Hi everyone. I was in the music store the other day to grab a couple sets of strings. There was a young guy in there playing Satch Boogie and he was really awesome. Anyway that got me thinking. What do you guys play when you go to try out new guitars? Are there certain songs you go to more often than others or do you just noodle around with scales and such?

I rarely play songs. I have certain licks I play but mostly I play every fret on every string both plugged and unplugged.

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The time has gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.

Intros to Johnny B. Goode, Day Tripper, a chord progression.

I'm not going to a store to show off, I'm trying equipment.

If it's a guitar, I plug into several different amps to see how well it handles clean and distorted tones. And play it unplugged.

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2007 USA Deluxe Strat,
2007 Gibson SG Special w/ a Bigsby B5
2006 MIJ Strat,
2008 Champ 600,
2009 Blues Jr.,
TS9
Vox Wah
BBE Soul Vibe
EHX Holy Grail Reverb
BOSS RC-20XL Loop Station
BOSS DS-1
Crybaby Wah

i play blus scales and intros nothing fancy but sometimes ill show off

I always forget everything I know when I'm plugged into an amp at GC.

So usually I just play something easy that I've known how to play for a while. Like Long Train Runnin', or something along those lines. Or, if I'm brave, I'll just make something up.

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I like to impress everyone in the store with my ripping version of Stairway to heaven!- just kidding! I usuallly play an assortment of licks relative to a very clean, a little dirty, and very dirty sounds. And I ALWAYS play the instrument unplugged. That helps me too just "feel" the guitar (especially the neck) as well as listen to it's inherent acoustic tone. It works for me. I have a les Paul and a Strat that I've had for almost 25 years now. They have served me well, and I still love them.

If it is electric I play PURPLE HAZE or CLAPTONS COCAINE, if it is acoustic I play PINK FLOYD WISH YOU WERE HERE, PHOEBES SMELLY CAT or SHERYL CROWS A CHANGE WOULD DO YOU GOOD.

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2008 FENDER STRATOCASTER USA HIGHWAY ONE HSS.
2004 FENDER SQUIRE CYCLONE
2009 OVATION CELEBRITY DELUXE BLUE BURST QUILTED MAPLE
2008 PEAVEY VALVEKING VK112
"IT'S NOT ABOUT LOVING WHAT YOU WANT, IT'S ABOUT LOVING WHAT YOU'VE GOT."= SHERYL CROW

I always play with the volume way down,Hendrix tunes like bold as love little wing and castles made of sand,because I can play them exact are eye openers.Some times if someone is playing soft to Iwill solo over what he is playing and that can be fun and you can make a friend.I really cant stand the guys that crank it up and drown everyone else outas these are usualy the least experienced players.Bit of advice dont start playing something your in the middle of learning,and always show some respect for the guy checking out an ax next to you so he can hear what he is doing

I play riffs and chord progressions I came up with--and just noodle around. I play open chords, bar chords, power chords, double stops, and single notes.
I bend, do hammer-ons, pulloffs, finger vibrato, etc. I play fast, slow, mellow, heavy--and everything in between.

And during my last guitar hunt I actually came up with a new riff I play a lot now--it developed over time trying out guitars.

I play various ways I might play for different styles & songs I like. And I play all over the neck. It's fun, and nobody can tell me I played it incorrectly--because it's my stuff. Although I have been known to sneak in the bassline to Smoke on the water...

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

I play what i feel at the moment. You know maybe some riff i been working on. Or maybe some scales any thing to get the feel of the neck.

Mostly riffs and solos

I usually play whatever comes to mind that i don't think everyone around me would know. That way they can't tell how badly i messed the song up. Other than that i just play chord progressions and a few scales to get a good feel for the neck.

I play the same thing I play at home - The Noodler's Concerto.

Just noodle a bit, some scales, some bits and pieces of this and that. I couldn't impress anyone if I tried, so I don't try. I'm interested in the guitar I'm auditioning, not what everyone else thinks of my playing.

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The movement you need is on your shoulders.

2006 Fender Strat HSS MIM
2006 Yamaha RGX A2
2006 Epiphone Les Paul Custom
2008 Epiphone John Lennon EJ-160E AE
1980 Vantage 600VS
1991 Fender M-80 Chorus
DigiTech GNX3000

http://www.jimmyrhythm.com

I'll qualify this comment so I don't come off as a jerk. I'm not the greatest guitarist but I can play. My experience is when you go into GC or any other bigbox stores, the guitar playing is attrious. Mostly real young kids that crank the amp with no respect for others around them. They don't even tune the guitars! Playing consists of buzzing out of tune power chords and "cat in heat" solos with extended whammy bar improves. It really is painful on the ears. Everyone was a beginner once but have some common sense and respect for others around you. If I'm serious about test driving something the guy I always deal with lets me take the gear into the vault area where there is a door and you can actually hear yourself think.

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