Just a thought about guitars

[Jonny]

I still can't believe its only like.. 60 years since the beginning of the Stratocasters and Les Pauls. Like, that's practically my dad's whole life.

It still stuns me, I don't know why.

Just to talk some more about it I suppose,

In 60 years a guitar has gone through so many artists, so many amateurs, so many designs innovations and all that till today and it seems so bloody old to me.

OK, well, this was just a quick post about a thought that's all, lol

[Ian Price]

What amazes me is that Fender and Gibson got it right so early in their respective histories. The Strat, Tele and Les Paul will always (in my opinion) be the most popular shapes.

335s, SGs, Vs, Jags aren't too bad either!

[dave_mc]

^ agreed, but it's kind of a chicken and the egg conundrum too- were they really so right, or do we just think they are because all our favourite players use them?

[Ian Price]

or were they right as they were practically the first electric guitar shapes? Would it have been the same if they had come out with newer/modern shapes that haven't really caught on in the last few years? If those shapes had caught on and somebody came out with Strat, Tele and LP shapes now would they be considered the classics they are now?

[Jonny]

or were they right as they were practically the first electric guitar shapes? Would it have been the same if they had come out with newer/modern shapes that haven't really caught on in the last few years? If those shapes had caught on and somebody came out with Strat, Tele and LP shapes now would they be considered the classics they are now?

Well they would've only been recent so now they wouldn't be classics, lol

It is amazing though, like the Stratocaster is or just seems perfect, two horns, contours, rounded back, a pickguard, a tremolo bridge. It just all seems to make sense and its all on one guitar which is like - wow.

[Fourth Feline]

I feel it's because the originals were design classics that were 'done right' the first time.   :)

[MDV]

Its not something like computers that can improve indefinitely.

Its a human interface thing. It has certain limitations built into it by ergonomics and practicality that arent going to change (though people have tried, they havent taken hold with the vast majority of guitarists).

The other thing is the sound. If your computing with it or transmitting information with it, digital is better, if you can hear it, analogue is better, which is why we're still using 50 year old tech in guitars and amps. It sounds good.

[mikeluke]

Think about 'classical music' instruments - the violin has not changed for hundreds of years - Stradivari violins were made late 17th/early 18th centuries!

[Sifu Ben]

Also, don't forget that the way playing developed was directly influenced by the instruments, so they seem perfect because much of how we play is dictated by what you can achieve with those guitars.

[dave_mc]

Well they would've only been recent so now they wouldn't be classics, lol

It is amazing though, like the Stratocaster is or just seems perfect, two horns, contours, rounded back, a pickguard, a tremolo bridge. It just all seems to make sense and its all on one guitar which is like - wow.

in terms of the shape, i'd agree, the strat is more or less perfect- ok, slightly deeper cutaways and an all-access neck joint wouldn't hurt, but those are slight improvements and not exactly totally necessary. But in terms of the number of frets, radius, pickups etc., i could certainly think of obvious improvements- if it were my only guitar, anyway. I love vintage-style strats if I'm allowed to have several guitars- not so much if it were my only one.

The other thing is the sound. If your computing with it or transmitting information with it, digital is better, if you can hear it, analogue is better, which is why we're still using 50 year old tech in guitars and amps. It sounds good.

agreed. in my limited experience, anyway.

[gwEm]

Its revealing though that companies like Steinberger who try to innovate are rarely successful. I wonder how much the conservative nature of guitarists has to play.

[MDV]

Its revealing though that companies like Steinberger who try to innovate are rarely successful. I wonder how much the conservative nature of guitarists has to play.

Or how rubbish steinbergers are.

















































I kid, I kid.

No, I dont, its a matter of taste, and most peoples taste says they're dinky feeling and uncomfortable and look weird/gay. Not all innovation is automatically good and laudable!

But each to their own, of course.