My favorite electric guitar is a strat i assembled from parts bought mostly on ebay. Although the guitar has gone through many changes I'm very satisfied with how it sounds and plays now. And it didn't cost me a mint, either.
The body is a Mexican 62 vintage reissue, routed SSS, and is black. The neck is a used Warmoth maple fretboard, very nice. The pickguard is 3-ply black-white-black with Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots in the neck and middle positions, and a Seymour Duncan 'li'l 59' in the bridge position. The controls are Volume, Tone, and Blend so that the li'l 59 can be dialed in, or out to help control the amount of 'bite' in any positon. The tone pot also has a 1.3 mf @ 600V tone capacitor wired across it; this capacitpor is an old paper/oil unit that i scavenged from an old Sony tube tape recorder. After much experimenting I found this cap to substantially improve the guitar's tone. Add in a Callaham precision machined stainless bridge plate, with GraphTech saddles, an oversized tremblock made of bell brass, and Schaller locking tuners.
All I can say is that this guitar sings. Deep, warm, sweet tone, with plenty of 'bite' and/or sustain when called for. I've not seen played or heard a stratocaster, or any other guitar that i'd rather have. I have played a few that played slightly better, maybe. But for the money i've got in it (and i've had offers to buy it) i'm gonna hold on to this one until i make a relic out of it the old-fashioned way
Well, I have 10 guitars, but my fave is the one I have hung onto longest. It is a Carvin DC160 made in the mid 1980's. I picked it up used on about '91 and my wife would kill me if it got sold. The body is shaped like a Gibson Melody Maker, looks like a Les Paul, but flat top with two symmetrical cutaways, not like the double cut LP's they sell now. The body is quilted maple, not just the top like on the premium axes you see around, the body is figured maple all the way through. They took a 3-1/2" thick by over 6" wide piece of quilt maple and split it down the middle (bookmatched) to make the body. NOBODY does that any more. It has a set in neck made of rock maple with an ebony fretboard and abalone block inlays. The ebony is not dyed, it's a rich blackish brown naturally. Back then Carvin had their necks built by Hofner in Germany. The headstock has multiple abalone inlays in it, including the old style Carvin logo. The finish is natural maple, has sort of a butterscotch look to the quilt, while the neck it a shade of so lighter (the headstock has a black overlay like a Gibson). Pickups are cream color Carvin M22 humbuckers (I believe Dimarzio made them back then), and all the hardware is gold. It has the output of a Les Paul, plus coil taps, but all that maple instead of just a maple top gives it a brighter, clearer sound. Of course you Les Paul freaks will say an LP is warmer, but that's why all guitars aren't alike, and I like how the Carvin has its own sweet voice.
For fatter, there's my Minarik Lotus, or my SG clone with Seymour Duncan P-rails, but the Carvin is my #1 axe.
I`ve got 0ver 100 guitars in my collection... 1947 D`Angelico New Yorker, 1965 candy apple strat, 59 Gibson L-5ces, 1961 Gibson es-175, 62 LP custom burst, 1936 Gibson es-150 CC, 1940 es-250 N, 1942 Martin 00-28 , 2000 Fender custom shop 66 strat relic, 1962 Frankenstrat, etc, etc, but my favorite is a strat I had custom built for me, and only cost $1500. Relic 66 strat neck with ebony board, Alder strat body- fiesta red, wilkinson trem, custom Fralins, shaller tuners, KILLER!
I have a few different guitars and wouldn't get rid of any of them. It looks like a lot of the previous posters are collecting relics and custom shop museum pieces.
I am way more utilitarian and have some unique interests so I prefer a versitile players guitar. My baby is an Ibanez SV470. Good build quality Japaneese (pre prestige model) No fancy bridge system, basic features, a beautifully shaped hybrid "viper" neck (between a strat and a wizzard) and great tone wood, solid mahogany.
No paint satin finish, as to not disrupt the tone. H-S-H passive pickup configuration for versatility. It does the hard stuff down to smooth and jazzy very well. I'm not into twang, which is the only thing this guitar doesn't do well.
I did try out a headless guitar in vegas (at ed romans shop) recently, an LSR bolero from Romans custom shop with a rosewood neck (not just the fret board) and koa body that was to die for though. That headless guitar just balanced so beautifully, it felt like a part of my body. As soon as I have $2-3k to drop on one that will be my new baby.
well i have an alvarez rf8 guitar and it sounds amazing, especially with martin strings i love that guitar soo much, but as much a i love it, i'm going to sell it. i painted something quite beautiful on it and i realized that i had to sell it in order to pay for more art supplies, a camera for photography, and other essentials. alvarez
American Custom telecaster, or the G&L ASAT Bluesboy semi-hollow There is a beautiful Takamine acoustic/electric that I would love to have, but I don't know the model.
I've got a '69 gibson es335 cherry red, '84 pink paisley tele, and a custom built tele but I always go back to my baby, '65 strat ,dakota red w/duncans and kahler tail. it sounds absolutely beautiful...................
I just bought a Variax 700 and love the sounds it makes. I also have a PRS Artist III and an Ovation acoustic electric. This week its the Variax. The PRS plays like a dream................. jb
I'm just learning, I too am in my early 50's. But I have an Estaban accoustic, don't laugh it sounds good, and I recently bought a Samick TR4 here on Ebay that I love..
My Ibanez RG-470 with Duncan Custom in the bridge is my standard bearer guitar tone, though my American Deluxe Strat's tone isn't far off. Funny thing is, I payed less for the RG and the pickup switch than I did for the Strat which is stock.
Acoustic steelstring guitar: Martin 000-15: Its not very flashy and do not look expensive. Its basically a guitar for fingerstyle playing. I love the feel and sound of it. Bought it on e-bay, got a little help setting it up and...wow... playing guitar is so fun.
Martin D12-20: I always wanted a 12 string guitar. Bought this one on e-bay too. I am not a strummer (and I do not sing). I play it fingerstyle and all these strange, beautiful sounds come out of it, some of them all by accident. Playing 12 string guitar is so fun.
I got a nice fender stratocaster (special edition 1993) too, but since I got my 2 martins it has been neglected.
Like many others, I have been playing guitar for over 30 years. I have owned Les Pauls, Strats, a '63 Jazzmaster, Chandler "555" . The list goes on and on. The guitar I currently own is G&L ASAT Classic. This G&L is the closest I have come to being a perfect guitar for me. The neck is slim like a slim taper Les Paul, the action is low and fast. The pickups are hotter than a Fender Tele. I was apprehensive at first about the G&L, but after playing them and comparing to their Fender counterparts, I found I enjoyed playing it more than the others. I do not collect them, I play them. When I find something better, I buy it. I have learned that you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to get a quality instrument. The name on the headstock is no longer important to me. Its all about how a particular guitar feels to you.
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