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Post by jackorion on Jan 6, 2014 19:23:42 GMT
Hey,
I have a couple of nice acoustics, a nice electric and a nice amplifier, but I only ever really play the acoustics and my electric just sits in its case until I occasionally get it out to discover that :
a) I can't be bothered getting the amp out and plugging it in and letting it warm up, and then finding the right sound
and
B) I'm not actually very good at it anyway
the only stuff I seem to enjoy playing on the electric sounds better on the acoustic anyway, and I actually PLAY the acoustic, rather than fannying around with the sound or tone, plus I'm not too bad on acoustic but can't play (nod am not interested on) solos or riffs etc on the electric.
ive a fair amount of money tied up in my electric and my amp (nearly £2000) and I wonder could that be better off elsewhere...
however... The electric in question is, without doubt, in my opinion probably the best sounding and feeling electric I've ever played and I've yet to play one that rivals it. If I were to move it on to buy another acoustic say, I worry that, one day, I'll get the urge again and end up not having this great guitar...
or maybe it'd be a relief to be shot of it and know that I could just focus on playing and enjoying the acoustic... Who knows?
anyone here got any experience of doing the same sort of thing? Regrets?
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Jan 6, 2014 19:35:40 GMT
I have a Gibson SG which I've had for 20+ years, it lives in its case except for the odd occasion when my son plays it...
Also a Jazz archtop which in theory could be played acoustically but really needs amplification. Again, it lives in its case. It would come out of the case if I ever learn how to improvise bebop lines.
My amp is a Fender which allows modelling lots of different other amps. I think it would be fun to play around with sounds but ... when time is short (always!) I'll just play the music - acoustically!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2014 19:40:14 GMT
Yep, sounds exactly like my story too. Owned a few nice electrics over the years, and a nice amp, but like you felt that all the fuss of plugging in and then finding a volume such that my neighbours didn't start banging on the wall wasn't really worth the effort. The last electric I owned was a fantastic USA hot rod strat with one of the nicest necks I've ever handled on an electric. But....somehow the acoustic seems simpler, I can get more actual music done on an acoustic, and to be honest I prefer the sound. Also, I never really played electric in a band.
I've never really regretted getting rid of my electrics and have never looked back.
Robbie
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scotch
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Post by scotch on Jan 6, 2014 20:16:16 GMT
Last year I decided to buy a brand new electric. A Michael Kelly, really nice and bought it instantly. Took it home and played it for 3hours at most and I have no ambition at all to play it. I could happily sell all my electrics and amps.
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Post by clydeslide on Jan 6, 2014 20:37:54 GMT
I thinned my electric collection to one (although my Les Paul is still with me until my dad picks it up). I have a Gordon Smith GS 1.6 with a P90:  and a 5E3 style amp built by Flynn Amps in Glasgow with very simple controls:  I can literally plug in, play and get pretty much any sound I want out of it by adjusting the controls on the guitar, don't even have a pickup switch to fiddle with. I bought this set-up with the express aim of having a great, simple rig that I can enjoy without fiddling around with. I would add a Flynn Hawk Booster and a reverb if I was still gigging, but as it is I'm more than happy with this. Plus, it sounds fantastic. |
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Post by arturo on Jan 6, 2014 22:55:42 GMT
I have a '76 Tele. It lives under my bed and I can't persuade it to come out that often. It's either shy or I'm a lousy electric player. When it does come out to play I notice it gets tired very quickly and has to jump back in its case for a rest much sooner than any of it's acoustic siblings. I couldn't be without it though.  |
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Jan 6, 2014 23:18:24 GMT
I've only ever owned two electric guitars (both rubbish) and I got rid of the last one years ago. I'm not at all good on the electric. My daughter has quite a nice Squire strat which I have a plonk on once in a blue moon.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 6, 2014 23:31:40 GMT
I'd been an acoustic player from the off, and only ever fancied having an electric as a plaything, though I never knew what to play on it! When Squier Jap Strats arrived in ?1982 I got one straight away to replace an appalling Hondo electric that I was using just for fun at home and for overdubs on my multitrack recordings on my Teac cassette tape deck and Fostex 4 track cassette recorder. Never felt at home on electric and kept trying to make the Strat feel more like an acoustic - blocked the trem and put on a set of 12s with a wound 3rd. Still didn't get on with it, though I liked the idea of it, and it was a beautiful looking, playing and sounding instrument. Used it for a couple of years like this until I gave up, and it languished under the bed for very many years. Eventually, about 10 or so years ago I decided it was silly keeping it and so it went, via eBay about 7 years ago and I spent the proceeds on a used Fylde bouzouki which I still have, though it's living with leoroberts just now. Don't really miss having an electric at all, though I do sometimes fancy a Tele to mess around with, and have always loved the look of 335 type guitars. But all that faffing around with amps and pedals and stuff  . Just not me. Dyed in the wool acoustic folkie. I do play my acoustic guitars, plus mandolin, octave mandolin and tenor uke plugged in a fair bit, but it's a necessary evil, and for me nothing beats the pleasure of playing purely acoustically, whether "out" or at home. Keith EDIT, having read Martin's post (below)- Ooh, thanks Martin. I forgot, I play electric bass too. But only once a year with a pianist to provide music in the village school C-word play.  |
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Post by Martin on Jan 6, 2014 23:45:39 GMT
I had an electric for some years playing rock music in a band, and it was all I wanted to do until i heard finger style acoustic for the first time almost 20 years ago. That was it for me, I never played my electric again (. Washburn N2) and I finally sold it and all the pedals etc a few years ago.
I did however buy an electric bass a while back...
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Jan 7, 2014 0:20:59 GMT
Hey, I have a couple of nice acoustics, a nice electric and a nice amplifier, but I only ever really play the acoustics and my electric just sits in its case until I occasionally get it out to discover that : a) I can't be bothered getting the amp out and plugging it in and letting it warm up, and then finding the right sound and B) I'm not actually very good at it anyway the only stuff I seem to enjoy playing on the electric sounds better on the acoustic anyway, and I actually PLAY the acoustic, rather than fannying around with the sound or tone, plus I'm not too bad on acoustic but can't play (nod am not interested on) solos or riffs etc on the electric. ive a fair amount of money tied up in my electric and my amp (nearly £2000) and I wonder could that be better off elsewhere... however... The electric in question is, without doubt, in my opinion probably the best sounding and feeling electric I've ever played and I've yet to play one that rivals it. If I were to move it on to buy another acoustic say, I worry that, one day, I'll get the urge again and end up not having this great guitar... or maybe it'd be a relief to be shot of it and know that I could just focus on playing and enjoying the acoustic... Who knows? anyone here got any experience of doing the same sort of thing? Regrets? Thats exactly like me. Plug the electric in occasionally and just end up messing about. Not actually playing it. The difference is mine is worth nowt! |
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alig
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Post by alig on Jan 7, 2014 9:02:42 GMT
Started off playing a dreadful SG copy in a post school band - just couldn't seem to get a break, but then, we were dreadful. Went to college and blew first term grant on a Fylde Orsino and the die was cast. As I almost was too - Mother horrified… Never looked back and just can't, apart from the odd excursion into the electric world, see further than a good acoustic.
A Gibson 335 (from a flirtation with jazz with a talented chum in Glasgow last century - sigh) which is going to have to go this year. It's a 335, pure and simple, and is just a joy. Almost worth keeping but… I don't play it and someone else will so...
.A squire Strat which may stay. A cracking Line6 amp (bought for a band which didn't get off the ground here) which, again, will have to go this year. If anyone's interested…?
Alasdair.
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Jan 7, 2014 9:45:41 GMT
Started off playing a dreadful SG copy in a post school band - just couldn't seem to get a break, but then, we were dreadful. Went to college and blew first term grant on a Fylde Orsino and the die was cast. As I almost was too - Mother horrified… Never looked back and just can't, apart from the odd excursion into the electric world, see further than a good acoustic. A Gibson 335 (from a flirtation with jazz with a talented chum in Glasgow last century - sigh) which is going to have to go this year. It's a 335, pure and simple, and is just a joy. Almost worth keeping but… I don't play it and someone else will so... .A squire Strat which may stay. A cracking Line6 amp (bought for a band which didn't get off the ground here) which, again, will have to go this year. If anyone's interested…? Alasdair. Oh man Id love a 335. Preferably in black. Called Lucille  |
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Post by raggy on Jan 7, 2014 9:55:18 GMT
I have a Gibson SG that sat on its stand for ages because it was a pain getting the amp set to a house friendly volume. I bought a Yamaha THR 10C amp that allows me to play at a respectable volume that doesn't upset the family or neighbours.
I now play it a lot more, mainly for skills practice and blues noodling and usually do about 20 minutes on it before switching over to my acoustics for some other playing and practice.
My tube amp(Laney Lionheart) never gets switched on !!
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alig
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Post by alig on Jan 7, 2014 10:46:53 GMT
Started off playing a dreadful SG copy in a post school band - just couldn't seem to get a break, but then, we were dreadful. Went to college and blew first term grant on a Fylde Orsino and the die was cast. As I almost was too - Mother horrified… Never looked back and just can't, apart from the odd excursion into the electric world, see further than a good acoustic. A Gibson 335 (from a flirtation with jazz with a talented chum in Glasgow last century - sigh) which is going to have to go this year. It's a 335, pure and simple, and is just a joy. Almost worth keeping but… I don't play it and someone else will so... .A squire Strat which may stay. A cracking Line6 amp (bought for a band which didn't get off the ground here) which, again, will have to go this year. If anyone's interested…? Alasdair. Oh man Id love a 335. Preferably in black. Called Lucille They're great guitars which do just about everything you ask of them. This one's Cherry and nameless. |
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Post by clydeslide on Jan 7, 2014 10:52:35 GMT
Lucille is a 355 though. Never had a chance to play one, would love to.
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. Just not me.
Jo whoever he is.
