HELP! How do you guys decide on selling a guitar?

[The_Active_Conundrum]

I've sold many guitars.

Some I regret selling (such as my MIM Fender 40th anniversary. Its been everywhere, seen so much, changed hands a dozen times. Best strat I've ever played).

The first point is the uniqueness/useability of the tones of the instrument. However, the main issue, the deal maker or breaker is how likely it is to replace. There's a couple instruments I have that could easily be replaced if destroyed/sold/stolen. Namely my basses and acoustics. Others are quite a bit harder, like my '78 les Paul Custom or Buckethead Les Paul. I'm not ever going to let go of those if I can help it. Ibanez AX 7 string? easy enough to replace or better.

As far as deciding how many instruments is too many. My general rule is if I were to try to restring them all at once, would it take all day? If yes, time to consolidate.

[whiskey_face]

in the case in the closet for 6 months

If I don't get curious again, after 6 months I play it and remember why it pisses me off.

sell it 6 months later then I should've, that's how I do it.

[Sardocasm]

Usually I'll just get bored with a guitar that isn't my SG and I'll offload it for something else.

[ChetMagongalo]

If you aren't having fun often playing your instrument you should probably sell it. I don't see any other reason too unless you'd rather have the money for something else.

[colossus]

Sometimes I wish that I hadn't modded all of my guitars into worthlessness.

hahahha I'm going through this as well. Each of my guitars are so personalized I feel like people wouldn't hardly pay anything for them if I tried to sell them

Yeah...I have this problem. That's why I don't buy expensive guitars. I have this terrible feeling that even if one day I decided to buy an AVRI or some beautiful vintage JM, nothing would stop me from just modding the fuck out of it, and not in ways exactly respectful to the integrity of the instrument. I know that I"ll never get back what I put in to these instruments, least monetarily, but out-there modding is fun. I guess I'm just paying extra for fun.

Or just find someone who digs your mods and aesthetic.

[spacelordmother]

I'm in the same boat and I don't even know. EFF. I definitely want to downsize, but things have sentimental value or fill a sonic niche and it makes things so harrrrrrd!

[Achtane]

In the end, this was my decision-making process:
Am I about to be fucked? -> Yes -> Which guitar have I not chopped up? -> uhhhh...........................................................oh, the SGV -> GOODBYE

[ChetMagongalo]

Am I about to be fucked?

TWSS

[MrNovember]

Am I about to be fucked?

TWSS

I really need to step up my game!
That one was good and so obvious!
How do I keep missing these?!

[ChetMagongalo]

I normally don't opt for those but I laugh at the idea of a girl asking someone that question so bluntly

[rfurtkamp]

The thing to watch for is the 'I can always flip it later' leads many folks to buy far more things than they perhaps should.

If I keep something past the return policy period, I don't sell it unless it's that or live on the streets type stuff. And as I've gotten older, that doesn't happen as I'm not young and reckless any more.

Exceptions are made for stuff I am buying strictly for resale, which is also rare (the deal has to be phenomenal enough I can flip it with no effort and make it worth my time).

I have far more guitars than I need these days (and two see very little use, but they have sentimental value and aren't replaceable - if I ever say wanted a Strat again I won't find one that makes me any happier than the one I already don't play much), but excess is not a bad thing.

I'm also not one to get caught up in 'stuff, what do I do?' - I see a guitar, or have a sound in my head, and I go for it. Boom, presto, done.

[Bassist_Diver]

"Have I played it in the past 6 months?" followed shortly by "Do I need this for any gigs or older songs I might play?" 2 "nos" and it's gone.

[benjuro]

I used to keep stuff for the "it'll be useful someday" rationale but no more. My gear buying tends to follow a binge-then-purge pattern...like when I want a new small amp for the house, I tend to buy two or even three that I'll be able to flip for the money I pay for them, and then let them duke it out. Loser(s) get packed up and hit the road. Gear that had been around a long time or that has sentimental value can definitely be harder to let go of. Someone mentioned how getting offers on c-list tells you whether you're ready to move on or not, this is absolutely the case. I've pulled more than one ad and had to say it's no longer available.
I let stuff go when I see it gathering dust...if I'm getting rid of gear b/c I need $$$, then you know I fucked up real bad.