What is the nicest guitar you have ever played?

[Robert]

Tell us, what is the nicest axe you ever played? Right now, my mind just comes to my current Suhr!

I played a CS Strat one time that was exceptional too. Can't think of any others at the moment.

I played a K-line strat at Tone Merchants that I also really liked, as well as a Grosh.

Earlier this winter, I played a Heritage LP that was amazing - seemed way nicer than any Gibson LP I've ever played.

[sunvalleylaw]

A $10,000.00 Martin HD-45 when the Martin reps came through a couple years back and gave a show at our local shop.

[Ro3b]

I've played acoustics by James Olson, Dana Bourgeois, and Stephen Sobell that I could have taken home and cuddled all night. The electric that stands out in my memory is a 60s Les Paul with a maple fretboard that a guy I knew in college bought at an estate sale. Besides being a great player, the thing was about as broken-in as it's possible for a guitar to be. It had that undefinable something that an instrument only has when it's had many years of love played into it.

[Jimi75]

Have you ever heard of Lehle switches? I had a pretty good contact with that guy, he had his repair shop around the corner. Although, he only builds switches nowadays, he used to build guitars, too. And one of the best playinf and finest instruments was a Strat type with big headstock he built.

[Katastrophe]

It was an LP custom owned by a guy who taught me my first scales on guitar. It was beautiful, and played like buttah.

[kiteman]

Right now it's my Carvin DC127M. Before that is my Carvin Bolt which I still have.

I've played the big names and I'm not really impressed with them though they are certainly nice instruments.

I think Carvin did something wrong.

[Bloozcat]

Probably the two custom neck through the body Strat type guitars that Pat at Resurrection Guitars built for Keb Mo'.

Man, they are sweet guitars...:AOK:

And another one that Pat built as a special request for a customer: An exact replica of Sunburst 1959 Les Paul built from the original blueprints. It was like traveling back in time and playing a '59 LP when it was brand new.

[R_of_G]

My Gibson ES-135.

[t_ross33]

I'm on a Gretsch kick :rotflmao: Love my 5120, but the Brian Setzer signature 6120 is pretty dreamy...

Also really like the Blade tele-type with 2-buckers that I tried recently - not a boutique axe, but pretty nice all around just the same.

I don't get out much ;)

[evenkeel]

A friends Martin HD 7. This is the seven string, McGuinn signature model. Octave, doubled G string. Just a great sounding and playing dread. Best of the 12 string and 6 string worlds.

Best acoustic I've owned is the Guild D35 NT in the stable.

The best guitar I have ever owned was a 1961, candy apple red telecaster. My lack of dark side talent finally led me to sell it to someone who could really put it thru it's paces. Still one of the best Tele's I have ever heard.

[bigoldron]

A friend of mine runs a music store. He's got 2 PRS's (well, he may have more by now, I haven't asked). He let me play 2 of them one day at the store.

[street music]

One of my friends has a Custom Shop Carvin that is one of the best I've played.

[markb]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2546699668_8c5563221e.jpg

Pick one of the above. American Ash Telecaster with 4-way switching, Gibson Early J45 Reissue. The Martin OM28V I had on loan a few months back could replace the Gibson any time it likes though.

[peachhead]

I played a Martin D35 at a store in North Carolina some months back. It was new but set up perfectly and was so smooth, it was scary. That was the first time I ever thought "ok, so they're worth it...".

[evenkeel]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2546699668_8c5563221e.jpg

Pick one of the above. American Ash Telecaster with 4-way switching, Gibson Early J45 Reissue. The Martin OM28V I had on loan a few months back could replace the Gibson any time it likes though.

Now that is just mean!! :D

I've been lusting for a Gibson J45 for a while. Came close to buying the poor mans Epiphone masterbilt version. Beautiful guitar markb!!!! :bravo: :bravo:

[Ch0jin]

Well as I guess I alluded to in the "skill Vs cost" thread, It's a tie between both my Maton electrics.

Notable mentions go to a second hand, white, Gibson Explorer I messed with a few months back and really cool, kinda high end SG with racing stripes! If I'd had a lazy $4k or so lying about I'd have bought both of them...

[just strum]

that I played?

ES335

[Blaze]

Not this one but a 1962 ...


http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/0/8/4/552084.jpg

[Suhnton]

The nicest looking guitar: Gretsch Nashville
The nicest guitar I should have bought: Rickenbacker. Not sure of the model but I think 330. Really thin neck and very light.

[cherokee747]

An old friends 71 Les Paul was pretty nice. His twin reverb didn't hurt either!!:dude: Mike the Blues Maniac

[marnold]

Back in the 80s I played what must have been a Kramer-produced Spector bass. It was like buttah. I wish I'd never picked the thing up.

[Plank_Spanker]

A friend's '58 Les Paul with a Bigsby............

Great playing, great sounding guitar.

[Childbride]

a g&l asat...

[wingsdad]

a g&l asat...
:) ;)

If I have to pick 1 that stands out from any I've ever played or owned, it's my G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-Hollow (with no f-hole option) that I custom-ordered last April ...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT%20Classic%20Bluesboy%20SH/IMG_0337c1.jpg

... but in good conscience, I can't, so it's in a virtual 3-way tie with these 2 ... my prized '82 Rickenbacker 360/12BWB and '81 Fender STRAT:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Rick%2012/Rick120287.jpghttp://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/STRAT/STRAT0305.jpg

The Rick 360/12BWB was part of the 'B Series', along with 320B and 4003SB models, a bastardized attempt to reissue the Beatles guitars in the wake of Lennon's murder, not like the current fanatically faithful vintage spec models. In fact, Rick's CEO, John Hall, has disavowed the legitimacy of the B-Series on the Ric Forum. All I can say is: "Frankly, my dear Scarlet, I don't give a dXXX!"

The STRAT is (was) the first factory hot-rodded production model variant of the Stratocaster to be offered, produced (from '80-'83) at the Fullerton, CA plant before it was closed for the eventual move to Corona. Designed by Gregg Wilson, it sports a hot bridge pickup (branded the 'X-1') and 9-position pickup switching, replacing one of the tone controls with a 2-way switch that adds 4 Series combos (including bridge/neck and all 3 at once) to the 5-way switch's parallel combos. The alder body makes it a freakin' boat anchor, weighing in at almost 11 lbs! Mine was made so early in the run, they didn't even have all the 22K gold-plated hardware yet (i.e. the tuners, trem bar and pg screws). Originally you had 3 finish options: Candy Apple Red over Gold (mine), Lake Placid Blue or Arctic White. By late '81 all the hardware was 22K gold plated and by '82 it was a more limited production model, offered in a slew of custom finishes, including a Walnut body model. They also put the STRAT on a diet and got it down to around 8 lbs.

Maybe I subconciously rank the ASAT 1st because thanks to 27 years of inflation, it cost me more than the other 2 did...combined.:thwap:

[TS808]

My 2003 American Series Strat. The most comfortable guitar I've played ever. The neck on it just feels right..

[Suhnton]

:) ;)

If I have to pick 1 that stands out from any I've ever played or owned, it's my G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-Hollow (with no f-hole option) that I custom-ordered last April ...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT%20Classic%20Bluesboy%20SH/IMG_0337c1.jpg

... but in good conscience, I can't, so it's in a virtual 3-way tie with these 2 ... my prized '82 Rickenbacker 360/12BWB and '81 Fender STRAT:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Rick%2012/Rick120287.jpghttp://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/STRAT/STRAT0305.jpg

The Rick 360/12BWB was part of the 'B Series', along with 320B and 4003SB models, a bastardized attempt to reissue the Beatles guitars in the wake of Lennon's murder, not like the current fanatically faithful vintage spec models. In fact, Rick's CEO, John Hall, has disavowed the legitimacy of the B-Series on the Ric Forum. All I can say is: "Frankly, my dear Scarlet, I don't give a dXXX!"

The STRAT is (was) the first factory hot-rodded production model variant of the Stratocaster to be offered, produced (from '80-'83) at the Fullerton, CA plant before it was closed for the eventual move to Corona. Designed by Gregg Wilson, it sports a hot bridge pickup (branded the 'X-1') and 9-position pickup switching, replacing one of the tone controls with a 2-way switch that adds 4 Series combos (including bridge/neck and all 3 at once) to the 5-way switch's parallel combos. The alder body makes it a freakin' boat anchor, weighing in at almost 11 lbs! Mine was made so early in the run, they didn't even have all the 22K gold-plated hardware yet (i.e. the tuners, trem bar and pg screws). Originally you had 3 finish options: Candy Apple Red over Gold (mine), Lake Placid Blue or Arctic White. By late '81 all the hardware was 22K gold plated and by '82 it was a more limited production model, offered in a slew of custom finishes, including a Walnut body model. They also put the STRAT on a diet and got it down to around 8 lbs.

Maybe I subconciously rank the ASAT 1st because thanks to 27 years of inflation, it cost me more than the other 2 did...combined.:thwap:

I knew I should have bought a Rickenbacker :thwap:

[Disraeli]

A 1962 Cherry Gibson ES-330. Was heavenly. Not only felt amazing, but it also sounded amazing, and was the prettiest thing ever. The curves on that guitar made the curves of a woman look childish.

[wingsdad]

A 1962 Cherry Gibson ES-330. ....
Thanks for reminding me to regret:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/MickES330TDCSummer64crop.jpg
That's a brand new ES-330TDC in my hands (worn up high, John Lennon wannabe-style) in the summer of '64. The only color pics I may still have of it are stored away, 35mm slides I have to figure out how to digitize someday.

I sold it, a '65 or 6 blonde Tele, a '64 Deluxe Reverb (got it with the Gibson), a '66 Tremolux w/ 2x10 cab and a '67 Bandmaster w/ 2x12 cab when I went off to college in '68, thinking I was done with all that stuff and had to get serious about my future; I got a bunch of textbooks and other more important stuff with the money:thwap:

C'est la vie. :cry: