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Electric guitars should clearly match the musical style

In: Electric guitars Wednesday Dec 12,2007

jazz electric guitars Since a long time I think about what is the best guitar you could have? Well, I must say that I got to the conclusion that is not you the one that choses the electric guitar, it is not even the “electric guitar choses you” idea. Let’s put it this way: you want to play jazz and you pick a Jackson KE2 Kelly like this one. Would it feel right? Well, I think not, even if it would probably do the job in the right hands, if the situation asks it and you don’t have any other choice.

How about playing heavy metal on an Ibanez Artist model? Again it does not feel right. Of course that, once more, it would probably do the trick for a situation where you don’t have a choice, but it won’t be the same.

As you probably see, I have kept Gibson electric guitars and Fender electric guitars out of this because Fender and Gibson, as the time proved it, fits any gender. I have seen Gibson played by heavy metal bands as well as blues and jazz bands, if you consider Malmsteen, then Fender would be the weapon of choice for any speed kind.

However, I think that in most cases, some electric guitars fit better some musical styles. A jazz guitar player would look and feel right with an Ibanez AS model, like John Scofield, while a shredder would probably use the Jackson model I have spoke about a bit earlier.

Electric guitars are lovely toys, but you need to feel comfortable playing them. Don’t chose an electric guitar that you don’t feel comfortable since it won’t give you the feeling you need on stage. You need to feel full, from the way your guitar stays in your hand to the way you look there. If you feel right from all point of views, then, your creativity will work best. Otherwise you will have drawbacks that will keep you from expressing the way you could. I think this is true for anthing you do in your life, you should only do what you love, unfortunately this is not always possible as all of us probably know.

Did you ever think how Slash would look with a Dean from hell guitar? Dimebag looked great with it and fully expressed what he felt, but think about that guitar in the hands of, let’s say…Clapton?! I remember once while in the rehearsal room of some local band I have tested a hollow guitar and felt like the worst guitar ever to me, at that time. Why? Because I had that “metal all over” thing and no matter if the guitar would have been the best ever, the most expensive and had some signature on it, for me it was not satisfying at that time.

How about you? Are you playing the guitar you love?

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Tags: Dimebag Darrell, Eric Clapton, Slash

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19 Responses to “Electric guitars should clearly match the musical style”

pilgrim
December 13th, 2007 at 7:01 am

What would be wrong with playing metal on that Ibanez Artist?
That doesn’t seem out of place. It might for a guitarust who uses lots of whammy bar, but for those who don’t–it would work.

By the way though, I am playing the guitars I love.
admin
December 13th, 2007 at 9:52 am

I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right, I see that guitar good for pop-rock, blues maybe, brit-pop, not heavy.
sixslinger
December 15th, 2007 at 10:12 pm

I kind of agree, and disagree. I think that it really depends on the style. Heavy metal, death rock I would tend to agree. Blue and and rock I think you could use almost any guitar. I think it also depends on the musician.
Mad Stratter
December 16th, 2007 at 4:20 am

just pointing out a typo that may cause some confusion: “Fender and Gibson, as the time proved it, fits any gender. “… that is, unless you’re talking about the inherent androgyny of the two

feel free to edit this comment once you see it.

Otherwise, great post. I’m playing the guitars I love… two Strats for the blues and rock… Strats are hard to not love.. and a Recording King Rodeo Sweethearts that’s got a beautiful bright tone. Take a look at the thing, it just screams country twang (visually and sonicly)

http://www.recordingking.com/ArtGuitars.1864.0.html
admin
December 17th, 2007 at 12:21 am

Thanks,Mad Stratter, you are right nobody’s fault but mine By the way, beautiful instrument.

For sixslinger - maybe you are right even if I couldn’t see myself playing blues on a Jackson or on a Dean, but who knows. I remember at one jam, a guy comes in and takes his Jackson guitar and starts playing blues like hell, and it really sounded well, but I just have a visual holding back, I don’t know, for blues I would take a Fender Telecaster I guess. And a Strat also.
lyle robinson
December 19th, 2007 at 5:03 pm

I mostly agree with your post but like everything, there are exceptions to the rule…like Ted Nugent playing those gorgeous Gibson Byrdlands or Jazz Guitar legend Ed Bickert playing a Fender telecaster. While some guitars just naturally seem to imply a certain genre of music or a certain personality, I think it comes down to that age-old maxim of the music being in the fingers of the player and not the equipment. Cool blog by the way…:)

Lyle
admin
December 19th, 2007 at 7:18 pm

Thanks, lyle, I hope to see you back for more! About what you say, indeed, you may be right. According to me, jazz, for ex is not at all about the instrument, as far as I see it, without being educated in jazz, it is only about the music, otherwise how could you play jazz on non-standard instruments, as modern jazzmen do?
windwaker
January 29th, 2008 at 3:09 am

I agree for the most part. The reason WHY most people choose the guitar they do is that it offers the “best” tone for their particular style of music. I happen to be a jazz guitarist, but I play an Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Signature model, an undeniably progressive metal guitar. I think I’ve settled with this guitar because it really feels that much better than anything else. I dabble in music of ALL genres, so it helps to have the balls that the JP offers when I need some kick-to-the-sternum riffage.
admin
January 29th, 2008 at 9:22 am

Well, it’s a daring choice, in my opinion. But I think that a progressive metal guitar may work well for jazz since jazz offers so much possibilities and progressive music also. They have some common parts from this point of view.
Charlie
January 29th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

I agree that some guitars are better for different styles, but i dont agree with the aesthetic argument after all who cares what you look like if you play well? Not people you care about id imagine
admin
January 30th, 2008 at 9:00 am

Well, some do, at least if you are under the big scene lights you will care for sure cause even if indeed, other arguments count first
First stats report on my 6 months goal of 5000 visitors per day | Guitar tabs,electric guitars,acoustic guitars
February 19th, 2008 at 9:14 am

[…] the next positions I had Electric guitars should clearly match the musical style with 961 page […]
Sans Direction
March 5th, 2008 at 6:10 pm

My guitars worth noting are a late 80s Fender MIJ Telecaster, a Fender electro-acoustic Dread with cutaway and a 1950s (I think) Supro lap steel with screw-in legs. I love the Supro, but really, it takes more time to be proficient at lap steel than I’ve thrown at it, but I’ve taken it to jam sessions and not sucked. Some theoretical person could shred on a lap steel, but it ain’t me, but plug it into a Bassman and it growls.

I started out in the 80s with Strat orientation. Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Warren DeMartini and Jake E. Lee and the rest of the superStrat set, that’s where my head was. And I saw Soul Asylum with Dave Pirner and his Tele Custom and the big honkin’ neck humbucker, and I thought it looked cool. My wife saw it, and she got me a gift of the Tele. It’s not a custom. It’s standard. But I grew to love it. My ears turned away from Clapton and Vaughn and toward Steve Cropper and Danny Gatton. Well, not totally. But enough. Right now, I’m thinking about getting other electrics, and the Telecasters are right out front.

You say a Fender can go anywhere, to any genre. I’m not with you 100%. A Stratocaster can go anywhere. A Telecaster is pigeonholed as a Country instrument, or a rhythm instrument. It simply isn’t just that.

When I got it, my Tele had a white pearloid MOTS pickguard, which I never liked. I just (as in over the weekend) got black knobs, a black control plate, and a BWB pickguard. It’s much more my style. Now I just need to engrave “Ignore Alien Orders” onto the neck plate.
Ovidiu
March 5th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

Well, OK for the Tele for country but how about Richie Kotzen’s Tele used for rock? Richie Kotzen is a rock guitar player, fast and able to shreds like a charm. See here one of his videos playing a Tele and let me know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ_nq5W-Ndk&feature=related
Ramblings about Richie Kotzen | Guitar tabs,electric guitars,acoustic guitars
March 12th, 2008 at 11:38 am

[…] on a Fender Telecaster(See here what I mean). That is somehow a contradiction of my article on how guitars should match the musical style, if you think about it cause Tele is more for blues. I have never looked at Fender Telecaster as […]
Jol
March 21st, 2008 at 1:29 am

Guitars are fashion statements, and people view them as expressions of themselves visually as much as sonically. Sad? Not at all really. It just opens the door for someone clever to exploit a stereotype by contradicting it. I loved Jimmy Page slinging a Telecaster for the first two Zep albums (and tours) and how about the Cult or ACDC cranking out Rock on a Gretsch?

I would have loved to have seen Dime playing a Rickenbacker, but then… some people just feel uncomfortable when they’re out of uniform.
Ovidiu
March 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am

Yes, I think that feeling good in your own clothes is one of the most important aspect of a musician, because if you feel good you can bring out the best in you. If you don’t feel comfortable playing a specific guitar, no matter how good it is, you won’t create beautiful music, so you need to pick that guitar that also looks good on you and gives you the feeling everything is right! By the way, Jol, I love your site
Christopher Dowling
June 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

I got a Strat and a Les Paul. I love ‘em both, but the Les Paul is prettier (cherry sunburst), and somehow, better suited to my aesthetic tastes and tonal preference.
Ovidiu
June 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

You must be a happy guitar player, with both a Strat and a Les Paul! Congratulations!

Electric guitars should clearly match the musical style

19 Responses to “Electric guitars should clearly match the musical style”

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