How many guitars do you NEED for a gig?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cephus
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I've only had regular string breakage problems when I've had a guitar with a bad set-up. Otherwise it's pretty rare.

I always have a second guitar with me though, as if it does happen it's a real pain. I used to be able to get by the end of a set with a missing string, but the type of arrangements I play now require all six stings.

I *might* get by without a low-E sting, but that is one string I don't recall ever breaking ;)

If the stage is large enough, I go through an A/B pedal so that I can have both guitars pugged in and ready to go. This makes for really fast switch-overs :)
 
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I never take but one ..... ever. But I'm also always carrying a sax and the PA and the lights and everything.
I rarely break strings and if I do it takes maybe a minute to change it so I really don't worry about it ..... easier to bring strings than a second guitar.

Some of that comes from playing a lot though .... you'd be surprised how tired you get of hauling crap around when you gig every day and doubles on a lot of them.
Hell ..... for my beach gigs I don't even take an amp anymore .... I use a *gasp* modeler! :shock: And I can't believe that .... I hate modelers for live use but it's just so much easier when you're hauling crap to the beach. I've got a Digitech RP-7 that I don't give a crap about so I take that and get a passable sound thru the PA. One less thing to carry.
 
I take one guitar and a new set of strings (plus picks, batteries, screwdrivers in case of severe emergencies), but the gigs I play there's usually other people to borrow guitars if summat goes really wrong.

If I used alternate tunings I'd probably take more guitars, but I hate having loads of guitars for the hell of it - 90% of your audience probably woudnt notice the difference between a Les Paul and a Strat (or whatever) anyway!
 
Elton Bear said:
I take one guitar and a new set of strings (plus picks, batteries, screwdrivers in case of severe emergencies), but the gigs I play there's usually other people to borrow guitars if summat goes really wrong.

If I used alternate tunings I'd probably take more guitars, but I hate having loads of guitars for the hell of it - 90% of your audience probably woudnt notice the difference between a Les Paul and a Strat (or whatever) anyway!
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It's so fun to impress the kids that are just getting into guitar when you bust out either nice guitars or customized guitars that no one really knows about (I.E. "The Paul"), shit like that.
 
andycerrone said:
It's so fun to impress the kids that are just getting into guitar when you bust out either nice guitars or customized guitars that no one really knows about (I.E. "The Paul"), shit like that.
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I just put my The Paul on the block so I can buy an Epi Airscreamer :cool:
 
mshilarious said:
I just put my The Paul on the block so I can buy an Epi Airscreamer :cool:
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Sellout.

There's one for sale at the place down the street for $325, I want it so bad but I don't have the money. :(
 
andycerrone said:
Sellout.

There's one for sale at the place down the street for $325, I want it so bad but I don't have the money. :(
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Look, the Epi plays better, sounds better, is more comfortable to play sitting, it only has one knob (as does my So-Cal), and it's shaped like a trailer. What is not to like :D

Why is that Paul so cheap? The '70s versions usually go for $800 and the '90s version for $500 :confused:
 
mshilarious said:
Look, the Epi plays better, sounds better, is more comfortable to play sitting, it only has one knob (as does my So-Cal), and it's shaped like a trailer. What is not to like :D

Why is that Paul so cheap? The '70s versions usually go for $800 and the '90s version for $500 :confused:
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I know. It's amazing and weird. That's why I wanna jump on it. There's nothing wrong with it, just a little belt buckle rash on the back. It's this place called Cambridge music, and it specializes in all stuff that pretty much won't be at guitar center. Ya know what i mean. Lots of cool unheard of shit.
 
mshilarious said:
Look, the Epi plays better, sounds better, is more comfortable to play sitting, it only has one knob (as does my So-Cal), and it's shaped like a trailer. What is not to like :D

Why is that Paul so cheap? The '70s versions usually go for $800 and the '90s version for $500 :confused:
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So the walnut "Paul" is going for $800-not that I'd part with mine-basically because it's reached antique status? It's basically solid as a tank, and never let me down.
 
Anfontan said:
So the walnut "Paul" is going for $800-not that I'd part with mine-basically because it's reached antique status? It's basically solid as a tank, and never let me down.
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At least!
 
I have a Charvel Jackson, An Ibanez with some D'Marzio pick ups, and this cheap Silver Tone my uncle got me who knows why....

The answer is you need as many guitars as you need to sound badass! I for example use the Ibanez for metal and solos. Whereas the Charvel is more bluesy and clean tone kinda stuff. The silver tone is incase I need to beat some one with it. :D
 
myhatbroke said:
I have a Charvel Jackson, An Ibanez with some D'Marzio pick ups, and this cheap Silver Tone my uncle got me who knows why....

The answer is you need as many guitars as you need to sound badass! I for example use the Ibanez for metal and solos. Whereas the Charvel is more bluesy and clean tone kinda stuff. The silver tone is incase I need to beat some one with it. :D
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Dude. Shut up. That doesn't make sense.
 
myhatbroke said:
I have a Charvel Jackson, An Ibanez with some D'Marzio pick ups, and this cheap Silver Tone my uncle got me who knows why....

The answer is you need as many guitars as you need to sound badass! I for example use the Ibanez for metal and solos. Whereas the Charvel is more bluesy and clean tone kinda stuff. The silver tone is incase I need to beat some one with it. :D
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What guitar do you use for your computer generated midi guitar playing??? :D :D
 
myhatbroke said:
It totally does. Fuck Boy.
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Try structuring your response in an order such as:
A)response to the question.
B)explanation (and no, "cause it kicks ass" doesn't count)
 
I ended up bringing out the homemade jambolin and the disco slut. I really like that guitar. I am usually very uncomfortable playing anything other than single coil PUs on the gig, but I was able to get useable rhythm tones from the HBs. Maybe, since they were cheap ($35 for the whole prewired pickguard from guitarfetish) they have lower output.

It turned out to be a great gig. We were going to play immediately following the game to try and keep the crowd there, but there were only like 10 people in the bar. When the halloweeen costume party thing started at 8, we had a good crowd that hung around all night. Lots of slutty pirate female costumes this year. Our new drummer kinda had a bit of a stamina problem, so the tempos dragged a bit on the 4th set. I assume it's due to him not being used to the 4 hour marathon gigs.

I have played many gigs with just the jambolin. As long as I change the strings, they seem to hold up. But, playing 3-piece, it is a total drag if one guitar goes kaput in the middle of a song. I can never bring myself to drag out 3 guitars, though.
 
if your drummer had a stamina problem, you weren't feeding him enough bourbon. :D

i bring 2 guitars to electric gigs. one's my tele, the other is my ibanez hollowbody. i also bring 2 small amps--a fender champ for the tele and a Vox for the ibanez. a couple 57s or 609's for the amps and i'm golden. a LOT lighter than bringing a Twin or something.

why? i want both sounds at my disposal, depending on the song. some songs need the tele tone with the single coils, some need the Ibanez/humbucker sound.

if i break a string i'll just "make do" and play the other guitar and change the broken string at the set break.


cheers,
wade
 
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