Quality, Uniqueness or Quantity?

[West R Lee]

Some will think I'm nuts (most probably already do), and I know of several who say they don't care for bling, and that's fine too. And some love to own many guitars, and though I've changed my priorities these past few years, I respect all opinions and collections. Me, I love bling, and I love fine guitars even more. This would whittle down the collection a bit more, while offering something VERY unique.

I'm seriously considering trade of two of my Collings guitars for this beauty. I'd have to add some cash I'm sure, Not ready to make the call yet, but considering. Ebony is supposed to be a great finger style B/S wood.

Collings D-42 Tree of Life Alaskan Blue Sitka Spruce and African Ebony Custom NEW | Reverb

A one-of-kind D-42 Tree of Life custom dreadnought crafted by Collings Guitars in Austin, TX features a soundboard cut from old-growth, reclaimed Alaskan ‘Blue’ Sitka Spruce that spent decades underwater in remote Alaska. This custom dreadnought has a unique story woven into its fibers that few o...

reverb.com

West

 

[davismanLV]

Golly gee!! That's just beautiful!! I like bling myself. And that's about as blingy as it gets!! I like a guitar that announces how amazing it's going to sound BEFORE you ever hear it!!

 

[jedzep]

Does anyone ever just get a few nice guitars, keep them forever, and be contented? I'm going to ask on all the forums to see if I can find a couple.

 

[adorshki]

Does anyone ever just get a few nice guitars, keep them forever, and be contented? I'm going to ask on all the forums to see if I can find a couple.

'96 D25
'01 F65ce
'04 D40
All bought new and still here. Nothing else acquired in meantime.
I consider myself "contented", although I think I'd like to get some rosewood sometime. Instrument voice auditions in music stores rarely work for me so I'm not really sure. I'd have to live with it for a while.

 

[West R Lee]

Does anyone ever just get a few nice guitars, keep them forever, and be contented? I'm going to ask on all the forums to see if I can find a couple.

Nah, Jed, this is all pretty calculated on my part. The days of 15 guitars around the house are long over for me. This is about increasing quality while decreasing quantity in an effort to make the few guitars I have left upon my "buying the farm" easy to liquidate for my loved ones. I can only play one at a time my friend.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Golly gee!! That's just beautiful!! I like bling myself. And that's about as blingy as it gets!! I like a guitar that announces how amazing it's going to sound BEFORE you ever hear it!!

Have you ever seen a Martin D100 Tom? The last one I saw was selling for $100,000. I think they need flashing lights!

Martin D-100 Deluxe Limited Edition 2014 Brazillian Rosewood (Signed by Chris Martin IV) | Reverb

--Signed by Chris Martin IV (see picture of inside sound hole)--Only 50 made of this exquisite masterpiece, and we have #45 of 50. This guitar is one of the last available NEW on the market. It’s setup and ready to ship. To celebrate the unprecedented industry milestone of their 1,000,000th ...

reverb.com

West

 

[fronobulax]

What kind of collector are you? Is this THE pearl of great price that you are willing to sell everything to have?

Sometimes I want rarity - the number of other people who have one can be counted, perhaps on one hand.

Sometimes I want to tell a complete story so one of each is the goal.

Sometimes I'm going to use it and so utility is the driver.

A sign of older age has been that if I have to work to maintain a collection then I am less interested in expanding the collection and would be looking for opportunities to upgrade and downsize. Storing cases, finding space for wall hangers and humidification are part of the work for a collection of guitars.

The first thing that I wonder is do you have to trade in? Are you considering this because you want to upgrade and consolidate or could you fund this by downgrading your ride?

Will you be happier with or without it and does that answer change if you trade up?

Will it make anyone else happier if you have it?

I probably would not get it but then there have been several basses on the market that I would consider an upgrade that I finally did not go for. In my case it just wasn't enough of an upgrade to sell something to make room but you seem wiling to do that when I wouldn't so...

 

[twocorgis]

Well, I'm kind of a quality and quantity type here, and I'm not so much into bling, mainly because I just care about how they play and sound, and I'm fine with them just looking like any old guitar. In fact, one of the things that I love most about my recently acquired (and flat out incredible) Martin D18 Authentic 1939 is its remarkably unremarkable look.

I thought for sure when it arrived that it would unseat the D18 David Crosby Signature that had been at the top of the hog dread heap here, and is decidedly blingy, but in a very tasteful way.

But much to my surprise, the D18DC holds its own against the Authentic, and believe it or not, so does the Oxnard D40 Traditional (yes, it really is that good). So you know what? I'm going to keep all three of them! The D18DC is only going to keep increasing in value now that its namesake is no longer with us, and having made only 250 of them, they basically never come up for sale.

I've honestly never been a fan of the full bling Guilds, and much prefer dot inlays, no fretboard/headstock binding, and a simple Chesterfield instead of the G shield, but to each his own.

In your case, I don't think I'd trade two guitars that you know you love for this one without playing it fairly extensively first. YMMV, but that's a real leap of faith. The one guitar I played with ebony (macassar ebony in this case, a near relative to this guitar's wood) sides and back I thought sounded a little on the brittle side. I'm not saying that this one will, but I'd like to be damn sure before I made the trade!

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[davismanLV]

Have you ever seen a Martin D100 Tom? The last one I saw was selling for $100,000. I think they need flashing lights!

Martin D-100 Deluxe Limited Edition 2014 Brazillian Rosewood (Signed by Chris Martin IV) | Reverb

--Signed by Chris Martin IV (see picture of inside sound hole)--Only 50 made of this exquisite masterpiece, and we have #45 of 50. This guitar is one of the last available NEW on the market. It’s setup and ready to ship. To celebrate the unprecedented industry milestone of their 1,000,000th ...

reverb.com

West

Jim, I have seen that Martin before. It's just a tad "giddy" for me, and that's saying something!!! I like the Collings much better. I like the price better too!!

 

[West R Lee]

Well, I'm kind of a quality and quantity type here, and I'm not so much into bling, mainly because I just care about how they play and sound, and I'm fine with them just looking like any old guitar. In fact, one of the things that I love most about my recently acquired (and flat out incredible) Martin D18 Authentic 1939 is it's remarkably un remarkable look.

I thought for sure when it arrived that it would unseat the D18 David Crosby Signature that had been at the top of the hog dread heap here, and is decidedly blingy, but in a very tasteful way.

But much to my surprise, the D18DC holds its own against the Authentic, and believe it or not, so does the Oxnard D40 Traditional (yes, it really is that good). So you know what? I'm going to keep all three of them! The D18DC is only going to keep increasing in value now that its namesake is no longer with us, and having made only 250 of them, they basically never come up for sale.

I've honestly never been a fan of the full bling Guilds, and much prefer dot inlays, no fretboard/headstock binding, and a simple Chesterfield instead of the G shield, but to each his own.

In your case, I don't think I'd trade two guitars that you know you love for this one without playing it fairly extensively first. YMMV, but that's a real leap of faith. The one guitar I played with ebony (macassar ebony in this case, a near relative to this guitar's wood) sides and back I thought sounded a little on the brittle side. I'm not saying that this one will, but I'd like to be damn sure before I made the trade!

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I'd love to play that D18 Sandy. I'd like to compare it to my D1A. They remind me of each other. She's beautiful.

But regarding not having played one before you buy it........it's no different than ordering a guitar from a builder. If you call Santa Cruz or Collings and have them build one for you, it's yours regardless what you think about the finished product. Oh I guess you might be able to "eat" the down payment, but that can be a pretty substantial amount of money. So I don't see it as an issue with a NEW guitar. I do however see it as a potential issue with a USED guitar because in the back of my mind, I'm always wondering why an owner is selling it. I had Collings build me one, and never got chance to play it before it arrived here......and I was blown away. If we only bought after playing, we'd never have the opportunity to order a custom guitar.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Jim, I have seen that Martin before. It's just a tad "giddy" for me, and that's saying something!!! I like the Collings much better. I like the price better too!!

So do I Tom, much more tasteful in my opinion.

West

 

[twocorgis]

I'd love to play that D18 Sandy. I'd like to compare it to my D1A.

But regarding not having played one before you buy it........it's no different than ordering a guitar from a builder. If you call Santa Cruz or Collings and have them build one for you, it's yours regardless what you think about the finished product. Oh I guess you might be able to "eat" the down payment, but that can be a pretty substantial amount of money. So I don't see it as an issue with a NEW guitar. I do however see it as a potential issue with a USED guitar because in the back of my mind, I'm always wondering why an owner is selling it. I had Collings build me one, and never got chance to play it before it arrived here......and I was blown away. If we only bought after playing, we'd never have the opportunity to order a custom guitar.

West

That is true Jim. I never played all my best guitars before I bought them, with the possible exception of the D40T. I played two different examples at the Sam Ash stores here on Long Island, and both were equally good. The one I bought from Tundra is the same. The way I look at it, as long as you buy them for a good price, you can always sell them for at least that, and that's what got me to this point.

Now I have the decidedly first world problem of having a lot of guitars, but they're all so good that I haven't a clue which ones to sell first if I had to!

 

[Brad Little]

I like guitars with some bling, not sure I'd go for the tree of life, though. I also like guitars without bling, so I guess that covers most of them!
I'm not a big collector, although I did have 20 or so at one time, but down to about half that. A few on my bucket list will have to wait until my health gets better and the house gets some updates.

 

[walrus]

Quality.

One '84 Guild D64 for 30 years, now in wileypickett's capable hands. Replaced with an '11 Guild F-30RCE because of shoulder issues.

I've gone through many electrics, but now I am very "content" with my '09 Sadowsky Semi-Hollow.

I play them both a lot. As I near retirement, I don't see buying anything else.

OK, you can cue "Simple Man" now.

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

I would not know what fret I am on, West, but I guess with that beauty, would it even matter?

 

[West R Lee]

That is true Jim. I never played all my best guitars before I bought them, with the possible exception of the D40T. I played two different examples at the Sam Ash stores here on Long Island, and both were equally good. The one I bought from Tundra is the same. The way I look at it, as long as you buy them for a good price, you can always sell them for at least that, and that's what got me to this point.

Now I have the decidedly first world problem of having a lot of guitars, but they're all so good that I haven't a clue which ones to sell first if I had to!

It's a good problem to have though Sandy.

West

 

[West R Lee]

I like guitars with some bling, not sure I'd go for the tree of life, though. I also like guitars without bling, so I guess that covers most of them!
I'm not a big collector, although I did have 20 or so at one time, but down to about half that. A few on my bucket list will have to wait until my health gets better and the house gets some updates.

Well let's hope/pray you feel much better very soon Brad.

West

 

[West R Lee]

I would not know what fret I am on, West, but I guess with that beauty, would it even matter?

Ah, but I see fret markers Wood.



West

 

[Guildedagain]

The way I look at it is if I spend money on a guitar right now, then it won't be on a motorcycle, so I can pretty much get away with anything, because it's such a sound reason.

 

[West R Lee]

That sucker will be gone long before I make a decision anyway. Most of the Collings fans are shocked by how LOW the price is.

West