Condensing down to 1. THE guitar

Stevepage

I've been racking my brains recently over what it is I'm really searching for in a guitar.

I've got a LP, Jackson Soloist, Jackson HT6 and a Strat. I play these all the time though recently it's been my LP that's getting all the play time.

A friend asked me what it was I really wanted and I couldn't answer. I have no idea what it is I'm 'looking' for. Each guitar has its own unique thing but I don't think a guitar out there exists that combines all the things I love and want (but not yet had). 

Any one got an idea of their perfect guitar? Or what would it be? Does it exist?

brucegill

Lots of them. Lots and lots of them. 

guitars4you

I don't think the one perfect guitar exists - As you say, each guitar has it's own unique thing, whatever that might be

Hard to think of any famous pro musician, with a reasonably long career, that has stuck to one guitar - Don't say Brian May as he has multiple versions of that one guitar, plus I've seen him with an LP Deluxe and Tele for starters

If you can afford more than one guitar, then just go for it - No need to limit your choice - good policy as well to help drive up sales !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tenebrous

Stevepage said:

I've been racking my brains recently over what it is I'm really searching for in a guitar.

I've got a LP, Jackson Soloist, Jackson HT6 and a Strat. I play these all the time though recently it's been my LP that's getting all the play time.

A friend asked me what it was I really wanted and I couldn't answer. I have no idea what it is I'm 'looking' for. Each guitar has its own unique thing but I don't think a guitar out there exists that combines all the things I love and want (but not yet had). 

Any one got an idea of their perfect guitar? Or what would it be? Does it exist?

That's the thing with guitars: there's never really going to be just the one guitar that does absolutely everything superbly well. The best you can hope for is finding a guitar that can do its own thing superbly well.

My perfect guitar still is, & always will be, a spot on blackguard tele with a comfy neck & a nice punchy sound. It'll never excel at doing certain things, but so long as it does the tele thing really well, then it'll be perfect for me... The 80% of the time I want to play a telecaster, anyway.

ICBM

guitars4you said:

Hard to think of any famous pro musician, with a reasonably long career, that has stuck to one guitar - Don't say Brian May as he has multiple versions of that one guitar, plus I've seen him with an LP Deluxe and Tele for starters

Lonnie Mack

Snowy White

Neil Young isn’t too far off either, if you allow the ‘back trouble period’ when he used the Gretsch and the Broadcaster.

guitars4you

ICBM said:

guitars4you said:

Hard to think of any famous pro musician, with a reasonably long career, that has stuck to one guitar - Don't say Brian May as he has multiple versions of that one guitar, plus I've seen him with an LP Deluxe and Tele for starters

Lonnie Mack

Snowy White

Neil Young isn’t too far off either, if you allow the ‘back trouble period’ when he used the Gretsch and the Broadcaster.

Snowy White now plays a replica - But granted effectively the same - But also has a black LP - Also has a gold top with a Setsbar, but sure if this is on his main replica or another gold top - Bird of Paradise is IMO one of the best LP tones

Good call on Lonnie Mack - as far as I know

tone1

I’ve been thinking of 1 electric 1 acoustic for ages. I did try it before with the PRS 513 but it was pants.... I hate having excess stuff around.......I have come to the conclusion that I sound like me whatever guitar I play. I’ll never sound like SRV or Angus even if I played through their gear.... I’ve found a PRS DGT that I’m going to stick with and stop chasing an elusive dream for a while.....

stimpsonslostson

guitars4you said:

ICBM said:

guitars4you said:

Hard to think of any famous pro musician, with a reasonably long career, that has stuck to one guitar - Don't say Brian May as he has multiple versions of that one guitar, plus I've seen him with an LP Deluxe and Tele for starters

Lonnie Mack

Snowy White

Neil Young isn’t too far off either, if you allow the ‘back trouble period’ when he used the Gretsch and the Broadcaster.

Snowy White now plays a replica - But granted effectively the same - But also has a black LP - Also has a gold top with a Setsbar, but sure if this is on his main replica or another gold top - Bird of Paradise is IMO one of the best LP tones

Good call on Lonnie Mack - as far as I know

Willie Nelson? 

Stevepage said:

Any one got an idea of their perfect guitar? Or what would it be? Does it exist?

Perfect guitar: Telecaster.
Does everything. Stays in tune. Indestructible. Feels like home. 

simonhpieman

I feel like I have something to cover every eventuality (everything except the "pointy" genres) but I currently have 9 electrics...

Starcaster
Regular style strat
70s style strat
Les Paul Studio
Epi Riviera
Jaguar
Squier Venus
72 Tele Thinline
Les Paul Jr single p90

I could lose the thinline, a Strat and maybe either the Riviera or the Starcaster if I felt I wanted to slim down. And the Venus if I was being truly ruthless. That's 5. You could argue I need a regular tele but I guess Jags have plenty twang.

I'd never feel comfortable with just 1, no matter how many different switches and coil taps and whatnot it had. I do look the idea of having "my one" and being associated with a particular guitar like our dear friend Brian, but I don't think I can manage it until I make it big (tongue is in cheek, here!) and stop having to play so many covers of different genres.

The problem is, I don't actually want loads and loads of guitars. I used to once when I didn't play as much but not anymore now I play loads. I hate changing strings and I forget when strings were last changed on which as I gig/use them all at almost random but regular intervals. Leaves me with bigger maintenance bills and evenings spent changing strings which I despise.

pintspiller

Doublecut Gibson?

Jez6345789

I think its easy in the modern world to get serious gas and also, in reality, few of us develop our own distinct style and sound-based around a single guitar. These days few of seem to be a Knopfler or Gilmour or Beck where we know one guitar inside out every tone and nuance. Yes that era guitarists played other things and their styles and sound evolved through their careers. 

I owned from 17 an Ibanez Les Paul copy a Yamaha Dreadnought style all the way to 30 when i bought the PRS I never owned another guitar till my mid 40's now I seem to have something for all occasions none of them gets anywhere like what you would call proper use. 

I also think these days if I go and see a cover band guitarists often seem to have a selection of guitars to suit the song. maybe different in original bands but these days it easy to have an endless smorgas board of guitars pedals and tones. 

So knowing what you really want and sticking to it is very hard.

As I make the final move to Spain I am in the process of thinning the herd and often keep saying to myself I should go down to perhaps 3 guitars but then I drag them all out like Saturday and play one for a couple of hours and think that's useful or nice.

I even got the 2015 Les Paul Junior out to photograph and upon playing it found it way better than remembered and thinking why get rid, it would make a good modding platform and so it goes on. 

Matt_McG

I have two electrics right now, but, for most of the past 30 years, I've only owned one electric at a time. And, ironically, since I got the new one (end of last year), I've only played the older one for about 30 minutes.

So, for me, it's entirely possible to imagine living with just one. That's mostly how it has always been.

It's certainly possible for me to imagine living with just two (although I'd probably change one of the ones I currently have), plus a nylon string.

gringopig

.

Philly_Q

Stevepage said:

Any one got an idea of their perfect guitar? Or what would it be? Does it exist?

I have quite clear ideas in terms of ergonomics - neck shape and width, fretboard radius, frets, overall weight, the type of body contouring which feels comfortable, etc.

But then I'd want a mahogany one with a set neck and humbuckers, an ash one with bolt on maple neck and single coils, maybe a chambered one...

Alnico

I've wanted to do this for years but it's my Firebird that stops me...I just couldn't live without it but it won't do everything.

I could sell the other 4 to fund one really good guitar, a Soloist or similar would be perfect but I'd still have to have the Firebird. I can't live without a Floyd but don't want to live without a fixed bridge either and my Firebird is THE one for that.

I could have two guitars but probably not just one.

If I had to have just one and had no choice then it would be an Ibanez Jem, almost certainly the Sea Foam Green model because it needs no parts upgrading, isn't the most expensive of the range and it's a cool colour. 

guitartango

One guitar ! Please leave this forum

FelineGuitars

I have a few guitars , but of late it's the metallic blue flattop Lion (copy of Gibson The Paul) that gets all the playing.

Voxman

gringopig said:

I don't feel there is such as thing as 'the one' guitar. Guitars only inspire us  to play and play differently; to come up with songs and new things. There is nothing inherent in a guitar and it's the interaction that's important and I love interacting with many many guitars as often as possible.

This - but I'd amend to "I don't feel there is such as thing as 'the one' guitar. Guitars only inspire us  to play and play differently; to come up with songs and new things.There is something inherently different about each guitar and it's the interaction with that difference that's important and I love interacting with many many guitars as often as possible".

Each of my guitars (I have 12, but only 9 electrics that I rotate) has something going for it that none of the others have. Each has its own character, charms, limitations, and idiosyncrasies, and there are certain guitars that I only play at home and don't gig or rehearse with. My main 9 are:

2006 Gibson SG Standard
1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom
1988 Fender USA Telecaster Standard
2010 Fender USA Stratocaster Standard limited edition with Delta tone
1969 Fender Stratocaster hardtail
2003 PRS Custom 24
1997 Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro hardtail
1989 Epiphone Sheraton II (with SD '59 pups)
Yamaha Pacifica 611VFM

Each one feels, plays, and sounds very different. I rotate my guitars quite regularly. For the past week I've been playing my Telecaster, the week before it was my SG (with new Grover tuners) and Strats.  it largely depends on my mood, and influences from seeing someone play a particular guitar or style on You-tube or TV, or listening to mp3's etc. Whilst it would be nice to have some older vintage guitars, some custom shop, a hand-made Feline etc, I consider myself pretty fortunate to have the wide selection I have that allows me to experiment with a wide range of different styles.  

Of course having just one guitar can have important advantages too. You don't need to think about which guitar to play; you can (if it's the right guitar) truly bond with it intimately (I had that with my 69 Strat!), only one guitar to carry and store, only one guitar to re-string and maintain; and you custom build your amp & FX rig around just that one guitar.  In many ways it can actually make you more creative because you have to learn to adapt and compensate for your guitars limitations.  It's all very much down to each persons personal preference, playing style(s), musical preferences, storage space, and budget. 

 

King85

Part of the fun of guitar is buying new gear why limit yourself.

ICBM

Realistically I could have just one guitar - of each type I use -

Electric solidbody
Semi-acoustic
Acoustic 6-string
Acoustic 12-string

And for bass -

Fretted
Fretless

Which is pretty much what I've got, except that I have one too many solidbodies. I end up making them all sound the same anyway - or trying to...

DrJazzTap

I miss the sound of a 335. The DGT gets close to a one guitar to rule them all for me. 
It doesnt have the focused honk of an SG and everyone needs a strat because...