One day I'll figure out how to post images in a format recognized here. Dumb on me.
I've been playing guitar since I'm 14, and over the years have owned well more than hundred. Today I own 19. Some are old and worthless, but of historical note like my three Stellas, and others are true collectors items of inestimable value like my original Dan Electro I bought new when I was 14 for $39.95 (to play in one of the worst R&R bands to play at sweet sixteens, and known to mankind, also in the band was a then unknown Lou Reed who knew all of 5 chords and couldn't keep a rhythm, but he had a fire within).
My mainstay for many years is my maple Guild J45 212, a bright toned jumbo 12 string which may be the exemplary Guild guitar. The six string I'd been playing the most is one of the early Taylors, a claro walnut auditorium model that sings true. My two relatively recent acquisitions are a Taylor Tz5 Koa, a retirement gift from the family, and one of my few electrics. My most recent, and now becoming the guitar I use most often, is a Lowden F50, with African Blackwood, a redwood soundboard and mahogany neck, purchased this past summer from Lowden's own shop, and setup for me right there. True master tones, and it makes me sound much better than I am.
The guitar I'm most proud of is a mid 1930's Vega parlor guitar. Not a great sounding guitar, or all that much of playable guitar. However the decorative inlay work which covers almost the entire soundboard and most of the fretboard, abalone, mother of pearl with shaved and carved semi precious stones, and rare wood veneer freeform tiles in the form of a rising phoenix is spectacular. I don't know if that was how it was sold or if someone did that work afterwards. Likely the latter. I've taken it shows, lent it to museums for displays, and always received many unsolicited offers greater than its worth. It is a real work of art. My wife turned it up at an estate auction more than 25 years ago, bought it for me for a $110. Lucky me, no other bidders.
On an aside, about 18 years ago, from a friend who was culling his own collection, for $600 I bought a Les Paul for my nephew who was then just learning, he was 13, taking lessons for a year in California where he lived with his folks. This Les Paul was a second, a sunburst finish with Gibson misspelled on the head. But it was and is a great sounding and responsive guitar. He's been playing it ever since. A few years ago, he was performing at a club in northern California when an older fellow approached him and offered him $10k for the guitar. My nephew explained it was a gift and his favorite guitar, not for sale. The potential buyer said that guitar had been his many years back and he pawned it when he was short of cash. He identified himself as Eric Clapton. We'll likely never know if it really was Eric, or if the guitar was his, but it makes for a great story.
Right now, with my amateur luthier skills, I'm rebuilding a Kalamazoo parlor guitar of unknown vintage. Not worth much, not much of a guitar, but they once were one of the most popular inexpensive mass produced guitars in America, and made by hand from real old growth woods, no veneers, no press boards and a solid carved ebony neck, with the fretboard carved into the neck. Not much of a tragedy if I screw up.
