Does it really matter what guitar you have ?

[Tony Burns]

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 --




.

[anjoga]

You're not wrong, but there can be a lot of fun in trying different types of guitars with different materials, strings, picks, etc. Can it be taken too far on forums like this? Sure, but it is the constant flow of information put out by many knowledgeable people on this subject that helps you make intelligent independent decisions on what can work best for you.

But yes, the musician makes music not the guitar. The guitar is the tool. Some people like fancy expensive tools, some like bare bones tools, and then everything in between.

[Joe Beamish]

I agree with you. So does Tommy Emmanuel.

Your guitar certainly matters, but I agree, people put way too much emphasis on it around here.

It's called the "acoustic guitar forum", and that's what it's mostly about. The guitar, and not the music, not the player.

[TBman]

The guitar makes a difference.

You can find good sounding guitars at various price points, but the $2,000 to $3,000 budget is a good spot to be in.

However, I'm having a lot of fun playing my $299 Cordoba C5, so there's that.

[Lillis]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

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 --




.

No doubt about it. Although,through a lot of experimentation i’ve finally found the two that stir me to pick them up every chance i get. I also love the differences between the Martin and Taylor. Different tones,size,feel etc. if I get frustrated while playing one I can switch to the other and feel rejuvenated.

[sloar]

I have 3 guitars, when I play 2 of them I just play then put them up. But when I play my favorite, it brings a smile to my face and I just feel really good about owning and playing such an amazing guitar. I'm sorry to say but it kinda matters to me what kind of guitar I own.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

…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 --

Hi TB

I disagree…there are qualifications.

I certainly make it a point to attempt to play any guitar someone hands me and says "I've had this since I was 10 years old, and haven't played it for 30 years" and hands it to me, chances are I'm not going to play my best pieces on it.

If a guitar has decent resonance, sustain, responsiveness, and it has properly set action, then the guitar has done all it can. If it has newer strings, it will favor finger stylers as well.

There are limits as to how far the best musician can take an instrument which is substandard, broken, or improperly strung.

And as musicians we grow more when we upgrade substandard guitars. I maxed out my D-28 (which I played for 17 years), and the day my Olson was delivered I could perform things on it which were impossible to perform on my wonderful Martin D-28.

I've been growing with it for over 26 years.

So I believe YES, IT DOES REALLY MATTER WHAT GUITAR YOU HAVE.

[foxo]

Will I judge someone else on their guitar? No, absolutely not. Does it matter to me what I own and play myself? Of course.

[KarenB]

And it's not just about sound. It's also about how comfortable it is for the player playing for long periods of time.

[Rosewood99]

A good musician can make a cheap guitar sound good but he can make a good one sound great.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

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 --

Whether it sounds great or not, a guitar should inspire you.

[Goodallboy]

When you don't have a complete understanding of guitars and their differences, making blanket statements like "it doesn't matter about the guitar, it's the player" are bound to occur.

There are many things I don't fully understand and were I to comment on one of those many things, I'd make similar mistakes with my analysis.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Joe Beamish

…people put way too much emphasis on it around here.

It's called the "acoustic guitar forum", and that's what it's mostly about. The guitar, and not the music, not the player.

Hi Joe

I respectfully disagree that all the people here in the forum put more emphases on the guitars than on music, or the players. I think a select few do. I see more who play than those who obsess over their instruments (especially in sub-forum groups). I don't think it's even close to ¼ of the people around here who are more interested in the instruments than in playing them.

Many players here on the forum are active players, whether it be at home in our music room, couch, or porch. Many of us play in clubs, restaurants, churches, open mics, campsites, and any place someone will listen to us.

Some of us teach, and many of us play other instruments besides guitars. A lot of us are out-n-about in public playing weekly.

There are sub-forum groups dedicated to people's music they've worked up arrangements for others, and recorded and laid them before the group for public scrutiny.

When players are caught up in obsession about particular instruments, they either grow out of it and start learning to play better, or begin buyingselling/trading instruments and they generally lose interest in groups like ours (or maybe the group loses interest in them).

There are people here constantly asking about being better players, and asking questions about theory, chord structure, techniques, tunings, arrangements etc. on a regular basis. They also ask about equipment to make them sound better and help them explore their personal music further.

I don't mind when someone obsesses, but I don't often participate in those discussions. At 71 years of age, I've seen & played better instruments than most of us here will ever hold in our hands. But even at age 71 I want to sound and play better so I hang out in sections of the forum where others are pursuing those goals as well.

Just sayin' I think this is a great group of players, who applaud when we see NGD in the threads, but most of us are more interested in playing than acquiring new/better instruments.

I watch it happen to young (and sometimes old) enthusiastic participants who stick around for years, and at some point begin discussing musical concepts.

[Bridgepin]

To the average player that maybe true, but to a professional or well skilled musician, I think the quality of their instruments play a much important role in archiving what their after.

Bottom line, buy whatever makes you happy.

[sayheyjeff]

It matters to me what guitar(s) I have and I get great pleasure playing them. Gaining an understanding of what makes them what they are, how they were made, what makes them relatively unique, and what they can do is a part of the fun. Being here goes a long way to making that happen. Glad I don't have to be a great musician (or even a good one) to enjoy it all.

Jef