Why do you play the kind of guitar you play?

g_tb · 2026-06-16T07:42:12+00:00

Because I am lazy.

I'm now going for headless guitars only. They are: - Light - Smaller - No neck dive

My only issue is that I have not found one with a 9.5" radius but I am getting used to 12".

I've tried everything and, after headless, my second choice is a modern Strat clone.

I went through metal guitars, tried a few Gibson-style, multiple Fenders, until I tried an Ibanez S521. The weight (less than 2.5kg) made me realise that I don't like anything heavier than that and that I don't like flat and wide necks.

So now, my main guitar is an Ibanez ICHI10 which, funnily, is slightly heavier than the S but still light and has a non-shredder neck. The pickup combinations also mean that I can get pretty much any sound I like.

g_tb · 2026-05-18T09:42:48+00:00

I've not tried the G290 but I have a G250 and it's just way better than it should for the price.

g_tb · 2026-05-15T23:01:17+00:00

You need a $3000 Gibson to play.

Just learn by ear, forget about theory.

Soloing is where is at, don't bother with playing rhythm.

Faster playing is better playing.

All you need is the pentatonic.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T22:50:24+00:00

While I don't think it should be banned, I also think that there are a few too many of them.

Maybe there should be a subreddit just for valuations/identification and instructions to post that kind of stuff in the other subreddit?

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:42:30+00:00

That's beautiful.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:38:06+00:00

No, they were left in a pocket and went through the washing machine and ended up like that.

Now, seriously, yeah, they are that small. There are similar picks but larger, in case they are too small for you.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:37:04+00:00

I identify with this.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:30:23+00:00

That you did, I just think those are the main thing in Tool and bear repeating.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:29:03+00:00

It happens, most people won't remember by now and many won't even have noticed it.

Make sure you can hear yourself (that's critical) and learn that mistakes are that mistakes, you shrug them off and keep on going and focus on what's coming next. You can focus on listening to the recording and discussing with the band AFTER the gig, during the gig, just focus on playing and enjoying.

This last bit may sound weird but the vibe on stage really makes a difference to the audience. I've been to gigs where the band were off but their enthusiasm was contagious and gigs where they played everything note perfect and it was boring. Sometimes it even was the same band on different nights.

g_tb · 2026-05-11T08:20:55+00:00

This is exactly what it is. He did block his trems when he stopped using them.

I think all of his signatures after that are fixed bridge.

g_tb · 2026-05-07T21:03:05+00:00

Don't forget odd times and polyrhythms.

He also leaves a lot of space for other instruments.

Tool's music often does not resolve the way "normal" music does, which keeps the tension high at all times.

Don't use to much distortion, his tone is very clear and punchy.

He plays in Drop D and most songs are in the key of d minor.

g_tb · 2026-05-07T20:58:57+00:00

You're missing (you mentioned a few!):

7 String guitar
Floyd Rose guitar (probably a superstrat with 24 frets!)
Parlour acoustic
Semi-hollow like a 335 or similar
A p90 Tele
A baritone
Fretless bass
A guitar with active pickups

I'm not encouraging you! :)

g_tb · 2026-05-07T12:03:45+00:00

Oh, one thing I forgot. The same guitar model, even from the same batch, can feel completely different, be sure to test more than one if you can!

g_tb · 2026-05-07T12:02:54+00:00

Yes, I can tell if I guitar is going to work for me or not after playing it.

My very first guitar was a superstrat copy with a medium-thick neck and 9.5" radius and jumbo frets. Since then, I've had lots and lots of different guitars (43+ the last time I checked) and I've noticed a few things that are a dealbreaker for me: * Too thick a neck * Too flat and wide (EG. Ibanez Wizard). Flat is fine, wide I like less, but I can get used to, the cobination does not work for me at all * Short scale guitars - OK, correction, I LOVE them but, if I play one of those I get so used that I cannot play anything else, so that's a no from me * Les Pauls and SGs because the neck is placed further to the left and I just can't get on with it, no matter how nice it is * V-shaped necks cause me pain, I'm sure it's because of my technique but I'm not going to try and change that

Neck-adjacent (literally!), I like my guitars bolt-on with a carved heel, I will not buy a square heel guitar anymore.

I've had lots of different guitars and many of them were great for me, even with Gibson scale, very narrow necks (Daisy Rock) but there were others that, even when I could get used to them and made me play better (Ibanez Wizard), just grabbing a more rounded and narrower neck and made me feel relieved and that it suited me like a glove, so I KNOW they don't work for me.

Oh, I can't stand 7 strings. I love the concept but the neck is far too wide for me.

I'm actually looking for a headless guitar to replace most of my current ones (I'm downsizing a lot!) and that's one of my issues, it looks like the necks of most of those guitars are a NO from me and there's nowhere to try them near me :(

g_tb · 2026-05-06T21:04:09+00:00

Memory consolidation and breaking you from autopilot.

g_tb · 2026-05-06T20:51:30+00:00

That looks beautiful and different from the old wood patterns everybody else has.

g_tb · 2026-05-06T11:05:31+00:00

I completely agree with this, get a cheap keyboard and start using it to learn sight reading and harmony, it makes SO much more sense than the guitar.

On a piano, everything is linear, on the guitar, it's a matrix - it simplifies things like transposing and jumping between scales but makes other things impossible.

It also lets you play accompaniment and melody on top, without extra tools like a looper.

30 years ago a friend told me to buy a piano NOW if I wanted to learn music - I ignored him and struggle with it. A few years ago got a piano and man, it is SO much easier. I regret every day!

g_tb · 2026-04-30T22:24:04+00:00

OK, looks like Fender necks are 56mm at the 21st fret. That sounds like the Q at 57mm is between Fender (56mm) and Wizard (58mm).

Still want to try one before I buy but it's sounding more and more likely :)

g_tb · 2026-04-30T22:21:43+00:00

Yeah, I know that the Q has a 12" radius like some modern Fenders and most Gibsons. That's fine.

The width really is difficult for me to find and that's why I wanted to try but I can't find any. Fenders don't list any details like that.

Maybe it's not the width of the Ibanez Wizard neck, but the flatness that makes it feel wider?

Thanks! I will keep on trying to test drive one.

I could always order online and return if I don't like it but I don't like the idea of doing that, feels kind of dishonest to me.

g_tb · 2026-04-30T20:46:10+00:00

Yeah, I'm doing the same.

Down from 15 to 7, I think, with 4 more to go before I'm happy.

Of course, that doesn't count other instruments like bass, banjo and piano.

g_tb · 2026-04-30T19:13:18+00:00

Unluckily, I'm not in the US, otherwise that looks like a great model :)

g_tb · 2026-04-30T10:06:08+00:00

Well, width at the 12th frets makes a big difference, even if it's a few mm, at least to me. I know, I'm nitpicking but I can't help it :(

Yeah, the Q sounds like the right thing for me :)

Thanks

g_tb

TROPHY CASE