• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: SELECTION OR TESTING GUITARS

Somewhere in 1993, I went with a friend to a store here in Belgium. There are some major differences in price from one store to another, for THE SAME GUITAR.
My personal test was:
- sitting on an amp.
- playing 5-10 brands, from Squier, Epiphone to the major league guitars, like Gibson, US Fender 
  and an at that time unknown brand PRS.
- you "prepare the amp: volume, tone and as an extra distortion. No changes later, playing the guitars one by one, my friend did the same and after testing we discussed about the best guitar, making our own top 3
- sitting on the amp= you feel the sound through your body (probably entering your a** and coming out on your mouth). Playing like this: we had the same top 3
1) PRS Custom 24
2) Gibson LP custom
3) Fender US strat ( they had at that time maybe 5 different US Fenders.)
The decision was made: PRS, but I bought this one 2 years later.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR GUITAR, having a budget, TO COMPARE?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Re: SELECTION OR TESTING GUITARS

I always visit store and pickup guitars. Some immediately disqalify themselves by having rough necks, sharp binding, body shapes that disagree with my body shape etc.

I don't bother with listening for natural resonance. I do plug in with a clean channel, tune up and listen. I was amazed at the gulf between my Brawley and a Yamaha Pacifica, the basic Pacifica pickups sounded tiny. Maybe this would give a great single coil scream tone but I was repelled by it. Likewise Peavey Rockingham, has lovely resonance but the pickups were weak and fuzzy, sounded like an old medium band (AM) radio :-(

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: SELECTION OR TESTING GUITARS

gitaardocphil wrote:

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR GUITAR, having a budget, TO COMPARE?

edited by bootlegger.


Doc,

I check the workmanship of the assembled product, action and neck. Then I play it with out amplifacation to hear if the guitar will hold sustain. I usually have in mind what I am looking for and what sound I am trying to acheive. Then you know me figure what pickups I and parts I'm going to use to hot rod it. My Michael Kelly Patriot Decree should be here next week. They are new modles and have not hit the stores yet as the NAMM show just finished this week.

Bootlegger.

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: SELECTION OR TESTING GUITARS

HELLO BOOT good morning here, and good night there.
I do exactly the same, but not so detailed as you. What I wrote looks funny, playing guitar sitting on an amp. You FEEL the vibrations, sound and in the mean time you check that guitar.
I can't help it, but PRS is my favourite.

BOOT, DO YOU KNOW IF I CAN FIND ORIGINAL GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 1968 somewhere? I changed these by 2 P-94, to create the sound of the first production years, having another 1979 Custom. They gave me back my originals, and since my girlfriend left me, I'm afraid that she threw away these humbuckers. THAT CUSTOM'S PRICE IS 10.000 to 15.000$,original. I wish I never had that girl, I was lost in 1998, everything prepared to move to South Africa, to end up in CANADA, unfortunately she crossed my path.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website