[Buzz]

Doug Martsch from Treepeople and Built to spill has used the same guitar for twenty years! Hes an amazing guitarist, one of my favorites. Check out Built to Spills , Keep it like a secret, and Perfect from now on, also you gotta hear Treepeoples guilt, regret, embarresment, which is sometimes how i feel about all the guitars i've collected. I got a 66' Fender Mustang out of high school and a Princeton II and shoulda just stuck with that.
Anyhow check out the article below about Doug.

Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch: The Lure of Limitations | Premier Guitar

 

[KapnKrunch]

Haha. Yes I use three different guitar/amp pairs for jazzy, poppy & rocky sounds. Otherwise I get bored with my own mediocre playing. I wonder if Doug owns an acoustic?

From the interview he seems like a real "guitar player" considering that his lyrics are derived from "babble"; and he is "not a story teller"; and singing is "only to keep it interesting". Good for him, looks like he is doing just great.

 

[Budda]

That's commitment to what works haha.

I wonder what that's saved him over the years...

 

[tomee2]

Of course, it’s a Strat Plus!

 

[SaucyJack]

Cool story. Back in '72 my uncle bought an SG Deluxe that he's gigged ever since. The thing has a million miles on it by now.

 

[tomee2]

Is owning 4 or 5 or 10 guitars a recent thing? Back in the 80s or 90s was it seen as you’re a more serious musician if you have only one guitar?
I’ve got 4, and I’m always thinking I need to get down to maybe 2.

 

[jdto]

Is owning 4 or 5 or 10 guitars a recent thing? Back in the 80s or 90s was it seen as you’re a more serious musician if you have only one guitar?
I’ve got 4, and I’m always thinking I need to get down to maybe 2.

Why? Lots of guitar players have multiple guitars. Four doesn’t seem like too many of you play them all.

 

[Steadfastly]

I have three again after going down to one for awhile and I would like one more. I don't need one more, I would just like one more.

 

[Robert1950]

I had a Fender mustang is the late 60s and early 70s. Bloody thing had a problem staying in tune. Way back then, I never heard of things like binding at the nut or the inherent problems with the trem system on some Mustangs. I just though it was a problem with the tuning keys.

 

[tomee2]

Why? Lots of guitar players have multiple guitars. Four doesn’t seem like too many of you play them all.

I wonder if switching between them is slowing my progress down as I struggle to learn how to play, having started as an older adult almost 3 years ago. The necks range from pretty slim with small frets (Squier 60s Tele) to what a friend says is a 59 Gibson neck with medium frets (Gibson LPJ). I can play on them all but would I play better if I just had one neck to deal with?
(Funny looks from the wife might be a factor in this too.... )

 

[jdto]

I wonder if switching between them is slowing my progress down as I struggle to learn how to play, having started as an older adult almost 3 years ago. The necks range from pretty slim with small frets (Squier 60s Tele) to what a friend says is a 59 Gibson neck with medium frets (Gibson LPJ). I can play on them all but would I play better if I just had one neck to deal with?
(Funny looks from the wife might be a factor in this too.... )

I think you have to decide what works for you. Every time I think “I only need one” I can’t decide which it is. My neck variance isn’t that wide, as I prefer fat necks, but I think it only takes a little while to get used to the differences. Maybe rotate them weekly so you have time to settle in a bit? I think being able to play different necks gives you a different feel and maybe more versatility.

 

[Buzz]

The middle position on a strat is great!

 

[Budda]

I can play on them all but would I play better if I just had one neck to deal with?

Nope.

Getting better is a matter of putting the time in, not how much gear you own.

 

[Dorian2]

pffft. I played my LP solely from '86 - 2015 before I decided to get another electric. Just play the damn thing. Having said that, I'm now at 6 guitars with 1 Bass, 3 acoustics, 2 electrics and one that I still have to finish piecing together. I have a bad habit of picking up a guitar to play it instead of doing tech work on it.

 

[Gavz]

Big fan of Doug & BTS, got his autograph and a quick chat once, super nice dude.

Love the Strat Plus. Doug has some great effects and uses vintage gear (seen it on stage). BTS shows get really trippy.

He has an acoustic blues-folk album which is pretty well written and he likes to busk in his down time. I always got a Neil Young vibe from him.

For those that love their first one, I started out as a bass player and still have my first guitar, an Ibanez Ergodyne, and it is always my grab & go when needed.

 

[Roryfan]

The middle position on a strat is great!

Esp. w/out a tone control connected to it a la EJ.

I once read a Robin Trower interview where he said that he’s recorded entire albums using only the middle pickup.