5 Guitars That Every Guitarist Should Own

There are a lot of guitars out there. If you've been playing for a while then you've no doubt found what you like. It take little more than a trip to the music store to see what you like and what works for you. For me it is the Fender Telecaster. There is something comfortable about the shape and weight. For others it might be a SG or something from Ibanez. There is nothing wrong with any of these, but sometimes we gravitate toward a particular shape and style. If you are the collector type, like myself, then one guitar is never enough, nor is one type. So, how do we go about being a well rounded guitar owner? Diversity.

5) The Pawn Shop Special

There is something about find a diamond in the rough. Sometimes you have call them like you see them. If the guitar is a dud, its a dud. Sometime you find a guitar that was made for about five minutes by a company that doesn't exist any more. Other times you find a guitar that has been loved a little too hard, but despite the looks, the guitar of a soulful tone machine still lives. The best part is that prices are usually pretty flexible. This is a great idea that for the collector with limited cash. It can also serve as a great platform for mods and experimenting.

4)The Classic

We are talking the big four. Strat, Tele, Les Paul, SG. Many of these are made and lots of people make clones. It is actually hard Not to own one of these guitars once your collection reaches a certain size. There is not a lot to say hear. There are some icons that should be experienced. If you do not already like one of these options then look into these guys. Many people like at their choice of guitar as a reflection of themselves, and to an extent it is, and getting one of these classics seems to cliche. There is a reason that these are so prolific.

3)The obscure

Just like owning a classic is important, owning a guitar that no one really knows or has ever thought about since the last one rolled off the production line. Often times these are terrible guitars, but every once in a while these surprise us and end up being fantastic guitars. The pawn shop is a great place to look, as is craigslist.

2)The "Out of your comfort zone"

Get weird. Get way out there. BC Rich is a great place to start. Maybe a flying V or Explorer for the more timid. A seven or eight string guitar will challenge you in many ways. Perhaps it as simple as losing the low E string and tuning a guitar to and open tuning. You should also consider extended range guitars such as a baritone. Resonator or slide guitar could be your "walk on the wild side". Everyone has their own comfort zone, try to find something that is definitively not typical for you.

1))The Fixer-upper

With a little luck and a few tools, you can take a guitar that others would pass up and make it into an absolute player. Maybe this a low-end model that could use some new guts, or a used unit that needs a nice set up. In any case, there is nothing that connects you to your instrument like putting honest work into bringing it back to life. This is a great experience for any guitarist. Working on a guitar and improving its status is good practice for when your main ax develops a hiccup. Skills like soldering and wiring take practice to perfect, so working on a guitar that isn't already an important part of your emotional well-being might be preferable.