swapping guitars - Good or bad for a beginner?

Paul7926

Hi all

This is a real 'Friday' question but I'll ask anyway.  I'm still new to this guitar playing malarkey but I have accumulated a few guitars already.  They are all dirt cheap look-alike models, one is SG shaped and two are Strat shaped with different string gauges on them.  I have mobility issues so I've sort of left them dotted around the house.  The SG is in the same room as the amp but if I'm in another room I can grab a Strat and just use it acoustically for a few minutes practice*.

Am I hindering my progress by constantly swapping between these guitars or does it not really matter? The necks are similar but not identical (I don't think anyway) and there is the different strings (only 9's or 10's but I do notice the difference) and the fact that the SG is just different to hold than the Strats.  

* Practice in this context really means mindless noodling, learning riffs from songs that I'm not supposed to be looking at.  Anything really but concentrating on what my tutor has set for the next lesson.

ftumch

Personally I think it's probably a good thing, you dont want to get so used to one particular guitar at this stage that playing anything else feels uncomfortable. Do you feel its hindering your progress? If not dont worry about it.

Jalapeno

Potential danger of endless, recurring GAS, a sub-branch of actually playing (like talking about it on the internet )

Paul7926

Jalapeno said:

Potential danger of endless, recurring GAS, a sub-branch of actually playing (like talking about it on the internet )

If I had to be honest with myself......

Available time breakdown.....

Guitar forum browsing   40%
YouTube guitar related video watching 25%
GAS internet investigation  25%
Pointless noodling 7%
Worthwhile Practice 3%

I'm already a lost cause.

FelineGuitars

Time spent with a guitar in your hands is always good. 

But choose to learn something specific and use your noodling time to make progress with that perhaps.

No issues at all with the variety of guitars as far as i can see as long as they make you WANT to play

Paul7926

To be honest I only asked because I'm starting to notice the small differences.  I don't really think it's holding me back, there is a huge list of other things doing that at the moment!

hollywoodrox

I used to think it may be a disadvantage  but now believe (after reading some things on cognitive learning)  that micro differences in practising things say an arpeggio ,lick scale in different places on the neck help with accuracy in general so I would imagine it could apply to different guitars 

Roland

There’s a parallel with language learning. If a young child is exposed to more than one language, for example English and German parents or English parents living in Germany, then it takes them a little longer to learn to speak. Thereafter they learn faster, and can pick up a third language more easily.

You can see how this works with guitars. Strats and Les Pauls are different, and you often play them differently because of it. Once you’ve got over the initial learning curve you can progress faster, and adapt to a Tele or SG much faster, than if you only hod one guitar.

The danger is spending time buying even more, rather than learning to use what you’ve got. That’s down to self discipline.

Paul7926

I have noticed that I can play chord shapes that are a stretch (frets 2 to 6) much easier on the SG than the Tele.  I suppose what I need to do is make sure that I keep trying on the Tele rather than just giving up.

@Roland ; :  If something is 'down to self disipline' then I've lost before I start! 

prowla

I alternate between 4-string bass, 5-string bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, classical guitar,doublenek, and a danno in an alternate tuning; I'm happy enough in my own little world

Roland

Being able to achieve the stretch on the SG builds confidence that any difficulty with the Tele is due to its shape, rather than your capability.

CarpeDiem

It should improve your playing if you use different guitars, and include acoustic too if you have one. Whilst some will be easier to play than others, it's worth persevering. It's good that you've got guitars handy to pick up in different rooms.

I'd also suggest structuring your playing/practice time to progress faster, if that's what you want to achieve. Enjoy the journey!          

LastMantra

I've never had any problems playing different guitars

drofluf

On the same theme, as a relative beginner, if I switch between necks with different profiles, am I going to find it a major challenge or a good learning exercise?

CeeJay

I started learning in earnest a year ago on an SG shape. I now also have a strat shaped guitar, and I consistently miss by a couple of frets when I'm noodling on the strat. It only takes a couple of minutes to get used to, but I find the SG shape/scale length much more intuitive. Muscle memory is a funny thing. I suspect it will pass as I get more used to it, but the difference was definitely noticeable at first. Having a selection right from the off should help rather than hinder I would have thought.
As an aside, I don't have any issues when picking an acoustic up........

Toms_Dad

Roland said:

The danger is spending time buying even more, rather than learning to use what you’ve got. That’s down to self discipline.

Oh dear, self discipline? I’m really in trouble then!

Rocker

One 'guitar' that everyone needs is a bass.  To play bass you need to learn about music and how it works.  The knowledge filters back into your guitar playing so it is a win win situation.  Not to mention the benefits of fretting hand strength brought on by the bass....

Funkfingers

ftumch said:

you don't want to get so used to one particular guitar at this stage that playing anything else feels uncomfortable. 

You just described my brother. Anything that does not conform to the traditional dimensions and layout of a Fender Jazz Bass confuses the bejeezus out of him. 

roberty

I've been playing for 22 years and changing guitars can spin me out a bit. When I go from my Les Paul to my 335 I sometimes misjudge the fret dots and land two frets high. Also tendonitis is a problem now and I have to be careful when changing neck profiles not to fatigue my wrist with poor positioning