What specs would stop you from enjoying a guitar?
- Thread starter Rex_Rocker
- Start date
Gtrjunior
New member
Not a fan of neon colors, Bigsby, fat flat necks, narrow nut.
I can deal with a graphic but it has to be cool and not like some of the graphics that Kramer was doing back in the day. I never liked them.
I prefer solid colors or a traditional style burst in a Strat style guitar and I prefer a darker burst in a LP. Doesn’t have to be tobacco burst dark but some of the cherry burst guitars are just awful.
I can deal with a graphic but it has to be cool and not like some of the graphics that Kramer was doing back in the day. I never liked them.
I prefer solid colors or a traditional style burst in a Strat style guitar and I prefer a darker burst in a LP. Doesn’t have to be tobacco burst dark but some of the cherry burst guitars are just awful.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I honestly don't like burst finishes myself. At least the traditional ones.
I can tolerate tobacco or darkburst. Not my first choice, but that's all they do with the nicer Les Pauls, so I'm starting to learn to live with them. But those clownbursts... ugh.
As far as pickups I don't like stock on a guitar... that doesn't stop me from buying a guitar, because pickups can always be swapped out. I NEVER keep the stock pickups in a guitar for long, TBH. Even if I like them, I always want to try new stuff out.
I also kinda dislike the trendy finishes that are in-style for like a year, and then everyone fogets about them. No offense to anyone who likes them, but a couple of years ago, everyone was using burl tops with green/blue dyes. They looked cool at the time, but now everyone's kinda moved on. Or those bursts that go from top to bottom. Maybe I'm ignorant about the backstory on those, but that's kinda what they come as to me.
I can tolerate tobacco or darkburst. Not my first choice, but that's all they do with the nicer Les Pauls, so I'm starting to learn to live with them. But those clownbursts... ugh.
As far as pickups I don't like stock on a guitar... that doesn't stop me from buying a guitar, because pickups can always be swapped out. I NEVER keep the stock pickups in a guitar for long, TBH. Even if I like them, I always want to try new stuff out.
I also kinda dislike the trendy finishes that are in-style for like a year, and then everyone fogets about them. No offense to anyone who likes them, but a couple of years ago, everyone was using burl tops with green/blue dyes. They looked cool at the time, but now everyone's kinda moved on. Or those bursts that go from top to bottom. Maybe I'm ignorant about the backstory on those, but that's kinda what they come as to me.
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Mikelamury
New member
Specs that would stop me from buying a guitar:
1.thin neck
1.5.gloss finish
2.Master volume
3.active pickups
4.very short nut length
5.any sort of tremolo system/bigsby/FR
Things I look for in a guitar:
Medium to thick neck
Satin finish
Passive pickups (preferred volume for each pickup)
These are all deal breakers for me!
1.thin neck
1.5.gloss finish
2.Master volume
3.active pickups
4.very short nut length
5.any sort of tremolo system/bigsby/FR
Things I look for in a guitar:
Medium to thick neck
Satin finish
Passive pickups (preferred volume for each pickup)
These are all deal breakers for me!
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BeKindRewind
New member
Small frets. I hate playing anything with vintage spec frets. Feels like playing with gloves on.
Small radius (I like 12-16, i can work with 12, sometimes even 9.5 if I'm just playing rhythm, but 7.25 is 100% out of the question)
Uncomfortable body shape (les paul, SG are the two I think of)
I'm not big on 3+3 tuners or reverse headstocks, I have some but I enjoy those guitars noticably less because of those things.
really expensive guitars. feels like you can't really play them. the older I get the more I just want to find little gems in the rough, cheap guitars that still play great (or good enough with a bit of fretwork)
It's just cosmetic but I'm really not big on guitars with figured maple tops. I do like natural guitars like just a plain natural alder guitar is one of my favorite looks, just don't like the luxurious maple or other expensive ones. other certain luxuries like binding over the frets kinda turns me off too - what's the point, just adds to the price of the guitar
really not a fan of relics. I think you could give me the best playing guitar in the world but if it's a relic i'd have to say no thanks.. especially a simulated relic that came from the factory like that.
No neck pickup.
No tone knob.
I wouldn't not buy a guitar because it has a blade switch.. but i'll always wish it was a toggle.
(these are things you can change, but still)
weak pickups
way too hot pickups. I like hot, I love EMGs even, but something like dimarzio evolutions do not gel with my ears
noisy pickups
high action
big strings with tons of tension. 10-46 in E standard is the highest i'd go right now , and i'd be uncomfortable
I need my phase switch (ok, that's just being picky, but I do kinda need one to "enjoy" playing because it's one of my favorite sounds)
and I don't particularly enjoy playing guitars without tremelos unless I'm only tracking rhythm that doesn't need it. I don't do dive bombs but a lot of "my voice" comes from doing some of my vibrato with the trem and I like to flutter in and out of notes, and do an eastern sounding flair , stuff like that.
--- haha, damn, I had to edit that a few times because I kept thinking of stuff.. oops, I think I *am* picky
Small radius (I like 12-16, i can work with 12, sometimes even 9.5 if I'm just playing rhythm, but 7.25 is 100% out of the question)
Uncomfortable body shape (les paul, SG are the two I think of)
I'm not big on 3+3 tuners or reverse headstocks, I have some but I enjoy those guitars noticably less because of those things.
really expensive guitars. feels like you can't really play them. the older I get the more I just want to find little gems in the rough, cheap guitars that still play great (or good enough with a bit of fretwork)
It's just cosmetic but I'm really not big on guitars with figured maple tops. I do like natural guitars like just a plain natural alder guitar is one of my favorite looks, just don't like the luxurious maple or other expensive ones. other certain luxuries like binding over the frets kinda turns me off too - what's the point, just adds to the price of the guitar
really not a fan of relics. I think you could give me the best playing guitar in the world but if it's a relic i'd have to say no thanks.. especially a simulated relic that came from the factory like that.
No neck pickup.
No tone knob.
I wouldn't not buy a guitar because it has a blade switch.. but i'll always wish it was a toggle.
(these are things you can change, but still)
weak pickups
way too hot pickups. I like hot, I love EMGs even, but something like dimarzio evolutions do not gel with my ears
noisy pickups
high action
big strings with tons of tension. 10-46 in E standard is the highest i'd go right now , and i'd be uncomfortable
I need my phase switch (ok, that's just being picky, but I do kinda need one to "enjoy" playing because it's one of my favorite sounds)
and I don't particularly enjoy playing guitars without tremelos unless I'm only tracking rhythm that doesn't need it. I don't do dive bombs but a lot of "my voice" comes from doing some of my vibrato with the trem and I like to flutter in and out of notes, and do an eastern sounding flair , stuff like that.
--- haha, damn, I had to edit that a few times because I kept thinking of stuff.. oops, I think I *am* picky
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NegativeEase
New member
Yeah, tiny frets aint my fave either -but they do have one advantage though -they dont get as pitchy like a fat fret when the wear down.
Sometimes fat frets also get weird ghosting and overtones after wear.
weepingminotaur
Well-known member
100% agree. I will never look at a relic guitar. Never buy one, never want to play one. Don't care how spec'ed out it is, that look is just not to my taste.
NegativeEase
New member
You gotta play it like you stole it man.
I don't know what that means.
NegativeEase
New member
80's_Thrash_Metal
Slightly_Glazed_Believer
Nothing that reads Fender! Or looks like a fendurrr
No ugly headstocks!
No double cuts
No single coil pickups
No odd sized bodies or necks.
No super huge fat necks
No weiners or super freaky shaped guitars
Nothing that resembles anything that stinky hippies might play. (Minor exceptions may be allowed) aka a Sepultura model or something along those lines.
No tremolos other than Floyd's
No bolt on necks (barring a few exceptions)
No weird headstock angles
No headless guitars!
No fanned frets etc.
No really small frets.
No more than 3 knobs, LPs are acceptable though.
I think that's about it.
No ugly headstocks!
No double cuts
No single coil pickups
No odd sized bodies or necks.
No super huge fat necks
No weiners or super freaky shaped guitars
Nothing that resembles anything that stinky hippies might play. (Minor exceptions may be allowed) aka a Sepultura model or something along those lines.
No tremolos other than Floyd's
No bolt on necks (barring a few exceptions)
No weird headstock angles
No headless guitars!
No fanned frets etc.
No really small frets.
No more than 3 knobs, LPs are acceptable though.
I think that's about it.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I used to be like that as well, but the Tele shape just looks so out of place playing what I place that I just kinda like it for that, LOL.
Same as the above. But the Quarter Pound actually sounds beefier than many humbuckers. It's not my first choice, but it's kinda cool to grab it once in a while. I honestly like it better than the Super Distortion T or the Hot Rails. Much more agressive without having the horrible single coil scratchiness for the chuggz.
P90's are like that as well. Not my first choice, but pretty usable for the chuggz.
Exactly why I'd NEVER consider owning a 70's Gibson or Fender.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I prefer the sound of a neck pickup in a guitar with 22 frets as well, but to me, neck pickups are nice and all, but never my priority. I honestly kinda feel a certain vainty from knowing my guitar has 24 frets. At least on Supestrats. Les Pauls do look kinda off with 24 frets.
But I understand you are more of a clean player, right?
Well, clean compared to a lot of people. But the most gain I use is a Tube Screamer with the gain up, into a dead clean amp. And I use the neck pickup 75% of the time.
