I keep hearing a big-band swing version of Whole Lotta Love with an almost Sinatra-esque vocal in my head.If a guitar can't handle my reggae version of Stairway to Heaven, I don't want it.
We’ve all got our own ways of approaching things. For me I need to think ahead of time about what it is I want to explore when trying a guitar. I’m not trying impress anyone; I’m just trying to figure out what will indicate whether a guitar will work for me. I admit I tend to get nervous in music stores with all these other people around who I know are also players. I don’t get nervous playing live at a gig, but for some reason music stores get me more tense so I work out what to play so I can focus better.
it can be annoying, but if you are auditioning a tube amp you need to hear it/feel it loud
If a guitar can't handle my reggae version of Stairway to Heaven, I don't want it.
You guys are cracking me up today.I’m going in to try out a 594 artist next week, I think this sounds like a plan.
My favorite Yes album.
not all, no....even so, it's a music store, I expect it to be loud.It's not a gig, people are in there not paying attention to you because they are after things themselves. Unless like Andy Ord you play all the solos of the Wall and Eruption for an encore. But then again, chances are the only groupies watching will be fellow guitar nerds.
As for trying out a guitar, any random noodling will do. You want a metal monster, throw in some chuggas. When I'm auditioning a guitar I try to discover if the neck feels right in my hands, it can handle a chugga or two, if there are any dead notes on the fret board. I reckon you gotta be detective more then Eddie van Halen when trying out a new guitar.
Don't they have sound proof booths for that?
I use a similar method. I'll play it unplugged, and if I like the feel and acoustic tone, I'll plug it into a clean practice amp just to make sure the electronics work as expected. I don't sweat the tone of the pickups, since I know A) they're easily replaceable, and B) I'll be running it through my Fractal rig and not any of the amps in the store.I never plug in an electric guitar. I'll usually find a quiet space and make sure the instrument sounds good acoustically and decide from there. I have purchased several guitars this way. No regrets.
You guys are cracking me up today.
Taking into account grandinq's and Tahoebrian5's posts, you could take the Norwegian black metal approach by hyper-trem-picking your way through 'Smoke on the Water,; like an unholy synthesis between Deep Purple and early 90's Darkthrone.
Smoke on the water, rarrrrr!
A blaze in the northern sky, aaarrggghhh!
Here's to my sweet satan, shriiieek! [Ad lib as required.]
If you wish, you could even enter the store in full [or fool?] corpse-paint, calling yourself Count Baalvizierhamforashaphon or something.
If they don't put you in a psych ward first, you might get a tidy discount!
I never plug in an electric guitar. I'll usually find a quiet space and make sure the instrument sounds good acoustically and decide from there. I have purchased several guitars this way. No regrets.
I like 6100 frets! They are fun to play. Being a bit of a tech electronics and frets are NBD to me. I've actually done the opposite- taken out large frets and put in the smallest fretwire I could find. Looking back I must have been really bored!This is me too. I need to know how a guitar feels and frets. I can tell everything I need to know without ever plugging it in. My big thing nowadays is fret height. Frets seem to be getting lower. I guess that's just the 80's boomer coming out in me. If it plays good and sounds good acoustically, I cn fix anything electrical. Which I often do. I don't own many guitars with a stock set of pickups.
If a guitar can't handle my reggae version of Stairway to Heaven, I don't want it.
Dread Zeppelin FTW