Question for Seasoned Guitar Players

[nashlaw]

Many years ago, I dinked around with a guitar. Never stayed at it, though, and ended up playing drums in a college band some friends and I had. Now, i am wanting to start anew and am considering a new electric instrument. I am a bluesy guy and have, through personal experience and reviews, narrowed my choices to a Fender American Strat or a Gibson Les Paul. I am not locked in on these, but really leaning toward the.

2 hat do you gents play and why? I like the Strat because of its thin profile and lightweight, but the Gibson has its own aura.

Thanks for helping.

 

[TheBigCountry]

I had a Paul. One of the best guitars I ever owned. Why I sold it? Still kicking myself for it.

I second what Maggot says about PRS. My next axe is going to be a PRS. Give one a try!

Also, for the money, if you can find a Schecter C1 Classic (they have the Vine inlay going up the fretboard), give one a try. I have one and it is a very very good guitar for the money.

 

[Donr13]

I second the PRS. I play mostly Schecters (C1 Hellraiser and Synyster Custom) but I have drooled over the PRS for a long while. But anyway you can't go wrong with the Les Paul.

 

[ahhshoot]

You will find many people who swear by both of those. I like my American Tele because I play country and classic rock a lot. But it sounds great with Blues too because it has a Texas Special pickup in the Bridge and a custom wound in the neck. You can get unique sounds out of both.

Go play them, see which one you like. You will not be disappointed in either. I did not like any of the PRS I played but again guitars at that level are mostly a matter of opinion and character.

Try a Tele while you're looking.


Here's a video of my buddy and I jamming and I'm playing the tele through a tiny little $45 amp. It sounds beastly through my Blues Deluxe reissue though I can promise you that. The tele sounds really sweet with open strings and double stops.


[video=youtube;UmJUc-aeZjo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmJUc-aeZjo[/video]

 

[NorthernTundra]

Can't really help you between you two you listed but I have a Schecter C1 Hellraiser and its an amazing ax. It plays smooth and sounds great. My friends play it more than I do now though. My Ibanez acoustic gets all my attention.

 

[29aholic]

Personally, I like the way the LP's sound but to me they are uncomfortable so I would lean more to the Strat or Tele.
My all time favorite guitar was a Fender Lead II custom, damn thing would almost play itself.

 

[jrassy]

I went from Fender Strat to Ibanez, check them out to.

 

[Huskerhunter]

The necks of the two guitars are very different, and the PRS different again but more like the Les Paul. I have small hands and while I loved the look and sound of my PRS and Les Pauls I eventually sold them and am dedicated to my Japanese Strat with some mods.

If you have large mits you might like the PRS.


That said it's like recommending a newbie shooter buy a GAP or a Tac Ops before they even know if they have a new hobby? Nothing wrong with starting at the top if you have the $ though as you can get most of it back if you buy used and then sell later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fritz24]

Both are great guitars(as are the PRS's as many have noted), but you have to really handle them, hear them and so forth to truly KNOW what feels right. IMHO, if money is a concern(and isn't it usually), the best "bang for your buck" is definitely the American Strat. I love mine - and honestly, I used to lean heavily toward Gibson's in general, I just really enjoy playing that Strat!

 

[jadeslade]

Having played both a Strat and a Les Paul for many years, I would recommend the Les Paul. Sweetwater is where most working musicians get new guitars. Internet company based in Indiana. Get a new Deluxe in black. You won't regret it. Strats are great and if you have huge hands and want the whammy bar, they can sound great. Have fun.

 

[79jeepcj5]

I've been playing off and on for about 30 years. I've owned many guitars to include two Les Pauls. I love the sound of a LP but I made the mistake of picking up an American Strat at a local music store years ago. Made me wanna throw rocks at my LP's. Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

 

[MosesTheTank]

A lot of it depends on what you want from a guitar. There is a point at which what you are getting is embellishment and nothing further in the play-ability or sound departments. No amount of looking good will help it play or sound better. But for me it adds to pride of ownership. At the end of the day if you like the way your instrument sounds and plays you are going to play it more. That is the most important criteria of all. Then there is type of music you are going to play. The shape and size of the neck is vastly different between a classical guitar and an Ibanez shredder because they are meant for very different things. There is probably more variability here than anything you will find with rifles. Got my first PRS in 1995. At that time they were a lot of guitar for the money. While the higher end models continue to be about everything you could ask for, I do think they are over-priced. Same goes for Les Pauls, and Gibsons in general. I still have my first Les Paul (1986) and SG (bought a 1972 model in 1981). If you go the LP route do your research as Gibson has gone back and forth on quality over the years. There are certainly many great ones out there.

Cutting to the chase, you can do very well with a Tele or a Strat. The trick is to take the time to sit down and play a bunch of them. When you do this you will find lots of differences from one to the next. And no Fender, except maybe some custom shop output, will come set up very well, if at all. I use John Thurston from Guitar Tex in San Antonio exclusively. I have four guitars that I go to, one of them is a Mexcian Tele set up by John. Before I bought this guitar I had played over 2 dozen and they all looked about the same, but were very different guitars. The guitar sounded like crap when I bought it. I took a chance and had him throw in a set of Bill Lawrence pickups and cut a new bone nut. He manicured the frets specifically for bluesy bends. I now have a hard time pulling it out of peoples hands. With the exception of a 1996 Standard American Strat my other favorite guitars are all north of $2k. That is an indication of how important a set up is, and your choice of pickups. If I had to go with one guitar it would be my Suhr HSS. Hands down. I can gets lots of different tones from it and it plays beautifully, and it is beautiful to look at. John Suhr used to be one of Fenders master builders before striking out on his own. Jeff Beck had his guitar built by John and still plays every single gig with the same pickups hand wound by John sometime in the early 1990's. Being near Nashville you have the opportunity to check out a gazillion guitars. You might also give Humbucker guitars for a glance at Suhr.

To answer your question, play as many American Strats as you can. Then find a luthier to set it up. They are comfortable quality guitars from which you can get lots of sounds for different kinds of music.

Having said all that, a great amp will bring through the sound of a decent guitar, but the sweetest sounding guitar in the world will never be done justice by a poor amp. There are several good amps out there (Matchless being my favorite, but Suhr, Bad Cat... makes some very fine rigs), but if you're for playing live and being an incredible value you might check out Devil Cat amps. The Mean Jean being one of the best I have found in the world of tubers. Paired with the Suhr I can go from the crunchiest Steve Morse straight to my best Metheny impression (which is pretty poor), or a thin bluesy tone. About the only thing off the table with this amp is metal, which can be fixed with the right effects set up (another whole conversation). Unless you have lots of money for multiple amps and a roadie, this is something to think about.

Take your time, play lots of guitars through lots of amps, ask people to play their stuff, figure out what kind of sound/tone you want, pay attention to how different luthiers set up guitars, and do not underestimate the importance of listening closely to lots of guitar players who play different styles of music. Just like with rifles, you will likely wind up with more than one. Take your time and listen. Then play, play, play.

 

[ahhshoot]

straight to my best Metheny impression

HH Gregg had Pat Metheny's live DVD playing on one of the new 4k TV's the other day... I was impressed with their taste!

 

[Killswitch Engage]

played a les paul for 10yrs straight live every weekend and my shoulder and neck thank me that its over. that said....it has balls and tone for days. i used a mesa boogie dual rectifier and marshall cabinet. loved the entire rig but it will wear you out. if you're going to play monster rock and heavy shit live its almost unbeatable. if i were going to do it again for money i would gall balls deep with a prs and bogner ubershall. gives me chills.....lol

 

[SledDog]

The guitars you're asking about are both very solid instruments, as are the PRS mentioned, and Ibanez too (so long as they're made in Japan rather than Indonesia or China). Asking other people which one is for you is like asking other people who you should marry. You need to go to a few stores and put your hands on guitars. Sit down with them, put a strap on them, wear them for more than 5 minutes, rest your hands and arms on them, feel which one you like. I've owned a whole bunch of spendy guitars, Fender, Gibson, PRS included, and the one I play the most right now is an SG copy made by Samick, super cheap. It's the one that "right". I'm a blues rock guy as well, and the blues are about feel more than gear. Ry Cooder is known for playing POS Teisco guitars. The dude from Southern Culture on the Skids rocks a Danelectro/Silvertone. Pick a guitar you'll always want to pick up.

For amps the classic blues amp is something like a Fender Deluxe Reverb, which is available as a reissue. You could certainly find other amps that are great too like Peavey Classic, Vox AC15/30, Fender Bassman/Twin, or any number of other makers.

 

[EasyGravy]

Love my prs custom 22, though it collects dust these days, I break it out for grateful dead jammin with my buddies band on thursday nights.

 

[skyblue]

I'm sure there's a reason why most of the world's greatest blues guitarists play Fender Statocasters..

 

[Huskerhunter]

A lot of it depends on what you want from a guitar. There is a point at which what you are getting is embellishment and nothing further in the play-ability or sound departments. No amount of looking good will help it play or sound better. But for me it adds to pride of ownership. At the end of the day if you like the way your instrument sounds and plays you are going to play it more. That is the most important criteria of all. Then there is type of music you are going to play. The shape and size of the neck is vastly different between a classical guitar and an Ibanez shredder because they are meant for very different things. There is probably more variability here than anything you will find with rifles. Got my first PRS in 1995. At that time they were a lot of guitar for the money. While the higher end models continue to be about everything you could ask for, I do think they are over-priced. Same goes for Les Pauls, and Gibsons in general. I still have my first Les Paul (1986) and SG (bought a 1972 model in 1981). If you go the LP route do your research as Gibson has gone back and forth on quality over the years. There are certainly many great ones out there.

Cutting to the chase, you can do very well with a Tele or a Strat. The trick is to take the time to sit down and play a bunch of them. When you do this you will find lots of differences from one to the next. And no Fender, except maybe some custom shop output, will come set up very well, if at all. I use John Thurston from Guitar Tex in San Antonio exclusively. I have four guitars that I go to, one of them is a Mexcian Tele set up by John. Before I bought this guitar I had played over 2 dozen and they all looked about the same, but were very different guitars. The guitar sounded like crap when I bought it. I took a chance and had him throw in a set of Bill Lawrence pickups and cut a new bone nut. He manicured the frets specifically for bluesy bends. I now have a hard time pulling it out of peoples hands. With the exception of a 1996 Standard American Strat my other favorite guitars are all north of $2k. That is an indication of how important a set up is, and your choice of pickups. If I had to go with one guitar it would be my Suhr HSS. Hands down. I can gets lots of different tones from it and it plays beautifully, and it is beautiful to look at. John Suhr used to be one of Fenders master builders before striking out on his own. Jeff Beck had his guitar built by John and still plays every single gig with the same pickups hand wound by John sometime in the early 1990's. Being near Nashville you have the opportunity to check out a gazillion guitars. You might also give Humbucker guitars for a glance at Suhr.

To answer your question, play as many American Strats as you can. Then find a luthier to set it up. They are comfortable quality guitars from which you can get lots of sounds for different kinds of music.

Having said all that, a great amp will bring through the sound of a decent guitar, but the sweetest sounding guitar in the world will never be done justice by a poor amp. There are several good amps out there (Matchless being my favorite, but Suhr, Bad Cat... makes some very fine rigs), but if you're for playing live and being an incredible value you might check out Devil Cat amps. The Mean Jean being one of the best I have found in the world of tubers. Paired with the Suhr I can go from the crunchiest Steve Morse straight to my best Metheny impression (which is pretty poor), or a thin bluesy tone. About the only thing off the table with this amp is metal, which can be fixed with the right effects set up (another whole conversation). Unless you have lots of money for multiple amps and a roadie, this is something to think about.

Take your time, play lots of guitars through lots of amps, ask people to play their stuff, figure out what kind of sound/tone you want, pay attention to how different luthiers set up guitars, and do not underestimate the importance of listening closely to lots of guitar players who play different styles of music. Just like with rifles, you will likely wind up with more than one. Take your time and listen. Then play, play, play.

Some good advice there. Again, I'll caution you against spending a ton of money at the beginning. Some of what MosesTheTank is saying is pretty advanced.

I'm much more of a casual player who plays for my own enjoyment and stress relief. Here's my daily rig I keep in my home office for stress breaks. Fender Blues Jr. with tube upgrades and a Cannabis Rex Hemp cone speaker (the kind of mods that unless you're an experience player with a great ear would be lost on a beginner vs. a stock Fender Blues Jr.).

View attachment 48697

 

[hunterb]

My boss is a guitar player for the past 25 years (rock, blues) and has been in many bands, some professional. ES-3-35 is his recommendation (similar to what BB King played he says). Of your 2 options he says to go with the Les Paul.

Hope that helps!

 

[todd]

First, I'm a drummer, not a guitar player. With that disclosure information in mind up front:

I've spent a fair amount of time in theater pits and studios having discussions with guitar players about all musician's favorite subject: tone. Just like an F-Open rifle is designed for a different purpose than a Tactical rifle; a Stratocaster is designed to create a different tone than a Les Paul, Telecaster or PRS are. As many before have spoken to, decide the tone you want to create, then utilize the proper tool to create or replicate the tone you want.

As a drummer, I know you're familiar with the concept that a steel snare drum produces a different tone than a wood one does, and that a coated Remo Emperor head produces a different tone than a clear black dot does.

All of the guitars discussed above can sound great - ultimately play a ton of different ones, through a ton of different amps, and narrow down the combination of equipment choices that stirs your soul when you play it all together. Have fun!

Here's a pic of my setup, so you know where I'm coming from.

 

[pawprint2]

Come to Memphis, tour the Gibson Factory, order a custom Gibson while you're at it!
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Take a complete tour of the Gibson Beale Street Showcase in Memphis. This memorable tour of Gibson's Memphis guitar factory consists of an intimate viewing of the facility as Gibson's skilled Luthiers craft some of the finest guitars in the world. An opportunity to witness the intricate process of binding, neck-fitting, painting, buffing, and tuning that creates these incredible musical instruments. See and hear how Gibson has helped shape the world of music for over 100 years and continues to set the pace for the musical innovations of tomorrow.

 

[Switchblade]

I asked my son Riki about this.
He said SAVE YOUR MONEY, and get a Rickenbacker. He also said that should you decide to go with one of the others, you know darn well which one is made locally, and has been used in blues from Memphis to Nashville. He said the best guitar he ever played was an older Rickenbacker and he has been saving for one ever since...it's like the golden chalice to guitar players

 

[Gunner's Mate]

I play an American Tele throughh a Tube amp with a blues shaman pedal

 

[gimpy]

Definitely like the Tele. Have owned an SRV Strat and a Gibson Custom '68 reissue. Bothe were amazing, but something about the profile of the Tele feels right in my hands.

 

[ArcticLight]

I'm looking for the $400 Seagull acoustic myself. Anyone got one?

I just tinker, make good notes, have 2 songs I wrote but they are short. Keeps my fingers agile.

 

[nashlaw]

As a drummer, I know you're familiar with the concept that a steel snare drum produces a different tone than a wood one does, and that a coated Remo Emperor head produces a different tone than a clear black dot does.

Todd, i would be lost behind your kit! Mentioning the different qualities of drum kits, i always loved the sound of a Slingerland kit.

 

[Switchblade]

The modern Rick's go for $2500+ and have way more tech than they did years back when they were on the stages with Steppenwolf and Tom Petty.

Riki said the only way to get THE RIGHT GUITAR is to go to the shop, and PLAY THEM. He said once you start playing a few, ONE will just speak to you, and your style of playing. He plays a lefty Gibson, and a lefty Les Paul Bass right now, but he has been saving for the red and white Rickenbacker bass for years since he first got to play it with the man who made it famous in Pipeline(as he said, the BEST VACATION EVER!)

 

[swhiteh3]

I play 99% PRS guitars these days. You can get into a used Satin 22 for under $1000 if you look around. They're simply amazing guitars.

 

[Huskerhunter]

I play 99% PRS guitars these days. You can get into a used Satin 22 for under $1000 if you look around. They're simply amazing guitars.

Where'd you get the 99% models? All mine were 100% PRS. I guess mine were 1% better than yours?

 

[swhiteh3]

Where'd you get the 99% models? All mine were 100% PRS. I guess mine were 1% better than yours?

Hah! The sweat stains, and worn-off skin cells are my 1% contribution!

Seriously, in addition to my playable PRS's, I also have a Grand-Am Rolex series PRS guitar I earned while winning the 24 Hours of Daytona with Magnus Racing! It's always fun to talk to guys who collect every PRS guitar imaginable, including Dargons worth 10s of thousands of dollars, and I say to them "Yeah, but do you have one of THESE?!?!".

 

[nashlaw]

I DID IT! Bought an American Strat Deluxe. Looked at the other brands, but this seemed to fit me. The V neck is a big change from the acoustic I have been playing, but I can get used to it.

Thanks for all the input. It was appreciated.

David

 

[MCSO1357]

Question for Seasoned Guitar Players

Now let the discussion naturally progress to amps, cabs, pedals and such! It can get as pricey as looking over the firearms and accessories for sale threads! I personally love the sound of my Les Paul (with Bare Knuckles pickups) through an Orange Tiny Terror.

 

[nashlaw]

The amp is the next purchase. Not found anything I like that will fit in my bedroom. Really don't want a ginormous crate to trip over or maybe haul to somebody's back deck. Friend I played with was a classic guy- sunburst strat and a tube amp of the same make. He kept a spare tube and treated it like a newborn.

As per the usual, I am willing to be educated.

By the way, should I have the fretboard and whammy bar melonited?

 

[MosesTheTank]

Amps and whatnot

Nashlaw,

First off, no pic... it didn't happen! My Strat is below.

Secondly, I'm not going to try and talk you into an expensive amp, just a good one that will sound good for a long time. But just like the guitar it all depends on what you want. I have played everything out there and get feedback from many guitar players playing almost every type of music. No amp does everything. If you want to spend some bank get a Matchless and call it a day. Otherwise...

Fender amps. There are at least three different grades of amps:

1. Made in Mexico (MIM). This is Fender's bread and butter. The Blues Jr is an example of MIM. I have one of these. They sound pretty good. I know guys who have had them for quite a while and they continue to sound good because they baby them. If you do not baby your Blues Jr it will likely give you problems. If you get one upgrade the speaker to a Wharehouse (Celestion G12H30 clone) and it sounds great. I think mine was $87 delivered. Anything under $1k will not come with a great speaker, usually an Eminence.

These amps come with a printed circuit board, and not all printed circuit boards are created equal. Boogie fans will note that these also have a printed circuit board (as does Fuchs) but these are hybrids and the big stuff (pots, tubes...) are hand wired. The pre-amp circuit is where the printed circuit board is in a Boogie, or anywhere you don't have any kind of gain. The Boogie board is of much higher quality and is much thicker. KJL makes a great hybrid amp with military grade circuit boards. Don't laugh at that, I have seen circuit boards catch fire.

I also have a Blues DeVille (same construction as the Blues Jr and Hot Rod Deluxe). This was designed by a moron. I had this amp gutted and the circuit redone by Green Eagle amps in Benton, TX. He built it as an 5F6A ('59 Bassman).

2. Made in America (MIA).
a. Printed circuit. Better than MIM, and add about $300. The Supersonic is not bad and runs over a grand.
b. Hand wired. These are nice but have decreased in quality over the years (solder joints are approaching amateur level). There are many that are better.

Fender does not have a great reputation for service. You just as well bring it to your local guy.

If you positively have to have a Fender amp sound then turn to Allen Amps (modern) or Victoria (old school/tweed). Allen amp will make you an amp that will replicate the clean of a Fender Deluxe Reverb starting in the black face era into the silver face. The reissues are no comparison in tone or quality. Not even close.

KJL (KJL AMPS ONLINE) makes a very strong amp, with an amazing EQ. You can dial in a VOX, Marshall, or Fender at will. The foot switch can defeat the mid cut. If you are playing live this is huge. These are 1 channel amps so most guys are going to use pedals of various kinds. I would not ask him for a high gain mod as then you are stuck with just that 1 channel. KJLs have a selectable mid band width cut. Classic Fenders have scooped mids (Deluxe Reverb, Twin Reverb, anything after mid '60s... 300-500hz). Marshall and VOX have their own profile. So with a KJL you can dial in where you want your mid cut to be, then with the mid knob you can fine tune it. This is a great feature, and an invaluable feature playing live. I use vastly different mid scoops for lead versus rhythm. I don't need an EQ or boost pedal to do this.

My beloved Devil Cat Mean Jean (Devilcat Amplifiers) is a 2 channel amp. This makes a comparison between it and the KJL an apples to oranges effort. The best solution is to have 2 amps. The reason for this is the best distortion comes from driving power tubes (meaning you have to crank it), not with the pre-amp tubes being juiced to get break up. Pre-amp distortion is not as sensitive, dynamic, and does not have the same rich harmonics. Boogie overcomes this, to a large extent, at the expense of being a fairly complicated set up. A high quality stomp box can better most any pre-amp distortion. But a high quality high gain amp (Marshall, Devil Cat) can not be beat for distortion. The Devil Cat does use a power soak (an attenuator). This enables me to use it in the basement without having my family members coming down to kill me. Boogie does this by cutting the number of power tubes down (usually 4 to 1). I don't like this option for what it does to tone and sensitivity.

For a bedroom amp the Carvin 16 watt 1x12 combo is very hard to beat. For $50 you can upgrade to a Celestion Vintage 30. I don't think there are any amps under $1k that come with a really good speaker. I believe this is the best amp going for the price. For a few more bucks the KJL Companion, if you want to spend more yet and get some great distortion get the Mean Jean. If you want that Fender sound, a stomp box and a great simple amp look to Allen Amps (Allen Amplification - Quality Tube Guitar Amps, Kit, Parts, and Repairs).

So now it's time to grab your guitar, head to a few shops, and start playing amps.

Edit: BTW, I'm a drummer who happens to play guitar. While I get calls to play just about everything on drums, it's most likely I will be playing rock/blues/funk live or in the studio with the guitar.

 

[nashlaw]

This is great! Just called a friend I jammed with in college and he gave some suggestions for amps. A Fender tweed is nagging at me. Don't have the discerning ear some do, so my satisfaction level is low compared to some of you guys.

Input still appreciated. Have made no hard decisions.