Anyone else bored to death by mainstream guitars?

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  • I think most Fender and Gibson Guitars are pure Eye Candy, it doesn't matter whether they were designed in the 1950's/60's or not, they are pure class. Yes, some could be improved from an Engineering perspective (think Headstocks and Tuning), but aesthetically, they are sublime.

    I recall in the 80's when I was a teenager, how cool I thought the new Guitar designs were, things like Superstrats etc, stripping off the pickguard, chemi-blacked hardware and modernising the look of the knobs, switches and pick ups.

    I think all that looks dated now, while most of the original 50's/60's designs still look timeless.

    There's still a few companies who produce those types of Guitars, not only those, but still a big part of their popular range, but they ain't for me.

    Aside from Fender and Gibson, Guitars from decades ago that I like the looks of are Gretsch. Yamaha SG's, some Ricks.

    Musicman Guitars have come up with some "interesting" designs like the St Vincent and Armada and Albert Lee, but I can't say they have the same appeal for me. I don't really like many of their more "ordinary" shapes like the JP and Silhouette. I do like the Cutlass and the Stingray Guitar and the Axis and Valentine models. Whatever people think of their designs, they make top notch Guitars.

    Best Guitar from the last 20 odd years is the USA Peavey Wolfgangs, fantastic tone and quality and the most comfortable neck I've ever played. I bought mine 19 years ago. I don't know if I would buy one today with my current taste as they do look a bit "Rock", I've gone off Flame Tops quite a long time ago too and I'd want a Rosewood board. Don't think they did many Wolfgangs with Rosewood Boards?

    I'm not a big fan of the well known PRS Design although I can see how they appeal to others and they are high quality too.
    One thing I'm taking from this thread is that we're all very very different, with different ways of looking at this. For instance, Bellycaster's comments above about superstrats looking dated; to me they look great. I like the look of Strats and Les Pauls, but neither are for me: the Strat volume knob is in the wrong place (which is solved on my Contemporary Squier), and a Les Paul is just too clunky (which is why I gigged an LTD EC1000 for years, and got cross when people suggested it was 'because I couldn't afford a proper Les Paul').
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

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  • ArjailerArjailer Frets: 103
    edited August 2019
    p90fool said:
    but if you think Gibson and Fender haven't been doing exactly what you're asking for decade after decade then you're not paying attention. 
    Yep - they totally have done those things - as have many other smaller manufacturers - and many continue to do so. And those guitars are a tiny minority of those available, and are sometimes difficult to find and try - and yes, that's because the vast majority of guitarists don't want those things. Can't dispute any of that.

    And the result is that I (and others in here) find mainstream guitars to be utterly boring. As fields5069 said, I find most guitar shops to be just a huge wall of blandness 'cos that's what sells  dissapointed

    Nothing I can do about that - I'm never going to, nor would I even want to, change anyone's minds - everyone's entitled to like what they want to like. So I'll remain "grudgingly tolerant" as merciful-evans put it  smiley 
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    crunchman said:
    thegummy said:
    lets make it simple, guitarists are pretty stupid, opinionated and short sighted. 
    Bassists have gone modern years ago, 5 and 6 string custom made bases with active electronics from a huge variety of wood and composites the norm now as opposed to 4 string fenders.
    We will buy a  Mex 60's Strat, then pay double to have same thing made across border in California, then pay double again to have it made in custom shop in same factory, then pay more again to have it beaten with chains and keys till it looks old!
    Even Violinists in orchestras use composite instruments. 

    An the worst thing we cant tell what its made from anyway. we still buy our guitars on looks rather than sound and function. 
    While modern basses do exist, 90%+ of records still use either a Jazz or a Precision.

    Yesterday, actually, I skimmed through 3 seasons of Jools Holland noting what bass each band was using (I have my reasons lol) and there was about 4 non-Fender basses used, only 1 of which was the modern active pickup type. Every other band on all of those shows used either a Fender J or P.
    I much the prefer the sound of a traditional passive P to all these active ones.  I do like a 32" scale though, which is non-traditional and hard to find.  I've managed to find an 80's Japanese made Squier P with a 32" scale.
    Check out the Maruszczyk website, you can customise pretty much everything on the bass (including 32 inch scale) and it's cheaper than an American Fender.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    lysander said:
    p90fool said:
    OP must be like,12 or something. I can remember countless innovations from Fender and Gibson, even Strats exactly as he describes, and they all flopped. 

    It's like moaning about Harley Davidson persisting in making Electraglides because you want a Honda CBR1000RR. 

    Just buy the bloody Honda!
    I find it funny that many seem to get so prickly at the slightest suggestion of change or evolution - you’re gonna insult me for that, really ? Just lol.
    I don't think anyone is bothered at all by the suggestion of change, it's just the redundancy of the gripe.

    It's literally wanting one company who make their own style of product to start making the style of products that other companies make. What would be the benefit?

    I don't know anything about motorbikes but it's like trying Tetley and Typhoo, preferring Tetley so moaning that Typhoo don't make teabags like Tetley rather than just buying the one you prefer.
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    bloomer said:
    Millimetric do some interesting things: https://www.instagram.com/millimetricinstruments/
    Yes, really like their "singlecut" MGS3, some of the finishes on the Instagram look awesome. Again though it's one of those guitars I'm definitely not cool enough to pull off  


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  • DaevidJDaevidJ Frets: 414
    I like older designs but with a twist. If done right then they can be exceptional with some having a longevity (Stingray Bass as an example). I am always wary about supposed innovations which turns out to be just gimmicks (robot turners) and anything which really is just not going to stand the test of time. At the end of the day we all (well pretty much all) play guitar... Which flavour though is up to your own taste, however there is a flavour for pretty much everyone even if you have to build it yourself :) 
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  • KittyfriskKittyfrisk Frets: 18389
    Hi @lysander.
    Bit late in the discussion, but have you seen these? Fender Aerodyne Stratocaster MIJ.
    The neck's were apparently slimmer than standard, but I doubt the heel will be more ergonomic  ;)



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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31369
    lysander said:
    p90fool said:
    OP must be like,12 or something. I can remember countless innovations from Fender and Gibson, even Strats exactly as he describes, and they all flopped. 

    It's like moaning about Harley Davidson persisting in making Electraglides because you want a Honda CBR1000RR. 

    Just buy the bloody Honda!
    I find it funny that many seem to get so prickly at the slightest suggestion of change or evolution - you’re gonna insult me for that, really ? Just lol.
    I really was grumpy before my coffee this morning, wasn't I? 

    Sorry about that @lysander , I really didn't mean to come across like that. 
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  • lysanderlysander Frets: 574
    No problem @p90fool, appreciated and forgotten !
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31369
    Cheers fella, probably a result of being up all night having to learn Loretta Lynn songs....
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    One thing I'm taking from this thread is that we're all very very different, with different ways of looking at this. For instance, Bellycaster's comments above about superstrats looking dated; to me they look great. I like the look of Strats and Les Pauls, but neither are for me: the Strat volume knob is in the wrong place (which is solved on my Contemporary Squier), and a Les Paul is just too clunky (which is why I gigged an LTD EC1000 for years, and got cross when people suggested it was 'because I couldn't afford a proper Les Paul').
    Really the Eclipse is an awesome evolution of the LP. The high end ones ESP post on their Instagram look incredible, yesterday they posted this satin one, really got the GAS going! Every ESP/LTD guitar I've played has been quality - can't say the same for many of the other big brands.


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  • DeeTeeDeeTee Frets: 764
    I kind of agree, tbh, but I totally get why it happens. I'm more interested in updated versions of classic designs: SG with a maple neck, LP with an improved heel joint, that sort of thing. But if either of the big 2 try and update, it doesn't go well for them. Financially, they kind of have to stick to the formula. As it happens, I don't think 2015 Gibson is a great example of that, because a lot of that was how they handled everything. 

    It's great that other brands are out there making the innovations that the big 2 can't though. ESP/LTD and PRS are good, established makers refining classic designs. Ibanez will offer almost any variation of the classic strat. Boutique builders like Feline will take that even further. 

    Yeah, Fender and Gibson are a bit boring, because their share price history shows that they need to be, but there are other cool options.

    I'd be really interested to see guitars that aren't made of wood become properly mainstream though!
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  • TINMAN82TINMAN82 Frets: 1845
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Jim Root strat/tele have a different heel as well. The strat has a compound radius fingerboard and is hardtail. Looks awesome. 
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  • RichardTRichardT Frets: 71
    This is all 100% about personal taste. And the discussion is based on a false premise. Whatever one may think of the corporate cultures of Fender and Gibson over the decades, they've actually innovated, tweaked and experimented pretty much non-stop, at least within my guitar buying horizon (1979-date). Mass market popular tastes are a different issue, and the UK instrument retail sector another one.
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  • LodiousLodious Frets: 1942
    Has anybody played a millimetric? I like the look of them!
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11414
    Arjailer said:
    p90fool said:
    but if you think Gibson and Fender haven't been doing exactly what you're asking for decade after decade then you're not paying attention. 
    Yep - they totally have done those things - as have many other smaller manufacturers - and many continue to do so. And those guitars are a tiny minority of those available, and are sometimes difficult to find and try - and yes, that's because the vast majority of guitarists don't want those things. Can't dispute any of that.

    And the result is that I (and others in here) find mainstream guitars to be utterly boring. As fields5069 said, I find most guitar shops to be just a huge wall of blandness 'cos that's what sells  dissapointed

    Nothing I can do about that - I'm never going to, nor would I even want to, change anyone's minds - everyone's entitled to like what they want to like. So I'll remain "grudgingly tolerant" as merciful-evans put it  smiley 
    I get what you mean.  Most would go for a  mainstream car like a Golf or Focus, but then you will find someone who wants a lime green Hyundai Veloster.  No accounting for taste.
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  • fields5069fields5069 Frets: 3826
    I think your brand needs the correct image in order to sell certain types of guitar. It's a generalisation, for sure, and IMO it's very smart of Fender to have different brands for different guitars, albeit they were bought as going concerns.
    Some folks like water, some folks like wine.
    My feedback thread is here.
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  • I think your brand needs the correct image in order to sell certain types of guitar. It's a generalisation, for sure, and IMO it's very smart of Fender to have different brands for different guitars, albeit they were bought as going concerns.
    This is true as well. If Gibson (forgetting the current PR clusterf*ck for a moment) released a neon green Floyd Rose superstrat with Fluence pickups everyone would totally be like 'wtf?'

    (And as I typed that, I remember the Gibson M3 - point proved)
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

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  • TTBZ said:
    One thing I'm taking from this thread is that we're all very very different, with different ways of looking at this. For instance, Bellycaster's comments above about superstrats looking dated; to me they look great. I like the look of Strats and Les Pauls, but neither are for me: the Strat volume knob is in the wrong place (which is solved on my Contemporary Squier), and a Les Paul is just too clunky (which is why I gigged an LTD EC1000 for years, and got cross when people suggested it was 'because I couldn't afford a proper Les Paul').
    Really the Eclipse is an awesome evolution of the LP. The high end ones ESP post on their Instagram look incredible, yesterday they posted this satin one, really got the GAS going! Every ESP/LTD guitar I've played has been quality - can't say the same for many of the other big brands.


    That is nice! I prefer this one though:


    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

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