The Magic Number

Aside from every guitarist’s in-built GAS affliction, Neville Marten has recently been asking himself, ‘How many guitars do I actually need?’

You may have heard me saying how I don’t collect guitars but merely get what I need by trading up to procure ever-improved instruments. I’ve also said how our colleague Jason Sidwell, when confronted by a glistening piece of temptation, always asks himself, “Is this a case of desire or require?” If it’s ‘desire’, he puts it to the back of his mind; if it’s ‘require’, he’ll search out the best instrument for the keenest price and use it to invest in his musical career. Of course, the ideal combination would be ‘desire’ and ‘require’.

While it’s sad to think about, several friends have passed away in recent years, leaving guitars, amps, pedals and other paraphernalia for their families who, if they intend to sell on the gear, often have no idea of the value and are at risk of being ripped off by unscrupulous folk. While I don’t intend to shuffle off just yet, the thought occurred to me that my relatives would have little idea, either. Then, a chat with Jamie (and recalling Jason’s question) got me thinking – what three instruments could I strip back to, but still allow me to do all I need?

Before I reveal all, let me tell you about an old friend who, for decades, has held down roles in top recording and touring bands. He owned just one guitar – a very old Fender Esquire – and it covered every style he’s ever been called on to play. A one-pickup Tele? Yes, but he learned to extract every nuance of tone from every position on that peculiarly wired three-way, and knew how every micro-turn on the volume and tone controls would affect his sound. Rock? No problem. Blues? Same. Country? A doddle. Jazz? Even jazz. Plus, he knew and loved the guitar’s neck shape, its weight and everything. How I wish I could have done that – what time and expense it would have spared.

Picking Favourites

I currently own three Strats, two Teles, a Les Paul, an ES-335, a Martin D-28, a Martin Dreadnought Junior, a Gibson Hummingbird, and a Fender Precision bass. The Dread Junior I keep abroad for when I travel to see my sister in Istanbul, so that doesn’t count in my overall tally. I love to own a nice bass, but the Custom Shop Precision can obviously go.

Then we come to Strats. Three? Really? I’d keep my custom-built red Fender (because it’s special), but I have a sunburst maple-neck one that I love, plus the white one I refinished for Guitarist back in issue 443. The latter could go, even though it was a labour of love, and yes, I suppose the sunburst, too.

Of the two Teles in my care, I probably like the Daphne Blue one with rosewood fingerboard and Twisted Tele pickups more than the ’52 Butterscotch one. But I fear that’s a slightly better guitar, so this would be a case of head over heart.

Les Paul versus ES-335? That’s a tricky one. I should really keep the Murphy LP as it’s universally loved when Mick Taylor uses it on That Pedal Show. But I think I’m more of a 335 guy and, to be honest, mine was the favourite of the three that Mick and I tried recently. Plus, a 335 can do almost anything a Lester can do, but you can’t quite say the same in reverse. So, semi beats solid on this occasion. “When confronted by a glistening piece of temptation, our colleague always asks himself, ‘Is this a case of desire or require?’”

As for acoustics? Gibson versus Martin. While my Hummingbird is a sweet-toned, beautiful-looking thing, the D-28 really is the Dreadnought, and the Dread is the acoustic. So that stays. That takes it down to four, so the final dilemma is, Strat or Tele? It’s got to be Strat. It just does more and, to be honest, my red one could actually replace the lot. So. That’s it then. The red Strat, red ES-335, and plain old D-28 should see me out quite happily.

Of course, you know what I’m thinking now? Just imagine what I could buy with all those spoils! See you next time, with a couple of lost-and-found stories…