mrturtle_91
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
when I think blues, I think tele, or big archtop hollow-body.
when I think blues, I think tele, or big archtop hollow-body.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
I don't quite understand why there needs to be a specific guitar to play the blues myself.
Blues is all about expression, so pick a guitar that's comfortable to you. I think some of my favorite blues tones have come from semi-hollowbodies, but it's all such a personal thing. There have been so many great blues players that have gone from everything from strats/teles to les pauls.
I don't quite understand why there needs to be a specific guitar to play the blues myself.
Blues is all about expression, so pick a guitar that's comfortable to you. I think some of my favorite blues tones have come from semi-hollowbodies, but it's all such a personal thing. There have been so many great blues players that have gone from everything from strats/teles to les pauls.
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
I use a Steinberger. I don't care what other people use, or have used. But I think lots of people get caught up in the whole 'image' with the hat, LP or Strat, strap with music notes on it and the bowling shirt. Its not just blues- every music genre has a 'costume'.
Forge your own path. Jumping off a cliff is for suckers.
I use a Steinberger. I don't care what other people use, or have used. But I think lots of people get caught up in the whole 'image' with the hat, LP or Strat, strap with music notes on it and the bowling shirt. Its not just blues- every music genre has a 'costume'.
Forge your own path. Jumping off a cliff is for suckers.
JacksonMIA
Lemur-buckerologist
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
It's so much more about the emotion behind the notes than what instrument you're using.
My Soloist worked pretty well for blues before I put the Live Wires in. It's just a little too in-your-face now.
It's so much more about the emotion behind the notes than what instrument you're using.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
According to legend....one that's been pawned at least once. I heard that at the crossroads. LOL
According to legend....one that's been pawned at least once. I heard that at the crossroads. LOL
Fender_Punk
BerriesAndCreamologist
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
I've always felt the best sound for Blues is a Strat neck pickup. That said, I also love playing the blues on the neck humbucker of my hollow-body or Fender Tele. I don't see it as coincidence though that a lot of Blues legends use Strats.
I've always felt the best sound for Blues is a Strat neck pickup. That said, I also love playing the blues on the neck humbucker of my hollow-body or Fender Tele. I don't see it as coincidence though that a lot of Blues legends use Strats.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
+1. While it's technically true that you can play blues on any guitar, there's one that stands out with the image, feel, and tone of raw blues in a smokey Chicago juke joint. Look at the blues players from the late 1950's & 1960's, 335's were very popular (BB King, Freddie King, John Lee Hooker, etc). In England, Eric Clapton & Alvin Lee were playing them. There's been a lot of blues players since then using 335's.
335's just have that mojo to put you in the mood and take you back in time.
+1. While it's technically true that you can play blues on any guitar, there's one that stands out with the image, feel, and tone of raw blues in a smokey Chicago juke joint. Look at the blues players from the late 1950's & 1960's, 335's were very popular (BB King, Freddie King, John Lee Hooker, etc). In England, Eric Clapton & Alvin Lee were playing them. There's been a lot of blues players since then using 335's.
335's just have that mojo to put you in the mood and take you back in time.
Hellion
New member
JohnnyGuitar
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Blues players today do it on everything. Buddy Guy uses a Cyber Twin as an amp and, like Clapton, active boosts with Lace pickups in his Strat (EC moved to Fender noiseless though).
Gary Moore fans here will find you examples of blues tracks he had recorded on Super Strats.
Using modern gear to play the blues is refreshing.
If you like the tone you're getting you are doing it right. That's the only rule IMO.
Blues players today do it on everything. Buddy Guy uses a Cyber Twin as an amp and, like Clapton, active boosts with Lace pickups in his Strat (EC moved to Fender noiseless though).
Gary Moore fans here will find you examples of blues tracks he had recorded on Super Strats.
Using modern gear to play the blues is refreshing.
If you like the tone you're getting you are doing it right. That's the only rule IMO.
super rad stuff
Skaforlifeologist
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
doesn't matter, whatever guitar gets your 'blues mojo' happening is the best guitar for you to play the blues on:smokin:
doesn't matter, whatever guitar gets your 'blues mojo' happening is the best guitar for you to play the blues on:smokin:
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
preferably something old, beat, and relatively cheap.
preferably something old, beat, and relatively cheap.
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Just for the record though,if I'm not mistaken the Flying V that Albert King had Korina as the body wood rather than the regular Flying V with Mahogany body which differs the tone without a doubt.
That being said,if you were to go a more blues-rockish tone it's known that Jimmy Hendrix used for a while a Flying V too.
Briefly,as everybody else said there isn't such a thing as a "blues" guitar.Basically you should be able to get a bluesy tone from any guitar made out of good tone woods when combined with decent pickups.
Although it should also be said,that there are some guitars associated with blues like ES-335's or similar semi-hollow bodies Gretsch,Les Paul (although I prefer it for the end of 50s to 70s tone which is basically classic rock but can go blues with some twisting on the knobs) or Fender Stratocasters. Personally I find Telecasters more country than blues but maybe that's just me.
I'm also shocked that nobody mentioned resonators.I can't think any other guitar more blues primarily.Eastwood has a sweet model called Delta I guess,which possesses in addition a P90 pickup on itself..
Just for the record though,if I'm not mistaken the Flying V that Albert King had Korina as the body wood rather than the regular Flying V with Mahogany body which differs the tone without a doubt.
That being said,if you were to go a more blues-rockish tone it's known that Jimmy Hendrix used for a while a Flying V too.
Briefly,as everybody else said there isn't such a thing as a "blues" guitar.Basically you should be able to get a bluesy tone from any guitar made out of good tone woods when combined with decent pickups.
Although it should also be said,that there are some guitars associated with blues like ES-335's or similar semi-hollow bodies Gretsch,Les Paul (although I prefer it for the end of 50s to 70s tone which is basically classic rock but can go blues with some twisting on the knobs) or Fender Stratocasters. Personally I find Telecasters more country than blues but maybe that's just me.
I'm also shocked that nobody mentioned resonators.I can't think any other guitar more blues primarily.Eastwood has a sweet model called Delta I guess,which possesses in addition a P90 pickup on itself..
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Bludave
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Look at the Players
1. Freddie & B.B. King. Both played 345 & 355 Stereos (Freddie did play a LP with P90's early in his career)
2. Albert Collins played a Telecaster (at some point he put a humbucker in the neck)
3. Muddy Waters..... Telecaster & Les Paul
4. Otis Rush & Buddy Guy............. Strats (Otis also played a 335 & Buddy played a Guild for quite some time)
So the 4 guitars for consideration to play blues are:
1. Strats!
2. Tele!
3. 335 (or some form of semi hollow)
4. Les Paul
They all do the job....... but IMHO these four guitars are a must for any electric guitar player. You can play just about anything in electric guitar with these 4.
Look at the Players
1. Freddie & B.B. King. Both played 345 & 355 Stereos (Freddie did play a LP with P90's early in his career)
2. Albert Collins played a Telecaster (at some point he put a humbucker in the neck)
3. Muddy Waters..... Telecaster & Les Paul
4. Otis Rush & Buddy Guy............. Strats (Otis also played a 335 & Buddy played a Guild for quite some time)
So the 4 guitars for consideration to play blues are:
1. Strats!
2. Tele!
3. 335 (or some form of semi hollow)
4. Les Paul
They all do the job....... but IMHO these four guitars are a must for any electric guitar player. You can play just about anything in electric guitar with these 4.
SlowGroove
New member
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SlowGroove
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
This guitar would fit my kinda blooze like a glove !!!
. . . or . . .
James
This guitar would fit my kinda blooze like a glove !!!
. . . or . . .
James
SlowGroove
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
But i can play them blooze on this here rig all day long too !!!
James
But i can play them blooze on this here rig all day long too !!!
James
jimijames
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
It's not the guitar dude. I've seen people play the blues on bc rich's before. The blues is how you play, not what you play.
It's not the guitar dude. I've seen people play the blues on bc rich's before. The blues is how you play, not what you play.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Let's not forget some of the weird and wonderful pawn-shop bizzaro beasties from the 50's and 60's, with sometimes unusual shapes, lotsa pickups and knobs etc. Some of those things can sound great for blues, as a lot of authentic blues was made by people with almost no money at all. Also the amp is going to play a huge part in blues sounds. Small combos pushed hard, preferably no master volume.
I agree that it's possible to play blues on almost anything, but somehow a superstrat through a high-gain amp seems a bit far removed from the core of what i think of as blues...after all, it's a feeling and a sound of a feeling i guess....
Let's not forget some of the weird and wonderful pawn-shop bizzaro beasties from the 50's and 60's, with sometimes unusual shapes, lotsa pickups and knobs etc. Some of those things can sound great for blues, as a lot of authentic blues was made by people with almost no money at all. Also the amp is going to play a huge part in blues sounds. Small combos pushed hard, preferably no master volume.
I agree that it's possible to play blues on almost anything, but somehow a superstrat through a high-gain amp seems a bit far removed from the core of what i think of as blues...after all, it's a feeling and a sound of a feeling i guess....
