The one email I answer more than any other has to do with choosing an electric guitar for playing the blues…
To go along with that, I’m often asked why I chose the guitar that I chose for any particular video..
For me it’s all about the tone and the sound and what I’m going for. Whether it’s a lesson video or a recording session for my own music or someone else’s… the tone drives the decision.
However, from that point, obviously a lot of things can change, and your needs are probably different from mine, so I’ll show you how I approach it and how you can use that information to make an informed buying decision if you need to.
24 replies to "Choosing A Guitar And Why I Use What I Use"
Thanks, Griff!
This was quite helpful to me. I used to play many years ago, and I had a LP that had a pretty good sound.
But, let’s face it, even though I could play quite well, I knew nothing about guitars, pups or any of that!
Then I stopped playing for many years, I won’t go into why (that’s a story of it’s own, lol).
Fast forward, and I couldn’t get over the fact that I still had lots of music in my head that needed to get out!
So, I had to start over, cuz I didn’t even have my calluses any more! I basically started from scratch. But now there’s YT and the internet.
I can honestly say that after about 2 years, I know more theory and am more confident playing (esp. improvising) than after playing almost 10 years earlier in my life!
So, this time, I got a Schecter guitar with a Floyd Rose. But now I absolutely HATE it!
I hate the dark sound (I can only play it with EQ), and I especially hate tuning it. Sometimes I like to play with different tunings, or even just change one string.
I’ve pretty much decided that I like P90 pups best, and I’ve been leaning toward a Strat, simply because of the variety of tones I can get with one guitar.
But now, like you said, I need to simply play lots of different guitars, so I can decide which one feels the best. I have no idea what shape neck I like the best.
Anyway, you’ve confirmed a lot of basic things I’ve decided on my own, so that makes me feel like I’m headed in the right direction. Since money is an issue right now, I’m not likely to have a collection of guitars. So, I need to choose “wisely.,”
Thanks for your “summary,” with all of your generalizations.. it was more helpful than you know!
All great advice, especially having it in your hands. If it feels right, it’ll play right. I would add one missing point, when in the guitar shop, ask for the same model amp that you have at home to test with. Not that amplification will alter that much from model to model, it’s SPEAKERS!!! Speakers are all different in how they’ve been voiced. You’ll love what you heard in the store, then hate what you hear at home. Even the size will alter what you’re hearing, 6″ speakers don’t sound like stacked Marshall cabs full of 12″ monsters.
Hello, I usually don’t comment much, but I have about 25 guitars now. Of course there are several
Basses with them too. In my opinion, I found every guitar has it’s own personality, If you will. I never
had any luck ordering a guitar online side unseen. I have to hold it, and strum it and play a few things
on it first. My baby, is the 1969 SG of course. I am not sure what the pickups are that are in it. It was
restored like new and I happen to be in a pawn shop when i was 18, fresh in the military. This man brought
it in to sell. The shop owner kept it and I made small payments on it for a long time. I didn’t have any rank yet,
so I made very little money. I have short fingers and this neck is thin and the action is very low, that it almost
plays by itself. Of course, this set me on a life of buying guitars to see how they felt and see what sounds they
could make. Fast forward to present, I have my core. The Gib SG, Am made Strat, Am made PRS, Taylor acoustic.
I am pretty much ready to sell all the rest. They served their purpose over the years. Oh yea and the custom shop Randy Rhodes Jackson Flyin V. I haven’t decided on selling or keeping it. Probably selling because my
personality and it’s personality don’t mesh so well. I like it, but I think I would rather have the money to spend on another good amp. Thanks Griff for all the good information and knowledge. Excellent blues man.
Matt
I have a Paul , a strat with a humbucker as well , 2, 335 type , a vintage Ibanez strat copy that blows Fender strats away so I can do whatever is needed if I have to choose one to do all Its a vintage Ibanez artist 335 type , I can do anything with it depending on amp and pedals SK
One additional thing that influences my preference is location of the volume knobs, tone knobs, and pickup switches. I have very wide, thick hands, and for that reason, I cannot stand playing a Stratocaster because I am forever inadvertantly rolling off the volume. That’s not a problem with Teles, Paul Reed Smiths, or any Gibsons. I know that your basic dividing line was humbuckers versus single coils, but I would have also loved to hear your thoughts on hollow body electrics like the 335 or Epiphone Casino. As you say in the latter part of the video, sitting down and playing a wide variety of makes and models is critical. Take your time!
been playing a long time. This was a great overview thanks Griff.
I really enjoyed this video and as you said, my ears are not calibrated enough to be able to hear much difference from one style guitar to another. What I do know, after several years of watching your videos, is that whenever I see either the Gibson gold top or the PRS in you hands, I’m going to enjoy the lesson more than when you’ve chosen a Strat. BTW, I play acoustic quite a lot, and my electric is a PRS 245.
Hey, Griff…ignore my last reply…the video just popped up after a few tries. Thanks.
Hey, Griff…for some reason, I got the e-mail, but the video wasn’t there. Can you please resend it? Thank you in advance. Michael P. McCartney.
Very cool video! Hearing the different tones from the various selector positions and your explanations was really interesting and educational. I mostly play an acoustic, even though I work on a number of your lesson courses that involve an electric guitar (often sliding up a fret or two, instead of bending the string). Works well enough for me. Anyway, my electric is a Strat Plus that I picked up, used, in the mid-90s. My approach was simple: I was buying myself an electric guitar and amp as a Christmas present following a divorce. Told the guy at the local George’s Music that I had a thousand bucks and wanted the best electric guitar and am that I could afford because I didn’t want to be upgrading later. He set me up with the slightly used Strat Plus and a Fender Blues Boy tube amp. Still have both after almost 30 years. I do find the Strat Plus to be a heavy guitar, even with a good strap. Maybe it is the gold Fender Lace Sensor pickups but, strum those strings hard, and you get an amazing “crunch” sound out of the guitar. Anyway, my apologies for the TMI. Very cool video.
What pickups do you have in those 3 guitars?
G.A.S. IS REAL ! As for me , a horrible (guitar)student whos just fascinated with guitar and the sounds coming from them , ive had as much as 20-30 guitars and as little as 2….ive got a real problem when i cant get a tone i hear and want (even though i cant play it lol) i go shopping…🤷🏼♂️ive settled on now for last few yrs ,where im barely noodling anymore, a lp , a strat , a semihollow ,a medium size acoustic (214 taylor) a smaller acoustic ,and a complete beater acoustic ……also a beater strat thats sort of for art as mucH as playing…a”chender” srv #1 replica with a new neck and mim hardware and electronics….. and now i hardly suffer G.A.S. Anymore. Im fact i would sell a couple if i could get even half what i spent( cd100 acoustic and small luna acoustic that both have a horrible neck warp ) so slowly work on improving them to make playable … imo , and it might just be me …is soend as much as you can on your first guitar. Thismine will be where you learn the most and will become what you associate with most .my 2012 mim strat i sold can never be properly replaced ,id hate for anyone else to make that mistake of”upgrading” what didnt need it and cant be 🤷🏼♂️👍🏼✌️
Excellent comments as I’m looking at another electric guitar besides my Les Paul. The one thing Griff doesn’t mention that I remember, is the fact that for many amps, you’ve got the ability to change your sound far much more than the choice of using single coil vs. humbuckers, choice of strings, or even choice of electric guitar (assuming it works). On the other hand, applying tone controls on your amp has different effects on different guitars, so your range of possible sounds using a single amp varies for the guitar. Then it gets really complicated IMHO when trying to choose both a guitar and amp, and the differences are usually subtle, but not always.
For me, I just decided that for my electrics, a good quality Les Paul, and a good quality Stratocaster with a humbucker in the bridge position (aka a HSS vs the typical SSS pickups) gives me what I want. Which is great because my wife just told me she bought me the Strat for Xmas!!! I’m stoked.
Awesome video learning so much with each one thx!!!!!!
Great info. Any chance of doing the same type of video focused on acoustic guitars?
After a couple of decades of playing a Strat, the first electric I ever bought, I decided it sounded kinda thin and brittle – so I bought a hollow body guitar with humbuckers, and got the richness I was looking for. Great post, Griff.
My favorite guitar *right now* is my Epiphone Casino. It has a set of P90s in it. Warm like a Gibson, bright like a Fender. But it’s also a true hollowbody, so it has these subtle harmonics going on as well.
Griff is 100% correct. It is ALL about the tone. Every one of my guitars has a unique sound and each has their place – depending on the song and the tone.
Hey Griff, thanks for the video. I wondered what are your thoughts on P90´s in general.
I know your a Freddie King fan an his gold top LP with P90’s had a distinct tone.
P90s are great in my opinion. I do like single coils but I do like the extra ‘beef’ and growl P90s can offer.
What do you think of the hybrid guitars like the Taylor T5z?
They’re great and serve their purpose well.
I have a G&L Bluesboy, that has a humbucker in the neck and a single coil in the bridge. It also has the “belly cut” cutaway like a Strat and inline tuners and no tremolo and the scale neck I prefer. This guitar has my favorite features and none of my less favorite features. I use D’Addario XL110w nickel wound strings. After dozens of all styles and brands of guitar I settled on this as my main guitar. I play it thru a Fender tube amp, my favorite sounding amp. I have other guitars and amps but those are my go to.
Great job covering all the differences Griff. I wish I would have known all of this when I bought my first guitar. I’m sure your new students will find this very helpful. You might also warn them that there will be many more guitars in their future. It’s hard to stop with just one.😁
Damn that was good!! It goes without saying that the sound that comes out has a lot to do with the hands of the player. I believe you could make an old beat-up acoustic Stella guitar sound great!!!