I Played One Rig for 30 Days

[@RickBeato]

I completely agree with the concept of playing a simple rig. It allows you to focus on the music playing part not twisting knobs and getting reacclimated to different guitar shapes and sounds. I guess I’m really not one to talk but I do tend to practice on just a couple guitars. By the way, I’m very happy to be a member of the new Five Watt Friends. I know how much work it takes to make videos like yours Hypes and I want to support you so you keep doing them! Great video!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Hypes! Glad you liked it and man, thanks for all the support.

[@stuntmaster127]

Two worlds collide 🤯

[@michaelthomas7481]

Ngl you should do a video on your channel about the advantages and disadvantages to playing on just one rig, plus also the best guitars, amps, and pedals for people on a budget and who need to get the most for their money, would help a lot being honest

[@therealsokratis]

this is like witnessing Bach and Beethoven exchange pleasantries. Love it!

[@stevenjones6780]

Thanks Rick Beato! "Guitar Planet" is quickly finding out that yourself and just a handful of intrepids are cutting through so much minutia to the heart of the matter! Take courage my friend. I absolutely love your backstory segment a little while back . Thanks for all you share....!!!

[@BrianWhitmerMusic]

Yeah, you pretty much nailed it at “First World Problem.”

[@matteocristini6221]

I've been playing one rig for almost three years now... wait.. it's the only one I own! Cool video.

[@journeyofawesome8473]

same although I recently got a bass

[@matteocristini6221]

@@journeyofawesome8473 Nice! I actually only play bass - I have a Jazz Bass and a Fender Rumble 100w amp.

[@wadewozniak8705]

I went down to one guitar 2 months ago because the wife and I went full time in an RV. All I had for an amp was a Smokey 9v battery cigarette pack amp. I have since upgraded to a Yamaha THR-5 amp, no pedals. I am really enjoying it. I had a more complicated rig in the past. I am finding that although I can’t achieve all the same sounds, I am having an easier quicker time getting pleasing tones. It has re-energized my playing and my desire to learn some new stuff. On the approach it felt like I’d be giving up a lot. But taking the leap has brought unforeseen benefits. Many mentioned in this video!

[@samwisegrangee]

As Trey Anastasio said in his rig rundown, it's better to have gear that you know rather than "better" gear.

[@davidjameschamberlain]

This is the truth

[@stevensrp2music985]

That’s why Trey has used basically the same set up since the 80s. I love the story of how he built his cabinets. His tone was one of the biggest reasons I went to Mesa’s.

[@davidjameschamberlain]

@@stevensrp2music985 it's interesting that the rig seems more complicated than it actually is as well. The core is two Tube Screamers, the Ross, a vibe, a rotary, plus rackmount ambience and the boomerang Whammy too

[@sedwho8518]

One Rig to rule them all, One Rig to find them, One Rig to bring them all. and in the darkness bind them.

[@onusgumboot5565]

I believe in a thing called love You mean that darkness right?

[@onusgumboot5565]

@Thoth Al Khem It was a reference to the song by the same name, by the band, The Darkness. And in "The Darkness" bind them. Nobody has a sense of humor anymore

[@batmandeltaforce]

@Thoth Al Khem The infinite universe is LOVE... and the first law of Love (Cosmic Law) is "Free Will" :) Choose LOVE:)

[@ziggylayneable]

"Out of doubt,out of dark to the day's rising I came singing into the sun,sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath,now for ruin and a red nightfall"!!!

[@alexmurphy5289]

I definitely hear this in the voice from the movies..... RIP

[@hesch-tag]

I bought an Ibanez JEM (FP one of the very first)in 1988 and it's the only electric guitar I have ever owned.

[@jts3339]

Keith, Thanks for another great video. Recently, I’ve taken a new approach to pedal acquisition: instead of buying them I build them. This replaces the instant gratification of buying one online and having UPS deliver it 2 days later (when the thrill has already begun to wear away). The effort in finding and buying a PCB, sourcing all of the components, dealing with out-of-stock and back ordered items, soldering the board, drilling the enclosure, labeling the knobs, and spending almost as much money as the original pedal forces you to decide if you really NEED another overdrive or if you can get the tone you’re pursuing from a pedal that you already own. I’ve learned a lot about building pedals (and about myself) through this approach and my tone is better than ever.

[@fivewattworld]

I did this with amps for years.

[@e3498-v7l]

I played one rig for 30 years.

[@CitizenOfEverywhere]

Probably time to treat yourself to a new set of strings ;-)

[@shredhed572]

@@CitizenOfEverywhere Lol.....

[@JC-11111]

Wow. Not sure I could do that. I had 2 guitars after 3 weeks of owning the first one lol! But that was more out of necessity. I needed an extra pickguard and you can't buy them for my guitar so that leaves custom made. Standard Strat pg's don't cover all over the routing on my Strat clone so those aren't an option. I ended up finding a pickguard being auctioned off and scored it for $25, less than a custom pickguard. This one just happened to still have a guitar attached to it 🤷‍♂️🤣

[@shyganlegend3040]

You are not even 30 neighbor

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

If it works for you then it is just fine. I still have the first acoustic I ever played. It was my mom's old 1959 00-17 Martin. It's still my favorite acoustic guitar.

[@thesmellycatjazz]

First off, this is such a wholesome channel. It's a nice change of pace from all the madness going on. Im currently going through this right now. My roommate is having a child soon, and I'm staying with my parents so he can self quarantine before her birth. I have my Player's Strat and a noisy little Blue Junior. It's really opening my eyes to how much I don't miss my other 8 guitars. Might be time to start consolidating the collection.

[@miguelteixeira1979]

It is so liberating to say: " you know what: Enough tweaking, lets play" and do it with a minimal rig for a very long time. I went down from a 6 pedal setup and I'm currently down to 2 guitars and an HX stomp. I can connect into an amp if needed, into an Hifi, into an headphone, into a computer, even into a door if it produces any sound I like. Just play!

[@driesvanoosten4417]

Same here. I made an ego-riser that houses my HX Stomp and the receiver of my remote. At home I play through headphones. At practice, I plug it into the PA. At gigs, it goes straight into FOH.

[@sporkcrx]

I mainly play through a helix right now as well, but unfortunately don't have the discipline to stop tweaking the hundreds of options. It is a fantastic space saver though

[@miguelteixeira1979]

@@sporkcrx I find constraints to be very good for creativity. Create a constraint or accept one and make your live easier. That will stop the tweaking I think.

[@James-zy5lh]

I’m in the process of moving myself and I’m currently using my LP through a Fender Frontman. No pedals; just the effects that are built in. I love it. I’m spending more time running through exercises than I would turning knobs or switching out guitars to “find the right sound.” At the end of the day, it’s the little victories from progress made that makes me love playing so much.

[@mikeplaysdrums23]

This subject is relatable to drummers as well. I've got over 25 snare drums, dozens of cymbals and three full kits. Sometimes I find it best to just hang one good sounding snare and four cymbals on the same kit for a month at a time and just play them inside out to explore and learn every little nuance of each individual instrument rather than constantly swapping them all out. Another great episode. Thanks for posting!

[@mattcampbell5915]

Can't even begin to say how excited I get when these videos come out! It's awesome to see an advocate for simplicity in a very complex world. These videos helped me get out of the buy/sell/trade/hoard gear cycle I've been in for years and cut my whole rig down to a few pedals, one guitar, and one amp. Even with the few things I now use, I'm still trying to find ways to cut down on the space and volume! It's also awesome to see a fellow New Hampshire-based guy! I grew up in Amherst NH and it always makes me happy to see people in my home state doing cool things!

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

When I was a young teenager back in the early 70s, you could own all three/four effects pedals in existence if you worked two jobs and played out...or if you were wealthy. New pedals were invented faster and faster, but there weren’t many new *TYPES* of effects for a few years, so you had a Cry Baby, choice of two or three fuzz boxes, a phase shifter, and if you were REALLY well off, you might be able to afford an Echoplex.

[@216trixie]

Yep!!

[@Marcus_C51]

Man can I relate to that! It took me ages to get all of the pedals I wanted. I made my own pedalboard, couldn't afford to buy one. .As we all know unless we had a trust fund it was extremely tough to be able to afford buy good gear before playing out. I was working a day job (only one-ha ha) and gigging pretty heavily at night when I finally got most everything that I wanted. I remember lusting after a TC Electronic Chorus/Flanger which was about 3 bills at the time. That took awhile to get. It was worth it as well as the TC Sustainer/Parametric which was AMAZING! It went to hell and the new ones they're making aren't as good. I do remember that most of my pedals remained the same except a rather long procession of different distortion pedals. Did change out my original ShoBud volume pedal for an Ernie Ball, having to deal with the plastic strings in the ShoBuds were a real drag. So some of the new pedals were an improvement. Same Crybaby Wah for eons.Man, an Echoplex?! God after hearing Joe Walsh in James Gang I wanted one but never could seem to be able to afford one. Did get into having a couple different delays to use to cut down on knob twiddling live. My MXR 100 phaser died and I never replaced it, lately during the quarantine I've been thinking of getting one again however. A really annoying story, my best friend my freshman year in college had get this:a beautiful Fender Twin, a classic SG AND a Martin acoustic! His Dad was, in fact, a banker...I was so jealous-I had my $150 Gibson Melody Maker with a cracked head that was doweled up. It never stayed in tune, didn't even have a bridge that you could adjust the harmonics with until later when Leo Quan came out with the "Bad Ass" retrofit bridge. Ahhh yes, the good old days...man oh man! I like the Anastasio idea of having a rig you know rather than "better" gear. So us older players remember when we used to waste our money on rent and food and try to spend as much of it as we could on the good stuff like guitars, gear, booze and women!

[@jfo3000]

I came up playing in that era too. On my board a crybaby, Univox Micro Fazer (got into univibe territory), MXR Dist+... And... The switch for my Echoplex! Yes as a high schooler earning $2.10 an hour I bought / paid $400 for a used Echoplex. My new LP was like $675, so that was a chunk of change for echo. Echo, yes, before it was called "delay", how fancy. I HAD to have Lifeson's sound on All The World's a Stage and I got pretty close. Then when VH1 came out I was able to get close to that as well. Close enough. And that rig, sounding way above any of my guitar slinging competition got me into bands. Echoplex took you into professional sound territory. Nowadays kids can get these sounds for pennies on the dollar. Things have changed for the better, it's good.

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

Jimmy Running Dog yep, I can tell you were definitely there and then. I remember when I heard about the first “digital delay,” too. Not too long after everything went “solid state,” meaning “transistors,” the mainstream shifted toward everything being “digital,” which was when everything began to lose its “soul.” And wow, $2.10 an hour! I think minimum wage was something like $1.75 or $1.80 when I was a freshman, and slowly climbed to $2.00 when I graduated in ‘74. You must have gotten that Echoplex sometime in ‘75. Man, even just a single “slapback” echo back then made your sound feel like a big wall coming at you. Of course, once the digital delay hit the stores, it was THE pedal to have! You could get by without a phase shifter (as long as your band didn’t play any Trower,) by using your amp’s revert correctly, and you could get your distortion by turning up your gain knob, but nobody wanted you without at least SOME kind of echo. Hey, thanks for the trip to “back in the day.”

[@jfo3000]

@@jamesthe-doctor8981 Thank YOU! I thought we'd be kindred spirits. I bought my Echoplex in 76 or 77. It was amazing. Volume swells like Alex in By-Tor and the Snow Dog. Which I did for hours. Min wage in Ohio was like $1.80 then jumped to $2.10 when I was washing dishes and stocking shelves to by Gibsons, Marshalls and Echoplex'. Took a long time saving, but worth it.

[@oldpapersstudio4003]

I can't even afford an electric guitar. All i have is a 80$ acoustic. And i'm playing that guitar for 3 years

[@James_Dawes]

If you wanted an electric guitar, you can find used, but decent quality guitars (Like squire and epiphone) on ebay bids for around £40-60 in the uk, so probably similar in the US

[@aarondavis4341]

GLARRY,makes really good cheap guitars,and their guitar and amp packages are pretty decent

[@Gutierrez_Felipe]

I've been playing the same $99 Maestro acoustic guitar for almost 11 years now

[@donaldkumler5149]

Look up glary instruments if you don't mind doing a full setup you could be playing a good entry level guitar for under $100.00 (us) to your door.

[@andyZ3500s]

Now I feel guilty for having one $200 acoustic.

[@sonsauvage]

When you stop focusing on what you're using that's when the music flows. You focus more on what you're saying/playing. When I had one instrument and one amp and pedal setup that's what's when I was most productive and made the most progress in technique. Now I'm always tweaking this and that, adjusting rods and saddle screws, turning knobs, etc etc

[@jackdrissen6668]

I play a cheap rig with only 3 pedals for a year now and a love it

[@JeffMcErlain]

Thanks for another great video Keith! It was really fun putting down the strat for a while and focusing on the LP. What was very interesting was picking the strat back up, I felt I played it differently. Keep up the great work!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Jeff!

[@darinhill3773]

Like most of the commenters here, my one rig experiment has been going on for years! I play other rigs when I play with my fellow guitarists. Thanks for the video! Enjoy your new house as well.

[@GuitarGearGyan]

Fabulous content. I have been following your channel for some time now and find all your videos extremely useful.

[@distrustfulmonkey2832]

I own 1 electric, 1 acoustic, 1 amp and 4 pedals (although I do want a 5th). Been playing 20 years and I'm not bored yet! I actually enjoy my playing much more since shifting all my unnecessary gear.

[@Peasmouldia]

I've been doing this for months. I saw a video about the benefit of sticking with one guitar and rig. I settled on 15w. combo, four pedals (usual suspects) and my Casino. Just today, before seeing this post, I played my Strat for the first time in ages. I got straight back into it. I'd almost forgotten just how enjoyable cranking the Strat is. I'll always find a way to delude myself that I need another guitar, I don't have a single cut for example. But now, I have a one in-one out policy, and I can't part with any, so that's that! Thank you KW.

[@fivewattworld]

"Guitar neutral" like "carbon neutral", that's what I try as well. Not always successful but it always comes around again.

[@georgedeconto9599]

Absolutely a 1st world problem lol. I got my first guitar in 2000, a nylon strings one. Then, on 2002 I got a crummy bass and a tiny bass amp, and a year late a crummier electric guitar. From 2008 onwards, as I moved from place to place, I only carried my nylon strings guitar and left all the rest at my parents house. Then, two years ago, I got an Epiphone 339 and a Katana 50W, and about two months ago I got a Squier Tele. To be honest, these two electrics and the Katana fullfill pretty much all my sonic desires, especially after spending so many years with just a nylon strings acoustic. The only thing I would like to do is to change to a really small amp, given that I just play at home and my wife usually complains about the noise. Also, I feel that the 50W Katana doesn't come to its full potential on really low volumes.

[@davidgood6744]

So, there goes my argument that switching scale lengths will help me to be more adaptable. I went through a pedal phase, but now I’m limiting myself to what fits on a Nano+. Actually, when I got my 65 Princeton Reverb last spring, I put the pedals away for about 7 or months. You are making some good points. I didn’t see a single commercial; however, my phone died right in the middle, and I picked up where I left off once I hunted down a charger. Thanks again!

[@rasm0225]

If you want to switch scale lengths, play a fender scale and then tune to Eb and capo on first fret for a Gibson feel.

[@Lorak669]

That is very good advise. Plus switch off delays and reverbs and distortion and play till YOU make it sound nice.

[@Lorak669]

And eyes closed

[@johnsee7269]

Any CUBE and a Telecaster. Done! (Telecaster with a paf in the neck position...)

[@davelanciani-dimaensionx]

Funny what Mike Campbell said - I agree - if you have a "Fender" style guitar, and a "Gibson" style guitar, you really can cover the bases of nearly everything. I mostly tend to alternate between my Agile Les Paul copy, and my SX Tele copy. Humbuckers or single coils, but similar in layout and feel. And if I back off the tone on the Tele, it comes very close to the Les Paul sound.

[@stevescuba1978]

Bringing this back from the dead...how do you like that Agile LP? I have had a Douglas super strat, and an SX strat with p90's, and a 1/2 scale SX strat (great fun bending notes to nearly the next octave!), and they've all been pretty darn good.

[@legoharry100]

I've been using the same rig for just about six months and I'm still finding new voices and sounds from it.

[@risenmyson]

We bassist usually play the same rig for decades..or we're just poor?

[@fredherfst8148]

Had to smile. For 15 years, I played two 45 year old ported bins with 15" JBL's +horn I inherited from a friend. Had an old high end Yamha hifi power amp that would do 250w rms a side. Again, inherited from a friend who had upgraded his stereo. Got myself a samsamp stomp box as preamp....that rig was awesome, if a bit heavy. Cost me near nothing.

[@amandabear64]

My bass setup is much simpler than my guitar rig even though i've played bass longer and consider myself more a bassist than a guitarist. I have two basses for vastly different tones and one amp, that's it. Straight into the amp where I've set my EQ the way I like it and it sounds fantastic and works 100% of the time! I do still love to fiddle with pedals, I prefer more elaborate tones for the guitar so I futz with that a lot just for the fun of it.

[@-Christoph]

Rather lucky when you don't fall victim to the G.A.S.

[@amandabear64]

@@-Christoph Oh I do, I just can't afford to feed it. Though my G.A.S leans more toward studio/recording equipment

[@offbeatbassgear]

I prefer to believe that we're streamlined...

[@donnyhall2535]

Always great content Keith. Gives me something to think about and try these crazy mastermind experiments you come up with.

[@crouton3455]

this is easy when you can only really afford half a rig

[@solaribass2491]

Why you gotta call me out like that?

[@solaribass2491]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 the only guitar I have is my dad's. I don't even have an amp lol. Though the importance of guitar is nullified by it being my 5th instrument.

[@5000rgb]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 You find out how to make the same equipment sound different. It can be nice to not worry about which pedal to step on.

[@EdSpargo]

Always gets me thinking.... Thanks!

[@stephancano5100]

Me before 5WW: 100W Marshall JCM 900, Marshall Silver Jubilee 4X12, massive PB and 16 guitars. Me after 5WW: 50W Port City Pearl, 2X12 Port City Cab, smaller PB, 5 guitars. I'm scared and happy about this

[@bbmade]

“Because you have no choice” - but, but, I like choices. Awesome video. We’re about to move and I might do this experiment as I set up my new bunker and shop.

[@mattfleming2287]

I’ve found there are different types of guitarists. Some learn tunes easily and remember them, some are good improvising and creating their own music. Also, some guitarists want tons of options-different guitars, pedals and amps while some want to find their sound and want to find and use just the gear that gets them there. I’m of the latter of both those types. I have 4 electric guitars but I only really play one. Out of a PRS Custom 22, Gibson RD Artist, my first real guitar-a heavily modded Aria Pro II TS-300 and a partscaster I play the partscaster. I’ve spent the last 5 or so years making that guitar perfect for me. It not only plays the best, it sounds the best. One pickup, one volume and that’s it. I have one 20 watt amp, a 2x12 cab and 3 pedals. The reason I’ve gone this route is exactly as you say in you video-I play more. No option anxiety. I’ve used modelers for years previously and was always tweaking the tone at home only to find that great tone didn’t work at practice so more tweaking....ad infinitum. Once I ditched the modeler and embraced my ‘new’ tone of guitar into amp I was able to concentrate on playing. I know exactly what sound I’ll get and can use technique to vary my tone (plus a pedal or two). I have made more progress these last few years because I don’t waste time tweaking tones anymore. I can work on writing and technique and not think about the tone because my options are so limited. It frees my mind from gear and lets me make music.

[@СтаниславДробот-т8с]

Thanks for the great video! I really wish you make more content like this(what your channel is about)

[@fivewattworld]

It’s about both parts that interest me.

[@jrtme]

Great Idea. I try to stick to one guitar just to get used to a sound. I am a producer engineer. So I have to switch guitars for different sounds. I also don’t buy into Tele and Old Les Pauls are a like. Proof would be Led Zep 1 vs. 2. Mahogany has a specific sound even with a maple cap. Ash and alder is different. Not to mention Hum vs. Single. Wanna try something different? Pick a guitar and an Amp. Get rid of all the effects. Learn to play without pedals. Being a studio guy. I play without effects and add to taste later.

[@mark1781]

Thanks for another simulating and thoughtful video!

[@Barabyk]

The trend I see is, the more I gig, the less I care. Once stuck at home, get bored, look for colours and variety. Once you have one good guitar, you may start to question and second guess. Once back into gigging routine - it matters way less. On the road you usually want to have more underwear than guitars.

[@khalaziafaqih367]

thank you, since I found this channel, I decided to focus on one guitar, and already sold 70% of my effects pedal, I focused more on the basics and helped me to find my musical character, so as not to copy other people's rigs.

[@WeBothAreMonkeys]

I only wish I could limit myself. Can't limit with only one guitar

[@JP-jy7sk]

I love this concept of keeping it simple. It’s very freeing and gives you time to really focus on your playing and learning how to use your limited gear. As a fellow New Englander, I applaud you sir!

[@andrefranco6814]

Totally off topic here, but I can't even stare at a guitar without a headstock, I think that ruins the essence of the instrument which has such a great and long history and a basic shape associated with it. This is not to start an argument though...!

[@frantisca]

Yeah: that is something that put me off really. I do have a travel guitar that I took along in extreme circumstances when I could not board with a full sized guitar and I admit it’s quite awkward… Some say Stranberg are special though…

[@JPTyler]

sure period.. unless you're on the second set of a five set night and you and your bass player get a little too animated and you wind up cracking the headstock off of your ESP eclipse and it goes flying off into the audience. Luckily I had a backup guitar but since then I've come to appreciate headless guitars

[@reiddillashaw2383]

Another enjoyable and informative video. Thanks Five Watt World! Glad to be one of the "Friends of Five Watt World" now. :)

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks so much Reid!

[@shanewalton8888]

Here's a video idea: How to break in an expensive new guitar. I really want to play my new guitar, but I still treat it too much with kid gloves. How to overcome this fear?

[@Ironworthstriking]

This is why I don't buy new guitars.

[@raulperez2308]

just do it. be as careful with the finish as you would be with any others, and (i assume it's well setup) tune it regularly. and have fun, of course. instruments are meant to be played, and if your cheap strat copy didn't break apart when you were starting out, your new 3000 dollar vigier won't either

[@shanewalton8888]

@@raulperez2308 yeah. I got a sweet set up on it. Plays like butter

[@troyoswald5683]

As always Keith it is a pleasure to hear your perspective is so appreciated. Love your channel! Love your approach!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Troy

[@YonathanLeibovich]

Loved it.. Truth is.. the rig is always a work in progress.. part of the fun

[@64north20west]

Out of curiosity, I've done this before. Your experiment is better because you were forced into it and I could always bail out at any minute. A different mindset. Total discipline required. Yes, I put my Boss PQ 4 on there for extreme versatility.

[@Daydreaminginmono]

Yeah, i subscribed. I dig it. Five watt life is the only life for me. Ive got a good few pedals but usually end up playing the same few. Currently got a lovely custom guitar, and am having another built. No idea what ill play when that arrives

[@fivewattworld]

Welcome to five watt world "NotJohn". I have to ask, is that a "John from Cincinnati" reference?

[@Daydreaminginmono]

five watt world Actually its from when i had an online persona as John travolta from my profile photo and people used to stalk my account

[@sseltrek1a2b]

love these vids...i recently worked with someone who had several thousand ollars worth of the latest gear (just the gear- not including the guitars) to play a 5-song worship set...though i envied someone being able to afford all the latest stuff out there, when they described how they were going to set it all up (using just about every routing option available) i thought, "why are making this so complicated?...there is no way you're going to use all this- particularly on Sunday mornings.."...it's very apparent with everyone i see that the longer you play, the less gear you use...you find the smallest rig with the most versatility, and then concentrate on playing- not navigating your gear...

[@10sassafras]

I always enjoy your vids. Knowing a simple setup inside out makes it more about the music and less about the toys. Classical musicians tend to live this way for the familiarity and control benefits.

[@oldguy5381]

It’s kinda odd for many of us one rig is what we live with. And we aspire for that second rig. We make the best we can with what we got. That being said, it’s sill a good question. You make a good video with good subject matter. Keep up the good content and stay safe.

[@mikekavanaughdotcom]

Thank you. I always enjoy what you have to show and tell.

[@avielkharrat5788]

I've been playing a custom 24 SE for a couple of years, until recently, at the end of 2019, i got a CE, which i instantly fell in love with. So, you get the idea: i played the new guitar for the last 6 months and let the old SE in it's gig bag. Fret work and set up needed to be done on my recently acquired CE, so i took it to the luthier, and got to play the old SE back. And I couln't belive it!!! First of all it was almost in tune after 6 months not being used. Second, this thing feels great, plays great, sounds great. I realised i've been a bit of a snob... Maybe i should play both rigs now. Quite not the direction of your video. Yet it's your video that made me realize that! Funny 🤪 I love being a part of the five watt world

[@axh6877]

Great experiment. I’ve been happily playing my single guitar/amp/pedal board set up since last fall. No major tweaks or adjustments since first stumbling on my journey and your channel. 👍🏻

[@Slevinatwork]

I play my Suhr Classic S surf green into a Victory V40 and basically the same pedalboard for about 2,5 years now. Couldn‘t be happier with it.

[@steveyankees1]

Hey Dan, Great channel. I’m 68 and I’m really digging low wattage amps. I recently purchased a Tweed Champ style amp and a Tweed Fat Champ, 15 watts, from the same builder. My first time owning a Tweed amp. I love the way they sound. I play clean using pedals for dirt. My 5 watt has a Weber 8” speaker. I expected it to sound… well like an 8” speaker. I’m using a V.O.R 10-25 10” in the Fat Champ. I absolutely love the clean tones in both amps. Especially with my single coil pickups.

[@cjanowsk]

I really appreciate your channel. Your calm demeanor and wealth of knowledge make your videos relaxing and educational, as well as inspiring. Keep up the good work!

[@charleswagner284]

Great video Keith, thank you. For the last thirty years I've acquired more guitars than I need, but I always end up playing my MIM Fat Strat. I love the sound the other guitars make, but the sound that is mine, comes out of the strat. I watched the rig rundown with the band Khruangbin, and the guitarist tours with only one guitar! No backups, no alternates, only the single axe. I thought man that is so relatable. Just like this video, thanks for making this!

[@mriosgto]

It's so true that Fender /Marshall combo fill each others tonal gaps, I was so happy to hear you say this , ive been playing the same pair of amps from 1978, now, I have scaled it down for the modern 5 Watt times. For me the Fender /Marshall blend has filled all my playing needs .

[@ZackSeifMusic]

Bought a t-shirt. Love the channel and all of the history, gear, and music lessons that come with your channel. Thank's Keith!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Zach!

[@davidchase-lopes8413]

Keith, please keep this up. I really enjoyed this episode. I don't think any other guitar-centric has made me think as hard about why I play guitar as yours has. Bravo and encore !

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks David!

[@stevenjones6780]

Thanks 5W! you've got just the nicest combination of things going...Plus you turned another Cleveland boy (Euclid), onto Bukovac- 'Uncle Larry', 'Homeskoolin', etc. What a guy!!! Now I've got another favorite Tommy inspiration to go with my TE phase I continue to traverse. In what seems a never ending faure of "Guitar Planet-uTube" , you have managed to greatly simplify so many things and bring it on home- something so very essential in this world of 2020...

[@JoelSilva-bs3zz]

This is exactly what I'm going for with my personal rig and my playing philosophy. Just want to have the essencial to have fun and play the music that I like. Thank you for showing that it is possible!

[@grayaj23]

Great perspective, Keith.

[@davidarvisulive]

Been using a Martin 0X2MAE, a boss rc30, and a Fishman Loudbox mini for my shows for the last three years and it has been the perfect minimalist rig for a singer songwriter such as myself. Couldn't be happier with the way it sounds all together

[@guitarmagic]

Another great video. The part about mild dyslexia rings true for me. Letters are much harder to retain than intervals. I’ve been playing a minimalist rig for two decades. I get more music done and less knob turning.

[@BentTom]

"We started out with one guitar" EXACTLY! Nailed it Keith!

[@stevenmonroe8652]

This is easily my favourite episode of five watt world.

[@thebooda]

Thank you for allowing Us to experience Your Five Watt World! Great Video!

[@leightonslife4030]

I inherited quite a few guitars and amps from my father in law , being that I’ve always just tinkered around on the guitar before that I figured what better way to honour his memory than to buckle down and learn once and for good . I’d say you are absolutely right in the assessment that too many options is a barrier. I think I will take this challenge and see where it gets me ! Thanks for the great video ❤️

[@MrMitchb6]

Great video and cool to know you are also from Burlington! I've got a Les Paul now and I've been thinking about getting a Telecaster, so deep down I've got to agree with Mike Campbell that with one Gibson and one Fender you got it pretty much covered. I've got a medium-sized pedal board and recently I've been trying this thing where I only use a few of the pedals during any session. I've found it has helped me see how the interact with each other and the guitar and amp a lot better, as well as how they impact my playing in general.

[@eltorpedo7774]

I was in Gilford this past weekend! Had tickets to Tedeschi Trucks on the 3rd at Bank of NH pavilion. Show was cancelled but I kept my cabin rental for the weekend to get some campfire time in. Perfect quarantine vacation. Love your channel man.

[@stratcat688]

It’s nice to be reminded that what you have is good enough...and what you want to be better is not your gear but your talent. Thanks for what you do.

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

Great stuff man! Burlington eh? I'm originally from Montreal, right around the corner! Now living in rainy & chilly Ireland! ☘️☮️🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮️☘️

[@yumyumbirdMusic]

Keith, as always, great video! For me, the rig is always reducing and expanding (between 5 and 10 pedals), depending on what interesting gear is released. But there are essentials like specific drives or e.g. types of delay and modulation, that never leave the board. I could play a gig with just 5 pedals (tuner included) and be happy. But it is just fun to swap stuff out and be surprised and challenged. With the years of practice, I know what works and what wont, so no bad surprises, only happy ones :D

[@sammyrabon7736]

Excellent video. Especially your thoughts on why you play the guitar at the end. Thanks for always inspiring Keith.

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Sammy, glad you enjoyed it.

[@paulsmith3985]

I had a similar experience. I relocated back to the U.K. from the USA last year and had to live from January to August with only what I could bring on the plane. I knew a guitar was a key ingredient to keep me sane, but all I could manage to carry was my CA Cargo carbon fibre travel guitar. It worked, I stayed(mostly) sane and, while I didn’t really improve, the guitar really helped me relax during selling and buying houses! However, I was really glad to be reunited with my “friends “ when the shipping container arrived and the guitars were safely unpacked in the new house.

[@fivewattworld]

Great tale Paul!

[@Jet1ranger]

As a truck driver I live this experiment daily. My Squire Strat and OCD through my Boss Katana is what I have room for. When I get home it's "What do I want to play?" My Epi LP? Mitchell? Tele? Ibanez? With three other options to choose from. But my Strat gets loaded up each time I head out.

[@paul_domici]

I have too many guitars now but would choose my strat with a H S S and my practice cube amp that has lots of built in effects! Great Video! Thank you!

[@henrydanielgatlin9774]

After selling all my gear, leaving behind the music world 20 years ago, i recently got back into playing. Wanted one guitar that could do many things, and that turned out to be the Taylor T3/B; humbuckers, but with split coil option for a mid-scooped single coil sound; a mid range roll-off for a broad range of tones from wide open rock sounds to dark, moody jazz tones. The Bigsby is a nice textural tool for sure. This guitar, for me, has been the perfect "one-rig" guitar, from tele and strat sounds to Gibson style sounds, this guitar does it all. With a TC Electronics flashback, MXR 10 band eq, Origin Effects compressor, volume pedal, an old Chandler Tube driver from the '90's, and a '74 Twin Reverb, I can do just about anything I enjoy playing!

[@windowsoflife]

Great video! Less is more for sure. I sold my midi controllers on a large board and created four small boards that offer different voicings, delay types, etc. The boards range from 4 to 7 pedals from a Hendrix rig to digital / analog combos to all analog. Grab and go for whatever I’m playing. I kept my Eventide H-9 but added a 3 switch and only use core patches without midi mayhem!

[@strat0871]

Great choices, great sound, nice.

[@JoshuaC923]

That's a great story, thanks for sharing the experience

[@davidjameschamberlain]

The MXR Analog Chorus is my Leslie thing too. The EQ makes it great for standing out in a live mix as well

[@DennisJPolson]

Thank you for another great video, Keith. As always, quite thought provoking and informative. That rig is 👍👍

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Dennis!

[@firstnamelastname1101]

Good video addressing a topic that I have been contemplating recently. My shrinking rig... Amp: Fender Pro Jr transplanted into an Epiphone Valve Jr. 13 ply birch cabinet with an Eminence 12" speaker. Amp mods by me include a Mercury Magnetics OT and plenty of res/cap changes. Pedal board: *Tech 21 Double Drive *Arion chorus *Tremolo/clean boost (kit from General Guitar Gadgets and/or Run Off Groove) *Boss 7 band EQ, small tuner *Homemade power supply Guitar(s): *Warmoth strat (trem, alder body, maple/rosewood neck, fiesta red, white pickgaurd, can't remember pickups) *Warmoth tele (butterscotch blonde, maple/maple neck, black pickgaurd, can't remember pickups) *Gibson Les Paul Special double cut (stock, P-90s, heritage cherry) *PRS SE (stock, humbuckers, cherry burst) Have several other guitars, but these four get the most use by far. Would probably take the tele if I had to choose one. The tele can sound strat-ish, PRS-ish and P-90-ish and I prefer the slightly stiffer feel of the longer scale length.

[@Pyrohelix_]

Good job man! ❤️

[@edgelite]

If you are going to be living in Up state NY you should check out Dr.Guitar in Watertown one of my favorite guitar shops. Great video BTW as always.

[@offbeatbassgear]

Another artist that set up a minimalist touring rig was the late Johnny Winter, who played three Erlewine Lazer travel instruments, along with two Musicman Combo amps and six pedals, including his back-ups

[@SwagIslandTees]

Love your videos. Well thought out and composed. Thanks!

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I'm definitely a one-rig guy. My pedalboard is used both for guitar and bass. I have a Boss TU-3, an MXR analog chorus, an LPD Modern Classic drive, an MXR Carbon Copy, and an Electro-Harmonix reverb. My guitar amp is a Boss Katana, and my bass rig is a Mesa Subway D800 with matching 15" cab. My main electric is a PRS Custom 24, and main bass is a Warwick Corvette $$. I do play my acoustic on occasion, but prefer electric. Yet another great video!

[@erickwalsh9258]

Excellent!! Every guitar player should watch this video.

[@TheAdjacents-ABQ]

Playing music that speaks just for you is the basis of art. I am photographer and shoot for myself first. You take your art, photos, paintings, pottery, or music to the public once we are happy with what we have created. Acceptance by the public or not, the real critic is ourselves. I now feel the same way about the music I play and create while in my office . I am happy to have created something because to me it is music. Thanks for making me think of this.

[@garyengstrom9061]

Thanks for the great videos, Keith. If you ever have the time, a Short History of the Rickenbacker 330 might be cool. Keep em coming!

[@fivewattworld]

That’s on the list Gary. Thanks for watching.

[@sharkman4928]

If I were going to do this, I would pick my Les Paul with the push/pull knobs for coil split so I can get my single coil sounds or my fat humbucker tones as well. I played one rig for long periods of time before because it was all I had but now that I have so many guitars and try to play them all from time to time, I have come to appreciate sticking to one guitar or rather one type. I am a Les Paul guy and have narrowed down my playing to 3 of my favorite LP's. Thanks for the video, keep them coming!

[@HooksBill]

I like your videos before even watching them. It's because I already know it's going to be good.

[@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist]

Great video this one. Some of the best learning I’ve had has always been limiting the options for a period of months at a time and really diving into what’s available. Just the one guitar is a tough choice and here an HSS is essential. Or a Variax of course.

[@robertbrancato9478]

Excellent. I already have a simple pedal board and one amp. Encourages me to concentrate on one guitar and find stuff I was missing.

[@Henceforth-q8y]

I've played acoustic guitar since I was twelve because it was all I could afford. When I did gigs I always borrowed nice guitars like Les Paul Standards or modded MIM Strats and flagship things but when I could finally afford a nice guitar a went for something budget friendly and something I knew would fit me playing style which was very open and comprised of blues and jazz but a hint of hard rock here and there for playing in an acoustic so long. I got a boss Katana Mk 2 to be able to find my own tone and an Ibanez As-73 because it fit me the best. It's easy to gig with and you have your presets on your computer, furthermore i now know that the only guitar that I want now is a jaguar. Keeping one rig inspired me to improve and change my playing style but also limit myself when it came to knowing what else I wanted and needed altogether