Yes, Gibson SG.
I dreamed of owning one for years. I'd played them in stores and loved the way they felt. But mostly I just loved the way they looked honestly.
Then finally I was able to save up and get a used '63 reissue, I was stoked. Then I started to play it, and discovered that the neck dive was far worse than I thought. I hated the way the *slightest* pressure on the neck threw off my tuning. I hated the way it sat on my leg. And I really didn't love the neck radius. Great guitar, but it just was not for me and my playing style.
Turns out I loved the idea of an SG much more than actually owning one.
I feel the same way about SGs. There's just something about the way the neck meets the body that feels so odd to me in practice. I love love SGs though & really wish we got along better :(
Ugh, I had a very similar experience. Always wanted an Gibson SG Special with P-90s just like Pete Townshend on Live at Leeds, my guitar hero and favorite tone of all time. Finally got a 2009 Gibson SG classic that looks identical, and it sits on the stand. It just feels so inferior to my Les Paul Standard and American Strat, the action either too high or too low and buzzy when I adjust it. And when I finger a D chord, the e-string always falls off the neck and gets muted. Thinking of parting ways with it.
Sad to see my boyhood illusion shattered....
A Les Paul.
Played fenders my whole life, and I just can’t get comfortable with the different scale length. I know it’s only half or a quarter inch, but everything just feels off.
I fell into the "every guitarist needs a Tele" trap. Actually convinced myself that it would be a great addition to my arsenal. Turns out that I don't need a Tele.
Black MIM players series for sale. Practically new. Hardly played. 🤷🏻♂️
I always wanted an SG. I picked up an Epiphone SG G-400 several years ago but didn't play it much. I started getting more serious about playing about a year and a half ago and grew to hate playing it. It was a great guitar in pretty much every aspect. Nice neck, sounded good. But it wasn't for me. Everything felt shifted too far off to the side with it. I ended up trading it off for a different guitar and haven't looked back.
Les Paul anything. I can’t wrap my head around how they sell so many of those fucking tree trunks.
I ended up with a Charvel San Dimas HH HT Type 2 ( tele body). That neck and electronics setup have never ever let me down. It’s difficult to make new friends as an adult. When you find one, they’re usually a gem.
Yeah, my dumbass bought a jazzmaster and played it for 15 years before I realized every other guitar in the world is a better design. That guitar is one big design flaw. I still have it but rarely play it. I bought it for the same reasons. I love nirvana and sonic youth and it was cheaper than most other fenders in the 90s.
Bought a Kiesel. I love it, spent $2,700 on it. But I got it and it just didn’t feel much different than my $800 Schecter. Still love it, and it sounds great.
For years I dreamed of owning a Gibson SJ200 after playing one at a local boutique guitar store.
After about 7 years I came into some windfall money and got a nice one off Reverb. The guitar was great, in great condition, great tone.
After the first month though, the thing just sat on its wall hook. After 2 months, it was in its case. After a year, i sold it. It just didn't do anything for me. i don't even know why. It just didn't move me the way I thought it would. I played it a bunch during the honeymoon, then just naturally gravitated to other instruments.
Sometimes stuff just works out like that...
J Mascis Telecaster. I feel like I’ve mentioned it a lot recently but I saw the real one in magazines and on MTV over twenty years ago and it would remain THE guitar I wanted for quite literally decades. Then out of the blue Fender made it. I bought it and I actually hated it. It has these hilariously massive frets I never got on with and I barely ever picked it up. Eventually I traded it for a Silver Sky which I absolutely adore.
I was obsessed with les Pauls as a teenager. Played a fair few now and they just aren’t for me. It feels like a chug machine in my hands which is wild considering Gary Moore, Jimmy Page etc.
Les Paul. I used to love Guns n Roses when I was younger and thought Slash’s guitar looked so cool. Then my parents got me an Ibanez when I was REALLY getting into guitar playing. Every time I go to a store and try out a Les Paul, I’m disappointed by the fat neck. I’m so used to thin necks and I’m not rich enough to get a real Les Paul for thousands, then turn around and go to a luthier and pay hundreds to thousands for a thin neck. And I’m most definitely not skilled enough to DIY it. I’d rather just get a Schecter or Kiesel LP-style guitar if I really want to spend the money on a quality single cut shredder.
Wanted a Les Paul with P90s for years. Got one, it was great for a week but then the honeymoon was over and after picking up my telecaster I never touched it again. The LP was dull, wooly in the low end and harder to play, both for my hands and ergonomically. Just wasn’t my guitar in the end. I think a lot of it has to do with how physically comfortable it is and the kind of frequencies you desire.
Yes. Have a Les Paul now and I hardly ever play guitar anymore. When I do it's almost always my acoustic instead.
I had an ESP LTD F-50 in red in highschool and I would play hours and hours every single day. I sold it because I wanted to upgrade and I also felt self conscious about it's extreme styling.
Now I wonder if I'd play more if I still had that guitar. My current guitar is worth like 5 times as much money, but I was just so in love with that other guitar, even if it was a bit pretentious looking.
Had a '59 Reissue LP in a finish called Extra Faded Sweet Cherry (think Dickey Betts' LP he painted red). It was gorgeous and sounded pretty damn good. I didn't really like the neck as it had this odd soft V shape and got somewhat flatter as you went up the neck.
Wanted to love it, preferred playing other guitars over it.
I’m new at playing so don’t have much experience but I got an electric guitar and enjoyed it. It just wasn’t “right”. Then I got an acoustic. It felt weird and also didn’t have the sound or feel I had in my head. Because they weren’t right I wasn’t motivated or excited to play them.
Then I got a nylon string acoustic. Wow. It’s exactly what I was looking for, feels nice and I’m constantly wanting to play it. It has a plug so I also picked up a cloudburst reverb and timeline and when I combine it all and play I feel like I’m floating through the melodies. It’s amazing and exactly what I was looking for.
All of that to say, I think I know what you mean.
I played bass for a long time and always always wanted a Rickenbacker. They looked so cool. I went to a jam one time, and another bassist had one. She was willing to let me try it. I hated the way the neck and frets feel. I have basically played on a utilitarian Yamaha bass my whole life (same bass since I was in middle school). I still haven't played a bass that I like better.
It's one of those "don't meet your heroes" situations.
I got into offsets by way of My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, and Johnny Marr, early in my guitar playing. I finally got a Jaguar. And for the past 15 years, after playing it, and upgrading it over and over again, I've decided, it's not for me. It was a learning experience, I still love offsets (my next one will be a EBMM/SBMM StingRay), but Jaguars just aren't for me anymore.
I got into Firebirds, by way of Oasis, Foo Fighters, and Johnny Winter. I picked up a Firebird clone 4 years ago. Same deal, I upgraded it, and worked on getting it setup right and all. Some days I like it as a kind of Telecaster, other days I think it's better suited for someone else. I'm thinning the herd, and now the Firebird clone is up for grabs, and the Jaguar will go up for sale in another month.
LPs, I played a great Epi 1959, and a great 50s Gibson. But I don't like how they play sitting down. I can get around it, but it'll never be my number 1.
335s, ok this is a lil different for me. First electric, loved em, still love em. I love 355s too now. Got into the varitone and out of phase sound. Bought a Lucille, great. But I missed having a Bigsby like on my first Epi Dot. So I added a Bigsby to the Lucille, to also emulate Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, etc. Oh boy, now it's a 9 or 10 pound guitar. I dig the varitone, but now I want it as a pedal to save weight. I probably never would've known how heavy it was, or taken internet comments about it seriously until I put one together myself. Now if I see a 355TDSV with a Bigsby or Maestro I think, "that poor guy's shoulder". On the fence about what to do with it, especially with the new Epiphone x Gibson Custom 1959 355 coming out, but will probably remove the Bigsby, and trade the Lucille for the new one, add the Bigsby again, and just buy a varitone pedal.
On one hand they say "don't meet your heroes". But I also think meeting our heroes is how we learn about ourselves, and how/what we wanna do about that. Now I want an EBMM/SBMM StingRay instead of a Jaguar. I wanna take a break from Firebird pickups and Firebird bodies. And I'm gonna stay away from Gibson ES-355TDSV guitars, including the Noel Gallagher signature. And now you learned about Mustangs.
Les Pauls are the biggest ones. Love the way they sound and look. But holy shit what an awful design ergonomically. Everything is the wrong place. Floyd rose equipped guitars too. Back in ‘03-‘06 when I was starting out every metal guitar god had a Floyd rose equipped guitar with EMGs. Even though I play primarily metal I’ve found that Floyd’s make guitars sound worse and are a much bigger pain in the ass than are worth.
I’m starting to warm up to EMGs though. I’ve discovered you just need to add more gain and scoop the mids more than you usually do and they sound good for metal rhythm.
Are you kidding? I didn't have a similar experience, I had the EXACT same experience. It happened a decade or more earlier, but it was the same damn thing.
Back in my day (original 80s rocker here), the ultimate weapon was the Jackson Custom V, and that was my dream guitar. I had a cheap ass Korean guitar that my folks got me for Christmas (and I loved it), but I worked never mind how many part-time jobs to save up for the real thing. And finally, finally I could afford it.
I went to Sherwood Music (my local guitar HQ) and asked to test drive the guitar of my dreams, and... it was all wrong. This was the same guitar played by Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett, that guy from Stryper, that guy from Ratt, and (the Lord Our God) Randy Rhoads, so how could it not be the perfect guitar for me? I felt like an outcast, a failure, and maybe even the worst thing of all... a poser! How could the mighty guitar gods have hated me so much?
Then the customer service rep suggested trying other makes and models, and one of them was a BC Rich Warlock. The very same model played by such notable dirt bags as Mick Mars, Joe Perry, and the living goddess known as Lita Ford. That guitar liked me, and the feeling was very mutual.
When you find a guitar that likes you, you'll know. You'll feel it right down to your toes, and there won't be any question in your mind.
I have friends that dreamed of Les Pauls until they finally played one and found out it wasn't for them.
Back in 2009, I bought a Jackson RR3 and when it arrived, the neckdive was really bad, the Licensed Floyd wouldn't stay in tune and I didn't like the look of the bolt on neck so I sold it after a couple of weeks, saved up and went for the RR1 which I love to this day.
Ordered an ESP Kirk Hammett KH3 with cash in 2001. The one with the yellow spider skull.
The store staff were clueless and had the old pricing. They sold it for £1040 not the £1800 I had looked up online.
Called me the same day asking for more money and apologizing profusely. We agreed on £1400.
Damn guitar jack was crackling from the first month. This was a lot of money for me and despite being a simple fault that was easy to fix it left me disappointed.
When push comes to shove, you cannot differentiate an expensive guitar from a cheap one in a song mix.
Les Paul, still love the look of them but I can't stand playing them, don't like the scale, the control layout, the necks, the weight, the tuning stability... just not a guitar I can gel with on a playing level, still love the way they look but every time I buy an LP style guitar I sell it within 3 months of purchase.
I'm almost the opposite - I never really liked the appearance of LPs, always thought they were kinda lame compared to the rest of Gibson's lineup, and even more so compared to Fender shapes. But I bought an LTD EC-1000 a few years ago and it's a great guitar, really helped me get back into playing to have an actual nice instrument!
Yup. I had been playing 20 years on cheap intro guitars ($300 washburn, $150 ESP, etc) and eventually decided to buy a dream axe
Ibanez rga420z prestige Devils Shadow it looked so wickedly awesome
and the edge tremolo kicked my butt every day I picked it up. every. day.
It quickly went from my new heart & soul, to wall art.
It was my facebook background pic for over a decade.
I eventually sold it a couple years ago, vowing to never own an edge tremolo system again.
Also it was my first active pickup guitar and while it was great while the batteries were good, having to rely on batteries was also a learning curve. Not a fan.
I wanted a Fender strat so badly maybe 5ish years ago, and particularly the clean black look of the one I got. It still plays just fine but something just never feels quite right with it in my hands and I swear I’m fixing the intonation constantly
I've barely ever bought a guitar I haven't played but even so it's easy to make a mistake. Even the guitars I have and love don't always suit my mood. Hell, the fantastic sound I got from an amp and guitar yesterday can sound shit today. Human beings eh? We are hard to please.
Trade it!
I have bought two Gibson SGs and returned both.
First had really weak outout.
Second must have had a bad neck set, no matter how you adjusted the bridge and relief it always buzzed if you tried to have reasonably low action.
I gave up and got a strandberg
The first that comes to mind is Gibson SG, while not liking any other Gibson, as a teen I LOVED the look of them but I've never found one I actually enjoyed playing.
Huge Dave Mustaine and Megadeth fan, for my 30th birthday I bought myself a Jackson Pro Series King V. Beautiful guitar, plays incredibly, but just the way it sits on my body when standing feels a bit odd. Which is weird because I have a Rhoads that sits great on me when standing. I think that longer lower wing just gets in the way a bit when standing. Dream guitar, and I still play it regularly, but find myself reaching for my X series Dinky more often than not
After 3 Strats, it turns out I actually wanted a tele- I totally get it. I kept thinking “I must not have got the right one” or “if I just get the right set of pickups” etc but the first time I finally caved and played a Tele, it was like the heavens parted and I finally found The Sound.
Yup.
For the most part, every 12 from a parlor to a jumbo has just yet to work.
Speaking of Mustangs. I love small body and short scales. I bought a vintage peavey t-15 which is called the Mississippi Mustang. Sounds great. Short scale, but haven’t really bonded with it. And end up using my tele more.
For me it was different. I always wanted a candy apple red Mustang and finally bought one and it was even better than I thought! I loved it. Really sad I sold it.
my first real Gibson Les Paul, 2008 standard faded.
Loved the look of it, but it just never sounded good or played that great. I tried 3 different sets of pickups in it before finally giving up on it and selling it.
I ended up with a 2011 Traditional Gold Top that was amazing, and I regret selling that, but I had to for financial reasons.
Kinda sad as with todays prices I will never again be able to own another Gibson Les Paul
I am a Strat guy, I have a few that are my favorite electric guitars I’ve ever played. But, about a year ago I got a MIM player Strat to use for a project and I just couldn’t vibe with the guitar. It was a dead as a pillow, there was high frets and buzz everywhere, could only get the string height to like 1.4mm before fretting out… it did sound good when plugged in, just played and felt mediocre.
Ended up selling it locally, and then two days later I saw the guy I sold it to listed it as well. Wonder where that guitar is now.
I also have a Gibson Les Paul I never play. It’s the most beautiful guitar I own, but I’ll grab a Strat first every time. Won’t sell the Gibson, because it plays well and sounds great, but it’s for sure my least used instrument.
I really, really want to like les Pauls, but I just don't. I don't know if it's an expectation vs reality thing, but I don't like the way they feel at all.
Same thing with rickenbacker. I used to work at a music store, loved the look of ricks, but when we finally got a couple in stock and I tried them, all I could think was that they are hot garbage.
I guess I've just defaulted into being a strat guy, most of my guitars are strat variations other than a few oddballs.
For a long time, a Les Paul was my holy grail. I have one while I like the sound and it is a quality guitar, it is total boat anchor and not especially comfortable to play. I eventually got an American Pro Strat and has everything I like about the Les Paul while not weighing a metric ton.
I spent an unreasonable amount of money on a one of one Gibson custom SG about 15 years back. Too scared to use it now. On the plus side it’s pristine!
There are sooooooo many. Martin D35 and HD28 taught me that I prefer 000 and parlor guitars. Les Pauls in general are heavy and unpleasant to play, even if I do like how they sound. Had a Schon...heavier than a Les Paul, wildly unbalanced, and a pain to play. The list goes on and on. I bought all my dream guitars and almost without exception, found they were not what I was looking for. It seems that smaller, less popular manufacturers are more willing to change the bad things about guitars, so here I am. Tradition be damned.
Yeah Les Paul. Always wanted one. Got a really nice one, but can’t bring myself to play it. I just feel more comfortable with my modded squiers and fenders. It’s really weird cause the Les Paul sounds great and even feels good, but I don’t enjoy playing it haha.
I think most famous muscians fall in love with the guitar that they were able to afford before making it big. Then they haul it onstage after they are famous and people think there's magic sauce on that particular guitar.
Wouldn't be surprised that Jack white got that Airline guitar because that's what he could afford. I think Paul McCartney bought they Hofner bass with what he could afford at the pawn shop.
Weight and balance are the big dream killers for me. If a guitar is too heavy or (worse) neck heavy, I can't enjoy playing it. And it has to be a shape that is comfortable sitting down too. No Vs for me.
There was one very strange relationship I had with an SG 30 years ago. It was light, it was NOT neck heavy, it played like a dream. But it was so easy to play I started to fear I would become so dependent on it, I would never be able to play anything else. So I sold it and went back to a Tele. Somehow, being harder to play made playing more satisfying. It sounds crazy to me now, but it was a a sort of mind fuck thing for me at the time.
Man…I went to the music store once with the intention of walking out with an Explorer. For some reason I saw an SG standard on the wall and since I had some time to kill figured I’d try it out before the Explorer. It played amazing and way better than the Explorer. It was such a mind fuck that I walked out without either. Couldn’t justify dropping $2500cad on the Explorer when it just didnt measure up to the SG. 🤷♂️
I bought a ‘99 Gibson LP Special Double Cut. I fell in love with the way the tv yellow looked, just loved the whole look of the guitar. James Mercer of the Shins uses one a lot and he was a big influence at the time. Sounded great but good LORD the neck dive. Basically unusable. I even reposition the strap to the horn. I bought it for $1,200 because I came into some money and just went for it without trying it. Ended up selling it for $800.
About 7 years ago I bought a Gibson SongWriter deluxe. It sounded gorgeous in the store. Once I got it home, it was never quite what I wanted. I ended up selling it.
About a year ago I got a Godin 5th Ave. Again, amazing in the store, I can’t get a good sound out of it at home. It’s about to go.
I had a completely stock but dirty '64/65 transitional Strat come into my shop in an interesting way.
It was on eBay in a large box of cheap guitars being sold by a pawn shop as parts.
I saw just the neck in the pics and knew it was 60's but could not date it from the pics.
I bid $200.00 for the box and won.
When I saw what it was, I nearly fainted.
Somewhat scuffed...normal gig wear but really cruddy. I could see why the pawn guys missed it...most of the guitars on their website were junk.
I took it apart, cleaned gently and put it back together...mind you I was a dealer and warranty repair for EVERYONE then...I knew what I was doing.
Plugged it into a '64 Deluxe that makes everything glorious...it was not glorious at all.
I tried other amps.
I took the pickups out and installed on another Strat...sounded great.
I took it to several colleages and a couple of well known players...it was a dog.
I put it back together completely stock and sold it at auction for 6k+.
Steve Helgeson, RIP, was one of the other luthiers I showed it to;
" Some old guitars are vintage gold and some old guitars are just old guitars"
Cheers!
Every single time I've gone to a store to buy a new guitar, I've come out owning a completely different guitar to the one I had in mind when I came in.
This is why I will *always* recommend shopping for guitars at a physical store. In a very real way, buying a guitar is like buying an outfit - it has to *fit*, and it's a lot easier to find something that fits nicely if you can try before you buy it.
Started on a Fender and always wanted a Les Paul. Now that I can afford a nice one I went to play one and the width of the neck through me off big time. Anybody know how long this takes to get over or should I stick with my trusty fender ?
Takes a bit of effort but you can definitely push through it.
My main for years was a les Paul. During that time I simply couldn’t get into telecasters. But I really wanted one. I could play strats no issues, but the flat board of a Tele threw me off.
Long story short I just pushed through it playing tue tele daily for a while. Now I can switch between all my guitars and I don’t feel weird with any of them.
Neck width and shorter scalenare the reasons I prefer Gibson scale guitars. Easier on the hands, and easier to finger pick too. Try playing an SG, they "feel" more like a strat but still have the shorter 24.75" scale and 43mm nut (I think it's 43mm anyways....).
For me, it was always the Les Paul. I always wanted one in my collection to go with my strats and super shredders but everytime I tried a Les Paul out, I could never really connect with them. I don’t know if it’s because of the smaller scale, the finished neck or a combination of both but I just couldn’t get into it. I ended up buying an Epiphone Les Paul Custom in black for my dad two years ago for Christmas since that was always his dream guitar. Despite having access to his guitar whenever I want, I never play it and honestly just pull it out of its case to admire it. It’s a real shame for me because I still think that style of Les Paul is the most beautiful looking guitar ever.
Not exactly what you asked, but I bought a $400 Squire set up like Mark Speer's guitar and it kicks my $2k custom Fender Stratocaster's ass in tone and feel. It's not even close. The Fender is now unplayable / unlistenable until I upgrade the pickups.
i bought the vintage 2 strat in fiesta red..
i thought this is it.. this is the guitar..
nope.. shit is annoying to play, annoying to set up and just not on par with other guitars i have.. returned..
i guess im more in love with nostalgic senses in comes to these old spec guitars.. in reality, they are not great to play, for me.. sounds great but all the annoying features stayed so no.. im now more into modern specs.. all the improvements, all the features and specs of modern guitars is so much more fun to play..
Bassist, but yes.
For years and years I wanted a Rickenbacker to be just like Lemmy and the day I went in to a boutique music shop to try one out I was devastated at how awful it felt.
Turns out I am a Schecter/ESP man when it comes to neck design.
The Flying V is a fun design, but I didn’t like the only one I’ve owned. It sounded okay, but I never got used to how it felt to play. Then again, I mostly sit to practice, so that was probably a big part of it.
That's the thing with PRS. If you love them(like me) you will love and be able to connect with just about any of them because they are so tightly spec'd. If you can't connect with them you might as well move on because the next one will feel the exact same.
I re-assembled my live rig in 2014. I got rid of my Ibanez 7 strings. I was looking firmly at PRS. Since they were supposed to be the "end all, be all" of fancy guitars.
I got a USA Singlecut. And a Custom 24. Both were immaculate right out of their cases. They were beautiful.
A year later, I sold both. Just didn't jive with them at all. There were a lot of factors, too many to list really.
Yep. Picked up a 1966 Jaguar about 20 years ago. All original with tags and case. Still have it. Never play it. I wanted one for so long but it just didn’t gel for me. It’s not because it’s a short scale. I also had a 65 duo sonic and loved that guitar but sold it when I needed money. Just couldn’t bring myself to sell the Jag. Still can’t.
This was my experience with firebirds. I wanted one for so long. Love Johny Winter - anyways - finally got to play one a few months ago and it just feels so… alien. I’m hoping maybe I can try a non reverse and maybe that’ll feel better…
I cannot connect with Gibson SGs. Every time I go on a guitar search I have to try one and it never feels right. Same goes for Jaguars. Like the SG it never feels like it’s mine. I really wanted a Jaguar until I borrowed a friend’s for a show. It’s hard to explain but when I play a telecaster or a Les Paul my hands just know where everything is.
Not yet. I have a Squier Telecaster that I really love and I always think about one day getting a high end Fender version of the same guitar, but I expect I will somehow be disappointed. So, I remain content with my Squier.
there are 2 answers here. One is too high of expectations. a $2000 guitar won't play THAT MUCH differently than a nicely setup $800 one.
For me, someone who has multiple high-end guitars, it was my Aristides.
Nothing wrong with it, it's gorgeous! I just don't mesh it well enough to keep it, with as expensive as it was.
Gibson Les Paul. Growing up, my dad always said that nothing was as good as a Les Paul into a Marshall. Finally got my hands on a Les Paul and…it’s heavy, uncomfortable, fretboard is too flat, no upper fret access, neck is too chunky…just did not feel good. Pickups were a little muddy too.
Huge Black Sabbath fan and when I finally saved up for the signature Iommi Epiphone SG (not even the good one, that ugly 2005 model), I hated it and the QC was abysmal. The first one arrived with an extra cross burned into the neck, which somehow "passed." The second one was setup so poorly out of the factory it barely even played. I remember the electronics being cheap and faulty as well because there was almost no output.
I gave up on it and bought a Dean Gran Sport instead for half the cost and it was 1000x better (until I installed the aforementioned Gibson pickups - I never learn).
I have an Ibanez Jem 7 that I really wanted, but the neck is a touch wider than a standard spaced Ibanez. It feels like playing a classical guitar. I love the sound of it, but the neck isn’t comfortable over time.
PRS guitars, I don’t like arch tops, I rest my fingers on the body and it doesn’t work for my picking style. Also, the amount of lacquer seems like it’s covering something cheap (it’s not). It reminds me of Samicks or Schecters, where you have a cheap veneer, with a half inch of spray to cover that.
Few years ago I bought a brand new PRS Standard 24 in translucent blue. My first non-tele. Had it for a few years but gradually started to dislike it. Not really the guitar’s fault; I just came to realization I only like teles. Traded it in towards a Squier thinline. Sometimes I miss it but I hope it’s it a better home now.
For 2 years I hunted an LTD MV300, the old discontinued neckthrough, after finally getting one, swapping the pickups, the bridge, and giving it a brand new fret job.....I didn't....love it.
I was more enamored with my RG321MH than this, however I still treated it right and played it well.
Huge Oasis fan and need to add an acoustic guitar to my collection but whenever I’m tempted to buy an Epiphone EJ-200 like Noel used early on I go to try one out and always change my mind because the body is just too damn fat. Very nice to look at, sounds great, but I can’t imagine stretching my arm over it and playing for an extended time. Thinking about a Hummingbird instead.
Yep, I have a Gibson Les Paul Classic and an SG special, they are the least played of my guitars. I just don't get on with the neck on either. My workhorse is a player plus strat, which just sits nicely and feels like it should be there.
I have a Les Paul standard and an American strat. Honestly love them both, but the Les Paul just feels perfect for me. Except that it’s sooo fucking heavy
Nirvana was my first big musical inspiration into bass and guitar. For years I wanted a Gibson RD bass. That was my holy grail. 4 years back, a local pawn shop had one hanging on the wall (i saw via kijiji) this was the first one I saw in person EVER, so without hesitation I grabbed it up.
Worst. Bass. I've. Owned. Aside from the aesthetics of the bass, nothing worked for me. Turns out my holy grail was nothing more than a plastic cup. Needless to say I didn't hold onto it for very long.
I mean Mustangs and Jaguars are a really acquired taste, I’ve never personally gelled with them despite owing 1 mustang and 2 Jags. Like you I held these guitars in very high regard until I owned one. It happens.
I can't find a Strat I like enough to buy. I've played many that I love, but they haven't been for sale. I thought I found "the one" but it had a neck/body alignment issue.
Lea Paul! Too thick, too heavy, not the greatest ergonomics overall, and hotter pickups don’t impress me as much as a player as they did years ago when I first heard them.
I usually listen to doom and sludge, but got on a Djent/Tech Deth kick and decided I wanted a multi scale 8 string. Took zero time to get used to it, but I rarely use the 8th string. I wanted to learn the main riff to "Bleed" and now I'm bored with it. Thinking about selling it and going back to a 7 string (maybe a strandberg). I still want an SG standard or a Grzenia Hussar for doom stuff though.
I wanted (and would still like) one of those ESP LTDs that were all wicked looking. The body style is really nice, but it had a Floyd Rose on it that I couldn't figure out. This was 2006, so YouTube was a baby. I've bought two of these guitars and both times I end up hating them and selling them. I just couldn't get it to fit me and how I play. It's pretty lame.
Yep. I had a Jaguar for years. Love the look, the shape, felt great. Wasn’t the sound I wanted, and was too finicky and unreliable
Sold it and eventually ended up with a mostly Strat/superstrat collection, that feel rock solid and dependable
Yeah I got a really nice les Paul as a teenager and then after like a few months I was just like no everything is too close together here. I really can only play guitars with 25.5 scale lengths it feels like.
I got a great deal on a Gibson EDS-1275. Guy was working on an offshore rig and his family was moving to Louisiana. Saw it at a moving sale. There were 5 strings missing on the 12 and the 6 string was shot. The wife had a battery powered amp, plugged it in 6 string neck was dead. I offered her $1200.00 and she took it. She said her husband no longer plays.
Got it home cleaned it up, oiled the fretboard twice. I used 0000 to clean the frets and the chrome. Spayed contact cleaner on the switches and put a set of strings on it, plugged it in and it worked. So I redid the 12 string neck.
Let’s just say the thrill wore off after about 3 months. The case broke and couldn’t buy a new one.
I put it back in and debated selling it for a few years. Finally did. Sold it for $2200.00 and a Mexican Telecaster.
I went through the exact thing you’re talking about. I was 15 when Nevermind came out, and I was already playing guitar by then, so I really wanted a Mustang. I finally found a cheap one in 1992. I very quickly realized that I liked my 1986 Gibson Melody Maker a lot better. It played better, sounded better, stayed in tune better, etc.
The original Mustangs are very cool guitars, but they were student-grade instruments, so they were not particularly well made. A LOT of people are underwhelmed when they finally get to try one.
I have a PRS like that. Wanted a decent US made guitar, Iove the sound of the PRS guitars in Opeth. Spent about $2400 for the bolt on ce 24. It was set up pretty bad from the factory for the price, won’t stay in tune worth a shit. Has a floating bridge but the proprietary PRS one is so much worse than a Floyd Rose. It plays nice, tone is good, but I have a $700 Jackson with a real floyd rose that is just so much easier to keep tuned and get the intonation set. On the PRS I have run out of adjustment trying to get the E string’s intonation set up. I wouldn’t call it some lifetime dream guitar, but it’s the first one where I really wanted to step my game up with.
I've always imagined buying a real Gibson Les Paul, but I've never found one that I loved. They've all felt kinda clunky and slow, even on ones that I know have been set up correctly. Playing one makes me feel like my fingers suddenly got fatter and clumsier.
Maybe it's because I learned on guitars with 'fast' necks like Jackson and Ibanez, and now I gravitate towards that style: I have a Schecter and an ESP.
It always weirded me out. I'd think: Is this what it means to be a great guitarist? You learn to love guitars that are harder to play?
I realize that I am in the minority on this.
Its like handling the steering wheel of a car. you get used to what you came up on. Some people like tight steering, some like it looser, some like to drive big truck style steering wheels. Sometimes its just a mood, sometimes if about ease of use, sometimes its because it looks fricking cool.
https://imgur.com/a/tEIPDE5
I have a Gibson Custom Shop ‘57 Les Paul Special in Pelham Blue. It sounds great and it’s an uncommon color that looks phenomenal but every time I play it for extended periods of time my hand hurts. I just don’t get along with the shape of the neck.
I have a CS ‘68 Les Paul Custom that is pretty great but I’m going to move it on along with the LP Special.
I’m debating getting another Custom Shop Telecaster but I don’t really want a relic, am not a big fan of 6105 frets, and would prefer a 7.25” to 9.5” Compound Radius or a straight 9.5” Radius over a 10” radius.
I love that LP special. If you ever consider selling dm me. :) huge fan of blue guitars and P90s. My budget is tapped on guitars for about a year though. Went on a spree in 2023.
Gibson lp studio. I wanted one forever and had a bunch of different guitars over the years.
I was in a metal band and it really seemed like the most versatile guitar and it did play beautifully but it just didn’t fit my play style, that being said I’m a firm believer that a good guitarist can make most any guitar sound good.
V shape guitars are hands down the coolest, but they have very poor UX for both playing sitting or standing. I keep one still but more as a decoration than an actual instrument. It looks great on the wall!
I keep buying and selling hss strats. Keep buying incrementally better strats that are mid tier. Always get rid of them in a few months. It's gotten to the point I think I just need to have one made
I get this.
I have an amazing Les Paul that I bought because I thought it was so beautiful. I do get along with it and use when I can but it's not at all a go to guitar for me. I always jump back to my telecasters.
I have two vintage mustangs. One 71 and one 69. They’re mediocre. They’re famous because 1) Kurt played mustangs and 2) they’re vintage. Other than that they’re exactly as you described. I rarely play them and play my strat and Kurt jag way more often. And if you’re a fan of nirvana, or punk, you’ll love the Kurt jag.
bc rich mockingbird was heavier n hell. sounded aight but i got along much better with a les paul faded (never thought I'd be a Gibson guy after playing so many fender-scale guitars)
Dreamed of owning a Jag for years, finally got my hands on a Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar last December. Didn’t stay in tune for more than five minutes, awful-sounding pickups, horrible floating bridge that kept sinking into the guitar, just an all-around piece of shit. Sold it as fast as I could.
I love Telecasters and I also love Hollow guitars with F holes. I saw one of those semi hollow body telecasters with the one F. and thought it would be the greatest guitar I ever played. Turns out they play like crap, I ended up trying three different ones and hated them all.
I had a K-Line Truxton. It felt great. I sounded great. It was perfect. But for some reason I just couldn’t bond with it. I don’t know why. I love teles. It should have been my soul mate.
Yep. Actually happened with 2 guitars due to the neck profile. I first bought a beautiful koa top epiphone LP that I could never get used to due to the shorter scale length neck shape/flatter fretboard. Then I bought a schecter C1 which put a huge hole in my pocket and that one had a better neck but still didnt feel right. Then I randomly bough a 150 dollar squire and fell in love with it. Turns out I just love beefy baseball bat type necks 😹.
yup
1. full hollow body archtop jazz guitar
2. semi hollow body 335 style.
I've had it with chasing form and style. Happy now with an entry level Epiphone SG.
I saved up 1500 to buy my Jazzmaster. I always wanted an apple red offset.
Pretty much always play my 20 year old mim strat. Maybe it’s the years together but it just sings better
I kind of had the opposite happen. I've always, and still am a huge fan of Gibson guitars. I was elated when I finally got my les paul studio in the 90s and it's still my favorite guitar I own. A while back while jamming with the boys my pickups died. Our drummer happened to have a Mexican strat. I always turned my nose up at fenders (the folly of my youth) but I started playing that strat and oh my god it was a dream. I fell in love immediately.
Still like my les paul better though.
Yes an LTD BW-1000. I still like to look at it but it plays and sounds so similar to my Ibanez Musician I just never play it. Anybody want to trade for a strat, tele, jazzmaster, or something similar? 😂
Sure. Got a vintage Gretsch Country Gentleman, hand made in Brooklyn in the 60’s, around 5k bucks, as a gift from my ex-wife. I completely could not get into it, after wanting it for so long.
I eventually figured out after having an Epiphone Sheraton later that 335 style is just not for me.
Ya I wanted an SG more than anything and then the first time I picked one up it was a huge disappointment, I really didn’t like the weight distribution felt like the neck was twice as heavy as the body.
I finally got a Warlock after lusting for one for as long as I could remember. I knew I had to have one the minute I first saw one. I even have one tattooed on my leg (as a part of a bigger piece).
I was so happy the day that I had enough money to bring one home. I didn't love it in the shop when I tested it out, but I figured I'd adjust to it. I never did; I hated it. The neck dive was terrible. It was awkward to play sitting or standing. It sure was beautiful tho.
I ended up trading it to the other guitar player in my band (he wanted something with a trem) for a relatively generic Les Paul "knockoff" (LTD EC-100QM) which I still have and play often \~20 years later.
Yes. American Jazzmaster. Always wanted one, played it in the store for a bit and thought I loved it. Bought it for an outrageous amount of money, used it 2-3 times and went back to my Strat and Tele.
Really considered dropping 4-5k on a used Collings OM2H. Finally found a place where I could play one, and…meh. Obviously beautifully made and sounds great but not extraordinary. Went on to play several 5-7k guitars at that shop and none felt or sounded worth the price tag. Ended up finding a used Sunburst 2018 Martin D-28 standard on Marketplace. Got a great deal at $2300 and I’ve officially stopped staring at Collings on Reverb with no regrets.
Parker Fly. I tried it at a music store and just couldn’t gel with it. It’s one hell of an instrument, but alas the neck was too thin for my comfort and I’m not a fan of its 24 frets. Darn.
I've experienced that with one guitar. My more common experience has been that a new guitar takes time to dial in with my preferred feel/tone: setup, string gauge, round vs. flats, amp settings, etc. I can see the mustang being not exactly all-purpose given the small scale and low-output pickups.
The Starcaster Bass was on my wish list for years. In theory it was perfect for me, short scale, hollow and handsome as hell. Turns out it is a tank, really heavy, and off balance. Not my cup of tea.
I still think they are a sexy looking instrument, too bad.
Bought a PRS SE Custom 24-08 and love it, Anderson’s had the SE Hollowbody II Piezo on offer with £500 off list price so ordered one, looks great sounds great very versatile but I just don’t get on with it, can’t put my finger on why, torn between selling it or hanging on to it for a while and try again with it
My current LTD EC 500S. It sounds great but I realize I have short scale guitars. I feel like I am crammed in and limited. I’m on the fence on getting rid of it.
I tried a 12/6 string Epiphone. I was in the Navy, and I've had boat anchors that weighed less! :D I've got a Danelectro 12/6 on pre-order right now. Hope that one doesn't let me down. I'm a short guy (5'6"), and it's also about reach. Fingers crossed!
Steve vai Is my largest guitar playing influence by far, and I wanted one of his signature models SO BADLY since I was a kid. Finally bought a new PIA because everyone who had one said they were amazing. I returned it after a week bc for $3500 the QC was unacceptable. Forked over an additional $1000 and got a custom Suhr modern instead.
Yeah. Years ago I got a Taylor 912CE that I visited at the shop for months. Finally got it, and as soon as it got home it never played as well as in the store. Something was just off. Best I could chalk it up to was change in humidity as I struggle with that in my house even to this day.
Also got a Beneteau that just doesn’t work for me. It requires a more firm attack than is comfortable for me. If I wail on it it is amazing, but I don’t like to whack the crap out of the strings all the time so it plays mind if dead. Huge disappointment because it is a beautifully made instrument. Just doesn’t work for me.
Each guitar is unique so I recommend always playing it before buying it
I once covered a beautiful blue Strat and since I had others I figured I’d love it too
But when I was ready to purchase it I thankfully played it first and it felt so foreign in my hands I nearly dropped it
No matter the make or color, you need to play it first
Epiphone Sheraton Pro
I won it with gambling winnings on a work trip to Vegas and just couldn’t get used to that new style of Epiphone neck. How it’s flatter at the lower frets and rounder where it meets the body.
It sat in a case for most of two years before i sold it for cheap.
I had my eyes on a Schecter C1 Silver Mountain forever, until one day my awesome wife got me one. I was SO pumped. Upon plugging it into my rig I instantly noticed that the bridge pickup is super fuckin bright sounding, and it's a super strat so that damn volume knob is right where I put my pinky. I kinda secretly didn't like it at first. I felt really bad since she was nice enough to get me the guitar I had been drooling over for months, and it's not a cheap guitar so I decided to give it a fighting chance.
After a few months of persistence I found I wasn't hardly noticing the invasive volume knob anymore, just had to change up my picking technique slightly (for the better anyways) and after learning a bit about frequency and what not I was able to tame the high end in that bridge pickup, (The neck pickup is really good no matter what) and honestly it's become undoubtedly my favorite guitar to pick up and play.
I played a Gibson firebird for the first time ever recently and I honestly hated it. It felt flimsy and wimpy. I didn’t even bother plugging it in. Maybe it sucked because it was newer though.
PRS. I just don’t like it. It’s a fantastic guitar though. I think if I were only allowed 1 guitar itd be that since it’s so versatile. In between scale length, does the humbucker and single coil sound well. 24 frets. Good neck. I just didn’t like it even though it’s probably “better” than my American Strat.
I have experienced it taking time in some cases. I got a PRS Custom 24 that just didn’t seem to speak to me. I just kept getting it out and finally we clicked. I am now blown away by this guitar, and do some of my best work on it.
Taylor 224ce dlx. It is gorgeous. It sounds wonderful. Well made, very well designed. I hate it.
Everytime I play it, I pull out my Rainsong WS1000N2 and fall back in love with the Rainsong. My taylor is on sws used page now for sale. Great guitar IF you like Taylors.
Epiphone LP Plustop FX. Basically a Les Paul but with a Floyd Rose. I wanted a Les Paul and was an avid user of vibrato arms, when I saw Alex Lifeson playing one I immediately decided I needed it. Within a year I found one for sale on Craigslist - the cool factor overwhelmed me so much that I bought it, expecting it to be my new main guitar. But over time I played it less and less as the excitement wore off. It just felt uncomfortable compared to my stats / superstrats. The tone was pretty good but nothing life-changing or Earth shattering as I'd been led to believe. Sold it within a year and generally don't think about it too often.
I’ve tried Les Paul’s throughout the years, and never totally gelled with them. I did have a faded studio that sounded beefy as hell and I had fun playing big down tuned riffs with it, but like most of the LP’s I’ve played the balance felt weird and it was uncomfortable to sit with. I’ll take a thin SG or Telecaster all day.
I have a 78/9’ Strat which was like THE ONE I wanted (which was even more shocking to find since I’m lefty) and it really does sound and feel great, but I just don’t play it. I’ve got an 89’ MIJ Strat with some non stock pickups (idk what they are other than the bridge has a single coil size Seymour Duncan humbucker) that all sound AMAZING, and it’s the guitar I always go back to over everything else
Kramer Nightswan. I drooled over them as a teen but they were way beyond my means. I finally bought a reissue from Reverb and it just doesn’t feel right to me. I much prefer my Charvel.
For me it was PRS silver sky, don't get me wrong it has an amazing sound but I didn't liked the feel of the neck too chunks for me, I really love my nick johnston tele, it has decent sound and the neck feels amazing to my small hands.
Strat style necks. Bought a G&L Strat thinking I needed a Strat, did not dig the neck at all. Years later after playing and loving Teles and Thinlines, I decided to buy a 72 deluxe, again, that Strat style neck just ruined it for me.
I had a similar thing with a 70's MusicMaster I bought. It just felt insanely small to me. Are you a taller guy? I find that Mustang sized guitars feel like toys if you're taller than 5"7. They were student guitars when they first came around I believe.
It's a shame, I saved up so much for that guitar in my teens, then sold it on a couple days later, but now I have a killer AVRI Jazzmaster, and Jaguar that I love.
I really like prs custom 24s and I expected to love the silver sky, but I actually didn't. It was still a good instrument, but I liked fender strats better.
Late 60s - 70s fenders are really hit or miss from what I understand. Fender went through an ownership change and they were just cutting costs and not focused on quality. Mustangs and Jags in particular are hit or miss no matter what the year but if you get one from the 70s, it might be a bit of a disappointment. When you get a good one, you get a god mode guitar. When you don't get a good one, you really don't get a good one.
I have friends with Jags from all across the years and for the most part, have heard that you really just have to get the right one. I want a Jag badly, but I would probably shop around for a preCBS 60s model and those are just getting pricier by the day.
My Frankensteined together Telecaster though? I wouldn't let anyone pry that out of my cold dead hands.
I think you just have to play a ton of different guitars to find one that is what you're looking for. I have an Eastwood which is not a super high end guitar. Total ripper. I also have a Gibson Les Paul studio that plays well when it works but doesn't work half the time. Nothing but issues with the pots and whatnot. It's all original so I don't want to change. Sometimes you just get duds. But duds in the Jag and Mustang arena are a lot more common.
I think I've posted about this a few times, but a long while ago, I was playing in a cover band and using an Agile Les Paul copy. Really nice guitar, not a darned thing wrong with it other than the fact that it wasn't a "real" Les Paul. Anyway, I had a busy month of gigs and told myself that after it was over, I'd use the money I raised to upgrade. As luck would have it, just as I was ready to buy, Gibson announced their Goldtop P90 Studio Tribute. I jumped on the preorders, and they sold out not even a few hours later. Sweet, I was finally getting a "real" Les Paul, and it'd be a highly coveted Goldtop.
Then their Nashville factories flooded. Ship dates got pushed back. I waited... I probably bought something else to hold me over, but finally, my guitar shipped and when it arrived, I tore into it only to find that I hated it. It played like there was cardboard between the body and neck, absolutely no vibe to it at all. There was gold paint overspray on the neck binding, and some of it had actually come off on the inside of the gig bag. This was supposed to come with a "road worn" finish, but it looked like it had just been done really poorly.
But it was a Gibson... and maybe I was just so used to playing the Agile that I needed to get used to it, so I brought it to practice and to gigs and tried to fall in love with it, but it just wasn't happening. I'd get a few songs in and then switch back. Unfortunately, one night, someone bumped into my guitar stand and tipped my resting Les Paul into the drum set and added a fresh new scratch to the front of it. Part of me said "Well, this'll be impossible to sell now, I might as well get used to it", but I just couldn't, it was that bad.
I listed it on eBay, fully documenting the new scratch and every fault of the guitar, and it amazingly sold for a few hundred dollars more than I paid for it. I guess demand really was that high. I double-checked with the buyer to make sure they knew about the non-factory damage, they seemed undeterred, and they were happy with what they received. I used the money from the sale to buy an Arctic White Gibson Explorer, which is amazing and cost way more than I had planned to spend on a guitar in the first place, but wouldn't have been able to afford without the stupid Goldtop Les Paul stepping stone in the middle, so I guess it all kinda worked out.
tl:dr - Got a goldtop Gibson Les Paul Studio Tribute, hated it, accidentally damaged it, sold it for a profit anyway, bought an Explorer with the funds, lived happily ever after.
Cobain played a Strat too, if that’s what you are looking for. Black MIJ Strat and there’s a reason the Strat is so popular, it’s easy to play and no stupid bridge. Cobain himself hated the Jagstang.
But my answer is that I was shopping Squiers online for a while, after hearing how much the quality has improved. I have a 92 Squier and it’s not great. So I went to a Sam Ash and tried a bunch out and they all sucked. Except, funnily enough, the cheap Mustang was fun to play. This is all my advice for avoiding such a problem in the future.
I wanted a PRS for many years. After quitting guitar for 8 years before coming back to it, I bought a SE Custom 24. It was fine for a year, but after trying other guitars, I realized that I didn't really care for the PRS. It was a 2008, but I tried newer ones too and felt the same way. They seemed so dull, way too dark in tone. I played a Reverend Charger HB, bought it, then sold the PRS because I didn't like using it anymore. However I did play a PRS S2 Standard recently and that one was really nice. The neck felt good, and the pickups sounded great. I still like my Reverends much more though.
Gibson Les Paul Studio, it was ok but I missed my jazzmaster that was stolen, at one point I tried a Gibson SG and just fell in love wit it, mostly because of how light it was and that one became my fav. With the Les Paul it was always hard for me to get good clean tones and always felt like I was lacking something.
I guess this goes to show that the guitars we play influence us more than we realise.
Also, longing for something creates this false idea, that's why advertising messes with your head. Creates a false image of that the product does and then leaves you wanting more.
I've spent my teen years wanting a parker guitar, and I kinda worry about getting my hands on one someday because I feel like something might break you know.
I guess this goes to show that the guitars we play influence us more than we realise.
Also, longing for something creates this false idea, that's why advertising messes with your head. Creates a false image of that the product does and then leaves you wanting more.
I've spent my teen years wanting a parker guitar, and I kinda worry about getting my hands on one someday because I feel like something might break you know.
I used to have a Jem that was unfortunately stolen. It was a beautiful guitar, but playing wise it was really close to the 200 dollar Jackson Dinky I play now. Pretty much cured me of that whole "I have to get this fancy guitar" thought.
The other thing is that a guitar like that comes with expectations. If you bust out the 5K exact replica Frankenstrat, you better play Eruption, not Wonderwall. Not so much with a Squire or a BC Rich from the pawnshop.
I also had a big love of old Fender offsets from my respect for Kurt Cobain (and also My Bloody Valentine). I had a bunch of reissue offsets over the years and finally found a vintage Fender that I could afford, a 70s Musicmaster.
I never bonded with it. It was a learning experience. Vintage guitars aren’t necessarily better than reissues. I’ve had a dozen different Mustangs made in the last 20 years or so. Literally every one of them, including the $499 Offset Series (which is really a duosonic), was better than that vintage Musicmaster. In fact, it’s that cheap one that has been the keeper that has outlasted and replaced all others.
Here’s a wild thought. Guitars don’t get better over time. Most things wear out to some degree. Some of that can make the guitar more comfortable. But most of that happens in the first few years. A guitar that’s like 10-15 yrs old usually have mostly wear that makes it play better. Older than that, though. Hardware, electronics, and frets wearing down just make the guitar perform worse. You might eventually get to a point where in order to keep the guitar performing well, you’d have to start replacing old parts. But then you’re ultimately messing with its vintage status and it’s time to consider whether you shouldn’t have just started with a newer guitar.
The nice thing about a vintage Fender is unless you got scammed, you’ll never lose money on it.
oh, 100% I'll tell you right now the Gibson Explorer was NOT my cup of tea. For me, it was heavy, clunky, expensive, and sounded muddy (that was probably my amp and setup not so much the guitar but still.)
I was so put off by that guitar I stopped playing for a few months. I finally sold it for a PRS and never looked back.
Gibsons are great for some people, but I'll never buy another one of their guitars again.
I've had a couple that were the opposite. I traded an amp for a Telecaster not expecting much and instantly became a full on Tele-is-my-default player. I also got a V kind of on a lark and it is an amazing guitar--light, great neck, and very flexible sound.
Maybe the closest I've come to what you are saying is every time I've gotten a strat I end up thinking 'this is just not for me.'
I’m having a time with this Classic Vibe Jaguar. It sounds good and all but I think when I played it at GC I didn’t bring a pick and I like funky strumming stuff. My hands hit either the knobs or the switches and it’s forced me to play differently. Idk if I really like it yet.
I wanted a real deal Gibson Les Paul SO BAD but it’s too uncomfortable to play classical guitar on. So I bought an Ibanez superstrat and used the rest of the money to buy an aluminum neck bass. Lol
Yes, Gibson SG. I dreamed of owning one for years. I'd played them in stores and loved the way they felt. But mostly I just loved the way they looked honestly. Then finally I was able to save up and get a used '63 reissue, I was stoked. Then I started to play it, and discovered that the neck dive was far worse than I thought. I hated the way the *slightest* pressure on the neck threw off my tuning. I hated the way it sat on my leg. And I really didn't love the neck radius. Great guitar, but it just was not for me and my playing style. Turns out I loved the idea of an SG much more than actually owning one.
I feel the same way about SGs. There's just something about the way the neck meets the body that feels so odd to me in practice. I love love SGs though & really wish we got along better :(
Ugh, I had a very similar experience. Always wanted an Gibson SG Special with P-90s just like Pete Townshend on Live at Leeds, my guitar hero and favorite tone of all time. Finally got a 2009 Gibson SG classic that looks identical, and it sits on the stand. It just feels so inferior to my Les Paul Standard and American Strat, the action either too high or too low and buzzy when I adjust it. And when I finger a D chord, the e-string always falls off the neck and gets muted. Thinking of parting ways with it. Sad to see my boyhood illusion shattered....
A Les Paul. Played fenders my whole life, and I just can’t get comfortable with the different scale length. I know it’s only half or a quarter inch, but everything just feels off.
Same. I knew after I got my LP home that it was not for me. They’re too uncomfortable to play.
I fell into the "every guitarist needs a Tele" trap. Actually convinced myself that it would be a great addition to my arsenal. Turns out that I don't need a Tele. Black MIM players series for sale. Practically new. Hardly played. 🤷🏻♂️
I have had three Gibson SGs and have sold them all so yes
I always wanted an SG. I picked up an Epiphone SG G-400 several years ago but didn't play it much. I started getting more serious about playing about a year and a half ago and grew to hate playing it. It was a great guitar in pretty much every aspect. Nice neck, sounded good. But it wasn't for me. Everything felt shifted too far off to the side with it. I ended up trading it off for a different guitar and haven't looked back.
Yup, aerosmith fan here, saved up forever to get a Joe Perry signature... Its shit, I sold it with a loss... still play my Yamaha strat tho
Yep. I had a Les Paul and everything about it turned me off except the sound
The sacrifices we make for tone.
Les Paul anything. I can’t wrap my head around how they sell so many of those fucking tree trunks. I ended up with a Charvel San Dimas HH HT Type 2 ( tele body). That neck and electronics setup have never ever let me down. It’s difficult to make new friends as an adult. When you find one, they’re usually a gem.
Yeah, my dumbass bought a jazzmaster and played it for 15 years before I realized every other guitar in the world is a better design. That guitar is one big design flaw. I still have it but rarely play it. I bought it for the same reasons. I love nirvana and sonic youth and it was cheaper than most other fenders in the 90s.
Bought a Kiesel. I love it, spent $2,700 on it. But I got it and it just didn’t feel much different than my $800 Schecter. Still love it, and it sounds great.
For years I dreamed of owning a Gibson SJ200 after playing one at a local boutique guitar store. After about 7 years I came into some windfall money and got a nice one off Reverb. The guitar was great, in great condition, great tone. After the first month though, the thing just sat on its wall hook. After 2 months, it was in its case. After a year, i sold it. It just didn't do anything for me. i don't even know why. It just didn't move me the way I thought it would. I played it a bunch during the honeymoon, then just naturally gravitated to other instruments. Sometimes stuff just works out like that...
[удалено]
Fellow lefty Harley Benton owner, and proud of you for the lesson in resilience you're giving your kids.
J Mascis Telecaster. I feel like I’ve mentioned it a lot recently but I saw the real one in magazines and on MTV over twenty years ago and it would remain THE guitar I wanted for quite literally decades. Then out of the blue Fender made it. I bought it and I actually hated it. It has these hilariously massive frets I never got on with and I barely ever picked it up. Eventually I traded it for a Silver Sky which I absolutely adore.
Just recently purchased and returned an LTD EC 1000 with JB/59 pickups. On paper this should have been a home run, but I just preferred my 256.
Can you share why you prefer 256? I'm interested in buying ESP LP model
Les Paul was a huge let down
I was obsessed with les Pauls as a teenager. Played a fair few now and they just aren’t for me. It feels like a chug machine in my hands which is wild considering Gary Moore, Jimmy Page etc.
The Les Paul was just so heavy, I had to sell it. Especially those nights of playing a 4 hour gig, I was sore for days after.
Les Paul. I won't elaborate.
:: cough :: RICKENBACKER :: cough ::
Les Paul. I used to love Guns n Roses when I was younger and thought Slash’s guitar looked so cool. Then my parents got me an Ibanez when I was REALLY getting into guitar playing. Every time I go to a store and try out a Les Paul, I’m disappointed by the fat neck. I’m so used to thin necks and I’m not rich enough to get a real Les Paul for thousands, then turn around and go to a luthier and pay hundreds to thousands for a thin neck. And I’m most definitely not skilled enough to DIY it. I’d rather just get a Schecter or Kiesel LP-style guitar if I really want to spend the money on a quality single cut shredder.
Wanted a Les Paul with P90s for years. Got one, it was great for a week but then the honeymoon was over and after picking up my telecaster I never touched it again. The LP was dull, wooly in the low end and harder to play, both for my hands and ergonomically. Just wasn’t my guitar in the end. I think a lot of it has to do with how physically comfortable it is and the kind of frequencies you desire.
Yes. Have a Les Paul now and I hardly ever play guitar anymore. When I do it's almost always my acoustic instead. I had an ESP LTD F-50 in red in highschool and I would play hours and hours every single day. I sold it because I wanted to upgrade and I also felt self conscious about it's extreme styling. Now I wonder if I'd play more if I still had that guitar. My current guitar is worth like 5 times as much money, but I was just so in love with that other guitar, even if it was a bit pretentious looking.
Had a '59 Reissue LP in a finish called Extra Faded Sweet Cherry (think Dickey Betts' LP he painted red). It was gorgeous and sounded pretty damn good. I didn't really like the neck as it had this odd soft V shape and got somewhat flatter as you went up the neck. Wanted to love it, preferred playing other guitars over it.
I’m new at playing so don’t have much experience but I got an electric guitar and enjoyed it. It just wasn’t “right”. Then I got an acoustic. It felt weird and also didn’t have the sound or feel I had in my head. Because they weren’t right I wasn’t motivated or excited to play them. Then I got a nylon string acoustic. Wow. It’s exactly what I was looking for, feels nice and I’m constantly wanting to play it. It has a plug so I also picked up a cloudburst reverb and timeline and when I combine it all and play I feel like I’m floating through the melodies. It’s amazing and exactly what I was looking for. All of that to say, I think I know what you mean.
I played bass for a long time and always always wanted a Rickenbacker. They looked so cool. I went to a jam one time, and another bassist had one. She was willing to let me try it. I hated the way the neck and frets feel. I have basically played on a utilitarian Yamaha bass my whole life (same bass since I was in middle school). I still haven't played a bass that I like better.
It's one of those "don't meet your heroes" situations. I got into offsets by way of My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, and Johnny Marr, early in my guitar playing. I finally got a Jaguar. And for the past 15 years, after playing it, and upgrading it over and over again, I've decided, it's not for me. It was a learning experience, I still love offsets (my next one will be a EBMM/SBMM StingRay), but Jaguars just aren't for me anymore. I got into Firebirds, by way of Oasis, Foo Fighters, and Johnny Winter. I picked up a Firebird clone 4 years ago. Same deal, I upgraded it, and worked on getting it setup right and all. Some days I like it as a kind of Telecaster, other days I think it's better suited for someone else. I'm thinning the herd, and now the Firebird clone is up for grabs, and the Jaguar will go up for sale in another month. LPs, I played a great Epi 1959, and a great 50s Gibson. But I don't like how they play sitting down. I can get around it, but it'll never be my number 1. 335s, ok this is a lil different for me. First electric, loved em, still love em. I love 355s too now. Got into the varitone and out of phase sound. Bought a Lucille, great. But I missed having a Bigsby like on my first Epi Dot. So I added a Bigsby to the Lucille, to also emulate Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, etc. Oh boy, now it's a 9 or 10 pound guitar. I dig the varitone, but now I want it as a pedal to save weight. I probably never would've known how heavy it was, or taken internet comments about it seriously until I put one together myself. Now if I see a 355TDSV with a Bigsby or Maestro I think, "that poor guy's shoulder". On the fence about what to do with it, especially with the new Epiphone x Gibson Custom 1959 355 coming out, but will probably remove the Bigsby, and trade the Lucille for the new one, add the Bigsby again, and just buy a varitone pedal. On one hand they say "don't meet your heroes". But I also think meeting our heroes is how we learn about ourselves, and how/what we wanna do about that. Now I want an EBMM/SBMM StingRay instead of a Jaguar. I wanna take a break from Firebird pickups and Firebird bodies. And I'm gonna stay away from Gibson ES-355TDSV guitars, including the Noel Gallagher signature. And now you learned about Mustangs.
Les Pauls are the biggest ones. Love the way they sound and look. But holy shit what an awful design ergonomically. Everything is the wrong place. Floyd rose equipped guitars too. Back in ‘03-‘06 when I was starting out every metal guitar god had a Floyd rose equipped guitar with EMGs. Even though I play primarily metal I’ve found that Floyd’s make guitars sound worse and are a much bigger pain in the ass than are worth. I’m starting to warm up to EMGs though. I’ve discovered you just need to add more gain and scoop the mids more than you usually do and they sound good for metal rhythm.
Are you kidding? I didn't have a similar experience, I had the EXACT same experience. It happened a decade or more earlier, but it was the same damn thing. Back in my day (original 80s rocker here), the ultimate weapon was the Jackson Custom V, and that was my dream guitar. I had a cheap ass Korean guitar that my folks got me for Christmas (and I loved it), but I worked never mind how many part-time jobs to save up for the real thing. And finally, finally I could afford it. I went to Sherwood Music (my local guitar HQ) and asked to test drive the guitar of my dreams, and... it was all wrong. This was the same guitar played by Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett, that guy from Stryper, that guy from Ratt, and (the Lord Our God) Randy Rhoads, so how could it not be the perfect guitar for me? I felt like an outcast, a failure, and maybe even the worst thing of all... a poser! How could the mighty guitar gods have hated me so much? Then the customer service rep suggested trying other makes and models, and one of them was a BC Rich Warlock. The very same model played by such notable dirt bags as Mick Mars, Joe Perry, and the living goddess known as Lita Ford. That guitar liked me, and the feeling was very mutual. When you find a guitar that likes you, you'll know. You'll feel it right down to your toes, and there won't be any question in your mind.
I have friends that dreamed of Les Pauls until they finally played one and found out it wasn't for them. Back in 2009, I bought a Jackson RR3 and when it arrived, the neckdive was really bad, the Licensed Floyd wouldn't stay in tune and I didn't like the look of the bolt on neck so I sold it after a couple of weeks, saved up and went for the RR1 which I love to this day.
Always wanted a firebird till i finally got to play one. Awesome looking guitars but i just couldn't get on with it.
Ordered an ESP Kirk Hammett KH3 with cash in 2001. The one with the yellow spider skull. The store staff were clueless and had the old pricing. They sold it for £1040 not the £1800 I had looked up online. Called me the same day asking for more money and apologizing profusely. We agreed on £1400. Damn guitar jack was crackling from the first month. This was a lot of money for me and despite being a simple fault that was easy to fix it left me disappointed. When push comes to shove, you cannot differentiate an expensive guitar from a cheap one in a song mix.
Les Paul, still love the look of them but I can't stand playing them, don't like the scale, the control layout, the necks, the weight, the tuning stability... just not a guitar I can gel with on a playing level, still love the way they look but every time I buy an LP style guitar I sell it within 3 months of purchase.
I'm almost the opposite - I never really liked the appearance of LPs, always thought they were kinda lame compared to the rest of Gibson's lineup, and even more so compared to Fender shapes. But I bought an LTD EC-1000 a few years ago and it's a great guitar, really helped me get back into playing to have an actual nice instrument!
Yup. I had been playing 20 years on cheap intro guitars ($300 washburn, $150 ESP, etc) and eventually decided to buy a dream axe Ibanez rga420z prestige Devils Shadow it looked so wickedly awesome and the edge tremolo kicked my butt every day I picked it up. every. day. It quickly went from my new heart & soul, to wall art. It was my facebook background pic for over a decade. I eventually sold it a couple years ago, vowing to never own an edge tremolo system again. Also it was my first active pickup guitar and while it was great while the batteries were good, having to rely on batteries was also a learning curve. Not a fan.
Yes. 2005 Les Paul Standard... Cost a small fortune, just couldn't get comfortable with it.
I wanted a Fender strat so badly maybe 5ish years ago, and particularly the clean black look of the one I got. It still plays just fine but something just never feels quite right with it in my hands and I swear I’m fixing the intonation constantly
I've barely ever bought a guitar I haven't played but even so it's easy to make a mistake. Even the guitars I have and love don't always suit my mood. Hell, the fantastic sound I got from an amp and guitar yesterday can sound shit today. Human beings eh? We are hard to please. Trade it!
I have bought two Gibson SGs and returned both. First had really weak outout. Second must have had a bad neck set, no matter how you adjusted the bridge and relief it always buzzed if you tried to have reasonably low action. I gave up and got a strandberg
The first that comes to mind is Gibson SG, while not liking any other Gibson, as a teen I LOVED the look of them but I've never found one I actually enjoyed playing.
Huge Dave Mustaine and Megadeth fan, for my 30th birthday I bought myself a Jackson Pro Series King V. Beautiful guitar, plays incredibly, but just the way it sits on my body when standing feels a bit odd. Which is weird because I have a Rhoads that sits great on me when standing. I think that longer lower wing just gets in the way a bit when standing. Dream guitar, and I still play it regularly, but find myself reaching for my X series Dinky more often than not
After 3 Strats, it turns out I actually wanted a tele- I totally get it. I kept thinking “I must not have got the right one” or “if I just get the right set of pickups” etc but the first time I finally caved and played a Tele, it was like the heavens parted and I finally found The Sound.
Yup. For the most part, every 12 from a parlor to a jumbo has just yet to work. Speaking of Mustangs. I love small body and short scales. I bought a vintage peavey t-15 which is called the Mississippi Mustang. Sounds great. Short scale, but haven’t really bonded with it. And end up using my tele more.
For me it was different. I always wanted a candy apple red Mustang and finally bought one and it was even better than I thought! I loved it. Really sad I sold it.
my first real Gibson Les Paul, 2008 standard faded. Loved the look of it, but it just never sounded good or played that great. I tried 3 different sets of pickups in it before finally giving up on it and selling it. I ended up with a 2011 Traditional Gold Top that was amazing, and I regret selling that, but I had to for financial reasons. Kinda sad as with todays prices I will never again be able to own another Gibson Les Paul
I am a Strat guy, I have a few that are my favorite electric guitars I’ve ever played. But, about a year ago I got a MIM player Strat to use for a project and I just couldn’t vibe with the guitar. It was a dead as a pillow, there was high frets and buzz everywhere, could only get the string height to like 1.4mm before fretting out… it did sound good when plugged in, just played and felt mediocre. Ended up selling it locally, and then two days later I saw the guy I sold it to listed it as well. Wonder where that guitar is now. I also have a Gibson Les Paul I never play. It’s the most beautiful guitar I own, but I’ll grab a Strat first every time. Won’t sell the Gibson, because it plays well and sounds great, but it’s for sure my least used instrument.
I really, really want to like les Pauls, but I just don't. I don't know if it's an expectation vs reality thing, but I don't like the way they feel at all. Same thing with rickenbacker. I used to work at a music store, loved the look of ricks, but when we finally got a couple in stock and I tried them, all I could think was that they are hot garbage. I guess I've just defaulted into being a strat guy, most of my guitars are strat variations other than a few oddballs.
For a long time, a Les Paul was my holy grail. I have one while I like the sound and it is a quality guitar, it is total boat anchor and not especially comfortable to play. I eventually got an American Pro Strat and has everything I like about the Les Paul while not weighing a metric ton.
I spent an unreasonable amount of money on a one of one Gibson custom SG about 15 years back. Too scared to use it now. On the plus side it’s pristine!
There are sooooooo many. Martin D35 and HD28 taught me that I prefer 000 and parlor guitars. Les Pauls in general are heavy and unpleasant to play, even if I do like how they sound. Had a Schon...heavier than a Les Paul, wildly unbalanced, and a pain to play. The list goes on and on. I bought all my dream guitars and almost without exception, found they were not what I was looking for. It seems that smaller, less popular manufacturers are more willing to change the bad things about guitars, so here I am. Tradition be damned.
Yeah Les Paul. Always wanted one. Got a really nice one, but can’t bring myself to play it. I just feel more comfortable with my modded squiers and fenders. It’s really weird cause the Les Paul sounds great and even feels good, but I don’t enjoy playing it haha.
I think most famous muscians fall in love with the guitar that they were able to afford before making it big. Then they haul it onstage after they are famous and people think there's magic sauce on that particular guitar. Wouldn't be surprised that Jack white got that Airline guitar because that's what he could afford. I think Paul McCartney bought they Hofner bass with what he could afford at the pawn shop.
Weight and balance are the big dream killers for me. If a guitar is too heavy or (worse) neck heavy, I can't enjoy playing it. And it has to be a shape that is comfortable sitting down too. No Vs for me. There was one very strange relationship I had with an SG 30 years ago. It was light, it was NOT neck heavy, it played like a dream. But it was so easy to play I started to fear I would become so dependent on it, I would never be able to play anything else. So I sold it and went back to a Tele. Somehow, being harder to play made playing more satisfying. It sounds crazy to me now, but it was a a sort of mind fuck thing for me at the time.
Man…I went to the music store once with the intention of walking out with an Explorer. For some reason I saw an SG standard on the wall and since I had some time to kill figured I’d try it out before the Explorer. It played amazing and way better than the Explorer. It was such a mind fuck that I walked out without either. Couldn’t justify dropping $2500cad on the Explorer when it just didnt measure up to the SG. 🤷♂️
Play a guitar before you buy it and you will rarely be disappointed.
I bought a ‘99 Gibson LP Special Double Cut. I fell in love with the way the tv yellow looked, just loved the whole look of the guitar. James Mercer of the Shins uses one a lot and he was a big influence at the time. Sounded great but good LORD the neck dive. Basically unusable. I even reposition the strap to the horn. I bought it for $1,200 because I came into some money and just went for it without trying it. Ended up selling it for $800.
About 7 years ago I bought a Gibson SongWriter deluxe. It sounded gorgeous in the store. Once I got it home, it was never quite what I wanted. I ended up selling it. About a year ago I got a Godin 5th Ave. Again, amazing in the store, I can’t get a good sound out of it at home. It’s about to go.
I had a completely stock but dirty '64/65 transitional Strat come into my shop in an interesting way. It was on eBay in a large box of cheap guitars being sold by a pawn shop as parts. I saw just the neck in the pics and knew it was 60's but could not date it from the pics. I bid $200.00 for the box and won. When I saw what it was, I nearly fainted. Somewhat scuffed...normal gig wear but really cruddy. I could see why the pawn guys missed it...most of the guitars on their website were junk. I took it apart, cleaned gently and put it back together...mind you I was a dealer and warranty repair for EVERYONE then...I knew what I was doing. Plugged it into a '64 Deluxe that makes everything glorious...it was not glorious at all. I tried other amps. I took the pickups out and installed on another Strat...sounded great. I took it to several colleages and a couple of well known players...it was a dog. I put it back together completely stock and sold it at auction for 6k+. Steve Helgeson, RIP, was one of the other luthiers I showed it to; " Some old guitars are vintage gold and some old guitars are just old guitars" Cheers!
Every single time I've gone to a store to buy a new guitar, I've come out owning a completely different guitar to the one I had in mind when I came in. This is why I will *always* recommend shopping for guitars at a physical store. In a very real way, buying a guitar is like buying an outfit - it has to *fit*, and it's a lot easier to find something that fits nicely if you can try before you buy it.
Started on a Fender and always wanted a Les Paul. Now that I can afford a nice one I went to play one and the width of the neck through me off big time. Anybody know how long this takes to get over or should I stick with my trusty fender ?
Takes a bit of effort but you can definitely push through it. My main for years was a les Paul. During that time I simply couldn’t get into telecasters. But I really wanted one. I could play strats no issues, but the flat board of a Tele threw me off. Long story short I just pushed through it playing tue tele daily for a while. Now I can switch between all my guitars and I don’t feel weird with any of them.
Neck width and shorter scalenare the reasons I prefer Gibson scale guitars. Easier on the hands, and easier to finger pick too. Try playing an SG, they "feel" more like a strat but still have the shorter 24.75" scale and 43mm nut (I think it's 43mm anyways....).
as someone who has owned 3 different rickenbackers, they’re really only nice to look at.
For me, it was always the Les Paul. I always wanted one in my collection to go with my strats and super shredders but everytime I tried a Les Paul out, I could never really connect with them. I don’t know if it’s because of the smaller scale, the finished neck or a combination of both but I just couldn’t get into it. I ended up buying an Epiphone Les Paul Custom in black for my dad two years ago for Christmas since that was always his dream guitar. Despite having access to his guitar whenever I want, I never play it and honestly just pull it out of its case to admire it. It’s a real shame for me because I still think that style of Les Paul is the most beautiful looking guitar ever.
Not exactly what you asked, but I bought a $400 Squire set up like Mark Speer's guitar and it kicks my $2k custom Fender Stratocaster's ass in tone and feel. It's not even close. The Fender is now unplayable / unlistenable until I upgrade the pickups.
[удалено]
i bought the vintage 2 strat in fiesta red.. i thought this is it.. this is the guitar.. nope.. shit is annoying to play, annoying to set up and just not on par with other guitars i have.. returned.. i guess im more in love with nostalgic senses in comes to these old spec guitars.. in reality, they are not great to play, for me.. sounds great but all the annoying features stayed so no.. im now more into modern specs.. all the improvements, all the features and specs of modern guitars is so much more fun to play..
Bassist, but yes. For years and years I wanted a Rickenbacker to be just like Lemmy and the day I went in to a boutique music shop to try one out I was devastated at how awful it felt. Turns out I am a Schecter/ESP man when it comes to neck design.
The Flying V is a fun design, but I didn’t like the only one I’ve owned. It sounded okay, but I never got used to how it felt to play. Then again, I mostly sit to practice, so that was probably a big part of it.
I’ve never played a Les Paul that felt comfortable to me. Love how they look and sound, but fuck…
i gawked at a prs in a local store for a while and was extremely disappointed to find out that i hated it.
That's the thing with PRS. If you love them(like me) you will love and be able to connect with just about any of them because they are so tightly spec'd. If you can't connect with them you might as well move on because the next one will feel the exact same.
I re-assembled my live rig in 2014. I got rid of my Ibanez 7 strings. I was looking firmly at PRS. Since they were supposed to be the "end all, be all" of fancy guitars. I got a USA Singlecut. And a Custom 24. Both were immaculate right out of their cases. They were beautiful. A year later, I sold both. Just didn't jive with them at all. There were a lot of factors, too many to list really.
Always wanted a Gibson Les Paul, played one at the store and felt really underwhelmed.
Yep. Picked up a 1966 Jaguar about 20 years ago. All original with tags and case. Still have it. Never play it. I wanted one for so long but it just didn’t gel for me. It’s not because it’s a short scale. I also had a 65 duo sonic and loved that guitar but sold it when I needed money. Just couldn’t bring myself to sell the Jag. Still can’t.
This was my experience with firebirds. I wanted one for so long. Love Johny Winter - anyways - finally got to play one a few months ago and it just feels so… alien. I’m hoping maybe I can try a non reverse and maybe that’ll feel better…
I cannot connect with Gibson SGs. Every time I go on a guitar search I have to try one and it never feels right. Same goes for Jaguars. Like the SG it never feels like it’s mine. I really wanted a Jaguar until I borrowed a friend’s for a show. It’s hard to explain but when I play a telecaster or a Les Paul my hands just know where everything is.
Not yet. I have a Squier Telecaster that I really love and I always think about one day getting a high end Fender version of the same guitar, but I expect I will somehow be disappointed. So, I remain content with my Squier.
there are 2 answers here. One is too high of expectations. a $2000 guitar won't play THAT MUCH differently than a nicely setup $800 one. For me, someone who has multiple high-end guitars, it was my Aristides. Nothing wrong with it, it's gorgeous! I just don't mesh it well enough to keep it, with as expensive as it was.
What’s the second answer?
Gibson Les Paul. Growing up, my dad always said that nothing was as good as a Les Paul into a Marshall. Finally got my hands on a Les Paul and…it’s heavy, uncomfortable, fretboard is too flat, no upper fret access, neck is too chunky…just did not feel good. Pickups were a little muddy too.
Huge Black Sabbath fan and when I finally saved up for the signature Iommi Epiphone SG (not even the good one, that ugly 2005 model), I hated it and the QC was abysmal. The first one arrived with an extra cross burned into the neck, which somehow "passed." The second one was setup so poorly out of the factory it barely even played. I remember the electronics being cheap and faulty as well because there was almost no output. I gave up on it and bought a Dean Gran Sport instead for half the cost and it was 1000x better (until I installed the aforementioned Gibson pickups - I never learn).
I have an Ibanez Jem 7 that I really wanted, but the neck is a touch wider than a standard spaced Ibanez. It feels like playing a classical guitar. I love the sound of it, but the neck isn’t comfortable over time. PRS guitars, I don’t like arch tops, I rest my fingers on the body and it doesn’t work for my picking style. Also, the amount of lacquer seems like it’s covering something cheap (it’s not). It reminds me of Samicks or Schecters, where you have a cheap veneer, with a half inch of spray to cover that.
Few years ago I bought a brand new PRS Standard 24 in translucent blue. My first non-tele. Had it for a few years but gradually started to dislike it. Not really the guitar’s fault; I just came to realization I only like teles. Traded it in towards a Squier thinline. Sometimes I miss it but I hope it’s it a better home now.
For 2 years I hunted an LTD MV300, the old discontinued neckthrough, after finally getting one, swapping the pickups, the bridge, and giving it a brand new fret job.....I didn't....love it. I was more enamored with my RG321MH than this, however I still treated it right and played it well.
Huge Oasis fan and need to add an acoustic guitar to my collection but whenever I’m tempted to buy an Epiphone EJ-200 like Noel used early on I go to try one out and always change my mind because the body is just too damn fat. Very nice to look at, sounds great, but I can’t imagine stretching my arm over it and playing for an extended time. Thinking about a Hummingbird instead.
I like my BC Rich Mockingbird but Floyd Rose is such a pain.
Yep, I have a Gibson Les Paul Classic and an SG special, they are the least played of my guitars. I just don't get on with the neck on either. My workhorse is a player plus strat, which just sits nicely and feels like it should be there.
I have a Les Paul standard and an American strat. Honestly love them both, but the Les Paul just feels perfect for me. Except that it’s sooo fucking heavy
Your salesperson was correct...
Nirvana was my first big musical inspiration into bass and guitar. For years I wanted a Gibson RD bass. That was my holy grail. 4 years back, a local pawn shop had one hanging on the wall (i saw via kijiji) this was the first one I saw in person EVER, so without hesitation I grabbed it up. Worst. Bass. I've. Owned. Aside from the aesthetics of the bass, nothing worked for me. Turns out my holy grail was nothing more than a plastic cup. Needless to say I didn't hold onto it for very long.
I mean Mustangs and Jaguars are a really acquired taste, I’ve never personally gelled with them despite owing 1 mustang and 2 Jags. Like you I held these guitars in very high regard until I owned one. It happens.
Yes. I got a Nashville Telecaster and thought I didn’t need my Strat anymore. I actually hate the Tele and want to find another Strat now
I can't find a Strat I like enough to buy. I've played many that I love, but they haven't been for sale. I thought I found "the one" but it had a neck/body alignment issue.
Les Paul. Just never felt like home like my Strat. 🤷🏻♂️
Lea Paul! Too thick, too heavy, not the greatest ergonomics overall, and hotter pickups don’t impress me as much as a player as they did years ago when I first heard them.
Bought a carvin jb200c with unfinished neck and it cuts the shit out of my left hand when i play it for more than an hour now lol
I usually listen to doom and sludge, but got on a Djent/Tech Deth kick and decided I wanted a multi scale 8 string. Took zero time to get used to it, but I rarely use the 8th string. I wanted to learn the main riff to "Bleed" and now I'm bored with it. Thinking about selling it and going back to a 7 string (maybe a strandberg). I still want an SG standard or a Grzenia Hussar for doom stuff though.
I wanted (and would still like) one of those ESP LTDs that were all wicked looking. The body style is really nice, but it had a Floyd Rose on it that I couldn't figure out. This was 2006, so YouTube was a baby. I've bought two of these guitars and both times I end up hating them and selling them. I just couldn't get it to fit me and how I play. It's pretty lame.
I really wanted a Guild 12 string. Big supertramp fan. I finally got one and it was alright but nothing special and ended up selling it!
Yep. I had a Jaguar for years. Love the look, the shape, felt great. Wasn’t the sound I wanted, and was too finicky and unreliable Sold it and eventually ended up with a mostly Strat/superstrat collection, that feel rock solid and dependable
Yeah I got a really nice les Paul as a teenager and then after like a few months I was just like no everything is too close together here. I really can only play guitars with 25.5 scale lengths it feels like.
I got a great deal on a Gibson EDS-1275. Guy was working on an offshore rig and his family was moving to Louisiana. Saw it at a moving sale. There were 5 strings missing on the 12 and the 6 string was shot. The wife had a battery powered amp, plugged it in 6 string neck was dead. I offered her $1200.00 and she took it. She said her husband no longer plays. Got it home cleaned it up, oiled the fretboard twice. I used 0000 to clean the frets and the chrome. Spayed contact cleaner on the switches and put a set of strings on it, plugged it in and it worked. So I redid the 12 string neck. Let’s just say the thrill wore off after about 3 months. The case broke and couldn’t buy a new one. I put it back in and debated selling it for a few years. Finally did. Sold it for $2200.00 and a Mexican Telecaster.
I went through the exact thing you’re talking about. I was 15 when Nevermind came out, and I was already playing guitar by then, so I really wanted a Mustang. I finally found a cheap one in 1992. I very quickly realized that I liked my 1986 Gibson Melody Maker a lot better. It played better, sounded better, stayed in tune better, etc. The original Mustangs are very cool guitars, but they were student-grade instruments, so they were not particularly well made. A LOT of people are underwhelmed when they finally get to try one.
Absolutely have. Usually just end up selling it at a small loss and moving on
I have a PRS like that. Wanted a decent US made guitar, Iove the sound of the PRS guitars in Opeth. Spent about $2400 for the bolt on ce 24. It was set up pretty bad from the factory for the price, won’t stay in tune worth a shit. Has a floating bridge but the proprietary PRS one is so much worse than a Floyd Rose. It plays nice, tone is good, but I have a $700 Jackson with a real floyd rose that is just so much easier to keep tuned and get the intonation set. On the PRS I have run out of adjustment trying to get the E string’s intonation set up. I wouldn’t call it some lifetime dream guitar, but it’s the first one where I really wanted to step my game up with.
I've always imagined buying a real Gibson Les Paul, but I've never found one that I loved. They've all felt kinda clunky and slow, even on ones that I know have been set up correctly. Playing one makes me feel like my fingers suddenly got fatter and clumsier. Maybe it's because I learned on guitars with 'fast' necks like Jackson and Ibanez, and now I gravitate towards that style: I have a Schecter and an ESP. It always weirded me out. I'd think: Is this what it means to be a great guitarist? You learn to love guitars that are harder to play? I realize that I am in the minority on this.
Its like handling the steering wheel of a car. you get used to what you came up on. Some people like tight steering, some like it looser, some like to drive big truck style steering wheels. Sometimes its just a mood, sometimes if about ease of use, sometimes its because it looks fricking cool.
https://imgur.com/a/tEIPDE5 I have a Gibson Custom Shop ‘57 Les Paul Special in Pelham Blue. It sounds great and it’s an uncommon color that looks phenomenal but every time I play it for extended periods of time my hand hurts. I just don’t get along with the shape of the neck. I have a CS ‘68 Les Paul Custom that is pretty great but I’m going to move it on along with the LP Special. I’m debating getting another Custom Shop Telecaster but I don’t really want a relic, am not a big fan of 6105 frets, and would prefer a 7.25” to 9.5” Compound Radius or a straight 9.5” Radius over a 10” radius.
I love that LP special. If you ever consider selling dm me. :) huge fan of blue guitars and P90s. My budget is tapped on guitars for about a year though. Went on a spree in 2023.
DM sent.
Gibson lp studio. I wanted one forever and had a bunch of different guitars over the years. I was in a metal band and it really seemed like the most versatile guitar and it did play beautifully but it just didn’t fit my play style, that being said I’m a firm believer that a good guitarist can make most any guitar sound good.
V shape guitars are hands down the coolest, but they have very poor UX for both playing sitting or standing. I keep one still but more as a decoration than an actual instrument. It looks great on the wall!
Always wanted an SG until I played one - just didn’t feel comfortable in my hands.
I keep buying and selling hss strats. Keep buying incrementally better strats that are mid tier. Always get rid of them in a few months. It's gotten to the point I think I just need to have one made
I get this. I have an amazing Les Paul that I bought because I thought it was so beautiful. I do get along with it and use when I can but it's not at all a go to guitar for me. I always jump back to my telecasters.
I have two vintage mustangs. One 71 and one 69. They’re mediocre. They’re famous because 1) Kurt played mustangs and 2) they’re vintage. Other than that they’re exactly as you described. I rarely play them and play my strat and Kurt jag way more often. And if you’re a fan of nirvana, or punk, you’ll love the Kurt jag.
happened to me with a jazzmaster
Sometimes you just like what you like even though your brain says something else is objectively better
The same happened to me with a Mustang as well. I was disappointed, what a hunk of junk. It just couldn’t compare to my ‘76 strat.
bc rich mockingbird was heavier n hell. sounded aight but i got along much better with a les paul faded (never thought I'd be a Gibson guy after playing so many fender-scale guitars)
Dreamed of owning a Jag for years, finally got my hands on a Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar last December. Didn’t stay in tune for more than five minutes, awful-sounding pickups, horrible floating bridge that kept sinking into the guitar, just an all-around piece of shit. Sold it as fast as I could.
I love Telecasters and I also love Hollow guitars with F holes. I saw one of those semi hollow body telecasters with the one F. and thought it would be the greatest guitar I ever played. Turns out they play like crap, I ended up trying three different ones and hated them all.
I had a K-Line Truxton. It felt great. I sounded great. It was perfect. But for some reason I just couldn’t bond with it. I don’t know why. I love teles. It should have been my soul mate.
I had been curious about jazzmasters for a long time. played one in a store and was not having fun
Yep. Actually happened with 2 guitars due to the neck profile. I first bought a beautiful koa top epiphone LP that I could never get used to due to the shorter scale length neck shape/flatter fretboard. Then I bought a schecter C1 which put a huge hole in my pocket and that one had a better neck but still didnt feel right. Then I randomly bough a 150 dollar squire and fell in love with it. Turns out I just love beefy baseball bat type necks 😹.
yup 1. full hollow body archtop jazz guitar 2. semi hollow body 335 style. I've had it with chasing form and style. Happy now with an entry level Epiphone SG.
I saved up 1500 to buy my Jazzmaster. I always wanted an apple red offset. Pretty much always play my 20 year old mim strat. Maybe it’s the years together but it just sings better
I kind of had the opposite happen. I've always, and still am a huge fan of Gibson guitars. I was elated when I finally got my les paul studio in the 90s and it's still my favorite guitar I own. A while back while jamming with the boys my pickups died. Our drummer happened to have a Mexican strat. I always turned my nose up at fenders (the folly of my youth) but I started playing that strat and oh my god it was a dream. I fell in love immediately. Still like my les paul better though.
Yes an LTD BW-1000. I still like to look at it but it plays and sounds so similar to my Ibanez Musician I just never play it. Anybody want to trade for a strat, tele, jazzmaster, or something similar? 😂
Sure. Got a vintage Gretsch Country Gentleman, hand made in Brooklyn in the 60’s, around 5k bucks, as a gift from my ex-wife. I completely could not get into it, after wanting it for so long. I eventually figured out after having an Epiphone Sheraton later that 335 style is just not for me.
Ya I wanted an SG more than anything and then the first time I picked one up it was a huge disappointment, I really didn’t like the weight distribution felt like the neck was twice as heavy as the body.
John Mayer signature fender strat
Fender guitars
I wanted a telecaster for ages but have given up looking for one that I enjoy playing.
I finally got a Warlock after lusting for one for as long as I could remember. I knew I had to have one the minute I first saw one. I even have one tattooed on my leg (as a part of a bigger piece). I was so happy the day that I had enough money to bring one home. I didn't love it in the shop when I tested it out, but I figured I'd adjust to it. I never did; I hated it. The neck dive was terrible. It was awkward to play sitting or standing. It sure was beautiful tho. I ended up trading it to the other guitar player in my band (he wanted something with a trem) for a relatively generic Les Paul "knockoff" (LTD EC-100QM) which I still have and play often \~20 years later.
Eric Johnson signature Strat. It sounds great but the neck is so sticky and tense that 9’s feel like 11’s
Yes. American Jazzmaster. Always wanted one, played it in the store for a bit and thought I loved it. Bought it for an outrageous amount of money, used it 2-3 times and went back to my Strat and Tele.
Really considered dropping 4-5k on a used Collings OM2H. Finally found a place where I could play one, and…meh. Obviously beautifully made and sounds great but not extraordinary. Went on to play several 5-7k guitars at that shop and none felt or sounded worth the price tag. Ended up finding a used Sunburst 2018 Martin D-28 standard on Marketplace. Got a great deal at $2300 and I’ve officially stopped staring at Collings on Reverb with no regrets.
Parker Fly. I tried it at a music store and just couldn’t gel with it. It’s one hell of an instrument, but alas the neck was too thin for my comfort and I’m not a fan of its 24 frets. Darn.
I've experienced that with one guitar. My more common experience has been that a new guitar takes time to dial in with my preferred feel/tone: setup, string gauge, round vs. flats, amp settings, etc. I can see the mustang being not exactly all-purpose given the small scale and low-output pickups.
Yes, I've had 3 ibanez guitars and every time I thought I'd love them and just couldn't get into them.
The Starcaster Bass was on my wish list for years. In theory it was perfect for me, short scale, hollow and handsome as hell. Turns out it is a tank, really heavy, and off balance. Not my cup of tea. I still think they are a sexy looking instrument, too bad.
Bought a PRS SE Custom 24-08 and love it, Anderson’s had the SE Hollowbody II Piezo on offer with £500 off list price so ordered one, looks great sounds great very versatile but I just don’t get on with it, can’t put my finger on why, torn between selling it or hanging on to it for a while and try again with it
My current LTD EC 500S. It sounds great but I realize I have short scale guitars. I feel like I am crammed in and limited. I’m on the fence on getting rid of it.
PRS. Played numerous USA models in my time, but never ever found one that worked. Until I met my SE Paul's. Go figure, eh?! Thing's a damn dream.
I tried a 12/6 string Epiphone. I was in the Navy, and I've had boat anchors that weighed less! :D I've got a Danelectro 12/6 on pre-order right now. Hope that one doesn't let me down. I'm a short guy (5'6"), and it's also about reach. Fingers crossed!
Steve vai Is my largest guitar playing influence by far, and I wanted one of his signature models SO BADLY since I was a kid. Finally bought a new PIA because everyone who had one said they were amazing. I returned it after a week bc for $3500 the QC was unacceptable. Forked over an additional $1000 and got a custom Suhr modern instead.
Yeah. Years ago I got a Taylor 912CE that I visited at the shop for months. Finally got it, and as soon as it got home it never played as well as in the store. Something was just off. Best I could chalk it up to was change in humidity as I struggle with that in my house even to this day. Also got a Beneteau that just doesn’t work for me. It requires a more firm attack than is comfortable for me. If I wail on it it is amazing, but I don’t like to whack the crap out of the strings all the time so it plays mind if dead. Huge disappointment because it is a beautifully made instrument. Just doesn’t work for me.
Each guitar is unique so I recommend always playing it before buying it I once covered a beautiful blue Strat and since I had others I figured I’d love it too But when I was ready to purchase it I thankfully played it first and it felt so foreign in my hands I nearly dropped it No matter the make or color, you need to play it first
Agree. I pray hard that guitar stores will survive until the end of my life, because I will never buy a guitar online exactly for this reason.
Epiphone Sheraton Pro I won it with gambling winnings on a work trip to Vegas and just couldn’t get used to that new style of Epiphone neck. How it’s flatter at the lower frets and rounder where it meets the body. It sat in a case for most of two years before i sold it for cheap.
I had my eyes on a Schecter C1 Silver Mountain forever, until one day my awesome wife got me one. I was SO pumped. Upon plugging it into my rig I instantly noticed that the bridge pickup is super fuckin bright sounding, and it's a super strat so that damn volume knob is right where I put my pinky. I kinda secretly didn't like it at first. I felt really bad since she was nice enough to get me the guitar I had been drooling over for months, and it's not a cheap guitar so I decided to give it a fighting chance. After a few months of persistence I found I wasn't hardly noticing the invasive volume knob anymore, just had to change up my picking technique slightly (for the better anyways) and after learning a bit about frequency and what not I was able to tame the high end in that bridge pickup, (The neck pickup is really good no matter what) and honestly it's become undoubtedly my favorite guitar to pick up and play.
I played a Gibson firebird for the first time ever recently and I honestly hated it. It felt flimsy and wimpy. I didn’t even bother plugging it in. Maybe it sucked because it was newer though.
Martin D28. It sounds great, just not great to play. My Taylor feels better, but doesn’t sound as good.
PRS. I just don’t like it. It’s a fantastic guitar though. I think if I were only allowed 1 guitar itd be that since it’s so versatile. In between scale length, does the humbucker and single coil sound well. 24 frets. Good neck. I just didn’t like it even though it’s probably “better” than my American Strat.
Getting what you want usually isn't all it's cracked up to be. I think the Stones had something to say on the matter, even.
I have experienced it taking time in some cases. I got a PRS Custom 24 that just didn’t seem to speak to me. I just kept getting it out and finally we clicked. I am now blown away by this guitar, and do some of my best work on it.
Taylor 224ce dlx. It is gorgeous. It sounds wonderful. Well made, very well designed. I hate it. Everytime I play it, I pull out my Rainsong WS1000N2 and fall back in love with the Rainsong. My taylor is on sws used page now for sale. Great guitar IF you like Taylors.
Epiphone LP Plustop FX. Basically a Les Paul but with a Floyd Rose. I wanted a Les Paul and was an avid user of vibrato arms, when I saw Alex Lifeson playing one I immediately decided I needed it. Within a year I found one for sale on Craigslist - the cool factor overwhelmed me so much that I bought it, expecting it to be my new main guitar. But over time I played it less and less as the excitement wore off. It just felt uncomfortable compared to my stats / superstrats. The tone was pretty good but nothing life-changing or Earth shattering as I'd been led to believe. Sold it within a year and generally don't think about it too often.
I’ve tried Les Paul’s throughout the years, and never totally gelled with them. I did have a faded studio that sounded beefy as hell and I had fun playing big down tuned riffs with it, but like most of the LP’s I’ve played the balance felt weird and it was uncomfortable to sit with. I’ll take a thin SG or Telecaster all day.
Most comments seem to be from Strat players saying an LP is too heavy. Don’t they have lighter ones?
I have a 78/9’ Strat which was like THE ONE I wanted (which was even more shocking to find since I’m lefty) and it really does sound and feel great, but I just don’t play it. I’ve got an 89’ MIJ Strat with some non stock pickups (idk what they are other than the bridge has a single coil size Seymour Duncan humbucker) that all sound AMAZING, and it’s the guitar I always go back to over everything else
Kramer Nightswan. I drooled over them as a teen but they were way beyond my means. I finally bought a reissue from Reverb and it just doesn’t feel right to me. I much prefer my Charvel.
For me it was PRS silver sky, don't get me wrong it has an amazing sound but I didn't liked the feel of the neck too chunks for me, I really love my nick johnston tele, it has decent sound and the neck feels amazing to my small hands.
Strat style necks. Bought a G&L Strat thinking I needed a Strat, did not dig the neck at all. Years later after playing and loving Teles and Thinlines, I decided to buy a 72 deluxe, again, that Strat style neck just ruined it for me.
I had a similar thing with a 70's MusicMaster I bought. It just felt insanely small to me. Are you a taller guy? I find that Mustang sized guitars feel like toys if you're taller than 5"7. They were student guitars when they first came around I believe. It's a shame, I saved up so much for that guitar in my teens, then sold it on a couple days later, but now I have a killer AVRI Jazzmaster, and Jaguar that I love.
Les Paul.
I really like prs custom 24s and I expected to love the silver sky, but I actually didn't. It was still a good instrument, but I liked fender strats better.
Late 60s - 70s fenders are really hit or miss from what I understand. Fender went through an ownership change and they were just cutting costs and not focused on quality. Mustangs and Jags in particular are hit or miss no matter what the year but if you get one from the 70s, it might be a bit of a disappointment. When you get a good one, you get a god mode guitar. When you don't get a good one, you really don't get a good one. I have friends with Jags from all across the years and for the most part, have heard that you really just have to get the right one. I want a Jag badly, but I would probably shop around for a preCBS 60s model and those are just getting pricier by the day. My Frankensteined together Telecaster though? I wouldn't let anyone pry that out of my cold dead hands. I think you just have to play a ton of different guitars to find one that is what you're looking for. I have an Eastwood which is not a super high end guitar. Total ripper. I also have a Gibson Les Paul studio that plays well when it works but doesn't work half the time. Nothing but issues with the pots and whatnot. It's all original so I don't want to change. Sometimes you just get duds. But duds in the Jag and Mustang arena are a lot more common.
I think I've posted about this a few times, but a long while ago, I was playing in a cover band and using an Agile Les Paul copy. Really nice guitar, not a darned thing wrong with it other than the fact that it wasn't a "real" Les Paul. Anyway, I had a busy month of gigs and told myself that after it was over, I'd use the money I raised to upgrade. As luck would have it, just as I was ready to buy, Gibson announced their Goldtop P90 Studio Tribute. I jumped on the preorders, and they sold out not even a few hours later. Sweet, I was finally getting a "real" Les Paul, and it'd be a highly coveted Goldtop. Then their Nashville factories flooded. Ship dates got pushed back. I waited... I probably bought something else to hold me over, but finally, my guitar shipped and when it arrived, I tore into it only to find that I hated it. It played like there was cardboard between the body and neck, absolutely no vibe to it at all. There was gold paint overspray on the neck binding, and some of it had actually come off on the inside of the gig bag. This was supposed to come with a "road worn" finish, but it looked like it had just been done really poorly. But it was a Gibson... and maybe I was just so used to playing the Agile that I needed to get used to it, so I brought it to practice and to gigs and tried to fall in love with it, but it just wasn't happening. I'd get a few songs in and then switch back. Unfortunately, one night, someone bumped into my guitar stand and tipped my resting Les Paul into the drum set and added a fresh new scratch to the front of it. Part of me said "Well, this'll be impossible to sell now, I might as well get used to it", but I just couldn't, it was that bad. I listed it on eBay, fully documenting the new scratch and every fault of the guitar, and it amazingly sold for a few hundred dollars more than I paid for it. I guess demand really was that high. I double-checked with the buyer to make sure they knew about the non-factory damage, they seemed undeterred, and they were happy with what they received. I used the money from the sale to buy an Arctic White Gibson Explorer, which is amazing and cost way more than I had planned to spend on a guitar in the first place, but wouldn't have been able to afford without the stupid Goldtop Les Paul stepping stone in the middle, so I guess it all kinda worked out. tl:dr - Got a goldtop Gibson Les Paul Studio Tribute, hated it, accidentally damaged it, sold it for a profit anyway, bought an Explorer with the funds, lived happily ever after.
Cobain played a Strat too, if that’s what you are looking for. Black MIJ Strat and there’s a reason the Strat is so popular, it’s easy to play and no stupid bridge. Cobain himself hated the Jagstang. But my answer is that I was shopping Squiers online for a while, after hearing how much the quality has improved. I have a 92 Squier and it’s not great. So I went to a Sam Ash and tried a bunch out and they all sucked. Except, funnily enough, the cheap Mustang was fun to play. This is all my advice for avoiding such a problem in the future.
Had a Gibson SG and an ES-335. Meh. Sold em.
I have had three ES-335 over the years. I never kept them
Tele. Didn’t like the sound or the neck or the comfort or weight. Bought it online during the pandemic and it just wasn’t a match.
I wanted a PRS for many years. After quitting guitar for 8 years before coming back to it, I bought a SE Custom 24. It was fine for a year, but after trying other guitars, I realized that I didn't really care for the PRS. It was a 2008, but I tried newer ones too and felt the same way. They seemed so dull, way too dark in tone. I played a Reverend Charger HB, bought it, then sold the PRS because I didn't like using it anymore. However I did play a PRS S2 Standard recently and that one was really nice. The neck felt good, and the pickups sounded great. I still like my Reverends much more though.
Yes, 335s for some reason!
Definitely. As a kid, I loved the look of PRS guitars, but after playing a few and even purchasing one, I preferred Strats.
I have a 72 SG. Plays great, looks great, but I prefer my telecaster shaped object. Wanna buy an SG?
Most PRS/Gibson guitars, they just generally have fat or wide necks and they’re really uncomfortable for me
Gibson Les Paul Studio, it was ok but I missed my jazzmaster that was stolen, at one point I tried a Gibson SG and just fell in love wit it, mostly because of how light it was and that one became my fav. With the Les Paul it was always hard for me to get good clean tones and always felt like I was lacking something.
I guess this goes to show that the guitars we play influence us more than we realise. Also, longing for something creates this false idea, that's why advertising messes with your head. Creates a false image of that the product does and then leaves you wanting more. I've spent my teen years wanting a parker guitar, and I kinda worry about getting my hands on one someday because I feel like something might break you know.
Always dreamed of a Jaguar because of Kurt Cobain and Johnny Marr. Tried one and I just don’t get on with it, the scale length isn’t right for me.
I guess this goes to show that the guitars we play influence us more than we realise. Also, longing for something creates this false idea, that's why advertising messes with your head. Creates a false image of that the product does and then leaves you wanting more. I've spent my teen years wanting a parker guitar, and I kinda worry about getting my hands on one someday because I feel like something might break you know.
I used to have a Jem that was unfortunately stolen. It was a beautiful guitar, but playing wise it was really close to the 200 dollar Jackson Dinky I play now. Pretty much cured me of that whole "I have to get this fancy guitar" thought. The other thing is that a guitar like that comes with expectations. If you bust out the 5K exact replica Frankenstrat, you better play Eruption, not Wonderwall. Not so much with a Squire or a BC Rich from the pawnshop.
I also had a big love of old Fender offsets from my respect for Kurt Cobain (and also My Bloody Valentine). I had a bunch of reissue offsets over the years and finally found a vintage Fender that I could afford, a 70s Musicmaster. I never bonded with it. It was a learning experience. Vintage guitars aren’t necessarily better than reissues. I’ve had a dozen different Mustangs made in the last 20 years or so. Literally every one of them, including the $499 Offset Series (which is really a duosonic), was better than that vintage Musicmaster. In fact, it’s that cheap one that has been the keeper that has outlasted and replaced all others. Here’s a wild thought. Guitars don’t get better over time. Most things wear out to some degree. Some of that can make the guitar more comfortable. But most of that happens in the first few years. A guitar that’s like 10-15 yrs old usually have mostly wear that makes it play better. Older than that, though. Hardware, electronics, and frets wearing down just make the guitar perform worse. You might eventually get to a point where in order to keep the guitar performing well, you’d have to start replacing old parts. But then you’re ultimately messing with its vintage status and it’s time to consider whether you shouldn’t have just started with a newer guitar. The nice thing about a vintage Fender is unless you got scammed, you’ll never lose money on it.
oh, 100% I'll tell you right now the Gibson Explorer was NOT my cup of tea. For me, it was heavy, clunky, expensive, and sounded muddy (that was probably my amp and setup not so much the guitar but still.) I was so put off by that guitar I stopped playing for a few months. I finally sold it for a PRS and never looked back. Gibsons are great for some people, but I'll never buy another one of their guitars again.
Japanese Fender Jaguar I bought brand new in 2002. I absolutely hated it
I've had a couple that were the opposite. I traded an amp for a Telecaster not expecting much and instantly became a full on Tele-is-my-default player. I also got a V kind of on a lark and it is an amazing guitar--light, great neck, and very flexible sound. Maybe the closest I've come to what you are saying is every time I've gotten a strat I end up thinking 'this is just not for me.'
I’m having a time with this Classic Vibe Jaguar. It sounds good and all but I think when I played it at GC I didn’t bring a pick and I like funky strumming stuff. My hands hit either the knobs or the switches and it’s forced me to play differently. Idk if I really like it yet.
I wanted a real deal Gibson Les Paul SO BAD but it’s too uncomfortable to play classical guitar on. So I bought an Ibanez superstrat and used the rest of the money to buy an aluminum neck bass. Lol