Contentment with one guitar?

[BloodRose]

Ok, this may sound like Im looking for justification for G.A.S, but honestly no, Im asking this genuinely. How many of you (especially those of you who play out) are content with one electric guitar?
If so, what kind of guitar do you use?
Do you play multiple styles?

Im kind of thinking that one LP, one strat and a tele could cover everything, but how to pick just 1??

Thanks for the input.

[JB_From_Hell]

If I had to ditch everything but my 62 LP, I wouldn't be really happy, but I'd be ok. Actually, it probably wouldn't be that different. I really only play that or my Ibanez SZ, and both are mahogany, dual 'bucker, set neck guitars.

You'd be surprised at how much ground you can cover with limited tools when necessary, especially if you can do coil splits, parallel/series, etc...

[Rich_S]

If I HAD to, I could get by with just my Tele Nashville. I like having a humbucker guitar, too, hence my Schecter PT.

For those who play out, even if you're happy with one guitar, you really need a spare just in case.

[BigAlTheBird]

I could definitely get by with just my LP. Easily. I wouldn't want to (and I'd change the neck pickup to be slightly more versatile, from a 59 to a Jazz), but I could do it.

At bare minimum, I'd want my Tele, my Green Buddy, and my LP. It's all gravy after that.

[Aceman]

One LP would be fine. With a coil tap or two- beyond fine. Phase switches - forget about it! The right pup combo - INVINCIBLE!

Truth be known - the rest are just pure indulgence in the beauty of all that is Les Paulness.

[the guy who invented fire]

I have to have more than one...

[tc]

if you gig, it's kinda dumb not to have a backup unless you really can't have one. you-know-what happens, but when you let it. other than that, i don't think most people out there really play EVERYTHING and if they do, most guitars are versatile enough for the job. Yes they are, unless you're a tone freak that cares about every little detail tone-wise. An amp, now that's what needs to have two things, a great clean and a great dirty sound. that's all you need really.

[mediumpimpin]

I'd have to agree with the guys above, that one guitar would be alright, particularly an LP with coil taps and whatnot. I had only one guitar for about 3 yrs and got by just fine. Now that I own 5 guitars, I wouldn't have it any other way, in fact I wanna buy even more.

[cream123]

I've been using nothing but my Barclay semi-hollow body for about the last 5 months. So, yes, I'm happy with one guitar. This Duo will be sweet but I doubt it will take the place of my barclay....

[phil_104]

I was actually thinking of selling all my guitars and getting a les paul. You guys are getting me thinking...

[J Moose]

I could probably get by & be totally happy with the swamp ash PRS... H/S/H setup with taps & whatnot...

But really, I gotta have have more then one. Different tones & whatnot... an LP just ain't gonna do what a Tele can do... or a Strat... or a P90 axe...

Every 'serious' guitarist needs at least a 'bucker guitar and a strat stylee guitar.

[BigAlTheBird]

Moose, I've been playing through a particularly twangy and bright amp for the past week, and yeah, a LP with the proper pups (and the proper electronics) can easily pull of pretty convincing Tele tones, and almost even strat tones (although not quite there - not quacky enough). I own a single coil Tele, and when done right the LP sounds remarkably similar to the Tele (PG bridge). The neck isn't quite there, but it's close.

[Pastor of Muppets]

I am seriously looking at selling my guitars and just having a 52 Vintage Hot Rod Tele - that would cover all the styles I like to play (blues, jazz, rock, indie, alt-country). That said, I'd keep my current Tele as back-up for if the main one goes down.

[J Moose]

Moose, I've been playing through a particularly twangy and bright amp for the past week, and yeah, a LP with the proper pups (and the proper electronics) can easily pull of pretty convincing Tele tones, and almost even strat tones (although not quite there - not quacky enough).

Ehhhh... I dunno about that so much.


Though...


Jimmy Page sold a helluvalotta Les Pauls playing a Tele!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Part of it is that I tend to play a bit differently on different rides... put a strat in my hands or a 335... different things are gonna come out. Granted, it all sounds like "me" to a large degree...but it doesn't.

Between alternate tunings & a need for different tones I can't ever see having just ONE single guitar. I'd need at least an LP and a Tele to cover most bases, not to mention acoustics...

Studio is a whole different thing. Yeah, one or two GOOD guitars is all 'ya need... but really... when making a real record it's NICE to have 'options' on hand. Too many layers of Paul's stack up & it all goes to muddy mush... too many 'strat' tracks & it starts getting clangy... variety is key.

Can't have 'just one'.

Nope.

Not EVER.

[Diego]

I'm really happy with my only 'pro' guitar, the RG on my picture and signature. Only thing I can't handle with it it's tuning switches. That's where my cheapo Epi comes into play, and that happens very rarely if ever. I always flirt with the idea of buying an Ibanez SZ or a nice LP clone, but I always end up realizing I won't get anything I'm not having already with the RG, and that the only flaws in the way I sound or play are my fault. I think I sound like one of the mot satisfied guys on the board, despite having quite a humble setup!

[larry_emder]

Yeah, my next guitar is hopefully gunna be the 'grail' guitar - ya know, the one that i have to take everywhere, sleep with, and cant be more than 3 metres away from at all times. I have no idea what type-a guitar that is though

But as moose said.....the more 'tools' the better. 'specially when in the studio

[Uk Ant]

The range of sounds I get from my Ibanez SA covers pretty much all the ground I need, plus it has a trem. So yes, I could live with just the one, but having a spare for gigs is essential so I obvisouly needed a gold explorer

[tone?]

The truth is, i would rather have that 'one' guitar that sounds just awesome to me and have only that.
Switching guitars to me is kinda annoying. I would rather just love one and get used to it. I think it helps so much in how comfortable the guitar gets. Just one that would become like part of your body.
I dig the Van Halen thing of only playing one guitar for long lengths of time.

The one guitar idea sounds awesome to me, but it is kinda tough practically.

[BloodRose]

I do see that it would be very important to have a back up.. And I like having the variety. Awhile back I sold off a bunch of guitars.. All were filler. Eye candy) Now, all that I still have are great players.. I can play any of them and say, "hmmm, if I could only have one, this would do.."

But, Id like to be like satch, vai, srv, evh etc who have one "main " axe that I could know every nuance of the feel, tonality etc..

Just hard to narrow it down.. Id like to have a strat, LP and tele as all tones are unique.. Ironically, if I had to go with just one, I would prob be back to the one I started with.. Squier strat with tapped C5 in the bridge.. Get my strat tones and my bucker tones..

Sometimes I think life would have been much simpler has I not got G.A.S..haha

[Robert S.]

At one point I was feeling a little gassy and had something like 14 guitars layiing around including 3 Les Pauls, a Strat, a Tele, a PRS CU24, a Conklin, an Ibanez RG 550 and a few others including a couple of acoustics and a bass.

I really only played one of the Les Pauls. Having a bunch of different guitars is cool and nothing sounds like a Tele or a Strat but having one guitar that seriously talks to you is far better than having a room full of guitars.

My go to guitar is a 1998 LP Std with a Custom and a PGn with the Jimmy Page wiring. Most days it is either the bridge or the neck pickup full on. Once you find your voice it is hard to stray from it.