Good guitars other than the famous ones

Tom-eg

What other guitars are there out there that are good other than your les pauls, strats and telecasters?? Any that you have played that have taken you by surprise? Any equipment either? Discuss

Feelgood

Tom-eg wrote: »

What other guitars are there out there that are good other than your les pauls, strats and telecasters?? Any that you have played that have taken you by surprise? Any equipment either? Discuss

Maverick F1, F2 F3 or F4.

I have a LP Custom, Mex Strat and a Custom PRS and without a shadow of a doubt the Maverick is my complete favourite...actually bought my 3rd Maverick on ebay about 8 weeks ago for €190!!.

PaulBrewer

My favourite brand is the Ebay Guitar ....

I've bought heaps of yokes on ebay and found some right gems all within the $400/$600 mark.

I've a 3 pickup Burny SG that whacks the BeJaysus out of any other ones I've heard.

I bought a few Schecters that I think are pretty cool sounding, the Hellcat looks way cool to ...

I just got a Rickenbacker 330 with a foul paint job that's in the paint shop as we speak for about $630.

I also have an Yamaha SG2100 that's reasonably rare and I think cost me about $1600

Seziertisch

It depends really on what you are looking for. Different guitars are suited to and indeed have inspired different styles.

It is best to view guitars individually, each one on its own merit. A lot of times two of the same guitar, even the exact same model can be completely different.

As to what other guitars are good - Rickenbackers, Gretsches, ESP etc. ... The list goes on, and is hugely dependent on what it is you want to play. Strats in particular are very popular because of their flexibility and their durability. They can be used for everything from folk to metal and beyond. Other guitars might be less "flexible" but have a certain sound, albeit more limited, which can't be found anywhere else, and for this reason are inspiring.

I find for example that Les Pauls are particularly suited to riffing and soloing even though they were originally a jazz guitar, while Fenders are particularly suited to chord work (but not just). Johnny Marr is currently using Jazzmasters and Jaguars with Modest Mouse because he says they are completely unsuited to playing minor pentatonic blues scales and thus better suited to the the music he is making currently.

Also don't forget a large part of a guitars sound is down to the pickups. A good set in an average guitar can make a very usable instrument, and indeed a change of pickups can change a guitars suitability to one particularly style of music or another.

PaulBrewer

Seziertisch wrote: »

Also don't forget a large part of a guitars sound is down to the pickups. A good set in an average guitar can make a very usable instrument, and indeed a change of pickups can change a guitars suitability to one particularly style of music or another.

Good point, I have an Epiphone Casino that I got Bareknuckle pickups to rewind - transformed it tonewise.

dav nagle

I wouldn't buy any guitar in the world without playing it first. I have to feel the neck and play it first. My mate bought a Les paul online and it smelled like an old grannies house and looked like grandads old medals.

Neurojazz

Don't mean to sound bizzare...

I beleive in india the music teachers/gurus/elders look at the hand shape of the person and decide on the instrument/profession that way.

Sounds bizzare but looking at some students hands is a dead giveaway to what guitar neck (or band instrument) they'd get on with (and many other factors of course)...

Also standing up, sitting down are big factors (unless you wear the guitar so it's in the same position in both places)

Then style/tone etc... ad-infinitum.

I brought the musicman axis and a JS1000 - the axis had been a great player, but the JS was more fun for me even though the neck was slightly rounder.

I'd worked in a fender diamond dealer and played 1000's of guitars - Les Pauls coming a close top - but way too heavy for me the ectomorph ;P - even though the tone was *perfect* for rocking out etc...

The Axis though was the best electric player sat down in the shop, Aria had semi-solids that were awesome for jazz, Kyari for acoustic tone and playability.

When i last had a student that was a 'widdler' i pointed him at a Charvel model 6 (now well obselete/gone) - his hands/fingers suited the flat neck and his playing went mental from that point onwards. A good teacher can usually guesstimate what guitar is good for what person - if they take the advice of course (and is an impartial teacher)

counterpointaud

G&L, old 80's Tokai, Blueridge acoustics.

Cheers,

Nathan

Seziertisch

Fundamentally, a good guitar should inspire, either by its sheer originality or the fact that when you play it it sounds like something you already know, recalling the legendary tones of the greats.

As Neurojazz said, neck size can be an issue, although the thicker the neck the greater the sustain (theoretically at least).

Also, it is worthwhile to consider upgrading a guitar you are mostly happy with, even beyond replacing pickups. A good set up can cure a lot of ills, as can replacing the electronics (wiring, pots etc.). A lot of times with pots they are only in the ball park. I recently replaced two 250 k pots on a guitar which were actually reading 160 k. This is a pretty bit difference. Also trying stuff like no-load pots, installing a switch to take the volume and tone controls out of the circuit or even going for 1 meg pots (or greater) can really bring a guitar to life. If the pickups sound kind of muddy and muffled to your ears increasing pot values (or indeed getting rid of the pots altogether) can make a huge difference.

studiorat

counterpointaud wrote: »

G&L, old 80's Tokai, Blueridge acoustics.

Cheers,

Nathan

+1 for the G+L.
I've an El Toro bass, it's cool...

sei046

Tokai FTW.

Im really buzzing off this Shine shape......

TelePaul

Yamah Pacifica 112 is somehting of a must have in any studio.