The first guitar you really bonded with?

axisus

I had a bunch of secondhand guitars from junk shops in the early days, Kay, Hondo, unbranded, Aria Pro II etc. After that I moved through cheap guitar shop stuff - Westone, Marlin, Fenix etc. The first guitar I owned that was pretty amazing was a secondhand Patrick Eggle Vienna Pro from Coda, for about £550 (around 1993 I guess). I was desperate for it and told Mrs A that I would never need another guitar if I bought it (Even I believed that at the time!!!). It came in, it was beautiful, it played so well that I improved. Ultimately it left some years later, I'm not even sure what I preferred to it now but it was definitely second fiddle by then. If I'd have been rich and had plenty of space I'd have kept it, it was the first guitar I 'bonded' with. I wonder where it is now?

First for you?

dogload

My Tokai Strat that I bought new in 1983. Still got it, and it was always #1 guitar till being usurped by a Squier J Mascis JM. 

It's probably one of the two guitars I'd save from a burning building (the other being my Electric XII). It's hard to explain, but it is one of those guitars that just feels comfortable and an extension of one's body (not that part though!) when playing it.

zepp76

For me it came late in life, I had a load of cheap and nasty guitars that just weren't fit for purpose in my eyes then a couple of years ago I bought a secondhand Les Paul standard as a treat to myself and it is just plain and simply the best guitar I have played. The weight, balance and feel of it is just out of this world. I now own three Les Pauls and each one is great but I always go back to my standard. I couldn't ask for a better guitar.

terada

My family's old terada dread from the 70s I think. Been there my whole life, learned on it, took it all over the place as a kid. lovely v neck, stupidly low action (just ask feline!) and great tone.

As for electrics, that'd be my US strat. Worked for 3 months for that guitar as a kid, spent nothing, then when I had enough I went to Denmark street and played every strat there. Came home with a 3TSB strat with maple neck. Was my only player for over 8 years. The wood on it was far from perfect, but the tone and playability was head and shoulders above all others there. Over time hand pain meant I had to try something new if I wanted to carry on playing, and new guitars were bought. It's a shame that I can't play it much anymore, but I'll never sell it!

Dopesick

An old Ibanez RG I got in early 2000s. It was only my second ever guitar but I got on with it splendidly - until I got wasted at a gig and left it on Finsbury Park train station. Schoolboy error. Somebody here probably owns it now.

Skodadad

My oly white Squire strat I posted about last week, and yesterdays Christmas present from my partner (candy apple red squier Tele standard) is looking like it may be my second.

octatonic

A guitar I still own:

1987 Kinman Blueprint Telecaster.

I bought it for $1100 AUD in 1992.

It didn't have the original pickups in it and had a replacement pickguard for 3 pickups.

I first stuck some EMG's in there, then I put in a Hot Rails and some duncan singles.

For the last 10 years it has had Bardens in there, but I've just ordered some Harmonic Designs pickups (P90 style in traditional Tele casings) that should go in over the next couple of weeks.

I found another Kinman Blueprint (the yellow one in the top right) which I put Harmonic Designs in and they sound incredible.

The yellow one doesn't have as nice a neck on it though.

The black one has a really nice chunky neck, macassar ebony board and lovely rolled fingerboard edges.

It has been refretted twice now.

The yellow one has a thinner neck, no rolled fingerboard- it is a nice guitar but the black one is just lovely.

This is what you get with a hand made instrument though- they vary, just like the original Fenders do.

I love the black guitar- it was the guitar I really learned to play on and every time I pick it up it feels like home.

It was relegated to being a backup in the 90's when I got into PRS but I never really jelled with them.

By the mid 2000's it was back to being my number 1.

I still play it a lot now- my main guitar is an Anderson though- the neck is a little slimmer.

The black tele slows me down a bit (which isn't a bad thing really) so I don't gig it- it is also worth too much to me in sentimental value to risk damage or theft.

eSully

Korean made Epiphone SG from the early 90's, black with plywood body . Bought it new, played it into the ground and then upgraded my guitar and kinda forgot about it until recently. 

I've dusted it off and in my spare time in the process of teaching myself proper guitar set up and fret dressing with it. It's coming along great too, I've recrowned the frets, swapped out the rusty old tuners and only last night I swapped out the tunomatic tailpiece for a B5 Tremolo. Next job is the swap out the pickup selector.

ThePrettyDamned

My old Ltd h1001. Played the crap out of that thing for about 9 years. Did gigs, home, rehearsals, tuned from drop b up to standard, covered all genres... And wasn't horribly heavy, unbalanced and had a nice ring to it.

I sold it here for buttons as it was quite wrecked up. I think it went to @felineguitars. Still miss it really, it was excellent and was everything anyone needed but really just felt right to me.

My current strat (partscaster) is the next one. Just brilliant. Best strat I've played.

tbm

Late 80s US Tele, bought around '93/'94. I own a few nice guitars - including Custom Shop and Vintage Fenders - but that's the best one I have and it'll never be sold.

Jookyjr

I'm not sure it has happened yet, though the battered old Defil I've put back together, just feels right  and I can't see me wanting to let that go anywhere

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu15/erikryman/Defil Malwa/Defil1.jpg

I should do some new pictures as more of the finish has flaked off since I got it

BigLicks67

My first good electric guitar was a 1977 Fender Strat in maroon, cost £150.00 (s/hand and very used) back in the day.

welshboyo

As I have said on numerous threads (including another this morning!!)

My JV Strat - it has a 7.25 radius, vintage frets and is Made in Japan.....if you read internet rumours, this is a bad combination....[-X

This guitar has seen off many (and I mean many) Custom Shop Strats, PRS and others that are worth 3 if not 4 times as much..

Fuzzdog

Mine would be the 1990 Korean Squier Strat I got for Christmas when I was 15 - loved that thing, and carried on playing it (admittedly with all the electronics replaced!) for many years after even at some pretty big gigs.

Still have the neck from that which has been on many partscasters since.  I sold the body years ago after discovering it was plywood, but the funny thing is that no other body has sounded quite as good with that neck.  Wish I had kepy the ply body now, as it sounded great!

Sync

My 1996 Epiphone LP in tobacco sunburst. I sold it to a mate so I could buy a Highway One Strat a few years later. He still has it but won't sell it me back.

jonnyburgo

Jookyjr said:

I'm not sure it has happened yet, though the battered old Defil I've put back together, just feels right  and I can't see me wanting to let that go anywhere

http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu15/erikryman/Defil Malwa/Defil1.jpg

I should do some new pictures as more of the finish has flaked off since I got it

Love, it and if you ever change your mind........

Jookyjr

@jonnyburgo - I'm sort of hoping it isn't genetic, but if it proves to be I'll give you a shout

Stevepage

My Strat. I got it in a part exchange for a washburn Dimebag I had. Still have it and it still gets used whatever I do. It doesn't feel like other Strats as the neck is pretty slim but I love it for all its faults

CHRISB50

My Les Paul Custom, bought brand new in 1993. Played to death, and then put under a bed for years after I got into DJing.

When I got back into guitar, I wanted a Strat, so I got rid. Sold to Slate off here, a few years back.

One thing I didn't realise as it was only my 2nd guitar, was quite how good a guitar it was. It sounded amazing.

Jookyjr

Stevepage said:

My Strat. I got it in a part exchange for a washburn Dimebag I had. Still have it and it still gets used whatever I do. It doesn't feel like other Strats as the neck is pretty slim but I love it for all its faults

That is a really good point - liking them warts and all. On the Defil, the tuners work backwards (I thought they were just installed wrong and swapped them left for right - but they stayed the same). And the controls all spin around, but work. The pickups are bright but sound cool anyway. The neck is held on by two screws that I need to replace as it pivots on them and the neck moves in a big way so the action can go from 0.001mm to 3 1/2" in seconds, and the finish flakes off like dandruff. You play for a while and end-up standing in a circle of dust.

Actually, I think I hate it.

Am I selling it to you @jonnyburgo ?

Phil_aka_Pip

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb376/musophilr/PR4_zps3e056aff.jpg