Nifty, little string change "trick"

[BlueBowman]

Everyone has to find their own way. For me, reading about guitars makes me excited about playing guitar. In fact, if I'm not tinkering or reading about guitars I'm probably not playing daily. I've tailored my YouTube feed so that every day I'm seeing things that keep me focused on what matters to me (nutrition, music, exercise, etc). Otherwise, I'm inclined to constantly take on new hobbies and interests. It's a serious problem for me.

I understand this very well. Staying focused on what matters most in the modern era takes mighty discipline. So much info available to us via one click.

I do respect that some have limited time to devote to guitar and that can quickly turn into reading rather than playing. I understand how the research rabbit hole can be a dangerous thing.

The research rabbit hole, if used wisely, can certainly lead to better things -- in my case, better sounding guitars. That's where the "good" online info has led me: guitars I never would've otherwise known about, and also the knowledge to get the most out of those guitars (set-up, tinkering, modding).

But it can also become an unwieldy obsession for some, "chasing tone." Where one draws the line, well, that's a personal thing. My simple opinion, IF the chasing interferes at all with your playing, stop chasing. But, again, everyone will be different.

It's important to enjoy the journey! I know have.

I couple summers ago I bought a nice Jackson electric guitar.  I've liked these particular guitars since I was a kid in the 80s and did a sort of experiment:  Get the guitar, no mods, no upgrades, no messing around with the thing -- just play it like you would have done if you'd got it for Christmas in 1986. 

A time or two I've thought: Ah, these certain tuners would be cool, or this new bridge pickup...  Nope.  Just get it out of the case, plug it in, and jam.

It has been an absolute blast depriving myself of the endless mods and tonal rabbit holes and just playing this guitar.  It's something I needed to do in order to get back to basics.  Not everyone is in the same boat, so I'm not suggesting some universal approach.  But it has done me a lot of good.

Good on ya, Silence. I know that towards the end of my electric guitar playing days, I found myself keeping the signal chain as simple as possible. One tube amp, a Klon (or alternative) sometimes, and my guitar. I think that's where I found my best tone.  Enjoy that Jackson!

[B0WIE]

I couple summers ago I bought a nice Jackson electric guitar.  I've liked these particular guitars since I was a kid in the 80s and did a sort of experiment:  Get the guitar, no mods, no upgrades, no messing around with the thing -- just play it like you would have done if you'd got it for Christmas in 1986. 

A time or two I've thought: Ah, these certain tuners would be cool, or this new bridge pickup...  Nope.  Just get it out of the case, plug it in, and jam.

It has been an absolute blast depriving myself of the endless mods and tonal rabbit holes and just playing this guitar.  It's something I needed to do in order to get back to basics.  Not everyone is in the same boat, so I'm not suggesting some universal approach.  But it has done me a lot of good.

You posted that one here, right? I believe that thread actually changed my life (well, my guitar life). About 2 years ago, there became this movement online where shred guitar became cool again. People started talking about it and reminiscing, and there's a bunch of young players online who are getting into that lost era of guitar music. When I saw the red (?) Jackson in the thread on here it made me miss playing my Ibanez so I started doing that again. Then, I bought a couple of old Jems to restore, because I used to stare a pics of those for hours when I was a kid. The big thing was, when I hurt my hands last year, electrics helped save my sanity as acoustics were too hard on my hands as I was recovering.

 I was playing electrics for the first time in 10+ years, and I started playing all the time. It's just so easy to have one on the couch all the time, one in the living room, one in the office. No worries about cases or humidity. So, I'm playing several times a day now and, because it's frequent, short sessions (the kind of thing that stimulates learning) I can play things I only dreamed of playing as a kid. It's actually kind of shocking to me that I'm starting to play sweeps and crazy things like that at 50. I don't actually listen to that kind of music anymore but it's just so fun to practice. Keeps me off the phone and gives me back the kind of brain-stimulating entertainment I had as a pre-internet kid.
 

[Silence Dogood]

You posted that one here, right? I believe that thread actually changed my life (well, my guitar life). About 2 years ago, there became this movement online where shred guitar became cool again. People started talking about it and reminiscing, and there's a bunch of young players online who are getting into that lost era of guitar music. When I saw the red (?) Jackson in the thread on here it made me miss playing my Ibanez so I started doing that again. Then, I bought a couple of old Jems to restore, because I used to stare a pics of those for hours when I was a kid. The big thing was, when I hurt my hands last year, electrics helped save my sanity as acoustics were too hard on my hands as I was recovering.

 I was playing electrics for the first time in 10+ years, and I started playing all the time. It's just so easy to have one on the couch all the time, one in the living room, one in the office. No worries about cases or humidity. So, I'm playing several times a day now and, because it's frequent, short sessions (the kind of thing that stimulates learning) I can play things I only dreamed of playing as a kid. It's actually kind of shocking to me that I'm starting to play sweeps and crazy things like that at 50. I don't actually listen to that kind of music anymore but it's just so fun to practice. Keeps me off the phone and gives me back the kind of brain-stimulating entertainment I had as a pre-internet kid.
 

Very cool!  It's fun to hear how one little thing inspires something else.  I love my Jackson and play it more than any of my other guitars during this season of life.  Like you, I'm playing stuff now that I only dreamed of when I was a boy.  Just yesterday I pulled up a song I've always loved the solo to, and a half hour later I've got it under my fingers. 

I've seen all these shred guys on YT but didn't realize there was necessarily a renaissance of the art recently.  I just figured there were still some people interested, and some doing the throwback thing (some of them were too young to have been there).  Most of the players I've ever met in person scoff at the whole genre.  Oh well, I love it and always have. 

I love Ibanez guitars too, though I don't own one.  I've always sort of wanted an RG550.  I've yet to see what all the fuss is about with the "Wizard Neck.  I love the Jackson necks so much that I can't imagine I'd like the Ibanez better, but who knows!  I need to put one in my hands someday. 

Rock on, BOWIE!

[mike in lytle]

I love my Jackson and play it more than any of my other guitars during this season of life.

Did you not also get a Gretsch?
Mike

[B0WIE]

I love Ibanez guitars too, though I don't own one.  I've always sort of wanted an RG550.  I've yet to see what all the fuss is about with the "Wizard Neck.  I love the Jackson necks so much that I can't imagine I'd like the Ibanez better, but who knows!  I need to put one in my hands someday. 

There's a flatness to the back of them that just feels like home to me. Probably because that was my first guitar. I actually learned a lot about how necks affect a guitars tone because of the changes Ibanez made over the years. They started doing with multi piece necks, then reinforced multi piece necks. That makes them stiffer and supposedly better. But, for me, it kills the resonance.

I've always liked the Jackson, and especially the Charvel necks. They feel a little more traditional to me, but still thin. It's funny, every time I pick up a Fender I think,"man, these necks are so bad", then I start playing and THAT'S the vibe. They're just perfect in their own weird way.

[Silence Dogood]

Did you not also get a Gretsch?
Mike

It's actually a Guild hollowbody.  I still have it.

[StringPicker6]

Ugh, this is resurecting my deep desire to have an electric guitar!!
I love electric guitars, but I always get overwhelmed by all the dials and knobs and amps and pedals.  Then I convince myself, it's no fun playing electric by myself, unlike acoustic. But I'm 50 also, and I was raised on 80's rock. Maybe I need to look at the used guitars...
One guitar that is simple and gorgeous to me is the German made Duesenberg Julietta. Perhaps I'm on the wrong forum to discuss this? 

[teh]

On the subject of strings, my son and I went to see Wilco in concert last week. Singer/songwriter/band member Jeff Tweedy prefers using dead strings on his guitars and rarely changes strings unless they break. If you get a chance to see Wilco or Jeff Tweedy on his solo tour, don't pass it up. Jeff is also featured on the cover of the current issues of Acoustic Guitar and The Fretboard Journal.

Sometimes visiting and perusing this forum feels like stopping at the donut shop after getting a weekly weigh in at Weight Watchers. Reading these threads has a negative impact on my willpower. It's also interesting to note that I have purchased three of my five Larrivees sight unseen without playing them first. They include a 12 string, Forum VI and 00. Two years ago this week, I visited Oxnard,CA to see the progress on my mahogany topped 00-24 that Matt Larrivee showed me during the factory tour that John had arranged for my son and me. Matt also showed me a Baker T Pro and once he explained the research, thought and effort that went into the design and development of this guitar, it came home with me. Up to that point I had never seen an electric Larrivee guitar in the wild but the Baker T Pro far exceeded my expectations. With its one piece Swamp Ash body, Quilted Maple top, one piece Maple neck and unique dual pick ups, this guitar is so fun to play.

The Larrivee family and their employees, past and present, are the real deal.