Now Taking Nominations for the Buy No Guitars/Basses Challenge 2014!

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

If you are going to participate, put your name here. You have from now until 31 Dec to finalize (including delivery) of any purchases of guitars or basses, electric or acoustic.

You mission, should you choose to accept it:

Purchase zero (0) electric guitars, electric basses, acoustic guitars, acoustic basses, electric-acoustic guitars (no Duotone loophole) or electric-acoustic basses from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014.

You can still buy as many banjos/accordions as you want without penalty.

Nominations will close 15 December 2013.

I'll go first:

Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame

[diablo175]

Clarification needed: (not that I would last 3 months in this contest!) if I ordered a custom built 21 months ago and it's due for a March delivery, that would disqualify us based on your description. Is this accurate?

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Clarification needed: (not that I would last 3 months in this contest!) if I ordered a custom built 21 months ago and it's due for a March delivery, that would disqualify us based on your description. Is this accurate?

Wow...that's a long wait.

My feeling is that you should not be disqualified. What I wanted to disqualify was someone purchasing a guitar in the last week of December and then sliding a new one in after 1 Jan.

But drawing a line that includes yours but disqualifies the 2nd might be too difficult.

So maybe the rule should be: Must be fully paid for by 31 Dec 2013. So if you ordered a guitar in, say, September and paid half, but the other half is due on delivery in February, then you'd be out. But if you ordered in September and paid 100%, but it wasn't delivered until Sept 2014, well, that's the builder's fault, not yours, so you wouldn't be out.

Thoughts?

[specialk]

Sign me up for this challenge, Nathan. I'm ready!

[Ting Ho Dung]

I'm in but probably out so count me out but sort of in but mostly out. Just count me out. Yeah, I'm out most definitely in.

[HSB0531]

Screw this.

I want to buy a Hamer Bass next year.

[atquinn]

Not a chance in hell. I learned my lesson this year. Although I have only bought 2 guitars, which is quite an accomplishment for me. I expect I'll do the same next year.

-

Austin

[cynic]

I'm in but probably out so count me out but sort of in but mostly out. Just count me out. Yeah, I'm out most definitely in.

Me too!

[Feynman]

Okay. I'll sign up.

[stratacus]

I suggest we name this the Feynman Buy No Guitars Challenge. The guy invented guitar timers for christsake. Sure, they only go to 60 days or so, but someday he will perfect this awesome technology and be able to *keep* a guitar and not have to buy another one.

[Feynman]

We already have one of those. This is just a lame wannabe Feynman Challenge thread, but I'll give it my blessing.

[Montelovesco]

I will not try this. Learnt my lesson this year. So I will make the opposite call for the "Buy as much as you can" contest:

Buy at least one Hamer every two months = six in 2014. Guitars must be purchased every eight weeks, a bundle of six in December doesn't count.

Winner is who spent the most $$$ in 2014. No points for PUs or amps. Everything else with strings and Hamer on it counts.

Extra points for oversea deals.

Special extra points for Bavarians or French (Hi, Gilles!) purchasing in the states.

So take this.

:-)

[Drendino]

Put me in please. Drendin, AKA David Rendino

I live in the grey areas of life and will order my Lentz strat tomorrow and will pay in full by 12/31.

[diablo175]

I'm out. That custom order that will end up taking 2 years to deliver is also not cheap so, for me to pay it off right around the holidaze is not likely. Besides, nothing says holiday cheer and ring in the new year like acquiring yet another guitar.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

I will not try this. Learnt my lesson this year. So I will make the opposite call for the "Buy as much as you can" contest:

Buy at least one Hamer every two months = six in 2014. Guitars must be purchased every eight weeks, a bundle of six in December doesn't count.

Winner is who spent the most $$$ in 2014. No points for PUs or amps. Everything else with strings and Hamer on it counts.

Extra points for oversea deals.

Special extra points for Bavarians or French (Hi, Gilles!) purchasing in the states.

So take this.

:-)

Part of the fun is just seeing who bought what, in a list.

I encourage even people who have planned purchases to sign up, just for the smacktalk and razzing.

Come for the lame, wannabe Feynman Challenge, stay for the...well, just stay.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

This is just a lame wannabe Feynman Challenge thread...

You say that like it's a bad thing.

...but I'll give it my blessing.

You say that like it's a good thing.

[polara]

I'm in. 2013 was a binge year: got the HACL Koa Studio, the MotorAve, a Tele, the sparkly Danelectro, and the flowery Cruise bass. I think to compensate I'll just sit tight in 2014 and play the damn things!

[Shark]

Screw this.

I want to buy a Hamer Bass next year.

Good Man! ;-))

[tbonesullivan]

do even trades count as a "purchase"? what about trades with a little extra $$$?

I am definitely in for this, but if a good trade comes up, I might have to jump on it.

For the record, I only got 1 guitar and one bass in 2013. The bass should arrive in the next week or two. The guitar... well.. I couldn't turn down such a good deal on an EBMM Steve morse.

[sirskelt]

Can I play? I really just want to see what awesome guitars cause folks to drop off the list. I've been there, albeit unofficially! These forums are like the "crack" cure for GAS!

[jwhitcomb3]

Gosh, it worked out so well for me last year...

Last year when this challenge rolled around, I'd just received a custom order Composite Acoustics OX guitar, which had stretched my instrument budget and I figured there was no way I'd be able to get another guitar in 2013. What I didn't expect was:

1) the pencil neck on the OX was not only uncomfortable to play, but screwed up my hand/arm/wrist so much I couldn't play my other guitars either. Loved the guitar, but every time I played it I was unable to play anything for another few days. It was too much of a temptation to keep around, so I sold that off and got a fat necked Carvin HFS2, and

2) I'd find a dealer blowing out a brand new Luna AMZ-100 for half of street price.

2014 will likely end with fewer guitars than I started with, but I've learned my lesson about these pledges.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

do even trades count as a "purchase"? what about trades with a little extra $$$?

I am definitely in for this, but if a good trade comes up, I might have to jump on it.

For the record, I only got 1 guitar and one bass in 2013. The bass should arrive in the next week or two. The guitar... well.. I couldn't turn down such a good deal on an EBMM Steve morse.

Hm. Good point.

Trading should still be a disqualifier, because you are still "purchasing" with the exchange medium merely being guitars instead of legal tender.

I hope everyone is enjoying this iteration of Amateur Hour.

Gosh, it worked out so well for me last year...

Last year when this challenge rolled around, I'd just received a custom order Composite Acoustics OX guitar, which had stretched my instrument budget and I figured there was no way I'd be able to get another guitar in 2013. What I didn't expect was:

1) the pencil neck on the OX was not only uncomfortable to play, but screwed up my hand/arm/wrist so much I couldn't play my other guitars either. Loved the guitar, but every time I played it I was unable to play anything for another few days. It was too much of a temptation to keep around, so I sold that off and got a fat necked Carvin HFS2, and

2) I'd find a dealer blowing out a brand new Luna AMZ-100 for half of street price.

2014 will likely end with fewer guitars than I started with, but I've learned my lesson about these pledges.

These challenges/pledges are (or at least: should be) more about the journey than the destination.

[gorch]

Hhmmm, last time I custom ordered from Scheithauer it lasted for almost two years for another CO. So, I might have a chance to stay clean in '14. If I'm not selling my Tally to Montelovesco at Musikmesse HFC EU meeting, I might not even raise GAS from disappearing stable. Well then, count me in.

[velorush]

Screw this.

I want to buy a Hamer Bass next year.

I'm with HSB! In spite of my Filler Guy^TM status, I'd really like to acquire a Standard and/or a Tele-type next year. That and now my son (the drummer) is clamoring for a guitar(!), so that'd likely disqualify me, as well.

Please everyone else, join the challenge [and be serious about your commitment, thereby depressing prices!].

[tbonesullivan]

I think this should be easy, as my guitar budget next year will be sucked up getting fret dressings, upgrades, etc. Still on the fence about replacing the electronics in my Heritage H 535. I really need to AB it with a guitar that doesn't have the stock schallers.