What Electric Guitar Type Should Every Electric Guitarist Own?

[blue]

Originally Posted by redir

She's my #1 and I call her Blondie.

Blondie puts the "hard" in hardtail. I bet that thing rings for days.

[ataylor]

I’ve got to go with the fundamental aesthetics and tones of the Telecaster. Great option if it’s your only electric, great complement to any other electric guitar if it’s not. I’d really like a Stratocaster right now, but that’s only because I already own a Tele — first things first

[Chickee]

As the poll stands right now, it seems the original godfathers of electric guitar really had it right from the start.
A slab of wood, a magnet and strings. Bigsby knew it, Fender knew it, and of course LesPaul knew it. How lucky I feel to have lived from the beginning of production electrics thru today! I love electric guitars.

[M Sarad]

I have all three family Les Paul counts. My first LP was a 1952 gold top. Second was a 1959 TV Special. I miss them both.

[The Watchman]

I have all three. The Tele is easiest and most fun to play. The LP is more serious-sounding and satisfying when you get the settings right. The Strat is the most versatile, so I think it wins the "only one" contest.

[raysachs]

I'm a hard core strat guy, but I wouldn't ever say that every electric guitarist should have ANYTHING but what they want. Some will like strats, some will like Les Pauls, some will like teles, some will like SGs, some will like 335 type semi hollowbodys, some will like Riks, some will like hollow body jazz boxes.

There just isn't any one guitar that EVERY electric guitarist should own. I can't vote in this even though I'm as strong a fan of one of the choices as anyone on earth. None of us can speak for anyone else, let along everyone else...

[RP]

Originally Posted by raysachs

...I can't vote in this even though I'm as strong a fan of one of the choices as anyone on earth. None of us can speak for anyone else, let along everyone else...

Yes you can. That's the point of this poll. Just because you vote doesn't mean anybody's going to purchase based on your vote...

[DukeX]

For me the only two must haves are a T-style and a ES-335 style.

[Dru Edwards]

It depends ... for me and others like me it's the Les Paul. For my buddy and other people like him it's a Strat.

There is no right, wrong, or correct answer. It is; however, a great discussion point. I'm glad we have the option of those three guitars. I'm even more glad that we can own all three.

[Steve DeRosa]

Over my lifetime I've known a few studio players, and there's a basic tone arsenal you need to have if you're truly serious about the electric guitar game:

• Strat (traditional S/S/S pickup layout)
• Les Paul Standard (humbucker)
• ES-335/345/355
• Gretsch hollowbody w/Filter'trons
• Full-size (16/17/18") archtop (carved or laminated/pickup type optional)

There was a certain amount of overlap and cross-usage - one guy liked the extra midrange punch of his ES-330 versus a FT Gretsch, another used a 345 for "humbucker rock" and a late-60's P-90 LP for gritter stuff - and although a couple guys owned them nobody considered a Tele an absolute "must-have" guitar; maybe it's just a New York thing...

[rockabilly69]

I can't see a one guitar that fits all applications. Especially the classic designs For example, if you set up a Strat or a Tele to get the heavier tones of a Les Paul, than INMNSHO you lose what the Strat or Tele does well. I'm a guitar collector by hobby, but a guitar player by profession. If you told me I had to limit myself to one electric guitar I would limit myself to my Zemaitis SUJ101-LTD13. This guitar is far from what it was like when I bought it, as I completely gutted it electronically wise, and even swapped out the tuners to 1:21 ratio gotohs. But the reason it would be my number one is because the pickups (the Dearmond 2000 based Gajobo MR2000SB) have a bright enough tone under low gain that I can use it where I would use a Fender guitar, but they also sound really good with great mid as you dial up the gain. Another reason it would be my number one it has a sound and feel that resonates with me.



I would also consider my Gibson R4, as a P90 is a really versatile pickup and very similar to the MR2000SB in it's flexibility.

[Steel and wood]

Stratocaster(first and foremost), Telecaster and a big old archtop with humbuckers. (Or a Gretsch semi like a 6120 with single coils).

I've no desire for a Les Paul.

[Rudy4]

Not only should every "electric" player own a Tele, but that's the only electric guitar they should own.

I played an American Standard Strat for several years but never really warmed up to it. I eventually picked up a Telecaster and said "So THIS is what it's all about!".

If you're prone to bending you might as well get a Tele with 1 or even 2 benders. Change your name to Graham, too...

[revive]

If one already has a strat, does he need to also own a tele (or vice versa), given that the two guitars have a lot of similarities?

[joebloggs]

Scale length should also be a consideration when deciding. I voted Tele, because it's more versatile than your average Les Paul. I view the Tele as the ES-335 of the single coils. I own a LP, Tele and a 335, amongst others. All are great.