Trying out gear in a shop?

I usually play a bunch of chords and try to let them ring out so I can hear each string/or how the amp sounds. Then I usually run a few blues licks and a few chord progressions. I don't usullay try out cover songs. I keep doing this while trying to hear myself over the 14 year old on the Gibson side of the store, shredding away really loud. One time someone kept mimmicking every lick I played when I was trying out an amp.

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Hi yodacaster: you'd think the essence of playing electric guitar is showing off and getting looked at, right? Strange thing: when demo'ing guitars in shops I find it mildly inhibiting having people around listening in to assess the chops. I feel I'm meant to be performing instead of listening to the instrument.

So recently I've taken to having my Boss BR Micro in my pocket and I plug into that. Then I can demo the guitar through some sounds I already know and maybe with a track or two stored in the machine for the purpose. Then I can rock out or just pluck away quietly without worrying about trying to impress a bunch of silly kids in the room.

Bashful, huh?

Still, if forced to answer your question at face value I guess I'd go with some Knopfler-esque moves with the amp fairly clean...

Cheers - C

'Smoke On The Water' louder than anybody else.

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I've wandered into this world lately while on an amp search. I play chords and scales when trying the clean channel or settings and then some riffs that relate to the tone that I have the amp set at. My catalog isn't that big so when my local store set me up in an amp testing room with 3 heads and a cab it was heaven. It made me feel like I was sitting on my couch at home doing what I do. I know my limitations but even if I was great player I would feel weird busting out some loud riffs in the middle of a store. Whether it's full or empty I feel like people have better things to do than try and ignore some loud music. I've always found it annoying when you walk into an electronics store and someone has either a car stereo or a tv cranked to 11 to see how something performs.

I'm getting quite good at the D chord now, so usually I use that
Rhumba dude! good to see ya mate, hope you're well

I play original songs, and some blues licks chords. I don't turn it up any louder than it needs to be for me to hear it, and I don't pay attention to everyone else. Still, it always feels like there are people watching. And there's always someone playing a $3000 Gibson through a cranked $2000 Marshall. Their song of choice? Smoke on the Water.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
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A medley of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major into Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Hi Snowy, I'm doing well mate and I hope you are too.

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I run through a G, D, Am or C (wonder where that came from?) and also the ever popular E, A, B7. Run up the frets one step at a time for each string to check for fret buzz... and all that when nobody else is around.

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You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

When playing new gear I'm seriously considering about buying, I usually do some quick Beatles or CCR progressions. If I like how it plays, I spend a minute or two fooling with settings and various rudimentary licks to see if it's worth it.

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

i play some nirvana, a little simple blues-ish stuff, the one song ive thought up that i havnt forgotten to write down/im sure i like, and some various other crap ..... as for the people expecting a concert, just play stairway.... theyll think your one of the people who ONLY KNOWS stairway to heaven (and yes, they do still exist.... i see them all the time at my dads store)....

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

Thats one of the reasons I am gutted that The Belfast Guitar Emporium has recently closed, they had separate rooms for such things so you could really have a long good go at a guitar, amp or whatever. R.I.P. BGE!

I suppose I just play my own bands stuff as I'd rather the guitar suited my style more than my attempts at Stradlin, Gilmour, Clapton et al. Usually though its just a widdle as I don't really try to buy these days, I know what my next guitar will be and until I can afford it I'm just having a nosey.

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

Lately I've been taking my mp3 player with me and using the headphones with whatever amp I can plug them into. Its a lot of cabert (elevator) music, scales and 2 octave runs covering as much neck and strings as possible.

Cheers,
John.E

I usually play single notes first listening for tone, sustain, fret buzz, attack, dead zones, etc. I'll do that on each string at most points on the board. Single notes and bends. Then I'll play some chord shapes at various points on the board and listen to them ring and/or chunk. I'll also switch to every pickup switch option. I rarely use F/X when testing a guitar. I also rarely play songs as I am not interested in engaginging in conversation with other customers or gathering an audience. I just want to hear the guitar and get a feel for it's handling, balance and vibe and get out of the gong show ASAP. I also find that store employees show more respect and tend to be more helpful when they see you are actually trying the guitar instead of wasting an afternoon of their time wanking.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I used to have my Hendrix medley of Little Wing, Bold as Love and Castles Made of Sand which always drew a good response since I could play them spot on perfect. One word of advice never play something you are working on because you then sound like a hack with the stop start stop. Another good one is to play lines over something someone else is playing as I have made quite a few friends that way.

I am never shocked at how ballsy some guys could be.lol I have a friend that I used to help out and he knew about 4 chords but looked like Clapton in his 80s look with the long hair and beard and the clerks would flock around him as if he was someone and he would ask for a Les Paul and plug into a Marshal and crank it and then would bash away on a open E chord endlessly. I would be on the other side of the store once he asked for a guitar.lol