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Which guitar for Country/Western Style music

thunder100

By thunder100
in Electric Guitars

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Pine Apple Slim Newbie

Pine Apple Slim

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The main thing is listening and playing along.
After that getting the right tone is not that hard.
Get rid of the distortion. If you use a pick, learn alternate picking.
Single coils work best, but humbuckers can work too, just a diff sound, just as traditional, just not as popular in the modern era. ( right now HBs are popular, but todays HB tone is more rock, not really old school country tone like chet or hank garland)

Play major. Start w/pentatonic and go from there.

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adlo76 Newbie

adlo76

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I don't understand your reaction to my post. I said it takes work to play country. I said he would do well to learn from the greats.


You disagree with this?
:confused:



It was your snotty ass tone. Get off your high horse.

And if you're directing a newb to transcribing country guitar, you should set the bar at a reasonable level.
Nothing like a "teacher" who sets you up to fail.

Albert Lee solos for a beginner? Now, I know, YOU did it. YOU were awesome even as a beginner, but of course.

How about some Don Rich lines instead, or Luther Perkins (Johnny Cash) as someone else pointed out.

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koti123 Newbie

koti123

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stay with what you have.
I used a 57 reissue MIA strat in a country band for years.
1. lower your pickups a bit.
2. lower your volume knob to about 7 or 8 for rhythm and then increase it for lead.
3.use the middle pickup more for rhythm and the bridge for some leads. I find the neck pickup overwhelms a lot of country twang so I always stayed away from the neck unless it was a more bluesy song.
4.don't allow your amp to overdrive unless doing lead work.

Now if you just want to go shopping.
1.most any good digital or tube amp will work but remember you need to keep it clean most of the time so a Good two Channel amp works best IMHO for a beginner.
2.A tele is always the way to go or a mild sounding strat or gretsch.
remember that being able to play is much more important then the gear and that is what country folk are most impressed with, they could care less if your guitar costs thousands or 50 dollars if you play it well.best of Luck.:thu:

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koti123 Newbie

koti123

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It was your snotty ass tone. Get off your high horse.


And if you're directing a newb to transcribing country guitar, you should set the bar at a reasonable level.

Nothing like a "teacher" who sets you up to fail.


Albert Lee solos for a beginner? Now, I know, YOU did it. YOU were awesome even as a beginner, but of course.


How about some Don Rich lines instead, or Luther Perkins (Johnny Cash) as someone else pointed out.

 

 

use the kiss method at first.KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. Country music can be hard to play. many on the forums dis it but there is a big variety of country music and timing is something you live or die by. some of the timing is hard to keep more so then in blues.

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thunder100 Newbie

thunder100

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Check Mr Cash's lead guitar player HERE:




... and tell us if you think it's the 'right' guitar for country... OR western.

 

 

I am not sure wether this is right guitar but is definitely right sound.There I want to go and as said to early CCR and Southern Rock(Ronnie van Zandt)

 

Thanks for all the warm and less warm suggestions

 

So I have a compressor pedal on order (Chatmods Signa Comp-->email response was so quick and helpfull,and in HC effects section I had good help for the coice)

 

And I started alternate picking(wow this country boys are fast) and pentatonik.

 

Just I am a medium+ player I may not immediately life up to Albert Lee

 

I really hate to say this but I am sure Eric Clapton rules but now after many study(Youtube,CD's) I also must say that in C&W there are(were) some great artists/players

 

Did you see Brian setzters lateest Rockabilly teaching session?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgUCs72RDHs&eurl=http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2161126

 

Pls remember this started as a project to please my wife and have a very good exuse for annother guitar.In the meanwhile(even before the start of this thread) I started to fall in love

 

I thank particular Adlo 76 for his open words and many others for the soundsamples.Most helpfull was Jerry's tune.And Cerebrus I take your comments as done in good faith but idea behind is same like to ask somebody from hilly Texas to climb Mount Everest tomorrow-->without Oxygen.

 

After a lot of trying and practice I may return here and tell you about my results

 

So long . not yet Howdy

 

Roland

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guitarman3001 Newbie

guitarman3001

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You need to sit down and actually do the WORK of learning how to play country.


Transcribe some Albert Lee solos note for note. Some Vince Gill. Some Johnny Hiland. Some Chet Atkins and so on........


I know it's hard for you to believe....... but it's actually going to take
work
to play country.


Don't just use this as an excuse to buy a new guitar.
:rolleyes:



Don't listen to this!! This is a PERFECT excuse to buy a new guitar! Actually, you can probably use this to justify buying two or three guitars!!! :thu:

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adlo76 Newbie

adlo76

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I am not sure wether this is right guitar but is definitely right sound.There I want to go and as said to early CCR and Southern Rock(Ronnie van Zandt)


Thanks for all the warm and less warm suggestions


So I have a compressor pedal on order (Chatmods Signa Comp-->email response was so quick and helpfull,and in HC effects section I had good help for the coice)


And I started alternate picking(wow this country boys are fast) and pentatonik.


Just I am a medium+ player I may not immediately life up to Albert Lee


I really hate to say this but I am sure Eric Clapton rules but now after many study(Youtube,CD's) I also must say that in C&W there are(were) some great artists/players


Did you see Brian setzters lateest Rockabilly teaching session?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgUCs72RDHs&eurl=http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2161126


Pls remember this started as a project to please my wife and have a very good exuse for annother guitar.In the meanwhile(even before the start of this thread) I started to fall in love


I thank particular Adlo 76 for his open words and many others for the soundsamples.Most helpfull was Jerry's tune.And Cerebrus I take your comments as done in good faith but idea behind is same like to ask somebody from hilly Texas to climb Mount Everest tomorrow-->without Oxygen.


After a lot of trying and practice I may return here and tell you about my results


So long . not yet Howdy


Roland



Glad we could point you in the right direction Roland.
I've been studying Country AND Western guitar almost exclusively this last year and it's a challenge to say the least.
Pentatonics: YES
Major Pentatonics: YES YES
Fast picking: YES (hybrid picking is a must IMO, however I realized that a thumbpick was even better FOR ME)
The compressor: Will help to make great strides in your guitars response to your picking attack, overall tone, and sustain. Just use it lightly. Too much compression and you'll lose to much of your dynamics.
Practice practice practice.

There's tons of great vids on YouTube too. There are also tons of crap vids that can steer you wrong.
Watching the big guns like Brent Mason, Johnny Hiland, Danny Gatton, etc may make it seem like the style is just out of reach because they're so good, but watch them for enjoyment, not a guitar lesson and eventually you'll soak up things about their playing that will stick. You'll be entertained and eventually pick up on things that they do subconsciously.
Videos by Peter Voegl are pretty good too.
Just watch many and find what works for you. Just remember that just because it's on YouTube doesn't it make it good.

:thu:

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guitarman3001 Newbie

guitarman3001

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I am not sure wether this is right guitar but is definitely right sound.There I want to go and as said to early CCR and Southern Rock(Ronnie van Zandt)


 

 

Well now...that's a different thing, imo. If you want a southern rock sound, a les paul can't be beat.

 

See? You're already needing at least two guitars. Get yourself a tele and a les paul.

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thunder100 Newbie

thunder100

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Well now...that's a different thing, imo. If you want a southern rock sound, a les paul can't be beat.


See? You're already needing at least two guitars. Get yourself a tele and a les paul.

 

 

Actually I dont think so

 

I can play Sweet Home Alabama to 100 %(sound just my hammer and pull off is too silent but getting better) with my Strat.Somewhat I am arrogant.I will never enter the Les Paul world.

 

About the Tele we can talk-->later

 

Roland

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sk8g0at Newbie

sk8g0at

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i don't really understand this post. you are being forced into a new genre of music just to apease your wife and you want to take that advantage to buy a new guitar?

anyway, most of the posts here have given you all the advice you need to get a good sound. the classic country sound is typically:

bridge single coil guitar
compressor (boss cs-2)
tube screamer clean boost. (drive all off, level all up, tone to taste)
delay (slap back)
clean amp

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jerry_picker Newbie

jerry_picker

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dear Jerry


After listening and trying and after borrowing a CS-2 I found out that I am way in Distortion/Overdrive.Getting out there (mainly volume but also tone setting) it started to sound closer


Getting better


Roland

 

 

The thing I am happiest about on that recording is the faux-steel part I got by playing fairly clean, with a touch of reverb and a hint of delay, using left-hand finger bends on chords, the trem bar, and harmonics.

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thunder100 Newbie

thunder100

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The thing I am happiest about on that recording is the faux-steel part I got by playing fairly clean, with a touch of reverb and a hint of delay, using left-hand finger bends on chords, the trem bar, and harmonics.

 

 

 

Not that far yet.But I am novice

 

Roland

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