Blues Be Gone

Didn't take long to bounce back, I'm not one for sitting around and moping about what I could have been or done or had, I picked up my guitar today, turned on my amp, used my distortion pedal and played along with some blues backing tracks that made me feel a whole lot better.

I've come to realize over the years, it's not about what guitar you have and what it sounds like on its own, although that's pretty much what you get with an acoustic. I do have an acoustic that I like to just grab and play from time to time but when I'm in the mood, I like to rock out with an electric.

With an electric, I'm sure that different woods, electronics in the guitar, the amp and speaker quality all play various roles. I've seen lots of videos where sound comparisons were done with various instruments, amps and accessories, to show how much difference each component makes but the bottom line is, an electric guitar is just a piece of wood, with some sort of inductor to pick up the sounds and or vibrations of the strings and fed into an amp, with or without various effects pedals altering the signal being amplified.

Component prices that should make the biggest differences don't always perform as expected, a poorly made expensive guitar, amplifier or effects pedal can sound worse than an inexpensive but well made guitar, amp or effects setup. If you eliminate the overly pricy or cheap trash, you'll discover that you can pretty well get whatever sound you are looking for with whatever's available. Of course, there is another factor that needs to be taken into account and that is the skill of the musician. The best equipment available isn't going to make a beginner sound anything else than a beginner.

For somebody to get the most enjoyment out of playing, and that should be the ultimate goal, not trying to impress people or make a career out of it, but just to play for self enjoyment, one needs to have gear that makes the experience enjoyable. I used to play a Gibson Les Paul deluxe but I have to say that I enjoy playing my Squire Telecaster, which costs less than one quarter the price, much more. It's a lighter guitar, with slimmer neck and no nonsense controls and a joy to play.

So, for anyone looking to start playing, I would say, try a few different ones in you budget range, avoid the hype of more expensive is better and find something you feel is the most comfortable to play. Don't worry about the sound or components, those can always be changed, just find something comfortable and that looks well made. Taking along someone more knowledgeable about guitars is helpful but don't let their prejudice about different brands influence your final decision. After all, once you get home, you'll be the one playing your guitar and not them.