How many instruments do you own?

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 10 Nov 12 - 07:36 AM

+1: this morning I bought a Yamaha fife. The size of a D whistle but side-blown and very cheap. I can't do much with it yet, but where would we be if we only bought instruments we could already play?

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 09:20 PM

Too many.

Not enough.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 03:31 PM

I dont, I am just using them temporarily until i pass onto heaven, then with a bit of luck i might get somethimng better than a Stagi

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 03:17 PM

One guitar, 6 harmonicas, and lots of spoons in my cutlery drawer.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: foggers
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 03:14 PM

Well I can only speak with certainty about my own collection, as Him Indoors has many items still packed away in boxes since we moved house.

I own 3 guitars; 1 Takemine electro acoustic, 1 baby Tanglewood, one Ozark single cone resonator
4 banjos; Wildwood Troubadour, Gold Tone White Lady, Ozark travel banjo anda Keech banjulele
7 Appalachian dulcimers; one Ledford, one Yocky, one McSpadden ginger, one Hora, 2 made by my OH and a Ken Bloom bowed dulcimer
3 ukes; cheap laminate soprano, koa laminate concert, mahogany tenor
1 entry level fiddle
1 Charlie Hind double ocarina
5 recorders (all sizes from sopranino to bass)
Keyless flute
Thumb piano
Several percussion items (shaky eggs, cabasa, dan moi mouth harps, tibetan finger cymbals)
And me own big gob.....

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 01:54 PM

I put my list on another forum here. On that forum I can keep editing it as I remember more. But I am not going to try listing the small percussion thingies.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 06:01 PM

In the hope that someone comes along and pinches the bloody things thus saving us the job of getting shot of the feckers ourselves - which we'd never do anyway. Then we may start afresh, or just concentrate on just the one, like sensible people do.

In my case it would be the baroque oboe. Or the tenor saxophone. Or the trombone. Or the electric bass. Or the guanzi. Or the shakuhachi. Or the lyra viol. Or the Fender Rhodes. Or the Roland Gaia. Or...

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: selby
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 05:39 PM

Tell me why you are all putting lists of saleable instruments on the internet?

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: redhorse
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 02:46 PM

If you know how many you've got, you're not doing it properly................

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Jenny S
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 02:24 PM

Too many

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 01:42 AM

If we just get the right one. Our lives will be completely changed.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Moothie man
Date: 29 Oct 12 - 05:01 PM

Got to 64 harmonicas and lost count

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 29 Oct 12 - 01:07 AM

Oh, heck, I guess I'll play too...

Guitars:
Santa Cruz OM-PW
Martin DC-28
Martin 00-15
Martin J12-15
Gibson J-45
Gibson archtop (low-end, circa 1966)
Guild jumbo 12-string
Wechter Pathmaker
Loprinzi dreadnought
Alvarez classical
Fender Stratocaster
Yamaha ES-335 copy
Dean wood-bodied round-neck reso
Gold Tone/Beard squareneck reso

Master Works 16-15 hammered dulcimer
Dusty Strings D-10 (12-11) hammered dulcimer
Self-built hammered dulcimer
Antique hammered dulcimer built into a lidded box

Alvarez 5-string banjo
Dixon 5-string banjo
No name open-back tenor banjo
Gibson mando-banjo

Flatiron flat-top mandolin
21-bar Autoharp
Jerry Read Smith bowed psaltery
Cooperman goatskin bodhran
Remo synthetic skin bodhran
Bagful of assorted percussion stuff

and if amps count
Fender Acoustosonic Junior amp
Marshall very much NON-acoustic amp

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 04:06 PM

Surely the Incredible String Band must have featured a mellotron at some stage...?

If only...

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 12:43 PM

Counting harmonicas, or just harmonicas that still work?

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 11:01 AM

Lots of changes from 10 years ago when I last posted to this thread.

Voice.
4 Marc Beneteau flattops,
2 Joshua House flattops,
Joshua House guitar shaped mando-cello-like-object,
Moon mandolin,
Peter Cox mandolin,
Godin fretless 5 string bass,
Ernie Ball-Musicman/OLP fretted 5 string bass,
Samick 4 string bass,
Homemade 4 string bass,
GoldTone Irish Tenor 4 string banjo,
GoldTone 5 string banjo,
Kala soprano ukulele,
Mahalo baritone ukulele,
LaPatrie classical guitar,
Wolff Brothers violin,
Dobro wood body resonator guitar,
Regal steel body resonator guitar,
Fender Aerodyne Telecaster,
Fender Stratocaster,
Gretsch Electromatic,
Godin LG,
Godin Progression,
Godin Richmond Belmont,
Ibanez Artcore,
Autoharp,
Excelsior accordion,
Yamaha digital piano,
2 djembe (one of which my youngest got made for me in Ghana),
Various hand drums,
Various rhythm/percussion instruments,
Rainstick,
Various pennywhistles,
Various amplifiers,
Plus various guitars in varied states of disrepair in my cellar, on consignment in a music store, or student grade loaners not worthy of mention. I may have forgotten something.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 09:53 AM

Harmonium Hero, the original quote was (I think) Ralph McTell, and was 'If a man knows how many guitars he's got, he hasn't got enough!'

Sadly, I know how how many I've got, and for the record:

Three steel strung acoustics
One nylon strung acoustic
One thinline tele fitted with an acoustic bridge
One Acoustic bouzouki
One tele style electric bouzouki
Two acoustic mandolins
One tele style electric mandolin
Two banjos, one 5 string one tenor
Two autoharps in various states of disrepair!
One dulcimer


John

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 09:39 AM

I'd like to have a vintage Theremin. A marimba. Xylophone. Nice accordion. Hammond B3.Pipe organ. Pump organ. Hurdy Gurdy. Monkey.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 09:29 AM

Surely the Incredible String Band must have featured a mellotron at some stage...?

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 06:11 AM

I just added a Deering Boston banjo to my herd.

Ah! The Scientology Banjo people...

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 05:03 AM

Top prize should go to anyone who owns a working Mellotron....

Too true! But can anyone think of a folk album with a mellotron on it??? I can't, but you'd think it would be the perfect thing for muckle ballads. Imagine if Dolly Collins had used one. Mellotrons remain my main keyboard fantasy, although I hear Pip's plea...

I want a clavichord now. Curses!

...with a certain empathy, although they are very quiet.

Back in the real world, Rachel & I were testdriving a MicroKORG in Liverpool yesterday with a view to adding one pretty soon. Not sure if it had a clavichord setting but as replacement for our little-used lap-top harmonium it's going to be ideal.

*

John's mention of rebecs reminds me I've got two, both by Tim Hobrough: a wee one and a curious bass which was recently gifted to me. Naturally, I have an Ideal Fantasy Rebec too - the Goerge treble which you can buy at the EMS for a mere £630. It looks like it's been made in a Year 7 woodwork class but it's the finest sounding rebec I've ever played by a long chalk - if anyone knows the Clemencic Consort's iconic recordings of the Cantigas de Santa Maria*, then think of Michael Dittrich's Rabe Morisco on Cantiga #25 and that's the sound right there! Priced for wealthy posh early muso types for whom paying over the odds for badly made (but authentic) instruments is par for the course, I'd maybe buy it a half that - hell, or tha sort of money I could get a genuine 18th century violin (complete with ghost) and have enough left over to get a couple of half-decent bows. Still, any fiddlers passing the Salts Mill at Saltair anytime soon go have a look. And be sure to check out the bhajis, pakora & samosas at the Spar in Shipley whilst you're passing...   

* Add this to your 70's Folk Albums, Pip!

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 02:18 AM

Top prize should go to anyone who owns a working Mellotron....

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 02:10 AM

@Harmonium Hero, I think you win for the most instruments.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Don Firth
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 11:49 PM

I've been through a fair number of instruments since I first took up the guitar in 1952. My first guitar was a $9.95 Regal, which, fortunately, was tunable, had a fairly soft action, and the intonation was on, even if it did have the kind of tone you'd expect from a guitar made out of old apple crates.

In 1954, I bought myself a Martin 00-18 steel-string guitar (I felt like a junior executive with his first BMW!). But about a year later, I started taking classical guitar lessons, and my new teacher told me that the 00-18, with its steel strings and narrow fingerboard, wouldn't be suitable. So I traded it in (got a very good deal!) on a Martin 00-28-G, Martin's top-of-the-line classic.

I spent some time in Denver, Colorado, in a physical therapy sanitarium there (trying to alleviate some of the ravages of polio when I was two years old), and since my room was open all the time and anybody could walk in and make off with the guitar, I got a Harmony 173. The same dimensions as the Martin and it sounded okay, but it was a fraction of the cost of the Martin. Just in case.

In the late Fifties, I took a whack at the 5-string banjo. I got a cheapy ($35.00) and a copy of Pete Seeger's instruction book and record, and set about learning to play the thing. Eventually, I got a long-necked Vega "Seeger Model." About $300 at the time. Great machine! I got pretty good with the thing, but when it came to performing various places, lugging my guitar (primary instrument) AND the banjo (bloody thing in its case weighed a ton!) was a real chore, so I just didn't use it that much and eventually sold it. But given a couple of days with a banjo, I think I could pick it up again pretty fast.

In 1958, the Seattle Classic Guitar Society was organized, bringing together a few dozen classical guitar enthusiasts, including a number of really fine guitarists. AND guitars! I was introduced to several European made instruments, and although my Martin classic was a respectable instrument, serious classical guitarists regarded it in the same way car buffs who owned Bentleys and Ferraris would regard a Chrysler sedan. Nice. It'll get you there. But—

I soon got myself a Vincente Tatay, made in Barcelona. Not all that expensive, but a very rich sound. That's what Richard Dyer-Bennet played early on, before he got his Manuel Velazquez.

A couple of years later, a friend and member of the guitar society came back from Spain with an absolutely outrageous flamenco guitar—which he had made for him by luthier Arcangel Fernandez. And it cost him a mere $100 American! Bill helped me order one like it, which I got a year and a half later, total cost about $175, which included import duty and air freight from Madrid. Not saying this was a great guitar, but shortly thereafter, I learned that Montoya, Sabicas, and Mario Escudero were all playing Fernandez flamenco guitars. This demanded that I learn some flamenco, which I did from one of the guitarists who was playing at the Spanish Village exhibit at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair (Flamenco dancing show several times a day, and Antonio was one of the three guitarists accompanying them and playing guitar solos).

Well, to cut a long story short(er), I went through a number of other guitars in the following years, often because I didn't want to take guitars like the "Arcangel" to some bash where someone would stumble and pour beer into the soundhole or walk off with it when I went to the john, so I did have a couple of fairly good "beaters."

My current stable of instruments: I still have the Arcangel Fernandez flamenco, which, I discovered, is worth over 100 times what I paid for it if I were to sell it through a broker such as The Guitar Salon, that deals only in fine classical and flamenco guitars!! They sold a 1961 "Arcangel" recently for $18,000! Oy!!

I also have a classical guitar that San Diego luthier José Oribé had made in Japan to sell under his label as a "student guitar." I got it as a sort of "beater," but was surprised at how good it sounded. It was a dead ringer for the José Ramirez concert guitar that Segovia played and Christopher Parkening currently plays, but it was one-tenth of the price. I gained a real respect for the instrument when I was asked to do a program of folk songs for the Seattle Classic Guitar Society membership a few years back. Now some pretty high-priced lumber appears at these meetings, and everybody there assumed that the guitar I was playing was a José Ramirez because it looked and sounded like one—even a couple of people who owned Ramirez guitars! Not too shabby!!

A decade or so ago, my shoulders gave out from a lifetime of walking with aluminum forearm crutches, so I had to take to a wheelchair. I can't play a full-size guitar when I'm sitting in the wheelchair (lower bout of the guitar and the right wheel want to occupy the same space), so I went on-line shopping for a small-bodied travel guitar. After reading lots of web sites and reviews of travel guitars, I settled on a Go-guitar made by Sam Radding of San Diego. He makes them for both steel and nylon strings. And actually, I have one of each. They have a pretty good sound for such a small-bodied instrument, and I've actually used the nylon-string Go for a couple of concerts and several other performances. It looks like a canoe paddle with strings, but the tone and volume, if not impressive, is adequate. A few people have asked me after performances if it were a "period instrument" of some kind.

So—I currently have the Arcangel Fernandez flamenco, the Oribé classic, another classic made by Juan Alvarez when he was an apprentice of Arcangel Fernandez which I lugged around the halls of the Cornish College of the Arts music department when I was going there during the Sixties, and the two Go-guitars.

Speaking of "period instruments," I recently discovered the Baroque guitar. Five "courses"—double strings like a lute except for the highest in pitch which is single, and tuned like the top five strings of a modern guitar—small body, very ornately adorned.

A Baroque guitar being played by a young local woman, who, in addition to teaching guitar and lute at a nearby college and concert touring, last I heard she was also treasurer of the Seattle Classic Guitar Society:   Elizabeth Brown

You're not about to find a Baroque guitar hanging on the wall at your local music store. They're made by the same kind of luthiers who make lutes and such. Quite pricy.

So—not this week. . . .

Don Firth

P. S. My wife Barbara plays keyboards. She has an Estey pump organ and a small reed organ that can be collapsed into a box about the size of a foot locker. She also took a shot at learning the guitar, then the Celtic harp, the "hog-nosed" psaltery (famous in Medieval tapestries), but she feels much more at home with keyboards. It would be nice to have a baby grand piano for her to play (she plays really well; Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, all those guys), but not enough room in our apartment, even if we got rid of the Estey. I'd like to get her a good touch-sensitive (responds like a regular piano) electronic keyboard, but only with her trying it out first and approving it.   So I can't really surprise her as I'd like to.

She used to play alto clarinet in her high school marching band. She also has a lovely soprano voice. We've done a number of performances together. She sings in the church choir.

Scattered around the apartment we have baskets loaded with penny whistles and recorders of various sizes, and over the years people have given me such things as Jew's harps, kazoos, an African thumb piano, a couple of things I can't put a name to, and one shaky egg.

I think that about covers it.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 07:21 PM

Unfinished ottavino (octave spinet) from Woods kit.

Investigating this (not for me, I think - I was never any good at woodwork) I somehow ended up reading about clavichords.

I want a clavichord now. Curses!

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 03:49 PM

So many great deals now with the bad economy. I might start looking for my first accordion. Any recommendations?
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 03:27 PM

This year I have mainly been bidding on ebay for 'cloned' vintage fuzz boxes...

I've managed to not buy any guitars for getting on 2 years.............

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 03:18 PM

I just added a Deering Boston banjo to my herd.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 03:15 PM

And a tambourine.
JK

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 03:11 PM

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.....

Collapsible four-octave harmonium (actually an American Organ), marked Nishikawa & Son, but probably by Mason & Hamlin 18880s/90s?
Non-collapsible ditto, marked Nishikawa & Sons, so presumably later, actual maker unknown.
Five-octave organ. Can't remember the make, and can't get at it to check. Until I dismantle it to fix the bellows, I don't know whether it's a harmonium or an American.
Indian harmonium by Dwarkin - the company credited with the development of the instrument.
Harmoniflute (AKA lap organ), no name, but almost certainly Buisson Btevette, Paris, Ca1850s.
Guitar, Fylde Falstaff. 1979.
Fylde Signature cittern, 2005, I think.
Bohm Waldzither, date unknown, probably first half of 20thC
National tricone plectrum guitar, Ca1928.
Mandolinetto (guitar- shaped mandolin) Neopolitan Patent Mandolin Co. Date unknown.
Langeleik, made by me, Ca 1974.
Rather unauthentic rebec, by me also Ca '74.
Psaltery, me again, Ca'79.
Bowed psaltery, me Ca'73.
Balalaika, Perl Gold, Ca '68.
Cheapo Chinese ukelele, can't remember the make (Skylark?) and it's not to hand. C1970?
Hungarian cetera, date unknown, but modern. Not to hand to check maker.
Spanish laud, Greek bouzouki, Comments as above.
Baroque guitar, by me, 1991.
Tenor viol, John Rose copy, me, 1990.
Renaissance 6-course lute, me, 1989.
Fiddle (or violin, if you want to be proper), unknown make and date.
Ditto, ditto, but pre- 1883.
Neopolitan mandolin, date unknown, and not to hand, so can't ckeck maker.
Mandriola (12-stringmandolin), make and date unknown, but probably early 20thC.
Ukrainian concert bandoura. Make unpronounceable (by me, anyway), and date unknown, but modern.
Unfinished ottavino (octave spinet) from Woods kit.
One-string Stroh fonofiddle. Early 20thC.
Lira da Braccio (Renaissance 7-string bourdon fiddle) by me, 1991. (Currently out on loan)
7-string fretless banjo. George P Matthew, Ca1880s.
6-string fretless banjo, of unknown make or date, but probably 1880s.
Crappy longarm banjo, East European make, I think. Probably '70s.
Short-scale 5-string banjo (A-scale, or maybe Ladies' banjo). S S Stewart 2nd grade. date unknown.
Short-scale tenor banjo, of unknown make or date, probably prewar.
Composite Pony (short-scale banjeurine). I think the neck might be a Stewart, but I'm not an expert. Date unknown.
Banjolin. Despite any ideas you might get from sellers on Ebay, this is NOT a mandolin banjo. It's a different instrument. Not a lot of people know that. Make and date unknown, but early 20thC
Mandolin banjo. Waliostro 'Zither Mandolin'. Early 20thC.
Composite mandolin banjo; neck from a Portuguese mandolin banjo married to the pot from a John Grey uke banjo. Date unknown.
Piano; Chappell overstrung upright with concert keyboard. My mother got it as a reconditioned instrument around 1969, so original date unknown.
Renaissance bass flute in G, Barbara Stanley, Ca 1978.
Baroque flute, Stanley Toulson, Ca 1980.
My Grandad's F band flute, Ca 1900.
A 4-keyed boxwood F flute, unknown make, date unknown, but probably early 19thC.
My Grandad's Bflat fife. unknown date, can;t remember make, but think it has a Liverpool name on it.
Rudall Carte 6-keyed piccolo, unknown date.
Half dozen assorted fifes/piccolos, 1- 4- 5 and 6-keyed, in A, Bflat, D E flat and high F.
Renaissance soprano recorder by Moeck, Ca 1978
Sopranino recorder, think it's marked Boosey & Hawkes, Ca 1979.
Garkleinfloetlein, Hopf, Ca1977.
Alto & tenor crumhorns, J Wood, C 1975.
Soprano rauschpfeife (stricktly speaking, we're supposed to call it a scheierpfeife these days but old habits... Gunter Korber,Ca1973.
Alto Shawm, Gunter Korber, Ca1980.
Spanish gaita, make unknown, Ca 1976
Cheapo highland pipes. Probably Pakistani make, but with McLeod chanter. Early '70s.
English (Northumbrian) double pipes. Julian Goodacre, 2007, IIRC.
Tunisian reed pipe. 1970s.
Musette (Simple oboe). Funkenstein, Birkenhead, date unknown.
Half a dozen Jew's harps.
Several ocarinas.
Various whistles,end-blown and side-blown bamboo flutes. (Including D Shaw, Generation, Clarkes and Anon) and one or two oddball whistly things I can't put a name to.
Mute cornet. John Hanchet, 1970s.
Bass rackett. J Wood, Ca 1974.
Cow horn. Think I got it in Fort William in the '70s
Hohner chroatic harmonica, date unknown; somebody gave it to me around 1970.
15 or so diatonic harmonicas, including, Seydel Super lows in lowG Low A Low Bflat and lowC, Hohner special 20 low D, Suzuki promaster, Lee Oskar and Hohner Gs, Super Vampers (late '70s and till working!) in A & B, Hohners in Bflat, C D, F,Fsharp and a piccolo G.
Three-row button box (Csharp/D/G with 14 basses). Saltarelle Tramontane, bought secon-hand around 2004.
C system button box, 78 bass with converter for freebass. Pigini, bought second hand around 2005.
English treble concertina 48-key, Lachenal, unknown date.
Crane duet concertina. Henry Crabb, 8-sided 62-key. Date unknown.
Hayden duet concertina. Bastari no. 2 square model, 67-key.
Flutina. no name, but almost certainly Buisson Brevette, Paris, C1850s.
Old Hohner 1-row pokerwork melodeon in C. unknown date.
Small (8 bass) Hohner piano accordian. Date unknown.
Bodhran, and 2 tabors by trefor Owen, mid '70s
Bodhran of unknown make, C2005.
Pair Renaissance kettledrums, '70s
Chinese spirit drom.
Finger cymbals, bones, stepping clogs, morris clogs, washboard.
Half dozen other things which aren't mine, but loaned, left to see if I can sort them out, or in one case, left with me to get them out of the way of an acrimonious divorce.
My son and daughter, between them have half a dozen guitars, a cavalquinho (SP?) violin, flute, alto sax, trombone, euphonium, alto recorder, plectrum banjo, tenor banjo, glockenspiel, 5-drum kit, pair of timbales and 3 cowbells, a keyboard (or clothes shelf, to be more accurate - it lives in my daughter's room), and some other odds and ends of percussion. Oh, and some Irish dance shoes.
How many's that? Can\t be arsed counting.
JK.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 05:15 AM

Some people call it their collection. I call it my Instrumentarium, to which I might add...

2 Overton 3-hole pipes in low-D & G - and the tiny tuned dumbek I use as a 'tabor'.
Alto Eb Clarinet
Weltmeister 88 bass accordion
Indian 'Echo' Cornet
Turkish baglama saz
Turkish cura saz
Diverse ACME whizz sirens, whoopee whistles & other 'sound effects'.
Sedayne-made bowed lyre 'Jouhikko' circa 1983
Sedayne-made bowed lyre 'Talharp' 1983 (modified as 7 string 'Biblical Advent Harp' circa 1997)
Fretless Hofner Congress - the only 'guitar' I own. Here's a wee film of me playing it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEgk0U2D0IQ

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 04:28 AM

Martin D18
Mugen 12-string
Dean Resonator
Fender Telecaster
'55 Les Paul Jnr (reissue, dammit!)
Dean 6-string banjo converted to a tenor neck
1905 mandolin
Melody Major banjolin
Kala uke
Edwardian-era Portuguese guitarra
Old Anglo concertina

And for madame:
Bodhran (sneaking in to keep company with the musical instruments)
Various shakers and whistles.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 04:18 AM

Well, since I bought one last weekend, traded another and bought one last night, I think I'm up to 18 guitars now. And I have 4 ukes. Not 3. I just don't know where one is. And I'm buying a banjo today. The poor economy has made guitar buying a dream come true. So many great deals. And I'm helping my fellow American. Not the corporate giants that outsource so much production to Asia.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 26 Oct 12 - 02:51 PM

Oh, and I forgot a 1950s Hammond RT-2 (like a C3 but with a separate speaker cab -- slightly more portable than a steel rolling mill) that's at my mom's because it won't fit in my place. Guess I should start thinking about finding better homes for some of these? -G

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 26 Oct 12 - 02:45 PM

Lessee... 6 guitars, Clavinova, homebrew practice electronic "pipe" organ, bagpipes, Appalachian dulcimer, bodhran, melodica. I think that covers it. Not counting the innumerable penny whistles, practice bagpipe chanters, hand drums, bamboo flutes, blocks and triangles and sticks and such that are always tumbling out of closets and floating to the top of sock drawers....

No, 7 guitars if you count the Fender bass.... then again one of the guitars is Mrs Highlandman's and another is my son's, so that's down to 5.

Oh, there's a fretless Romanian lute and some incomprehensible cane fiddle thing downstairs as well. I tend to forget those because I can't play them. And my son has a violin (or fiddle, I forget which).

And then there's all the pieces of instruments...
If these were the only things I accumulated, my house would be neat.

-G

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 26 Oct 12 - 12:01 PM

I actually did lose count about 7 or 8 years ago...

If ever my wife moans about my obsessive collecting & hoarding of musical gear,
I just remind her she should be thankful
we don't live in America..

because she knows I'd be seriously tempted to collect Guns as well...

[Well... sorry.. that's provincial English boys raised on Cowboy and Secret Agent movies & TV series..]

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 26 Oct 12 - 11:44 AM

Actually, this reminds me of something I heard recently - might have been Jeff Lynne, quoting somebody else: " If you know how many guitars you've got, you haven't got enough."
JK

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 01:21 PM

Al & Phil: ROFLMAO, or something...
Here's a strange thing: if you have books full of used postage stamps, it's called a collection; a cellar full of wine at £500 a sip, it's a collection; barn full of cars... a collection; a room given over to pictures of Elvis...you guessed ...a collection. You can collect match boxes, buttons, theatre programmes, toenail clippings, and I once heard of a girl who collected split ends. But if you have more than three musical instruments, it's called Instrument Acquisition Syndrome. They just don't understand, do they?
I'll get around to listing mine when I've got half an hour to spare.
John Kelly.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 11:48 AM

I think "What would you call a good night out?" is on another thread.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 06:52 AM

a kangaroo, a sausage, three bottles of dandelion and burdock, a bag of crisps and a pair of pliers.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 06:30 AM

And I forgot my Hare Harp. This is a small 16-striong gut strung instrument based on the Anglo-Norman (Romanesque?!) harps one sees frequently illustrated in Medieval manuscripts. It was made by Tim Hobrough in 1981 which means it's been with me now for over 30 years. Here's a wee recitative of various HareLore in which I accompany myself on the Hare Harp, which is pretty much identical to the one in the picture:

The Names of the Hare

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: banjoman
Date: 25 Oct 12 - 05:52 AM

Sorry I forgot that I also have a piano

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 10:24 PM

At the moment I own four "pennywhistles" which I bought on my trip to Ireland. However, I will soon give them to my grands.

Oh, I own an upright grand piano. Too bad I can't play it!

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 05:09 AM

Too many to count really but its at leasr 30 banjos -most of which I made - 12 guitars a bouzouki, mandolin, fiddle steel guitar, bass guitar, irish harp, drum kit and about 50 whistles & recorders of various sorts. Still to check in the spare room

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 04:56 AM

Looking around as I type...

Violin (German / 1929)
Violin (Amatuer made, Didsbury. MCR / 1930)
5-string 'Pie Crust' violin (aka 'Accursed Viol' / Chinese made)
NS electric violin
Korg Kaossilator
Kaossilator Pro
Diverse cheapo Behinger stomp boxes (flangers, delays etc.)
Boss looper
SM57
Electronic shruti box
Indian pocket trumpet
Karadeniz Kemence (Turkey)
Welsh pattern medieval Crwth by Tim Hobrough
Breton pattern Crowd by Tim Hobrough
Hummel (Swedish folk instrument 1880)
Citera (Hungarian folk art treen circa 1850)
Citera (Hungarian 1980)
Vielle (Medieval fiddle / Chinese made)
Vielle (Medieval fiddle / John Savage, UK)
Tupian Chalumeau in C
C Clarinet (simple, 1920)
Bb Clarinet (simple, 1920)
10 tuned Doromb (Jew's Harps) by Zolton Szilagyi
Diverse Double drone whistles & Folk flutes from Yugoslavia, Slovakia etc.
Innumerable Jew's Harps from all corners of the human world (Dan Moi, Khomus, Scacciapensieri, Murchanga etc. etc.)
Low D whistle by Iain Wood
Various cheapo whistles & recorders (Generation, Clarks, Faedog, Aulos, Dolmetsch etc.)
Hohner button Melodica Alto
Self-made end & cross blown bamboo flutes
Overtone & harmonic flutes
Diverse Hunting horns
Indian harmonium (domestic)
Indian harmonium (portable / laptop style)
Various Chinese Gongs
Various Singing Bowls
Various African thumb-pianos
Burmese Kyeezee
4 dumbeks (various sizes)
Remo Fibreskyn Frame drum
Bendir
Bodhran (played as frame drum with snares)
Diverse Bells (Animal bells, wooden bells, ankle bells, Chamonix bells, Noah bells, Camel bells, Tiger bells...)
Diverse Fowler & hunter calls
Diverse Bird warblers
Stylophone
Chinese Er-Hu
Antique Tenor horn
Monovalve bugle
Troll Pipe (home-made one-man band flute / bowed drone & bell combination - click for sound sample)

Time for a clear out I think...

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 04:48 AM

1 x budget Martin DX1CE acoustic guitar
1 x Ian Chisholm spruce and cocobolo acoustic guitar
1 x Freshwater octave mandolin
1 x Ian Chisholm flatback mandolin
1 x Epiphone Les Paul "Black Beauty" electric guitar
1 x Harmonica ( that I can't play)
1 x Generation "C" whistle
1 x Generation "D" whistle
1 x Washburn Rover travel guitar
1 x Vintage acoustic guitar kept in Scotland for climbing trips

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 06:29 PM

Two guitars and a voice of sorts.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: Murpholly
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 02:46 PM

Bagpipes, small pipes, piano accordian, button accordian, melodian, concertina, guitar, banjo, 5 string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, three ukelelies, innumerable whistles and four mouth organs, bodhrun and shaman drum, electric organ and harmonium, jew's harp, kazoo, panpipes,auto harp, harp, recorder(s) and whatever else will fit in a drawer rather than hang on a wall.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: IvanB
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 02:14 PM

Last post was I, sans cookie.

Subject: RE: How many instruments do you own?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 02:12 PM

According to my wife, one more than I need. Of course, if I get rid of one she'll still insist I have one more than I need.