What is the best guitar you've ever played? There could only be one..

[wintermoon]

As far as acoustic archtops, probably my '27 Gibson L-5, though I think w the revised serial numbers in the Spann book it's likely a '29. But 30 yrs ago I played a lefty blonde '52 non cut DA Excel (set up right handed) @ Mandolin Brothers that was absolutely incredible, I've owned and played more than my share of DA's and D'Aquistos but that was an exceptionally memorable instrument.
ps honorable mention to my '51 NYer, Lou Sosa's '63 Excel (could not put it down but the 36K price tag 30 yrs ago forced me to) and my pal's '37 Martin 000-28 flattop that made my whole couch vibrate when he played it in front of me. seriously...

[Jimmy blue note]

But 30 yrs ago I played a lefty blonde '52 non cut DA Excel (set up right handed) @ Mandolin Brothers that was absolutely incredible, I've owned and played more than my share of DA's and D'Aquistos but that was an exceptionally memorable instrument.

Nice! I had a similar experience, having played a number of D'Angelicos and D'Aquistos when Music Row in NY was still a place of rare and valuable instruments. Then one day Lou in Summit NJ had a D'Angelico New Yorker on the wall. It was bigger than I'd prefer but just the first touch and I could feel something I'd never experienced. You know, that "OH! THIS is what it's about" and that was the ideal of the perfect guitar... until a friend gifted me a 7 string. Nice 17" New Yorker. It's an instrument that has ended my quest to find anything else. Ever. It takes me to another place every time I pick it up.

[reventlov]

The most comfortable guitar I've owned is my current electric, which is a heavily modded Gretsch G5122 - one of the cheaper Synchromatic range, no longer made. I'm heavily influenced in this choice by the fact that I have an ongoing, permanent issue with a serious back problem, so a lightweight instrument is a bottom-line necessity. I've had the pickups replaced with TVJones Classics, had the Bigsby thing removed and replaced with a sensible tailpiece. The guitar sounds like a high-end Gretsch, and weighs in around 6 pounds.

I've had expensive guitars in the past - Gibsons, Gretsches, Guilds, all coming in at multiple times the cost of my 5122; none of them sounded any better than the 5122, and all of them were heavier and less comfortable to play. The only guitar I've had which matched it for comfort and playability was another inexpensive guitar, an Epiphone Casino, but the 5122 beats it hands down for tone - it had P90's, which sounded OK in a Grant Green kinda way, but lacked the depth or variety of sound I can get with the TVJones pickups.

If I had a strong, healthy back, this post would probably have been utterly different.