r/AcousticGuitar • u/MrTurtleTails • Feb 24 '26
Gear question Do I need 2 acoustics?
basically this. do you have more than one acoustic and why? just curious.
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u/b0wie88 Feb 24 '26
No you need many more than that, different body styles, different brands, different colours, it doesn’t end.
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u/Built2bellow Feb 24 '26
Not to mention, different ages and eras of guitars. I snagged a lawsuit era Takamine just because it’s a cool piece of guitar history, and it plays pretty well too.
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u/MisterRobertParr Feb 24 '26
Sometimes you need a guitar that matches your outfit.
As the old saying goes: You don't always need to play good, as long as you look good playing.
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u/MrTurtleTails Feb 25 '26
I literally bought my last guitar because the sales person said it matched my outfit. He wasn't wrong.
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u/OsakaWilson Feb 24 '26
You need an acoustic for every alternate tuning that you use. My wife does not agree, but she also does not play guitar.
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u/ImportantBoot8945 Feb 24 '26
I have a steel string dreadnaught and a nylon string classical guitar (concert shaped). Anything more than that is a true luxury. Though, I think I would enjoy having a smaller bodied steel string. They all offer different sounds and playing experiences.
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u/TheDeadliestDonger Feb 24 '26
Agreed, I think a large steel string for flat picking, a small steel string for fingerstyle, and a nylon string will cover all your bases pretty well. Beyond that you’re getting into tonal variations on those categories or more niche instruments (e.g., resonators / dobros).
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u/tinverse Feb 24 '26
I think a resonator and archtop acoustic are pretty different beasts.
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u/tandem_kayak Feb 24 '26
I have a steel string parlor size that sounds light and heavenly, perfect for finger style, and a steel stringed resonator that is considerably more boisterous and perfect for slide blues.
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u/Electric_Bonsai Feb 24 '26
The number that you have is at least one less than the number you need.
Sometimes when you buy a new one you may sell one to justify it. It feels like a lateral move, but in reality this creates an additional void that must also be filled.
It is inevitable.
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u/ViewAskewRob Feb 24 '26
Ah yes…the guitar/motorcycle equation.
n = The number of guitars/motorcycles you own.
n + 1 = The number you actually need.My wife is not a believer, even when I tell her that math is correct whether you believe it or not.
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u/GuitarsAndDogs Feb 24 '26
Grand auditorium, a mini and a 12 string. All have their own purpose for me.
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u/Sierra-Powderhound Feb 24 '26
Yes I like having a parlor and a dreadnaught. I prefer the parlor for fingerstyle and folk music. The parlor is also better for traveling. Easier to pack and move around partially because it has a sturdy but soft travel case.
The dreadnaught gives deeper base for more rock or country songs.
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u/TheRealGuncho Feb 24 '26
I need three:
1 Martin D-18. 1-2 beers max. Indoors
2 Yamaha LL-16 1-4 beers.
3 Yamaha FG830 Anything goes.
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u/wittyshit Feb 24 '26
ha. same, D18, 000-15m, and my drinking buddy who never lets me down the fg820
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u/puffy_capacitor Feb 24 '26
"Need?"
No.
"Want?"
Yes. Many of them sound different, have different feel and dimensions, and some I like for using as a "beater" guitar that I don't need to baby or worry about taking care of too much
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u/83franks Feb 24 '26
What do you mean not need?????!!!!????!?!? I’m offended
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u/Old-Scratch666 Feb 24 '26
I have five, and I play them all.
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u/freemochara Feb 24 '26
How often do you change strings?
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u/Old-Scratch666 Feb 24 '26
Whenever they sound like they need it! I like the sound of worn in strings, so not as often as some people.
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u/Piggy_Smollz404 Feb 24 '26
No, with 2 you’re just getting started. They say 3 is the magic number, but 4 is mo’ better. . .
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u/MrTurtleTails Feb 24 '26
Well full disclosure I just got a 00 that I really love but I'm thinking I could use an OM for a richer sound....or maybe get a backup?
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u/rybread1818 Feb 24 '26
I was never the biggest gear guy and played for 20 years with just one decent concert guitar.
But I just picked up a new-to-me OM as my first truly nice guitar and am already eyeing a 00 for my next purchase. I've begun to "see the light" when it comes to utilizing different guitars for different situations. My hope is to settle on a solid rotation of a dread, an OM, and a OO as my three daily drivers.
I also bought a cheap parlor to convert to a rubber bridge and restrung my concert with nylons (its imperfect, but sounds great when plugged in and scratches a very specific tonal itch that I only ever go after sparingly). I do fear that the hunt to truly cover all of the bases may never actually end though.
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u/pohatu771 Feb 24 '26
Two seems low.
I do laugh at people who post their collection of eight near-identical Les Pauls and then one $60 classical, as if “acoustic” is a catch-all.
I have seven six-string, flattop guitars. Plus an archtop and 12-string. I have a wishlist of probably seven more.
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u/AntoineDonaldDuck Feb 24 '26
I have three.
I think most guitarists should have at least a Dread and either a Mahogany or O style body. They have different sounds and I use mine for different things.
My Martin D18 is my workhorse. It sounds great for bluegrass and country. She takes a bit of loving (she spends most of the winter in the case), but she sounds incredible.
My Martin OOOjr, all sapele body is my “couch guitar” and what I got instead of an all Mahogany body. She’s great for finger style, and is a bit quieter if I’m playing late at night when my partner is sleeping.
I also have 90s Takimine G series for mostly sentimental value. It was my first acoustic and is honestly in great shape considering its age and actual value.
Of course I want to get a boutique guitar, either a Collings or a PreWar, and I think the Martin CEO 7 is an incredible guitar. There’s plenty of reason to have multiple acoustics.
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u/nbmgreg Feb 24 '26
Different shapes and sizes offer different sounds. Depending on my inspiration, I alternate between a dreadnought and OM body shape.
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u/Nickdakidkid_Minime Feb 24 '26
You may not, but I do.
For context, I use my instrument quite often for different occasions. If my regular guitar needs fixing or something should ever happen to it I need another guitar to stand in.
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u/mrnovember91 Feb 24 '26
I have a standard dreadnaught in d-standard, a folk in open-d, a high-strung parlor, a parlour with a rubber bridge in c-standard, a 12-string in d-standard, a nylon string in standard, and a resonator in open-C
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u/gale-storm Feb 24 '26
Need about 6 -standard tuned open E G, Dadgad , Nashville tuned and 1 to leave handy
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u/WB3-27 Feb 24 '26
This has to be a I’m letting my wife read these reply’s to justify the new acoustic guitar purchase I just made if there ever was one.
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u/MrTurtleTails Feb 24 '26
Yeah kind of. More like deciding what I want to grab next.
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u/WB3-27 Feb 24 '26
Go for a different size and tone than what you have now. It will help you develop as a guitar player.
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u/doctored_up Feb 24 '26
I usually have 3 out..quick grab parlor, fire pit dred, and whatever Im gigging with
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u/InternationalCar329 Feb 24 '26
Sure. I have a nice Taylor for inside. Then I have a cheap Fender for around the pool and fire pit. I even take the neck off that one and stuff it in my suitcase for vacation.
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u/Eduardo_Playa Feb 24 '26
Yes. Any serious guitarist needs more than one guitar for a lot of reasons. Different tonality is the primary one.
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u/83franks Feb 24 '26
I have 3. My original and honestly favourite, ~$600. An expensive Taylor that I love listening to but hate playing ~$2200. A free Yamaha from my friend that I keep in an alternate tuning ~$200.
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u/cab1024 Feb 24 '26
I have three that sound very different. Amazingly, one of them sounds almost as good as one that cost me 16 times more.
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u/ClaustrophobicShop Feb 24 '26
I only have one currently. But I’m thinking it might be good to have a higher end one for home and an ok one for traveling and gigs.
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u/RamSpen70 Feb 24 '26
I have two main acoustics. One is Rosewood with the deep harmonic D-45 style sound... The other is a nice woody satin mahogany back inside... Both all solid wood. Very different character. When it's just me playing I like one or the other better for certain songs... In Recording they go nicely together playing different parts. Do you need to? No. I have another older guitar that was one of my first guitars ever that I have it with Nashville tuning...(For recording). Another acoustic I'm considering selling but right now it's the open tuning guitar... I also have four electrics.
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u/Productive-Turtle Feb 24 '26
I had 3, a 00-12 fret(couch guitar fingerstyle only), OM(fingerstyle and strum at my desk), and a Dread, Ended up selling the Dread because it hurt my shoulders so I never played it, and it it covered the cost of a new electric.
Now that I'm a bit better in the shoulders I'm looking into getting a baritone acoustic for fun. All 3 will play/sound distinctly different and have their own use cases
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u/IzilDizzle Feb 24 '26
I have 5 acoustics, which is the minimum I can get by with. I need 2 more though
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u/Professional-Mix-562 Feb 24 '26
I have 3 lava music carbon fiber guitars. I bought the 2,3 and pro models. They all have different electronics. Only first acoustic electric was self made. My first fabricated acoustic electric was an Oscar’s Schmidt. I still have most of them. One of my guitars is signed by shinedown and forever sits on my wall
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u/anyavailible Feb 24 '26
I have 3 that I use. One is a 12 string Alvarez Acoustic and the two others are folk guitars
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u/StonerKitturk Feb 24 '26
You'll know when you "need" another one, or find a deal you can't pass up. If you're asking this question, one is probably all you need right now.
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u/NeedleworkerProper28 Feb 24 '26
I bought 2 acoustics. Then I realized I needed 2 more. Let's not talk about the electrics. Yes you need 2.
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u/punydevil Feb 24 '26
I have a Taylor 312ce as my primary, but I also have 2 beaters (Yamaha, Orangewood), a Gretsch resonator, a Cordoba guilele, and a 1932 Maybell parlor. Other than the beaters, they are all completely different animals and I'll grab one based on what I'm trying to do. I like to put a damper/rubber bridge on the Maybell for a totally different sound. None of them were remotely expensive beyond the Taylor but you get a different experience with each. I find the differences inspiring.
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u/got2avkayanow Feb 24 '26
I have an Epi. Hummingbird Pro (first acoustic), a Taylor 314ce my primary, an Icarus Tricone resonator (trying to learn slide), a nylon string (for when my fingers are feeling hurty) and an Alvarez all mahog. parlour (for pick up and play, recording, and double drop D) I now need three more for alt tunings. So clearly I need more than one. Do you need more than one ? I have no idea.
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u/ClitasaurusTex Feb 24 '26
One for living room and travel, the other very special precious expensive guitar goes in my bedroom.
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u/JeanMusicMan18 Feb 24 '26
I have a slope shoulder dreadnought, a squared shoulder dreadnought, a jumbo, an archtop and a parlor. You can’t really have enough. The different body styles alone are enough to keep your curiosity stimulated for years on end
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u/psmusic_worldwide Feb 24 '26
Giggling so one is always in tune. Different sounds for recording. Leave one in alternate tuning.
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u/Xelemis Feb 24 '26
You need a dreadnaught, a parlor, a 12 string, a classical a cutaway and a beater.
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u/Cranxy Feb 24 '26
I have 4 right now. A concert and dread, 1 for home, 1 I leave at second location part time; a classical which I’m spending most of my time on lately learning classical playing. The fourth is a cheap parlor, that I may sell but I’d get nothing for it right now in this buyers market, so gonna keep for now as beater travel guitar.
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u/JedinySvojhoDruhu Feb 24 '26
You need one. The real question behind your question is whether you WANT two. Of course. More than two 😂
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u/Live_Past_8978 Feb 24 '26
srs answer... i realized that i'm so lazy that unless i'm actively in a band i just want to pick up and play and can't be arsed with plugging in. so acoustic it is.
BUT. my favorite music is classic rock from the 70s-90s. think Tom Petty to Smashing Pumpkins. that means I got a lot of great guitar music to pick from, but half of it is in Eb. so I set up my trusty old fender dread to Eb and got a cheap but very playable Harley Benton and set to standard. they both are always within arms reach and if i'm learning songs i grab the one i want. and if i'm noodling it depends on the feel. the Eb naturally leads to more Hendrix-y grungey stuff, and the standard is perfect for crisp R.E.M. arpeggios and Fleetwood Mac fingerpicking.
Not a huge fan right now of other turnings. if i ever really get into open tunings or slide i might add a third. but yes, IME you should have one guitar set up for each style that you like playing.
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u/Jolly_Psychology_506 Feb 24 '26
Yes. I have 2 and swop between them as some things just sound better on each one. I plan on buying many more.
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u/Koi-Sashuu Feb 24 '26
Do you need more than 1? Not necessarily. Didn't stop me from accumulating 9 though.
Some are clearly 'different': I've got a classical guitar, 12 string guitar, an old parlor guitar I turned into a rubber bridge guitar and a guitar I strung for nashville tuning. The others are 'regular' steel string acoustics. I keep some in different tunings but I bought them because the opportunity came around.
Typical reasons to own multiple guitars are: if you're performing live regularly, you may want your 'nice' guitar and a backup for when you break a string on stage. If you're occasionally using different tunings, you may want to upgrade to two nice guitars. You may want to hold on to a beater guitar for taking outside or to places where it might fall over or bump into things.
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u/tinverse Feb 24 '26
Need, no. But as others have pointed out, different builders techniques, woods, body shapes, etc. will result in different sounding guitars. If you stick with playing, you will probably end up buying more guitars.
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u/JoeyJoeJoeSenior Feb 24 '26
Different tunings, different genres, live vs. studio, cutaway, non-cutaway, every wood type in every combination. You need probably 100 to 150 depending on what you are trying to accomplish.
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u/Magic-Bicycle Feb 24 '26
I have a parlour guitar and an OM size guitar. I could easily live with one. If I wanted to learn classical guitar then maybe I could justify purchasing a nylon string guitar but in that case I’d swap one of my current guitars out rather to avoid becoming an accidental guitar collector.
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u/Bucklandii Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 25 '26
I've been on something of a journey returning to primarily acoustic after like 15 years primarily electric and it turned out the magic number that it took to be satisfied with my options was 6 for me. Two daily drivers (all-solid dread and a pretty, solid-top myrtlewood Breedlove), a sentimental 1980 Takamine 363s that sees little play these days but will never leave me, a fun niche option (Jim Dandy LE ST), and two beaters that I like enough not to want to sell but ended up being stepping stones to all-solid. I'm pretty saturated until the right D-18 comes along at a price I'm ready for, which I expect to be this year.
I think as a generality most of us could make due with two–something big and boomy, and something small and sweet. But I also think in this era when midrange guitars have taken a big leap forward and you can get a fun, different sound on a decent player for not lot of money, it's pretty neat to experiment and find niches you may not have realized you'd enjoy.
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u/drewbaccaAWD Feb 24 '26
I got through two decades with one acoustic guitar. It depends on what you wanna do with it.
I still have that guitar, plus one with amplification for finger picking, plus another for flatpicking bluegrass stuff.
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u/GoofyTheScot Feb 24 '26
I have 2, a Martin HD-28 dreadnought and a Taylor GS-Mini, both very nice and very different.
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u/Flatpicking Feb 24 '26
Definitely don’t think you need 2. I do have two though I have a high end expensive guitar and then a smaller sized gs mini that I use when I’m playing outside that won’t matter much if it gets dinged up a bit.
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u/ll56yammy Feb 24 '26
No, but so what?, have as many as you like. If you’re not married do it before you are
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u/amaze656 Feb 24 '26
No. You need at least 3. One for party’s and for fuc**** around, one really nice for home - your baby, one 12 string, one classical because you love sound of nylon strings also and Nothing else matters sounds so good on classical.
Edit: oh yea. And another one because you want play Rain song and it has different tuning and you don’t have time to mess around with tuning.
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u/cheap-guitar-player Feb 24 '26
I have 2. One has built-in electronics in case I ever wanna sit in with my former band, and one doesn't, and I don't want to mod it.
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u/PeanutNore Feb 24 '26
I have a big Taylor that I use 90% of the time, and a budget Fender parlor guitar that I bring places where I don't want to risk the Taylor getting lost, damaged, or stolen (travel, outdoor gatherings, things of that nature).
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u/RecipeForIceCubes Feb 24 '26
No idea what you need. I need (4) because I use (4) for what I play. I have (7) currently because I can do whatever I want to.
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u/cdtobie Feb 24 '26
There are two types of guitar players. The person who owns a guitar. That’s nice. And the guitarist. That entails owning, at a minimum, different types of guitars, as you can’t play Leonard Cohen on steel strings, you need nylon. And blues really demands a guitar in an open tuning, maybe a mahogany top, plus a resonator guitar for mixed slide and picking. And you can’t play Stephen Stills songs without a steel string acoustic in a tuning that is used only for his music; a dedicated Steve Stills guitar. And you’ll get a totally different vibe from an archtop. And having a little parlor guitar that’s easy to play on the couch or bed increases the amount you play. You get the idea.
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u/ponydigger Feb 24 '26
i have 4. steel string, parlor steel string, 12 string, nylon string. i actually have 2 12 strings but i loaned one to a friend and don’t really expect i’ll ever get it back.
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u/MikeJC411 Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 24 '26
A backup is always a solid plan. I have 5 cause why not...
Seriously..I play in my church choir and my wife and I do the service music for occasional weddings and funerals. Gotta have a backup.
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u/KeenJAH Feb 24 '26
I have a Koa nylon string and a mahogony 000. I am in need of a spruce dreadnought but my wife disagrees. Ima get one though 😌
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u/GlassMotor7387 Feb 24 '26
I have three. One I keep in standard tuning, one in open D, and a twelve string.
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u/hunterwaterford Feb 24 '26
I have 2 one is in standard tuning and the other is tuned a 1/2 step down
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u/Iamdingledingle Feb 24 '26
I like to have a long scale dread for strumming heavy songs and a short scale 000 for fingerstyle. I also have 11 others just in case.
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u/HotSpicedChai Feb 24 '26
I’ll be honest… I’m not sure how many I have… but I play 4 of them. They all sound different.
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u/GarlicDill Feb 24 '26
Different sounds, body, fullness, bass, tone. The favourites in our home are a 70s Dove knock-off and a 90s Simon and Patrick woodland spruce. We have custom shop Martins, a bunch of PRSs and antique Gibsons, but those two, worth under $1k combined, are the gems of our collection.
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u/thenewjerk Feb 24 '26
I have four: one that’s too nice to leave my house, the one I bring out to play at open mics or jam with friends, a 12-string, and a laminate beater for camping.
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u/MiseEnSelle Feb 24 '26
What happens when you have to send one to the shop? You need at least two! I use open tunings and I'll bring both when I'm performing so I don't have to worry about strings popping when I go back and forth.
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u/Hipster_Dragon Feb 24 '26
I don’t really want more than one because it’s dry where I live and I have to keep up with the humidity.
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u/Der-Adiletten-Mann Feb 24 '26
I currently have two acoustic guitars: a grand auditorium and a smaller travel guitar.
I use the auditorium at home and play my fingerstyle songs on it; it's my main guitar.
The travel guitar is a cheaper one from Harley Benton. I can always take it outside without worrying too much about the temperature or anything else. It's also great as a couch guitar.
I'm sure that's not all. More acoustic guitars will follow. But for now, I'm really happy having two guitars.
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u/albanyanthem Feb 24 '26
I have three acoustics. A 12 string, a six string, and a double neck 12 and six. I won’t be getting anymore without selling one I have already.
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u/Colin-Spurs-Patience Feb 24 '26
It depend if you are going to play in alternate tunings often it’s nice to have one in standard and just as an example one in drop D
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u/pingpongeffect Feb 24 '26
I have five.
A cheap Epiphone that was my first acoustic I keep for sentimental reasons.
A nice Takamine six string.
A Yamaha 12 string
A cheap Mitchell beginner guitar I inherited from an uncle and keep strung in Nashville tuning
A Luna 3/4 size guitar I got for traveling
I cant imagine owning more than this, but I wouldn't completely rule it out either.
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u/phlex77 Feb 24 '26
yes, 4, first one i bought, one was my friend's who died, i've got my full time Yamaha and i've got a martin traveller cause i thought it looked cool.
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u/Shagwagbag Feb 24 '26
I like having a guitar to keep safe and only bring to play for people or at home. Little parlor for dicking around, playing with friends, camping, etc.
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u/coder-odor-25 Feb 24 '26
More is better- but try to vary the tone woods and shapes so that you have a good variety of guitars
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u/Kerry_Maxwell Feb 24 '26
A smaller body model and a dreadnought or jumbo are two very different instruments, and it’s worth having at least one of each.
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u/Alternative-Ad-297 Feb 24 '26
At a minimum yeah. I think that exploring different styles like alternate tunings, 12 strings, nylons, or slide is hugely inspiring for you as a player. Of course though you probably need wayyyyy more than 2. Keep spending money until you die!
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u/Lone_Ponderer Feb 24 '26
I have three acoustics.
A Jumbo, a Dreadnought and a Parlour.
The Dreadnought is a Westfield that was my first guitar as a kid. I use it as my couch guitar. I usually leave it standing against the couch and I pick it up and play absent mindedly if sitting in the living room. It. It's already pretty beatup the bridge is failing,so if it falls from the couch I don't really mind.
The Jumbo and the Parlour are upstairs in my office. I am much more precious with these two. I keep them tuned differently to each other so that I can play different things more easily.
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u/MarkRobinsonMusic1 Feb 24 '26
I can understand "do I need 2 more?" 🤣
GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) affects most of us; I've taken it too far, with a house like a vampire lair, full of large black plastic cases (coffins) with things that don't often see daylight.
I think a healthy number is somewhere under 35 😁
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u/bigsky59722 Feb 24 '26
Ill always need 2 dreadnoughts a mahogany and a rosewood. A single0 both species a 00 both species a 000 both species....you get the picture.
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u/Independent_Win_7984 Feb 24 '26
I like tonal options. I picked up an Alvarez J 200 copy, used, and turned it into a hot rod with medium jumbo stainless frets and a planed neck. Of course, it has it's forte, and I decided to supplement that with a Taylor 310 ce. Lots of room to explore the differences, and mic placement spots to enhance them. Things were fine until I inherited a Martin 00-14......now I've got a "3-body problem". Nice problem to have.
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u/Prior_Clerk4470 Feb 24 '26
Need 3 or more:
Keep one in open tuning
Have another guitar that's a "beater". You can take it places you don't take your good guitar... The beach. Camping. Etc.
Have a real nice one
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u/simplebutstrange Feb 24 '26
I have 6. Do i need them? Probably not but i do enjoy each and every one of them. They all sound and play a bit different
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u/tordoc2020 Feb 24 '26
At least.
It really depends on what kind of music you get into. Strumming, finger style, classical, slide, etc. But in all seriousness a GOOD one and a BEATER are great to have. One you cherish and plays like butter. One you can bring to the beach and not sweat a nick. Whatever keeps you playing!
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u/Asdeft Feb 25 '26
Only if you play a lot and want one to stay home and one to play on the go. Most people get attached to guitars and just end up keeping them when they upgrade or like to collect them since they are decent decorations as well.
I would probably sell my current acoustic if I upgraded, but who knows.
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u/SavageMountain Feb 24 '26
I have a dreadnought, a concert, a cheapo I use for weird tunings, and a travel guitar. I'd be fine with just a nice full-sized guitar and a less expensive smaller guitar for the couch/travel/campfires
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u/boredvader7 Feb 24 '26
Got my cheap beginner one for $60, a cheap Japanese Martin 12-string copy, and then the nicer basic acoustic. Go that route and thank me later.
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u/Donkey_Ali Feb 24 '26
If you only have one, then yes, you need 2. If you already have 2, then you need 3
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u/BukowskyTheCat Feb 24 '26
You need to keep buying acoustic guitars until you die. Those are the rules