Some background and then a question or two. Covid appears, I’m 57 and recently ‘retired’. So, I get a cheap used acoustic, log onto Steve Stine’s YouTube channel, and learn to play. After 3 years, I have a nicer acoustic, and a couple decent electric guitars, along with a Yam THR10II desk amp. I can play some things, mostly Zeppelin and Metallica.
A friend who previously played professionally encouraged me to try bass. He loaned me a 4 string, I found BassBuzz, which I completed last year, and here I am.
Bass feels more ‘natural’, and is my primary music interest at this point. I have a Ray 34, a Ray 35, and cheap acoustic bass. I’m now taking lessons with a well-regarded local bassist and teacher, and that is where I’m putting most of my effort. I still like to play 6 string some days after I’ve logged my daily bass time. However, I have a very nice electric that as much as it’s awesome, I can’t help wonder if it’s distracting me from making the progress I should on bass. Thinking about keeping just my acoustic, a basic electric, and getting rid of my premium 6 string.
Any of you who started on guitar face this dilemma? Did you downsize your six string stuff? If so did it help you focus on bass? Just curious.
I wouldn’t, I still keep my Les Paul (Epi) on my rack almost all the time. They’re both stringed instruments, so to a degree it’s still relevant. More important than that though, play what you want to play in that moment. Whatever keeps you engaged and wanting to play something is the important bit imo.
Longer answer: I’ve played guitar since I was 14, and have owned too many to remember. Most were traded or sold over the years, but I always kept one or more.
I later played bass in a band before I stopped playing altogether for years as life pretty much commandeered my attention.
But I more than made up for that time when I committed to learning fingerstyle guitar. That decision led to my founding a magazine for/about acoustic players and commissioning the builds of several handmade custom steel-string guitars.
Covid lockdown time gave me the chance to get back to my interest in bass, and B2B made my goal of learning finger plucking achievable.
All to say, I’d suggest holding on to your fave guitars. They’re worth it.
I still have my first guitar from when I started at 9. It doesn’t even have strings on it, but there are too many memories to part with it. I gave one guitar to my daughter and my best Martin hasn’t been played since I started bass. But, it’s a beautiful instrument and I keep it out. Now I have more basses than guitars!
Play what you feel. If you have the space, keep em. You only regret the ones you parted with.