Gig Guitar Gluttony

[diablo175]

I've been debating which axes to bring to tomorrow night's gig and I decided, "fuck it!-- bring 'em all!"

Okay, it won't be ALL- that'd be beyond stupid. And difficult to manage logistically. No, I'm talking about the debate over which Cali's to bring. Got two "new" ones to consider vs. the tried and true, battle tested. I snagged a new stage guitar rack that holds up to 10 electrics and I figure I'll be a tad eccentric and bring 6 axes- the G-Cali w/ heavy gauge strings for the heavier, pseudo drop D tunes, the new-ish Midnight Marauder and the soon-to-be ex-Barney Sparkle V.2.0 as well as the MelonCali. Then, my SG for the more "classic" stuff (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Zep, Who,etc), and the EMG-equipped Charvel Star for a few of the Floyd-centric, heavier shredders (this ax is, hands-down, the best Floyd guitar I've EVER played) That should cover any and all bases as far as our set list goes.

If logistics and the physical toll were not an issue, what would your IDEAL gig guitar line up be? ETA- whether you own it or not.

[polara]

I completely honestly prefer to play one guitar. Even if could have a roadie handing them off song to song. I own six electrics but for gigging it's the PRS, period. That way I focus on playing and doing stupid poses instead of adjusting knobs or even subliminally adjusting to neck or balance or whatever.

[veatch]

I always bring two guitars in case i break a string or something worse happens. I usually play one most of the night, but i make sure to give the third wheel a little love for a song or three.

More than that just means more load in / load out time. I'm getting too old for that.

[cynic]

More than that just means more load in / load out time. I'm getting too old for that.

Not to mention the increased likelihood of damage or theft involving more than a couple guitars. Advertising that much candy could lead to you being followed home as well.

I suggest the bare minimum, whatever that number might be.

[diablo175]

I completely honestly prefer to play one guitar. Even if could have a roadie handing them off song to song. I own six electrics but for gigging it's the PRS, period. That way I focus on playing and doing stupid poses instead of adjusting knobs or even subliminally adjusting to neck or balance or whatever.

I eliminate those issue by using essentially the same guitar with the same specs and settings (no turning of knobs- all the way up! ) for most tunes (Cali's) and for the others, I practice on that specific guitar at rehearsals so it's a non- issue as far as adjusting goes.

[Tres Aardvarks]

In my last band, I was bringing at least my Impact and 12-string bass, sometimes another bass (a 5-string or even fretless). That kind of sucked!

When I go to jams or guitar night (as a 6-stringer), I bring one main guitar and maybe a second. The last time I went to a jam I only brought one figuring if I broke a string noone would care if I went and remedied it. If it were a gig, I'd have two. Three would only be if a song REQUIRED it (like a 12-string and I didn't have any sharkfin pics on hand )

[dragan]

I pretty much use my ideal rig , but if I were playing my ideal gig Id probably bring alot more .currently using -cover / blues band : strat , prs McCarty and sometimes an acoustic , originals band : strat , McCarty and Newport. I enjoy playing the newport and feel like I need a strat to cover tunes , the prs I pretty much just use for slide work. for my Ideal gig( fantasy gig ) , id bring :newport, talladega, prs , strat( maybe 2 ) , les paul special /tv and 2 amps. for my ideal gig someone else would be setting up & tearing down.... tonight at the 9th st pub in LaSalle Il 9-1 !

[django49]

I was told that Joe Bonamassa travels with ten "bursts".........I try to imagine how well I would NOT play if I had my back to the audience, continually counting to nine (taking for granted the one in my hands was safe).

[diablo175]

No, no, no! You guys are missing the spirit of the post!

If schelpping and the physical wear and tear and the threat of theft and room on stage and whatever else were NOT an issue- (i.e. IDEAL) what would be your dream gig line up of axes?

ETA- also my less than subtle way of saying that IMO my Calis and my CS Charvel Star are my dream guitars. No BS.

[cmatthes]

I think the best thing for you is to bring out an Esquire or Junior. Go straight into your amp, no pedals.

Work the volume knob.

C'mon. You KNOW you want to!!!

[Sugartune]

I always bring two, only use one. I rotate what I bring, but more and more I'm thinking I should stick to having a main axe for the most part.

[MCChris]

If schelpping and the physical wear and tear and the threat of theft and room on stage and whatever else were NOT an issue- (i.e. IDEAL) what would be your dream gig line up of axes?

ETA- also my less than subtle way of saying that IMO my Calis and my CS Charvel Star are my dream guitars. No BS.

I'd bring the 7 I currently have. Not wanting for anything right now. Ask me again in 5 minutes.

[dragan]

I think the best thing for you is to bring out an Esquire or Junior. Go straight into your amp, no pedals.

Work the volume knob.

C'mon. You KNOW you want to!!!

this would be a fantasy gig for me , the amp would be an old maggie , a princeton or a deluxe

[TBP]

These days I'm thinking I could keep my Hamer Artist Studio, my Strat, one acoustic and the 5F1 champ-based amp and sell everything else. Then I look at other stuff and think, hmmm, one more...

But for a perfect gig set up I'd probably go with the Hamer Artist and Strat (or maybe one of those PRSs with a coil tap, like the DGT, McCarty or Mira, but I've never owned a PRS) and either a Princeton Reverb or Vox AC30.

[Caddie]

2 guits. 1 Gibson scale length, 1 Fender scale length. My fingers didn't have that "scale length issue" thing. We had 2 guitar players. We thought we sounded best when 1 guitarist played a Gibson length and the other played a Fender length. The other guy always played either Gibson or PRS. He would bring 6-7-8 guitars I gotta say, I think it was just for display (wow factor) purposes. He didn't own an acoustic. Everybody had to step up and help him lug his crap in & out. Sorry buddy but truth be told we all thought you were kind of a diva. Especially after we started bringing large bottles of Aleve to gigs because of the tendonitis flare ups from lugging your shit.

I would bring 2 guits, my Duotone and a Warmoth Thinline. Two times I brought the VintS. The chicks loved it, but alas they did not help me out personally if ya know what I mean. The Duotone of course did double duty as short scale electric and acoustic. The Warmoth had a piezo in it too, so it did double duty too as long scale electric and acoustic. I'll confess as I look back at it. By far I spent most of my time on the Warmoth. A few songs with the Duotone. Closing Time, Can't Ya See, Interstate Love Song, Good Riddance (Time of your Life). It was probably just to play it to rationalize why I brought it.

One trip to the car for 2 guits and 1 knapsack with cords n a couple pedals (vibrato n tuner). 1 or 2 trips for amps.

2 amps. Mesa Mk IV then switched to Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Plus as backup a Mesa DC-3. Never needed to use the backup. There were many gigs it just stayed in the trunk.

My recommendation? Minimize the load. With all that gear laying around on stage, sooner or later something is gonna go missing-in-action.

Cheers!

caddie

btw - Like they taught you in kindergarten, SHARE. Most amps have 2 or more inputs. Save some stage space, leave backup amps in the trunk. If necessary go get your backup between sets. Share your amp inputs if somebody's amp suddenly takes a dive. I don't bang hard on my guitar, neither did the bass player. We stayed in tune. We shared one tuner. Bring one tuner and share. Don't be a diva, tuning between every song, bringing the set to a screeching (pun intended) halt. You brought a load of guitars, change guits if its truly out of tune. Nobody wants to hear your tuning routine. They wanna drink n dance, shoot pool, bowl, pitch horseshoes, play mumbly peg, roll dice, etc Get on to the next song.

Sorry about the diva rant.

[diablo175]

sigh....

[Jeff R]

With the exception of one band I played with in the early 90s ... when I gigged, I brought two electrics. One would get played all night 99 percent of the time. The two I brought would periodically change based on my mood leading up to leaving for the show. All my guitars are pretty versatile and any would pretty much carry me through any show of any genre.

Sure I'd love to take all my electrics (6) to a live show but I wouldn't want to have to load in/out them, tune and prep them, swapping a wireless transmitter between songs (or worse, buying five more transmitters), fast-cleaning them of sweat, makeup, spilled drinks etc. after the show ... or pay a roadie decently to do all that crap for me.

That band in the 90s. I had two electrics, 6- and 12-string acoustics that rotated on a Gracie stand during the set, a full keyboard setup and no roadie. Tend to getting all that in and out of where it needs to be before, during and after the show and the shit gets old really quick.

[polara]

sigh....

No, I got the question! Seriously even if I were in The Biggest Band Ever, I'd play the PRS and have an identical backup. It sort of annoys me when the guitarist is switching instruments all the time, and none of the drunks in the audience can hear the difference between a White Falcon and a Tele anyway.

[specialk]

No load in. No chance of theft. Okay:

Telecaster Deluxe

Esquire

Fat Strat

ES 345

Rickenbacker 360/12

Martin 00-18

Amps? Gimme a minute....

[crunchee]

It sort of annoys me when the guitarist is switching instruments all the time, and none of the drunks in the audience can hear the difference between a White Falcon and a Tele anyway.

^This^! Though most drunks don't know the difference between a White Falcon and a White Russian.

[diablo175]

No load in. No chance of theft. Okay:

Telecaster Deluxe

Esquire

Fat Strat

ES 345

Rickenbacker 360/12

Martin 00-18

Amps? Gimme a minute....

specialk gets it!

[TBP]

sigh....

Yeah, I guess I didn't help with my response. But I once spent a summer in a pit orchestra with a clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax and flute, so the appeal of having a multitude of instruments at a single gig may have gotten lost on me, even just switching between them all during the performance. It felt like there were more at the time, but that may be because I went through a lot of reeds.

But that was also an extremely fun summer. I had a steady three month gig and stage actors throw great parties.

[it's me HHB]

I would bring no guitar if that were possible

[FGJ]

ETA- also my less than subtle way of saying that IMO my Calis and my CS Charvel Star are my dream guitars. No BS.

I totally believe you. My Cali may never be voted prom queen, but I wouldn't sell or trade her for anything. I just like everything about it, and I'd have no problem if it were the only guitar I held or played ever again. I'm not suggesting there aren't a bazillion prettier guitars out there, but my guitar has become so much a part of me (as far as guitars go) that I never even dream of replacing it with something else. And if I were a gigging musician and were asked what I'd want to gig with, it'd be with my Cali and nothing else (assuming the fantasy criteria of not having to worry about breaking a string applies to me, thus my not requiring a backup guitar).

Come to think of it, if EVH continued gigging with his trademark guitar which looked like a POS, even though he clearly had the lettuce to play any beautiful guitar of his choice while on stage, then I'm not sure why anyone with a favorite guitar would gig with anything else, even in a fantasy scenario. My gigging fantasy involves actually being able to play my favorite tunes really well, but the guitar I imagine playing is always what I already own.

[veatch]

OK, if i had a roadie, security, etc...

EM Studio fer general rawk

Huber Dolphin for general rawk

Artist Korina P90 for general rawk

ES335 for the "woody" stuff (steely dan, etc)

The mutt shredder for, well, shredding songs

Amps, i like the sound i get with the Egnaters Rebel 20 twins, but it would be awesome to bring the Marshall or 45 watt clone to clear the room...

Incidentally, the guitars are the same guitars i rotate through at gigs, it's just whatever one i'm playing most lately plus a spare (usually something with a trem...)

</sigh>