The worst guitar I ever owned

[Mor Paul]

I hate having to lug a Tele around all night, heavy as anchors as far as I am concerned, but put a tele in front of me and I go all gogo, I love the sound, the things a basically a flat piece of over priced wood with shite paint job, but I cannot help myself, I just want to get primal and drive the tubes to crack and let it wail. That thin tone breaking through a Vox driven hard is what it is all about.

That's strange... my tele is really light, actually. Swamp ash.. I'll weigh it soon.

 

[Cagey]

Interesting. I have the exact same grip along the full length of the neck. Obviously there is a small change in the wrist angle because of the varying distance to the shoulder, but the basic angle of the hand stays the same. May I ask how you hold the neck? I'll see if I can dig up a photo of how I do it, but I just started my work day so it can be a while.

I'm pretty old-school about my fretting hand. I try to keep it straight in line with my forearm, palm facing up, thumb behind the neck. Mel Bay would be proud <grin>

 

[Cagey]

For all you guys who love the sound of a Les Paul, but don't want the rest of the none sense that goes with owning one, there is hope. I build a Warmoth that is basically a Les Paul. Mahogany body & neck, Bloodwood fingerboard & PAFs. It sounds pretty damn close to a Les Paul but feels & plays like a strat. Higher frets are a breeze & it weights under 8lbs.

I'm trying to achieve the same thing with my latest build - solid mahogany body, hardtail bridge, full-size humbucker at the bridge, pau ferro neck with ebony board and SS frets. Mine's probably going to be heavier, though. Just the bare neck/body wood w/o any hardware weighs 7.2 lbs. already.

 

[Jusatele]

I hate having to lug a Tele around all night, heavy as anchors as far as I am concerned, but put a tele in front of me and I go all gogo, I love the sound, the things a basically a flat piece of over priced wood with shiteee paint job, but I cannot help myself, I just want to get primal and drive the tubes to crack and let it wail. That thin tone breaking through a Vox driven hard is what it is all about.

That's strange... my tele is really light, actually. Swamp ash.. I'll weigh it soon.

I think it is a bit of a shape thing also that makes it feel heavy, notice I said "as far as I am concerned" no contours etc.  Perception is 9/10ths just feel. Just not a favorite to wear for a long time. I put on my Strat and never want to take it off, my Custom 22, well I use it because it has triple soapbars for the tone, but I still go back to whatever tele I have so I can get that snarl. I feel like it is dragging on my shoulder after about 15 minutes but I cannot give it up.

 

[Mor Paul]

I hate having to lug a Tele around all night, heavy as anchors as far as I am concerned, but put a tele in front of me and I go all gogo, I love the sound, the things a basically a flat piece of over priced wood with shiteeee paint job, but I cannot help myself, I just want to get primal and drive the tubes to crack and let it wail. That thin tone breaking through a Vox driven hard is what it is all about.

That's strange... my tele is really light, actually. Swamp ash.. I'll weigh it soon.

I think it is a bit of a shape thing also that makes it feel heavy, notice I said "as far as I am concerned" no contours etc.  Perception is 9/10ths just feel. Just not a favorite to wear for a long time. I put on my Strat and never want to take it off, my Custom 22, well I use it because it has triple soapbars for the tone, but I still go back to whatever tele I have so I can get that snarl. I feel like it is dragging on my shoulder after about 15 minutes but I cannot give it up.

Your tele could be hard ash or something, I don't think most teles I've tried are as light as mine.

 

[Jusatele]

could be, I know it is old and wore out, time to retire it to some kid who is gaga about old guitars, will pay to much for it, and either buy or build a new one, so I am here, trying to see just what it takes to build one and get some features I want without paying the CS 5 grand or better.

 

[kboman]

Interesting. I have the exact same grip along the full length of the neck. Obviously there is a small change in the wrist angle because of the varying distance to the shoulder, but the basic angle of the hand stays the same. May I ask how you hold the neck? I'll see if I can dig up a photo of how I do it, but I just started my work day so it can be a while.

I'm pretty old-school about my fretting hand. I try to keep it straight in line with my forearm, palm facing up, thumb behind the neck. Mel Bay would be proud <grin>

My palm is facing more backwards than up. Attached photo is from a live jam, when recording/practicing I usually sit down with the strap shortened so the the guitar is higher/more accessible. That helps even more towards a good fretting hand but looks a bit weird what with everyone wearing their instruments around their ankles these days...

 

[MikeW]

I think the worst I've ever owned was a Kramer something-or-other superstrat. Strangely enough, I got it right after I broke my first Warmoth and I didn't have enough money to afford to replace the neck. So, out of desperation I picked up this Kramer from a friend of a friend and regretted it as soon as I got it. File that one under "you do what you gotta do".

A very close second place was a Gibson LP Studio that I borrowed from a friend. The neck was so bad it was like playing on a 2x4 and I couldn't get it to sound right no matter how I tweaked the controls on the guitar or the amp. I remember trying to get it balanced while I was playing was a chore too, it just never seemed to sit right.