Finally I made to the guitarshop today in order to try this month's object of GAS - Ibanez AK 86
The guitar looks sweet and is sweet.
However - I realised that I am probably a poor "guitar tryer"
I mean - what am I supposed to play once I am sitting there with the guitar I've been thinking about for a long time plugged into a nice looking peavey tube amp...?
And all these regulars and employees walking around with the "what-is-he-doing-with-that guitar" look
Me thinking: - "Ok shall I play some Eb9 and Bb7-5 chords. Maybe a little bit of the solo from Get Back, or the intro from when september ends... "
The crowd (whispering): - "what is he doing that for?"
Me thinking again: - "maybe there are some things I am supposed to do? *flicking the input switch* Like to kinda, prove that I know enough about guitars to deserve this one *turning the tone control from 8 to 5*"
Me (calling out): - "Could I try it with this Vox over there?" "thanks"
Me (thinking): - "Would it be strange if I started singing "She belongs to me"? " *playing a C major scale*
Employe (19 years old) : - "so what d'ya think?"
Me: - "Well it's ok. you know..."
Me - leaving the store, feeling a little bit like the guy in "High Fidelity" - He was finally, finally asked in an interview which were the top 5 albums and singles etc... he gave his anwers but changed his mind at once, and rang up the journalist the next days with new, and new suggestions.
- "Oh, I should have done the lead from Hideaway"
Just had to vent!
- think I'll end up buying that guitar, but I'll have to sacrifise my Epi LP - to gain some domestic legitimacy ...
lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
Try this: Next time you go in, turn the amp up to 12 and hit a huge E5. Then you'll really find out who's paying attention to you :twisted: :lol: (probably no one, but we've all had that experience at one point or another)
"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."
-Guitar World :lol:
I'm not a big fan of trying out electrics. Unless there is a room for trying out equipment.
However, I'm really comfortable with the staff at the two stores I use now, so that helps out alot.
I have no problems with acoustics, because I know it's just background level for the people working, but an electric needs to get to a good volume to properly test it out.
So don't feel bad, alot of people are the same way.
Paul
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
MP116:- LOL - guess you're right!
Paul: Agree on el vs. acc. I barely been to guitar stores for the last decade or so - I tend to feel 14 again when I'm there. It should've been possible to bring a drummer and a bass player and jam for a good hour
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
MP116:- LOL - guess you're right!
Paul: Agree on el vs. acc. I barely been to guitar stores for the last decade or so - I tend to feel 14 again when I'm there. It should've been possible to bring a drummer and a bass player and jam for a good hour
I saw a guy testing an acoustic one time, and his friend picked up an acoustic bass and started to play along. It sounded good, I didn't recongized the song, but it had a cool feel to it, and sounded good. It was kind of neat to watch actually.
Paul
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
I think you're supposed to start playing Stairway to Heaven.... oh wait! No! Don't play Stairway... that's it! :shock:
I used to get all nervous testing out guitars in the stores too. Now I really don't care. I'm there to see if I like a guitar, not to impress anyone with my unbelievable guitar prowess. :roll: The tone of the guitar & amp I'm using usually dictate what I'll play. If it's clean sounding, I'll do some bluesy licks & jazzy chords. If it's got some crunch, some power chords, (oh yeah, no Smoke on the Water either!), & some scales & stuff, just things I'd do at home.
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
+1 for what Dan said. I used to worry if I was "good enough" to try out a certain guitar or amp. But, I realized that I am there to possibly buy and spend lots of money, so I want to be sure it is what I want. I doubt the 19 year old working there gives me a second thought, but even if he does think I am terrible - so what? I didn't go there to impress or give a free show.
As for what to play - I play whatever the guitar is begging for. Fender Strat? Blues! Les Paul? Rock n Roll, etc. But, I also play chords and scales up and down the neck to check for dead spots, fret buzz etc. Also, I always play it clean first.
I don't plug it in. I spend far more time trying to get the "feel" of the guitar. If I'm interested, I'll get an amp and try a few bits, to hear what it can do. Nothing fancy, just noise.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
My only rule is that I play it on an amp that I happen to own....if available.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
I hate to say it but I've got it made.
I go in and check out the current selection. If there is something I really like I'll take it down and play it. If I like it further than that they'll let me take it home for a few days so I can use it where I'll BE using it, with my gear.
If it works, I just tell them to bill me. If it doesn't, back we go for another look or abort the whole program until the next GAS attack.
Hmmm, I'm over due, but glad of it.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
rparker~ i have tried to play guitars on amps that supposedly modeled my 67 bassman but i don't even try anymore.
the last major purchase (electric) was my strat and i felt it was probably safe to take it home and try it out on the real thing.
every other guitar i've tried at MF or elsewhere on a "modeled" blkface bassman has never sounded like mine.
#4491....
Bish, that sounds like a car salesman's trick they are pulling on you. :)
TL, I guess that where I'm "lucky". My FM212R is very common.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
LOL great post. Yeah, it's always a little uncomfortable trying out a guitar in a big store full of people. I really don't go through that thought process of yours though. :D
I just find a little spot alone and plug into a amp I know has a good clean tone. Last time I went to GC I found a nice Fender DeVille 4 X 10. That is a good sounding amp clean. I care more about tone than playability, I can always set a guitar up to play pretty good. But I listen for a clean tone that really turns me on and gets me excited. I don't worry about distortions, how can you tell anything about a guitar with mega distortion?? If it sounds awesome clean, it will sound that much better with distortion, if it sounds lousy clean, it will probably sound pretty bad with distortion too.
I hate noodling, so I just play songs. I play simple songs I know I can play well. I'm like anybody else, I don't want to sound like a dweeb in front of people.
You have to do a little noodling. I play up each fret on each string and listen for fret buzz. I will turn all the knobs and listen to how responsive they are. I flip the switches to see if there's noise. I will tune it up just to feel the tuners.
But just play a song you know well, and they will think you're really good. 8)
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Last time I bought a guitar in a shop, I asked if I could try it through a Roland Cube Amp, same as I've got at home. Salesman couldn't have been more helpful - got a good lead, got the amp from out the back and left me to it. I'd already tried it unplugged to get the feel, liked it - but I wanted to know what it'd sound like when I played it at home.....
I'm always prepared when I go shopping - if I knew they hadn't carried cube amps, I think I'd have taken mine in.....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I spend far more time trying to get the "feel" of the guitar.
The feel dictates how far I go in the testing process.
I play up each fret on each string and listen for fret buzz. I will turn all the knobs and listen to how responsive they are. I flip the switches to see if there's noise. I will tune it up just to feel the tuners.
Same here plus I'll look down the neck, check for cracks, chips and stuff. If you find something minor you can fix or live with, you can use it in your favor to try and knock down the price.
I'm always prepared when I go shopping - if I knew they hadn't carried cube amps, I think I'd have taken mine in.....
My friend is a pawn shopper and he kept telling me about this retro looking amp that he wanted to try but they didn't have a decent electric to try it with. I told him to take his strat and I filled him in on the deal he was getting price-wise. He came home with the amp the next day. It's the Crate 32 and this thing screams play me! Great classic tone, killer feedback and pretty darn loud too.
Oh yeah, what to play?
I play styles that I plan on playing with the guitar. I'll play chords around the neck to different songs I play, mix in some single note stuff. I guess you could call it coordinated randomness. :?
