FragileThunder
The Space Between The Notes
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2022
- Messages
- 662
And hardness isn't everything either.
The older I get, the more true this becomes.
I just mean I take more satisfaction in completing simple tasks. Perverts.
And hardness isn't everything either.
Me too. I bought my ES-335 in a McDonalds parking lot.For me when I pick up an electric guitar I absolutely do not need to plug it in (electrically) to know it’s the right guitar.
But a lot of knowledge based on actual experience can be helpful. I wish someone like PRS himself would chime in.
For me when I pick up an electric guitar I absolutely do not need to plug it in (electrically) to know it’s the right guitar.
For me, that's a big "yes, and no." I have played a guitar that felt absolutely fantastic. Feel, fit, finish, playability, all GREAT. Body was alive, even sustain all over the neck, etc. I fell in love with it and was ready to buy it before plugging it in. Plugged it in and it was completely disappointing. Dull, boring tone, I started turning knobs on the amp and couldn't make it sound better than average. This is an oft discussed guitar here...For me when I pick up an electric guitar I absolutely do not need to plug it in (electrically) to know it’s the right guitar.
When I bought my Silver Sky I spent more time listening to it unplugged than I did plugged in.The trouble with that is people would still claim its 'snake oil', that they are only saying it to sell more etc. Musicians don't seem to trust 'Luthiers' and have their 'own' beliefs. Musicians don't make instruments and their experience is often only related to the things they can change - like Pups, Amps etc.
They don't spend time building the exact same Instruments with 'different' woods, different moisture content etc and see what effects that has on the instruments 'tone' and/or 'sustain'. At most, they'll swap Pups, tuners, electronics,, bridge, nut and if that doesn't 'work', they'll trade the instrument not even considering the 'woods'. Even those with 'Bolt-on' necks don't consider the neck makes any 'noticeable' difference - yet you put a solid Rosewood neck carved exactly the same as a solid maple neck, same tuners, nut, strings, fret wire, exactly the same set-up etc on a 'Strat/Tele' and it changes the 'tone' - nothing else has changed. Yet people will still say that woods have NO impact.
I think it comes down to the fact that Musicians can 'easily' change certain things - like Pups/Amps and so they are the 'first' and often only things to 'care' about in terms of 'Tone'. If the Luthier has done 'their' job, the Core/spine of the instrument, the 'wood', would of been cured properly and selected for its properties (inc Tone) to provide the best base for a Guitar. The hardware is then 'preference' of the Musician and that's what they can change easily so its the 'most' important part to them. That's why you get the Luthiers all talking about the 'build', the materials etc as that's most important to them and their instruments but a musician cares more about the Pups as that is their 'tone' and often the first change they make.
The fact is that if a Musician buys a Guitar that they don't like the tone, they may swap Pups to try and make it sound like they want or will trade it in. They don't ever consider the the 'core/spine' as being an issue because its not something they can change. Its just a 'bad' guitar or a 'bad' example of that model so need to find one that 'works' for them. They have a 'different' perspective on what makes a great guitar because they are coming at it from a very different aspect - a 'completed' instrument and/or what they can easily tweak/adjust to suit them. A Luthier is starting from scratch and thinking of the Materials and how they 'combine' to create a 'musical instrument' that's reliable, stable, resonant etc before any 'hardware' goes on it...
And don't dare mention the Silver Sky on a Strat forum! They'll try to burn you at the stake.
They don't want to hear that. But I think in many ways the Silver Sky is better. I guess Paul would say "different". And it is.“But how do we know he is a witch?”
“He made a copy of a Strat! It got better”