"Beater" Stage guitar???

[Tahitijack]

That's why God created Ovations. My Ovation is my gig guitar along with my Strat. Ovations sound pretty good plugged in and pretty good is pretty good and almost always good enough. For me, most of our set list is electric so taking a Taylor out would be overkill and not make much difference for a handful of songs. I would not suggest looking for a beater to gig with, I'd find one that sounds fine and would not be a heartbreaker or expensive to replace.

[Bob Womack]

I have a stage guitar that I have called a beater but really isn't even though I mentioned it in the beater thread. I came to own it after my lovely wife bought me a nice Taylor K14c koa/cedar for our 20th anniversary and I fell in love with it. I knew I didn't want to take that guitar out into a rotten environment, so I started looking for something similar. What I landed on was another Taylor GA. They ran a limited edition series in 2001 called the Legends of the Fall group that featured upgrade woods on some of their then-lower lines. Because I liked the koa and neck on the K14c I tried out the 314kce, a 300 series with the body wood upgraded to koa and a spruce top. I paid extra and upgraded to a pink poodle case as well. I started gigging the thing and the next thing you know it became an old familiar friend. That just seems to happen with me. Once a guitar absorbs some memories I gets personal.


Well anyway, it is now the acoustic I keep at the studio when I need to play walk-in sessions. I have better sounding instruments I can commute in but I got the 314kce set up really well and it is just a great all-round instrument - kind of a swiss army knife of guitars. It has really mellowed with age and is probably the instrument I've used on the most score sessions.




Bob

[alnico5]

I only have one acoustic. I take care of it.

[jseth]

I take either one of my two hand built 6 string acoustics for gigs... never thought of leaving one home because I was afraid of "something" happening to it. I bought both of them to play, and that's what I do, I play and sing and write songs as my life's work. Absolutely makes NO sense to have a great guitar and NOT use it!

Given that, there are a lot of very decent acoustic-electric guitars in the sub-$700 range that would suffice for a performing instrument.

One of the best ones I've seen lately has been an Alvarez model, not sure of the nomenclature. Shape/size is a mini or small jumbo... laminate walnut back and sides, solid cedar top. Cutaway and Baggs electronics in the barn door.

Great feeling and playing neck, may need a bit of set-up work out of the box, but not much. Fit and finish is very good, ESPECIALLY for a $550 guitar!

If I were younger and needed a guitar for gigging, I'd jump on one of these Alvarez models... and I wouldn't worry a whole lot about getting a ding in it!

[JackB1]

So you recommend a cheap X series Martin with an aftermarket electronics system?

Originally Posted by lkingston

I am one of these. I practice with a Martin D15M that rarely leaves the house but play out with my Martin DX1. Both my Martins have Schertler AG6/S-Mic pickups. The D15 and the DX1 match very nicely in dimensions and feel, so it is very easy to go back and forth between them. Acoustically, the all solid Martin sounds better, but amplified they sound the same. Both have have been set up nicely.

A DX1 with a nice setup and high quality after market setup is a wonderful gigging instrument!

[Photojeep]

Up until about 3 years ago, I only owned guitars that many people would consider "beater", at least as measured by the price I paid new.

I only play out at my church so I'm not in what you would call a rough environment but take either my Gibson J15 or my Martin DCPA4, not "high end" Uber-expensive but the most I've ever paid for a guitar. I guess my Martin DRS-2 would be the "beater" of the bunch as it's value new was a little over $800.

I've never broken a string at church since I've owned higher end guitars but in the interest of full disclosure, I learned about frets wearing out only about 8-9 years ago and I've been playing close to 50 years...

Having said that, I've broken my share of strings years ago when I was playing my lower priced guitars at church (who knew worn frets would break strings ). When it happened, I just kept playing through the song then as unobtrusively as possible, I would change, tune, and stretch the new one as quietly as possible and continue on.

I don't have an extra guitar with me but you can bet your bottom dollar I have several sets of strings and batteries in every guitar's case.

I guess we all have our own unique take on what constitutes a beater and the worry of where it's safe to play it.

Best,
PJ

[JackB1]

Best (stock) cheap stage guitar I would have to say is the Epiphone DR500,
which can be had for under $500 used.

[Tony Burns]

I wouldnt worry about replacing a guitar on stage if a sting breaks .
You keep playing it until the song is over -you take a minute or two break -
maybe talk to the audience or have one of you band mates play something
- dont forget to stretch the string so it stays in tune after the change .
somethings are not worth fretting over !

[alnico5]

Ignore- double post

[foxo]

Originally Posted by Goat Whiskey Picks

The one guy that might be able to tell a difference plays guitar and is spending the whole night thinking he can do it so much better than me anyway.

Hah, I’ve encountered a few of these types.

Sometimes it really is best playing to non-musicians who are just enjoying your music rather than scrutinising your every chord change.

P.S. had a wee listen to your Soundcloud, great stuff, have followed.

[Pineapple Pete]

Why not just grab a Yamaha FG series and put a decent pickup in it?

The ultimate beater, they play well with a good setup, and can be had online for under a hundy used. Done, as far as I can tell.

The guy who makes the cheaper alternative to the K&K system sells them cheap - can't recall the name, but for less than $200 all in, the perfect bar/beater/backup/outdoor gig/whatever guitar.

Liam Clancy, who could afford nice guitars, gigged all over the world with a Yamaha, among others, for years.

[cdkrugjr]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have had people walk right into me while walking to the stage on several occasions and have bumped into tables myself as well. Sometimes getting to the stage is a bit like an obstacle course I think a cheap Mexi-Martin may be a good idea for this role. The problem with cheap guitars is that they usually come with cheap pickups....so the challenge here is to find a cheap guitar with a "pretty good" pickup system. Of course there is always the option of doctoring the sound with a DI/Preamp or other foot pedal.

You know, I've been impressed with the Mexi Martins I've played.

Just get one without a pickup and put a Good Enough pickup in it. Even if some drunk plays El Kabong with it, you can salvage the pickup.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by JackB1

OK so there's been plenty of talk about a beater guitar...how about a beater stage guitar? Maybe one that you keep as a spare in case you break a string or one that you take to some of the more seedy bars you play? So it needs to be something that's cheap but also sounds pretty good plugged in.

An alternative I guess would be to get something cheap and put a decent after market pickup system in it? If that's your choice...which aftermarket system would you install?

Some ideas I thought of are: used Taylor 114ce, Epiphone DR400 or 500

I decided to quote the OP and respond to the questions.
We don’t play in “seedy bars” so that’s that.
Break a string? ...never happened. If I did ...play without it.

Personally, I bought all my guitars to use them at gigs. A couple have K and K’s, one has a Fishman VTS and one has an L.R.Baggs I-beam. They all work just fine.
To quote myself and others, “it’s a tool, not a museum piece.” YMMV.

[Oldguy64]

Every guitar I have had some sort of pickup in it.
My two preferred guitars are my Alvarez Yairi, and my Takamine P3DC.
As I have never (touch wood) broken a string on stage, I don’t so much worry about that. I also keep fresh strings on all the guitars.
I have had a preamp battery suddenly go dead, so that is a concern.
My “backup” tends to be one of my guitars with a passive pickup.

That said, I only play out at church, so not too worried about much rowdyness.

[fuman]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Has anyone tried taking an ultra cheap guitar and putting in a really good pickup system?

I'll let you know how it goes. I have an old Ibanez acoustic and I got a D-Tar pickup system that I plan to slap in there. It’s been delayed by some. Other mods. (New saddle, and I am trying to add a second(magnetic) pickup. It’s a small-bodied guitar and I’m interested to see how an 18-volt system will sound in there.