Most versatile guitar?

[New to buying]

As you can tell by my name, I'm pretty much new to any kind of trading/selling/buying or guitar names and stuff like that. I'm really good at guitar, and im 14 ive been playing for like5 years. I started out with alternate rock, and now ive kind of drifted into jazz and blues. Now i realize that my 100 dollar off brand strat and 1 foot high marshall practice amp won't do. So i've been saving up and i went to the music store where the guy explained pickups, and guitars and whatnot.

So what i want to know is what do you think is the most versatile guitar in your opinion.

And if it could just be a simple answer like "telecaster" or "SG" because i sure can't rewire a pickup or anythin technical like that. Thanks in advance

 

[Birdmankustomz]

I started on a H-S-S strat, and from that I learned what I wanted in a higher end guitar. I think my guitar is incredibly versitile (American Standard tele with a humbucker bridge and a single coil in the neck and a phase switch). With that I have everything from classical tones to death-metal. It took a bit of work with the wiring but there are plenty of people that can walk you through it on here or you could take it to a shop.

EDIT: I realized I didn't really answer your question, I'd say either a H-S-S strat or a good tele.

 

[adjason]

well since this is the telecaster forum I will say telecaster.........neck pickup can do jazz, middle can do almost anything an out of phase strat can do, and the bridge (with tone control) can do anything else...............and it is the coolest looking guitar

 

[tonewoods]

So what i want to know is what do you think is the most versatile guitar in your opinion.

Welcome to the forum....

Oh, and I'll go with a GreTsch 6120...

It'll do anything, and well....

 

[Chris S.]

G&L ASAT Z-3 or Comanche. I call my Z-3 Semi-hollow the Swiss Army knife of guitars. Five different settings cover everything from country twang to mellow jazz. Not cheap, but definitely versatile IMO. -- CS

 

[homerzeppelin]

What is your budget?

 

[tele salivas]

Welcome Newby! You're going to get a lot of answers for telecasters here. And while the Fender Telecaster is my favorite guitar, in all honesty, a great archtop is probably the most versatile electric guitar you will come across. You don't have to spend a ton of money on the real fancy ones that have lots of gold hardware and some rare wood grown in a now dead rainforest, but a good solid Gretsch 6120 Hollowbody or Gibson/ Epiphone ES series Archtop . Especially if you are getting into blues and jazz, an archtop/Hollowbody will get you some superb sounds, and they can go hard with an overdrive sound real nice. Good luck in your search and glad to have you here.

 

[allen st. john]

I honestly have to say that it's a Strat.
A good strat setup, with a baseplate and a blender for the bridge pickup, can get you pretty close to tele twang. The Strat neck is a classic unto itself, but can also be rolled off to get some jazz (clean) and woman tone (dirty). And the quacky middle tones are just not options on a tele.
That said, I'm glad I've got one of each and don't have to make that call.

 

[SteveGangi]

I'm going to go against some of what's been said.

No one can TELL you what is the right one for you. You can only get a general nudge in a direction, but they can not pick YOUR keeper for you. Even among several of the same make and model, there will be the one that works for you and the others. Get to a store and play them. Pay no attention to the brand or model at first, just try them. All of them.

My first good electric was a 60's Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman. By using the pickup switches and the amp intelligently, it could do just about anything, any kind of music, and did. Later when it got stolen, I used a Stratocaster and a Les Paul. Then later still, I got a Telecaster.

Anyone who says a Telecaster or a Gretsch are only for country, is wrong. Anyone who says a Strat is only for rock or blues is wrong. Any good guitar will be good for any music you want to play, if you give it a chance.

 

[jjkrause84]

For me it's a Fat Telecaster with coil-split options. Gives you the flexibility of a Tele PLUS some! A 335 would be a close second.

Anyways, good luck on your guitar journey. If I would give one it of advice it would be to learn to solder and work with electronics. It's not that hard but, in the long run, will save you huge amounts of cash and give you lots of self-satisfaction as well. Think, yo ucan get pickups in the mail in the morning and be playing them that afternoon! Cool!

 

[stratman323]

I honestly have to say that it's a Strat.
A good strat setup, with a baseplate and a blender for the bridge pickup, can get you pretty close to tele twang. The Strat neck is a classic unto itself, but can also be rolled off to get some jazz (clean) and woman tone (dirty). And the quacky middle tones are just not options on a tele.
That said, I'm glad I've got one of each and don't have to make that call.

+ 1.

But the ideal is to have a Strat & a Tele. Maybe you can't afford that yet, but you'll be able to soon. Those two classic guitars together can do anything.

Gibson type guitars can be fun, but they are nowhere near as versatile as Fender type guitars. Personally, I can never understand why some people think a 335 is so versatile - to me it isn't. Nice guitar, sure, but versatile?

 

[kidmo]

Hi new and welcome to the forum. As stated in previous posts, just about any guitar is very versatile, IMO a strat or tele will win 90% of the time. Look at the Squire series of Classic Vibe models, very high quality, low price. Don't forget, much of your tone will come from your amp (preferably tube) so don't forget to budget in for that, but that's a whole nother thread. Good luck and stick around and let us know what you decide!

 

[Horse]

Semi Hollow, ES 335 etc and a tele....... very versatile, to my mind those and the tele are the best and most versatile designs ever.

 

[jjkrause84]

Personally, I can never understand why some people think a 335 is so versatile - to me it isn't. Nice guitar, sure, but versatile?

It's the trebly bridge pup contasted with the dark and rich neck pup....it allows you to go into I guess what you can call "Fender territory". Then again, Les Pauls can do the same...Page got some great twang.

 

[imsilly]

A regular old school blackguard Tele type or a regular pre-CBS Strat.

Thing about those guitars is that unless you are using ungodly amounts of gain they let you express your natural style. Plenty of sounds out of those two guitars. They are tough as hell and probably more reliable then a Gibson type with their fragile necks. Plus they won't hide any of your mistakes behind high output pickups.

Don't worry about modding, etc. Just grab one you like the sound of and play. Well maybe a pickup or cap change could be helpful, but for most part try not to worry about anything, but playing. I love the fact all I need to do is pick up my Tele and I can go from playing blues to sleazy pychobilly without anything more then switching from a neck to bridge pickup and playing a little different.

 

[ledet]

A Tele with a neck-humbucker or a Les Paul or an ES-335. What's your budget? I can suggest some specific guitars if I know how much you can spend.

 

[stratman323]

A regular old school blackguard Tele type or a regular pre-CBS Strat.

The guy is 14, & you're expecting him to find the money for a pre-CBS Strat?

 

[Heritage]

Without question, a -335.

 

[guitarbiker]

I think a Strat first, a highway 1 or something pretty good quality. Strats are easy to play and versatile, then if you can a semi-acoustic like an Epiphone Sheridan (335 copy) and finally get a tele. I think it's the elder statesman guitar and you got to be pretty good on the guitar in general to control it. Of the three mentioned guitars I find the tele to be the most versatile stylisticaly. All guitars can do anything though, depends on who's playing it. Just wait, the amp game is crazier I've got about 15.

 

[studio1087]

HSS Strat.

Humbucker - Single - Single Pickups

This is a USA built HWY-1 that I bought used for $399. They're affordable.

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