What's the most impractical guitar you own? But fun to play

stonevibe

I ask because I built this thing years ago (I wouldn't pay stupid money for a Fender Custom shop original).

Playing is so much fun, but don't think about soloing up the dusty end without a slide. Mine usually lives in Open G, which makes it a lovely, dirty, and swampy thing at high volume. It is gigable as it is only worth the parts if it goes missing.

With a massive neck and super lightweight, the body is covered in dents and dings. This one is always on rotation and is often used to write new songs.

Offset

That is an easy question to answer.

stickyfiddle

Buzzy pickups, funky trem, huge body, no upper fret access, relatively fragile headstock. And I love it to bits

stonevibe

Yeah, I love Firebirds, but they are a PITA 

Reverend

I have a flying V, a Jackson RR and an Ibanez Destroyer 2. 

stonevibe

Reverend said:

I have a flying V, a Jackson RR and an Ibanez Destroyer 2. 

The Trifecta of Awkward! 

BillDL

Hofner Shorty

Mines got a really dense and stiff maple neck.  Combined with the weight of the neck and the diecast tuners the extreme neck dive made it impossible to play on a strap despite the pickup, bridge and knobs being almost at the back of the body.  I drilled a hole into the body where I've shown the red line below and I used a length of aluminium tubing that slides in and out of that hole and can be locked in place with a pin through from the top edge of the body when pulled out.  A strap button is secured to the end of that tube so it serves as a "horn" to move the strap button a good bit further forward.  It balances a lot better on a strap, but it's impossible to play on your knee or even while slouched back in a chair or on the couch.

It does sound really good and the pickup is quite high output.  The neck is beautiful to play.

blobb

stonevibe

Nice, double-neck for the win! 

Roland

 

Stupidly I gave it away. Maybe I should make a new one.

grungebob

There’s only 19 frets to begin with (can’t really play the 17th) and its hollow body is held together by a tolex strip.  The bridge is held on with a single screw but it sounds mega and is such fun to play. 

Offset

blobb said:

I'm getting Les Holroyd from Barclay James Harvest vibes!

jasonbone75

Roland said:

 

Stupidly I gave it away. Maybe I should make a new one.

Maybe not?! Just because you can... etc. lol (no offence intended with this glib Wednesday comment)

ICBM

Roland said:

 

Stupidly I gave it away. Maybe I should make a new one.

Are you in ABBA?

timmypix

Two ESP LTD Ninja Vs and an Explorer Pro. 

• Don't fit in racks
• No upper fret access
• Look cool as hell.

stickyfiddle

Explorers are amazing. Stupid. But amazing. 

I've never had a proper V either.. or Firebird for that matter...

Offset

ICBM said:

Roland said:

 

Stupidly I gave it away. Maybe I should make a new one.

Are you in ABBA?

Unfortunately, this was my first thought...

ElectricXII

I love this guitar, but with the band I only use it for two or three songs in 2 hours of playing, and then only when we include those songs in our sets.

Offset

^^ I love it too :-)

TheMarlin

My Rutters (body) Reverse telemaster Jr 

Has an Oil City P90, sounds fabulous. 

This one lives in my living room next to my R6. And I like it every bit as much. 

guitargeek62

stickyfiddle said:

Explorers are amazing. Stupid. But amazing. 

Are they stupid though?  

For me they're pretty much the ideal gigging guitar, the balance is always ideal, most things fall into where my hands want them to be, and they look cool AF.  The biggest (literally) downside I suppose is the body sticks out and is easy to knock on things, and that headstock feels even more prone to breakages than a usual set-neck affair, unless it's been engineered differently and 'improved'.



p.s. In spite of this, I'd still say that my Explorer Jr is my most impractical guitar that I own.... despite being perfectly balanced, lightweight, stable, and as versatile as a Jr can be (i.e. a lot)