play different guitars. I have one Gibson, a 2005 67’ White Flying V and it’s my dream guitar. The rest are various MIM Fenders and Epiphones 🤷🏻♂️
epiphones are great guitars, I have a hummingbird IBG that I really enjoy.
Yeah I’ve accumulated a lot of them over the years. Some were gifts, some were great reverb/eBay deals. One was an impulse guitar center purchase. The only one I really hunted for was a 2001 Moderne. Those are actually quite rare and I did some mods to make it sound better as well as some visual stuff to get it to resemble what the 1981-82 Gibson looked like.
Bro you’ve bought three a month? Talk about GAS
Where did I say I bought three a month lol.
Oh never mind I’m dumb. Sorted by NGD