I have always until the last 15yrs kept my guitar quantity down to a dull roar.

I was given an old Stella, was my older brothers, i think i was about 9yo and preferred to play drums or sing but gradually persisted and started to play guitar a bit and was learning trad blues (have never been a real good player) was even playing trumpet before this, as soon as i could make a note i always had the trumpet from about 5yo. I ended up falling in love with the Stella and had it for many years until some drunk smashed it up on me about 1970.

I was given for my 11th birthday a 1960 Telecaster and an old amp but i preferred to play acoustic, so this gear sat in the corner for nearly 2years until i joined my 1st band at 13. I loved kicking out the blues with this gear and singing, it was fun being in pubs and venues in Newcastle when i shouldnt have been, and no one questioning why i was there. Returning to the band room one night my heart sank my gear was gone, i still wish i had that guitar, it had so many memories attached to it.

Went back to playing acoustic, 3 part harmony country rock (Crosby Stills Nash and Young was 1st off the rank) i was 15 and had left home when i was approached by some older guys to join their band, but i needed an electric guitar, a Les Paul to be exact. There was no way i could afford that, so i went and saw my my mates brother, a luthier who said he had just what might do me, he had received the goods for money owing to him for repairs, it was a Hagstrom Swede (looked like a Les Paul) and a Marshall Super Lead Mk2. I plugged it in fired it up and fell in love, this guitar had some of the sweetest sounds i had ever heard, asked how much and was told happy birthday $200 the lot as thats what was owed to him when the guy gave him the gear in lew of paying. I gigged this guitar until 1982, then money problems hit and something had to go, i got $1200 for the guitar and amp and still miss that guitar to this day often looking on Ebay for a bargain.

Since then i have never sold a guitar, lost a guitar or had one stolen, but have a few collectables that if things got tight i would be able to flick them off.