How did ya choose your #1 - looks, sound, feel, ???

[don]

It's tough to pick which guitar is the number 1. One of the best sounding guitars I ever had was heavy as lead and I gladly let it go; the best feeling guitar I ever had was just not versatile enough and the best looking guitar seems to never have the right tone. How did ya do it?

[fenderfreak]

I just love the sound i get outta my muddy and the feel of the neck is great ive 2 other teles and a cool strat but 4 the past year I just cant put down the red one

[trag-o-caster]

That's why for so many years I've played my Fernandes TE-1N with Duncan vintage PU's (54 RI in the bridge). It's just a special piece of wood that resonates like nothing else that I've played. Unfortunately, I've never been happy with it's playablity or looks. BTW, looks comes last on the list. At the moment it's neck is twisted and needs to be replaced. Every note on the high E and B string is making that sitar sound, no matter how high I raise the the action (which is already high). I still play it anyway. I can't resist it's tone. Right now the pots are so worn out that it's been rendered unusable, so I'm using either my Fernandes Strat (Gawd forbid!), or my buddies 52 RI, which I also love.

I've got some money coming from an inheritance, and I will probably buy myself my own 52RI. While I'm at it, I'm going to have a buddy of mine refinish that Fernandes in sunburst, and either hang it from our big maple tree, douse it in lighter fluid, and light it, or chain it to a bumper and drag it down a dirt road. Then I'll replace the neck and pots and use it for a cool looking spare!

[BADFISH]

I find one that "Feels" right.......and then try to make the "sound" work for me. When the Feel is there, more times then not, the sound it there too.

[genelovesjez]

I would put feel and sound together as the most important attributes - mainly the feel of the neck and the sound of the pickups (although lots of other factors play in). I guess feel is first, but if it doesn't sound right when you plug it in, it won't feel right when you play it. Of course, many of the elements that affect the sound can be played around with (strings, pickups, setup, etc.), so I concentrate more on the feel of the neck when I'm looking for guitars.

And then, it also depends on the day of the week...

[rebelern]

It's a combination of: Sound and Playability,and thats all I Want,and the Model /or Price,Has no influence in my choice, if I'm comfortable, then I'm and enjoy the Gig.

Ernie.

[Jeroen]

I'd say sound is the most important, but if it doesn't feel right I can't make it sound right. It has to have the right feel for me to make it sing. Looks are important, but it's the sound and feel that make me fall for a guitar. And it's not very often you come across a really ugly Telecaster...

Jeroen

[eryque]

I used to have two teles, a yellow (or vintage white, really) california fat tele, and a trans red JD tele that i put stock tele pickups & switching in, and a stock Sheraton. the yellow one had a Duncan 59 humbucker and sounded killer, the JD had fender neck pickup from the late 60s that also sounded killer. problem was that I came to love the huge neck on the JD, so much that the yellow one never felt right, though the neck wasn't really small. So the JD was always the one I reached for. I raised the action on the yellow one a little for slide, but rarely played it so I sold it. Wish I didn't have to, but the money I got was well spent.

Now I have a Sheraton and the Tele. I never loved the neck on the sheraton and the action was too low, pickups kind of muddy but not bad. Got the nut filled & recut to raise the action, put a Seth Lover in it, and now I can't decide which to play. The JD is still number 1, but not by much. It just feels a little righter, but they both sound killer now.

[Joel66]

I just walked up to her in the club we were playing and said......oops. Sorry you're talking about #1 guitar, that was how I chose my first ex-wife.

My #1 for the longest time was the Tele that my folks gave me in 88. I loved the feel of the neck. The weight was great for me. I thought the sound was great, until I really listened to some other Tele's. That's when I upgraded the pup's. How I chose that Tele was simple. It was a gift. I received it without ever touching it beforehand and I lucked out. It fit me perfectly. It was my #1 until last August. That's when I got my Paisley, which is now my #1. Will I ever part with 'Louise'?? (my old #1)....no way.

Joel

[Jakedog]

You don't. It chooses you. Wait long enough, and eventually your six stringed soul mate will find you.


Jake

[guitar_paul1]

I agree with sound and feel combined. My #1 is neither my most expensive nor my most cool looking.
(lh neck on natural finish rh body...)
-paul

[Joel Terry]

Originally Posted by BADFISH

I find one that "Feels" right.......and then try to make the "sound" work for me. When the Feel is there, more times then not, the sound it there too.

Absolutely.

But, I guess, as is with most any attraction, the visual lust happens for me first (call me shallow :P); then, if need be, I can usually make adjustments to the guitar to suit my tastes for feel and sound.

I guess that's why I'm so in love with most of the past and present Fenders made/crafted in Japan. These guitars usually come right out of the shipping carton with ideal looks, feel, and sound, in my opinion.

Joel :)

[don]

My current number 1 is (don't hate me) a MIJ 62 RI strat in olympic white. All stock except the mint green scratchplate. It sounds great and feels great and looks great. I occasionally set her aside to try and fall in love with another but I always come back home. Several hot teles have come close but I like the curves and contours of my number 1. It's funny, no matter how good they are, we keep looking for something better which proves to me the thrill is in the hunt.

[Lance]

I usually pick guitars on recommendations of others then tried them in stores. If it seemed very nice - it comes home. A guitar eventually grows on me to the point where it becomes "One". If it's a nice guitar, I'll still keep it even if it never becomes "One"

However, I have to say that I bought my CS Nocaster NOS sight unseen and it's been numero uno for a few years now. I did play a relic Nocaster first at a shop and liked everything except the beat look.....thus I got the NOS.

Also, in reading the Tonequest Report, I've found excellent recommedations for guitars that are great. In their special on Les Pauls, they said that the '54 goldtop with wraparound bridge was by far the most toneful Les Paul they'd ever had....and they were completely right. (it's my numero dos)

[Scott M]

The only one I got. (But it really is a beautiful thing.)

-Scott

[T Prior]

I only have 3 requirements:

It's gotta' play great
it's gotta' sound great
and...
It's gotta' look great !

Wasn't that easy !

tp

Any compromise is never worth it in the long run...

[T-Joe]

just one. So I have 3 no. 1's.
no. 1 Gretsch 6120
no. 1 '52 ri butterscotch
no. 1 '52 ri copper w/Bigsby

[PraiseCaster]

......you really gotta take your time and try out several. And with the cash factor being a big restraint, I found myself looking for a guitar that had that feel/playability that I was looking for. For a long time, I could only afford the $100.00 pawnshop specials, like a Harmony Strat, an old Yamaha Strat copy, an old Kramer XXL, or some off brand name.

They were usually well used, and needed some fixin/cleaning up. Again funds being limited, if it needed new frets, I'd pass, but if the fretts looked like they had enough left for a good sanding and refinish, no problem! All it would cost is the different grades of sand paper, and a little elbow grease.

Finish was not a high priority. If it was real ugly, I'm at least decent enough with wood filler, sand paper (wet and dry), and spray paint, that I could put a (what the mfr's call) Gothic matt black paint job on it as well as any of the manufacturers could.

The electronics had to work, or I had better be able to "see" the reason why it wasnt: broken wires, or solder points. If the electronics were dead, I'd pass.

I would also play the guitar alot unplugged. It's been my experience, that if you can coax out a nice tonal quality unplugged, it's gonna be enhanced when you do plug in. I know it may sound wierd, but it's true. If all you hear is the strings by themselves ringing when your playing it unplugged, your pretty much gonna be limited by the tonal quality's of your pups. But, if you get a nice resonating tone coming off that guitar, the tone is gonna be enhanced by the wood(s), and overall construction of the guitar.

Now, once I did come into a little extra spending money, I decided to look around for my Number One. I had about $300.00 cash. I checked out the Fender Standard Tele's, but I couldnt seem to get comfortable with em. I almost bought this old Ibanez Telecaster: It had two wide range pups in it. But someone else got it first.

Then I walked into this lil music shop in Stanton, CA. I see this gorgeous Telecaster sittin their. Beautiful antique sunburst finish, gold hardware. I almost didnt look at it a second time, cause I thought "well outta my price range", but since Iwas just shopping around, I walked over and picked it up. It felt really nice. Light: 7 1/2 lbs..
Hmmm, Jay Turser Custom Telecaster, never heard of them before. I looked at the price tag, and nearly fell on the floor! $250.00! BRAND NEW!

Well I composed myself, sat down and started to play: Nice resonating sound coming off the guitar! The neck feels great even with my big meaty paws! After about twenty minutes, the salesman asks me if I wanted to plug it in? UH-HUH! Plugged it into an old bassman, and I think a tear rolled down my face; she sounded sweet! After another 5 minutesof playing, walked over to the counter and paid the man! She's been my Number One ever since! I've gotten more compliments on my tone, and sound than I ever had with any other guitar. Oh, way back "in the day" I used to own a lot of expensive guitars, Les Pauls, Strats, BC Rich, etc.. I wasnt always a pawnshop guitar owner only, just my priorities went more toward the wife and kids (and so did my money!).

The most important thing in buying that great guitar, is to not be in a rush. really try it out. Look around. Dont just get the first one you find in the first store you walk into.

Well, that's my two cents worth!

[Paul in Colorado]

Depends on the music. The '52 RI Tele will do the job most of the time, but I like other voices for other gigs. If I'm playing more rock stuff, I'll take the LP and if I'm playing more rhythm then lead I'll take the Gretsch or maybe an acoustic. Usually, for the six string electric guitar role, it's either the Tele or the mutant hardtail Strat with a Carvin neck, brass saddles, a tapped bridge 'bucker and a P-90. It's pretty twangy, but it doesn't have the snap and vibe that the Tele has.

I don't have trouble switching from one guitar to another like some guys do. As long as it's got a decent set up, I can gig with it. Most of my guitars are very different from each other. The Tele has .0095's while the Strat has .010's and the Gretsch has .011 flatwounds on it.

[Mike Better]

My #1 is a Tokai, bought unseen over the internet.. I replaced the bridge, pots, knobs.. flipped the plate, tossed some bardens in it, and it's #1 with a bullet now... it's been beat up somethin fierce, some of the screws are a little weird, but it's all I play.. This is over a newer black 52ri and a 70 LPC..

Mike

[Mark50]

Easy answer. Sounds as good as your ability can make it sound. And if it doesn't feel right your not going to be your best. If you look at pictures from years ago most of the great players had guitars that were beat. It's only in the last five or ten years that anyone even condisidered that having "10" top as meant it was a great guitar.

[Maggot]

I picked mine based on sound first, feel second. It's got great feel, great sound and looks rotten. There were other guitars around that felt as good (but probably not better), but not that sounded as good. Certainly not looks - It's so butt ugly that after I got it I almost traded it in for a great-feel, so-so sound, blue flower looks. But now I've grown accustomed to its face.

By the way its the most generic looking MIM Standard Strat you can possibly imagine. Bone stock.

[telemann51]

on my '97 relic nocaster. It ain't vintage by a long shot and it's the best Tele neck I've played. I can play it for hours with no fatigue. I kinda lucked into it, too. I think when that happens the universe is trying to tell you something.

[0le FUZZY]

Lemme cee now--

Fiddy % looks.

Fiddy % feel.

Fiddy % sound.

!!!!!! Wade a minnit, that don't add up rite.

Terddy tree anna terd % looks.

Terddy tree anna terd % feel

Terddy tree anna terd % sound.

Now I'm cornfused -------- watt waz the question again?

Oh ya!!

How did ya do it?

I dent never dew it. At's why I are still lookin.

Hard stuff ta dew a pickin out a number one:
http://personalweb.sunset.net/~barron/collection.html