Yeah, it's probably the whole "putting down roots" thing. I was more interesting in acquiring stuff and perhaps pined a bit more for long lost gear when I had more room and thought I had my life sorted. Now that I'm kind of floating in the breeze again (even if it is against my will and better judgment) the thought of extra stuff just makes my back hurt. I don't see myself being truly settled again for at least another couple moves. It's ticking me off frankly but as far as gear is concerned I'm a lot more educated and disciplined in regards to what will be useful and how not to waste my money on crap. I have so little cash to put towards stuff that when a purchase is actually made it is something that is ridiculously useful and cost effective.
 
For example my main guitar now which I purchased used just before I built the new DAW is an early-mid 90s Yamaha Pacifica "Strat". I tested a bunch of them when they first came out and any time I saw one I would always pick it up and fiddle around a bit. They were really nice to play and that always stuck in my mind (the newer I think probably aren't as nice but I don't think I've handled one). This one had been completely modded as a hot rod "Superstrat" with Seymours (bridge humbucker/single coil, hot rail and some other fancy single coild I forget the name of at the middle neck positions) and the fancy push button switching system. The electronics alone are worth $300 and I snagged it for $300 online sight unseen. It just seemed to call to me so I took the chance. Even came with an unannounced hardshell case which was a surprise. Well the thing is awesome and completely replaces a bunch of other guits I had gotten rid of and/or wanted to get rid of AND adds some serious hard blues tones to my sound if I want which had always been lacking in my gear. It's not PERFECT for everything but it's REALLY good for almost anything. It needs a new nut and I'd like to get some lock tuners and maybe a new bridge and get the push pots cleaned (the pots are fine but the buttons are a little sticky) so with all that I'll probably be sinking another $300 into it. $600 for one axe to do the job of many when all is said and done. Much better than some of the vintage, super fragile and ridiculously expensive stuff I've owned and more versatile.
 
Sure I'd like to own nicer guits again but really I can only play one at a time and the money is better spent on the recording stuff and... well eating.
 
Sorry... kind of started rambling there but yeah, I guess after years of owning lots of crap it's a little liberating going minimalist. Hope you've been well. Cheers.

I've heard great things about Pacificas. Could be an option if I ever feel like re-integrating a strat-type of guitar into my set up, and, even w/ a pick up upgrade, probably less expensive than fixing and upgrading my retired Fender. 
 
I'm really into Les Pauls these days. W/ the recent purchase of the Epiphone LP Traditional Pro, I think I've pretty much went as far as I could this side of Gibson, so I probably wouldn't buy more of the same. The traditional Pro and my trusty standard are as much as I need. One main, one back up. 
 
So whenever I have the money to buy another one, it'll probably have to be the big Gibson LP. Unless I try something entirely different like a tele or I don't know what. But I've tried that recently w/ an SG and I ended up buying the LP traditional instead.

Pacificas, Tokai's and Agiles are all really nice (I know people who own all of these and none have a negative comment).  I know someone who's a Tokai dealer and he just posted some pics of new stock last month.  Here's a couple examples of the Les Paul styles (I really like the Strat styles too):
 

 

 
And here's a Agile or two.
 

 

 

I've been eyeballing some of the $300-400 range ES-335 style guits floating around right now. There's a BB King model too which is a little more but it looks amazing and would fill the gap the Yammie doesn't cover as far as that sweet chrome humbucker sound. Feedback used to be a major problem for me with the Saga live so it unfortunately didn't get used much but having something like that in the studio would be slick.
 
And, Rain... if you do start looking around at Strat style Pacificas try both the older ones from the 90s and the current models. I think the older ones might be a little sturdier and well built. They were going for mid range guitar prices back then ($400-600 for basic models) so I think they put a little more work into them. Some also had cool locking machine heads. I was a little saddened this one didn't have those.
 
However you can currently buy new Pacifica DIY kits for like $150 and from what I've read they turn out just as good if not better than the prefabbed ones out right now and you could forego the electronics install and just toss what you want in it from the start saving a bit of time. Not sure if you can get the kits sans electroniques though.

Here's a Tokai 335 style Beepster.
 

Nice. This is the one I'm drooling over but it's more expensive than I thought...
 

 
 
Still a pretty good deal though at $700 if it plays/sounds good. They have less fancy Epi versions more in my price range but IDK... I just have a good feeling about this model. Maybe they'll come down in price by the time I can think about stuff like this again.

Love the Lucille's Beep.  Black is always one of my favorite finishes.  I have thought about getting one as well.  Last year on my 50th, I bought this Epi 335 Dot.  I ordered it online through Guitar Center, unseen untouched.  Scared the living daylights out of me to do that, but figured, what the hay.... if I don't like it I will return it.  I loved it right out of the box.  
 
I had a Gibson Classic 57 plus pick up laying around that I took out of another guitar a while back.  It had a chrome cover.  I took a utility knife, cut the soder joints on the back and pulled the cover off.  Then, I bought a gold cover to go with the rest of the hardware.  I took the Epi pick up out and then struggled at putting the new Gibson in.  I have done countless Les Paul's in my life, the hollow body Dot threw me though because there is no access to the back.  In retrospect, I should have tied a string to the old one when I pulled it out.  I have a regular guitar tech that I take them to for set ups any way....so I just hauled it into him.  He charged me, like, $30.00 to install it.  I watched him and it took him, maybe 10 minutes and made me look like a fool.  Obviously, he had done this quite a few times with 335 style guitars.
 
This guitar now plays and sounds every bit the real deal.  I actually play it more than my Paul's.  The tone was just a tad bright compared to the Paul that it came off.  The mahogany back of a Paul must darken the tone a little.  Simple fix is that you dial the tone knob back to 8-9 and it's perfect.  I need to pick up another Gibby neck pick up now and complete the transition.  I figure that I will watch Ebay when I am ready.  The final tweak that I made was to buy a new pick guard for it.  I peeled the "E" off the pick guard, but the glue they use welds a bond to the plastic and leaves an embossed image in the plastic.  I just simply bought another after market pick guard and replaced it.
 
 

That is one pretty lady. :)

rsp@odyssey.net

craigb
I'm not even going to start... *Sigh*

 
This!

Me too....

Just a sample...
 

All gone.
 

 
Gone.
 

 
Gone. 
 
 

Gone.
 

 
Everything except the guitar - gone.
 
Plus about a dozen cabs not shown.