Guitar Gear Forum

Over the past two years or so I have bought a lot of gear. But since I realized I can only play one amp at a time I really think I can sell some of my amps/cabs and keep just the basic stuff. is this a good idea? I mean, has anyone of you downsized massively and regretted it shortly after?

I want to sell: Laney 4x12 cab, Marshall 1961 2x12 cab, harley benton GA15 combo, Engl Blackmore head, H&K edition silver combo, even my beloved H&K ATS 120 combo (I haven't really used it for the last 2 years), and some speakers.

This would leave me with just one all tube head, two 1x12 combos (hybrid) which I could use as cabinets for the head, and an Engl preamp.

Can a man be happy with just one all tube amp? I'm only asking because I'm not 100% sure.

I have one tube head/cab and one hybrid 1x12combo. I am happy.

As someone who in a relatively short period has accumulated a bunch of gear, especially compared to my ability and frequency of playing....

If you have a bunch of stuff you aren't using, move it. I use most of my stuff at least occasionally, but I moved a couple amps I'd gotten at good prices just because they sat around and I never used them. I don't really miss either of them.

If one of your amps has sentimental value or something, maybe hang onto it, but coming from a guy who just likes to "collect" shit, downsizing isn't a bad thing.

Though, keeping it all isn't bad either as the used market is pretty terrible for sellers it seems.

Sell it all and buy more


New gear is fun.

sleewell wrote:Sell it all and buy more


New gear is fun.

This is better than what I said.

What Sleebro said

Are you in need of Cash?

If not, why Panic?

If you sell the gear save the money, you never know when you will need it.

Recently when I start thinking about selling something I like, I take it out of my practice space for a while and see if I miss it. The problem is, the length of time you need to wait before you're sure can vary. I sold a drum kit four years ago and just last summer I found myself wishing I'd kept it; I loved that kit and spent a lot of time and effort getting it just right for me. It's the one in my avatar.

Two years ago I sold an Ebow. I thought I was being clever; I never used it. 6 months later I bought another one because we wrote a song that was calling out for it.

Last Feb I sold an AC50 which I'd used for heavy sounds while recording an album. I didn't think I'd use it live, the recording was done... last September I bought an AC100 because I missed that sound.

On the other hand, there's loads of things I've sold that I've been happy to get rid of because they were superfluous and/or I just didn't like how they sounded - A thinline Tele, Vox Night Train, countless stomp boxes...

I guess my rule is that if I've ever been happy while using a piece of gear then I should hold on to it unless I need the money fast. Even if it's not something I use every day, having a bunch of different tools at your disposal can be inspiring when the time comes that you want to try a certain sound.

^^ Sound ^^

You want to use combo amps as the cabs to your tube head? Naw man. Keep at least one of those cabs.


Anyway, it's your gear. Sell it, trade it, fuck it, whatevs. Just do what you feel is right. As long as you keep a cab for the head.

Cirrus wrote:Recently when I start thinking about selling something I like, I take it out of my practice space for a while and see if I miss it. The problem is, the length of time you need to wait before you're sure can vary. I sold a drum kit four years ago and just last summer I found myself wishing I'd kept it; I loved that kit and spent a lot of time and effort getting it just right for me. It's the one in my avatar.

Two years ago I sold an Ebow. I thought I was being clever; I never used it. 6 months later I bought another one because we wrote a song that was calling out for it.

Last Feb I sold an AC50 which I'd used for heavy sounds while recording an album. I didn't think I'd use it live, the recording was done... last September I bought an AC100 because I missed that sound.

On the other hand, there's loads of things I've sold that I've been happy to get rid of because they were superfluous and/or I just didn't like how they sounded - A thinline Tele, Vox Night Train, countless stomp boxes...

I guess my rule is that if I've ever been happy while using a piece of gear then I should hold on to it unless I need the money fast. Even if it's not something I use every day, having a bunch of different tools at your disposal can be inspiring when the time comes that you want to try a certain sound.

totally this

if i can nail down a cab. combo or even separate head and cab for the house so i can just bring my pedalboard back and forth to rehearsal, ill be happy. as it is, im kind of being a bitch because i can use the marshall G30 or whateverthefuck thats there now to write, but i write MUCH better when im playing my rig than anything else.

thanks for the answers guys. I will have to do some more thinking...

Chuck Nutz wrote:You want to use combo amps as the cabs to your tube head? Naw man. Keep at least one of those cabs.


Anyway, it's your gear. Sell it, trade it, fuck it, whatevs. Just do what you feel is right. As long as you keep a cab for the head.

the combos I have are ported 1x12 closed back designs made of plywood. they sound great for what they are. not as great as my 2x12 or 4x12 but still.
I might have to add that I don't play out anymore, so the laney 4x12 and the marshall 2x12 (4x12 dimensions) seem to be overkill for bedroom use. This is one of the reasons I think about selling stuff.

I agree with Dave that I'd keep at least one cab to use with the head.

I keep everything. If I haven't used it for a while, I put it away for a while. Eventually, I'll look through stuff I've put away and rediscover something I thought was cool. It's kind of like getting something new, only I didn't have to pay for it again!

I want to downsize and upgrade at the same time.


30lbs:

when I'm in this kinda situation I do like what most of you guys said, see what you REALLY like and can't live without, after that it comes down to how replaceable a piece of gear is. There will always be standard strats, teles, Les Pauls and SGs on the market new and used so I'm more inclined to sell something along those lines than say my Tele Custom with P90s since it was a limited Guitar Center run and I don't know if it will ever be done again, that and it sounds amazing. Then there's the ES-137 I got used for $1100, I don't think I'll get a deal like that again and a new one is $2200+ and I just can't see myself spending that kinda money any time soon...

I also agree with keeping one cab for your tube head...

Marc G wrote:when I'm in this kinda situation I do like what most of you guys said, see what you REALLY like and can't live without, after that it comes down to how replaceable a piece of gear is. There will always be standard strats, teles, Les Pauls and SGs on the market new and used so I'm more inclined to sell something along those lines than say my Tele Custom with P90s since it was a limited Guitar Center run and I don't know if it will ever be done again, that and it sounds amazing. Then there's the ES-137 I got used for $1100, I don't think I'll get a deal like that again and a new one is $2200+ and I just can't see myself spending that kinda money any time soon...

I also agree with keeping one cab for your tube head...

I'd love to have an ES-137

If you are talking about your gut.....good idea

your guitar set up......also good idea

EugeneTheJeep wrote:

Marc G wrote:when I'm in this kinda situation I do like what most of you guys said, see what you REALLY like and can't live without, after that it comes down to how replaceable a piece of gear is. There will always be standard strats, teles, Les Pauls and SGs on the market new and used so I'm more inclined to sell something along those lines than say my Tele Custom with P90s since it was a limited Guitar Center run and I don't know if it will ever be done again, that and it sounds amazing. Then there's the ES-137 I got used for $1100, I don't think I'll get a deal like that again and a new one is $2200+ and I just can't see myself spending that kinda money any time soon...

I also agree with keeping one cab for your tube head...

I'd love to have an ES-137

they are killer guitars... I lusted after one for years but the price was just too high, couldn't justify it to myself.. I got lucky when I stopped in a Guitar Center in Orlando while there on vacation and there was one in the used section, in the colour I wanted. It had some dings but the finish was still in good condition and more importantly it played like a dream, for $1100 I couldn't pass it up. I gig'd with her for a year or so but then I decided to keep her home since the thought of her being damaged or stolen was too much lol..

EugeneTheJeep wrote:

Marc G wrote:when I'm in this kinda situation I do like what most of you guys said, see what you REALLY like and can't live without, after that it comes down to how replaceable a piece of gear is. There will always be standard strats, teles, Les Pauls and SGs on the market new and used so I'm more inclined to sell something along those lines than say my Tele Custom with P90s since it was a limited Guitar Center run and I don't know if it will ever be done again, that and it sounds amazing. Then there's the ES-137 I got used for $1100, I don't think I'll get a deal like that again and a new one is $2200+ and I just can't see myself spending that kinda money any time soon...

I also agree with keeping one cab for your tube head...

I'd love to have an ES-137

they are killer guitars... I lusted after one for years but the price was just too high, couldn't justify it to myself.. I got lucky when I stopped in a Guitar Center in Orlando while there on vacation and there was one in the used section, in the colour I wanted. It had some dings but the finish was still in good condition and more importantly it played like a dream, for $1100 I couldn't pass it up. I gig'd with her for a year or so but then I decided to keep her home since the thought of her being damaged or stolen was too much lol..

Ironically I have been thinking about downsizing my amp... A massive amp head and 4x12 for gigging may be cool, but isn't fun to lug around.

Do it, if you want mang. Last summer I sold off my Mako rack and 3 412s. The summer before, I sold 2 212s, a bunch of pedals and an amp. Im down to my 5150 212, my vypyr 15, and my ninja. I dont need anything else, really, as far as amps go, though Id like to have a head and a 212 again too.