What are your favourite guitars in your collection, and why?

[jkahn]

I thought this topic might be fun.

Which guitars in your collection are your favourites to play, and why? What do you like about them and what do you dislike about them?

One electric and one acoustic. Don’t pick more than one of each, restricting it to just one of each makes it harder to pick! They have to be guitars that you own now, not ones you want. Will be great to see some photos too.

I’m agonising over different kind of guitars (GAS I know!) and I’m super interested to find out what people’s favourite guitars to play are.

I’ll go first. Kind of easy because I just have 3 guitars, and these are my two faves. Maton SRS70C acoustic and Squier HSS Strat:

The Maton is a dream to play. Tone to die for both acoustic and plugged in. Fretboard smooth and fast with a comfortably low action. Dislikes: it’s a thick dreadnought, a thinner acoustic would be more comfortable at times. And because it’s solid wood it changes action quite a bit with seasons.

The Squier. Feels great to play, very fast maple neck. Super comfortable and feels well made beyond its price. Single coil sounds are great. Dislikes. I loved the colour online and in the shop (bright orange flameburst) but IRL in home lighting it looks dull, not bright orange. The humbucker doesn’t sound like a humbucker should, it sounds like a single coil with less hum. Wider neck might be nicer for my hands. And sometimes I knock the pickup selector accidentally. Oh, and it says SQUIER on the headstock so it’s not the real deal.

Over to you guys and girls!

[roger_holland]

Well JK ,
which of your children is favorite…what do you like and really dislike about them? …well well? …
Okay then…my avatar guitar PRS-velo is my favorite and plays great, but is 300 grams heavier than the aIbanez Q54 and that’s why I hardly play on it … but I’m going to change that. …
I can’t say a single negative point about those 2…
Greetings,Rogier

[Notter]

Pretty easy one for me here @jkahn ! I present my only two guitars having sold my Eastcoast beginner electric over the weekend.

The PRS I was in love with before I even went to play it next to a Fender Player Plus Strat and was just praying it didn’t disappoint. Love the ability to split the pickups and the single coil tones are fantastic. I also love the feel of the fretboard itself, very easy neck and board to play on. I suppose if I’m really harsh it says SE on the headstock but my playing ability isn’t worth the extra £3k or so for the Core!!

The Faith is still pretty new to me but there’s not much, in fact there’s not anything!, that I don’t adore about it. The tone is just so warm it’s incredible, satin neck is really nice and, for me, the Trembesi wood and overall finish is a pure thumbs up.

That Walmart ( ) Maton of yours is certainly a stunner JK and from the last OM that tone as you describe it really shone out.

This is going to be a fun thread!

[tony]

@jkahn

Which guitars in your collection are your favourites to play, and why?

I’ll go with just that question as I cannot limit it to just one. I have 2 favourite acoustics and it would be impossible to pick a single one. Sorry.

First of my 2 is my Epiphone EF-500RANS. It’s been my constant companion for 10 years now and has a fantastic sound. It’s a bit different to play as the neck was modeled on pre-ww2 guitars with a wider nut and saddle and a V shape in the back of the neck.

Here’s a picture of me on stage with it at a country pub in Queensland.

One thing I like about it is how good the projection / volume of it is. i play a lot of fingerstyle so I need all the volume I can get. I get a lot of compliments on it’s sound from other guitar players. I did purchase and have since sold a Taylor GS-8 that had a similar sound. It’s made of solid wood, rosewood back and sides and spruce sound board.

It’s name is Racklesnatch and now has a middle name of Hell Boy for those who followed the thread on the images you can see in it’s pick guard.

Second of my 2 favourites is named Lucky. It’s a custom guitar (Walcott Guitars, Mudgeeraba Queensland) that I had made several years ago.

Here’s a picture of it, on a ‘bucket list’ theme.

Lucky has a lot of personal choice in the woods it’s made of, and it’s the guitar I use now when on stage. It’s made of solid wood, Queensland Silky oak representing my children who were born in Queensland and where I’ve lived for my first 35 years in Australia. The top is North American spruce representing the country of my birth. The fretboard is New Guinea pink rosewood which represents a country that I visited several times and my visits there had a big impact in my life (too long a story to tell here). The bridge is Tasmanian hardwood which represents the state one of my daughters was born in and hidden inside the body of the guitar is a heart shaped piece of New Zealand Kauri pine representing my wife’s country of birth.

What’s missing in that picture is the purple shamrock sticker that’s in the middle of the headstock now, took me a while to find one the right colour.

The guitar features a normal / piezo pickup and an electric pickup which you can see on the photo. It has 2 separate circuits for these pickups and it has a barn door style fishman EQ on the side of the lower bout. I’ve always disliked the look of such barn door EQs so why did I have one put on my custom made guitar where all the choices were mine? Good question. Racklesnatch has a K&K static pickup with no EQ and when using it amplified I bought the K&K preamp which clips onto my belt. It’s a real pain to use especially on stage as the knobs aren’t visible and it’s fiddly esp when the nerves of performing kick in and you have little time for your sound check. So I went with the visually less appealing barn door EQ for Lucky and I’m thrilled with it. I’m really the only one that sees much of it anyway so the looks aren’t as bad as I figured.

Lucky doesn’t have the projection of Racklesnatch and that’s primarily due to the F holes. I love the look of Lucky on stage and it often gets compliments. The luthier wasn’t too keen on the purple colour when I first discussed the guitar with him, but it’s my favourite colour and it’s my guitar so there wasn’t much wiggle room. I’m thrilled with how it looks and it sounds super plugged in.

Because I love the neck width and profile of Racklesnatch, I had Lucky built with the same neck so there’s no adjustment at all going between the two guitars.

Another quite notable feature about Lucky is the sound port on the upper bout of the guitar. I’m thrilled with the sound port and personally believe they should be in all guitars. It gives me the player extra volume and makes quite a difference. The luthier who made this guitar put one in his demo guitar and now regularly gets requests to include them in his custom builds. He said when people are playing his demo guitar he just covers the sound port briefly with his hand so they can hear the difference.

@jkahn - Thanks for the idea for this thread. Great subject, can’t wait to read what others post. I don’t think I’ve fully answered the “why” but I gave it my best shot.

[TheMadman_tobyjenner]

Oh dear, I can’t just do that JK I love them all.

Leaving the Basses aside, as I have not had the time to exploit them yet (especially now family here), I could not chose just one of the 8 electrics. The 3 HBs (Washburn and Gretsch) all have different character and feel let along sound. The 2 Strats (Trad Roadhouse Deluxe and Affinity on Iron Gear HSH steroids) are sooo different. And the Gibsons ? Love the SG as much as the LPs, which I chose on mood, is it a Smokey or Cherry day ? Depends what I am playing or practicing, so very much horses for course.

Same with the 3 acoustics, love the all for the distinct tones, so depends what I am playing.

So do I have a go to ? No.

But the last few days, Cherry’s been dragged of the rack and nothing else, while I prep for the Open Mic and some tone hunting. Hey could always switch to Smokey Saturday night !

So this will help no one.

Cheers

Toby

[Goffik]

Well, I have a collection of four guitars… but two of them are direct replacements for the other two. So those are my favourites, because they’re better looking, better sounding, and just better in every way that matters.

I have a Yamaha APX 600 electro-acoustic in gorgeous oriental blue burst. It has a slimmer body than usual but loses no tone as a result, and I do find it more comfortable than my other GA.

My electric is a classic Squier Stratocaster which I love, not least because it was a present from my Wife. Love the way it looks, really nice and easy to play, and I get some cracking tones out of it.

[Socio]

It’s a difficult choice when it comes to acoustic as I have my go to for strumming and go to for fingerstyle. If I was to choose between the both of them then I would go for my Cort Gold A6 as it has an aged vintage look and sound, all solid construction, perfect for both strumming and fingerstyle playing, the hand-rolled fret edges and neck profile make it very comfortable to play and the fishman flex blend system is so much better than the system on my Epiphone Hummingbird giving it a more natural acoustic sound when playing plugged in.

It’s a pretty easy one for me when it comes to the electric as only have one electric, an Epiphone ES-335. It looks good, balances nicely, feels good and sounds great. Overall a very versatile (it’s been great for playing the blues, rock, indie as I’ve progressed through Grade 2) and good guitar at a reasonable price. I just need a better amp to go with it.

[Stuartw]

This assumes you have more than one of each:-)

[JasmineJ]

Well, @jkahn I’m glad you asked

I have three guitars too, so it’s not hard for me to pick my favourites either. I love them all but my fave electric is definitely my Strat, I spend so much more time with her than the Tele, so comfortable to hold and play, a good weight, and sounds beautiful and smooth. I also love the bright cherry colour.

My acoustic is Sheeran by Lowden s04. I was looking for a slightly smaller acoustic and I’m so glad I found this, just the right size (a bit smaller and thinner), and the tone is still really warm and full. Also very comfortable to hold and play and the action is perfect, strumming or fingerpicking.
I haven’t found anything I dislike about any of them yet.

You’re right, this IS fun!

[RobDickinson]

OK I technically have 5 guitars now, my original one is still in the UK, a £20 junk shop no brand SG, from memory it played OK (nice fret) but its been a while since I played it. Leaves me with a choice of 4 here.

So for the Acoustic I really have to choose the new baby, A Maton Blackwood EBW70c , a big boi dreadnought but I find it comfortable to play, it looks smells and sounds gorgeous, such rich tones from this. Fret board is nice to use, the detail, workmanship and finishing is incredible. Current action is a touch high perhaps, but it works. Makes my crafter sound like a cardboard box…

For the Electric I have to choose the Epiphone Les Paul, just all round nice to play and great sound, well built blues/rock machine.

[jkahn]

So awesome to see and read about people’s guitars.

Even if there are some “rule breakers” that won’t pick a favourite. @roger_holland and his kids and @TheMadman_tobyjenner with his entire barracks of guitars and no fave! I was for sure thinking it would be one of the Gibsons.

Absolutely love that green Epiphone @RobDickinson, makes me jealous!

[RobDickinson]

@jkahn

Absolutely love that green Epiphone @RobDickinson, makes me jealous!

its gorgeous but hasnt been played in a bit! Too busy (new kitten is taking a lot of time) and working on acoustic stuff.

[adi_mrok]

Well that’s easy since I only have two playable ones but in all honesty I prefer the electric over acoustic from ones I have but ideally I would like to replace both one day. Soon seems like some money could be found somewhere on the upside down of my pockets so I was thinking to get something proper rather than fiddling around with my beginner eastcoast and second hand fender electro acoustic.

Feel jealous of some of those guitars mentioned above!

[Mari63]

This is a great topic, love all the photos.

‘Technically’ I have 5 guitars, 4 electrics and 1 acoustic, but my partner also has an acoustic and I play it more than she does, so I’m counting it

My favorite electric, and it will be interesting to see if it’s still my favorite in 6 months, is my new diy Tele style that I just finished on the weekend. It still needs my initials on the headstock, (MER, so it will essentially be my name!), but other than that it’s done. It feels just right, it’s a bit lighter than my Strat, and the body is pretty much what I envisioned when I imagined what I wanted it to look like. It sounds pretty sweet too.

It’s not ‘cheating’ to say that my Strat waa my favorite electric until a few days ago … I love the look, the feel, and the sound. We’ll see if it moves back into favorite position over the coming months lol.

My favorite acoustic is my partner’s Martin. I recently borrowed a friend’s Martin, can’t remember the model, and it sounded so nice it dampened my love for this one a bit. I didn’t really care for the look of the borrowed one though, so I gave it back without buying it.

For the rest - I have my SG Pro at work so I can practice on my lunch break. It’s a really nice guitar to play, and it’s not too pricey so I’m fine leaving it at work. No photo available of that one, it’s a standard looking burgundy SG.

My Gretsch now - I’m probably going to sell it. I wanted it for a good long while, and I bought it to celebrate something, and I love the look. I injured my shoulder after I bought it though, and it’s just too bulky and doesn’t feel comfortable.

Finally, I have a mini Taylor. I got it after I injured my shoulder, and it really is a fun little guitar to play. It doesn’t have nearly the nice full sound I’d like though. I might sell that one too, and then buy 1 new acoustic. I’m torn on that though, because it’s such a nice little size.

Whether I sell the Gretsch and the mini Taylor or not, I have a good reason to go looking for another acoustic - as if I needed a reason

[alexisduprey]

I have 3 guitars currently, only one acoustic so the default Winner is my Fender CC-60S which I do love:

Now for electrics I have a squier mustang bullet HH and an Epi Les Paul studio. The clear winner there is my les Paul. I love everything about it. The color, the pick ups sound great, it’s split coil so it’s versatile. Next year I’m hitting a bit of a financial milestone and plan on buying myself a “cheap” Gibson (a les Paul tribute), but I love this guitar so much that I will not let it go even after I get the Gibson. It’ll have a proud place on my wall and I won’t stop playing it:

[Bytron08]

I have 2 acoustics use to have a few electric guitars but pwned them like a idiot lol. But my fav acoustic is my Taylor 214cc lovely guitar!! It’s my goto now in my videos.

[direvus]

Easy to choose a favourite when you’ve only got 1

[markr31]

Me too. My favorites are the only two I have, a Dean Zelinsky Tagliare electric, and a Taylor 114e acoustic/electric. I’m a little less bad on the Zelinsky.

[direvus]

Right now I’m borrowing a Martin & Co LXK2 “Little Martin” while my favourite and only guitar is in the shop getting a service. Playing acoustic is a very different experience. I definitely feel like some songs sound better on the acoustic, and it sure does smell nice. But I don’t see myself moving away from the electric as my main instrument any time soon.

[DarrellW]

Well, I’ve had so many guitars I dread to think how much it has cost me over the years!
Now I have downsized a lot and have 4 acoustics, 2 electrics (plus a kit Tele to finish off when I’ve really made my mind up how I want it to be) and 5 ukuleles of varying size.
My favourites are 1) my Revelation thinline copy - P90’s are wonderful, it sounds amazing!

And 2) My Makala Ukulele Bass - funny choice you might say, but it’s easy to play and so much fun learning some Bass runs!