The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #76  
Old 01-20-2020, 10:43 PM
zmf zmf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 7,671
Default

The focus of this thread is -- does it matter what guitar you're playing?

You're kidding, right?
Reply With Quote
  #77  
Old 01-20-2020, 10:47 PM
Joe Beamish Joe Beamish is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 1,702
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by zmf View Post
The focus of this thread is -- does it matter what guitar you're playing?

You're kidding, right?
The focus of the thread is expressed in the OP, which is the observation that there's "too much emphasis on the guitar" and not the player.

I wouldn't expect that to fly very far around these parts.
Reply With Quote
  #78  
Old 01-20-2020, 10:55 PM
zmf zmf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 7,671
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Beamish View Post
The focus of the thread is expressed in the OP, which is the observation that there's "too much emphasis on the guitar" and not the player.

I wouldn't expect that to fly very far around these parts.
Good point, of course. The gear focus does get ridiculous.

But some guitars just feel better under your fingers.
Reply With Quote
  #79  
Old 01-20-2020, 11:07 PM
Marshall Marshall is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NW Suburban Chicago
Posts: 2,617
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Burns View Post
So what if you have a less exspensive guitar -theirs too much hype about what a guitar costs or what its made of. What really matter is how does it sound when you play it . Its the musician not the guitar - i think we put to much emphasis on a guitar and not on what it can do -or what can someone do with it --

.

I agree.

And we put too much hype on what woman to marry. Just about any girl will do really.
Reply With Quote
  #80  
Old 01-20-2020, 11:29 PM
Joe Beamish Joe Beamish is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 1,702
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marshall View Post
I agree.

And we put too much hype on what woman to marry. Just about any girl will do really.
For marriage? I agree.

Love is different, we actually have no choice.
Reply With Quote
  #81  
Old 01-21-2020, 06:29 AM
cdkrugjr cdkrugjr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 631
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tinnitus View Post
Countless epic recordings we all love have been made on marginal, even primitive gear. Technology and manufacturing have advanced to where a well-chosen guitar might be very playable, sturdy and nice sounding - all for just a few hundred bucks. A plus-side there is if some knuckle dragger drops it or wears some buckle rash into the back, you're not stuck with a tragically flawed instrument that broke your budget - and your heart.
Yep. Jimi Hendrix played one of those Horrible CBS-era Strats.

And who knows what the old Blues guys on Folkways were playing.
Reply With Quote
  #82  
Old 01-21-2020, 07:31 AM
musicman1951 musicman1951 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 4,994
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Beamish View Post
The focus of the thread is expressed in the OP, which is the observation that there's "too much emphasis on the guitar" and not the player.

I wouldn't expect that to fly very far around these parts.
This is another imaginary dichotomy. You can be a great player with a so-so guitar or a great player with a great guitar. I don't think it's curious that great players with some money choose a great guitar.

This is a guitar forum. If you need help with your technique just ask, but don't imagine that negates players interest in fine instruments.
__________________
Keith
Martin 000-42 Marquis
Taylor Classical
Alvarez 12 String
Gibson ES345s
Fender P-Bass
Gibson tenor banjo
Reply With Quote
  #83  
Old 01-21-2020, 08:15 AM
DCCougar DCCougar is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 2,941
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Burns View Post
Does it really matter what guitar you have?
Yes, it matters.
__________________

2018 Guild F-512 Sunburst -- 2007 Guild F412 Ice Tea burst
2002 Guild JF30-12 Whiskeyburst -- 2011 Guild F-50R Sunburst
2011 Guild GAD D125-12 NT -- 
1972 Epiphone FT-160 12-string
2012 Epiphone Dot CH
 -- 2010 Epiphone Les Paul Standard trans amber 

2013 Yamaha Motif XS7

Cougar's Soundcloud page
Reply With Quote
  #84  
Old 01-21-2020, 11:28 AM
s2y s2y is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Somewhere middle America
Posts: 6,594
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by musicman1951 View Post
This is another imaginary dichotomy. You can be a great player with a so-so guitar or a great player with a great guitar. I don't think it's curious that great players with some money choose a great guitar.

This is a guitar forum. If you need help with your technique just ask, but don't imagine that negates players interest in fine instruments.
Of all the groups I have encountered throughout my life, musicians seem to cling to many imaginary/false dichotomies. I also chuckle at the idea that it's better to have one great sound than 2-3 lesser tones, as if owning a guitar with multiple awesome tones is impossible.
Reply With Quote
  #85  
Old 01-21-2020, 11:36 AM
s2y s2y is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Somewhere middle America
Posts: 6,594
Default

So, the bright side is that we should all take the time and post clips or discuss clips in Show and Tell.

Sometimes I feel sorry for guys who think guitars don't matter. I'm fortunate to own guitars that feel like an extension of my soul. A few of my guitars seem to write their own songs.
Reply With Quote
  #86  
Old 01-21-2020, 11:52 AM
Silurian Silurian is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Ex Europa
Posts: 2,311
Default

The guitar matters. I'm on a never ending quest for this one.

Reply With Quote
  #87  
Old 01-21-2020, 12:09 PM
ctvolfan ctvolfan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Posts: 616
Default

I disagree. I agree that price doesn't matter. But sound and playabilty is very important to me. If I paid $5000 for one guitar and $500 for another one and I liked the feel and sound of the $500 one best, I would play it instead of the $5000 one. I used the think you got more for your money but I don't believe that anymore. Sure you can get more exotic woods or more bling with the more money you spend but I have come to realize that sound and playability is all that really matters most to me. I am more happy about how little I pay for something than how much I paid. But if it costs $5000 to get the guitar that pleases me the most then I would do that if I could afford it.
__________________
2021 Eastman E10SS SB
2021 Eastman E8D TC
1972 Yamaha FG-180 Red Label (Taiwan)
2019 Yamaha FGx5
2020 Yamaha AC3M Deluxe
2019 Yamaha FG800
2005 Taylor 214
Ibanez AEB10E Acoustic Bass
Reply With Quote
  #88  
Old 01-21-2020, 12:45 PM
Edgar Poe Edgar Poe is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 642
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrb715 View Post
It absolutely matters to me what guitar I'm playing.

And I don't believe even a great player can make a "bad" guitar sound good. This is, I understand, sort of tricky, because really fine music can and has been played on inexpensive, flimsy guitars without sustain and rich harmonics. But I think these guitars do sound good for much music, and what we generally think of as guitars that sound wonderful, say Froggy Bottoms, won't sound good with the same music because it won't sound right. But music that will sound good on Froggys won't sound just as good with a crummy guitar, no matter who plays it. This has been my experience as an audience member at more than a few concerts.
And on the other side of that coin, no matter how great your guitar is, it will not make a bad player sound good.

Ed
__________________
"Quote The Raven, NEVERMORE !"
Reply With Quote
  #89  
Old 01-21-2020, 01:11 PM
FPicker FPicker is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 135
Default

It matters if the neck feels great to you, so you can move around the frets effortlessly.

It matters if it sounds wonderful to you, if that inspires you to play more, and better.

It matters if it costs a lot of money, because then you have to worry about it more.
Reply With Quote
  #90  
Old 01-21-2020, 01:25 PM
Joe Beamish Joe Beamish is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 1,702
Default

I still agree with Tommy Emmanuel and the OP.

Player over gear.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:34 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=