Big Dave Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I was wondering what the thoughts were about how many guitars does one player need. This topic may have been talked about earlier, but I could not find the thread. IF you have a guitar collection, I can see having many guitars. But if you just play, how many do you need to fulfill your needs. Now I know 'want' will be a lot higher. So that's why I went with 'need'. I myself have been playing for about 18 months and have two. My first starter and then an upgrade. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Are you a working musician? If not you just need 1. If you are, then it depends on the gig. Do you use multiple tunings? Do certain tunes call for totally different tones. In my last guitar gig it was the opposite. I had multiple Telecaster but they sounded totally different due to pickup differences and I needed the same homogeneous tone for all of them so I used a graphic EQ with programmable EQ curves to make the guitar sound the same when playing a G chord. Some stuff was played in Eb standard. I used a Morpheus Droptune pedal to handle that because Telecasters are setup in standard tuning with 9-42 gauge strings. Tuning the guitars down causes issues with the way the B and G benders are setup. If it wasn't for the benders I would just use multiple guitars tuned differently. At least 2 regardless, a primary and a backup. My new gig I will probably take 3. The other guitar player plays single coils so I will probably play humbuckers. In a 2 guitar band I make the two guitars sound sonically different. I will use a Yamaha which will be my #1. A 72 Swede as a backup. I will probably find an excuse to bring a Tele. If I just play at home it doesn't matter. I don't even plug into an amp at home. I can hear myself just fine unless I am trying to setup a rig for a gig I don't bother with an amp. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I have more guitars than I need and will probably sell a few if I can bring myself to part with any of them. I like having at least one good electric and one good acoustic. Now, if I can just get down to just two LOL! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I tend to bring a solid body & a hollow body archtop to gigs. Different guitars for different purposes, but I've noted that I tend to want as much sustain as possible out of the hollow body, & as much of an acoustic-y sound out of the solid body. So I guess I really want one guitar which does 2 mutually exclusive things simultaneously. Which is probably why there are about 2 dozen guitars here at home; still looking for the magic bullet. Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocPate Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 As many as my wife let me have Seriously, depends on many factors as noted above. But in a pinch, only 2 will suffice IMHO. Acoustic an Electric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Psmith Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I would qualify CEB's response about it depending on whether you're a working Musician or not, by saying it depends on how many styles of music you're interested in playing seriously. Sure, you can play just about any style of music, on just about any Guitar, but if you're going to pursue Classical Guitar, for one example, you need a good-quality Nylon String instrument. You want to play a little Slide Guitar, you need steel strings. And so it goes . . . If you want a variety of Guitar sounds, without having to buy a bunch of Guitars, you can try something like one of the Line 6 Variax Guitars, or the Roland V-Guitar system. Neither option is inexpensive, but either one is more affordable than a handful of good instruments. Since no one else has asked, what kind of music are you drawn to, Big Dave? "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Some pros have only one guitar. Some amateurs- such as myself- have a couple dozen. It depends on what you play, how you play, how many tunings you use, and so forth. Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dave Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 Thanks for asking Winston Psmith. I am in my 60's - so it's classic rock. THE Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Guess Who, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Led Zeppelin, ac/dc, a lot of the one 1960's rockers, etc....I have a G-400 pro with coil-splitter on it. So I can go with humbucker or split it and go with a single coil. So I plan on that guitar being my main thing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I have 4, all solid body electrics. I only "need" one, but I like having several for different tones etc. dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I have a G-400 pro with coil-splitter on it. So I can go with humbucker or split it and go with a single coil. So I plan on that guitar being my main thing.. Solid choice for the stuff you're playing. Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p90jr Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I only need one... or two: one acoustic and one electric. and a bass, and a mandolin, and a 12 string... I have a bunch, and I use every single one of them for something specific in the acts I play in... I have 3 acoustics... which is good because for an upcoming thing I'm doing (a show playing The Beatles' Revolver record) I need one in standard tuning, one tuned down a half step, and one tuned CGCGGC so I can fake the sitar part (with the help of compression, chorus, delay and phase) on "Love You Too." If the person I'm backing in a band is playing a Telecaster, I leave mine at home and use a humbucker guitar in that band. If the person I'm playing with is playing a humbucker guitar, I'll play a single-coil or P-90 equipped guitar to compliment it, instead of fighting the same sound for space. I also like to have a bunch of overdrive pedals on my board. I like textures... If I didn't play gigs I could probably be happy with a strat and an acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Sure you would... Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p90jr Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Sure you would... Honestly, all I play at home 90% of the time is an acoustic and a strat. When I play variety cover gigs I just use a strat and things that can push it into close enough to humbucker territory when needed. It's probably my favorite guitar, but if there's another guitarist it's usually not the first thing I grab. Not sure why that is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I think CEB nailed a point for gigs. A backup guitar is always a good idea, floating trem or not. Nothing worse than a show getting interrupted by a broken string. EDIT: So, how many guitars do you need? how high is up? sorry, couldn`t resist... For me, more than one. Someone, I think maybe Fred C. brought up the topic of selling all his guitars for the one `ultimate guitar`. My opinion-there is an ultimate guitar alright-for a particular type of music. I know Fred takes what he does very seriously, so in his case it could be attainable. For me, music should evoke a mood. Ignoring the advertising term `mood music`-like, I had a few drinks and now I want to jump off a building-I mean, I want to be able to express what I`m feeling through the guitar. Given two general paths-make what I play through able to fit my feelings, or make what I feel able to fit what I play through-I`ll choose the former. I do have a couple of extra acoustics. All the rest, are guitars I need. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I own 5 guitars. 3 hollow body archtops for Jazz 1 semi-hollow for Blues (and some Jazz) 1 acoustic for Piedmont/Travis style. I love all of them and truthfully, don't need any more. But, I do think about a Peerless Imperial (17" L5 clone) or a Heritage H555 semi-hollow body. "The heart wants what the heart wants" If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 +1 Skip, I always packed a spare guitar after my country rock band days when I only packed my LP to the gigs. I would break the 3rd string now and then as I was running a very light 18 gauge wrapped 3rd...Once I started packing a spare, I have never broke a string but I was ready for it just in case LOL! I also went to locking tuners which made changing a string during the breaks a snap! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p90jr Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Would you trust a handy man who came to your house with one multi-tool that was a screwdriver on one end and a hammer/wrench on the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 I tend to bring a solid body & a hollow body archtop to gigs. Different guitars for different purposes, but I've noted that I tend to want as much sustain as possible out of the hollow body, & as much of an acoustic-y sound out of the solid body. So I guess I really want one guitar which does 2 mutually exclusive things simultaneously. Which is probably why there are about 2 dozen guitars here at home; still looking for the magic bullet. <---check this one out Scott that Hugo posted on the other thread...pretty cool silver bullet possibility! Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkman Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 How many guitars do you need? More. I rock; therefore, I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I haven't gigged for a long time, but I find for recording in my small home studio, I have a good tonal spectrum from these 3 electrics- early 90s American Strat upgraded with Fender Hot Noiseless pickups and Schaller locking tuners for obvious reasons, an ESP LTD-KH-602 for active pup shredding, and my most versatile axe, a Les Paul style Godin Icon Series that you can switch from passive to active pickup configuration at the press of a button. I'm in the market for a decent hollowbody that isn't too expensive to completely satisfy my needs. Any suggestions would be appreciated. "Let me stand next to your fire!", Jimi Hendrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Budget, musical style and location? Also, don't want full hollow, or will semi/chambered do? Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Fully hollow, not more than a grand, and mostly blues based rock with some rock/jazz fusion thrown in. "Let me stand next to your fire!", Jimi Hendrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred_C Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 The Ibanez Artcore line should meet your needs. Also, Peerless and Eastman guitars are both excellent values. If you play cool, you are cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Psmith Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Thanks for asking Winston Psmith. I am in my 60's - so it's classic rock. THE Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Guess Who, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Led Zeppelin, ac/dc, a lot of the one 1960's rockers, etc....I have a G-400 pro with coil-splitter on it. So I can go with humbucker or split it and go with a single coil. So I plan on that guitar being my main thing.. Good to hear! I'm an SG fan, myself, and a lot of the classic tones from that era were performed on SG's. Carlos Santana, Pete Townshend, Jerry Garcia, John Cipollina and Eric Clapton all used SG's; Angus Young still does. While that coil-splitter might not get you quite into Strat tone territory, it'll do. I agree with Dannyalcatraz, that Guitar will cover most of the tones you'll want, and with a couple of pedals, or a compact Multi-FX, you can have the classic Wah-Fuzz-Phaser effects rig. A decent steel-string Acoustic would be a good second Guitar, for quiet practice, and for strength training, if you put heavier gauge strings on it. There's also the advantage that you can play an Acoustic pretty much anywhere, without needing an amp and a power source. "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Fully hollow, not more than a grand, and mostly blues based rock with some rock/jazz fusion thrown in. I'm a fan of Reverends & Godins. Godin will have a larger number of new & used guitars in the market because they're a much larger & older company. That translates into better availability & prices. https://reverb.com/brand/godin?category=hollow-body&product_type=electric-guitars&brand_slug=godin&year_min=&year_max=&price_min=&price_max=1100.00&ships_to=US_CON&item_region=&sort=price%7Casc I think Revs have the edge in variety opinion your budget, with available P90s, humbuckers, or miniHBs: https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=Reverend+Pete+anderson+pa&year_min=&year_max=&price_min=&price_max=1100.00&ships_to=US_CON&item_region=&sort=price%7Casc Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splitting hare Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 All very logical answers here, and yeah, it all depends on your needs. I am in the "Weekend Warrior" category of gigging and do home recording for our various band projects. I have been known to bring 3 guitars to a 45 minute set or play 1 guitar for a two hour set with a backup just in case. Just depends on what is happeing. A song our band recently recorded had a guitar solo intro that I always play on an electric on. Just to mix things up for the recorded version I decided to pull out a cheap nylon string - everyone in the band loved it. Just one example of many where it is nice to have alternatives. Would you trust a handy man who came to your house with one multi-tool that was a screwdriver on one end and a hammer/wrench on the other? Brilliant! I LIKE the way you think! Reverbnation stuff More Reverbnation stuff I feel happy! I feel happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Thanks Fred C and Danny Alcatraz for the suggestions. "Let me stand next to your fire!", Jimi Hendrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Whenever I take just 1 axe to a gig, that's when a string breaks, or a jack fails, so now I always have at least 1 backup, even if it stays in the trunk. I can get through most gigs with any of my axes, but I like to have something Stratty and something HB'y to cover the bases, but I'm fine with my Tele and LP. The Tele covers the Jimi and SRV stuff just fine, where the LP or 355 are almost essential for the right tones on some other stuff, as some songs just scream for humbuckers. But, in actuality, a good Strat covers the most bases of any guitar ever made. Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocPate Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 Interesting OT here: How much can you do with a single guitar and pedals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I tend to bring a solid body & a hollow body archtop to gigs. Different guitars for different purposes, but I've noted that I tend to want as much sustain as possible out of the hollow body, & as much of an acoustic-y sound out of the solid body. So I guess I really want one guitar which does 2 mutually exclusive things simultaneously. Which is probably why there are about 2 dozen guitars here at home; still looking for the magic bullet. <---check this one out Scott that Hugo posted on the other thread...pretty cool silver bullet possibility! Cool idea, but looks a bit cumbersome.... Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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