This is my current "GO-TO GUITAR" Please show me yours?

ZarK · 2012-06-17T13:05:36+00:00

Been thinking about starting this thread for quite some time after I got my first Fender Stratocaster in many years. (Prior to that I swore I'd never play Fender's again... :-[ Like I said, this was a long time ago and I was heavily into hard rock/metal guitars back then...) Over the years I have been privileged enough to have acquired most of the guitars I've always dreamt of and then some... I traded one of these for a Gibson and US Fender Strat, thinking I'd keep what I liked (probably the Gibson) and sell off the rest -even both if we didn't gel... To my surprise I ended up keeping the Strat and found something peculiar starting to transpire... Most of the time when the urge hit for a quick jam, the Strat would come out of the case! (Back then I had no less than 11 guitars -most of them very high-end examples each worth more than double what the US Strat was worth... Arguably also prettier and fancier guitars for the most part...) This specific guitar just felt right and the variety of tonal options it offered just begged me to keep coming back for more. I was actually caught out by the affinity I developed for this specific instrument and she single-handedly lead me to develop a fresh approach to guitars (and music) and what I'm looking for in them these days when considering a new acquisition... She doesn't have the most elaborate look. She goes against many of my previous self-imposed constraints in my approach to instruments but she has tone, feel and mojo that is undeniable albeit completely subjective... She has an extremely thin finish that shows up any imperfection and accepting that has certainly been a positive departure for me. Her feel and quality of tone was so apparent that I took the leap and accepted her -warts & all. It was liberating... She has been my main "go to guitar" for some time and she's never failed to impress and inspire! The point of the rant is that I thought it would be very interesting and potentially quite insightful to have an 'archive' in which I (we) can catalogue which guitar at any given period of our musical journey has been your main inspiration. Your go-to instrument. I'm not looking for "the best" or "the most expensive" or "the fanciest" or "the dream guitar". I'm looking for your current instrument that puts the smile on your face every time you take her for a spin, the one that inspires you to venture further down your musical path. I suspect as time passes and tastes change/mature that your favourite favourite will most probably also change with the times... I just thought that it could be great to have a record that you could page through in the years to come that shows what inspired you in the present and the past and showcases the progression you've gone through... I anticipate that it could bring back great memories and feelings down line -if you're as passionate about instruments as I am... Lets see if you agree and this takes off? Some ground rules: 1. You have to own more than 1 guitar of the same type (either electric or acoustic) at any given time. If you have 2 or more instruments in each category, you can post 1 of each. (Only if they're truly inspirational to you... Not just because you have more than one of a type...) Technically this thread is about "the one", however... 2. If you only have 1 guitar and its not just a temporary stepping stone to the next, in other words its the one because it's well ...the one, I suppose that also qualifies... 3. It has to be the one you're naturally drawn to pick up and play. (Price, fanciness etc. is irrelevant) It has to be the one that inspires you for all the right reasons and tickles your creativity on a more primal level... 4. The 'honeymoon' phase has to be well and truly over. No point in posting a new acquisition: The guitar needs to have proven itself for long enough. 5. This is the place to rant about your passion and love for your main axe! 6. If your main guitar is still the same in a years time and your passion for it is even stronger. Post new pics and tell us why! 7. This is NOT the spot for bashing guitars and brands! Here you express your love and appreciation for your guitar. That is it! All guitars and brands are welcome. Please guys and girls: feel free to chip in with suggestions and recommendations but most importantly share your stories, photos and love for your main axe. Why is she 'the one' at this point in time? I don't care about aesthetics,exclusivity or monetary value. If she's worth 50 bucks and she inspires you, please share your passion with me (us) all the more! I'll start by posting 'the one' that's dramatically changed my approach to guitars and has been my main inspiration for more than a year already... This Fender has totally blind-sided me and I'm thankful and all the better off for it... Fender Standard USA Stratocaster '09 limited edition... :goodtimes:

Tokai-SA

Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Tokai SA wrote Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan?
There's a difference?

'Crafted in Japan' from 1997 to 2011 - Made in the Tokai factory for Fender Japan.

Chocklit_Thunda

Tokai SA wrote
Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Tokai SA wrote Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan?
There's a difference?
'Crafted in Japan' from 1997 to 2011 - Made in the Tokai factory for Fender Japan.

Ooh, I did not know that. Nice. Where are the mij ones made then?

Chabenda

Yup - just a sticker on the headstock that determines whether your guitar is a Cort, Fender, Tokai, Epiphone, Ibanez etc.

We are a bunch of suckers ?

theantirockstar

My PRS Singlecut Hollowbody II, does everything effortlessly.

AlanRatcliffe

theantirockstar wrote My PRS Singlecut Hollowbody II, does everything effortlessly.

Nice! Very nice! Didn't know there were any of those around locally. I was offered a HB I recently, but a bit spendy for something that would never be my main instrument.

studmissile

Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Tokai SA wrote
Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Tokai SA wrote Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan?
There's a difference?
'Crafted in Japan' from 1997 to 2011 - Made in the Tokai factory for Fender Japan.
Ooh, I did not know that. Nice. Where are the mij ones made then?

1982-1996 Made in Japan, were made at Fuji Gen. BTW, they went back to the Made in Japan Logo 2011 and are still made by Tokai. Confusing, but all great guitars!

ZarK

Chabenda wrote My 2009 Japanese Re-issue '62 Telecaster Custom is number one at the moment. I really love it. It looks as elegant as a Les Paul without looking like an old piano foot, plays beautifully and the build quality is very good indeed.

Beautiful Tele!! (I was surprised to see a Tele instead of a Strat...) Agreed, very elegant. The binding makes a big difference aesthetically... Does remind of a Les Paul Custom. Also of this. (My 2IC...)

Shibbibilybob

Either of the two shown here could be considered my Go-To guitar, with the Cole Clark Fl2 probably winning out in the end, assuming both have equally lively strings on.

The other is japanese Takamine 2005 Ltd, very nice guitar indeed, but the Cole Clark makes a noise that is just incomparable.

ZarK

theantirockstar wrote My PRS Singlecut Hollowbody II, does everything effortlessly.

One mighty fine axe... If I where to buy another guitar, it would most probably be a double- or single cut PRS hollow body. .. Very versatile guitars as I'm sure you're well aware of... Beautiful example.

Chabenda

ZarK wrote
Chabenda wrote My 2009 Japanese Re-issue '62 Telecaster Custom is number one at the moment. I really love it. It looks as elegant as a Les Paul without looking like an old piano foot, plays beautifully and the build quality is very good indeed.

Beautiful Tele!! (I was surprised to see a Tele instead of a Strat...) Agreed, very elegant. The binding makes a big difference aesthetically... Does remind of a Les Paul Custom. Also of this. (My 2IC...)

Zark, if I was ever going to own and play an Ibanez, I'd like it to be your 2IC - very classy indeed!

IceCreamMan

My current go to ...superlative axe...Tokai LC120L

aja

Gibson blueshawk. With the odd blues90 pickups and the varitone circuit I can get all the sounds I want. So this is pretty much it! ?

AlanRatcliffe

aja wrote Gibson blueshawk.

Very cool. Every time I see an original three pup Nighthawk, it makes me go "hmmm". Might still end up with one one day... ?

With the odd blues90 pickups

What's odd about them?

aja

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
aja wrote Gibson blueshawk.
Very cool. Every time I see an original three pup Nighthawk, it makes me go "hmmm". Might still end up with one one day... ?

With the odd blues90 pickups
What's odd about them?

Haha they just don't fit into any category. They don't quite sound like P90's, more like single coils, but they do not sound like some high-output single coils I have heard either. I like that the guitar works well on vintage as well as modern amps.

stompie

Nice blackstar in the back there ?

singemonkey

No one quite knew what to make of Nighthawks and Blueshawks at the time. But they've justified their existence since. Nice one.

G-Man

Since I have finished building my pine blaster bass with thick rosewood neck I rejoined a local metal band and picked up the bass duties this time around instead of guitar. So that is my current go-to. People who have played it always comment on how shreddy the short scale seems to feel, and because I made the neck VERY chunky it sounds very very full and boomy.

It's on the left next to my go-to 6 string Xiphos on my go-to couch. ?

studmissile

This little lady...

Keira-WitherKay

studmissile wrote This little lady...

very nice indeed.... esquire's are so seldom seen these days

say more about it????

studmissile

Keira WitherKay wrote say more about it????

Mid to Late 80’s Japanese Fernandes RTE70/ “The Revival” Telecaster. Esquire’d, with a custom wound pup called a BSonic (slightly hotter than a traditional Tele bridge pup) and Mike Eldred wiring. Very impressed by the diversity of this wiring and a single pup.

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