jalguitarman
Junior Member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
STRAT. a rosewood board on one will really lend itself to blues.
STRAT. a rosewood board on one will really lend itself to blues.
S
Stevo 42
Guest
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
I have found this discussion very enlightening and would, if I could, own one of everything mentioned. I think Taj Mahal played a lot of resonator, unless I am mistaken. I really like his stuff. I just have always preferred electrics. To those who say you CAN play blues on any guitar and blues is more about how you play, I say "absolutely." But that's beside the point of this thread.
I have found this discussion very enlightening and would, if I could, own one of everything mentioned. I think Taj Mahal played a lot of resonator, unless I am mistaken. I really like his stuff. I just have always preferred electrics. To those who say you CAN play blues on any guitar and blues is more about how you play, I say "absolutely." But that's beside the point of this thread.
jalguitarman
Junior Member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
I would agre that yes you can play blues on anything but certain sounds just seem to help you by giving you tone that seems to express it quite well. that of course like everything else is largley subjective. However a jem through a cranked JCM800 would not likely be a bluesmans first choice when it comes to rigs. Ya know what I mean vern???
I would agre that yes you can play blues on anything but certain sounds just seem to help you by giving you tone that seems to express it quite well. that of course like everything else is largley subjective. However a jem through a cranked JCM800 would not likely be a bluesmans first choice when it comes to rigs. Ya know what I mean vern???
Jocelyn
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Well let me put it this way... I do love blues and like playing blues..so I still say you can do it on any guitar..heck u can play anything on any guitar... But lets say if I have to play an ONLY Blues gig and I have to pickup just one guitar and am not allowed to pick any other guitar to play blues I would pick a strat with a vintage trem .
Well let me put it this way... I do love blues and like playing blues..so I still say you can do it on any guitar..heck u can play anything on any guitar... But lets say if I have to play an ONLY Blues gig and I have to pickup just one guitar and am not allowed to pick any other guitar to play blues I would pick a strat with a vintage trem .
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
As a guy with several hundred blues CD's, I don't care what kind of guitar they use, except that if it's a Strat, for God's sake back-off the treble. I've got some otherwise nice songs by talented groups, that are annoying to listen to because of screechy, shrill Strat solos. I have to apologize to other people in the room. There are too many bluesmen that get wonderful tones from their Strats (Coco Montoya & Rory Gallagher come to mind) that there's no excuse for the nails-on-a-chalkboard thing. If you choose to play a guitar that's naturally bright & thin, adjust your EQ and get some nice tones going. When you're on the high notes, people shouldn't whince & dog's shouldn't start barking. Don't give the audience the blues by making it a painful experience.
Whatever guitar you choose, use it well; close your eyes and play what you feel. Your guitar's only a tool.
As a guy with several hundred blues CD's, I don't care what kind of guitar they use, except that if it's a Strat, for God's sake back-off the treble. I've got some otherwise nice songs by talented groups, that are annoying to listen to because of screechy, shrill Strat solos. I have to apologize to other people in the room. There are too many bluesmen that get wonderful tones from their Strats (Coco Montoya & Rory Gallagher come to mind) that there's no excuse for the nails-on-a-chalkboard thing. If you choose to play a guitar that's naturally bright & thin, adjust your EQ and get some nice tones going. When you're on the high notes, people shouldn't whince & dog's shouldn't start barking. Don't give the audience the blues by making it a painful experience.
Whatever guitar you choose, use it well; close your eyes and play what you feel. Your guitar's only a tool.
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cheezemaster
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
+1. Hound Dog Taylor is a prime example of this. He played some P.O.S. Japaneese thing from the 60s with a whole bunch of pickups and switches.
Talk about a nasty, rude guitar blues sound! It's the other end of the spectrum from BB King, but it's no less "the blues"
I've seen a few blues guys playing Peavey T-60s as well.. I asusme this is since Peavey is from Mississippi and T60s were (until recently) dirt cheap. And they are solid axes.
+1. Hound Dog Taylor is a prime example of this. He played some P.O.S. Japaneese thing from the 60s with a whole bunch of pickups and switches.
Talk about a nasty, rude guitar blues sound! It's the other end of the spectrum from BB King, but it's no less "the blues"
I've seen a few blues guys playing Peavey T-60s as well.. I asusme this is since Peavey is from Mississippi and T60s were (until recently) dirt cheap. And they are solid axes.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
True, both devoted their lives to blues, but compare BB King's tones in the 1960's with a 335, particularly the fantastic rich, wooden tones on the "Live at the Regal" CD and the great reverb tone on the studio version of "The Thrill is Gone", to Hound Dog's screechy, sloppy slide work...
Yes, both are blues, the real thing, but BB's approach is a lot more listenable. Like every genre, blues has it's shining lights, and throngs of others with lesser amounts of talent and taste. And it's not all about fame, as one of the most creative & talented blues guitarists ever was Willie Johnson, who played with Howlin' Wolf in Memphis in the early 1950's. Totally blew his replacement (Hubert Sumlin) out of the water. Way ahead of his time. But Willie was a young, argumentative, loose cannon & liked to drink on stage, so Wolf dumped him for the stable and reliable, but far less talented, Hubert. It was a business decision. Poor Willie faded into obscurity.
True, both devoted their lives to blues, but compare BB King's tones in the 1960's with a 335, particularly the fantastic rich, wooden tones on the "Live at the Regal" CD and the great reverb tone on the studio version of "The Thrill is Gone", to Hound Dog's screechy, sloppy slide work...
Yes, both are blues, the real thing, but BB's approach is a lot more listenable. Like every genre, blues has it's shining lights, and throngs of others with lesser amounts of talent and taste. And it's not all about fame, as one of the most creative & talented blues guitarists ever was Willie Johnson, who played with Howlin' Wolf in Memphis in the early 1950's. Totally blew his replacement (Hubert Sumlin) out of the water. Way ahead of his time. But Willie was a young, argumentative, loose cannon & liked to drink on stage, so Wolf dumped him for the stable and reliable, but far less talented, Hubert. It was a business decision. Poor Willie faded into obscurity.
cheezemaster
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
cool - I'll hafta check out some Willie Johnson stuff.. never head him. Although he does have the best blues name ever!. I love most old blues. As with country music, most stuff from the late 70s onward gets a little too "slick" for my tastes - with the exception of a handful of tradtitionalists.
Give me a Muddy Waters or a George Jones over a Johnny Lang or Toby Keith any day!
cool - I'll hafta check out some Willie Johnson stuff.. never head him. Although he does have the best blues name ever!. I love most old blues. As with country music, most stuff from the late 70s onward gets a little too "slick" for my tastes - with the exception of a handful of tradtitionalists.
Give me a Muddy Waters or a George Jones over a Johnny Lang or Toby Keith any day!
SlowGroove
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
YUP, i have to agree with you on that one !
It is NOT just for 80's Hair Metal, it is also for 90's Nu-Metal, and Metal Core of the 2000's !!!
James
YUP, i have to agree with you on that one !
It is NOT just for 80's Hair Metal, it is also for 90's Nu-Metal, and Metal Core of the 2000's !!!
James
SlowGroove
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
YES there is !!!
http://www.amazon.com/American-Blues-Guitar-Illustrated-History/dp/063402759X - this book says so ! :banana:
The BEST guitar Book that i have (among the many)
James
YES there is !!!
http://www.amazon.com/American-Blues-Guitar-Illustrated-History/dp/063402759X - this book says so ! :banana:
The BEST guitar Book that i have (among the many)
James
SlowGroove
New member
Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
What kinda blues?
What kinda blues?
Iron Horse
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Any guitar can do it, but these are among the best:
Telecaster
Strat
Les Paul std
Les Paul jr.
ES-335
SG
And then of course acoustic guitars.
Any guitar can do it, but these are among the best:
Telecaster
Strat
Les Paul std
Les Paul jr.
ES-335
SG
And then of course acoustic guitars.
T
Thunder
Guest
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Preferably an LP or 355, but any guitar with 6 strings can do it. Blues is more
about feeling.
Preferably an LP or 355, but any guitar with 6 strings can do it. Blues is more
about feeling.
SlowGroove
New member
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
Seasick Steve does it with 3 !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambpete/914993266/
6 is not even needed !
James
Seasick Steve does it with 3 !!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambpete/914993266/
6 is not even needed !
James
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
:chairfall:laugh2:
Whether intentional or not, this combination of posts just makes me ROFL
:chairfall:laugh2:
Whether intentional or not, this combination of posts just makes me ROFL
Re: Best Guitar to Play the Blues?
To me the question was far too vague....
Is there a specific tone you want?
The amp is at least as important as the guitar.
For SRV - Strat (played hard) + TS9 + Super Rever.
Ronnie Earl - Strat + super reverb
Clapton (Beano) - Les Paul through Marshall Bluesbreaker
Clapton ('70s) - Strat through Music Mann Sixty-Five
BB King - ES-355 through cranked Twin Reverb.....
ETC, ETC.......
I personally did blues gigs for years with a Zion superstrat HSS with Vintage style Trem.
It worked great.
Decide what TONE you want and work backwards from there.
To me the question was far too vague....
Is there a specific tone you want?
The amp is at least as important as the guitar.
For SRV - Strat (played hard) + TS9 + Super Rever.
Ronnie Earl - Strat + super reverb
Clapton (Beano) - Les Paul through Marshall Bluesbreaker
Clapton ('70s) - Strat through Music Mann Sixty-Five
BB King - ES-355 through cranked Twin Reverb.....
ETC, ETC.......
I personally did blues gigs for years with a Zion superstrat HSS with Vintage style Trem.
It worked great.
Decide what TONE you want and work backwards from there.
