If you could only have one guitar, what would it be?

[Antti Heikkinen]

Not sure whether I already answered this, but I'd have a Dean classic style V with the slightly smaller body, basically an all Mahony Schenker Retro V as a base, but in with a white top and bwbw trim and a see thru black back, and it would have a Gibson 498T at bridge and some 4-conductor pickup, maybe 490R at neck and wired as two singles simultaneously on. Both in reverse cream zebra. White/aluminum top hat knobs, and stainless Steel jumbo frets, plus light kluson style Gotoh Magnum lock tuners. I would consider a fine-tuning tailpiece as well, and an EMG PA-2 preamp switchable with a push-push volume knob.

 

[Roymandiver]

Only one guitar? Nah. That would be like a carpenter trying to build a house with only a hammer. Couldn't live without my flock. Two HHS strats, one with Floyd Rose and an Ibanez Jem. I also use a Ramerez Classical, Seagull Acoustic, Ovation Paul McCarthy, Yamaha 12 string, Martin Backpacker, Deering 5 String Banjo and a Mandolin. Then I have 3 Basses. Four string Jazz fretless, 5 String Ibanez, and a 5 string acoustic. Wish I could get that old 1965 335 that a guy named Kenny Stedemann stole from my house, along with my 72 Strat and my 1972 100W 1959 Superlead head. I did replace that head with a JCM 800 2210, I still have the original Celestion stack.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I have two arms/ hands, so if my house were on fire, I would grab my 650D Rickenbacker and my 1979 Gibson The Paul. : )

 

[jamvu]

Any one of my Les Paul Standards but hopefully my Jimmy Page model in a pinch....and if I had 5 more seconds, I would grab my Martin SC-13E.

Sorry Tele and Strat lovers, but I would let them burn....even though I wouldn't be happy about it.☹

 

[Joe Black]

Everyone says the one for all guitar is the Telecaster, and I own a good one.

still, my one and only guitar would be my 2016 R8 with Amber Spirit of 59 Pickups.

 

[Joao Marcelo]

I love my HSS Strat and my Gibson LP, but the guitar that I always find myself playing it's a PRS SE Tremonti (thumbnail). I've replaced everything on it (nut, pickups, bridge, pots, tuners) and it became the most satisfying playing guitar I ever had.

 

[Richard Bricker]

My old '78 Rootbeer Brown Les Paul custom w/ gold plated hardware or this
Rootbeer Brown Cadillac:

 

[Strat man do]

Eric Clapton strat.

 

[ExpatZ]

A Tyler USA Classic level 3 Dann Huff, preferably 2006.

 

[Brewski]

a 22 fret guitar falls short of where i need to be. a single coil guitar doesn’t provide enough tonal diversity and is incapable of some of the music we play. a stop tail guitar doesn’t allow for trem dives. a non-locking trem falls short of the amount of dives, pull ups and tune stability.

a strat scale makes it more difficult to play with ease. a 11 or less radius makes shred and arpeggios harder to play. a rounded C neck makes playing diverse styles difficult to adjust

a Les Paul or PRS style body is uncomfortable on the right arm as your strum hard (i have been known to rip the skin off my forearm during gigs with lp style)

for me a guitar with a mahogany body, maple cap and ebony fretboard provides the snap, tight notes and LP warmth that can hit all music styles.


so for me - its a 24.75 to 25” scale, wide thin neck, coil split dual humbuckers, (middle pickup gets in the way of picking), 24 fret and Floyd or Kahler locking trem.

so a strat style body with Floyd rose trem and coil split or 5 way selector. don’t care who makes it as much as the parts.

 

[MojoWorking]

I’d have to say a Les Paul Deluxe. It has mini humbuckers, so you can get the humbucker drive as well as a somewhat Fender treble.

 

[groovenev]

If I were limited to 1 guitar and I could have an amp around forever then to get the best of both Gibson and Fender sounds I would choose my 88 EC Strat because it can do it all well. I find that I can cover almost any tone with it. If there was no amp then of course my J-200 would be my choice..

 

[stevoc]

For playability, my Jackson DK1. Easiest guitar to play. For sentimental value, my 87 Japanese fender strat. When I said I wanted to learn to play back in the 80s, my grandfather took me to the music store and said pick one. I’ve had that start ever since!

 

[Mike J]

I'd have to go with my Kiesel DC600. Being able to get Les Paul-ish and Strat-ish tones out if it is good, but when you stir in the piezo saddles and that that amazing Koa top, I don't think I could leave that one behind.

 

[msgdp]

BRIGHT SUNBURST ES 345

 

[Karl Brake]

PRS Custom 24...it has so many tones, such a pleasure to play, and so beautifully made. So sweet. My LP and Strat tend to get neglected since I bought this baby.

 

[Hired Goon]

It would actually be one of my least expensive guitars. An MIM Fender Player series with upgrades. Locking tuners, Dimarzio Cruiser in neck, Super Distortion in the bridge, and a Fender Custom Fat 50 in the middle. Tone bleed and some other wiring/control mods. Pretty damn versatile, stays in tune for weeks even with heavy bar use. I was impressed for such a guitar I bought used for just a few hundred dollars. Puts many guitars costing 10 times more to shame.

 

[Simon Dorn]

I sold all my stuff, except for my:
ESP V-II Standard,
Deadweald Duality DX,
'83 Marshall JCM800 2203 and my
Marshall MF400B cab.

 

[Sparky2]

Strat standard with 3 single coils
- bridge “always on” switch added
Strat with Humbucker at bridge
Les Paul Standard
Tele standard with 2 single coils
Thick full hollow like Gibson L5
Gibson ES335
Rickenbacker Electric 12 String

 

[potency]

EET FUK but Swamp Ash and BKPs because I'm a cork sniffer