I’m a fairly new yoyo thrower. I only started about 14 months ago. But I find that every time I see a YYE blog post about a yoyo I find myself wanting to buy it.
I only have a dozen or so yoyos (my wife thinks that’s already too many) but I can easily see myself having at least a dozen more. I mean, look at all those cool colorways ;D
And yet, when I practice I always pick up the same 3 or 4 yoyos. The TOO H.O.T., the Shutter, the Magic Yoyo N12, or the Replay Pro. . . and now the new YYF Boss. OK, that’s 5.
I’m just surprised that I find myself wanting to expand my collection so badly. I can’t rationalize it from my ability yet. I mean, I have a Dogma from the mystery box that’s a way better and faster yoyo than I am as a player. I don’t NEED a Monkeyfinger Caeser, or a CLYW Chief or a nice bi-metal or some of the cool new throws by Amplified or 2 Sick. How about a red Dark Magic II like what Andre uses? I could get 3 of those in various colors. I don’t need them, I just want them. :o
I just thought I’d see what your thoughts are on the collecting side of the hobby. Why is it so darn addicting? ???
I wonder the same. Just so many beautiful materials I guess, aluminums, titanium, woods, stainless steel, duracon, derlin, polycarbonate, other plastics, nickel, gold, the list goes on forever in so many ways too: presentation, shape, color/colors/colorways, design, company, even sound. I see what you mean, it’s hard to contain, I get it lol. The only thing stopping me is $ and my will to spend $. I also look at some yoyos and think “that’d be so cool to own, but I don’t think I’m good enough”. That’s kinda my insensitive to learn and push to learn tricks so I feel like I can use the yoyo to its full ability. Overall, I say keep collecting and do what speaks to you, learn or collect or both. No one’s gonna judge you (unless you enter a contest) which is the greatest thing about yoyoing, Impress yourself with talent and/or collection you have…And Keep On YoYoing.
I have large collection, and while I concentrate on a few at any given time most all of them will get played over the course of a year or so.
On the other hand, a true collector will probably not play most of the yoyos in his collection. There’s a distinction between a player and a collector.
I’ve felt ‘empty’ when in regards to yo-yoing when I focus more on yoyo’s rather than yo-yoing. Personally I get lasting satisfaction and happiness when I learn new tricks rather than get new yoyo’s.
I’ll always love how different yoyo’s play, the story behind them, the creativity that goes into them, but I’ve learned that I get more enjoyment out of just yo-yoing.
There’s a balance, I think it’s totally healthy to have a yoyo collection built on yoyo’s that are ‘important’ to you for whatever reason it may be, gift, souvenir from a contest, etc… but when I started valuing those type of things over yo-yoing itself I felt a lot less satisfied. Everyone is different though!
I play almost everything in my collection. There are a few yoyos which simply did not speak to me and they’re in the “shopping bag of shame” in my closet. They’re decent enough throws, I just don’t like them. I’ll use those as giveaways to kids interested in yoyo.
The other yoyos in my “keeper” bag are a pair of 1080s which are awesome, but I’m terrible at 2A. A YYF Flight which is my 4A yoyo, another Replay just in case I ever decide to learn 3A, a YYF One because you gotta have at least one responsive yoyo, a DV888 and a Mighty Flea because small yoyos are cool. 8)
I have a collection, but they all get played. I probably own around 100 right now. Primarily AntiYo, CLYW, One Drop, Tom Kuhn, Duncan and TMBR. I buy what I like, most of the models in my collection are not the big ones people are searching for, but they’re the ones that I like the most.
I also just had the “How many yoyos do you have?” conversation with my wife. That’s always fun ;D
I think it’s time for the “how many pairs of shoes do you have?” discussion…
Anyhow, I love yoyoing, and I love collecting just as much. Mostly everything I have gets use monthly, but I do focus on a few to play the majority of the time. Looking for something rare, then finding it, is super gratifying. To each his own.
After 20 + years of marriage and as the owner of a collection of many fine guitars I can offer this advice. When your wife ask you “How many [some item which you collect] do you have?” The correct answer is NOT “Oh Yeah! How many shoes do you have?” >:(
That never works. The correct answer is “I’m not sure.”
You don’t know how ironic this post is. I’m a musician. My father-in-law owns a music store that I’ve been employed at for 15 years. This is my first year away from the business.
My wife actually isn’t a collector, of anything. She’s got shoes, I probably have more though. She’s got 5 or 6 purses. She’s very practical. It’s wearing off. I did have around 500 yoyos, so down to 100 is pretty good. Had over 40 guitars in my collection, at around 12 now.
I just want to try all the yoyos. And when you don’t have access to other people’s yoyos to borrow or at least play for 5 minutes, you have no choice but to buy them.
I saw my collection grow to 60 or so at its peak. Then I started scaling back and sit at around 40. But I’ll tell you what: out of those 40, there’s not a one that I pick up and could EASILY let go. Sure, some I could be convinced to let it go, but it would take just that-- some convincing. They’re almost all unique from one another and/or are gifts. I like having a diverse collection and I like holding onto my gifts (gifting along for good reason aside).
It’s amazing to me that 40 yoyos can play so differently from one another. I would love to have a collection of only 10, but I think it’s going to be unpossible for me.
I’m refinishing the red one to make the grain pop out more. It’s actually a beautiful piece of quilted maple on top but the sun is washing out the detail. The yellow one is a replica of a specific modified 1952 esquire that was once owned by Ted Greene. It was modified form an Esquire to a Telecaster with the addition of the 2nd pickup and some new 4 way wiring underneath.
i also enjoy the collecting part of the hobby; however, i also play everything i got and i play them every day. i rarely play a single yoyo for more than 5 minutes at a time. i honestly cannot say i have a favorite yoyo. they all are fun to play and have a bit of personality - some more than others.
i am up to around 15 semi high to high end yoyos and a few cheap plastic ones (not counting another 8 or so loopers). i even like playing the cheap plastic ones. i recently added two more to my collection. a non collector (such as wife) does not understand the need to add to the collection but as one of the above posters said, never and i mean NEVER ask the wife how many pairs of shoes (or purses or whatever) she has. i know it may sound like a logical comeback on the internet but in real life the results can be unexpected and unpleasant.
The only conversation more fun than the “how many yo-yos do you have” is the “how much did you spend on that yo-yo?” conversation.
Most of my 67 (sixty seven! I counted!) yo-yos are on “display” in and around my computer in the kitchen so there is really no intent to hide them from my husband. I did just order a CLYW Mudberry Scout from a far away land. The registered mail receipt came in the mail yesterday causing my spouse to ask just what I was importing from Japan this week. That question was followed closely by, “How much did THAT cost?” When I said about $150, “You spent HOW MUCH on a yo-yo!” was the next comment…
I did not point out the he spent more than that on running shoes or that he has 30 other pairs of running shoes in the closet. Those arguments never end well because he does not collect running shoes - all evidence to the contrary.
sigh
Non-collectors just don’t understand.
I collect yo-yos and everything gets played. The idea that true collectors don’t play is not universally true. I collect OD, CLYW, OUT and Kuhn for the more modern stuff as well as vintage Duncan, Spectra Star and other random novelty yo-yos. Glow in the Dark stuff rocks. I love them all. If I don’t absolutely adore them, I pass them on. I only keep what I love. I collect yo-yos because yo-yos are fun.
Fortunately for all of us, there is no need for monogamy in regard to our affection for the various yo-yos in our lives. We can love one in the morning, play with another in the afternoon and never need to worry about jealousy or about what our mothers might say…
I would love to have a collection of only 10, but I think it’s going to be unpossible for me.