High end guitar: What song should you be capable of

[Fro]

Originally Posted by DBW

I would say once you realize that you are serious about playing and are not going to quit, then you should feel comfortable buying whatever guitar you want and can afford.

I agree with this statement. Notice he didn’t say anything about technical ability or song difficulty. Once you are serious enough to know you won’t quit.

[Cachecropp]

Originally Posted by musicman1951

It's an interesting premise, but one that is (for me) fatally flawed. Given a little technique and a lot of time almost everyone could learn one song.

Casting aside the ridiculous notion that there should be a qualifying test for purchasing anything, my test for me would be very different.

There is no suggestion anywhere in my OP that there is a qualifying test or that you are judging anyone else in the world. There is no suggestion that anyone cannot buy whatever they want. Seems to be a major hang-up for most responders here. It’s very simple and intended to be a fun conversation. Let’s take a nice calming breath, relax and simply consider the songs you like and admire. If YOU were to identify one song that would make YOU feel like you were ready to benefit from a top tier boutique guitar, what would that song be? Many of you have already reached that level and maybe could share a special song that you were really proud of mastering.

[PiousDevil]

Originally Posted by Wellington

Some of the worst guitarists I've seen such as on YouTube, have $5000+ guitars, and by far the best guitarists I've seen (non professional) have only had cheap guitars under a thousand. So, I think if you don't know how to play but are buying a guitar to learn on and you've got money and buy a $5000 guitar, all the power to you lol.

I’m gonna disagree with this, though I support the underlying message. Andy Mckee, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle, Tosin Abasi, Tim Henson, all have pretty nice instruments, are all amazing and are all fairly prominent on Youtube.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I used to be a hard core cyclist and if your goal is speed, I always loved the quote from the great Eddie Merckx, “don’t buy upgrades - ride up grades”… But there are a lot of worthy reasons to ride a bicycle other than racing, and if you enjoy riding, ride a fair amount, and have the $$, riding a bike that’s built for you, taking both how you’re built and how you like to ride into account, it’ll greatly enhance your enjoyment of riding. Anyone’s definition of a “fair amount” will do. I was averaging about 5000 miles per year for several years in my prime, bought a couple of incredible custom frames from Tom Kellogg after spending a few hours riding with him and riding a stationary bike while he took a bunch or measurements, and the more aggressive of the two frames he built for me was the sweetest thing I ever threw a leg over. - the other one was for partially loaded touring, and it was just as useful and great for its intended purpose, but not quite as much fun. I never ever raced and rarely knew my average speed (or cared), but I spent a lot of time on a bike and that frame was the best $$ I ever spent in cycling.

I’m not a great player and by the standards of many around here, I probably suck. But as was the case with with cycling, I love playing and play a lot, and playing guitars that play great and sound great (to MY ears - they’re the only judges that matter here) are worth whatever I pay for them. I’ve never stepped into the world of boutique guitars, and may never feel the need or desire to, but I have a couple really nice production Martins that I don’t play up to the level of, but I love em, I’m not giving them up, I play the snot out of em, and they make the many hours I spend playing way more enjoyable than any other guitars ever have. My skill level is irrelevant.

Which is a much longer way of saying what I said a couple pages back, directly addressing the OP’s question, “Mary Had A Little Lamb”, and I’m not even sure I could still play that one, at least from memory…

-Ray

I think we are twin llamas with different mamas! I used to race both road and mountain bikes but drifted away from the racing and got really into long distance road cycling peaking with doing a PAC Tour in 2000 (cross country ride, San Diego to Charleston). The stats exceeded the Tour De France in terms of mileage and vertical elevation and that was my motivation to do it because the Tour and the drama of it always inspired me a lot. During that time I got two custom road frames built to my body geometry I still ride today. One is a Seven Axiom titanium frame and the other is a Richard Sachs lugged steel frame. I love them both but probably ride the Sachs more because it rides like "buttah" on the road and it fits me like a glove. I just rebuilt it with a new Campy Record group and I enjoy that bike like it is new. I regularly ride road bike and mountain bike (great trails in our area) but for fun, enjoy both more than ever.

Regarding the OP, I always like Bob Taylor's advice to buy the guitar(s) that inspires you to play every day. There's no price setpoint for that.

[Dotneck]

Originally Posted by Cachecropp

Please provide name of song and which version (if performed by more than one guitarist).

Stairway to Heaven

[Tnfiddler]

I have to share what was said to me when I started my journey on the fiddle. I started out with a $109 fiddle, that was ok for a beginner. After about 6-7 months, I upgraded to the next fiddle in the particular brands line and played it for several months. I then knew I was going to continue playing, so I went to Nashville to hit a legit violin shop and get a really good instrument. The owner there told me that, IF I knew I was going to continue playing, get the very best instrument that I could afford and grow into it versus continuing to buy a little bit better, then a little better than that one and so on. He also said the same thing about a good bow too. Having a great instrument that sounds and feels good to play will MAKE you WANT to play more.

[TBman]

deleted.........................

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by s2y

I'm dying to know what everyone paid for a guitar they bought in 1997.

I bought my first Lowden, an O-10 (cedar/mahogany) in 1997. It cost me £1,395 brand new. The equivalent instrument, now designated O-22, would cost ~£3,300 today.

[RoseAdi]

Originally Posted by DBW

I would say once you realize that you are serious about playing and are not going to quit, then you should feel comfortable buying whatever guitar you want and can afford.

I agree with DBW and would add that a great guitar could be an inspiration to play and advance your skills.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

I think we are twin llamas with different mamas! I used to race both road and mountain bikes but drifted away from the racing and got really into long distance road cycling peaking with doing a PAC Tour in 2000 (cross country ride, San Diego to Charleston). The stats exceeded the Tour De France in terms of mileage and vertical elevation and that was my motivation to do it because the Tour and the drama of it always inspired me a lot. During that time I got two custom road frames built to my body geometry I still ride today. One is a Seven Axiom titanium frame and the other is a Richard Sachs lugged steel frame. I love them both but probably ride the Sachs more because it rides like "buttah" on the road and it fits me like a glove. I just rebuilt it with a new Campy Record group and I enjoy that bike like it is new. I regularly ride road bike and mountain bike (great trails in our area) but for fun, enjoy both more than ever.

Regarding the OP, I always like Bob Taylor's advice to buy the guitar(s) that inspires you to play every day. There's no price setpoint for that.

I never raced on the road, but I did a few mountain bike races when I first got into riding (all MTB). I didn't really like the pain or discipline of racing - I had that in other areas of my life - this was supposed to be FUN! (An attitude very much the same as how I approach playing music).

I turned into a roadie pretty quickly, though, had a number of steel and ti frames before I finally broke down and went custom. I was actually in line for one of Richard's frames, but his line was about seven years at that point, and I bailed on him and had Tom Kellogg design me a ti frame (took 2-3 months IIRC, to get the finished frame from Merlin), which I loved so unbelievably much, I had him do another one for more relaxed rides, more tire clearance, etc. Great frame, but not near as much fun as the first one. BTW, with initials of RSachs, I got mistaken online for Richard a number of times. I knew him a little bit - met him a couple times. We used to call each other "cuz", but he never offered me a family discount...

I know folks who did the PAC tour - that's a level of crazy I never aspired to! Never wanted to ride PBP either. I did a number of one and two week tours (both supported and un-supported), but nothing longer, and they never averaged more than about a metric century a day. That was enough for me. But man I loved it when I was doing it. I was never more than a strong B rider though. I could hang with the A groups until the road went up, then I was on a solo ride, so when I wanted to ride with people, I'd do a B ride.

-Ray

[ataylor]

I’ve told my young kids that when they can play — and sing — “Blackbird” (one of their perennial favorites of Dad’s “guitar songs” at bedtime), they can either pick one of my guitars to keep or I’ll take them to the guitar shop to pick one out.

Tangentially-related intro to my post aside, while I don’t think there needs to be any kind of prerequisite to owning a nice guitar, it makes sense to me that someone’s ownership of a fine instrument would be augmented by the time and effort and and interest that would help one to better appreciate the subtleties and craft that go into a higher-end guitar.

That might be someone who’s played for 40 years that knows their way around the fretboard like nobody’s business, or it just might be someone that plays a few cowboy chords but has really taken up an interest in the art and craft of guitar. I’m less excited by the idea of people owning guitars exclusively as investments, but hey — if that’s someone’s hobby, that’s cool.

What’s great is that there are so many good to great guitars out there today — vintage, used, or new — at every price point imaginable. Great time to be a guitar player (or enthusiast or connoisseur or whatever)!

[MThomson]

I'm in the camp that thinks you're asking the wrong question for the answers you're hoping for.

For me, there is no competency related gate to buying a high end guitar. The only questions needed are: Can I afford it? Will I enjoy playing it enough to make it worthwhile? That's it.

In terms of which pieces have served as a gate for me to feel like I was a decent player I'll offer 2:

Lauro's El Negrito

Al Petteway - River (Performed here by the unbelievably good Dustin Furlow)

[sinistral]

Perhaps one should have songs at $5K increments. So for a $25 - 30K+ Olsen, Somogyi, etc., is TE’s version of Classical Gas too easy?

[edcmat-l1]

Originally Posted by Dotneck

Stairway to Heaven

Somebody had to. I'm surprised it took 5 pages lol

[bufflehead]

"Till my guitar gently weeps."

Which, incidentally, is in C major.

If you can nail the E7sus without having to look it up, go ahead and treat yourself to a $6,000 guitar.