HANGAR18 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 It's quite obvious that many Heritage guitar owners, own more than just one. Maybe they are like potato chips or something. Can't have just one. It is also clear that many also own brands other than Heritage, which if fine I suppose. hahaha So I was wondering yesterday if everyone actually plays ALL their guitars (whether they be Heritage or non-Heritage). While trying to anticipate what answers others might submit, the thought occurred to me that the answers might vary according to whether the guitar owner was a performer or not. Since I don't play gigs, I have found myself lately choosing one guitar, playing it exclusively for a week or two to get very familiar with it, and then rotating to a different guitar and then doing the same. I like the idea of actually playing all of the guitars that I own. Actually, I don't really like owning anything that I don't actually use and I try to avoid "collector's items". But if I did play gigs, I've heard people say that they have their "go to guitar" that they play all the time. I've also heard that if you stick to one guitar for a long time, you get really good at playing that guitar. So perhaps those who play gigs don't play ALL of their guitars. I don't know. Another thing I noticed about owning and playing multiple guitars is that my impression of each instrument changes over time. My first impression of the guitar doesn't always equal it's lasting impression. Through buying and selling, I seem to go through as many guitars as anyone else, and sometimes I seem to blow through them pretty fast. But I think now that I should relax a bit, slow down, play any new guitar I get for a long enough period of time to get to know the instrument so that I will be more certain of whether I really like it or really don't like it before selling it in order to fuel the non-stop guitar purchasing machine. Anyway, Do you actually play ALL of the guitars that you own?
eljay Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 yes. played most: 157 and 357. played least: 530.
mark555 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I own only one... so yes. Only one... But it's an incredble ONE.... I own three guitars and I play them all. The 555 tends to be for rock n roll, blues and 60's music. My strat is used like an adjustable spanner, it does all jobs, but not as well as a guitar deicated to a particular job. However, what little slide playing I am doing at the minute is played on the strat and I also tend to use it when I sit back and just play rhythm guitar. My Tokai is based on the 59 Les Paul (for those of you who haven't played a good Tokai and are not familiar with them)and I love this guitar. I use it for rock, blues, clean and dirty. It is one of the best guitars I have ever owned and although heavy, I love it. A few examples of songs I play on it in a gigging situation are Black Magic Woman, Alright Now, Whiskey in the Jar, Don't Believe a Word. I am at the stage where I use a particular guitar for a particular job. The only trouble about this type of use is that at a gig when you only take one guitar, you are used to playing at least half your set on a different one.
mark555 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 The next two guitars I would like to own are a telecaster and a PRS with humbuckers and a trem. I love the PRS trem, to me it is one of the very best. I play alot of Shadow's music and the guitar features a lot of trem. Although Hank Marvin uses a Strat, I love the humbucker tone when warm and clean.
barrymclark Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 The next two guitars I would like to own are a telecaster and a PRS with humbuckers and a trem. I love the PRS trem, to me it is one of the very best. I play alot of Shadow's music and the guitar features a lot of trem. Although Hank Marvin uses a Strat, I love the humbucker tone when warm and clean. The next guitar I want (why my Gretsch is on the block) is actually going to be VERY close to be pretty close to my 575.
mark555 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 The next guitar I want (why my Gretsch is on the block) is actually going to be VERY close to be pretty close to my 575. maybe you have your ultimate guitar Barry, I remember you buying it, the pictures were superb, I am glad you enjoy it so much. I'd also love a Gretsch, but not enough to go and buy one, they are a tad too expensive for my tastes.
barrymclark Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 maybe you have your ultimate guitar Barry' date=' I remember you buying it, the pictures were superb, I am glad you enjoy it so much. I'd also love a Gretsch, but not enough to go and buy one, they are a tad too expensive for my tastes.[/quote'] I got one not too expensive. I couldn't be happier with that guitar if it had...nevermind. Unless forced to by part failure, that guitar will remain as it was purchased 2.5 years ago. It has truly changed how I look at guitar...and play.
koula901 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 A very good question. I have a 137, 150, and a 535. The 137 with P90s is the go to, gets played the most. The 535 doesn't get played at all and I often debate with myself whether or not to keep. I think one reason I hang on to it is that I'm a lefty, and these don't come around as often as the righties do. It's beatiful, sounds great, and I had a Gibson 335 in the past that I kicked myself for selling. If I had lots of discretionary income, I'd consider selling the 535 and getting the smaller Millie. I also have a strat which is the grab 'n' go for jams, a tele with fralin blues pups, whose sound I love. They all do something different, so I keep them, but they don't get played much.
TalismanRich Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 In the last few weeks, I've played at least 9 of my guitars. Yesterday alone, I played the 140, 157 and Melancon. A few days ago, I broke the E string on the Asat. I will tend to rotate through... one will be on the stand in the basment by the amps, one in the family room where I can grab it. I was having some people at the house to do some work recently so most of my guitars were put away. They will start making their way back around the house.
brentrocks Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I have a 525, skolnick 150, 20th Ann 150, '85 170 and a 157. They all get played. Sometimes I will go down and play for a couple hours and will play 4-5 guitars.
Fernando Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I play all of my guitars. I rotate them, but I definitely play all of them.
Guest HRB853370 Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I play all of my guitars. I rotate them, but I definitely play all of them. All ONE of them?
JeffB Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I obsess over one guitar for long periods of time. I have a few that I forget about for a few years. Its like a short lived happy ngd when I uncover them until I figure out why I dont play them and put them away again. I have a gig guitar and a couple of back ups for it. The gig guitar remains constant but the backups change around. I have a PRS thats not had strings on it or p/ups connected for about 6months. My H150 has been a little ignored for a while as well. I know its awesome at what it does but it doesnt fit in with what I want to hear or how I want to play at the present time. So no, I dont play everything in a rostered system.
kidsmoke Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I only own the one Heritage, but have 3 electrics. The Heritage gets the most love, as it's the most versatile. What I find happening is that I'm playing a song and the mood strikes to kick the OD pedal and hit the bridge and snarl it up a bit, then I'm thinking I want just a bit more bite, and next thing you know I've got the RS-2 out, which gets a little grittier than the 535, then I'm thinking, what would the singles sound like on this lead....and next thing you know I've got the tele out. Usually though, I end up back at the 535. Another reason it's getting a bit more love right now is that I'm taking lessons, primarily blues. At the volumes we play, which guitar is irrelevant, but the 535 is easily the best electric to play while sitting. In January, I'll begin playing a lot of early 70's heavy rock with a nod towards metal, because that's what heavy rock did back then, nodded towards metal, laid the ground work. At that point, the RS-2 will get all the action, it does that stuff unbelievably well. If I owned a 150 with a decent set of p'ups, I suspect that's what I'd use. so I guess I'm a slave to sound. I'll choose the tool to match the need, and not concern myself too much with balancing my time between axes.
MartyGrass Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 The ones I don't play I sell. It takes a few minutes to adjust to a guitar but not more than 30 minutes. The scales are different, the body styles vary, and the necks are quite different.
DetroitBlues Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I do play all the guitars I own, but that means no Heritages though.
JackBaruth Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I play all my guitars for a couple of minutes each in the morning. Just kidding.
kidsmoke Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 It takes a few minutes to adjust to a guitar but not more than 30 minutes. the three electrics I own (i know some of you snicker at the thought) i knew within 2 - 3 minutes that they were great for me. Simple geometry. The necks on each are completely different, but each fell into my left hand and positions were effortless. Certainly there was still a period of discovery...but the basic guitars simply fit. In the case of the Heritage, their were sonic shortcomings that bugged me, but i though that could be changed, and I was right. All the analogies between guitars and women hold true. If there isn't a certain level of instant undefinable chemistry that just IS....it can't be produced.
GuitArtMan Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I've been thinning the herd lately getting down to the guitars and amps I actually play on a regular basis. At this point in time I don't own any Heritages as I'm playing mostly strat style guitars. My Don Grosh set neck has spoiled me to my other 24 3/4" scale guitars so it's the one I goto when I have the hankeing for some humbucker tones.
yoslate Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 Mine (see below) are always out, on the stands. Every one is played at least once a week. During my tenure with Lawyers Guns & Money, the Heritage 535 and 20th Anniversary 150 were gigged most frequently, and they have the scars to prove it. Now, with Toot and the Longshots, the only guitar I play out is the Super Eagle. I was afraid of taking it out for the longest time, but it loves to play in this band, and people are drawn to it, as nobody around here plays anything like it. There's no point in owning anything you don't play....
JeffB Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 Mine (see below) are always out, on the stands. Every one is played at least once a week. During my tenure with Lawyers Guns & Money, the Heritage 535 and 20th Anniversary 150 were gigged most frequently, and they have the scars to prove it. Now, with Toot and the Longshots, the only guitar I play out is the Super Eagle. I was afraid of taking it out for the longest time, but it loves to play in this band, and people are drawn to it, as nobody around here plays anything like it. There's no point in owning anything you don't play.... Unless its been given to you by some one who is no longer around or someone who made a small sacrifice and put thought and energy into giving it to you. Ive been given guitars as gifts and although I dont play them often I do think of the people who gave them to me. It is sentimental but it matters.
nicknickhall Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 The ones I don't play I sell. It takes a few minutes to adjust to a guitar but not more than 30 minutes. The scales are different, the body styles vary, and the necks are quite different. I agree. Use it or lose it.
gpuma Posted December 26, 2012 Posted December 26, 2012 I play them all even though not in the same proportions. If dose not take me few minutes to adjust and fall in love. Sometimes it is matter of minutes, other times weeks
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