Chalky's Guitarist Theory - profound or bollocks?

Chalky

So anyone who ever plucked a guitar string is a 'guitarist'? Bit of a wide definition. Does it help the discussion?

Loobs

A little A, a little B but mostly C.

TonyR

I'm definitely in camps A and D.

I started playing the guitar back in 1982 when I was 17, had a few lessons but gave them up because I wanted to play everything from The Jam, The Clash and The Pistols immediately and it just wasn't happening. Oh the impetulence of youth!

Then in 1985 I was given a Cimar Strat copy and I began again, teaching myself this time. I bought some sheet music with chord charts for popular songs at the time and started playing them. As I got a bit better I bought an Aria Pro II TA30 (ES335 copy) which I really liked but I traded it a couple of years later for a Rickenbacker 1998PT Pete Townshend Limited Edition (which I still have). 

That's when it all started... 

My father sold me ( some dodgy deal he did "down the pub") a 1970s Telecaster Deluxe, I absolutely hated the guitar, it was like a bloomin' plank, I swapped it for a lovely Charvel ST Custom Strat - looking back it's no wonder the shop were willing to do the deal! 

I then bought a Rickenbacker 360/12WB (as I always wanted a 12 string Rickie) from Alpha Music in Leeds (anyone remember that place?!). After getting it home and giving it the once over I found the serial number had been scratched off... Needless to say the guitar was returned to the shop and funnily enough it closed down not long after - I think they relocated to York. 

Through my love of Rickenbackers I got friendly with a lad who worked in General Music and he alerted me me to a 381/12 V69, which I promptly bought (this was probably about 1996).

Not long after came an Epiphone Nighthawk which was a cracking little guitar, but didn't have the sound I was after,so that got part-exchanged for a Rickenbacker 330. Then I bought a Charvel Surfcaster which was a lovely little guitar, but it made way for a Japanese Fender Strat. I then got a Japanese Fender Telecaster '62 Custom, which I'm happy to report is a far cry from "The Plank" I owned previously. On a whim I bought a Rickenbacker 620/12 because the 381 is quite heavy, then an SG and finally Mrs R has bought me a Takamine acoustic for my upcoming 50th.

During all of this time I have been steadily plugging away teaching myself. I a getting better, but I do have to work really, really hard. All I can say is thank goodness for t'internet and all those tabs that are available! Mind you I am able to play some stuff by ear, but it takes an awful lot time. I am able to play, I can string chords together so rhythm isn't much of an issue, lead is another kettle of fish and anything improvised - forget it, I'm just not creative enough. I think I'm stuck in a rut on that "intermediate plateau".

I've bought a number of amps and FX over the years (I won't go into them all as this post is long enough as it is, besides I'd be here all night!) to try to get a particular sound and that has helped, especially when working out stuff by ear.

So yes I am a collector, I love guitars, I love playing, am not that good - to say I've been playing for nigh on 30 years, you wouldn't know it. Looking back I wish now I'd mixed with other guitarists/musicians, that way I would have learned a lot more. 

Am I worthy?

CHRISB50

To be honest, most people think I'm a massive C.

meltedbuzzbox

Chalky said:

So anyone who ever plucked a guitar string is a 'guitarist'? Bit of a wide definition. Does it help the discussion?

Does your comment?

XWulfhere

meltedbuzzbox said:

Chalky said:

So anyone who ever plucked a guitar string is a 'guitarist'? Bit of a wide definition. Does it help the discussion?

Does your comment?

I agree with @meltedfuzzbox here... saying people aren't a 'guitarist' because they don't meet your narrow criterion of what a 'guitarist' is seems a touch condescending to me.

Paul_C

how about those who buy (and sometimes sell so as to buy more) because they're feeling down and a new bit of gear cheers them up -  more interested in what they'll buy next than what they've got as it takes their mind off daily life ?

been there a few times

Philly_Q

Paul_C said:

how about those who buy (and sometimes sell so as to buy more) because they're feeling down and a new bit of gear cheers them up -  more interested in what they'll buy next than what they've got as it takes their mind off daily life ?

been there a few times

That's maybe an "A+"?  Or perhaps an "A*"....

That description does sound uncannily like me, to be honest....

Chalky

@Paul_C - Guitar Retail Therapy User! Not so much a guitarist type, more of a lifestyle approach? I like it

Chalky

@Wulfhere - but that is the point of this thread, to see if guitarists CAN be categorised by some simple criteria.

terada

Chalky said:

I have long held a theory that there are 3 types of guitarist -Sassafrass added a 4th...

A) The Guitar Keeper - the physical guitar is their THING. For example, they are excited by a 10 top, and horrified by a logo change (see 2015 Les Paul). They own lots of guitars.

The Guitar Player - the playing of the guitar is their THING. For example, they are excited by putting a new neck or new pickup on a Tele for how it will affect their playing, and horrified that no-one appreciates how well their mongrel beaten-up partscaster plays and mystified why no-one will bid for it. They own several guitars including 'projects'.

C) The Guitar Musician - the music/performance is their THING. For example, they are excited by the solo they play in that song in the set that gets the audience going, and horrified that their loved one bought them that superb and really expensive guitar that they can never gig because its just too valuable. They'd have preferred a slightly bigger old car to squeeze their gear into on Saturday night. They own few guitars.

D) @Sassafras added a 4th category: "those ones that keep buying gear in the hope it will make them sound better rather than concentrating on their playing which can sometimes be really shit."

Which one are you? I know many will say a mixture but which one is your main trait? Have I missed one or two types? Am I talking bollocks? Is Sassafras? )

Nice thread!

I can see how this would work for a lot of people ,but I don't fit here at all!

1) I do like guitars as objects, but can't stand 10 tops and am not really bothered by the logo change. I do own lots of guitars though.

2)But I only own lots of guitars because playing is my thing! I've been at it for 20 years daily, have gigged (when someone would put up with listening to my band!) and rehearse weekly. But I have NEVER changed anything on my guitars, I have literally no interest in swapping pickups. If I don't like the way a guitar sounds, I don't buy it.

3) I do enjoy getting the audience going (the few times I've been able to), but I rehearse and gig with all my guitars, if they get damaged, so be it. And I've got the dings on my American Vintage strat's headstock (from hitting the crash symbol over and over with it) to prove it!

So for me I really don't fit in. I'm a player, an admirer and a performer and I couldn't split that out!

I do like the head/heart/soul idea though. I think on that scale I'd be soul first, then heart, then head!

Sassafras

I don't think there's anything wrong with owning lots of guitars, at the very least it means you'll have less refrets to do as long as you use each one in rotation.

Neil

I'm just somebody who plays at home for my own amusement so I don't think I fit in any of those A-D categories.

It is extremely difficult (read impossible) to pigeon hole human beings into anything IMO.

terada

Neil said:

I'm just somebody who plays at home for my own amusement so I don't think I fit in any of those A-D categories.

It is extremely difficult (read impossible) to pigeon hole human beings into anything IMO.

I could not agree more. Well said

Chalky

Really? I presume you have friends? In which case you must also come across people in life who are not your friends. So all of humanity can be split into two categories: friends of Neil, and not-friends of Neil.

Therefore it is not impossible to categorise (read pigeon-hole) people.

Sassafras

Or idiots or non-idiots.

CHRISB50

Chalky said:

Really? I presume you have friends? In which case you must also come across people in life who are not your friends. So all of humanity can be split into two categories: friends of Neil, and not-friends of Neil.

Therefore it is not impossible to categorise (read pigeon-hole) people.

Aren't you taking this a bit seriously!? Don't be a numpty.

Chalky

Yeah you're right. I should stay silent when people say something daft. Its their right.

CHRISB50

Chalky said:

Yeah you're right. I should stay silent when people say something daft. Its their right.

Good lad

Garthy

Started playing when I was 7, started out in group C, moved to group D from 13 to 21 when I tried to buy my way out of my creative black hole and dead end of talent. There doesn't seem to be a group for burnt out & disillusioned failures who didn't make it but currently I am mostly A, I'm relearning and finding it easier than the first time around as now I am playing for myself and my own amusement and not trying to be a stadium filling rock star so the self imposed pressure is off and I just enjoy my guitar. I enjoy trying to track down each of their back stories as I do plugging them in. I've bought three guitars in three months and have hidden my latest acquisition because the wife would kill me but I am weak and that ESP was so pretty. Pretty cheap at £87! Don't care about pedals or amps although I always love my sound through a Fender tube amp, but not enough to buy one and unplug from Rocksmith on my kid's Playstation. A Partscaster built for function over form floats my boat over 'relics' all day long. I could gaze at a 10-top for hours, I don't care for logo changes although it does make it easier to date my bargain purchase a decade down the line when Gibson turn into Apple and launch a new model every two weeks.

I'm happy with my musical lot now as I sit here even if I am a bit envious of  Charlie XCX hitting the big time with pure hard graft and determination, the old way, the hard way and wonder how the likes of The Darkness seem to fade so quickly after such prominence & promise.