Learning on 2 styles of guitar; slow me down or end up better on the long run?

[vindibona1]

I can respond directly and provide direct and indirect anecdotal support...

No it will not slow down your progress, but recommend you play each guitar regularly, preferably in the same or subsequent practice sessions.

I am a semi-professional trumpet player who sometimes gets calls to do orchestral stuff which requires trumpets in different keys. My main trumpets are in Bb and C but significantly difference in the way they blow and the intonation. IF I rotate each during my practice sessions I can go to a performance and switch from one to the other and back- cold. However if I don't practice on my C as much as my Bb I might as well be playing a different instrument altoghether.

From a guitar standpoint I can relate with different nut widths. My Taylors have a wider nut than my Martin or other guitars. I can go back and forth without thinking when I have them all out to practice on. However I recently spent a month playing Taylor exclusively and when I took the Martin our a month later and went to play it my fingers didn't exactly know where to go.

As for the 12 fret to full size guitars it should be even less of a problems as it should merely be frets slightly closer together on the shorter scale instrument.

Every individual has different sensitivities to these things- hence the long answer.

[DukeX]

Your problem isn't having too many guitars, it's having too few.

[Dawgrit]

Thanks for everyone’s advice. I think naturally, being in a new guitar situation, I got excited (and over thought it). Never had 2 guitars to choose from. And naturally, “practice practice practice” or “just play” can usually give you an answer. I Just set them in front of me and grab them back and forth depending on what I’m playing and how I feel. Thanks!

[Dawgrit]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I can respond directly and provide direct and indirect anecdotal support...

No it will not slow down your progress, but recommend you play each guitar regularly, preferably in the same or subsequent practice sessions.

I am a semi-professional trumpet player who sometimes gets calls to do orchestral stuff which requires trumpets in different keys. My main trumpets are in Bb and C but significantly difference in the way they blow and the intonation. IF I rotate each during my practice sessions I can go to a performance and switch from one to the other and back- cold. However if I don't practice on my C as much as my Bb I might as well be playing a different instrument altoghether.

From a guitar standpoint I can relate with different nut widths. My Taylors have a wider nut than my Martin or other guitars. I can go back and forth without thinking when I have them all out to practice on. However I recently spent a month playing Taylor exclusively and when I took the Martin our a month later and went to play it my fingers didn't exactly know where to go.

As for the 12 fret to full size guitars it should be even less of a problems as it should merely be frets slightly closer together on the shorter scale instrument.

Every individual has different sensitivities to these things- hence the long answer.

I do find just having them both right there just works the question out. But I heed your advise of making sure I use both in respects to versatility.

[Dawgrit]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Did I understand correctly that you said an Alvarez was a poor man's Collings??

Haha, yes! I guess in regards to the slotted 12-fret dread arda1965 being the closest thing to a DS1A I could find for $350. Although, I wasn’t looking for it, it found me. And I must say I absolutely love it! I actually pull it more than the Sable, and not because it is newer to me. Hopefully I didn’t insult anybody with the “poor man’s” term. I’m probably on the low end of Blue Collar, myself. But although I’m not in a situation I prefer to be in, I do not have any extended financial responsibility beyond basic bills. Though, I should put more into savings. In other words.... I’m not married.

[Aspiring]

I'm also re engaging on my guitar playing and taking it more seriously after a time away. I did something similar and have picked up several new to me guitars all nice but different.

What I am finding is by paying attention to what does and doesn't work well on each one I'm learning more about how to adjust things and my preferences. For example I have figured out a bit about what I find more playable in strings. (I have elexir nano webs on one had daddario ej19 on another and then Thomastik Plektrum on a third also with scale length variations). I noticed that I had some troubles with cleaner fretting and transitions on the treble plain steel strings on the Thomastik so played around just switching those strings and have found that I definitely play better with the treble strings from Daddario. Now I'm trying to figure our what about them works better but surprisingly I think it's because they are slightly higher tension than the others.

I also have my early 90s Ovation that I bought new in 92 and in comparison to the new guitars I'm learning I don't like a round back or the really round curvature on that fretboard.

Any rate, I have multiple scale lengths (24 on the X7 to 25.5 on the Ovation and my Breedlove) multiple fretboard radius, (8" on the Ovation to 20" on the RainSong) different neck shapes different string spacing etc. It's great to have the options and as I go back and forth they are all still guitars. The things I'm learning in my lessons carry equally well to all.

[Riverwolf]

When I first started I would alternate between 3 very different guitars-

1- electric Fender Strat
2- a travel guitar with a 1 11/16 nut
3- an 000 with a 1 3/4 nut

It seemed I could do this without thinking...
Now all I can cleanly play is OM/000 with 1 3/4 nuts. (?)

Sometimes the more we know the harder it gets

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by LikeASir_

I think you’re overthinking this. Don’t worry about the guitar and start playing. You’re lucky your starting out on such a nice guitar!

I'll 2nd this.

When I started teaching myself I thought nothing of the guitars and everything about placing and changing chords fluidly at tempo. I never had a negative thought about any of it because all of it was new territory and naturally challenging. I think if I did begin to have 2nd thoughts my progress would have been slaved to the negativity.

[der Geist]

I know that on most days i will play 2 or 3 of my guitars usually changing genre of music to match the the guitar. This helps me play longer and adds more diversity to my practice time which keeps my interest peaked. I say anything that helps you play more is a good thing.