'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

[Silence Kid]

With an aim toward improvement of one's playing quality, what would you prefer: A better guitar that lets you pull any lick off with greater ease? Or a poorer quality guitar that makes you fight for it?

Lately I find myself grabbing my cheapest guitar, an old Yamaha RGZ. For a variety of reasons there is some challenge to this- the guitar has quite weak treble response, so I really feel the need to hit it hard and in the right places for it to sing. The overall action is pretty low and the neck feels nice, however the nut is cut a bit high. The pickups tend toward a bit of mush, so I make real effort to play very clean/spare to get around that.

On the other hand I have a few guitars I can pick up and feel shocked at how riffs and notes just erupt out without thought. No question what I want to record with or which feels/sounds better, but I feel like if I only grabbed my 'good' guitars for casual picking etc. I'd lose some of what I gain playing the old Yamaha, and a couple other cheap-ish guitars I keep around.

Then again, maybe I'd be more inspired to play/practice riffs and solos with greater difficulty if I always stuck with my US Strat or G&L. Anyone have a stance?

 

[Adieu]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

Both.

Something slick, low action, lovely neck, to see results in play.

And something with fairly nasty action to give your fingers their requisite whoopin.... and a bass with fat strings. Varying it up really builds some hard flat fingertip callouses.

 

[Blille]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

Hard playing guitars are not necessarily better to develop your playing. You may develop “skills” that are only relevant to that particular guitar so be careful

 

[shupe13]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

A Lambo v Yugo... Hmm... That's a tough one.

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[greekdude]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

A Lambo v Yugo... Hmm... That's a tough one.

it depends on the Jugo

 

[greekdude]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

Hard playing guitars are not necessarily better to develop your playing. You may develop “skills” that are only relevant to that particular guitar so be careful

my teacher told me (some 30 yrs ago) : heavier gauge strings will help development, but really high action maybe not so much.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I absolutely want a guitar that plays easier. I keep all of my guitars in tip top playing condition.
Why would I want to pick up a guitar that I struggle to play?
The guitar is a difficult enough instrument to play never mind intentionally playing one that is more physically demanding than it needs to be.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

it depends on the Jugo

I’d rather drive a Camry than that ^^^^
Lol

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

On the other hand- It's often suggested to play acoustic if you want to improve your skill, and that is definitely not the easiest route (as a matter of fact I really hate playing acoustic.

Granted- This Yamaha doesn't even have that high action or thick strings, for the most part it's whatever mechanical limitations that make it sound sort of wimpy, that make me play hard through it (and as stated, could use some nut tweaks.) Also: a Lamborghini is terrible in traffic/everyday use, hard to park, beyond the limits of most roads and the skill of most drivers. It's sometimes repeated, 'better to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow,' and typically it is easier for a new driver to get accustomed to a less powerful car. Obviously a more expensive guitar can't spin and kill you during a failed burnout, but on the other hand- plenty of beginners master cheap guitars before getting something better (unless they're gear whores like us I guess,) and there's something to be said to being adapted to anything you might wind up having to play.

I'm not new to playing and can sound good within the bounds of what I know, but humble enough to know players who could totally school me on my own $40 Yamaha. So I'm not playing on the edge of my US Stratocaster's limits either. Good points made so far on playing the better axe when it is available; on the flip-side when I'm going through periods of playing my better guitars above my cheap ones, I sometimes pick up the Yamaha and think 'Man. If I got handed this thing at a party, I would be totally embarrassed at how **** I sound right now.'

 

[Jacew]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I’d rather drive a Camry than that ^^^^
Lol

That's much cooler than any Lambo

 

[Jacew]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

To the question: I prefer to play whichever sounds better to me.

I've wanted to buy a better acoustic for years, as the one I have is really struggle to play. But none I've tried haven't yet sounded better, so I haven't.

 

[Artie]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

It's often suggested to play acoustic if you want to improve your skill, and that is definitely not the easiest route . . .

I gotta admit, I'm glad I learned to play barre chords on a cheap acoustic. When I first picked up an electric, I was like, wow, these are easy.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

Well, I ain't fighting my guitar. I want something that is as easy to play and ergonomically correct (for me) as possible. It is a tool, and I am not fighting the tool to do a job. I will just get a better tool that works better for me.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

Hard playing guitars are not necessarily better to develop your playing. You may develop “skills” that are only relevant to that particular guitar so be careful

This was my first thought. I have a guitar that I fight with as well, but I never felt like doing so made me any better at playing any other guitar.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

100% hands down, better guitar I can play easier. Most of my life was spent with budget guitars of varying degrees of quality, setting them up as best as possible, but never having anything that was really great. Since I got my 80's USA Strat, I have zero desire to play any junk.

However, that doesn't mean 8s laying on the frets. I like 10s or 11s set fairly high so I can play hard and use the same guitar for slide. Believe it or not, I find a "harder" setup easier to play and a lot more forgiving.

 

[Demanic]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I prefer the best guitar that I can afford.

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[LLL]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I recommend an acoustic guitar for building finger strength and callouses in a general way.

Then when you pick up your electric (with lighter strings, etc); it's always a breeze to play.

No different really than when you're lifting heavier weights and switch to a lighter set.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I recommend an acoustic guitar for building finger strength and callouses in a general way.

Then when you pick up your electric (with lighter strings, etc); it's always a breeze to play.

No different really than when you're lifting heavier weights and switch to a lighter set.

I agree. After playing acoustic, the electric feels much easier.

 

[Artie]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I can't help but wonder if the answer to this question might be different if you're 14 or 40, when you start learning? Maybe not.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: 'Game Improvement' - Better vs. Worse Guitar?

I can't help but wonder if the answer to this question might be different if you're 14 or 40, when you start learning? Maybe not.

Tough to answer. I would think that somewhere at the beginning there’s a point where you don’t know better.
Once you know better, the answer can be had.