Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
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KeeperOS
Active member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Well, it is a mental thing that goes both ways.
In the beginning whenever I found a guitar I liked more than the one I currently had, I would play more, play longer and try more things thus, becoming a better player than I were before.
It is also true that certain guitars would inspire me to play a certain way, be it from the way they're set up to whatever connections I might have had in my head about the kind of music produced by said guitar.
TBH the guitar's price never factored into how much careful I'd be (I generally baby my guitars) or whether I was worthy of it but I can see how it'd be intimidating to someone else.
That being said, I have become desensitized lately and I pretty much play the same things the same way regardless of the instrument, the only difference being that the one that is set up most to my liking (neck shape/thickness/carve, string height etc) is the one I'm the likeliest to play with fewer mistakes.
Sometimes I do wish that wasn't the case, I remember being much happier when I was still looking for the next guitar that would take my playing to the next level whatever that was...
Well, it is a mental thing that goes both ways.
In the beginning whenever I found a guitar I liked more than the one I currently had, I would play more, play longer and try more things thus, becoming a better player than I were before.
It is also true that certain guitars would inspire me to play a certain way, be it from the way they're set up to whatever connections I might have had in my head about the kind of music produced by said guitar.
TBH the guitar's price never factored into how much careful I'd be (I generally baby my guitars) or whether I was worthy of it but I can see how it'd be intimidating to someone else.
That being said, I have become desensitized lately and I pretty much play the same things the same way regardless of the instrument, the only difference being that the one that is set up most to my liking (neck shape/thickness/carve, string height etc) is the one I'm the likeliest to play with fewer mistakes.
Sometimes I do wish that wasn't the case, I remember being much happier when I was still looking for the next guitar that would take my playing to the next level whatever that was...
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
On the McSpendy I tend to make more careful note choices on slow lead lines, in addition to not fretting notes out of tune. I imagine this is all psychological.
On the McSpendy I tend to make more careful note choices on slow lead lines, in addition to not fretting notes out of tune. I imagine this is all psychological.
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
There's a 3000 dollar semi hollow at the local Guitar Center that I play every time I'm in there, and I write awesome riffs on it every time.
But I do play significantly better on guitars that are setup the way I like them, which is rather different than the way they come off the wall.
There's a 3000 dollar semi hollow at the local Guitar Center that I play every time I'm in there, and I write awesome riffs on it every time.
But I do play significantly better on guitars that are setup the way I like them, which is rather different than the way they come off the wall.
Diego
New member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
The most expensive guitars I ever owned were a very good MIJ Jackson that sadly I couldn't gel with, and a MIJ Ibanez RG1550 that was, IMO, a really ****ty instrument for the price.
My very budget-conscious and very Korean Ibanez SZ is a far superior guitar in every aspect I need it to be. A manly and solid bridge system, chunky neck, thick body and, amazingly, much more durable frets. My former RG frets were absolutely destroyed in about 18 months. My SZ had fret crowning two years ago and it took me three years to ruin them in the first place. And I can play my ass off on it, without worrying if the ****ing Edge Pro trem posts are getting looser every month or not. Piss poor design by Ibanez on that one.
So yeah, I'm having way more fun and I can really dig into the cheaper guitars I've had. That's why I still have them.
Doesn't mean I won't enjoy or like a more expensive guitar, but I don't see the point for me in going all-in for a guitar.
I just tried a Cort Source (335 wannabe) and I absolutely loved it. Good stock pickups (Alnico II FTW), solid tuners, good frets and a lovely woody hollowbody tone that made me wanna bend and dig into that G string all day long. If a guitar is rugged, stays in tune and sounds/plays good, I'll be inspired by it and will want to play it. Can't bend the credit card more out of shape, sadly. So for 2016 maybe.
I'd rather splurge in amps/cabs. That's where it's at, and that's where I'm going next.
The most expensive guitars I ever owned were a very good MIJ Jackson that sadly I couldn't gel with, and a MIJ Ibanez RG1550 that was, IMO, a really ****ty instrument for the price.
My very budget-conscious and very Korean Ibanez SZ is a far superior guitar in every aspect I need it to be. A manly and solid bridge system, chunky neck, thick body and, amazingly, much more durable frets. My former RG frets were absolutely destroyed in about 18 months. My SZ had fret crowning two years ago and it took me three years to ruin them in the first place. And I can play my ass off on it, without worrying if the ****ing Edge Pro trem posts are getting looser every month or not. Piss poor design by Ibanez on that one.
So yeah, I'm having way more fun and I can really dig into the cheaper guitars I've had. That's why I still have them.
Doesn't mean I won't enjoy or like a more expensive guitar, but I don't see the point for me in going all-in for a guitar.
I just tried a Cort Source (335 wannabe) and I absolutely loved it. Good stock pickups (Alnico II FTW), solid tuners, good frets and a lovely woody hollowbody tone that made me wanna bend and dig into that G string all day long. If a guitar is rugged, stays in tune and sounds/plays good, I'll be inspired by it and will want to play it. Can't bend the credit card more out of shape, sadly. So for 2016 maybe.
I'd rather splurge in amps/cabs. That's where it's at, and that's where I'm going next.
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MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
The premise of this thread is preposterous, save for the fact taht someone without skills feels more "at home" on one of the peices of Junque he is used to.
Its ike saying' Can a VW Beetele make you a better driver than a Posrshe 911"?
The premise of this thread is preposterous, save for the fact taht someone without skills feels more "at home" on one of the peices of Junque he is used to.
Its ike saying' Can a VW Beetele make you a better driver than a Posrshe 911"?
BriGuy1968
New member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Yeah, or like saying that you can get drunk quicker on cheap beer!
[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]
Yeah, or like saying that you can get drunk quicker on cheap beer!
[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
theres nothing wrong with honing your skills on a cheap instrument if thats all you got to work with . That's been done since time immemorial. Also, there is nothing wrong with modifying a less expensive guitar to play well- heck, My go to guitar these days for practice is a inexpensive Squire with Seymour Duncan pickups although I have etensively modified it).
But in actuality- the time spent even on a cheap guitar could be more valuable than a lazy player never picking up his nice guitar( Guilty).
But all said and done, at a certain point, a better guitar will help you progress, long is it not only sounds better but plays better..
Yeah, or like saying that you can get drunk quicker on cheap beer!
[emoji450]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]
theres nothing wrong with honing your skills on a cheap instrument if thats all you got to work with . That's been done since time immemorial. Also, there is nothing wrong with modifying a less expensive guitar to play well- heck, My go to guitar these days for practice is a inexpensive Squire with Seymour Duncan pickups although I have etensively modified it).
But in actuality- the time spent even on a cheap guitar could be more valuable than a lazy player never picking up his nice guitar( Guilty).
But all said and done, at a certain point, a better guitar will help you progress, long is it not only sounds better but plays better..
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Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
I like cheap stuff....for the most part it's way underrated. Cheap guitars are no different. With the right setup/pickup choice/care...they sing as good as anything. The only guitar I paid over $1000 for was my MIJ S-540 Ltd when I bought it new in '94. And I would'nt say any of my (mostly sub $500) guitars sound or play/feel (or look) inferior in any way. I'm lucky in that I don't really care for a lot of pricier guitar types.. Les Pauls, PRS's etc anyway..they are'nt particularly comfortable & I'm not nuts about their aesthetics either.
I like cheap stuff....for the most part it's way underrated. Cheap guitars are no different. With the right setup/pickup choice/care...they sing as good as anything. The only guitar I paid over $1000 for was my MIJ S-540 Ltd when I bought it new in '94. And I would'nt say any of my (mostly sub $500) guitars sound or play/feel (or look) inferior in any way. I'm lucky in that I don't really care for a lot of pricier guitar types.. Les Pauls, PRS's etc anyway..they are'nt particularly comfortable & I'm not nuts about their aesthetics either.
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Cool thread! Its always been the same for me, and like others have said here. Idont think you feel as free or loose if you care to much about the looks of the guitar - or having resale value in the back of your head all the time.
I have a washburn custom shop guitar i imported from usa to here in norway. I paid almost 3000 dollars for it in total for import shipping and all that. That ****ing thing has been more of a burden then joy, but i recently just started not to care about it and just play it. Its a tone machine and sustain that beats anything I try. But after all this im done with buying high end expensive instruments from now on.
All you need is a good constructed (put together) guitar no matter what wood or what ever. I played a cheap squire tele here the other day. That thing played just as nicely as my 3000k washburn or any of the other 5k gibsons they had in the store.
Cool thread! Its always been the same for me, and like others have said here. Idont think you feel as free or loose if you care to much about the looks of the guitar - or having resale value in the back of your head all the time.
I have a washburn custom shop guitar i imported from usa to here in norway. I paid almost 3000 dollars for it in total for import shipping and all that. That ****ing thing has been more of a burden then joy, but i recently just started not to care about it and just play it. Its a tone machine and sustain that beats anything I try. But after all this im done with buying high end expensive instruments from now on.
All you need is a good constructed (put together) guitar no matter what wood or what ever. I played a cheap squire tele here the other day. That thing played just as nicely as my 3000k washburn or any of the other 5k gibsons they had in the store.
d1dsj
Cornographer
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
It's all subjective, a £/$3000 guitar is not going to be 10 x better than a £/$300 guitar. It whether the actual difference is worth it to the buyer and in a lot of cases it's more a case of the desire to own a particular instrument. I have guitars that range from one of the spectrum to other and I love them all. However, whilst I do gig and enjoy them all I don't take 2 of the expensive ones to smaller venues with no space as our clumsy ass bass player has a tendency to knocking chunks out of my guitars! I do understand where the OP is coming from though, years ago I had a super expensive Tom Murphy built (not just finished!) LP and it was a piece of art. I used to get it out of the case, play it for a while... Cleaning and wiping it down took longer and then look at it for an age. I took it into work one Saturday to give it run through a Marshall stack and the back got scratched. I was gutted.... It took me hours to French polish it out. I decided I couldn't deal with it and sold it. I've regretted it ever since as now my attitude is to just play them.... That guitar would have looked awesome with some player wear!
It's all subjective, a £/$3000 guitar is not going to be 10 x better than a £/$300 guitar. It whether the actual difference is worth it to the buyer and in a lot of cases it's more a case of the desire to own a particular instrument. I have guitars that range from one of the spectrum to other and I love them all. However, whilst I do gig and enjoy them all I don't take 2 of the expensive ones to smaller venues with no space as our clumsy ass bass player has a tendency to knocking chunks out of my guitars! I do understand where the OP is coming from though, years ago I had a super expensive Tom Murphy built (not just finished!) LP and it was a piece of art. I used to get it out of the case, play it for a while... Cleaning and wiping it down took longer and then look at it for an age. I took it into work one Saturday to give it run through a Marshall stack and the back got scratched. I was gutted.... It took me hours to French polish it out. I decided I couldn't deal with it and sold it. I've regretted it ever since as now my attitude is to just play them.... That guitar would have looked awesome with some player wear!
kramersteen
PowerMetalRaph
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
The difference is night and day between a squire and a custom shop washburn. For one the washbutn would have nice fret ends that would have been individually worked while the squire would have all been beveled in one sweep. It basically many small details and better timbers and hardware. I'm not saying the squire wasn't a good instrument but the difference at least for me isn't just about the tone.
Why has the washburn been a burden?
The difference is night and day between a squire and a custom shop washburn. For one the washbutn would have nice fret ends that would have been individually worked while the squire would have all been beveled in one sweep. It basically many small details and better timbers and hardware. I'm not saying the squire wasn't a good instrument but the difference at least for me isn't just about the tone.
Why has the washburn been a burden?
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
lol...you build a guitar like that Shinobi & you're going to crib about fret ends? File them down & pay yourself the $2500 difference
Many cheap guitar's have great timbers & decent enough hardware. My AXL ($150) is actually the best set-up/playing guitar I ever played right out of the box..everything was perfect (fretwork/binding/finish/action/tuners/pu's..everything man..) which is more than I can say about my Sabre or the YJM strat I just bought..both had an over-high action/needed some minor adjustments/fret leveling/pickup height adjustment etc....
lol...you build a guitar like that Shinobi & you're going to crib about fret ends? File them down & pay yourself the $2500 difference
Many cheap guitar's have great timbers & decent enough hardware. My AXL ($150) is actually the best set-up/playing guitar I ever played right out of the box..everything was perfect (fretwork/binding/finish/action/tuners/pu's..everything man..) which is more than I can say about my Sabre or the YJM strat I just bought..both had an over-high action/needed some minor adjustments/fret leveling/pickup height adjustment etc....
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Meh not really, There is a large price difference between slow growth natural dried maple and farmed kiln dried maple. It might look the same, might feel the same but its not the same stuff. Are they adequate? Sure they are. Are they great? Nope. But for some adequate and sufficient are good enough.
Meh not really, There is a large price difference between slow growth natural dried maple and farmed kiln dried maple. It might look the same, might feel the same but its not the same stuff. Are they adequate? Sure they are. Are they great? Nope. But for some adequate and sufficient are good enough.
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Yes small details is a wery different story
Its been a burden cause I always felt so bad for spending so much money on a guitar, and it made me almost afraid to even use it.
Yes small details is a wery different story
Its been a burden cause I always felt so bad for spending so much money on a guitar, and it made me almost afraid to even use it.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
A more expensive vehicle isn't going to make you a better driver either. I see that on a daily basis: people with money who can't drive worth a crap. It's the person driving, or playing the guitar, that makes the biggest difference. Either the talent's there or it's not. Credit cards don't create talent. How many hundreds of thousands of quality Strats have been made over the decades, and how many players can even begin to do what Hendrix did with his?
A more expensive vehicle isn't going to make you a better driver either. I see that on a daily basis: people with money who can't drive worth a crap. It's the person driving, or playing the guitar, that makes the biggest difference. Either the talent's there or it's not. Credit cards don't create talent. How many hundreds of thousands of quality Strats have been made over the decades, and how many players can even begin to do what Hendrix did with his?
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Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Eh..at the end of the day..dry is dry...lol ..if it comes out of a kiln you can probably be doubly sure of that. You could pay gadzillions for a guitar and get the same old kiln dried stuff anyway..lol..who's checking? There's enough underhand trade bull**** that goes goes on in the guitar world same as with everything else. In any case, 90% of what you're paying for is the name on the headstock ..lets not kid ourselves
Eh..at the end of the day..dry is dry...lol ..if it comes out of a kiln you can probably be doubly sure of that. You could pay gadzillions for a guitar and get the same old kiln dried stuff anyway..lol..who's checking? There's enough underhand trade bull**** that goes goes on in the guitar world same as with everything else. In any case, 90% of what you're paying for is the name on the headstock ..lets not kid ourselves
Diego
New member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
I don't know, man. In my experience, it's not "many" cheap guitars that have great timber (you meant as in tone, right?) but actually "a few". I've tried too many cheap Deans, Corts, Ibanez, and Squiers that were dead, unresonant and uninspiring. I got lucky and my MIC Squier Strat sounds sweeter than my AllParts Strat with the same pickups. Not saying it's a rule, it just happened to me.
Hardware-wise the imports are killing it nowadays though. Some Cort guitars have Tonepros trems and graphite nuts stock, even EMG and USA Duncans for very cheap prices. That's incredible compared to what used to be in that price range.
And you got lucky with that AXL, man. I tried a few AXLs and I swear the frets felt like they'd been on a belt sander before going into the guitar.
EDIT: Just looked up the dictionary and found out that "timber" means "construction", as in construction quality in this case. Well, I have to agree. Cheapo guitars feel solid but I don't like what I'm getting out of most of them to be honest.
lol...you build a guitar like that Shinobi & you're going to crib about fret ends? File them down & pay yourself the $2500 difference
I don't know, man. In my experience, it's not "many" cheap guitars that have great timber (you meant as in tone, right?) but actually "a few". I've tried too many cheap Deans, Corts, Ibanez, and Squiers that were dead, unresonant and uninspiring. I got lucky and my MIC Squier Strat sounds sweeter than my AllParts Strat with the same pickups. Not saying it's a rule, it just happened to me.
Hardware-wise the imports are killing it nowadays though. Some Cort guitars have Tonepros trems and graphite nuts stock, even EMG and USA Duncans for very cheap prices. That's incredible compared to what used to be in that price range.
And you got lucky with that AXL, man. I tried a few AXLs and I swear the frets felt like they'd been on a belt sander before going into the guitar.
EDIT: Just looked up the dictionary and found out that "timber" means "construction", as in construction quality in this case. Well, I have to agree. Cheapo guitars feel solid but I don't like what I'm getting out of most of them to be honest.
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Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Well..change "many" to "enough" then. IF you look around, you will find "enough" great-sounding resonant cheap guitars ~ I know I have. You will also find "enough" dull/dead sounding expensive guitars that under their glitzy finishes/ sweet fret jobs are 5-6..maybe more.. bits of wood glued together to form that fabulous bod
Cort's are the best bang for the buck in my experience. My Raven West Spalt top was ridiculously good for what it cost. Maybe I got lucky with the AXL. At $150 it was a chance I was willing to take that paid off. Can't really speak for the rest of their stuff..but then who can speak for all Gibson's stuff? Also, oftentimes a guitar that might at first seem kind of meh will come into it's own & totally transform with a decent setup/pickup change/neck joint tightening/nut filing etc. It's very rare to come across a guitar that will just sound like **** whatever you do..they exist but not "many"..
Well..change "many" to "enough" then. IF you look around, you will find "enough" great-sounding resonant cheap guitars ~ I know I have. You will also find "enough" dull/dead sounding expensive guitars that under their glitzy finishes/ sweet fret jobs are 5-6..maybe more.. bits of wood glued together to form that fabulous bod
Cort's are the best bang for the buck in my experience. My Raven West Spalt top was ridiculously good for what it cost. Maybe I got lucky with the AXL. At $150 it was a chance I was willing to take that paid off. Can't really speak for the rest of their stuff..but then who can speak for all Gibson's stuff? Also, oftentimes a guitar that might at first seem kind of meh will come into it's own & totally transform with a decent setup/pickup change/neck joint tightening/nut filing etc. It's very rare to come across a guitar that will just sound like **** whatever you do..they exist but not "many"..
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Anyone find they play better on less expensive guitars?
Lets not kid ourselves dry is not dry. There is something that happens when wood is allowed to dry slowly and that is a type of stress relieving. Espeically if there are small warming and cooling cycles like if you allow to sit in a covered shed. And people do check there is a standard on the amounts of moisture in lumber. Lets not kid ourselves 10% doesnt even cover production cost so saying 90% is name is just.... silly
Eh..at the end of the day..dry is dry...lol ..if it comes out of a kiln you can probably be doubly sure of that. You could pay gadzillions for a guitar and get the same old kiln dried stuff anyway..lol..who's checking? There's enough underhand trade bull**** that goes goes on in the guitar world same as with everything else. In any case, 90% of what you're paying for is the name on the headstock ..lets not kid ourselves
Lets not kid ourselves dry is not dry. There is something that happens when wood is allowed to dry slowly and that is a type of stress relieving. Espeically if there are small warming and cooling cycles like if you allow to sit in a covered shed. And people do check there is a standard on the amounts of moisture in lumber. Lets not kid ourselves 10% doesnt even cover production cost so saying 90% is name is just.... silly
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