For all the guitar-playing dopers: What would be your dream electric guitar?
I don’t necessarily mean a certain brand and model, although it could be. I mean what are the specs for your dream guitar. Mine would be as follows:
Chambered figured Black Korina Strat body with a natural oil finish
Goncalo/Ebony neck and fretboard with the old Ibanez Wizard neck profile from the late 80’s - no finish
1 5/8" nut width
25 1/2" scale
22 stainless steel 6105 frets
aged brass or copper pickguard
SxSxH pickup configuration with a coil tap on the volume knob
blocked Callahan tremolo, chrome
Bare Knuckle or Seymour Duncan pickups
I’ve come close to it with one of my builds, but I’ve yet to find a neck maker that makes bolt-on necks for Strats with the early Wizard profile. I’m probably going to have to make the neck myself if I ever want this to become a reality.
And also as a side discussion, I’m curious as how many of you would buy a Gibson, for example, that has most of what you want over a custom made instrument that has everything you want simply because it’s made by Gibson. Does the name on the headstock matter to you? Do you think the big 3 - Gibson, Fender, and PRS - are justified in their prices?
I personally think a great guitar is a great guitar, period. If it makes you want to play and learn more, then it’s a great guitar regardless of who makes it or how much it costs…
You, sir, have a clear sense of what you want. My GAS is vast and ranging - I have daily guitar crushes and even my long-standing Wish List goes through regular updates and evolution.
In my guitar build thread, I lay out a lot of what I want. By the way, Bill is looking at another week or two to complete finishing the body - lordy, it’s been months. It turns out he had to take a few-week break to replace a load-bearing beam in his house!
If I want a Gibson-style guitar, I pretty much want a Gibson. I went through years of trying various Gibson types and still own a Japanese LP replica I think very highly of, but with Gibsons I find that a special one seems to have something extra. Granted, I think the “Harley Davidson” factor comes into play as well; I like the fact that is says Gibson on it, if I am being honest with myself.
With Fender types, I honestly can’t see myself ever buying a new guitar by Fender or any other replica. I mean, I can build my own with exactly the specs I am looking for. Now, granted, if this 2nd guitar build goes wonky, I may flee back to off-the-shelf, but I doubt it. If you are remotely okay as a tinkerer (and aren’t trying to do what you do, **BigShooter **- carve the body; just buy a pre-fabbed one) - why buy off-the-shelf?
However, I’d love a bunch of other guitars, like an Eastwood Tuxedo (in black), or an old 50’s Kay (like T-Bone Burnett plays with Robert Plant and Alison Krause (I saw one for $1,500 at the Dallas guitar show - drool), or a resonator guitar - you get the idea…
I own a '73 Les Paul Deluxe that I found at a garage sale and I love it. However, I don’t think I’d ever buy a new Gibson unless it completely won me over when I played it. I’d rather have a custom builder make it to my specs or build it myself. Right now, I’m about to get started on Les Paul style bolt-on neck project for a client of mine. If it turns out good, I might make one for myself…
I just can’t see buying a guitar that isn’t exactly what I wanted, specially when they cost over $2000, which is the case with most Gibsons…
I already have my dream guitar: this one! Ok, not the same one in the picture, but the same model: 1972 Les Paul Custom, only my pickups are the original Seymour Duncans. It was the first guitar I bought, and although I rarely play it anymore (too damn heavy for my aging body!) it’s still one of the nicest sounding, best playing guitars I’ve ever seen. I’ve had pro guitar players tell the same thing after playing it.
Best $700 I ever spent.
I agree with BigShooter, tho. I’d love to have a really slick SG instead of the cheap model I have (and love), but no way am I spending that kind of money. Id rather build my own or get a luthier to make one for me. If I’m going to spend more than $1000 on a guitar, I want something truly special.
Now the classic look and tone of Muddy’s Tele is available in this new standard production artist model. The essential specs and spirit of Waters’ guitar are lovingly re-created, and its tone is as big and unique as its namesake’s. Features include an ash '50s Tele body, a maple '62 Custom Tele neck with rosewood fretboard, vintage-style machine heads, 2 U.S. special vintage pickups, 3-way switching, and an American Vintage '52 Tele bridge with brass saddles. Like Muddy’s guitar, it has 1-10 Fender amp knobs and Muddy’s signature engraved on the neckplate.
First off, there’s no one guitar that will do everything I’m after, anymore than I can get by with one screwdriver or one hammer. I need at least a slot, phillips and robertson, and at least 3 sizes of each. I can dick around with compressors and delays in the studio, but the easiest way to get the sound of an electric 12 string is to use an electric 12 string. It wouldn’t be my everyday axe of choice, but when you need a #3 robertson, there’s no point in jamming a slot screwdriver across the angle - you’ll just fuck up the screw, the driver or both. Same with guitars - it’s a cross between having the right tool for the job and exploring everything that can be done with that particular tool.
I’m exploring multiple stringed instruments these days, so my ideal guitar at the moment would be something with a 640mm scale length, 63mm width at nut with 8 strings, 24 frets, split pickups and stereo output, so the bass end can be sent through one EQ and the treble end through a different EQ. With that ridiculous set of specifications, I’m left building it myself or getting a luthier, but even a luthier is going to have to build the neck from scratch.
Or maybe I’ll just buy a stick and be done with it, except I’d have to cut my RH nails. So many decisions…
I totally agree with this. Last fall I was in the financial position to get whatever guitar I wanted. I knew I wanted:
24 frets
EMG active pickups
A Floyd Rose locking tremolo
An alder body
Something in either blue or red, swirly, not solid color. No graphics or words.
Something that played fast and smooth, with very low action but no fret buzz.
Something that could go from sounding crunchy to clean.
Then I found this online. I bought it on the spot, without even playing one.
I have owned a Jackson before and I loved it. This guitar is even better. I can’t think of one thing I would change about it, and it makes me want to play (mostly Metallica) all the time.
I already have a 1960 Les Paul Goldtop, which I love and a Taylor 6 string acoustic.
Slee
*Of course, if I got this I’d have to get serious about classical, which would be a lot of right hand work. Left hand works fine, the right, eh, not so much.
This thread got me to reminiscing,I haven’t wandered into the guitar store just for fun in a while. So I wandered in tonight, and this beastie leaped into my arms and begged me to take it home.
I couldn’t say no …
So thanks to you I’m a few hundred quid lighter, and one sweet sweet guitar richer.
A friend of mine owned, probably not that one, but a signed, Hetfield-owned Explorer that looked just like that one… Then it was stolen from his house.
When Billy Duffy dies
I plan on taking his Gretsche White Falcon from his death grip and
running away with it.
I know jack shit about guitars. I only know this guitar has contributed to countless fun times throughout the years.
