Why Do So Many 'Giggers' Not Play Their Good Guitars Live?

[Wellington]

I know the obvious answer I guess, they don't want them damaged, but i can never wrap my head around it, if I was a performer I can't imagine buying a cheaper guitar with a preamp to perform with and leaving my Guild (favourite guitar) at home. Why would I sacrifice my preferred tone, aesthetics, playability etc because I'm afraid of guitar scars? I realize you can buy good cheap guitars etc, but aren't you always compromising?

Different strokes for different folks, but I guess I just don't understand different folks, lol

[Wade Hampton]

I’m with you, Wellington, and gig out with my finest instruments. But I understand the reluctance others have, especially when they’re playing in rough places. They’re protecting their best gear that way.

I have one guitar I play in the most crowded places, figuring that some damage can be caused just by proximity. So I guess I’m halfway between your “play your best no matter what the circumstances” position and the using the lower end gear whenever gigging out position.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Chipotle]

Once you plug in, some of the advantages of amazing guitar, acoustically speaking, are nullified. Pickups add their own "filter" to the sound of a guitar. In fact, especially if you are playing with other instruments, you might need something different that cuts through the mix a bit more, whereas that beautiful acoustic tone would get lost. It's not just about damage to a guitar, it's about the sound you need for the situation.

[SongwriterFan]

Here's my story:

My "good guitars" are very responsive guitars . . . which is another word for FEEDBACK MONSTER! I hate having to use rubber feedback busters, and there are certain places I've played (Open Mics, which is almost all I've done so far . . now that I have a 12-song CD of original songs coming out, maybe I can finally do something about that) where the person running sound can't seem to eliminate this issue before I'm done with my 2-3 songs.

In a fit of frustration one day, I played a Yamaha Silent Guitar (one of the guys who hosts open mics keeps one handy at most of his shows), and it hit me . . . Even Jimi Hendrix couldn't make this thing feed back! So, I ordered one . . . mainly to use at those couple of places that always gave me problems.

But when I got it, I noticed that it sounded incredibly good (with the Piezo/"Mic" setting dialed all the way to the "Mic" setting, which is a very good implementation of IR technology). And it's incredibly light, and it's incredibly compact, and it's only a $700 guitar (so if it gets stolen or damaged I won't cry over it).

The only real issues are that it's a 1-11/16" nut (I prefer 1-3/4", but I've gotten used to it, and can switch fairly easily now between the two sizes) . . . and if I don't have enough guitar in my monitor, I can't hear the darned thing (since it's virtually silent, as the name implies, when not going through a speaker).

It's also become sort of a "branding" thing for me (very few people use a guitar like this), and it sets up a nice joke that I often use at the start of a gig.

Here's a video of me doing a 30-minute opening act for a bunch of other songwriters last year using this guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWAgOMEuz7Q



Apparently I was more nervous than I thought I was . . . but it was my very first gig that wasn't an Open Mic, and I was opening for a lot of people who are my "songwriting heroes".

[Rosewood99]

Why waste the sound of a good guitar when it’s being run through an amp anyway.

[Italuke]

Because when you play out, you plug in. And when you plug in your pure acoustic tone goes out the window.

[L20A]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Once you plug in, some of the advantages of amazing guitar, acoustically speaking, are nullified. Pickups add their own "filter" to the sound of a guitar. In fact, especially if you are playing with other instruments, you might need something different that cuts through the mix a bit more, whereas that beautiful acoustic tone would get lost. It's not just about damage to a guitar, it's about the sound you need for the situation.

My best guitar didn't have a pick up in it for over 40 years.
I did use it a few times and miced it but I have 2 guitars with great sounding pick ups in them that I use for gigs.
Not my most expensive but great guitars in their own right.

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

Why waste the sound of a good guitar when it’s being run through an amp anyway.

I don't think it's a "waste", but for it to work quite well, a few things need to happen.

1) The right pickup and/or pre-amp need to be used. There are a few good solutions to this, but most people either aren't aware of them, or don't want to spend the time and effort (and money) to make it work.

2) It really helps if the venue is relatively quiet, and the person either runs sound himself or a knowledgeable sound guy is running sound.

3) It's a lot more important when the LYRICS of the song matter, and the guitar is there primarily to support the voice and lyrics. Or when the songs are just guitar arrangements without any vocals.

There's a lot of music out there that simply doesn't benefit from having a really great guitar and all that effort . . and in fact, using such a setup in that environment may often sound worse than just using a traditional UST.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

When you're playing in the ballroom at a firehouse who cares what you're playing?

[Glennwillow]

Most touring musicians have stories to tell of expensive gear that was stolen after the gig. In my younger days I took my best stuff to play at gigs because that's all I had. These days I would take a less expensive guitar because (1) if it gets stolen I'm not out that much money, and (2) the guitar is going through the PA system by way of my Fishman Aura Spectrum DI, so why bother with the ultimate acoustic anyway?

- Glenn

[mcmars]

What is important to me is a guitar that has excellent playability and good sound that does not feedback easily. I like the K&K for a bomber minimal quacky PU and have tried various pre amps, but always come back to the LR Baggs Para as it has such great simple design that works well and can notch out certain problematic frequencies.

But I do like a quality instrument, so depending on the gig, I will bring a nice guitar. I have used my Iris I got last summer in spite of it being pristine new. But normally I use a handbuilt Northwood 12 fret cutaway with K&K I got used on a fluke from guitar center and it has a few tiny nicks already. But I like it as it cuts through nice with the port orford cedar and walnut B&S and as I like 12 fret guitars, it has a cutaway and I can play all my songs on it, even those that capo high and I might have to get to 15th fret for a few licks.

I am too picky about my sound, ergonomics and set up to use a typical barn door fishman sonitone style cheaper guitar, so I am willing to live dangerously and use a custom made guitar. But I do have some guitars that are flawless and will never leave my living room. I do think it is very different being a solo/duo performer vs a full band on a crowded stage playing loud late night bar gigs with drunks everywhere. Then the sound may not be as important as a solo artist and the risk of damage is very high.

[Osage]

I totally get why some people won't but I'll play any guitar I own live. This includes pre-war Martins, pre-CBS Fenders etc.... I wouldn't want to own a guitar that I wouldn't bring to a gig. Life's too short for me to not play my favorite guitars.

[Blackmore Fan]

I play mostly electrics, and only with friends. But even so, I usually drag a good-but-not-my-best electric over to play with my friends. Things happen.

[Nymuso]

My chambered guitar does a better job for me on most gigs than my HD-35, so it gets the ball and the Martin stays in the bull pen.

[Tnfiddler]

I’m mainly a bluegrass rhythm player and a Bourgeois has been my go-to gigging guitar for the last 3 years. My D41 gets played at indoor gigs too. I don’t and won’t own a guitar that I’m too afraid of it getting damaged, to enjoy it. I did the car show/cruise-In scene with my Corvette for a couple of years and I drove the wheels off that car and still won trophies with it, but I have friends who have a FORTUNE tied up in vehicles that just sit in their garage because they’re too afraid to drive them. I just can’t wrap my mind around that train of thought. You’re only here for a short time on a one-way ride. Make the best of it.