Does what you play affect what you play?

[John Beef]

Yes. If I've written the last two or three songs on the bridge pickup, I will absolutely write the next song using the neck pickup, or the in between position, not only because I want to make sure our music varies tonally, but because I will play and write differently depending on the tone and the songs will turn out differently.

I had to remove the HFS I had in my baritone for a while because the tone was so well suited for metal, that's what I would write/play, and we're not a metal band, nor do we want to be.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Actually, in my case it's the opposite. What I want to play dictates which guitar I pick up.

So what you're saying is, it's more what you play affects what you play, rather than the other way around.

 

[-vic]

I'm a big believer in the 'find your voice with your gear' mindset and as such my gear has a huge impact on what I play. I'd rather have 2 guitars that I know really well than a boat load of novel ones. I think once one has a really well defined voice it can be fun to branch out to novel things but it starts with knowing how to get the very best you can out of what you have.

I think of it similarly to how historically furniture construction was largely dependent on the tools available and the tools that the locals were most comfortable with at the time. It's not that they couldn't branch out and make avant garde pieces, simply the majority of their best work was done with the tools they knew and loved.

 

[Jedi]

Can accomplish whatever the show calls for on any of my guitars, however each has it's own vibe. I find that single coil vs humbucker has a profound affect sometimes on what I might gravitate to and whether or not I'm at home playing or doing a show.