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  #1  
Old 06-20-2013, 08:59 AM
chinmusic chinmusic is offline
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Default Those Of You With Several Nice Steel String Guitars...

...how do you choose which one to play? I'm asking completely earnestly and would love to know. Is it based on genres of music? What guitar catches your eye that day? Closing your eyes and pointing to a case?

Living in Colorado, humidity is a constant battle and my instruments live inside their cases. When I go to practice, it's hard enough for me to choose whether I'll practice mandolin or acoustic or whether I'll fire up the ol' amplifier and play some electric.

This has been recently exacerbated by my considering whether or not to buy a 00 to complement the dread.

Any help is appreciated.
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Old 06-20-2013, 09:12 AM
6L6 6L6 is offline
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Most of my guitars sit out on stands in different rooms of my home. Makes for easy grabbing!

I do rotate all of my guitars once/mo. If I find something isn't getting played, I sell it on CL.

Bill
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Old 06-20-2013, 09:20 AM
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Mine stay in wooden stands around the home, so its what ever one is calling me, or whatever flavor my ears are hungry for, for whatever I am writing that best fits at that moment & guitar.

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Old 06-20-2013, 09:20 AM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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I tend to play mostly one guitar for days or even weeks. Then I might do the same with another guitar. Usually I am starting up composing a new tune and sticking with one guitar during that time just seems to fit. I have accumulated a number of guitars but I probably would be happier just having one or two good ones around.
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Old 06-20-2013, 09:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by disguiseglasses View Post
...how do you choose which one to play?
Hi Do I Know You (oh! new glasses…)

I rotate them weekly at home & if I'm practicing in alternate tunings I leave one guitar in that tuning for practicing only those songs.

When friends show up to play, I hand them my main guitar and play a different one.


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Old 06-20-2013, 09:34 AM
talister106 talister106 is offline
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For most of my life, I had but two guitars a acoustic and electric. As I approached my late thirties early forties I felt it was time to get some of the guitars I wanted. In the nineties a D-28 and D-35 and a Les Paul and Strat, filled out the collection. With the addition of a twelve string a parlor and two more Martins D-16GT and D-15M, The collection with the addition of a Dobro slide and a old Penco beater guitar stands. Each guitar because of its wood or size brings something different to the party. When playing I experiment with different guitars to compare and search for the tone I like the best. Different songs, style, methods of playing: eg. strumming or fingerpicking will lead me to a certain guitar. The oldest guitar I have is a Alvarez model 5059 from the early eighties, the neck and fretboard are so broken in it is a joy to play and has the most memories built in to it. The newest guitar the D-15M has been played the most the past year because I enjoy the tone so much. So after work or especially on days off or weekends what ever mood or music strikes my fancy I have a guitar that will satisfy my musical demand.
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Old 06-20-2013, 09:43 AM
WordMan WordMan is offline
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As I said in this thread on "your strategy for acquiring guitars": http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=299778

Quote:
From my POV, I think of my guitars as tools - I assume like a chef approaches their knives. I want guitars that sit along the spectrum - small bodies for fingerstyle to light strum work; a 000/OM for versatile picking and strumming; and a bigger body for big strumming and flatpicking. I have also come to realize I want an archtop in my toolset, too.
So I pick the guitar based on what I am in the mood to play. I have been playing my old Gibson L-7c archtop a lot lately; yesterday, I was more in a strummy mood, but wanted to keep a drier tone, closer to the archtop - in case some jazzier chords crept in. So I pulled out my 1946 Gibson J-45 - perfect.
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Old 06-20-2013, 09:47 AM
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4 guitars:

a) Taylor 416ce (GS body, rosewood & sitka): I use this for 75% of my live playing - especially on songs that I play leads on. Great all-rounder; usually the guitar I automatically grab for practicing.

b) Guild D30 (dreadnaught, maple & sitka): for alternate tunings and big, loud strumming songs. This guitar records extremely well, so I use it a lot for that.

c) Martin 00015M (solid mahogany): for fingerstyle, quiet strumming songs, and for recording a second rhythm part, just for the tonal variation.

d) Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin: for all electric guitar recording/performing applications.

I don't feel the need to have any more than this, and each gets used at least a few times a week.
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:02 AM
Garthman Garthman is offline
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It depends how I'm feeling, what sound I fancy, etc. Sometimes I'll play the same guitar for a few days, sometimes I'll switch between guitars for different songs. I also switch between my steel string acoustics, nylon strung and electrics in a similar fashion.
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:02 AM
Opa John Opa John is offline
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Three dreads here and they all live in their cases in the closet of the room that my wife calls "John's room" with my computer, mandolin, fiddle and baritone uke plus various and sundry other musical "toys".

Since I play and "sing" the same types of songs on all three of the guitars there's no rhyme or reason for which one I grab first. They all do their job very well. I DO try to rotate them, though. I'd guesstimate that they all get equal playtime and somewhat regular string changes. Right now, all three of them have fresh strings......just changed all of 'em about a week ago.
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:04 AM
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It's a whole philosophical thing. Some collections are based around "great guitars". Some are based around "different guitars". Neither approach is better. It comes down to what you like.

For me, I take the "different guitars" approach. My 12 fret D, setup with a lowish action does very different things than my OM with a relatively high action, which does different things than my wood single cone resonator with a high action, which does different things than my baritone, etc.

I can play anything on any of them. But some things just sound better to my ear on different guitars. Some things are just physically easier to play on the 1 7/8 inch 12 fret D or the 1 11/16 OM. Everything seems to take on a slightly darker edge with the baritone, so my mood can make me grab that. Mood can also make me want to just hit the guitar hard, so out come the metal nationals...

As to collections of more similar "great guitars", I have no idea. But I'd bet much like me there's a combination of sound, playability/action, and never underestimate the emotional side. Guitars usually have a story. And reflection is a huge part of music to me, and I assume to others too.
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:07 AM
hovishead hovishead is offline
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Weekly rotation is the best way for me (I stick to this pretty religiously).

I used to pick and choose depending on what I was doing, but I prefer now to work with what I have out at the time. It's the only way to get to know an instrument (and stops wasting time comparing them).
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:11 AM
unimogbert unimogbert is offline
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.............................
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Old 06-20-2013, 10:11 AM
Brant0086 Brant0086 is offline
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I have mostly budget priced guitars, but I can say there is SOME method to the madness. If I want to play something soft and mellow, I grab the Samick D-8 (cedar topped.) If I want to go wild with intricate picking, I play my Martin D-16H. If I want to do heavy strumming like acoustic rock, I play my Silvertone SD-50CE. When I want to play lead in higher registers, I grab the Fender T-Bucket 400. It is all laminate maple, but sustains forever (well not literally) on higher notes.

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Old 06-20-2013, 10:13 AM
slewis slewis is offline
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You mention humidity problems, by the way, and I have two words for you: Carbon Fiber. Check 'em out if you can. No more humidity problems...
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