Guitar Tryout -

[maarkr]

I asked this in the Guitar Jam Forum and got a few responses, but since it's electric guitar, thought Id ask here also.

Wondering what you guys play when u pick up a guitar and/or try out an amp in the guitar store? or even if someone hands you a guitar to check out... my mind just goes blank other than just plunking some chords.

 I'd like to work on a dozen or so popular song riffs or progressions, maybe 30 sec each, that I can have down tight so people don't think I'm just some guitar fool... when you're older, people see you and think you've prob got this vast experience... that's not the case.  Something from the 60's to more current stuff.  No shredder or pentatonic riffs, I'm just not there.

[BydoEmpire]

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maarkr wrote:

 

Wondering what you guys play when u pick up a guitar and/or try out an amp in the guitar store? or even if someone hands you a guitar to check out... my mind just goes blank other than just plunking some chords.

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It depends on my mood and what I've been playing lately.  I might try something I've been working on recently, but usually I feel the guitar and just start noodling based on that.  I might try tapping my foot, come up with some kind of groove, and just start improvising based on that.

I'll always play chords all over the neck, try out how bends sound and feel all over the neck - mostly looking for playability.  If I'm actually checking the guitar out, I'll make sure to play all over, and play different styles to see how it feels.  I will rarely even plug in a guitar at a shop unless it really grabs me.

[soundcreation]

I improvise.  Don't really care what other people think.

[SuperSix]

I'm a younger guy (24) and honestly, I don't give a damn what people are playing around me. When I go to a guitar shop it's to test out gear I want to buy. Unless i hear someone who's really good or has an interesting style, then I'll take a listen and compliment them. Or if someone next to me is obviously new to guitar I'll try and encourage them. When I try a new guitar I like to play a few cowboy chords and see what the guitar sounds like, and then run through some licks of songs my band plays to see how it will work with what we play. I think it's important to play the guitar acoustically first, and then try and plug into an amp similar to the one you regularly use.
You shouldn't worry about what other people hear when trying new gear, unless it's constructive criticism of course. Just have fun and enjoy yourself, checking out new gear should be a fun and relaxing experience. The only person you need to try to impress is yourself.

[billybilly]

I always seem to play along with whoever is playing around me, I'm a simple man.

[Mike Fiasco]

I just play whatever stuff I play at home.  I've got my own riffs (or as we say cliches) that I play at home.  When I go to the guitar store to pick up a little strange, I try those same routines, just on a stranger.

[Yer Blues]

I can't remember the last time I bought or played a guitar at a music store.  I tend to get all of my stuff used from either Craigslist or Ebay.  I'd probably just play whatever I was digging on at the time.

[PurpleTrails]

First off, I don't even bother playing a guitar until I've checked its resonance.  After that I'll play a song that involves chording up and down the neck; I've got two or three that I tend to go to depending on mood.  Then I'll work in some leads and bends, then play both chords and leads up the neck to see how far it's comfortable.  I use a variety of right hand techniques to see how it responds to flat picking vs. hybrid vs. fingerpicking.  I check how it responds to vibrato, bending, hammering on and pulling off.  If it still feels good at that point I'll plug in on an amp that closely matches what I have at home.

Also, since I have carpal tunnel I'll play for a while on a guitar that I'm serious about buying to see if my hand goes numb.  Some that feel great when I first start playing prove to either cramp up or numb my hand.

 

[PrawnHeed]

I detune the guitar slightly and play Stairway. Slowly and hesitantly and with a few mistakes. I don't want to stand out in any way.

[kayd_mon]

Lmao @prawnheed! Good one

I improvise and just have fun with it. I sometimes play an original from my band. One thing I don't do is crank it too loud. That's rude.

[PRS_JRW]

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PrawnHeed wrote:

I detune the guitar slightly and play Stairway. Slowly and hesitantly and with a few mistakes. I don't want to stand out in any way.

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That's rich, bro. I am actually watching the South Park episode where Towlie does just that. First thing I thought is that I tune and for two reasons. 1. I can't stand it when someone is playing an untuned guitar badly. 2. How well does it tune? I look closely at the binding, headstock, hardware, etc. I play it acoustically and see if the intonation is close and how the action feels. I know these things can be adjusted, but how much adjustment is left and will it do me much good? If all looks good, I'll plug it into a rig the same as or as close as possible to my own. I play the same simple riff and change the vol and tone controls slowly to make sure that they work evenly and don't have huge jumps in one place or another. I keep playing simply, because I want to make sure that I'm getting a regular sound and feel.

If things go well there, I play something that requires bends, hammers, and slides. I want to know that the guitar will play well in everything that I'm going to use it to do.