Chiseen Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Question: What combinations of guitars work in a band? E.g. Strat + LP.... SG + Tele... SG+LP..? Background: Having been a drummer in many bands and recently decided to break away from my percussive shackles, I decided to play guitar and sing .. a la Dave Grohl. I've been writing songs and playing guitar for years but drummers are always more in demand than guitarists... There are 2 guitarists in our band. The other guy uses a Les Paul Custom. I've been lucky enough to collect a few guitars. The the thing that bothers me is that the best sound combination we have found so far in terms of 2 axes is his Les Paul and my Fender Jaguar! That bothers me, because I love my Gibsons. I have an SG and an ES-359 custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 What's "best" is up to your ear. A 335 lead and sg rhythm can work. A cupla jazz guitarists have relatively less difference in sound, btw, than in country or rock. So... as I said, it's your ear. Any good guitars can give a range of sound. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmurray Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Agreed. Any combination can and will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumrnmuzik Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Hi drummer! (from another drummer) I perfer Gibson lead (honk) and Fender rhythm (quack), for my ear, the rhythm sounds clearer from a Fender bridge pup. Look at the Rolling Stones set up, if that's you type of sound. Me thinks that it depends on you sound, metal, pop, blues, country..... have fun ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Les paul and a tele. Sugar and spice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Les paul and a tele. Sugar and spice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laney1566 Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Les Paul and Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 If the Les Paul/Fender Jaguar sounds best to you guys, go with it. Why doesn't he play the Jag when you want to play a Gibson? Wouldn't mind seeing a few pictures of your guitars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Les paul and a tele. Sugar and spice. I'm a fan. Really, I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Another fellow drummer that plays guitar. Ace! What is your setup like? I think the guitars are less important than the amps and pedals you use. If you are both playing humbucker equipped guitars through Marshall amps, you are going to drown each other out. Put one of them through a different amp and you will start to hear the guitars separate. Watch the EQ too and watch the parts you two play. Don't both hammer out power chords or full open chords (unless the song warrants it). My last band did have the Gibson/Fender combo, but I think our sound had more to do with the amps. I was the treble with my SG and Silvertone 1484. He was the mid with his Jaguar and Fender Hot Rod DeVille. He used no pedals, just switched channels on his amp. I had OD, fuzz, and a phaser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Question: What combinations of guitars work in a band? E.g. Strat + LP.... SG + Tele... SG+LP..? I thought a SG WAS a LP only redesigned so as not to infringe on the LP's design. Aren't the guts the same? For my ear, I like something like a 335 or Country Gentleman for rhythm and the single coil sound of a Strat or Tele for lead. That said, the LP is wonderful for both. (but what do I know... I mostly play acoustics!) Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I played drums from 1965 to 1982 in many bands, I started guitar in 65 also but since 82 I just quit drums. When picking a guitar a few things to take into account. 1. What tone do you want? If you buy a guitar for the looks and hate the tone, you'll never be happy. (You could start a collection of foot pedals) 2. Is the neck right for you? If the neck isn't right for your hands it will be a challenge to play. 3. Do you have a bad back? Heavy guitars are a pain in the back! They may sound good and look cool, but after a while you hate them. I love LP's but they are heavy, SG's and Tele's are what I would use if I were a working guitar player. I also love archtop's. I think the combination of a SG or a Tele and a ES model would be a good match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiseen Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Thanks for your input everyone! I've just overhauled all my guitars, stripped them all down cleaned fingerboards, conditioned, sorted out the action, intonation etc. No doubt about it. The ES-359 is THE best playing and sounding out of all of mine, but the Jag's single coils really complement the LP. The LP player is using 'guitar rig' through a line6 amp on the most transparent setting he can find. I know! it's not everyone's taste to use newfangled stuff, but his setup sounds good for what he wants... He does alot of effects driven stuff.. I go through a BOSS Overdrive, Boss Trem and BOSS fender reverb pedals and then whatever amp is knocking around at the studio. Usually a big MESA or Marshall JCM head... I have 'guitar rig' and play through some very good monitors (for demoing) in my home studio and favour the 'Marshall' settings. For gigs I use a Marshall valvetronics.. (until I can afford a good Marshall Valve amp.. the Class5 looks good) I tend not to use the OD ped as a 'stomp box' but leave it on a very low OD setting and then use the tone/volume pots and pup selectors to get the tone I want... This works well and allows me to explore the tones of the guitar more than the effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Les Paul and Les Paul Plus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I have never liked having two guitars in one band. I believe this whole notation of having one rhythm and one lead is a lazy mind set, Plus a lot more toes get stepped on if you know what I mean. Guitarist should be able to do both. With this said the Bass player and drummer must be in perfect rhythm to fill the gaps when a guitarist solo's. And still the bass player must be just as crazy as the guitarist soloing and still stay in rhythm with the drummer. That's how I play, When my brother solos, I'm right there with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I have never liked having two guitars in one band.I believe this whole notation of having one rhythm and one lead is a lazy mind set' date=' Plus a lot more toes get stepped on if you know what I mean. Guitarist should be able to do both. [/quote'] You make a great point and I agree with what you say except for not having two guitars and stepping on toes. 100% a guitarist should be able to carry rhythm duties and rip a lead or two, but there is soooo much tasty stuff you can do with two guitars. This includes rhythmic interplay, harmonies, counter point melodies, etc. Just like a bass player and drummer have to have chemistry, the two guitarists in the band have to have *it* as well. It shouldn't just be one guy chunking out chords while the other wanks away. Same for pop punk bands where two guitars are mindlessly playing power chords. If you want examples, I can make an exhaustive list of killer guitar duos and sucky ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I have never liked having two guitars in one band.I believe this whole notation of having one rhythm and one lead is a lazy mind set' date=' Plus a lot more toes get stepped on if you know what I mean. Guitarist should be able to do both. With this said the Bass player and drummer must be in perfect rhythm to fill the gaps when a guitarist solo's. And still the bass player must be just as crazy as the guitarist soloing and still stay in rhythm with the drummer. That's how I play, When my brother solos, I'm right there with him. [/quote'] It worked out pretty well for those four guy's from Liverpool... But then, Lennon was arguably the best rhythm player ever. In every band I was ever in the bass player and the drummer supported each other. Listen to the Beatles, it was Lennon and Starr that formed the rhythm section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 It worked out pretty well for those four guy's from Liverpool... But then' date=' Lennon was arguably the best rhythm player ever. In every band I was ever in the bass player and the drummer supported each other. Listen to the Beatles, it was Lennon and Starr that formed the rhythm section.[/quote'] Brother, Lennon was everything. You realize a lot of the leads on the later albums were Lennon, right? Both he and Harrison had tasty skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 BTO did Fender Stratocaster and Gibson SG. Andy Powell and Ted Turner (of Wishbone Ash) both used Strats regularly, but I've heard Turner using a Gibson Flying V and it worked in the mix really damn well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiseen Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 In our band, our parts are usually determined by who writes what and what is possible to do whilst singing at the same time!!! I'm not good enough to play complictated 'lead/melody' parts on the guitar and sing at the same time... although I am getting better at it.. it's just practice! When our band writes songs, we try to make all the parts have equal importance.. even the vocal is just another part of the song with no more importance than, say the drums. 'The Beatles' did this incredibly well, as does 'Interpol' and 'Radiohead'.. . What is interesting is trying to make the two guitar parts interdependant (not just supporting chords and 'lead) but at the same time allowing the audience to differentiate between the parts. Like in a classical ensemble when different instruments' tones are used for 'colour'. 'The Principals of Orchestration' by Rimsky-Korsakov details a great deal of 'pleasing' combinations of instruments. Maybe I've 'over thunk' the whole thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Speaking of "Beatles," the Gretsch (Duo-Jet, Country Gent, and Tennessean) and Ric combination, was killer. And, the later Epi Casino(s), and various Gibson and Fender combinations worked well, also. But then, the players had a lot to do with all that, no doubt. The (original) Byrds carried on the Rick (12-string) and Gretsch tradition. Gibson and Fender can be a good combo, too. Just really depends on the player's preference, amps, and style. The band I'm in, has 2 guitar players, and we work at complimenting and not stepping on one another. As to combining 2 guitars, in the rhythm parts...we do our best NOT to play chords the same way. If I play open chords, he'll do barre chords, or vice versa...or in different positions, on the neck. Makes it more fun, and interesting, musically, too. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadCase Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Les Pauls, Telecasters, Marshalls & Vox. Duh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzep59 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 LP + LP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiseen Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 I guess I'm gonna HAVE to buy a LEs Paul AND a Telecaster now!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumrnmuzik Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Maybe I've 'over thunk' the whole thing! Naw, I'll bet you've got a real tight band going. You have to arrange music, not just hammer it out as you go. Just for thread continuance, harmonizing LP's are great. Just look at the Almond Brothers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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