Collings I-35 Deluxe

[ram]

Mojo, I see that you've lovingly photographed that Collings I-35 Deluxe and mentioned you wished you hadn't sold it but I wonder...


Is that guitar worth $5,500 before tax? I'm sure you can spend ALOT of money on musical instruments and so easily justify that price in comparison to what a pianist must pay to get a Steinway upright but for a guitarist.... with so many great instruments out there...

Is it $2,000 better than a ES 335?

I've never heard one and though I've listened to you play, the music ultimately comes out of these cheap Apple IMac speakers, not my Genz Benz BP 30 112.

If you had to work overtime for the money to buy that guitar. Would you spend $5,500 to get it new?

[Mojo]

They are fantastic guitars. Are they $2K better than a 335? Well, they're so much more more than a 335 that it's hard to compare the two. You can get convincing LP tones out of it, for example.

This said, it's the law of diminishing returns once you get over a certain price.

But yeah, I'd love to be able to afford another one some day. Incredible guitars.

[469roadking]

Collings makes some incredible stuff. I had the chance to try out one of the LP Jr P90 models a while back. (can't remember their model designation). Wonderful instrument.
Per price of a great guitar, in my humble opinion, once you can discern the difference then the gap shrinks a bit. But to me there is a ceiling on all this as well. I'm not a collector and I don't think I'm a guitsnob ( at least I hope not). For instance 4 -5k for a custom built instrument that will serve me well and pass to my children's children and so on will probably accrue value along the way. And provided I can afford it then no problem. 10k however for a Gibson custom shop Paul that is inspired by a guitar that someone else played 30 years ago? I can't go that. They are tools of the trade. I love my Tom Anderson guitar that I paid 2300 for and my Taylor that I paid 1700 for 10 years ago. And I use them weekly. But my main guitar is a partscaster Tele that I built up myself that I may have 8 or 900 dollars in. I love that guitar just as much and it sounds and plays better that guitars worth twice the price.
I guess my point is that a great guitar doesn't have to cost 5k but if you pick one that does and you can tell the difference then it's worth the difference.
And that's what I tell my wife. ;D