The World's Bestest Guitar (For Me)

[pdub]

Debating over the best guitar is like arguing about which brand of shoes is the most comfortable. Or which spice or fruit or vegetable is the best. It's a moot point. There are thousands of perfectly valid opinions.

This guitar.....I wanted one because Johnny Winter played one (or more than one of them), I saw him do it live when he was alive. Just my fantasy of sorts. Boy, if I ever had one of those guitars....it has to be good because Johnny plays one. I wanted one, my second wife insulted me and shot me down when I brought it up....."You've got enough guitars already."

The ex and I broke up (thank goodness), Sue Unit came into the mix and I told her the story way back in the year 2000. Unit bought me this guitar with her money: Because I wanted one and had been denied one up to that point in time.



Good guitars cost money, lots of money. At some point it becomes a question as to whether it's worth it or not. Good guitars play better. If you can play one. And if you're going to play it at all.

What gets me, is when they have auctions and maybe Eric Clapton's Stratocaster sells for a million dollars. That's a thousand dollar guitar, but Clapton played it, so it goes for a mint. That's the part I don't get, I never will "get it."

[Barry Donovan]

I don't get it either.
I want a baritone, real length on the neck..not a cheating baritone.
I have no heros in that realm. It was suggested when I was 12 as my arms were headed for 6 foot reach. My thumb wrapping up and over for a couple of strings down.. I started hating my guitar and lessons.

Never did pick up where I left off. Been quite a road.
Getting older is like shrinking, I'd do any guitar and be happy. Like starting over.

[DanStokes]

I've always had a soft spot for Gibson SGs and Rickenbackers. I own a 4001 Ricky Bass - great instrument, bought new in 1976 (though it's a 1974 according the the SN). No idea why I love SGs and Ricky 6 strings given that I don't play them (I have enough trouble with 4 strings).

Dan

[studemax]

In 35 years, I've owned or played just about everything.... Ain't none of them THE BEST... not really. But you can get damn close.

And, P - if you really want that Erlewine Lazer to play the absolute best it ever will.... you send it to me, and I'll do that voodoo that I do so well. Then you'll cream.

[pdub]

you send it to me, and I'll do that voodoo that I do so well. Then you'll cream.

Stude, the stuff you do is stunning, amazing. If the guitar wasn't already perfect you'd be the go-to guy for sure.

Unit told me the story after the fact, she had Mark Erlewine on the phone, ordering the guitar. She told him to set it up just like Johnny Winter's guitar. Erlewine said Johnny had three of them, the frets were worn off of them and he begged Johnny to let him refurbish them and Johnny wouldn't let him touch them.

The action is low enough to do whatever you want and stretch the strings. And you can play slide on it anywhere on the neck you want to, with light strings. Johnny said it feels (hangs on you) like a Fender but it plays like a Gibson. That was an understatement. It weighs 5 pounds. The world's most perfect guitar. Yep, it's weird looking, no headstock. The world's most perfect PLAYING guitar. My favorite pair of shoes anyhow...opinions may vary.

[studemax]

Well, Mark is no slouch in the setup department - so it's probably cool.

[pdub]

Well, Mark is no slouch in the setup department - so it's probably cool.

I think so. Here'e Johnny playing one of them, with some good help.

[DanStokes]

My second bass was a Hoffner "Beatle" bass. When I bought it the neck was off so I glued it on but it wouldn't stay. Erlewine's shop was in a house on the outskirts of Ann Arbor in those days so I took it over and he pinned the neck on so it would stay put (they're known for losing the neck). The alignment was PERFECT. I didn't know he was anything special in those days - this was probably 1974 or so. I played the Hoffner for a year or so but it sure loved to feed back and one day I was feeling rich and found my red Ricky at Al Nalli's in A2 and went nuts and bought it - I think it was $400 or so and I thought that was CRAZY money for a bass. Times sure change.

Dan

[Criscobath]

That's a wicked looking guitar!

I can't play a guitar to save my life, but something about this bass just sings to me.



Fodera Mike Pope Model.

[Teddyzee]

Wacky guitar, Peewee!

You guys might like this-
My "guy" in the local music stores retired this summer. I bought my first Les Paul from him in 1991, so I brought it in and had him sign it on his last day.
No matter how hard i try, it's still the best sounding, most comfortable guitar I own!

[studemax]

Erlewine's shop was in a house on the outskirts of Ann Arbor in those days so I took it over and he pinned the neck on so it would stay put (they're known for losing the neck). The alignment was PERFECT. I didn't know he was anything special in those days

Mark Erlewine (in Texas) and Dan Erlewine (the guy with Stewart-McDonald) are cousins.... Never had the pleasure of meeting Mark, but have spent hours with Dan at trade shows, etc. He quoted me in one of his books once.... One of my tiny claims to fame.

[mrocketscience]

Now you need one of these!

[pdub]

Now you need one of these!

That looks like fun, but I have one of THESE!



A good OLD modeling amp. There are so many amplifier heads and cabinets inside that box, if you can't find the sound you want, you don't know which button to push. When Unit got me the Lazer I had a fender Blues Deville tube amp. That amp hated that guitar, or the guitar hated the amp. There was no love between the two. Sold the tube amp for a song and got the Line 6. Good to go.

[Stewzer55]

You don't just play or listen to the blues, you feel it through your body and through your soul. I'm getting to the age where I fear that I'm getting too old to learn play guitar.

[pdub]

You don't just play or listen to the blues, you feel it through your body and through your soul. I'm getting to the age where I fear that I'm getting too old to learn play guitar.

Anybody who can play three chords can "play" the blues. The rarity comes from the folks who do that and do it WELL. That's where the feeling (through music) comes from.

Stop by the house one day for a long while, I'll show you how to get started. Where it goes from there is all up to you. But I'll warn you, it's like hotrodding or eating deer meat....it gets bigger as you chew it. Massive negative cash flow. But it sure tastes good.