Guitar For Rhythm Guitarist???

makeagudnotebad

Whats the best tyoe of guitar to play rhythm with? I've been using Fenders up until now and I'm just curious as to what other good rhythm guitars are out there! you know? Something with not so many bells and Whistles!

feylya

Les Paul or similar imo.

makeagudnotebad

I hear they are better for lead

feylya

I don't think so. Thing about Les Paul style guitars is you have the big body so you get a big full sound, a good chunky neck, fixed bridge etc etc. If you want a guitar for lead, I'd look for a guitar with a slimmer neck and maybe a tremolo.

makeagudnotebad

Interesting! I shall look into it! I totally fell in lovewith one particular guitar Tanya Donelly plays. I'd love to know what it is! like the make. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWYAm7yHOTY have a look and see if it rings a bell.

feylya

Looks like a modded SG to me.

makeagudnotebad

reminded me of an SG but it seemed a bit outta shape. whatever it is I love it.

JimmNeutron

Try the ltd viper, theyre like sgs but slightly offset. The cheaper ones dont look spectacular but then again you get what you pay for eh?? The high end ones, movin into esp territory are crackin lookin guitars, and the ec model too

Rustar

When I saw the thread title, the first thing that came into my mind was "LP and SG"

punchdrunk

looks like an old SG-90 to me

Ravelleman

I'd never really associate any particular solid body electrics with rhythm or lead work. Just try out as many guitars as you can and see what suits you and your sound best. You might be surprised :eek: .

funky_buddah

feylya wrote:

I don't think so. Thing about Les Paul style guitars is you have the big body so you get a big full sound, a good chunky neck, fixed bridge etc etc. If you want a guitar for lead, I'd look for a guitar with a slimmer neck and maybe a tremolo.

I much prefer a chunky neck for lead, thin necks just feel like toys to my hands.

feylya

I was just talking in generalisations

LundiMardi

any guitar would be good for rhythm, it doesn't really make a difference... What you should provide is the type of music you play? Then a guitar could be recommended.

fish-head

Some kind of semi could be good like an Epiphone Dot or Sheraton or an ES335.

VCK

makeagudnotebad wrote:

I hear they are better for lead

They are but they also have a toogle switch for Rhythm. They're suitable for any kind of Guitar playing really.

Get_born_again

Depends on what kind of sound you're looking for- I agree with Ravelleman that you should just try out a bunch and see what you like best. IMO a comfy neck shape is pretty important. Don't buy just cos of looks. ESP's are my fave

ferdi

if i was gonna buy a guitar for rhythm work tomorrow (and i had a load of cash) - it'd be this bad boy: http://www.thomann.de/ie/gibson_lp_junior_1957_vos_vsb.htm

love these guitars!

or else a hollow body like fish-head says

fish-head

Oh yeah! Juniors are the shiznit! Mick Jones made a good fist of them as a lead instrument though.

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Whats the best type of guitar to play rhythm with?

:rolleyes:

This is a kinda ridiculous question when you think about it, I mean it depends on your guitar style, everyone is different. For instance Stevie Ray Vaughan didn't use SG's for rhythm playing and Angus Young didn't use Stratocasters for lead.

Keep trying out guitars, as many as you can, and you will find one that sounds and feels right. But you must find this out for yourself. Just as Angus Young and SRV did!

Its a case of different strokes for different folks!

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feylya wrote:

I don't think so. Thing about Les Paul style guitars is you have the big body so you get a big full sound, a good chunky neck, fixed bridge etc etc. If you want a guitar for lead, I'd look for a guitar with a slimmer neck and maybe a tremolo.

Oh really?

Well what about players like Jimmy Page, Slash, Peter Green, Gary Moore, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Ace Frehley, Joe Perry, Paul Kossof, Zakk Wylde, Billy Gibbons, Kirk Hammett, Pete Townsend, Randy Rhoads, Duane Allman, Gary Rossington, Mick Taylor, Jeff Beck, Dave Gilmour, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, John Sykes, Derek Trucks, Dickey Betts, Adrian Smith?

feylya

You seem to be missing a rather important part of my post.

I'd look for a guitar with a slimmer neck and maybe a tremolo.

I never said you couldn't use Les Paul's for leads.

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feylya wrote:

You seem to be missing a rather important part of my post.



I never said you couldn't use Les Paul's for leads.

Ah but you said 'I don't think so' when it was suggested that 'they are better for lead'

But all I'm saying is that some people 'do think so' but alas you don't think so!

Its a case different strokes for different folks! But it's OK I like diversity!

feylya

The statement was

I hear they are better for lead

Now, if you consider having a huge heel in the way of getting to the upper frets good, then fair enough. Personally, I like to be able to go above the 16th without having to twist my hand to reach.

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feylya wrote:

The statement was



Now, if you consider having a huge heel in the way of getting to the upper frets good, then fair enough. Personally, I like to be able to go above the 16th without having to twist my hand to reach.

Well I can't say I've ever had any problems playing my LP, but thats OK, you don't have to like them, it's simply not a requirement, but you have to agree, they do look great?

feylya

Na, I love LP's, I'm waiting for one to be delivered at the moment. But there is no denying the fact that there is a big block of wood stopping you from getting up to the upper frets.

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feylya wrote:

Na, I love LP's, I'm waiting for one to be delivered at the moment. But there is no denying the fact that there is a big block of wood stopping you from getting up to the upper frets.

It is there, and it isn't, its a mental barrier, after a few months of playing it dissapears, I never notice it, it never gets in my way. And I play a lot of lead that LP has done more gigs than I even remember, I find it difficult to play my and adjust strat afterwards.

feylya

You might get used to it but there is no denying that there is something there impeding your upper fret access. You have to change the way you play. When was the last time you used your little finger to play the 22nd on an LP?

It wasn't me!

I was doing that earlier. :rolleyes: You kinda get into a habit I find of using your thumb to balance and pivot against the heel when playing the high frets. It's inconvenient, but doable.

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It wasn't me! wrote:

I was doing that earlier. :rolleyes: You kinda get into a habit I find of using your thumb to balance and pivot against the heel when playing the high frets. It's inconvenient, but doable.

Thankyou, Nuff said!

Maccattack

surely it depends on the style of music yer playing.

For most pop oriented styles Id say a tele, strat or a rick 330 - 360.

Les pauls for heavier stuff

!_Brian_!

The only way a guitar could be more suited to rythm in my opinion would be that it has a fixed bridge, set neck, string thru body construction and slighter higher action (which would be adjustable anyway so dosnt really matter).... maybe! Anything without a Flyod Rose could really be considered a rythm guitar, but I'm not saying you can ony play lead on guitars equiped with Flyod Roses either. There really isnt an answer for this question. Just what ever feels right in your hands!

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!_Brian_! wrote:

The only way a guitar could be more suited to rythm in my opinion would be that it has a fixed bridge, set neck, string thru body construction and slighter higher action (which would be adjustable anyway so dosnt really matter).... maybe! Anything without a Flyod Rose could really be considered a rythm guitar, but I'm not saying you can ony play lead on guitars equiped with Flyod Roses either. There really isnt an answer for this question. Just what ever feels right in your hands![/QUO

Thank you Brian! Nuff Said!

TelePaul

A Strat is the most versatile guitar around, especially if you throw a humbucker in the bridge. This is because it has 3 pickups and a 5-way switching system (7 way if you go for a deluxe model with an S-1 system). So in terms of rhythm, you can't really go wrong with a strat. You could also look at Jazzmasters and the like as well for variety. Rickenbackers are popular with alot of rhythm guitarists (Beatles, Tom Petty, Paul Weller).

I wouldn't catagorically say that Les Pauls and anything with humbuckers should be avoided when it comes to rhythm...but alot of the time a Humbucker can give a darker sound, where as an offset single coil (like in a stock Strat's bridge) can cut through the mix better if you're lpaying in a band.

My two cents.