It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:21 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:17 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
I've read lots of threads discussing what is the best guitar or the best pickup or the best amp. This got me thinking, what if there is a guitar or pickup that best suits the player. I realize that a great player is a great player, but what if Clapton had never picked up a Les Paul or had the Clapton Strat built? He would still sound great, but something beautiful would have been lost.

What if SRV had never played a Strat and had played Telecasters instead?

Each one of these guitars and the pickups in them influenced the tone, style and voice of player who used them.

You can see the change in Clapton's playing based on the guitar he is using; almost to the point of being very different players.

For years anyone hearing my playing would think, "blues player" based on my style, amp and guitars I was using, mostly Strats and tweed style tube amps.

Currently my style sounds more what I call British jazzy and artistic (think Andy Summers and King Crinson). Why? Because I'm using a Telecaster with a Humbucker and broadcaster pickup, and many layers of effects.

Do I still sound good with a Les Paul style guitar in my hands, some say yes, but part ofm style and voice disappears when I play them.

Just something to think about.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:59 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:29 am
Posts: 4238
Location: Pgh Pa
My style seems to change with guitar. When I play my SG I tend to play more hard driving classic rock. With my strats I tend to play blues and more lead. When I play my Les Paul it more southern rock.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:53 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
I think it goes both ways. I have four guitars and three amps I use regularly, and what I feel like playing guides which guitar I pick up and the amp I use more than the other way around.

There are, of course, things that are much easier one one guitar and in some cases even impossible on others. I can't bend on the 2nd fret on the 12 string, well not without drawing blood, and I can't hit the 23rd fret on a Tele. Nor get twang out of a hot PAF-like pickup.
So that influences what I don't play after picking up a guitar, I guess.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:09 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 10:09 pm
Posts: 417
I tend to prefer oversized single coils/soapbars, those kind of pickups. I think I like fuzz better than distortion. They do tend to be noisy..that's why you need a good onboard preamp.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 6:08 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:46 pm
Posts: 2041
I have always loved all kinds of guitars and amps, though I never got too far into anything other than basic effects pedals. I don't think I have a "right" guitar, though I lean toward Fender amps as the "right" amps for me, having lusted after Fenders since I got my first guitar in 1963.

Right now I own 70 different guitars and 45 amps and in the Music Room I sample lots of them every month. But on the road right now, it's me and my Ovation A/E, a Fender G-DEC 3 Thirty and my BOSE L1 Compact. They're what's "right" for me "right" now.

_________________
Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:34 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Posts: 19026
Location: Illinois, USA
Good to see your post paris. "The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player", pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure. When watching old vids of Jimi playing an old Japanese contraption, it's still Jimi. If it plays and you can play thats what counts, after that it just means that your playing has made you enough to upgrade. "Right" however is up to the buyer. Too simple or not?

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:51 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
Good to see your post paris. "The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player", pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure. When watching old vids of Jimi playing an old Japanese contraption, it's still Jimi. If it plays and you can play thats what counts, after that it just means that your playing has made you enough to upgrade. "Right" however is up to the buyer. Too simple or not?


The post is neither, ostentatious or pretentious. I'm certainly not trying to garner desired attention or make exaggerated claims. The point of the post wasn't about what guitar you should or shouldn’t play, but more about how much the sound of your guitar changes your playing. I agree that your style is your style and a good player is well... a good player.

I'm stating how much a guitar (or pickup) can change a guitarist. Players have spent millions of dollars and countless hours trying to "get that sound." If Jimmie had never picked up a Strat, "that sound" wouldn't exist. People were playing Strats long before Jimmie, but they didn't sound like him. In fact I firmly believe that Strats bring out the player's personal playing style “finger print,” that Telecaster expose a player's weaknesses, and Les Pauls hide your flaws.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:08 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
paris wrote:
In fact I firmly believe that Strats bring out the player's personal playing style “finger print,” that Telecaster expose a player's weaknesses, and Les Pauls hide your flaws.

You can believe what you want - it's a (somewhat) free country. And I'm free to believe that what you just said is an utter load of pretentious codswallop.

It's the man who plays the guitar, not the other way around.
Whether I cook, carve wood, or play guitar, my "personal style", "weaknesses" and "flaws" originate with me, not the tool.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:58 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Posts: 19026
Location: Illinois, USA
paris wrote:
Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
Good to see your post paris. "The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player", pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure. When watching old vids of Jimi playing an old Japanese contraption, it's still Jimi. If it plays and you can play thats what counts, after that it just means that your playing has made you enough to upgrade. "Right" however is up to the buyer. Too simple or not?


The post is neither, ostentatious or pretentious. I'm certainly not trying to garner desired attention or make exaggerated claims. The point of the post wasn't about what guitar you should or shouldn’t play, but more about how much the sound of your guitar changes your playing. I agree that your style is your style and a good player is well... a good player.

I'm stating how much a guitar (or pickup) can change a guitarist. Players have spent millions of dollars and countless hours trying to "get that sound." If Jimmie had never picked up a Strat, "that sound" wouldn't exist. People were playing Strats long before Jimmie, but they didn't sound like him. In fact I firmly believe that Strats bring out the player's personal playing style “finger print,” that Telecaster expose a player's weaknesses, and Les Pauls hide your flaws.

Paris, so sorry Bro. I did not intend for the "pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure" quip to be taken as a criticism. I know that you were just referring to gear related sounds for artists and for sure some guitarists are recognizable for their tone rather than skill. Again I'm not saying having a unique tone is good or bad. Example, Robin Trower is a favorite of mine but Jimi outplayed him every time he picked up a guitar, any guitar through any amp. It is the thought of searching for a singular or signature tone without possessing the chops first which seemed pretentious or ostentatious to me, my thought only in relation to a young player perhaps putting the cart before the horse. Back to Robin, he knew that he wanted to sound like Hendrix to fill the great guitar void left after his death and thankfully he achieved that tonal milestone but I don't think Robin ever thought himself more than "sounding" similar. I apologize Paris.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:25 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
paris wrote:
Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
Good to see your post paris. "The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player", pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure. When watching old vids of Jimi playing an old Japanese contraption, it's still Jimi. If it plays and you can play thats what counts, after that it just means that your playing has made you enough to upgrade. "Right" however is up to the buyer. Too simple or not?


The post is neither, ostentatious or pretentious. I'm certainly not trying to garner desired attention or make exaggerated claims. The point of the post wasn't about what guitar you should or shouldn’t play, but more about how much the sound of your guitar changes your playing. I agree that your style is your style and a good player is well... a good player.

I'm stating how much a guitar (or pickup) can change a guitarist. Players have spent millions of dollars and countless hours trying to "get that sound." If Jimmie had never picked up a Strat, "that sound" wouldn't exist. People were playing Strats long before Jimmie, but they didn't sound like him. In fact I firmly believe that Strats bring out the player's personal playing style “finger print,” that Telecaster expose a player's weaknesses, and Les Pauls hide your flaws.

Paris, so sorry Bro. I did not intend for the "pretentious or ostentatious I can't be sure" quip to be taken as a criticism. I know that you were just referring to gear related sounds for artists and for sure some guitarists are recognizable for their tone rather than skill. Again I'm not saying having a unique tone is good or bad. Example, Robin Trower is a favorite of mine but Jimi outplayed him every time he picked up a guitar, any guitar through any amp. It is the thought of searching for a singular or signature tone without possessing the chops first which seemed pretentious or ostentatious to me, my thought only in relation to a young player perhaps putting the cart before the horse. Back to Robin, he knew that he wanted to sound like Hendrix to fill the great guitar void left after his death and thankfully he achieved that tonal milestone but I don't think Robin ever thought himself more than "sounding" similar. I apologize Paris.


Not a problem. Always clad to hear other perspectives. Perhaps I misunderstood. Sorry about that.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:41 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Posts: 19026
Location: Illinois, USA
Thankyou Paris, you have been a respected member for a long time and it is always good to see your posts.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:05 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:10 pm
Posts: 5057
Location: The Capital Wasteland
Didn't "bloom" as a player until I got the Guild. Non stop creativity now.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: The right pick up (or guitar) for the right player
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 1:41 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
Thankyou Paris, you have been a respected member for a long time and it is always good to see your posts.



Thanks, I appreciate that.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: