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Thread: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

  1. #26
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Sometimes playing isn't the point. Sometimes just owning the instrument and knowing you could pick it up if you wanted, is enough joy to justify keeping it.

    There is a lot more to the musical life than playing the instrument.
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  3. #27
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    I'm presently in a mode where I'm trying to downsize but improve the quality of my instruments (ie, fewer but better). But, I really have a hard time getting rid of the ones I've had for a while. Too many good memories attached, and I know I won't get enough out of most of them to really make the financial aspect of it worthwhile (I tend to go "bang for the buck," ie, Silverangel, as opposed to higher dollar and higher resale, like Gibson). Also, I've made it a point to buy instruments to allow me to have a variety of choices for different applications, so there's actually not much duplication. Could I live with just one, sure, but I like having the resonator, the e-mando, the flattop/oval tone, and the carved/FF tone to choose from. I thought about trading my Silverangel in on my next purchase, but made the mistake of changing strings from some Amazon clearance Elixirs to a brand I prefer. Man, I really love its voice. So, it's staying. But, it's too nice to truly be a beater, so I don't want to get rid of the Eastman, either. Of course, it's pretty rare that I actually play in circumstances that require a beater, but...Insert eye rolling emoji now. I also really don't like the process of selling. Fielding all the emails and questions, often from folks just tire kicking, sending more pics, not doing it "quickly enough" because I work and am not sitting at home waiting around to field emails and take more pics, then the anxiety of packing and shipping...

    I'm really not a hoarder. My wife and I are both pretty good about cleaning out stuff we don't need or use and keeping clutter to a minimum. Except maybe with instruments...and, that's just me. She'd sell or give away all but one of everything (of my instruments) if I asked her to.
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  5. #28
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Interesting insights here, maybe some of it will resonate with you and help you in your decision. It goes without saying that each of us is on his own journey, and in the end no one can help with the decision you need to make for yourself. Goes without saying, but that never stopped me from stating the obvious.

    For myself, I now have three mandolins, only two of which I use, and so I need to get rid of the third and it's not worth much.

    I have over a dozen guitars, and about half of those are project instruments. Like you, once I got seriously interested in messing about with mandolin, I neglected these guitars. They just sat around collecting dust for the most part. I would use one to perform somewhere occasionally, but otherwise I was just too consumed with learning stuff on mandolin to do much with them. This has been three years now.

    I've found that now, after three years of this, my desires are changing and I've become much more interested in resuming guitar playing and advancement with it. I've begun to pick up where I left off in guitar studies, and enjoy playing and learning new things on the guitar. In my own journey, I've a mind to sell off guitars and upgrade to find one, special acoustic guitar. That's become one of my quests now.

    When I think about ridding myself of the instruments I currently own, there are two things that I have to consider. One is to have in mind my goal of ending up with a specific keeper that I'll want to play for the rest of my days. The other is to consider which instruments will be of use to my son who plays, and my grandchildren who play.

    Not sure if any this will help with your decision, but 6 months is not a long time. It's taken me three years to get more passionate about guitar again. But unlike your life, there has never been a time in my life in the past 50+ years that I wanted to be without a guitar around. So in the end, it is "to each his own."

    The guitar is a very cool instrument to have and to play. And the mention about using it if you ever decide to do any multitrack recordings +/- YouTube videos resonates with me.
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  7. #29

    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    About ten years ago, I began studying piano at community college and virtually didn't touch my guitar for two years. When I took up with guitar again, once I got my callouses back, I played guitar better than ever. The point is that studying other instruments helps you grow musically so you might find yourself switching back and forth. So, unless there is a financial reason, I would say keep all your gear.

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  9. #30
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    Sometimes playing isn't the point. Sometimes just owning the instrument and knowing you could pick it up if you wanted, is enough joy to justify keeping it.

    There is a lot more to the musical life than playing the instrument.
    I think this is so true,to be appreciated as works of art alone,,remember that scene in Spinal Tap,with the one guitar sitting on a stand? "Don't touch that,it's the unplayable guitar,it's never been played"....something to that effect...

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  11. #31
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    I sometimes go years without picking up a particular instrument and then I pick it up again and play it a lot.

    It's also nice to have some extra axes around when musical guests drop by and impromptu sessions unfold.

    It's not like you have a warehouse full of stuff going untouched. Unless the currently fallow instruments are causing you real distress, just wait before making any final decisions. If you think you'd feel relief getting rid of them, go for it. They are easily replaced.
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  13. #32
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Doubt the currently unused instruments are doing you any harm sitting in their cases. They're a potential resource, if you decide to take advantage of them; they're also a link to your past, your family.

    We get these bees in our bonnets, that we "ought" to be playing every instrument, and if not, that we "ought" to get rid of the ones we're not playing. Who comes up with these "oughts?" We ourselves do -- well, sometimes our spouses do: "You've got so many instruments -- why don't you get rid of the ones you don't play?"

    Why don't you get rid of the shirts you don't wear very much, or the books you're not reading, or the albums you don't play any more? Turn the question around: why should you get rid of them? Maybe they're appreciating in value while sitting in storage. Maybe your heirs would like them.

    IMHO, if you can think of a better use for them, or a friend or relative who'd like to play them, or if you'd like to apply their value to purchase of a better mandolin or a new Lexus, at least consider passing them on to new owners. But there's no "ought" involved. It's an individual decision, and you're not violating any cosmic directive, by keeping instruments you're currently not playing.
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  15. #33
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    I wouldn't rush.

    My approach was one of compromise. Sell the instruments that I hadn't touched in years.
    Keep one of each, just in case. One electric guitar, one acoustic guitar, one small travel/parlor guitar, one banjo, one upright bass, etc.

    Sell high dollars unused items when the time comes to upgrade the mandolin.
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  17. #34
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Hi Frost,

    In my past there's been a few guitars I regret selling. At the time my thoughts were that someone should be playing them rather than they sit unattended.

    Since then I decided I'd keep what I have unless my fortunes force me to sell and even then there are a few I'd keep even while living under some bridge.

    The mandolin has been my dearest for a few decades now but the guitar is so much a part of my development that I can't imagine being without. I keep a lovely Martin OM42 and '90 Tele at my side for when the fancy strikes. I use the guitar a lot when writing and developing harmony.

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  19. #35

    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Quote Originally Posted by CES View Post
    I'm presently in a mode where I'm trying to downsize but improve the quality of my ...
    I'm just trying to downsize!

    I recently did the move out of the house in which we lived 25+ years, reared the children, etc. My wife wanted it on the market "by the weekend" ( ) ... long story short, I rehomed all the dogs and cats and gave away a slew of instruments - guitars, amps, basses, banjos, drums, a hammered dulcimer...rooms-full of gear. I like to give it away. It was a helpful exercise, and sheesh I still have plenty.

    The problem is, I still have more than a roomful of stuff I *need* Gear is everywhere. It's hard to keep access to all of it (I use a *pile* system as I mentioned before)

    I certainly understand multiple feelings one (Frost) may have with the stuff.

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  21. #36
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    All replies very much appreciated. Much of it does resonate.

    I do have varied musical taste and have written and recorded a bit. The more I dwell on it the less sense it seems to make to abandon everything that came before just because I'm having a good time now. There would seem to be more musical potential in having the instruments than not having them, and simply having them doesn't prevent me from focusing on the mandolin.

    Many thanks, this has been helpful and pleasant reading.

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  23. #37
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    A bit late - but like others, don't get rid of stuff unless you have a specific reason. The last acoustic guitar I sold off went towards my Breedlove. Now, the Breedlove is getting neglected, but don't have any plans to sell.

    Been really working on mandolin (and now octave mandolin) in the past year. But there are still a lot of folks who value my guitar playing and want to hear me play it in an old time jam. So even though I'm trying to focus more on mandolin, don't plan on getting rid of what I still have.
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post

    But there are still a lot of folks who value my guitar playing and want to hear me play it in an old time jam .
    That's an angle that has maybe been overlooked. You can forget that if you played an instrument for a long time, other people may still like to hear you play.
    In my case I rarely play guitar on stage and indeed hardly touched it for quite a while. But I have played guitar for about 52 years, and I now find I enjoy teaching guitar to (mostly) youngsters, and I am pleased to be able to pass on my knowledge.
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  27. #39
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    notwithstanding personal/family finances; no you should not sell your instruments!

    I've had instruments go for years unplayed. I've gone through all sorts of various passions in my life. I seem to always come back to some acoustic instrument.

    You'll rediscover something and thank me (us) later!

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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    I agree with most of the other posters. I played guitar back in the 1960s (didn't most of us alive back then,) and then ended up putting it away for almost 40 years for work/family/other responsibilities, now with my child grown and heading toward retirement in a few years, I got the guitar "bug" again, then added mandolin and am teaching myself oboe and violin. Granted I may not have as many years left as I have spent on this earth, but plan to make as much music as I can for the time I have left with as many instruments as I can play. I suggest not selling them unless finances require it, and I agree that the instruments will well compliment each other.

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  31. #41
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Well so much for my earlier comment about wondering when I'd have the time to play guitar again - this thread ended up being the gateway drug for me to buy a guitar again after about 10 years of not really playing one - I started playing guitar when I was 9 years old and played relentlessly until about 2008 when the mandolin/tenor banjo bug really grabbed me. Sold my guitars to help finance my move to the states, briefly had a nice Martin M-36 in 2012 (for less than a year and then finances forced me too sell it), then got a cheap but great old Nippon-Gakki Yamaha, but that too got sold. Anyway, this thread got me thinking about how crummy it was to let 35+ years of guitar playing go down the drain so I just pulled the trigger on a sweet 2009 Breedlove Revival series OM - can't wait til it gets here!
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  33. #42
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    That's awesome.

    Honestly just a few days after I started this thread I was recording some backing tracks with my guitar to have something to noodle around on top of with the mandolin. Not sure what I was thinking, I'll chalk up the idea of getting rid of my other instruments to a momentary lapse of reason

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  35. #43
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Never get out of the boat.
    There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946

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  37. #44
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Quote Originally Posted by jestanek View Post
    never get out of the boat.
    yea!!
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  39. #45
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    I had to downsize a bit when moving into a smaller apartment a few years back. I had a Rogue metal-bodied resonator that I hadn't played in ages, largely due to mandolin displacing any time I had to practice slide guitar, so I sold it. I got about a $100 for the guitar (it was, after all, a Rogue with a massive-but-repaired heel crack). Fast forward seven years and I now have a massive basement space that I've converted to a music room and I've recently been getting back into fingerstyle blues stuff. I wish I hadn't sold that guitar. Instrument storage space is no longer an issue, and I'm finding myself thinking I'll end up buying another metal-bodied resonator in the future (I love the sound) and it will no doubt cost me way more than the money I got from selling that perfectly good Rogue resonator in 2011. Take what you want from my experience. I also have an Epi Les Paul in the basement that I never play. It's literally collected dust for a decade. The strings haven't been replaced since 2009. And yet...no way am I selling it. For one, those things are a dime a dozen on eBay, so there isn't much money to be made from selling it, but more to the point, it's a good guitar and at some point I'd like to spend some time developing my electric guitar skills. Plus, it looks cool. Every music room should have an electric guitar in it Again, take what you want from my experience.

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  41. #46
    Still Picking and Sawing Jack Roberts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    ..... Start making room on your walls.....
    The other day I was in Gryphon's playing an absolutely beautiful looking and sounding Collings Mandolin. I almost bought it, but of course we all know that they sound better than real because of all the other instruments hanging on the wall and their sympathetic vibrations.

    So, as to what Bertram says, try hanging your other instruments on the wall in your practice room. (Along with guitars on stands, I've got a couple of autoharps on the shelves.) It will improve the sound of your mandolin!
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  42. #47
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    For the record and FYI


    1 1/8 " = 28.58 mm

    1 1/4" = 31.75 mm

    1 5/16" = 33.4= mm


    Therefore as per my original post 33 mm is a scrid less than 1 5/16".

  43. #48
    Registered User Tim N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Maybe you know someone, or someone who knows someone else who would like to play guitar (or fiddle), or at least try it out. Maybe the can't afford one right now, or they don't want to splash out unless they're sure. You could lend an instrument or two out for a while - it could bring pleasure to others and also to you? It's a bit sad, isn't it, when instruments hang around and don't get played. Just an idea, for what it's worth.
    "What's that funny guitar thing..?"

  44. #49
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    Default Re: Should I get rid of my other instruments?

    Sorry I cannot answer your basic question - but would suggest if you decided to sell and will have to ship the instrument - do so when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. It will save you some worry.

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