What guitar do you REALLY play?

[christianm77]

One of my students has an Epiphone Emperor Regent. Badass guitar!

[Greentone]

Lawson,

I know Royce. His tone with his L5 is outstanding, IMO. (His other guitar is a Benedetto Manhattan--early one, made by Bob.) Royce sounds pretty pearly on either guitar, but I really like it when he plays with the L5--the guitar he used for 19 years in the Henry Mancini Orchestra.

[2bornot2bop]

[entresz]

For 90% of my gigs it's my 1983 Epiphone Emperor "F". It has the most comfortable neck of all my guitars, plus for some reason I can get the action far lower than I can on most of my guitars without any fret buzz. I put a set of Gabojo Lab HB sized Dynasonics in because I prefer that slightly more 'flutey' 40's/50's sound, but the stock Maxon humbuckers were great sounding too.

[sgosnell]

That Manhattan has some dings acquired over the years, but I'll bet it sounds fantastic.

[floatingpickup]

Lawson,

I know Royce. His tone with his L5 is outstanding, IMO. (His other guitar is a Benedetto Manhattan--early one, made by Bob.) Royce sounds pretty pearly on either guitar, but I really like it when he plays with the L5--the guitar he used for 19 years in the Henry Mancini Orchestra.

His Benedetto is a Fratello. The Manhattan model didn’t have fingerboard inlays. His guitar does have the narrow finger rest, which is typical of a Manhattan, but Bob used to offer either fingerrest when you ordered a Fratello.
Keith

[lawson-stone]

For 90% of my gigs it's my 1983 Epiphone Emperor "F". It has the most comfortable neck of all my guitars, plus for some reason I can get the action far lower than I can on most of my guitars without any fret buzz. I put a set of Gabojo Lab HB sized Dynasonics in because I prefer that slightly more 'flutey' 40's/50's sound, but the stock Maxon humbuckers were great sounding too.

Those "high end" MiJ Epiphones were magnificent. My Elitist Broadway is a wonderful playing and sounding guitar, stock. Periodically I think about replacing the pickups, but then I play it and think, No... this doesn't need any help!

[Vladan]

One within a reach (as long as it is not jazz box).

Seriously.

For years I used to play Tele (Squier) the most (not to mention decades it was my only guitar).
My other guitar, Squier x-155 hollow body, I played very occasionally (in last 7-8 years I have it).
X-155 I did not play much for reasons, it is too loud acoustically (otherwise really nice guitar, IMO), but maybe even more due it's location.
Both guitars hang on the wall, X-155 above Tele, next to my chair, in "my corner". So, when I come to do something, seating in the chair, Tele is "right there", while to take x-155 I have to stand up.

More so, proving importance of "location handicap"...
In July 2017 I bought Charvel Desolation.
It replaced Squier Tele at lower guitar hanger. Tele went to hard case, behind the sofa. X-155 remained hung in it's place.
Occasionally, I did play both Squiers, but that was maybe 2 x 2%, of total playing time.
Charvel was practically the only guitar I played for more than a year.

Strictly at home, no gigs, no recordings, I am out of that world.

Until couple of weeks ago, when some people asked me to join their little project.
That is when Charvel took place in that hard case, because it is the guitar I take with me to play with those people (X-155 has own hard case, useless for other 2 guitars).
Tele had to go back on the wall.

Needless to say, now, I again play Tele the most.
Charvel is in case behind sofa, I play it only at rehearsal/ jam/ gig/ recording (season probably won't last long).
X-155, still hanging up there.

[archtopeddy]

Vladan -- One within a reach (as long as it is not jazz box).

... proving importance of "location handicap"...


Ha Ha -- This is so true!

I have a plastic 1950's Maccaferri with a 60's Teisco pickup, and because it's on a hanger near my bed, it gets more play time than many of my other guitars. I play it nearly every morning when I first get up. I would never take it to a gig, but for bedroom use -- it's perfect!

[Papawooly]

I used to have all of my Archtops in a rotation, but the last year or so, I have settled on 4 "All-stars" where
2 of them are out in playing position, and I rotate the other 2 in and out as necessary (usually on a weekly basis)
My "go-to" guitar is my Trenier Magnolia, very playable, and it is my "reference" guitar, I gauge the worthiness of
all others against it's tone and playability, which are both marvelous. Also in this rotation is my Trenier Excel, which
is an exquisite piece, but so much more expensive, that I constantly worry about bad things happening to it, so
after playing it, it usually goes back in the case, and won't rotate it for display in the front living (Forbidden) room.
I call it that because this room is always clean and nice, but seldom occupied...3rd up is my Campellone "Eggplant"
guitar, which is such a showpiece that it takes the place of my Excel in the "Forbidden Room"... Finally, the one I
have played constantly since it's arrival last week... The Grimes Montreux. I also break out my L5 Studio when I plug-in
as I have it setup with flats, so it fulfills my "Wes" modes... I have other fine guitars, but they are getting played less
and less which is a shame, so I am embarking on a process to let them go... as they need love too!

[joe2758]

i play my gretch jim dandy the most because i keep it in my work locker and generally get an hour, or two if i'm lucky, in at work.

I'll be changing shifts, so my 175 will see more action (hopefully). right now only 1-2 hours a week

[Robertkoa]

It changes from time to time, but lately I've been playing my Eastman T145 mostly. It sounds good, it's light, and being a thinline it's comfortable to play. Full-depth archtops are no longer comfortable for me to play, especially really big ones. My Epi ES175 plays and sounds as good as the Eastman, but it's too big.

Does the T145 sound even close to the phatness of the 175 ?
(that means I should check one out ...lol ).

[rlrhett]

This, for now. Seems like I keep a guitar out of every seven or eight I make. Usually good guitars with cosmetic problems. I had a non-cutaway strung up with nylon strings I played for a couple of years, but a friend bought it off of me.

[blackcat]

Most days it's one of these...............................

[R Neil]

I'm a bit over 6' with only a 30" inseam ... long body, short legs. I loved playing my Tele all those years standing with a strap. Sitting, well ... the thing sits so far down it's not comfortable for either hand.

Still trying to puzzle that one out.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Gitfiddler]

I dearly love my Heritage archtops and semis, but lately I've been smitten by this lovely lady. The svelte body shape and wonderful neck profile draw me in on a daily basis. And say what you will about Super 58 pickups, they sound simply gorgeous in this axe.

2005 Ibanez GB200

[wharriso]

Great thread!

For the past year I have been going back and forth between H-575 and an Ovation Celebrity.

[2bornot2bop]

It's common knowledge many members here play, or have played, many different instruments over the course of their lives. All our lives are enriched by the study of music. That journey is not necessarily defined by a specific instrument. Maybe that's why many other multi-instrumentalists engage in this forum. Let's remember, it's the journey. There's always more to be learned.

[sgosnell]

Does the T145 sound even close to the phatness of the 175 ?
(that means I should check one out ...lol ).

The T145 is slightly brighter than the 175, but not much. The difference, I think, is mostly because of the different top composition, and the 175 is slightly more electric and the Eastman a little more acoustic, if that even means anything. The tone of the two isn't really very far apart.

[ESCC]

Lately, its been my 175, love the tone and neck . . . next week might be a different flavor, that's part of the fun for me.

[Knuckles]

I've spent a lot of my time tonight with my Ib JSM 10. Will probably tomorrow as well. Alternate lately has been my AMV10, really nice... also Fender Paramount, very nice..., and Cordoba Nylon CE Orchestra, bendy and mellow...

I have yet to meet a guitar that I didn't like, although some don't play well.

[MrGiraffe]

I got an Eastman 805ce a while back. I went into the shop intending to buy an ES175 1959 VOS and ended up playing 10-12 different archtops. The Eastman was insane unplugged but plugged in it was meh. Bought it and popped in a Lollar Johnny Smith and now it is my number 1. I keep thinking I would like a good 175 but when I compare the sound to my 805 I can’t justify it. Maybe I am just a carved with floater type of guy after all... surprising since Undercurrent was the album that got me into jazz guitar..... maybe an old 175 with a P90 would do it for me????

[Stringswinger]

Last night I played a high dollar corporate gig and brought my Super 400 along with my Polytone/RE rig. The tone was sublime and inspired my playing. But this is not a guitar that is suitable for a $75 bar gig (and I do plenty of those) so while all 14 of my guitars REALLY get played, they get played under different circumstances.

[rmpmcdermott]

Been ages since I posted, but I lurk a ton. My number #1 is my '59 reissue Strat. I play mostly funk, R&B and blues sessions, so it works well. Beyond that, it just feels like home to me.

Hope everyone's doing well!

[jazzjames]

L-5 Wes at every gig and at home. If I play my ES-175, I have to play it FIRST. The minute I play the L-5 I'm done with the 175 for the day...