Actually, a few days ago I posted in my learning log a bit about my relapse to GAS. Without repeating the whole post, my ideas are, in more or less the order of magnitude:
Fender Player Plus Stratocaster in Tequila Sunrise - demo video here
Although a lot of my favourite players have played a Strat at one time or another, I found the Strat body shape itself a bit too ubiquitous. You know, itās ātheā guitar shape everyone has in mind. Of course, thereās a reason why the Strat became so widespread.
However, during the past year or so Iāve gone though a bit of conversion, so to say. I got interested in transcribing melodies, and the sources I turn to often fall under the umbrella term of jazz or jazzy music. Itās not always a conscious decision, but I gravitate to transcribing various horn parts, not only guitars. For this reason, I think a Strat would be ideal given its variety of tones. Also, the whammy bar seems to be an interesting addition that I think could help me achieve vibrato/glissando effects more typical of brass instruments. And to approximate some Hendrix trickery, of course.
Also, my Epi Les Paul has dual humbucker pickups with the option of coil splitting, so the Stratās noiseless single-coil pickups would be a welcome addition in my guitar collection.
Gretsch G5422G-12 ElectromaticĀ® Classic Hollow Body Double-Cut 12-String in Walnut Stain - demo video here
Do you need anything to justify getting an electric 12 string other than its mere existence? I have a Yamaha acoustic 12 string (tuned a semitone lower than standard tuning) and even though my fingertips sometimes take up a bit too much space between the courses to let each string ring out clearly, I love picking it up and playing it. I plan to properly practice on it and improve my fingering and the picking of individual courses.
Of course, an electric 12 sting is different, but since Iāve had the Yamaha and my ears got used to the 12 string sound, I realized that a lot of the music Iād already known have a 12 string in them (whether acoustic or electric).
My Epi Casino is a hollow-body guitar with dual P90 pickups and a trapeze tailpiece. It looks fabulous and sounds pretty great, too. Somehow I have a soft spot for the look of hollow-body guitars with f-holes and tailpieces, thinline or not. So this model looks like a contender to my collection.
Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster in Aged Candy Apple Red - demo video here
I still think that in my eyes the Telecaster body shape is the perfect one (besides the Les Paul). Somehow the ratios of the curves have a strangely pleasing and calming effect on me.
Several of my favourite players have used a Tele as well, but while this model also seems to be of very good quality and capable of producing a variety of tones, it just doesnāt seem to cover as many bases as the Strat or the Gretsch 12 string. Thatās why itās not no. 1 on my list.
However, given the less-than-ideal financial situation of Hungary and the atrocious exchange rates, I donāt know when Iāll be able to buy any of them. Hopefully sometime this year. I think the Gretsch one would require a bit of investigation with the actual brick-and-mortar stores in order to try it out as Iāve seen it available in online stores, but buying something unseen for that price is a bit risky.