Meh, played my strat today

[Acoustic Al]

Originally Posted by ClaptonWannabe2

May I ask your age?

An acoustic can blend into the home, electric, not so much. I go back and forth.

ClaptonWannabe2 I am 48, back in my teens and 20's I owned many electrics. Played in a hard rock/hair band. Later in my early 30's i traded my Gibson SG in for a 70's copy natural ash strat with maple fingerboard. I always wanted one. Thought I would learn some more bluesy/pop stuff. Family and career got in the way and the guitar sat for many years. Over that time my musical tastes changed and I began to enjoy country music and the old classic rock tunes from the 70's more. Just recently (last few years) picked the guitar back up and bought a couple acoustics. Hadn't dug the start out for quite some time. Got the itch to play some 80's rock yesterday and after a couple Dokken, scorpions, and Ozzy tunes, I put it away..and picked the acoustic back up lol

Originally Posted by Martie

I keep thinking about my Jazzmaster and, much as I love it, wondering about how much I could get for it - and what new nylon string acoustic I could replace it with (something I've really been wanting lately)! I just don't play electric anymore (lost all interest in the whole band thing), but I'm also really concerned that if I sell it I'll start craving another. Might just have to save up for that new acoustic...

This is exactly what I'm going through! I actually started researching yesterday how much I could get for it, to put the $ toward another acoustic. But like you I'm afraid once it's gone, I'll want it back LOL

Originally Posted by Silurian

I'm in the same boat.

My Les Paul hasn't been out of it's case for over three years. Sometimes I Take my Tele off it's stand, plug in, fiddle with the amp settings and put it away again. I seem to have lost all interest in electrics but I am reluctant to sell just in case...

Exactly!

[Dru Edwards]

I go back and forth between the two. I just recently spent the last few years at 90% on my acoustics. Pendulum is swinging where it's going more towards electric now. Regardless, I always enjoy it.

[roylor4]

I play and gig with both on a regular basis. I have been playing acoustic for 7 years and electric for less than 3. My current preference is electric.

[KevWind]

I have played since 1964 played both acoustic and electric back then but after 2 to 3 years went totally acoustic for some 47 years. Got back into electric little over two years ago and enjoying the heck out of both, because of the difference .

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I have played since 1964 played both acoustic and electric back then but after 2 to 3 years went totally acoustic for some 47 years. Got back into electric little over two years ago and enjoying the heck out of both, because of the difference .

To me, the fact that there are acoustic and electric guitars are sort of like a gift to guitarists provided by a wise and benevolent diety. I mean, I started playing acoustically for about two years and then I bought an electric and although there was a LOT of nuance it took a while to learn to use, it was basically like a totally different instrument and language that I already basically knew how to play/speak. Not well, but adequately to make a joyful noise with it right away and then build on that and get decently proficient on both. I approach the two like they're totally different instruments, because they are, but they share a fretboard and pattern of notes and scale and chords that makes the knowledge gained on one fully transferable to the other. Try that with a piano and saxaphone!

I definitely favor one over the other at any given point in time, but I can't see ever giving one of them up for any extended period of time. There's just too much wonderfulness in both. When I'm in the middle of a long run of electric playing, where I'm really working on some stuff and haven't picked up an acoustic for a while, I'll pick one up and just start strumming some basic chords and it sounds soooo good, soooo pure. I'm really focussed on acoustic right now, learning to fingerpick finally, and that's getting about 95% of my playing time these days. But I picked up the electric yesterday or the day before, and played it for about a half hour and just had more flipping fun than I could imagine. It just makes me happy knowing there's that whole world still right there that I can visit anytime I want and stay as long as I want.

I love 'em both. I may focus more on one at a time, but I've had at least one of each within easy reach for about 40 years now. And reached for both, a lot.

-Ray

[paulp1960]

I like both as well although I feel more attracted to the electric guitar lately.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by Acoustic Al

Haven't played electric for about 3 years. Practice at least an hour on an acoustic daily. My wife might tell you more like 4 hours lol! Anyway, I had an urge to dust off the strat today. First thing I noticed was I couldn't keep a chord in tune, since I was so used to applying pressure on the acoustic. Toned it down after a few minutes all was good. I also found that I just didn't enjoy it as much as the acoustic. I played for about 45 minutes, put it down and played another 2 hours on the acoustic. I used to love playing the electric and kind of felt like the acoustic was bothersome. Blows my mind that the opposite is true now. Anyone else have this happen?

Nope, though I admit that there are stretches when I don't play anything. It just sounds like you have the wrong strings on it.

My Strat was a wedding gift from my wife that we picked out together after I popped the question: a 1998 American Standard made with 3 pieces of ash and finished in a clear coat. I had them swap off a neck with a maple fretboard with one with a rosewood one.

I was big into Stevie Ray Vaughan and I read that he liked to play with heavier gauge strings. I was used to ultra lights but was already on an acoustic kick so I compromised and put on .011s; D'Addorio Blues Rock nickels which have served me well for 20 years. In fact, the last set has been on my guitar for over 15 - which is ironic since I swap out acoustic strings as frequently as every 6 weeks. What's really strange is that those Jazz Rock strings don't feel dead. If anything, they feel lively compared to the D'Addorio EJ17 (.013s) that I put on both my active acoustics.

Back in the 80s I used to use .008 GHS Boomers on a Kramer and try and play like Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. I could never pull it off. Keeping a Floyd Rose in tune is like tuning a 12 string: a constant effort - and those gossamer light strings would always snap. Now with the thicker strings I can bend them all just fine and they all hold tune and (unless the weather changes) keep the tuning rock stable. On the acoustics I can bend a half step, on the electric a full step.

So, long story short the Strat fits in the family just fine. Because of the "heft" of the solid wood body and the need for a tube amp to make the tone seem as warm as its acoustic cousins it stands out but that difference is something that I actually like. As for technique, my tendency to play without a pick a lot of the time have transferred over and every now and then I'll "forget" to pick one up and play a little Mark Knopfler, Lindsay Buckingham and even a song from Jeff Beck (People Get Ready.)

It's all in the strings. Even when I get "bored" with my acoustics, I just break out a new pack. Oddly, I haven't had to do that with my Strat. I guess I got lucky. I don't even know if D'Addorio even sells the same strings; they've changed the wrappers since I bought the 3 pack of strings and I still have a set left.

[FrankHudson]

I'm firmly in the both camp, and resonate with what raysachs has said in the thread for example: acoustic and electric are two different instruments with a common user interface.

Currently, I'm at the compose/play/realize music place. This means, that despite my limited skills, I'm not an acoustic guitarist, or electric guitarist, or bass player, or keyboard player, or percussionist*, or bowed string instrument player. I write music and play it, using what instruments and timbres seem to fit my mood or the composition and who I have available to lend a hand.

I think a fair number of folks in this thread or in the ACF in general do fit into the mode described in the thread, as primarily home players: they play songs on acoustic and noodle or do other things that don't amount to fully realized songs on electric.

But where I'm at now, when I play it's nearly always to realize a composition. I have to remind myself that it'd be good to take some time just to practice, just to keep up my calluses, finger strength, and coordination.

Because I'm a guitarist as far as any playing skills at all, I tend to start compositions on guitar. Traditionally in rock-oriented music that's been "Write on acoustic, and demo it to the band." I'll do that sometimes, and I still write pieces that have only solo acoustic guitar for instrumentation, but oddly enough I often find myself writing on electric guitar. Why? I can do that absolutely or near silently, without bothering anyone in the house, and because I can keep an electric guitar handy in my office and "Studio B" without the need of a bulky case. I've thought about buying a cheap all-laminated acoustic for this purpose or just allowing that I might damage one of my inexpensive guitars in using them up for my project like a tool, but that hasn't happened.

Anyway, I'm of the "both make wonderful sounds and I wouldn't want to be without either" opinion.



*my keyboard playing skills are very very low, so I'll cheat with arpeggiators or recording parts in multiple passes. My drum skills are also very low, so I edit drum set patterns and play occasional hand percussion. For bowed strings, the guitar as an interface can actually work fairly well with MIDI pickups, so just like with acoustic and electric guitar you can use the interface you know, just adjust your playing to the different musical envelope and timbre.

[muscmp]

nope, as with another thread, electrics are guitars too. they just need an amp to properly enjoy it, and that is about 40% of the sound. tweaking guitar and amp is the name of the game.

but, i'm different in that i don't like an electrified acoustic. if i record, i use a mic instead,

play music!

[packmule]

Exact opposite of the OP here - I've gotten back into electric guitar having just picked up a very sweet 2017 Nash T-63 with a Charlie Christian pickup in the neck position. I'm really enjoying both it and my 00-18 and love how I write distinctly different songs on the electric vs. the acoustic. Bottom line is now I'm playing more than ever (and I was already playing a lot each day) and I'm also writing more songs.

[PTony]

I’m in the opposite boat. 10 years ago I played nothing but acoustics. Mostly high end. Owning every brand you can think of...and some boutiques as well.

I started on an electric at 8 years old (a sunburst Harmony from the JcPenny catalog. Came with a pitch pipe, a cardboard box, a 5 watt “amp” and a cable. Not to mention action that had to be 9/64 lolol) and never owned an acoustic until I was in my 30’s.

From my early to mid 30’s I was really into Dave Matthews and loved playing rhythm in a percussive style using my acoustic(s). I even went through a 12 string phase where I used it live (primarily) for a couple of years.

In the last 6-7 years, while I own some acoustics I primarily play electric.

Not unlike my hunt for “that guitar/sound” in my acoustic pursuit, I’ve gone through the same thing in the electric world.

After countless guitars (both acoustic and electric), numerous amps (both acoustic and electric) and TONS of pedals (again both acoustic and electric) I’ve finally honed my collection to exactly what works for me in both feel and tone. At least at this stage in my life. I absolutely love every piece of gear I have. And anything that sat unused or unloved was sold, given away, or traded.

While I still love playing my acoustics, I really only use them in my office, or at home when I want to just grab a guitar and write or work through material.

That being said, now that I’ve found the electric tone that I “hear in my head” I can easily play for hours like I used to with my acoustics. Not to mention the ease on my hand regarding fretting and hand fatigue.

I don’t fiddle with pedals or amp setting any longer either. That alone can be maddening. I USED to spend more time fiddling than actually playing. Once I found the tone I was seeking that stopped.

Either way, I believe as long as we are creating music and sharing our talents/gifts for not just our benefit but others...I say play what inspires you most.

Seasons change. Tastes change. That’s one of the beautiful aspects of music and creativity. It is always growing and changing. IMHO that is.

[DukeX]

I love both. Three years ago I was mostly playing electric. Now mostly acoustic. Going to start recording some of the Country, Blues, Pop, etc. songs I've written over the years, so the electrics will be getting a workout.

Lots of fun to be had with both.

[51 Relic]

Yes the same happened to me 8 years ago . Now I love the Acoustic guitar and fingerstyle playing , a world away from my gigging past ( Country and function bands ) my electrics are all cleaned and safe in their cases

[JeffreyAK]

Originally Posted by Acoustic Al

Anyone else have this happen?

Nope.

I go back and forth, then to mandolin, then to bass, then back around, but my electric gets the most play time. Thing about electric is, I don't have to plug it in, and if I don't then it's quiet and I can play at any time, even when the wife and cats are asleep. My harp guitars especially are LOUD, and that limits me to playing time windows that don't always work out well.

[M Sarad]

Since I am in two bands, I practice electric everyday. I get the mandolin out about twice a month and the acoustics a few times a week.