JefferySmith Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I have a short-scale Mexican Stratocaster, and I do have to admit that I can get a lot of different sounds from it. At some point, I'll have to buy an American Stratocaster. But, like Les Pauls, there are so damned many of them, getting the best one for my hands will be daunting. I thought about the Robert Cray model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzeebub Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 If i would have to have only 1 guitar, I would choose an Ibanez Joe Satriani JS1200. Of course, only after a locking stud mod had been done to it. My style incorporates lots of stuff...from 1960s surf instrumentals to 70s hard rock, 80s punk, to love songs and ballads,90s grunge, progressive, etc. I like this guitar because of its versatility in terms of tone (got those dual PAF DiMarzio humbucker pups), 3 way switch, coil tap to split the pup coils and make it sound like a strat, got the true, full floating whammy bar (that I can do complete dive bombs as well as pull ups, horse squeals, etc), its light (so as not to dislocate my shoulder on extended gigs), its got a rosewood fingerboard...so many features. But as i said, only after a Locking Stud Mod has been done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I've never heard of the Satriani, but the John Scofield seems to be a coveted item that Ibanez cannot keep in stock. It is often compared to the Gibson ES 335, only better (!). I had actually planned to buy one and gave up, with them having been on back order for months. Someone else on the forum had a Satriani and hated it. I have to admit that I'm too conservative for its looks. What is it about the Satriani that you like, and with three solid-body electrics in your arsenal now, wouldn't you be duplicating some equipment (this is coming from someone with two Byrdlands and two Sheratons, so take no offense). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Well, I guess we're all a bit "spoiled" with all our choices. Nothing wrong with that. My original premise, was if you could only HAVE one guitar, what would you choose? But, I can see, by the answers submitted, that it's a very difficult decision, to make... even for me! And yet, SRV used a Strat, BB uses "Lucille," and many others, used one guitar (primarily), so I was really just curious, you know. It does seem, that the Strat, is definitely a favorite...and rightfully so. Comfortable, good looking, great sound, and practically indestructable, compared to some. I must admit, though, that I'd hate to give up (any of) my other guitars. Having said that, if it really came down to it, I'd have to keep my very first...my '64 Strat! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 When faced with making a choice it would appear that a lot of people would want someone's specific guitar..SRV's Clapton's... Harrison's ... or whose ever or a personal favorite of their own rather than picking a single guitar that would cover the most ground. If I could only have one I'd have to ask myself what would do the most because I have to make do with only one. For me this ultimately would mean an acoustic. Since mahogany seems to be the middle ground between the darkness of rosewood and the brightness of maple I'd probably go with mahogany as a body wood. Longer scale acoustics tend to provide more volume and punch so I'd probably look for a 25.4" scale neck made of mahogany which would warm up the punchiness of the longer scale. An OM body size provides nearly the volume of a dreadnought with the tonal balance and definition of a smaller 000/Grand Concert -sized body without the bassy boom of a dreadnought body so it'd be a 000/OM body. A rosewood fretboard is a bit warmer sounding than an ebony which is warmer sounding than the brightness that comes with a maple fretboard. Since I'm looking for something in between I'd probably go with the ebony board... Sound boards can be a huge factor in the tone of an acoustic. Sitka is warmer but not as loud as Adirondack which is loud but not as balanced and defined as Engelman which isn't as balanced as Alpine which doesn't have the warmth of cedar which doesn't have the headroom of any of the spruces but does have the warmth of Sitka ...very confusing but...Sitka though, is probably the best compromise for a top... So.... I have a mahogany OM-sized body with a mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and Sitka spruce top and a 25.4" scale...congratulations, I've just created a Martin OM-18V... ...and Al's your uncle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzeebub Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I've never heard of the Satriani' date=' but the John Scofield seems to be a coveted item that Ibanez cannot keep in stock. It is often compared to the Gibson ES 335, only better (!). I had actually planned to buy one and gave up, with them having been on back order for months. Someone else on the forum had a Satriani and hated it. I have to admit that I'm too conservative for its looks. What is it about the Satriani that you like, and with three solid-body electrics in your arsenal now, wouldn't you be duplicating some equipment (this is coming from someone with two Byrdlands and two Sheratons, so take no offense). [/quote'] No offense taken. Some guitars that Ibanez makes (including the Satriani) have inherent build flaws which would make the guitar, essentially, a ticking time bomb. But after doing a few cheap mods, it can be taken care of when done early on and not after years or weeks of hard playing/use. The reason I would go for this guitar is its ability to cover the most ground in a situation where I would only have to live with one axe. Ive actually owned one and I know firsthand how to use it in different situations. The great thing about it is as Ive mentioned, the versatility in tone that you can get as well as the different styles of music you can use it in. The guitar's pickups have coil taps. So, you can make it sound like a strat on single coils or a Les Paul-like guitar with its PAF humbuckers. Also, it has a Floyd Rose-like tremolo which can be used for anything from The Ventures instrumentals all the way to Van Halen. Gently tap on it to get the gentle classic tremolo on the song "Sleepwalk" or divebomb and pull up on it for crazy-out-of-this-world sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheik Yerbouti Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 In the limited time I've had to play one, I have to go with a Les Paul, although, I've been playing with a Tele, and I think if it was a choose 1 only, if I had a chance to play the Tele more, I think I'd go with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Well, Telecasters are great, no doubt! When you think about overall versatility, an Archtop (electric) seems the obvious choice, so maybe Sir Paul is right. You can still play it "unplugged," (even more so, with the "jazz box" deep bodied ones), but also electric. Strats, Tele's, and LP's, or any other solid body, leaves a lot to be desired, "unplugged," as good as they might sound...wood tone wise, that way. So...??? Right now, I'm leaning toward one of my "semi-hollow bodied" guitars...if I had to! But, that may change... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daneman Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 If I could only keep one I guess it'd have to be this one. My Joe Perry Stratocaster that I've owned since 1988. Used to be a sunburst,but it all flaked off...1979 fender body..early esp lefty neck with gotoh kluson copies...bill lawerence strat pickups...the bridge is a replacement,a jealous girlfriend stole the original brass schecter that was on it. Bought this in Clinton Ct...it came from an areosmith roadie according to the store...I belived the owner because I'd seen a photo spread in a magazine where Joe Perry was playing it. I recognized the guitar when I walked into the store. It looked really beatup...they were using it to sell amplifiers, "see this junky guitar even sounds great!!" Yeah...with the pickups and electronics in this thing ...do ya think so ? I remember they let me buy it on layaway,I was driving a delivery route all around Connecticut,and would often check out music stores on lunch breaks..So I'd stop in and drop off a payment when I was in that town. I think I gave under $300 for it...they didn't try to gouge me on it. Kinda cool thing about this,those bar polepieces are fret shaped,you can get some really unique squeals outta this thing. I don't play it very often anymore,its as heavy as bricks!!! But if I didn't have a lighter weight axe to play I'd play this everyday!! Darn getting old and having back issues anyway!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsi777 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Tele for sure:-({|= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Dana, I like that guitar. And your story. Joe Perry was a favorite of mine growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny_2_owls Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I've owned quite a few guitars (I'm a bit of a guitar junkie) but I always end up coming back to my '84 Japanese Riviera! I've put Gibson Classic 57's in it and it's just the nicest guitar, for me anyway! The one guitar I wish I'd kept hold of was my Elitist Casino in Vintage sunburst with a B7 bigsby! If I could turn back the clock and see what my thinking was when I sold that baby!! Hind sight is a wonderful thing! And I really want a 12 string riviera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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