[mathminnick31]

How much is too much to spend on a guitar?

Maybe, to be clear, let's throw in a few contingencies

A) Non paid musician of 5+ years

B) Regularly gigging musician playing out 3+ times per week making $100+ per gig.

(Feel free to add your own contingency)

I think for A), $1000 would be the max and for B), $3500 would be it.

Though I don't get regularly paid, my next guitar in my dreams will run around $3k and my wife says once I start getting paid, we can start to look at them.

Anxiously looking forward to your thoughts.

[aljb17]

Interesting question, I imagine your gonna get a lot of different answers,

I fit into Column A and my #1 is worth around $1000 Canadian off the rack, SO I guess I'm gonna go with $1000,

Now column B is the interesting one, What is $3500 really getting you? I've only played 2 or 3 guitars in this price range and for very short periods of time, Although they are amazing looking, feeling and playing guitars, I feel like there are a lot of great PLAYERS guitars in much lower price ranges, Especially these days with all the custom builders around you can pretty much have whatever your hearts desire is for under $2000.

But If the paid gig was as a session guitarist in a studio that might change things! lol

[Giga Hertz]

At the moment I only play electric guitar at Church once a month or so. I've been considering getting a Les Paul for a while and spending a max of $3K Australian (about $2200 USD). I'm getting some inheritance money so I can completely justify it now.

I think it depends more on what your living/financial situation is like and how much you indulge on other things. If you're saving a reasonable amount of money and don't spend very often, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong if you're going to play it a fair bit.

If you're struggling to make ends meet, I'd be more inclined to avoid getting anything new and stalk out second-hand opportunities.

If you were regularly gigging and/or recording, depending on your financial situation I reckon you could justify up to $5k as a one off.

[thesteve]

A and B are irrelevant. It's all about if you can feel the difference and what the financial impact is going to look like.

[to_be_released]

Originally Posted by thesteve

A and B are irrelevant. It's all about if you can feel the difference and what the financial impact is going to look like.

I kinda go with this.

I like to get good value for money, but I also like to get gear that's nice to play. I've ended up with a mix of cheap and expensive gear. My most expensive guitar was 2500 NZD, as was my most expensive amp. Both were justifiable purchases in terms of where the money came from and the impact on my finances (the guitar was a 21st present, the amp was a reward to myself for getting a 50k scholarship).

I personally would struggle to spend 3k on an electric guitar at the moment in terms of value, because I have a much cheaper guitar that I like more than guitars I've tried that were 10 times the price. However, I have determined that if I were to spend that much on another guitar, I'd get one built by a local luthier rather than buying a fender/gibson/prs/whatever.

[Ted Logan]

A) $1
B) $1

[martinedwards]

Originally Posted by thesteve

A and B are irrelevant. It's all about if you can feel the difference and what the financial impact is going to look like.

yup.

I've played guitar for 35 years.

I've bought and modded all sorts, and built 90.

I've never been paid to play, though I play twice a week in church.

I have friends in exactly the same position and between us we range from 2nd hand Yamahas up to Lowdens.

One friend has a Lowden acoustic, a US custom Strat and kubriki factor Bass and he only plays in church too......

its all relative. an unemployed single parent will have less disposable income than a successful company director.

Seasick Steve manages to wrestle wonderful music out of junk that other folk have thrown away!

[darfaz]

Like others have said, a lot has to do with your disposable income levels. I have three acoustic guitars that are fairly expensive (a Martin HD-28v, Taylor 414ce, Gibson ES-120 if you care). I haven't been paid for a gig in years, and I'm a serviceable guitar player at best. I play at church a couple of times a month. I have zero other hobbies and I drive a 2003 Nissan Altima with 205K miles on it. My guitars are pretty much the only nice things I own, or really the only things in my house that aren't my wife's or kids'. I don't think $3K is a ridiculous price for a guitar. In fact, I think that's a perfect price for some amazing instruments by boutique builders.