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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

Yes you did, Brett, yes you did...

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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 shot Marvin in the face ....

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My view is that it affects the acoustic sound, but I can't see how it could make any difference to the amp'd up sound.

Makes it easier to change strings.

Eric Johnson says it sounds better, who are we to argue!

Check out the big brain on Brett...

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

My knowledge around electric guitar is little since I mainly built classical guitar since 30 years now, but yes, imho every single things which gives a better or a specific tonal characteristic to an unplugged guitar will be heard using the amp either. And that really strike me since I got an E.J. 2 weeks ago, I can really heard the quest for a sound from someone who know exactly what he is looking for, and who was able with Fender to blend his thoughts in his model. It is also interesting to hear Gary Moore about that here in this video ( from 0:53 to 1:48 sec).
http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/video-gary-moore-shreds-blues-rock-and-jazz-223517
Anyway, to my own concern I fully agree, the way that an unplugged axe is sounding is going to say a lot a lot on how that guitar will react with an amp.
About the back plate; don't think that the impact will be obvious or simply doing a C chord or to play any licks, but for someone who knows all the ins and outs of his guitar, he can discover that only few notes on the 2nd string can sing slightly better!

rw

I think you heard me just fine, Punchy...

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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.

Disaster strikes!

I've kept the back plate off of my guitars forever, but I was jamming with some friends out on the flight deck of the ship we are embarked on and my belt buckle took the grounding wire clean off

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I bet that ground's name was Zed.

(wait for it...)

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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.

Thats more common than you think. Its an easy fix though, you dont even need a soldering iron. Just strip half inch of the cover off the wire and tie it to a tremspring.

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No no and no

As mother might say: "This would never have happened in the first place if the back plate was on like it should have been!!!"

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You dig?

Zed's dead baby!!!

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I love the way some of these threads go from serious to comical in the blink of an eye.

With that said, If you think it makes a difference then it does. Just like the guage of the strings, the material used for the body, the neck, the frets, the strings, the types of cables you use, not to mention, the ambient temperature, humidity, weather, etc, etc, etc. Even if it is just a minute difference, it's a difference non the less. In the end, every little detail adds or removes from the sound and tone. Individually they may not be recognizable, but as a whole..... hmmmm?

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Its a lifestyle.....

Zed? Maynard. Spider just caught a couple flies.

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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.

Bring out the gimp...

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