What's the best/nicest guitar you've ever played?

[.overdrive_rewind]

I'd have to go with my dad's '58 Strat.

And yes, you read that properly.

[millenium_03]

My Washburn D2003S

[R_of_G]

My Gibson ES-135.

[duhvoodooman]

Probably the nicest playing/feeling guitar I've encountered was a high-end PRS belonging to a guy I worked with. Didn't get to play it through an amp, but it looked and felt great (superb quality & craftsmanship), and it played like a dream. My guess is that it sounded just as good.

Now, if by "best" you mean most valuable vintage instrument, then it would most definitely be THIS ONE (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=442). I've since learned that it was almost certainly a '53.

Hey, how about posting a pic or two of your dad's '58 Strat? I'd definitely like to see that, and I'm sure a few others here would, as well. :Dude:

[Brian Krashpad]

Never really played anybody else's guitars before.

My most expensive/valuable one would be my Les Paul Classic. Though my '52 RI Tele isn't too far behind, and my Hamer Special, though worth less from an economic standpoint, is just as nice.

I just remembered I briefly played a PRS goldtop of some sort once while trying out a 4x12 cab, but I didn't like the wide-thin neck at all. It was probably worth more than any of my guitars.

[Tone2TheBone]

Shocking as this may sound...right out of the top of my head I would respond by saying my Epiphone '56 Gold Top Les Paul. Sure it's a cheaper Les Paul copy BUT without even taking that fact into consideration and going just by looks and feel I would have to say that's been the best and prettiest guitar I've ever picked up and played. Great looks, great feel (that neck is cherry) and a phenomenal sound and vibe. I don't even have to close my eyes to know that. It just is.

[Ascension]

There have been a few that were outstanding.
One in particular is my 1994 Washburn USA prototype. I suspect this may well be one of the prototypes for the MG 122 series. Bottom line it was a Grover Jackson era custom shop one off and is jaw dropping as an instrument.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/rutledri/DSC00294.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/rutledri/DSC00295.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/rutledri/WashburnCustom.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

This was the nicest/most valuable acoustic I have had the pleasure of holding and playing a little while:

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=s&g=V&m=D-45V

I have not played any electrics nicer than my own strat, though I may have held one over at Spud's house.

[pes_laul]

I can't really decide between like 5 of them
A ibanez S470
My step dad's charvel module 88
My real dads silverstreet ( I'm not sure if anyone knows what these are)
A 72' tele
A higher end PRS

[R_of_G]

This was the nicest/most valuable acoustic I have had the pleasure of holding and playing a little while:

http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=s&g=V&m=D-45V

That's a nice one Steve. A friend of mine has a Martin, though I am unsure which model, that I have played a few times. The sound is so lush and full, the perfect acoustic.

On the subject of acoustic instruments, I'll tell you what was fun to play with... my friend is a bass player and he has a beautiful upright bass that I have fooled around with a few times. It is difficult to get used to playing something so large and fretless, but once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun and my goodness that tone!

[Ro3b]

I'd say the most objectively wonderful instrument I've ever played was an acoustic by James Olson (http://www.olsonguitars.com/) belonging to Al Petteway. The thing rang like a bell.

I haven't really had my hands on any vintage or handmade electrics, and I'm in no sense a corksniffer. My Xaviere has the most comfortable neck of any electric guitar I've ever played. Shrug?

[jpfeifer]

Nicest one, meaning highest quality and best sounding guitar I've ever played would have to be a PRS Hollowbody II I tried one time. It was as beautiful to look at as it sounded. It had an LR Baggs acoustic bridge along with the two humbuckers. It was completely hollow and had an arched back and arched top top made of highly figured flame maple. It played like a dream and cost's about $4500

-- Jim

[marnold]

When I played bass, I played a $1000+ (this was back in the late 80s) Spector bass that was absolutely to die for. I should never have touched it because I REALLY wanted it.

More recently I played a Fender SRV Strat and didn't think much of it. It seemed like a nice enough, don't get me wrong, but I expected it to be the second coming. It wasn't, especially not for the price.

[just strum]

I guess on the electric side it is my Epi Dot. Now that tells you two things 1) I haven't had the opportunity to play a lot of guitars and 2) It's nice to be satisfied by a relatively inexpensive guitar - although it was free, the guitar is impressive for the actual cost. I played my friends MIA strat this past weekend and it was nice, but it didn't play as easily as the Dot.

The best acoustic I played was a Martin. I was at GS, started playing a Martin, and it was just a dream to play. I didn't pay attention to the model since I knew it wasn't going to get added to my collection.

[.overdrive_rewind]

Pictures of the Strat? Hum, let's see. >_>

Here (http://www.williesguitars.com/index.cfm?sector=user&page=detail&prodID=2374) is a link to the page where it's currently for sale.

And I guess it's a '60 Strat. My bad. :\

[duhvoodooman]

He's SELLING it??? :eek:

Geez, if I only had a spare $37K lying around. Lemme see, does my daughter really need a 4 yr. college education? I mean, what's wrong with those 2 year community colleges, huh?? Yeah, that's the ticket.... :D

[just strum]

What makes it worth $37K?

[tunghaichuan]

What makes it worth $37K?

The fact that they only made so many of them. That and someone willing to pay $37K.

tung

[just strum]

The fact that they only made so many of them. That and someone willing to pay $37K.

tung

Even if I had the cash, I can't see myself buying something like that - I'd be afraid to play it and I don't see it as a display guitar. I'm not saying just this guitar, but any guitar.

I guess it's a "whatever turns you on" category.

[duhvoodooman]

The fact that they only made so many of them. That and someone willing to pay $37K.
Actually, as long as the second is true, the first is pretty much irrelevant! :D

[tunghaichuan]

Even if I had the cash, I can't see myself buying something like that - I'd be afraid to play it and I don't see it as a display guitar. I'm not saying just this guitar, but any guitar.

I guess it's a "whatever turns you on" category.

There are people in the world to whom $37K is pocket change. 20 years ago I had a chance to buy a similar guitar for $3K. It seemed like a lot of money at the time, but now seems like a bargain. Who knew?

A friend of my wife's is a private pilot. He shuttles the uber-wealthy in their personal aircraft. He told me about this one employer. This guy was the lawyer who represented the family who owned the patent on the barcode. This guy wrote a check for $100 million to buy an airplane. I can't imagine having that kind of liquid cash on hand.

tung

[just strum]

There are people in the world to whom $37K is pocket change. 20 years ago I had a chance to buy a similar guitar for $3K. It seemed like a lot of money at the time, but now seems like a bargain. Who knew?

A friend of my wife's is a private pilot. He shuttles the uber-wealthy in their personal aircraft. He told me about this one employer. This guy was the lawyer who represented the family who owned the patent on the barcode. This guy wrote a check for $100 million to buy an airplane. I can't imagine having that kind of liquid cash on hand.

tung

I hear what you are saying. We were just talking about lottery winners today at work and how so many are broke after a couple of years. If I won I really can't think of a whole lot I want to go get. My spending on guitars would still be in what I consider a reasonable range.

As for that guitar, I'm looking at it to play - Someone spending that kind of money would probably be looking at it as a piece of a collection and speculation on it being an good investment.

[.overdrive_rewind]

I guess I only told half the story there - My dad just got this guitar recently, at an auction for about 17.5k (a steal, obviously); selling it for even 27k would be quite the return.

[Tone2TheBone]

There are people in the world to whom $37K is pocket change. 20 years ago I had a chance to buy a similar guitar for $3K. It seemed like a lot of money at the time, but now seems like a bargain. Who knew?

A friend of my wife's is a private pilot. He shuttles the uber-wealthy in their personal aircraft. He told me about this one employer. This guy was the lawyer who represented the family who owned the patent on the barcode. This guy wrote a check for $100 million to buy an airplane. I can't imagine having that kind of liquid cash on hand.

tung

"A" listers make some of the coolest friends. :AOK:

[Lev]

Shocking as this may sound...right out of the top of my head I would respond by saying my Epiphone '56 Gold Top Les Paul. Sure it's a cheaper Les Paul copy BUT without even taking that fact into consideration and going just by looks and feel I would have to say that's been the best and prettiest guitar I've ever picked up and played. Great looks, great feel (that neck is cherry) and a phenomenal sound and vibe. I don't even have to close my eyes to know that. It just is.

+1 for the Epi Gold Top Tone, I played one in my local store last year and thought it was amazing. Of my own guitars my American Deluxe Strat is the best playing guitar I've owned. The satin finish on the neck just screams quality, I also love the noiseless SCN pickups, and the LSR nut means I only have to tune it when I change strings :AOK:

[GREENMACHINE]

Hey Guys
The Most expensive/most valuable guitar I have played would be my Fender VG Strat, the most nicest to play would be the Bruce Springsteen signature series 6 Tele man it was nice! Followed closely by my Fender VG Strat lol! The Tele had a real slick neck and had awesome tone, great for playing country lead and Bruce Springsteen type rock.

Cheers
GREENMACHINE:rockon:

[stingx]

My '83 Kramer Pacer will always be the nicest guitar to me. It is so worn in and molded to me after 24 years. As for expensive, well this baby was about $800 back in '83 so if you take inflation and collectability into account I guess it qualifies as expensive now.

http://www.stubble.org/temp/guitars/Kramer_Pacer_Imperial-002.jpg

[millenium_03]

Stupid question from an FRENCH guy... Does 37K mean 37 000 ???:thwap: :thwap: :thwap:

[duhvoodooman]

Yup, K = kilo.

[warren0728]

the music teacher at my kids school has a high end martin acoustic....not sure of the model but he let me play it and it played like butter....almost effortless (especially for an acoustic) and the tone was to die for :AOK:

ww

[.overdrive_rewind]

@GREENMACHINE: Those VG Strats are awesome. Greg Koch's instructional video on how to get the most out of 'em is both informative and hilarious. Check it out if you haven't already.

[Bloozcat]

I guess I'd have to say the neck through the body Strat clone that Resurrection Guitars made for Keb Mo.

What a beautiful instrument! The neck plays like butter, and the tone is truly unique. It'll sound like a Strat if you want it to, and it'll sound like no Strat you've ever hear as well. The tone is sweet and clear, with ringing bell tones and chime. It has incredible sustain, and it's dead quiet (thanks in part to the Kinman pickups). Pump up the gain on a good tube amp, and it fattens up and growls.

Lucky me, I got to try it before Keb Mo did...:)

I'm sure he'd be happy to know that I gave it my nod of approval...;)