A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

Forgive the drunken ramblings. On a vacation with my wife celebrating our 15yr anniversary, sans kids...

Do you ever take stock of what you have and get shocked how much it adds up to?

I am partly embarrassed to have so much for someone who plays for personal satisfaction only.

Having no car payment for over half a decade makes it way to easy to spend spare money...


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At times, yes. But there's more to take stock of at the same time. For example, does it help you find balance against the occasionally ridiculous work situation? If so, it helps you deal with being responsible. The fact you're on vacation with your wife says at least it doesn't get in the way of something more important.

honyock wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:29 pm Forgive the drunken ramblings. On a vacation with my wife celebrating our 15yr anniversary, sans kids...

Do you ever take stock of what you have and get shocked how much it adds up to?

I am partly embarrassed to have so much for someone who plays for personal satisfaction only.

Having no car payment for over half a decade makes it way to easy to spend spare money...

Having been free of both house payments & car payments since the 1980's makes it too easy for me to use "mad money" in any way I choose.
Embarassed? No! Why be embarassed?

I now like to envision myself as old, healthy, and not having enough money to pay for my taxes, utilities, and food.
Thats gonna help me save.

You could have much worse vices. Enjoy!

I enjoy collecting as much as I enjoy playing. I'm not great and I don't play for anyone but myself. I don't even like to play for my family members.

I know guys that collect guns who have way more guns than I have guitars. At least I can play my guitars at any time I want and don't have to make special trips to a range or somewhere to just use them.

I work with a guy who is big into sports cars. He has 9 of them. The amount of money I have in my guitars is less than one of his cars.

Unless the hobby is taking away from basic necessities or causing issues, then try to enjoy it for what it is. If it makes you happy, don't worry about what others might think.

It was just a moment of existential pondering.

My grandpa collected tractors yet he wasn't a farmer.

My dad collects guns and cars and boats and...

I have been drawn to guitars. I would probably have motorcycles if it weren't for garage space considerations...

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You earned it, enjoy it and never look back.

The way I look at it is this: as long as you're not hurting your family (spending food/mortgage/rent etc.), then have at it. Music ain't a bad habit.

honyock wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:29 pm Forgive the drunken ramblings. On a vacation with my wife celebrating our 15yr anniversary, sans kids...

Do you ever take stock of what you have and get shocked how much it adds up to?

I am partly embarrassed to have so much for someone who plays for personal satisfaction only.

Having no car payment for over half a decade makes it way to easy to spend spare money...


Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

It doesn't bother me much, and I'll tell ya why. Do I have a lot of guitars (probably more than anyone who doesn't do this as their entire career should have)? Absolutely! But at the same time...what I have is worth vastly more than I paid for it, so in that regard it really is just more like an investment that I enjoy and am passionate about.

I've said since I was a teenager and my friends were spending their money on alcohol and pot and i was spending my money on gear that at least with buying gear you have something to show for it. You can always sell something if need be cause it will always have some value. The same can't be said for alcohol or drugs.

I'm packing up in preparation for moving. We've been in this apartment for 11 years, and my re-discovery of the guitar occurred while we were living here. I think when we moved in I had one guitar and one amp. What I have now is...an embarrassingly large collection.

I stayed away from guitars into the pandemic, and picked up still film photography, by chance.
It was modest at first, my old stuff, some found, some given to me, some bought on a photo forum, and of course, bargains on eBait!
Now I have a vast collection of working mainstream, iconic and odd cameras, 1915 to 1980s, with few on the bench waiting for a fix. Darkroom is coming along.

Problem is, I spend more time working on cameras than shooting, as I should and can. I only have two hands, as my sister says about guitars...!
I did learn a lot about the industry in the early 1900s, the George Eastman vision, bitter patent fights. Also discovered other American camera makers, the early (Boston-based) Blair, Boston Camera Co. then the later Argus, Ansco, Graflex.

I am back at attending live music, post pandemic, which, as a light hobbyist, has always been my drive to play more.