What makes a "workhorse" guitar, in your opinion?

[mc1]

I ordered a workhorse but was delivered a show pony.

[Charmed Life Picks]

I suspect mine is a minority opinion, but the first thing I think of is a used guitar that is structurally sound but a little beat up. In my view, these guitars have a lot of stories to tell.

scott memmer

[rllink]

I've used the term blue collar and I think that means to me the same thing. A blue collar guitar has a job to do and it gets it done. Something you can count on. I like to busk, and a blue collar guitar is one that is expensive enough, rugged enough, dependable enough and loud enough to do the job.

[RussL30]

Originally Posted by T.Lime

Any guitar- of which there are very few- that can do anything required, acoustic, amped, campfire, live, recording, solo band ,whatever and still sound high quality. They need to be affordable for a working musician, so that means in the $1500 to $2500 range. They need to be available anywhere , so if something does happen it can be replaced with very little change in sound Not much harmonic overtone so that little is needed in the way of EQ either live or recorded. While Takamines and Matons are good, they are much better amped than straight. If we leave out the boutique offerings we are left with Taylor, Martin and Gibson and of those three I venture to say that the two that most fit the bill are the Martin D-18 and the Gibson J-45

As a recent owner of a wonderful MIJ pro Takamine, I can confirm that the idea that Takamines only sound good plugged in is a Internet forum myth. My Tak sounds a good as anything else I own acoustically.

I don’t disagree with the rest of what you said, but it gets old reading that about Takamines.

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

For me it you look in the dictionary under "Workhorse Guitar" you would find a picture of my 1955/56 Epiphone FT-79. Has nothing to do with sound but it is the one guitar I own I could let sit and then grab and walk out the door without having to check it. Not a finicky bone in it. I have owned it now some 15 years and two weeks ago was the first time I have even had to tweak the truss rod. I have an incredible faith in that guitar to fire up whenever I need it.

Here's a true story about my dad's guitar. He bought it brand new i believe in the late 70's, no later than the early 80's. It's an Epiphone FT-145 I believe, or a 140 if its not a 145. Bolt on neck, adjustable saddle, laminated back, sides AND top, zero fret. It shouldn't sound good but it actually does, not Martin good, but much better than it should. It plays soooo nicely.
Anyway, it's been his only guitar until he inherited his father's old arch top, which is more of a sentimental wall ornament. His Epiphone had been his only guitar basically. There was a good 15 years it stayed in a cardboard case aside from him pulling it out once a year. He played it tons the first 10 years he had it, then the last 10ish years he's played it everyday and in the last 10 ish years he had hung it on a wall hanger in an outside wall year round, never sees a case. Canadian winters dip to -40, and dry, to very hot humid summers. In all of this, he has NEVER adjusted the truss rod, and never had a setup, aside from him having slightly adjusted the adjustable saddle. The guitar has a nice low action always. Just unbelievable, I've never seen such a consistent and maintenance free acoustic in my life.

Originally Posted by mc1

I ordered a workhorse but was delivered a show pony.

Lol

[FrankHudson]

To me workhorse doesn't mean inexpensive or any particular level of decoration, it means the guitar you use the most. That outcome is usually a combination of several things: the guitar you are most comfortable playing, the one that is most versatile, and as Wade mentions the one that is predicable and stable so that you don't have to worry about it working.

One can love a guitar that does one thing well. Or one that is a bit temperamental or fragile. Or you can have a guitar that you think that someday you'll get the best out of, but for the time being it's still a bit of a puzzle to you. None of those is a workhorse.

[blacknblues]

A better question might be ‘who’ rather than ‘what‘ makes a workhorse guitar....the Gibson J-45 has earned this nickname with the most consistency over the years for a reason.

[musicman1951]

I don't think it means much of anything definitive.

My Gibson is the one that's seen the most work. That's my 5 hours a night, 6 days a week guitar that I've been playing since the early 70's. Always works, virtually no dents or dings, looks great. But I could say the same about all my guitars, so maybe I've just never owned a guitar that's so delicate that it doesn't always work.

[Oldguy64]

For me, a “workhorse” is pretty much any or the guitars I own.
Like Wade Hampton said way back, stays in tune, requires little maintenance. Sounds good.
My “workhorse” guitars are my Takamine Pro Series, my G series 12string, the Yairi, and my Journey Instruments OF660.
I can walk on the stage at our church, plug in and be good to go.

[wisedennis]

Trigger is a kind of workhorse

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by mc1

I ordered a workhorse but was delivered a show pony.

This is the best, most entertaining post of the lot...especially since many of the other posts are saying essentially the same thing using different wording.

Tony

[Sequimite]

My sole electric for over twenty years I bought from a super talented friend who gigged almost every night: jazz, R&B, rock, blues. I figured he had put it to the test, it was versatile, excellent condition, reliable and professionally set up. A Japanese made Ibanez Roadstar II.

When I wanted to get serious on acoustic guitar I bought a Tacoma jumbo that had been on the road most of eleven years. Plays like an electric, beautifully set up, very good condition and very versatile.

I still have both. A bit vague on "workhorse" but they are fine choices for the less experienced guitarist.

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by Sequimite

My sole electric for over twenty years I bought from a super talented friend who gigged almost every night: jazz, R&B, rock, blues. I figured he had put it to the test, it was versatile, excellent condition, reliable and professionally set up. A Japanese made Ibanez Roadstar II.

When I wanted to get serious on acoustic guitar I bought a Tacoma jumbo that had been on the road most of eleven years. Plays like an electric, beautifully set up, very good condition and very versatile.

I still have both. A bit vague on "workhorse" but they are fine choices for the less experienced guitarist.

I bought a used Japanese made Ibanez Roadstar II many years ago. Mine was black with ivory binding. The dual humbuckers in that guitar were outstanding! The only guitar I've ever regretted selling.

My workhorse acoustic was a Simon & Patrick Pro Rosewood that I gigged with for 15 years. It took all the abuse that travel and gigging outdoors day and night in the heat and humidity of Florida could throw at it, and always performed like a champ. It was especially stable with regard to staying in tune under the worst conditions which I attributed to its sturdy build and to its laminated sides (it had a solid back and top). Its built-in Baggs Duet electronics never had a hiccup in all the times I performed, and it took its share of knocks and falls without complaint or seeking revenge. Oh, and it was also a great sounding guitar (plugged in or unplugged) and its ease of playability made 3 hour gigs seem a lot shorter.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

To me workhorse doesn't mean inexpensive or any particular level of decoration, it means the guitar you use the most. That outcome is usually a combination of several things: the guitar you are most comfortable playing, the one that is most versatile, and as Wade mentions the one that is predicable and stable so that you don't have to worry about it working.

One can love a guitar that does one thing well. Or one that is a bit temperamental or fragile. Or you can have a guitar that you think that someday you'll get the best out of, but for the time being it's still a bit of a puzzle to you. None of those is a workhorse.

Totally THIS!

Your workhorse guitar is the one you actually play and don't obsess over.

Ol' Reliable doesn't worry when you don't come by for a few days because you have something new and shiny. He / she knows you'll be back when the new fixation doesn't provide the long-term satisfaction you crave.

They're patient that way.

[andrewbenw]

I just think of versatility and dependability.