Russ I really do understand your passion for guitars. I certainly don't have a collection like yours but I do have more guitars and basses than I really need.

The only one I have that really has any value is a 1964 Gibson 335 that has grown old with me since I bought it back in 1976. I also have a US Fender strat with active EMG electronics that I like a lot though when I play with my band I mainly use a very cheap Agile Les Paul copy ( a fantastic guitar that cost under $300 ) and a cheap Schecter strat with Duncan pickups. Other than that I have a couple of Ibanez basses and a Fender Jazz Special fretless bass. I have about 12 guitars total and they take up enough space. I would need to rent another house if I had 200 like you Russ. But if I had the space, money and time I would certainly do it and LOVE it. Wooden instruments with strings are so organic and each has it's own character. Even comparing the same model of guitar to another there are differences. Every piece of wood is different .... what a wonderful thing. A few years back I bought a low end Gibson Les Paul Special from Guitar Center. They had 5 of them there looking exactly the same. The saleman looked at me strangely as I tried one after the other, then I finally kept comparing 2 of them. He said ..... "But they are all the same". I just said "No they're not" and they weren't.

About the only guitar I can't get exited about is the new Line 6 Variax that solely uses digital modelling technology for it's sound. Don't get me wrong, I really like Line 6's modelling and own one their POD amp modellers myself. But to tie a guitar's sound to that technology just seems strange. I prefer something I just plug into or perhaps one day I'll get a Roland GK MIDI pickup and put it on one of my conventional electrics. Yes I'd use the Variax if someone gave me one, but at well over $1000 that won't be happening and ten years from now that modelling technology will be obsolete so I don't figure that sort of guitar will even hold it's value let alone increase it.


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 01-16-2005).]