The thought process that goes into your guitars.

[LWAG]

I go for tone.

 

Wood 1st, Electronics 2nd - fore I've learned in my own way (probably something so simple to some), that good wood as a starting base, is where you need to be to get to where I want to get at, with my guitars.

 

The most I've ever spent on a guitar to date was on an electric guitar I was shopping for with a wide choice of guitars to see in a small area in this city I'm in.. and I bought it on wood/tone alone (unplugged electric) after 5 minutes of walking in off the street and playing it and it being love at first play -- I don't think I have to say, but, I wouldn't spend the most I've ever spent on a guitar (so far) if it wasn't love at first play, y'know?

 

The fact that it was also my dream guitar, was a much welcomed and unexpected bonus, my Gibson R7 (the guitar on the right of my avatar pic).

 

I bought this guitar and done what I wanted to do with most every guitar I've owned in my life... I've had the pickups I wanted in it put into it, the bridge I wanted put on to it, I even put the toggle switch cap I wanted on it (which was as cool as it was easy, it was so cool and so easy to do as I already had it on my other Gibson, by chance), and then later I realised I wanted speed knobs, and had them put on and my dream guitar was done, and I love it and it's by default, by way of virtue, or automatic magnetic attraction, or by whatever, is my 'Go To' guitar now.

 

My own thought process that goes into my guitars, therefore for is, with whatever luck we all get; is rooted in my own guitar/tone-dreams and the fruition of them is something that may require a little leg work, but it's also something that is its own reward.

[Dennis G]

Long story short - if wanting a new guitar, I ask myself "what DON'T I have?" My "collection" of about 20 guitars consists of virtually no duplication. Solid body, Semi hollow, Hollow, Humbuckers, P90's, single coil, 6 string 12 string, (elec and acoustic), etc.

 

I probably haven't bought a new guitar in 8-10 years, because I think I've got all my options covered. I'm a believer in the David Gilmore quote (paraphrasing here) that goes something like "Put me in any guitar store, give me any guitar and any amp and inside of 15 minutes, I'll sound like me".

[american cheez]

i have a 5 step process that is very thorough:

 

• 
  [1]walk into guitar store with my piggy bank
  [2]look at guitars
  [3]OOOHHH!!!! THAT ONE LOOKS REALLY COOL!!!
  [4]grab nearby salesman, shove a fistful of money at him
  [5]run home with guitar like scrooge mcduck with a found dollar
  

[zigzag]

Yes, milod was dead on when he said (paraphrasing) the most important things are fit, feel, and playability. Pickups can definitely have an effect on sound, so I would have to include that, but wood would be low on the list, IMO. Hollow body vs. solid body is up there, too, and that also plays on fit and feel.

 

There are so many things that affect sound- strings, picks, pickup distance from strings, amps, pedals, wood(?)... Give me a break.

[SteveFord]

I ask for a strap and then ask my wife if it makes me look fat.

[rct]

1. Is there a spot for it in my Rainbow Of Fender?

2. Buy it.

 

rct

[LWAG]

I'm a sucker for Guns N' Roses music to a point where, I'd like to make that rig my rig but that's it, as I feel it's like Hendrix but a bit more up to date, and by that rig, I of course mean the Use Your Illusion world tour in the early 1990's, I'm a sucker for that gold top Les Paul Slash used, my love for that guitar goes back to the origins of guitar for me.

If I'd somehow still be me but this'll be 1978, I'd probably be trying to get Jimi's tone, which is awesome, but Slash's guitar, is cool, I'm not talking about a signature, no no no, I'm talking about what he done...

1957 Reissue with the pickups and bridge and knobs and boom - it's such a cool guitar. IMO

This was it the other night on Instagram.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BoVYbIilv22/?taken-by=treborillusion

[Retired]

Long story short - if wanting a new guitar, I ask myself "what DON'T I have?" My "collection" of about 20 guitars consists of virtually no duplication. Solid body, Semi hollow, Hollow, Humbuckers, P90's, single coil, 6 string 12 string, (elec and acoustic), etc.

 

I probably haven't bought a new guitar in 8-10 years, because I think I've got all my options covered. I'm a believer in the David Gilmore quote (paraphrasing here) that goes something like "Put me in any guitar store, give me any guitar and any amp and inside of 15 minutes, I'll sound like me".

 

Thats what I'm working on, I don't need duplications, I only have 6 at the moment and there all different but I do have a list that I would love to get. A Lucille would be nice, so would a old Ventures Mosrite among others. Patience is a virtue and especially when the wife says I have enough. Truth is, I gave up and sold more guitars when we got married because our first house was too small to keep them so now I should have more, right? I do enjoy playing them all too. As a teen, I had around 13 or so. plus a banjo and a steel guitar.

[Larsongs]

Long story short - if wanting a new guitar, I ask myself "what DON'T I have?" My "collection" of about 20 guitars consists of virtually no duplication. Solid body, Semi hollow, Hollow, Humbuckers, P90's, single coil, 6 string 12 string, (elec and acoustic), etc.

 

I probably haven't bought a new guitar in 8-10 years, because I think I've got all my options covered. I'm a believer in the David Gilmore quote (paraphrasing here) that goes something like "Put me in any guitar store, give me any guitar and any amp and inside of 15 minutes, I'll sound like me".

 

I think he may have borrowed that quote from Santana who probably borrowed from Keith Richards..... LOL

[Larsongs]

First Rule. I don't buy Guitars that need to be rebuilt.

 

Next. I started buying Guitars that fit the Music I was playing at the time trying to get the Sound I heard on the Records.

 

Starting with a Les Paul. Then a Martin D-35. Then as my Musical pallette expanded so did my collection of Guitars. Still trying to get the Sound that I heard on the records. I think I'm pretty close to covering the sounds of all the Music I like to play.. 6 Strings, 12 Strings. Acoustic, Electric. Solid Body, Hollow & Semi Hollow Body.. Many different Makes. All different kinds of Pickups, Necks, Woods, Sizes & Shapes.

 

My Goal was to put together a great Tool Box of Guitars & Amps.. I think I've pretty much achieved my Goal..

[Megafrog]

Do I have one of that model, year, color already? How does it play and sound? Do I really want it? What niche does it fill? These are the things I think about when checking out a new guitar.

[pippy]

Does the question posed mean after which exact type/make/model of guitar has been decided? If so then;

Tone first; feel second; everything else third.

 

For anything which is acoustic - Semi's included - I go for unplugged tone. For electrics I go for unplugged tone.

My experience has been that with things which can be amplified if the tone is there unplugged it will be there plugged.

 

..."Put me in any guitar store, give me any guitar and any amp and inside of 15 minutes, I'll sound like me"...

It's a great quote regardless of who first coined it (I also heard it to be attributed to Mr. Richards) but it does beg the question 'In which case why would you ever need more than one guitar and amp?'....

 

Pip.

 

EDIT : Actually having thought a bit more about the matter the above is only a general rule of thumb. With a Strat I go with feel before tone. As there are some features that I really don't like about most Strats produced since the '70s. the individual model specification trumps all else (as mentioned in my very first sentence earlier).

[Karloff]

there are certain guitars I've just always wanted. Mainly from seeing musicians I like playing them, especially when I was young. then waiting for a good deal to come along. every once in awhile the something new & shiny factor comes into play. but usually I just run into a really good deal at my local music store & I can't say no.

[badbluesplayer]

The only guitar I ever had that I didn't want really badly beforehand was the Telecaster. Ugly, simple, almost nobody I grew up listening to used them except occasionally. Now it's probably my favorite electric. So who knows? I don't really think I put lots of analysis into any guitar purchase. I want one, I try it, I buy it, then maybe I keep it. :unsure:

[Retired]

The only guitar I ever had that I didn't want really badly beforehand was the Telecaster. Ugly, simple, almost nobody I grew up listening to used them except occasionally. Now it's probably my favorite electric. :unsure:

 

My sentiments too, I always thought Tells are so ugly, I've never owned one. Growing up, I was in love with Gibson guitars. Now? Here so many love them that I almost think I should at least try one in a store? Yes, I have never played one. I suppose I'll get minuses for that, Ha Ha. I cant help it though, I don't like ugly guitars.

[MichaelT]

The look gets me to pick it up. The feel makes me play it. The tone and playability keeps me playing it. If I like it and have the cash, I'll get it. I negotiate the price with cash in hand. Occasionally, I'll come back a week later just to make sure it's not a total impulse buy.

[Black Dog]

My sentiments too, I always thought Tells are so ugly, I've never owned one. Growing up, I was in love with Gibson guitars. Now? Here so many love them that I almost think I should at least try one in a store? Yes, I have never played one. I suppose I'll get minuses for that, Ha Ha. I cant help it though, I don't like ugly guitars.

 

Look! You got a plus!

 

Just say no to ugly guitars

 

One day I'll get a Tele. It's inevitable.

[Black Dog]

The look gets me to pick it up. The feel makes me play it. The tone and playability keeps me playing it. If I like it and have the cash, I'll get it. I negotiate the price with cash in hand. Occasionally, I'll come back a week later just to make sure it's not a total impulse buy.

 

I like that approach

 

 

 

[kidblast]

It's often an impulse kind of thing for me, from any # of root causes! If I resist and the urge goes away, well ok... (that whole "set it free" mind set)

 

However, it I keep getting tugged in that direction, eventually, somethings gonna happen. Thankfully my wife just shrugs her shoulders and says "What ever..."

[Rabs]

Well my first Gibson was in like 1992/93.. No internet at that time and I had no idea what I was buying really.

 

Back then it was just a matter of what I could afford.. When I did have some money to buy something a bit better than just a cheapo guitar I had to get a Gibson Les Paul.. Slash is one of the reasons for that but I couldn't afford a Standard so got a Studio that was wine red with an ebony board... (and I only had the money for that after being knocked down by a car and got some compensation or it would have been many more years before I could afford one).

 

Then when I had the money for a Standard like a decade later all I knew is that I wanted a Darkburst again cos of Slash.. I tried a Standard and hated the fat neck. At that point I knew noting about different models and didn't realise that they had different neck sizes for the same shape guitar.. So the shop owner where I was trying them suggested I try a Classic which has a slim neck and I have never looked back, I always have to have a slim neck now..

 

There came a point were I got fed up of the heavy weight of the Classic.. So for the next guitar I bought it just had to be lighter which was my 2009 DC Special.... And that certainly did what I wanted. (this was also the point I joined the forum).

 

Then I went through a period of buying odd Gibsons.. So I got a BFG, a non reverse 3 P90 Firebird studio and a V... At that point I was just in to Gibsons that wernt Les Pauls with varying coloured bursts. They all went though as I didn't really get on with them. I even had a strat at some point during all this :o :)

 

Then it was my Tribute Goldtop.. That was just an amazing deal to me (£700 brand new) I had the money at the time so why not and I still love that one.

 

Then it was my love at first sight guitar which is my red flamey 2010 Standard.. Which I got as I kept getting jealous of people with flamed tops :) I was really in to Alex Lifesons red LP Axcess at the time and the second I saw it I had to have it.. And still do..

 

And actually that kinda settled my GAS.. I still have four.. My classic, standard, tribute and DC Special with 2 of those being humbcker equipped and 2 with p90s and don't really have much urge for any more.. The only thing I really want one day is an ES 336.. I still perve at nice guitars though, that doesn't ever seem to go away.

 

The other exception to this is that after all of this time I still haven't made a guitar for myself.. The Black Korina one was kind of meant to be for me but I ended up selling it one day after it was finished.. So I will do that one day too.

[LWAG]

I think a period of polishing turds/having budget guitars fixed and upgraded - made me the guitar customer I am today.

 

I'm always looking at 'who'se got the best guitars?' 'who'se got the best parts for these guitars?'...

And with that, my preference changes with my mood based on 'what do I want?'

 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want another Gibson R7 or R8 (at least, if not a '57, '58 or '59) (mmmmm).... *drool right...

And make it a metal guitar; I don't have EMGs in mind for this however, I do have the Zakk Wylde set doing nothing in my parts guitar from 'The Turd Polishing Days', but, I have other metal pickups in mind for this Metal Les Paul I'm sort of Jonesing for. (This is an actual thing I'm Jonesing for ATM as an example, but, it doesn't always have to be a Gibson).

 

So that's where I'm at and where I'm coming from.

[Pinch]

Tone, first and foremost.

 

And I don't want any flaws I can't live with or that can't be fixed before I plonk down the money.

 

Other than that... I dunno, guitars are expensive. I want it perfect from the get-go.

[Dennis G]

...It's a great quote regardless of who first coined it (I also heard it to be attributed to Mr. Richards) but it does beg the question 'In which case why would you ever need more than one guitar and amp?'....

Agreed on the quote, and as to your question, well, sometimes I just don't want to sound like "me", LOL.

[AngelDeVille]

Is it shiny?

Do I wants it?

Yes, I wants it!

[Cougar]

The thought process that goes into your guitars....

That process has gone through some serious evolution. (I'm a lot more practiced on keys, but guitars are a lot easier to carry around.)

 

So I started with some Epi electrics cuz I thought electrics were easier on the fretting fingers. Then I drifted back to my acoustic roots with a harem of Epi Masterbilts. Then a regular paradigm shift to - wow - Guild jumbos, first an awesome 12-string, then an equally awesome 6-string. Finally got a mint Gibson Songwriter 12. What a beauty. It's not a Guild jumbo 12, but a keeper nonetheless.....