Just saw a regular TV programme this evening here in Australia called 'The Collectors'.
One of articles tonight included a featured collector (usually people with antiques, memorabilia etc) who was a guy with 260 guitars, including 160 of his favourites- Telecasters....
Perhaps it's just me these days who thinks this is ridiculous?
I can understand a professional player owning say, a dozen different instruments (solid, acoustic, bass, 12 string etc etc ) to use as his 'tools of trade'.
I can even understand an average guy, perhaps older and/or reasonably comfortable financially, who has a collection of perhaps six or eight guitars that he always wanted and couldn't afford as a young fella- perhaps a set of Shadows or Beatles guitars..
But 260 guitars??????
Is this some sort of morbid obsession, wanting every possible model or colour, of say, Telecasters or Strats or Les Pauls etc?
Such a person would be lucky to ever be able to play every one of a collection that large, surely? In fact, some of these people either play only to an average standard or sometimes, don't even play guitar at all! I saw another TV feature some time ago on a 'rare guitar' collector who didn't actually play the guitar!
I've seen a young financial genius yuppie type bloke on e-Bay selling some of his 'portfolio' of rare vintage guitars....
Could the guitars collected just be a bragging point- 'Look at me, I've got the most!!' or 'he with the most toys..wins'? or what??
Unlike say, postage stamps, or beer mats, or many other items people collect, many old guitars can still be used to create music today, but most of these 'collectables' will probably never be played by a musician, and will remain financial investment objects or some bloke's hidden treasures or toys...
What do you think??
And PLEASE spare me the response often given to that question these days ('Because he/she/we/I CAN...')