Top 10 Guitars & 10 Bass's

dabhoys

A few months back What Guitar did a top 10 guitars of all time. They had to fall under these headings to get in.

1. The Guitar must represent innovative design.
2. It must be accepted as a classic guitar, played by the greats.
3. The guitar should be influential and inspired later designs.
4. It must represent the pinnacle of its type
5. The instrument should boast superior build quality and construction.

Now the top ten for them was as follows.

10. Parker Fly
9. Jackson Soloist
8. Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120
7. Gibson SG
6. Rickenbacker 360-12
5. Paul Reed Smith Custom 24
4. Gibson ES-335
3. Fender Telecaster
2. Gibson Les Paul
1. Fender Stratocaster

How much would you agree with this. Would you add or take away any?

Now there was no bass one. What do you's think the top 10 bass's of all time are???

Doctor J

In no particular order (electric instruments only)

Fender Stratocaster
Fender Esquire/Telecaster
Fender Precision
Fender Jazz
Rickenbacker 4001
Rickenbacker 330 12 string
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson 335
Musicman Stingray
and I'd put Floyd Rose's floating double locking trem as the last great innovation, the refinement of the floating tremolo design, rather than any other full instrument.

You've got to hand it to Leo Fender, without him music, as we know it today, wouldn't exist.

dabhoys

And to think he never really even played guitar! He studied to be an accoutant

Doctor J wrote:

You've got to hand it to Leo Fender, without him music, as we know it today, wouldn't exist.

Doctor J

It's a tribute to his genius that his original designs, the earliest Strats, Teles, Precisions and Jazz are still the industry standards. The current designs may have evolved slightly, but the original designs from the 50's and 60's are, to this day, still the standard by which other instruments are judged. Is there any other innovater from that era whose designs are still contemporary. Plus, he designed the Stingray bass and really brought active pickup technology to the masses. The G&L range are further enhancements of his own designs and are a joy to behold. Respect!

dabhoys

Playboy even listed the Fender Strat as one of the most important creations of the last 50 years. Up there with some of the greats like the microwave and the likes

The Fender strat is probaly hands down the greatest guitar of all times. Its never been alienated by times and differents styles of music. Its always been there and it will probally always will be..

Doctor J

It's also the most copied guitar in history. The likes of Jackson, Ibanez etc made their name selling refined strats - ie a Strat with a humbucker and a Floyd Rose (no small thanks to EVH).

However, I think his greatest invention was the electric bass. Before Leo, there was only the double bass. No frets, no electronics. He designed the 34" scale electric bass and redefined what musicians were capable of.

dabhoys

The super strats are still big business these days. The Precision bass revolutionised the bass as we know it.

Rickenbacker we're the first to create the electric guitar weren't they?

Man its hard to think what the world would have been like if Leo didn't create these marvels

Doctor J wrote:

It's also the most copied guitar in history. The likes of Jackson, Ibanez etc made their name selling refined strats - ie a Strat with a humbucker and a Floyd Rose (no small thanks to EVH).

However, I think his greatest invention was the electric bass. Before Leo, there was only the double bass. No frets, no electronics. He designed the 34" scale electric bass and redefined what musicians were capable of.

Doctor J

Ask any sound engineer, the four principal electric bass tones are the Precison, the Jazz, the Stingray and the Ric. 95% of the albums you know will have these tones on them. The other 5% are derived from combinations of those four

feylya

I'd put the explorer on that list too. Only cos it's the only guitar not listed that's been used a bit...

dabhoys

The Gibson Explorer?

feylya

Is there another?

disgruntled

dabhoys wrote:

A few months back What Guitar did a top 10 guitars of all time. They had to fall under these headings to get in.

1. The Guitar must represent innovative design.
2. It must be accepted as a classic guitar, played by the greats.
3. The guitar should be influential and inspired later designs.
4. It must represent the pinnacle of its type
5. The instrument should boast superior build quality and construction.

Now the top ten for them was as follows.

10. Parker Fly
9. Jackson Soloist
8. Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120
7. Gibson SG
6. Rickenbacker 360-12
5. Paul Reed Smith Custom 24
4. Gibson ES-335
3. Fender Telecaster
2. Gibson Les Paul
1. Fender Stratocaster

How much would you agree with this. Would you add or take away any?

Now there was no bass one. What do you's think the top 10 bass's of all time are???

Don't know about the Parker Fly being in the top ten. I never really thought much of them. Maybe it's just me, I dunno.

daram

Im surprised some spa hasnt arrived here yet proclaiming that strats are for queers and that the best guitar in the world is his black epiphone flying v with and a 'highly recommended' for those ****e illuminus guitars they sell in waltons.

feylya

Hey, those Gothic Epi V's RAWK!!!!!!!!!!!11111111!!!!!eleven

Na, I think we've chased all those away for the time being :P

daram

With all my bitching I forgot to say my own opinion.
Yeah, cant say Ive played all the ones listed in the original list. I also dont know the names of all the sweet guitars I've played at different times. It also doesnt say whether acoustics are allowed?

Still, number one goes to the original strat. Cant be beat for versatility. Then the tele, les paul and sp are def in there. The rickenbacker is also sweet. Has anyone played a fender showmaster, they look super, but cant say I've played one. They're also v. expensive. If acoustics are allowed, then lowdens are in there too. And the Gibson SJ original (not the re-issue). Hmmm. Whatelse....

Cant think now

dabhoys

Anyone who has half an idea about guitar, know that the fender strat is just simply the guitar by all other are rated. Its the Swiss knife of guitars.

But every guitar on that list is there for a good reason. There classic guitars that have made a big impact.

All though when you think about it guitars have really never veared away from the standard form first designed all those years ago. I know theres some weird guitars out there. But they've never caught on cuz people always go back to there standard. Is this cuz people fear change, or just that the original designs we're the best?

When you look at bass's and the way they've developed over the years to the new crazy designs and innovations available on bass's these days.

Guitars haven't taken leaps like that yet.

Doctor J can explain what I mean better He's the one that made the point to me..

daram

Those illuminus deals waltons are trying to sell are a perfect example. Trying to use resin instead of wood because it doesnt expand and contract with changing temperatures. They say it holds tune better. Have you played them? Complete and utter crap. If something is good why change it.

dabhoys

Those ones aren't worth a ****. But the steinberg's are very interesting guitars. Still a wooden body. But the graphite neck. Never goes out of tune. I think the frets are a stainless steel too. but I could be wrong on that one.

In this country though. You don't get the extreme difference in moisture content of the air. So the chances of the seasons have a massive effect on the neck etc. Is minimal. If you have a quality built guitar you have less to worry about. Sometime you need slight neck adjusment due to weather but it would be usually very minimal.

I had a muppet ask me when I was tuning up before a gig why I was doing it here. He said wouldn't the moisture in the air in the venue would cause the guitar to go out of tune. What a muppet. I mean I wasn't moving from a desert into a rainforest.

Ancient1

dabhoys wrote:

Anyone who has half an idea about guitar, know that the fender strat is just simply the guitar by all other are rated.

Timeless. Full stop. It's pure genius - from design to sound.

John

dabhoys wrote:

I had a muppet ask me when I was tuning up before a gig why I was doing it here. He said wouldn't the moisture in the air in the venue would cause the guitar to go out of tune. What a muppet. I mean I wasn't moving from a desert into a rainforest.

Yeah and he's gotten worse since then. Apparently strings have absolutely no impact on tone whatsoever.

daram

Oh of course. Absolutely none.

Also, even with a graphite neck, the strings themselves on a guitar expand and contract with heat, so the problem can never really be solved anyway. Its not like its impossible to tune on stage anyway.

Doctor J

I would say at least 90% of tuning problems are caused by poor stringing technique and poor tuning technique. The expansion and contraction of strings actually causes very little fluctuation in tuning. Generally, you'll find your tuning doesn't frequently go sharp (as you would expect if contracting strings was the problem).

KevCarina

I bought a fender Jazz Aerodyne bass a few months ago and I have to say its the Best bass that I have played yet. I am very picky about the basses I play but this one is the most versatile i can afford.

My dream bass would be a status graphite Buzzard 1 designed by the late great John Entwistle. It costs £4000 STG!!!!! and they are all custom built. The sound of this thing is just stunning.

I havent really got a great knowlege of guitars but would be familiar with the 10 top guitars named. Has guitar technology moved along with bass technology? As the buzzard bass or King Basses, and pretty much any custom basses you buy (and even standard music mans fender bases) all have active circuts battery pack and various elecronics stuffed into them. As far as I am aware standard guitars do not seem to take advantage of these electronic gizmos or am I wrong? I probably am. Cue the mocking of the bassist! :cool:

Doctor J

Active electronics are not necessarily the way forward. In truth, is there anything wrong with the sound of a 59 Les Paul plugged into a JCM800? I think part of the discrepancy might be that bass tones, more often than not, are generally uneffected, save for some compression whereas there are very few musical styles where the guitar tone is not twisted and shaped by a myriad of effects, starting with overdrive, etc. In studios bass is frequently recorded DI'd. Bassists have embraced instrument variation more than guitarists, it is not uncommon to see 5 and 6 string basses, and 7 string basses grow inpopularity continually. Also, the likes of JP Warrior Benevente Bass Surgery Alembic and so many more, are pushing forward with innovations which, for some reason, guitarists don't take to. For example, check out the insansely powerful EQ of Paian Basses. Is it the way forward? Hard to say. I really enjoy the extended range of my 6 string bass and it's EQ with sweepable midrange, but I still love playing my four string Jazz too. I love it's tone. It's passive, has 20 frets and the wires are cloth wrapped. The only major innovations in guitars in the last 30 are the locking tremolo and the Line 6 Variax. I'm disappointed by how, apart from a few dedicated jazzers, 7 string guitars have only been embraced by low B tuning nu-metal technical voids.

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

I'm disappointed by how, apart from a few dedicated jazzers, 7 string guitars have only been embraced by low B tuning nu-metal technical voids.

Oh come on! Trey Azagthoth, Steve Vai, 'Nergal' from Behemoth, not to mention god knows how many more, are shining examples of excellent guitarists with superb technical ability who use 7 String guitars. Nu-Metal is a bad example of just about anything.

I do agree with you though, as I had read about Bassurgery before, and wondered if there was ever anything like that pickup system in Guitars? I'm curious though, as you're touting the locking trem as a major step farward, what are your thoughts on the Floyd Rose Speedloader? Another step farward?

Doctor J

Three non-Nu-metal guitarists? Is that the best you can do? Heh heh, my point is that bassists have embraced more strings in far greater numbers than guitarists have.


As for the speedloader, it's really just a Steinberger with a redundant headstock there for aesthetic purposes IMO ie- no slack behind the nut and locked at the bridge, so it's not that great a departure from technology already available. The original double locking design was a breakthrough though. I saw the BC Rich's with a blank headstock and the speedloader... tbh, there's no point in the headstock being there, so I'd go for a Steinberger myself, but I don't think headless design really caught on. The only Metal guitarist I ever saw playing a Steinberger was Paul Masvidal of Death/Cynic fame.

Steinberger


Floyd

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

Three non-Nu-metal guitarists? Is that the best you can do? Heh heh, my point is that bassists have embraced more strings in far greater numbers than guitarists have.

Like I said, I do agree with you that bassists have been quick to embrace newer things (especially more strings) than guitarists, but that wasn't my point at all. I'm just saying that it's certainly not been just nu-metal guitarists who've embraced 7 String guitars. Hell, though I'm really a guitarist at heart, I still play bass, and I've a 5 String bass, but for some reason I've not really considered getting a 7 String guitar.

I could get anal, and namedrop a load of other guitarists who use 7 string guitars, but that's completely unnessicary.

feylya

Karl Hungus wrote:

I could get anal, and namedrop a load of other guitarists who use 7 string guitars, but that's completely unnessicary.

Me. And god knows how many jazz players.

Doctor J

feylya wrote:

Me. And god knows how many jazz players.

Isn't that what I said?

feylya

No?

Doctor J

Ah yes, I forgot to include you in my summation

Apologies!

feylya

For shame sir!

Doctor J

Indeed sir, how rude of me. As punishment I shall not permit myself any claret for a week!

feylya

I should think so!

Doctor J

I'd love to hear stuff from that guy who had the seven string fretless guitar I posted a while back. I'd say there's some interesting (or crazy, I'll take both) things going on.

feylya

I always thought there was something wrong with the idea of a fretless guitar...

KevCarina

I love the tone of jazz bases alright I suppose the original is always best but some of these new bases like Status's King Bass are just stunning. I saw Mark King last year and the sound of the bass and the new Mk 500 Ashdown series was incredible. Its Just sich a pity that all these technologically advanced bases are such expensives pieces (Justified given the efoort put into them). I just wish there was one out there I could afford. Status, Alembic and Jay Dee are all so dear.
:cool:

Doctor J

Get Christoph Dolf to make you a set of pickups. I had him make a set of stacked humbuckers for my bass (which did have Bartolinis) and they are the greatest thing I have ever heard. I now run my bass flat (no eq on the bass or the amp) 90% of the time. If you've got a fundamentally great tone you've no real need for electronic trickery. Those pickups cost me just €240. Besides, a decent jazz bass will get you any tone you will ever need

feylya

And you're calling EMG's expensive??

Doctor J

Yes. Christoph's pickups are hand wound to exactly the specifications of my bass. They are real custom pickups. They were measured and designed to fit my bass and my bass alone. Plus, the rosewood covers. Seymour Duncan wanted $400 to make a custom set. I shudder to think what EMG would've been, think about it, custom plastic moulding for the cover.

Johnny Storm

Doctor J wrote:

Three non-Nu-metal guitarists? Is that the best you can do? Heh heh, my point is that bassists have embraced more strings in far greater numbers than guitarists have.


As for the speedloader, it's really just a Steinberger with a redundant headstock there for aesthetic purposes IMO ie- no slack behind the nut and locked at the bridge, so it's not that great a departure from technology already available. The original double locking design was a breakthrough though. I saw the BC Rich's with a blank headstock and the speedloader... tbh, there's no point in the headstock being there, so I'd go for a Steinberger myself, but I don't think headless design really caught on. The only Metal guitarist I ever saw playing a Steinberger was Paul Masvidal of Death/Cynic fame.

Steinberger


Floyd

FYI - Buck (Donald Roeser) Dharma from Blue Oyster Cult always plays a Steinberger on stage these days

dabhoys

Thats pretty much it man. Plus a real steinberger is better quality then the Floyd. I'm not talking the cheep Steinbergers. I'm talking the real ones.

Doctor J wrote:

Three non-Nu-metal guitarists? Is that the best you can do? Heh heh, my point is that bassists have embraced more strings in far greater numbers than guitarists have.


As for the speedloader, it's really just a Steinberger with a redundant headstock there for aesthetic purposes IMO ie- no slack behind the nut and locked at the bridge, so it's not that great a departure from technology already available. The original double locking design was a breakthrough though. I saw the BC Rich's with a blank headstock and the speedloader... tbh, there's no point in the headstock being there, so I'd go for a Steinberger myself, but I don't think headless design really caught on. The only Metal guitarist I ever saw playing a Steinberger was Paul Masvidal of Death/Cynic fame.

Steinberger


Floyd

Zombienosh

I myself am a BC Rich and Jackson man
I only really use them........
nuff said.
\m/ :mad: \m/