functional guitar collections

[pogo97]

Right now, I have three guitars: a Dobro (it's been my main and often only guitar for 43 years), a tele, an epiphone dot (335)

 

The next guitar I'd add would likely be an archtop with floating pickup or just maybe a Casino. Something electric I can Travis pick.

 

After that, a small body flat top, a classical, a high-strung flat top

 

 

comments?

[STM86]

I'm not a very good guitar player. There's no reason for me to have four acoustics, four electrics, and a banjo. They all made sense at the time, but now i mostly just have them. My Guild gets tons and tons of use, as does my Schecter C1 E/A which functions mostly as an acoustic that won't feed back with a loud prog metal band. My needs change, my instruments don't. They just get added to.

[Vito Corleone]

I'm primarily a keyboard player, but it's amazing how the "functional" guitar collection increases over time:

 

​A Strat and a Takamine six-string are my gigging guitars. But I've also got a Les Paul, Fender six-string acoustic, an Epiphone 12-string acoustic, an Ovation acoustic, a banjo, a mandolin and an ukulele lying around.

 

 

[Bob Dey]

I usually play my Tele, but I've found the Gibson 175 a good guitar for retirement home gigs. Also have a Strat to back up the tele, Alaverez acoustic for any possible acoustic gigs and a couple of nylon string acoustics for wedding ceremonies. I'd like to trade all of the acoustics in for one really good taylor or Martin. The ovation nylon string has been up for sale on CL. No takers yet at $300.

[steve mac]

I have had very few guitars in my life. My gigging guitars are either my Ovation Custom Elite, great sound, easy to play and good looking ( in my opinion ) but a bit on the large side and I doubt if I would buy it again because of this.

 

More often I use my PRS Hollowbody II and don't bother with an acoustic, just using the PRS piezzo instead, I run it through an acoustic modeler and it sounds just fine. At a flick of a switch I can change to its mags and means I can use the piezzo to put a chord sequence on the looper then switch to mags to play some lead over it.

 

My only other guitar at the moment is an old Burns marquee that needs work that I don't have the skills to do myself. Although I am looking at a small acoustic and thought I wanted a Taylor GS Mini but am struggling to find one and today tried a Yamaha 3/4 which may fit the job of a "side of the couch" guitar.

[ski219]

I am a buy and hold kind of guy. Only sold or traded a couple of guitars in my 40 something years of playing.

 

Mostly gig in bands and my '86 Schecter Strat is my go to guitar. I have an Epiphone Sorento which is the same as a Casino but with a single cutaway which I bring as a back-up and sometimes play Beatles, and rockabilly type stuff... though it sounds great for anything and I often bring it to jams.

 

My '81 Guild G37 dread was my first decent guitar and I still play it more than any other. I bring it to gigs with the country band and it sounds great through a PA. It is also the guitar I use for my forays into solo and duo performing which I am starting to get into.

 

I have a Regal resonator that I like to bring to a big pickin' party jam I sometimes attend because it can actually be heard above the many Martins in attendance.

 

An old, cheap, free to me Epiphone acoustic is my beach, boat, camping guitar.

 

My newest, most expensive, and only guitar that I baby and doesn't really leave the house is my 2 year old New Hartford, CT built Guild F412. I have long lusted after a Guild 12 string and she has yet to receive her first ding. Eventually I will gig with it because, well sounds amazing!

 

Final guitar is non functional I guess because I haven't played it in years. An old Kalamazoo by Gibson parlor guitar that I bought when I was 12 and it sits in storage with loose strings.

 

2 electrics, 5 acoustics. If I get any more guitars I would either go for a Les Paul, possibly SG or a Fender Telecaster.

[daddymack]

Okay, okay fine...the list...

Acoustics:

 

1971 Guild D25 bought New at Manny's NYC. My 'going away to college' guitar I worked all summer for after high school. Workhorse for decades... all mahogany. Retired from gigging.

 

Martin 000CX BLK, the indestructible non-wood Martin. With the built-in Fishman it sounds like a plugged-in Martin, unplugged it is still passable.

 

Epiphone Artist ME, single cutaway A/E with a Shadow mag p-u at the end of the neck plus a piezo under bridge... with blendable tone. Has a very interesting sound; this and the Martin are my solo gig main axes. Beautiful inlay work on the rosette and binding, made in Indonesia.

 

KC A/E...when I had my 'guitar company' [Chinese factory where some Gretsch guitars were made], I had this one made. Based on the Martin basic design, used mainly for acoustic slide work, as I don't like the neck feel or the electronics.

 

Fender Stratocoustic, purchased used in February this year, it is my 'home practice' acoustic because it isn't very loud, but the neck is great and it is loud enough to sing with. Plugged in it has a very unique sound, and surprisingly big sounding with the BodyRez stompbox. It has not been gigged with yet...may not ever...

 

2 Mahalo Ukeleles, one with cutaway. These were my introductory ukes, and I still pull them out occasionally for fun... the cutaway uke has traveled with me to Japan and the Philippines...the other side of the world.

 

Epiphone Les Paul Ukelele...because I needed one to amplify...will have this refinished in black at some point....to match the LP Custom [see below]

 

Electrics:

 

1962 Gibson Melody Maker D, retired from gigging, this is my 'sits next to my desk guitar' that I use almost daily to learn stuff on. Currently sports a hybrid stringset [heavy flat wounds on EAD, light strings on GBE]. Also modded a few times but pretty much stock at the moment except for Gotoh tuners and a Leo Quan Badass bridge.

 

1975 Fender Stratocaster 'Tuxedo', for decades my main gigging axe. Has a Dimarzio SDS in the bridge slot, and a 5 position switch, otherwise pretty much stock...

 

1971[?] SG, purchased heavily [and badly] modded, rarely used, can't seem to bring myself to sell...keep planning to do a refin on this, but after over 15 years, nothing has happened. Plays like butter, looks like a butterface...

 

Epiphone Alley Kat, one of my favorite guitars, small hollow body, hard tail...falls between a Gibson and a Gretsch in sound and feel; just slightly larger tha na Lester...anyone who has played one knows this was the best of the Korean Epis ever! Its sibling, the Wild Kat, is still in production [i would love to find an early version in trans-black...2 P90s, licensed Bigsby]. Interestingly, Gibson is now making semi hollow LPs...the Kat was a better idea...they came out after the Gibson Blues Hawks didn't sell well, and frankly, its a better guitar than the BH. Gibson should have made these in Nashville, but then they would have been way too expensive...so Samick built them.

 

Gibson ES135LE...I have a love-hate relationship with this one, I love the sound, but hate the body feel/size...this is the guitar that convinced me not to go with a 335 style like a Sheraton, Riviera, or a Casino. Maybe a 339? Maybe next year...

 

Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty...need I say more? This guitar was left to me by an old friend who passed away...

 

KC Custom [also from my failed guitar company], this was going to be the flagship electric, built on the Gretsch Electromatic hollowbody tooling. I have been modding this one on ans off for years since it arrived, and recently purchased some Filtertrons to put in it. Currently has GFS Nashvilles which are pretty close to the Gretsch tone, and those will wind up in something else eventually [ maybe my 'Leo Paul' design, when I finally build it]. Used mainly for my 'rockabilly' set, but with the new p-ups, could wind up being used more.

 

Brownsville Reso-1, an interesting Les Paul-ish looking electric 'thinline' resonator with a blade p-u and a piezo. Gets that electrified reso tone but allows for a jazzier tone off the blade. Sounds great for electric slide!

 

Hard Luck Kings Southern Belle...a tele knock-off that plays well for a $150 guitar...because I had me a hankering for a tele...and wanted a 'beater' for the jam gigs..am considering selling, but may use it to replace my experimental/mod unit [see next]

 

80s Korean 'Gretsch 3/4 size strat copy, currently gutted, but strung...my 'midnight guitar' and test unit for wiring variants, pot optimization tests, capacitor value tweaks, etc. I've had this little guy for about thirty years, most of which it has served as the test bed. At one point I had the spare Strat p-u in there with a humbucker from a 'salvage' epi LPJ...very cool pickup combo, but never found the guitar to put that pairing into.

 

Fender Modern Player Custom Deluxe Telecaster...just got this in October, used, mainly for the jam gigs, semi hollow, 2 P90s, 2V/2T, an interesting blend of Gibson classic tone and control with Fender playability...the neck is fabulous! I am starting to think this guitar may be better than risking at the jam gig.

 

Cecilio 4/4 electric violin...a whim...my success with the ukes led me to this...the bow confounds me as does the tiny neck....someday...

 

Memphis P-bass, about to get a Mighty Mite neck installed, used mainly for home recording, recently rewired.

 

Magnatone lapsteel, circa 1955, recently had to replace the tuners, still whines like good ol' down home lap steel should. The classic MOTS look...picked up in a New Mexico pawn shop in 1990 for $45...semi-retired...but I bought a 'matching' amp [era correct MOTS Magnatone] for it last year...as a set, this sounds so kitschy...pure Hawaiian...but gets that Bob Wills thang as well.

 

I think that is it...I may have forgotten one or two in there somewhere...

[Shaster]

Nice list daddymack.

 

My gigging guitars....

 

Ibanez Artcore 335 "copy" - 2013

 

Ibanez Artcore "jazz" guitar - circa 2008

 

Ibanez Artcore "jazz" - 2003

 

Guild Bluesbird, circa 1998, from the Guild factory, not the Fender factory.

 

Fender HM Strat 1988? Relegated to retro rock gigs.

 

Fender HM Strat - 1988?

 

Takamine nylon with Pup

 

Ovation knock off for outdoor gigs - purchased in the eighties

 

Guitars that mainly just sit:

 

Ibanez Roadstar

 

Ibanez Roadstar

 

Guild, hollow body electric circa 1963, plays great but feeds back easily

 

Guild Starfire - 1967, also plays great, but also feeds back.

 

Then I have three or four acoustic "beach" beater guitars, that just sit around the house. Good for BBQ's or whatever. Somewhere I have a beat up no name electric bass. I should really give that one away - never play it.

 

I would probably like to add a nice steel string, and maybe one more guitar for jazz, but it's hard to justify, without purging some of the dead wood.

 

Besides my Guilds, I like fairly common guitars that play and sound good. I'm hardly ever on a stage anymore, so my guitars are at the mercy of the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

1985 D28, owned since new-mainly for bluegrass, never installed a pickup

 

Recording King R07-Baggs M1A, my main gigging acoustic

 

Gretsch Jim Dandy-lipstick in soundhole, blues, slide

 

Regal Sq neck reso, for bluegrass

 

 

 

'83 Carvin DC100, owned since new, needs fretwork

 

Epi Korina Explorer-absolutely no practical reason other than I like it.

 

G5120 Electromatic-main guitar for the oldies 50s-60s band

 

3 partscaster Teles

 

1 parts Strat

 

Epi Broadway, just purchased. Just wanted a big jazz box.

 

 

 

Romanian plywood upright-my main gig getter

 

SX P/J

 

Guild Newark St Starfire

 

 

 

Chandler 6 str lap

 

 

 

 

 

 

[STM86]

Here comes the list... One of these things is not like the others.

 

Slingerland Songster Archtop- This was given to me as a starter acoustic by my grandpa. It didn't really give me much to work with. The neck needed to be reset and the intonation was bad. I still have it. It's 70 years old.

 

Epiphone PR-200- Laminate epiphone acoustic. Plays fine, sounds like you would expect. It got me through college and a few little casual gigs.

 

Guild GAD-50 - Spruce Hog acoustic with electronics. Big sound, plays nice. This was the first guitar I trusted my own ears to choose. I played some $2000 Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons for comparison. I just liked this Guild. Every time I go look at guitars I like the Guilds best. It's a feedback and sympathetic resonance monster though.

 

Oscar Schmidt spalted maple top acoustic.- My brother in law gave this to me because it looked cool. And it does. It also plays and sounds a little nicer than my Epiphone, so it's become my "grab a guitar around the house" guitar.

 

90's standard strat- My very first guitar- played and sounded decent enough to not get frustrated. No complaints.

 

Epiphone Les Paul Custom- Wanted a Les Paul in high school. Got one. Still the electric that feels most like "home" to me.

 

1962 Fender Stratocaster- My grandpa gave me this guitar before he passed away. Sounds incredible but doesn't get out much.

 

Schecter C1 E/A- My band required me to play some acoustic parts and I could never reign in the Guild onstage so I bought this. The electric pickups are pretty muddy but the piezo sounds great and drops perfectly into the mix with Bodyrez on.

[Voltan]

pics, or it never happened...

[steve mac]

couple of seasonal shots of my with my two go to work guitars.

[daddymack]

we need a thread on gig hats!!!

[daddymack]

The secret to using those 60s era Guilds is the f-hole foam inserts like Dougs Plugs :http://www.dougsplugs.com/

 

But honestly, you can make your own out of any dense foam.

 

I know what you mean about 'the mercy of the crowd', hence my recent collection of non-wood acoustics [the Martin and Statocoustic], and low end electrics [the Southern Belle, Modern Player Tele]. These are 'replaceable' guitars that if someone damages, I can just tell them pay me $X and all is forgiven.

 

I've tried Artcores out numerous times and just never got the feeling from them that made me want to buy one...although I have come close recently.

A good friend has an Artstar that I thought was amazing, a big body jazz axe, but they don't make that one anymore.

[Bob Dey]

At least we can see you actually have gigs which is more than I can say.

[moogerfooger]

all my guitars are functional

 

these are the most functional of the bunch

 

 

[daddymack]

you obviously do not live in earthquake country...what model is that Vox 'piggyback'?

[Gigmeister-8YMGf]

I have seven instruments that all get used, depending on what I'm doing. I teach and gig electric shows with a Vox SCC-33, which is very comfortable to play seated or standing. I have a newer Line 6 JT Variax 69 for recording my Pro Tools sequences and have used it on live gigs. I don't like it as well as I did my previous Variax 600. Too heavy and feels really stiff. I used Ovations for years and now gig with a Martin GPCPA5 which I got used on craigslist about six months ago. It plays and records well and the onboard electronics work great. I got my Dad's Ovation Custom Balladeer when he passed and I record and sometimes do Church or outdoor solo performances with it unmixed. I have a mid 90’s MIM Jazz Bass with Fender Flatwound strings that I use to record my bass tracks and a Carter Starter S-10 with a George L pickup installed by a buddy before he sold it to me. I have an interesting Alvarez nylon string acoustic electric with a cutaway and narrow neck for my classical tunes at weddings. I also got an old 1930’s era handmade mandolin that belonged to my wife’s grandfather. He had it made for him in his native Germany and I use it to add mandolin to my country and Texas music tunes. I recently got a Line 6 Flextone III for our students to play through and it records really well. I don’t have any more room in the closet for more guitars! You’ll see some of these instruments on my website or on my Gigmasters and Gig Salad pages.

[Voltan]

whew, i dont feel so bad now, lol!

[moogerfooger]

the big one is an AC30CCH and the small on is an AC4TV

[GtrGeorge!]

1 Tele, heavily customized

1 Acoustic (Seagull)

1 Bass its all I need............I do own more but this is all I ever use these days.

[steve mac]

After humming and hawing for ages and getting to try what seems like every small acoustic guitar in shops as far apart as Amsterdam, Liverpool and Miami, I eventually decided that a Taylor Mahogony GS mini e was the one for me as it hit (ish) all of my criteria, small enough to travel easily with, sound like a "proper" guitar and not a toy or a uke, decent case and built in pickup system just in case I ever wanted to gig it, So last week I made enquiries and discovered that the only GS mini e in the whole country was a Koa, as this was my second choice and was prettier, I ordered it (biting my tongue as it was $300 more expensive than in USA) and a few days later it is now sitting at the side of my sofa, The shorter scale length take a bit of getting used to especially as you work up the neck and fingerpicking or gentle strumming is definitely its forte as it runs out of headroom. Also as the jack is built into the back strap button it makes using any form of lock awkward if not impossible. But it is incredibly well built and so much fun to simply pick up it's frankly hard to put down.

[pogo97]

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Traded a spare amp for this. Absolute bottom-of-the-pile Ibanez archtop. But it plays very nicely and sounds okay -- will sound infinitely better with the right set of flatwounds. So now I have the basic trinity of electrics:

archtop -- Ibanez af55

semi-hollow -- Epiphone dot

solid -- Fender Telecaster

 

On the acoustic side, I still only have the Dobro I've owned since I was seventeen. I'd be pleased to own a parlour guitar with excellent electronics like Steve's new toy but it's not that pressing -- when you've joyously played the same guitar for 43 years, you tend to stop craving something novel.

[Notes_Norton]

I'm a buy it and keep it kind of guy.

 

I've worn out a few saxes. I keep two at a time, when it is half worn out it becomes my outdoor gig sax, and the newer one is the indoor gig sax. When the outdoor sax gets worn out, I get a new one, and the former indoor sax gets demoted.

 

Guitars? I bought a used, 1970 Gibson ES-330 in the mid 1970s. Then when I wanted to start gigging with a guitar I bought a Casino, since 330s were selling for $4K on ebay (I paide $300 for it).

 

Then I got an outdoor gig on a deck over salt water and didn't want to rust everything inside the hollow body Casino, so I traded some of the software I write for an LTD faux LP. Modded it with Mean 90 pickups and a Varitone. The pickups are great, but the Varitone was a waste of money for me. YMMV

 

Switching sax, guitar, flute, wind synth all night was too much weight bearing exercise for the 8 pound Faux LP. Seeing how well my partner's Parker was made, I took a chance on a Parker DF524NN. Wonderful guitar and great customer service. But I missed the P90 sound.

 

So I had Parker build one with Duncan P-Rails with triple shot rings. Now I can get P90, Rail Parallel Humbucker and Series Humbucker tones out of the same guitar. Plus it has a piezo under the bridge and I can blend the pieze sound with the mags to add some twang or bite.

 

The custom (DF522NN - for Notes Norton) is the only guitar I gig with now. The older Parker is what I practice on. The Casino comes out when I want to figure some chords out without plugging in. And the other two guitars are crying because they never get played anymore.

 

I sometimes have the urge to sell the Gibson because it duplicates what the Casino can do, but it was my first guitar so I hang on to it for sentimental reasons I guess.

 

The LTD is probably worth nothing to resell, I put a small ding on it, and it was a cheap guitar to begin with. Not that it was a bad guitar. The neck was good, the build is good, the pickups and the switch were cheap but I replaced them. Plus I put my band's logo on it. So I guess I'll keep that one too.

 

But since I got my DF522NN, I no longer have GAS. I can look at other guitars, appreciate their beauty, but they don't offer me anything that makes me want to buy them.

 

I guess I'm just not a collector. Not that there is anything wrong with being a collector. For me my instruments are tools, and I just want the most versatile tool for the job.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

 

 

 

[daddymack]

Well, Happy NGD!