What's your #1 that *isn't* a tele, and...

[fink]

How do you feel when you switch to it?

I have a strat, a nice one, that often watches me play a tele. And even though I am not the most tele of players and in fact play my tele a lot of times as if I am playing a strat, the feeling I get when I switch to the strat... is like I'm playing a bass?

Anyone else get that? It's not that I don't get used to it and find my strat tones again, but I really find the abrupt absence of that tele bite and growl to be just a little disorienting. Really hate it that my strat gets neglected because of this, but at least it's good to have when friends come over.

-Dan

[Blazer]

You should have posted this in the bad dog cafe.

Anyway, mine is my 1989 Squier Stratocaster "the Veteran"

I bought it new in 1991 at my 15'th birthday and I just keep coming back to it.

[Groovey Records]

sure in fact this is the # 1

[RodeoTex]

That would have to be my Jimmie Vaughn Strat and my D18. Switching between them is not a problem as I am so used to all of them.

[Joefish]

my # 1 guitar since 1971 ... Aria MODEL 9420 (a gift from my brother)


(click for larger version
Aria MODEL NO 9420.jpg

[Teleblooz]

here's the quick & cheap answer - my Kramer bass:

Little if any similarity.

...but, more in keeping with the spirit of the question, I'd have to say my stRat.

The thing is, as soon as I strap that thing on I know on some subliminal level that I'm playing a different animal and adjust my technique accordingly. I don't really think about it.

[guitarman823]

I have a second tele and a strat, but the guitar I grab most often after my baby is my '97 Ibanez AS80. That old girl can talk sweet.

[mijstrat72]

My beloved '86 MIJ strat



My home built Esquire (see avatar) is my new numero uno!

[BritishBluesBoy]

This:


This:


Or This:


Nope, it doesn't feel weird at all. They all play GREAT.

[beep.click]

Non-Tele #1: Gretsch hollowbody.

When I switch to the Gretsch, I instantly appreciate what it has to offer, and what it brings out in my playing.

When I switch back to a Tele -- same feeling. That's why I like having multiple guitars.

[Groovey Records]

Real nice wall paper !

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

This:


This:


Or This:


Nope, it doesn't feel weird at all. They all play GREAT.

[neocaster]

Non-Tele #1 = 1997 MIJ 60s Strat, shell pink, maple neck, rosewood board. Used, not sure what pickups are in it, but the bridge seems to boost the top end fair bit.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by Groovey Records

Real nice wall paper !

I like it - but not on my walls! (it's a backdrop I have in my photography studio)

[eggman]

Howdy,

These days it's my mid-90s Martin D-28. This baby gets better with age!

Eggman

[studio1087]

Switching guitar types always changes my mood and I love that feeling. I usually rock like a monster or play some really plucky jazz on the SG. I go way over to a crazy rock style or the other way to jazz or fusion.



I slow down on my Strat. I use all the pickup combinations. I use the neck pickup a lot. I tend to get into grooves and think a little more.

I love the variety.

John

[outbreak]

gretsch 5120. usually end up playing rockabilly stuff like stray cats and cochran on it.

[ac15]

I've been playing a Tele for years and I dig it, but it's my 3rd favorite guitar. I favor my Gretsch White Falcon and my R4 Les Paul over my Tele. Both of them get great, biting tones that cut through, so I don't feel like I'm sacrificing "twang" or "brightness" by not using the Tele.

[brokenjoe]

My #2 is not a tele..........





It's an Esquire!!!

[Sollophonic]

This often gets played more than my Teles



And with its huge neck, heavy strings and flat fingerboard is a whole different beast to play!

These two recent acquisitions are making my Teles a bit jealous at the moment

[Ricky D.]

My #2, an ESP 400 strat, is 300 miles away in Cleveland with my son. So it doesn't get much play time with me. I may ask him to swap it out with one of my Tele's when he comes home for the holidays.

[Kornelius]

Here's my number one

[drjordan]

I have two that I play a lot more than I play my electric guitar:

Collings D2HG



Beard Vintage R

[TG]

It varies from time to time and from place to place depending on the playing circumstances.

Overall this has become my number one much of the time recently. It's a Tokai ES60, which is their 'Epiphone level' 335...but I've fixed it up quite nicely with Duncan '59 PAF pickups and some hardware upgrades.



But I also sometimes gig with my Epiphone Les Paul (with Dimarzio Virtual Vintage PAFs) and find myself thinking that it's my best guitar...



And recently I've been spending time playing sans plectrum and for some reason my Squier CV 60s strat (with noiseless Dimarzio pickups) feels like the best guitar I've got when I'm doing that...





My guitars weren't expensive, but they're all very nice...

[Warm Gums]

I don't actualy own a Tele anymore, I started here when I did (Affinity.. nice guitar), but I find the standard Fender scale length unconfortable. I traded it twords a Duo Sonic RI last year & I'm now a happy camper..

[jkingma]

65 Mustang.

[Ben Harmless]

Originally Posted by jkingma

65 Mustang.

Wow! A friend of mine has one just like that (don't know the year) and it's fantastic! I'm prejudiced against the short scale, but I don't know why. It's such a great player with really cool tones.

[Aaron G]

'96 American Std Strat with EMG Vince Gill stuff and Taylor T5

[Leon Grizzard]

Gretsch Country Gentleman. One of the best things about it is it makes the Teles feel light.

[jkingma]

Originally Posted by Ben Harmless

Wow! A friend of mine has one just like that (don't know the year) and it's fantastic! I'm prejudiced against the short scale, but I don't know why. It's such a great player with really cool tones.

I can adapt to different scale lengths pretty easy and I love the Mustang. It's all original. I bought it off the original owner about 27 years ago for $275.00 and it was my main guitar until I got my 73 Tele.

[Singin' Dave]

It varies on mood, but lately it's been one of my 70's Guild electrics (either a '73 Guild Bluesbird or a '74 S-100C, both stunning guitars to play. Love those HB1 pups!




or this CIJ CAR JM with Novak pups that sound like angels making love.

[ac15]

Originally Posted by Leon Grizzard

Gretsch Country Gentleman. One of the best things about it is it makes the Teles feel light.

You're not kidding. My White Falcon is a double cutaway, so it's basically a Country Gentleman dressed up as a White Falcon. It's a great guitar, but way heavier than I would have expected. I think it has to do with the trestle bracing.

[fourmations]

heres mine

blocks and bindings cij jazzy with novak pups



cheers

4

[Leon Grizzard]

Originally Posted by ac15

You're not kidding. My White Falcon is a double cutaway, so it's basically a Country Gentleman dressed up as a White Falcon. It's a great guitar, but way heavier than I would have expected. I think it has to do with the trestle bracing.

That and about five pounds of hardware. The knobs alone are two pounds. All that gold plating is heavy too.

[Canuckcaster]

Originally Posted by Warm Gums

I don't actualy own a Tele anymore, I started here when I did (Affinity.. nice guitar), but I find the standard Fender scale length unconfortable. I traded it twords a Duo Sonic RI last year & I'm now a happy camper..

I am now Teleless too. I took it back to the shop that I bought it at to have the neck looked at. They told me that the neck had not one, but two "humps" on it. One is right after the nut, and the other starts at about the 12th fret. So instead of getting it fixed under warranty I asked if they would trade me straight across for a new Vox AC4tv, and the manager accepted. I think I'll buy a CV Tele in the new year to replace it.

Back to the OP's question, my number 1 is my Gibby Les Paul standard. I love Tele's, but my LP is freaking amazing.

CC

[Radspin]

My Grosh ElectraJet Standard. It is light years better than any other guitar I own--including a '69 Tele and "65 and "67 Strats. Just a superlative guitar in every respect.

[PennyCentury]

A 1988 Epiphone Nouveau Spotlight, mahogany neck through, quilted maple top, EMG pickups and split coil switching. Sort of rare, as they were a failed Gibson experiment, and got them in trouble with PRS as that model is supposed to be very close to the design of the original PRS Santana model.

[gruveb]

Ash body, transparent blue strat, fralin pickups, maple neck, vintage tuners, blender tone knob and a lot of mojo. :D Oh, and I pieced it together myself, but it's my favorite guitar.

The other picture is my epiphone les paul that Iv'e done everything under the sun to.

[promagnum]

My Classic Player Jazzmaster, since I don't have a tele at all.

[DNestler]

A slightly oversize F5 mandolin made by Gary Vessel of Turlock, CA.

Daniel

[Brian Krashpad]

I don't really have a "#1." Heresy I suppose, but I intentionally rotate through my guitars in practices and performances. Cheapies and not-so-cheapies, doesn't make me no nevermind.

Gotta share the luv. Those grrls get jealous otherwise.