Why is your #1 guitar #1?

[61Ephramite]

Most players have that favorite, "go to" guitar. For me it's a '98 MIM Tele that I have modded with Fralin SP42 in the bridge and Blues Special in the neck; graphtech saddles, 4 way switch and upgraded tuners. It has that special sound and mojo on it that makes my bandmates smile with approval when I pull it out.

What makes your #1 your #1?

 

[Birddog]

For a long time my #1 was my Fender Showmaster. Beautiful, great tone, great playability. I recently bought a new Les Paul Studio after years of Gibson lust. It isn't fancy, isn't beautiful, but at gig volumes (we play LOUD) its tone positively soars. It is no better or worse playing than the Showmaster, but the SOUND...unbelieveable. And that's what we're all in it for, in the end. To sound good. Side by side in the basement studio, there's not much difference in tone. At gig-velocity, there is. The Gibson wins and I expect it to stay at #1 for a long, long time or until the next LP comes along.

PS: There's always a Fat Strat on hand too, at every gig. But it has moved from #2, to #2b.

 

[jaywalker]

Butchered nashville deluxe tele with midi PU and Epiphone spotlight with coiltap and reverse phaze.

For rock it's gotta be the musicman MM.

...oh wait,,that's 3 number ones....

 

[RvChevron]

Very comfortable neck, very balance weight wise and just plain sounds great, to me of course!

One other reason would be the better ones haven't come along.:RoCkIn

 

[GrecoVee]

For me there's three factors involed in making a guitar my favorite,.....
1. Size of the fret wire, highth and width (I love huge fret wire!)
2. The shape of the back of the neck, I tend to like a medium"C" to almost a "D" shaped neck
3. Tone!!, Alot of people think that this should be the number 1 reason for making a guitar your favorite but I've played some guitars in the past and own some that sound fantastic but I can't play them very well because of the neck shape or size of fret wire isn't to my liking.

Note:...I should have put #2. before #1.

 

[Dave Orban]

Mine is a blonde '53 ES175. It's been my main gigger for the last 6 years.

Aesthetically, it's gorgeous... I like the size and shape, it's light as a feather, the neck profile is perfect for me, it's been refretted with 6105s (my favorite fret), it is very "lively" and resonant, and the P90s are thick and smoky, with just the right amount of whiskers on 'em, when you dig in hard. With a 13-60 set (plain G), it is THE ****!

Best guitar I've ever played, and really, the only guitar I ever need.

 

[franksguitar]

I own 23 guitars but my number one is a yellow/rosewood neck original "relic" chipped up1973 modified strat done 25 years ago with Duncan PUs a JB bridge humbucker, 2 classic stacks, a 3 way mini toggle, a dimarzio brass tremolo assembly. Dunlop super jumbo frets, a graphite nut and Shaller tuners. Guitar is rewired to have a separate tone for the humbucker and one for the single coil stacks. This guitar sounds awesome.

www.myspace.com/franksguitar1952

 

[mprvise]

It changes about every week - this week it's all about the Soloway Swan.

 

[maccampbells]

It's my only one. PRS SE EG heavily modded.

 

[Zero Point]

My number 1 guitar is number 1, because number 2 sounds weird. Either gotta go to the bathroom or hit on the ship's counselor...

On a serious note, my main strat is a customized EJ. I redid the electronics, pickups, shielding, etc. It is the main guitar cause it's sweet

I am seriously thinking of getting an American Vintage '57 next. Though my ideal guitar would be a v57 neck and a v62 body

-ZP

 

[Joe324]

My 1# is 1# because it's the only electric guitar I own

 

[guitarstan]

It changes based on the current project and how bandmates respond. I like to keep everyone happy in the tone zone as much as possible and that may require me to use a certain amp/speaker/guitar combination. It might even require me to change guitars.

My favorite guitar to play is my solid rosewood neck PRS but it's a collectible so I'm a bit apprehensive about scratching it, that detracts from wanting to play it.

My favorite guitars are probably all collectible grade thus I rarely play them, that's weird . I seem to get more pleasure out of playing my least expensive guitars, that's weird too .

 

[chaz]

#1 is a Tele and it's #1 because of the big fat soft V neck, then the pu's. The right neck is a rare thing!

 

[Yutaka]

My #1 is a Tele I've bought in Vancouver when I was 20. It was completely beat up much like Joe Strummer one but worse, had a strat bridge without real tremolo routing, and the fingerboard had some green-ish stuff growing on it. I fell in love with the neck, which turned out to be an "A" neck from '65. I have since had a friend of mine do the restoration work on it. The neck fits my small left hand like no other guitars, and the sound and the feel of it is just right for me. It is a very light weight guitar as well. I don't even think about trying out other guitars anymore.

I have only two electrics, though, and the other one is a very good MIJ Strat from early 90's, but it doesn't get much loving like the Tele...

 

[MetalHeadd]

My early 90's Les Paul. My first high quality guitar (quite an upgrade from the squier bullet I had at the time).

The tone, playability, and familiarity make it my #1.

 

[Daniel-San]

My number one is my EJ Strat at the moment.
I was always a Les Paul lover before this one turned me to the Strat-camp...I never pick up my LP's anymore, but I think the LP on the pic is still my number two.

 

[mad dog]

#1 for me is a '61 strat. Reasons:

-- Best playing guitar I've experienced. Neck is perfect.
-- So many lovely tones in this one. I never tire of listening to it.
-- Works so well on stage. Quiet, loud, it doesn't matter. Cuts through as needed.

It adds up to trust. I rely on this guitar. It never lets me down.

 

[crosse79]

Coz I can't afford a higher end guitar Seriously

 

[russiancrowe]

My '77 Strat. I've heard a lot of '70's Fenders are garbage but I must of got lucky. This guitar sings. I use 12's on it and it sustains forever. It weighs more than some Les Pauls I've owned. I've played it pretty much everyday for over 30 years and it has never let me down no matter what kind of abuse I lay on it.

 

[Seegs]

I came up on a 335 then it was strats for many years until I got bit by the tele bug...

then I had a strat and a tele until I got a 335 a few months ago...its the guitar I reach for first and basically only guitar I play now except for my acoustic which I use for teaching...


Chow,
Seegs