Is You Favorite Guitar To Play the Favorite For Your Listners?

[k_russell]

My favorite guitars stay in my house, most of the time. I use them to practice, record and write.
Most people hear me play the guitars that I purchased/acquired to play in the small cafes and coffee shops. The guitars are fitted with good pickups and work well with the house sound system or my amplifier. Most listeners hear those guitars.
Family and friends that come to visit, sometimes listen to me play, my favorite guitars. They don't often hear me play my working guitars.
My listeners do not get the opportunity to compare guitars. I can't tell you if my listeners prefer my favorite guitars. Maybe I'll run a test to see if I (or is it they?) can answer your question.

[leew3]

I have no idea. It never occurred to me to consider this and I don't plan to consider it in the future. I play the guitar that strikes my fancy that day and listeners have never complained.

[jp2558]

I have a $600 Takamine and a $3400 Martin. The audience doesn't care/know the difference as long as we have a good night.

[Steve DeRosa]

I use an early-2K's Martin D-15S (miked) for acoustic solo gigs/open jams, and a 2015 Gretsch Electromatic G5622T-CB through various amps for electric work...

Both get compliments, from general audience and fellow pickers alike...

[HillTone]

I have a hard time picking a favorite. My wife picks the D18 every time. We don’t like the same music, but I do love that guitar.

[ShannonA]

The favorite guitar of my listeners is the one I feel most comfortable on and perform the best with.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by donlyn

Is You Favorite Guitar To Play the Favorite For Your Listners?

A few random thoughts on this.

Most playing-out situations do not lend themselves to a lot of one-on-one personal interaction with audiences, and when it does happen, it is usually about the performance, not the guitars.

Used to be that most 'Open Mic' situations were just that. There's a lot plug into the house soundboard situations now, and requires a guitar with pick-ups installed.
(At least half of my guitars don't have pick-ups, and I don't like to plug in anyway. That's for electric guitars; all acoustic guitars tend to sound the same to me when plugged in.)

On the other side of the coin, do pay attention to what people at small gatherings have to say, as they will often share opinions about your instruments that you might not ordinarily get. This includes informal jams/mini-concerts, and also friends and family gatherings.

I have taken to often bringing a guitar now to such gatherings, and always bring a guitar when requested. My last acquisition is the all-solid-spruce/rosewood Guild F-1512 large Jumbo 12 string guitar, with no on-board-electronics. Everyone seems to love the sound of this guitar, and I have gotten a lot of comments to that effect. (Plus a few on my performance; I'm getting jealous. )

My point is that while people may notice a lot, the chances of communicating can be few and far between. Informal gatherings can be great sources of feedback, as everyone is in a casual setting.

I fingerpick all my guitars using my nails as picks. And the only guitar I would plug in now would be my last remaining electric, a cherry sunburst Les Paul standard. Truth is, I haven't plugged-in in years.

Be well and always play your best (you never know who is listening),

Don
.

Sorry to quote myself, but I wanted to add some more thoughts to what I wrote before and keep it in context. The following thoughts involve non-guitar specific issues.

While there may be a lot to consider when choosing a guitar to use for a given song, it is different when playing out. My choice limit is two guitars, one a six string and the other a twelve string. And most times it's only one guitar.

I will play anything in my repertoire on any one of my guitars whether on a six or a twelve. I do like to play/test another's guitar if offered, but it may not be comfortable for me to play, so that can be an issue.

Many people in the audience will not notice much, if any, difference in the sound of your accompanying instrument, unless they are players themselves. And that would be only through their ears.

I never criticize another's choice in guitars. It can be very personal, and no good will come of it. Always compliment something about another's performance, even if the complement only involves a guitar. And especially if it involves their guitar.

Regarding playing out, my choice may well involve venue and weather conditions (high humidity = laminate guitar), rather than song choices. Be prepared to alter a set list on the fly depending on reactions to particular song styles. Doesn't hurt to scout the venue in advance, and that includes open mic situations.

I don't bring a given guitar to show-off a particular model. The only people that might notice or care would be other players anyway. There may be some one-upmanship involved with this, and that's a game I refuse to play.

I am pretty comfortable with all my guitars and would not have much trouble using any of them depending on the situation. And the choice may be the last one I may have played.

I reserve the right to add to this if the spirit moves me.

Be well and play well,

Don
.

[nuhobby]

I'm getting back into playing after more than 20 years out of it.

I very much remember in the 1990s, I traded and bought many acoustics. Taylor line was newly picked up by a local guitar shop. It sounded so so full when playing it myself, but I noticed that if I had the shop-keeper play it (a skilled guy), it was not projecting very much when he played it louder.

Usually I was playing Guilds. They didn't always sound so perfect to myself, but they were deemed very nice by the people in the room.

[RiffRalf]

My neighbours and the folks across the street equally appreciate me putting any of my guitars away for the evening ....

[oldrocker]

I have come to realize that the vast majority...that is everyone who's ever commented to me about it...of people listening to me play have zero awareness of what guitar I'm playing. They are interested in the song itself and how well it's done...how it affects them. I know that the guitar has something to do with that as does my voice, my timing, etc