One guitar to rule them all?

sted

Is there such a thing? I've had so many over they ears and never really been able to say, yeah, that one is my grail. I guess my Landau strat is the closest but it still comes up short for heavier rock stuff.

So go on then, one guitar you have to use for everything ,cover all bases and still actually like it as an ownership experience.

Anyone says variax go stand in the corner and think about your life.

meltedbuzzbox

Jazzmaster

fendergibson

Even if there was only one to rule them all you’d still need 2 or 3 of ‘em as back ups (and different colours) 

Iamnobody

A coil tapped 335 would probably get you through most situations. 

However, if I was in a gigging covers band and wanted to try and (fairly) accurately reproduce recorded songs, and the set needed acoustic, 12 string sounds etc then I’d seriously look at a Variax. In fact I was chatting to a guy who used to do that the other day - and he spoke highly of that setup.

stimpsonslostson

For me it's my Esquire. Its my go to guitar- I know how to get what I want out of it.

I chose all the parts & did the finish too, so there's a strong sentimental connection there.
The key thing is that it sounds like ME when I play it rather than slavishly copying other players tones. 

I suspect the "right" answer is a HSS Stratocaster- a fearsomely versatile instrument. 

ICBM

A PRS Standard 22 with trem was that for me, for about seven years. I did have a couple of others but the Standard was my go-to for anything I played and I didn't actually need the others. It could do any sound I wanted, fitted me perfectly physically and was totally reliable. 

In the end I didn’t love it though. I wouldn’t say it had no character - in fact it did, just that it wasn’t quite what I wanted any more, after the band I mostly used it with split up. I sold it and don’t miss it.

stickyfiddle

I could do almost anything (daft whammy stuff aside) on my SG, CS336, Jazzmaster or Strat, plus a half a dozen pedals. They wouldn't sound the same but they all sound like electric guitars and can all do a good spectrum of tones. 

merlin

Iamnobody said:

A coil tapped 335 would probably get you through most situations. 

However, if I was in a gigging band

Do you mean a "covers band"? 
I front a "gigging band" and all the material is composed/arranged by me. 

normula1

I think my PRS Custom 22 with its tweaked wiring and partial splits could do pretty much everything. The split bridge does a fantastic impersonation of a Tele. I know it'll go against Internet wisdom, but it currently sports Gibson Burstbucker 1 & 2 pickups albeit rewired for four conductor and short-legged baseplates.

A HSS Strat would be my other choice.

RandallFlagg

PRS DGT?

richardhomer

As already mentioned, an HSS Strat-style guitar is probably the best ‘do it all’ solution. The humbucking sounds from these aren’t in Les Paul territory but certainly fatter than a bridge single coil.

If ‘in between’ Strat sounds aren’t needed, a PRS DGT provides very convincing LP-like humbucking tones - though the single coil sounds lack the ‘chop’ and percussiveness of a bolt-on, maple neck guitar. That said, they are really versatile and are ergonomically brilliant.

If what you ‘really’ want is to nail very disparate sounds with authority - it really has to be separate guitars.  

Teyeplayer

A decent Telecaster with any required mod that you need (Keith style with the humbucker in the neck, Nashville, both of these). 

menamestom

Strat, with a hot bridge pickup and a tele knob on the volume control.   Vintage style locking tuners and well set up trem.

timmysoft

I only use the one guitar. I only own the one guitar and it’s seen off some pretty expensive opponents! 

Iamnobody

merlin said:

Iamnobody said:

A coil tapped 335 would probably get you through most situations. 

However, if I was in a gigging band

Do you mean a "covers band"? 
I front a "gigging band" and all the material is composed/arranged by me. 

Yes - I did - post amended thanks. 

Nikc

Can't see beyond a tele, mine has a SD 1/4 pounder in the bridge and that is a stonking PUP covers a lot of bases. If even more versatility is required a Baja with its 4 way selector and S1 switching is probably the answer

sted

RandallFlagg said:

PRS DGT?

Actually had one of them but just didn't dig it at all, excellent guitar just never really seemed to do anything for me.

richardhomer

sted said:

RandallFlagg said:

PRS DGT?

Actually had one of them but just didn't dig it at all, excellent guitar just never really seemed to do anything for me.

Interesting experience - I’m mainly a Strat player but I love my DGT. 

thumpingrug

Im quite happy to stand in the corner and think about my life,  if you need a wide variety of sounds then there is nothing wrong with the Variax.   I like my JTV69.     However, do we really need that variation?  The audience don't notice much of a difference in the mix.   So what you need to do is seriously consider what sound you need.  We are all going to be a bit different with that so it's never going to be possible to picking guitar that meets all needs.  For me a HSS strat would probably be the one to cover 95% of options.  The only thing missing is a Tele bridge, for the "twang".  

mort

Groundhog Day..... Didn’t we have a thread like this only a few months ago, swiftly followed by ‘two guitars to rule them all’ and then ‘three guitars to rule them all’?

Nikc

Its getting cold and wet outside gotta have something to entertain us