What's the most impractical guitar you own? But fun to play

PLOP

Mine was an all-white firebird with gold hardware. 

I wanted a white one for a while, and while the ESP Phoenix was the perfect choice, I got an Epi Firebird because I can’t justify the cost of the ESP! 

It was massive, I would clip the headstock all the time, even when I was being careful. It didn’t sit in a rack. The case was like a door and barely fit in my car. It was awkward to play and hold, stood up and sitting. The (FB style mini humbucker) pickups were thick and gloopy and I couldn’t get a good sound from it ever. The strings were always too tight or too slack, even when other 24.5” guitars in the same tuning with the same setup and gauge were fine.  

To top it off, I looked at pictures of me playing it and I looked nowhere near as cool as I thought I did. I looked like a child holding an adult sized guitar and because I was so careful about hitting the drummer’s cymbals with the headstock I never moved from one spot while playing. 

That firebird lasted a few rehearsals before I realised it was a silly, uncomfortable, unnecessary and daft looking guitar with no place in a metal band. 

I play an all black tele now, and couldn’t love it any more. 

guitargeek62

BobHillman said:

stickyfiddle said:

guitargeek62 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Explorers are amazing. Stupid. But amazing. 

Are they stupid though?  

For me they're pretty much the ideal gigging guitar, the balance is always ideal, most things fall into where my hands want them to be, and they look cool AF.  The biggest (literally) downside I suppose is the body sticks out and is easy to knock on things, and that headstock feels even more prone to breakages than a usual set-neck affair, unless it's been engineered differently and 'improved'.



p.s. In spite of this, I'd still say that my Explorer Jr is my most impractical guitar that I own.... despite being perfectly balanced, lightweight, stable, and as versatile as a Jr can be (i.e. a lot)  

I smashed a lightbulb with my explorer headstock once. And they’re not great couch guitars. And the cases are RIDICULOUS. 

But I agree they’re great on a strap when you have enough space not to bump into shit

That is just wonderful.

Alternatively, I would like an Explorer with a pair of Firebird HBs.

Merci, that was my Crimson ‘refresher’ build from last autumn; it had been nearly ten years since I’d last done a scratch-build and the bug is definitely back. I’m going to keep making X & ‘shape’ types, alongside some more conventional(-ish) semi-hollows from late-summer onwards as my new workshop’s not far off ready now.

p.s. I might be adding a neck firebird pickup to this one soon if that’s of interest…?

stickyfiddle

guitargeek62 said:

BobHillman said:

stickyfiddle said:

guitargeek62 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Explorers are amazing. Stupid. But amazing. 

Are they stupid though?  

For me they're pretty much the ideal gigging guitar, the balance is always ideal, most things fall into where my hands want them to be, and they look cool AF.  The biggest (literally) downside I suppose is the body sticks out and is easy to knock on things, and that headstock feels even more prone to breakages than a usual set-neck affair, unless it's been engineered differently and 'improved'.



p.s. In spite of this, I'd still say that my Explorer Jr is my most impractical guitar that I own.... despite being perfectly balanced, lightweight, stable, and as versatile as a Jr can be (i.e. a lot)  

I smashed a lightbulb with my explorer headstock once. And they’re not great couch guitars. And the cases are RIDICULOUS. 

But I agree they’re great on a strap when you have enough space not to bump into shit

That is just wonderful.

Alternatively, I would like an Explorer with a pair of Firebird HBs.

Merci, that was my Crimson ‘refresher’ build from last autumn; it had been nearly ten years since I’d last done a scratch-build and the bug is definitely back. I’m going to keep making X & ‘shape’ types, alongside some more conventional(-ish) semi-hollows from late-summer onwards as my new workshop’s not far off ready now.

p.s. I might be adding a neck firebird pickup to this one soon if that’s of interest…?

Mine’s a 76 explorer, natural mahogany. Whenever you’re ready!!

Paul_C

I don't have much which is impractical, but there's the one on the right here, with no controls at all.

and a much messed about with Westone Thunder 1A which is currently fretless.

hollywoodrox

Offset said:

ICBM said:

Roland said:

 

Stupidly I gave it away. Maybe I should make a new one.

Are you in ABBA?

Unfortunately, this was my first thought...

They had some good hits ,Angel Face was cool, & as I recall there was no association with the other chap 

hollywoodrox

skullfunkerry said:

I don't have it any more, but this, probably:


Not only really nice to play, but it hung perfectly on a strap. Pretty massive though, and stuck out quite a long way to my right

I’ve seen this one in your posts years ago , brilliant

Petepassion

It's big and heavy and I only use it for two songs in the set.
But through a driven valve amp, using slide and an extra boost pedal it sounds immense...

inewham

This, Westone Thunder III v3 its lovely but an 11lb+ solid maple body get old pretty quick

Stevepage

CavemanGrogg

I've always wanted one of these, I even bought one in the late 90's though I don't think it was that brand I can't remember, though I never got to own it, as it was confiscated at customs - that sort of thing was illegal where I was based in Asia at the time.  Now I wouldn't want one, there's a Warlock clone that I've been seriously considering buying - the only thing it has in common with a Warlock is the shape really, that I've wanted since I was about 12 that's recently come up for sale, though I really want it, I'm still on the fence about buying it - it's a guitar I know and have played before.

Philly_Q

Stevepage said:

I don't even know what that is!  Warbeast?  Is that really yours @Stevepage ?

Stevepage

Philly_Q said:

Stevepage said:

I don't even know what that is!  Warbeast?  Is that really yours @Stevepage ?

Yep that’s mine. I got this in January, it’s one of the old NJ series Beasts. Just recently had the Gotoh trem and EMGs fitted, despite how much this hurts to play sitting down, it’s a  pretty awesome metal guitar

BigAl100

Mine's a Dean ML .... Absolutely massive guitar that can only sit "behind" my guitar rack on an acoustic stand with a wide base. It's headstock sits so high above the other guitars, my wife uses the headstock for her hats

stonevibe

BigAl100 said:

Mine's a Dean ML .... Absolutely massive guitar that can only sit "behind" my guitar rack on an acoustic stand with a wide base. It's headstock sits so high above the other guitars, my wife uses the headstock for her hats

That's an expensive hat stand...

Offset

Stevepage said:

Philly_Q said:

Stevepage said:

I don't even know what that is!  Warbeast?  Is that really yours @Stevepage ?

Yep that’s mine. I got this in January, it’s one of the old NJ series Beasts. Just recently had the Gotoh trem and EMGs fitted, despite how much this hurts to play sitting down, it’s a  pretty awesome metal guitar

Well you're definitely not going gentle into that good night, @Stevepage ;

webrthomson

Probably this Dean ML:

Its massive, though Explorers do run a close second:

Oh and V's too:

Love all of them

jca74

Petepassion said:

It's big and heavy and I only use it for two songs in the set.
But through a driven valve amp, using slide and an extra boost pedal it sounds immense...

Dave Acari does pretty much full sets using his very similar national signature model with plenty of drive. Sounds awesome.

timmypix

webrthomson said:

Its massive, though Explorers do run a close second:

Woah woah woah woah what is that lovely Lawrence-esque beast?

guitargeek62

stickyfiddle said:

guitargeek62 said:

BobHillman said:

stickyfiddle said:

guitargeek62 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Explorers are amazing. Stupid. But amazing. 

Are they stupid though?  

For me they're pretty much the ideal gigging guitar, the balance is always ideal, most things fall into where my hands want them to be, and they look cool AF.  The biggest (literally) downside I suppose is the body sticks out and is easy to knock on things, and that headstock feels even more prone to breakages than a usual set-neck affair, unless it's been engineered differently and 'improved'.



p.s. In spite of this, I'd still say that my Explorer Jr is my most impractical guitar that I own.... despite being perfectly balanced, lightweight, stable, and as versatile as a Jr can be (i.e. a lot)  

I smashed a lightbulb with my explorer headstock once. And they’re not great couch guitars. And the cases are RIDICULOUS. 

But I agree they’re great on a strap when you have enough space not to bump into shit

That is just wonderful.

Alternatively, I would like an Explorer with a pair of Firebird HBs.

Merci, that was my Crimson ‘refresher’ build from last autumn; it had been nearly ten years since I’d last done a scratch-build and the bug is definitely back. I’m going to keep making X & ‘shape’ types, alongside some more conventional(-ish) semi-hollows from late-summer onwards as my new workshop’s not far off ready now.

p.s. I might be adding a neck firebird pickup to this one soon if that’s of interest…?

Mine’s a 76 explorer, natural mahogany. Whenever you’re ready!!

  np at all, more than happy to

rze99

This is the closest I have to impractical. It's not, it just takes longer to tune up

I've had the same Ric groundwound strings on there for 4 years... I keep em clean with light machine oil and the slight dullness is actually great for making it sound more focused... plus I don't have the UTTER pain of changing them