Which Guitar Type Is Right For You?

[@Proper_Gander]

I wish I had someone to tell me just to get a guitar that looks cool and feels good to me, when I was first starting out. Instead I had everyone giving me their 2 cents on what they thought was good. Just get an instrument that you can’t walk by without wanting to pick it up. Great advice, Rhett!

[@FWRXSTER]

For real. I’m of the mindset now that there are no boring guitars, just boring players and naysayers! Lol. All different sonic colors from the same beautiful musical palette.

[@ratatatuff]

lol When I started out it wasn't about cool looks and feel. There was no choice, I had to take the only one I could afford.

[@davedavem]

Yup, first guitar? Buy it for its looks!

[@OldeDog_NewTricks]

That's exactly what I told my son. Same advice I give about motorcycles

[@DebraHammondpop2]

TOTALLY!!!

[@CalijayOfficial]

The best advice you can give is to actually go into a Music shop and try out the different types and styles of guitar. Buying a guitar online is one of the worst things you can do to yourself musically

[@federicorenkine4340]

yeah but also if you go to a shop without knowing what tou want the seller will convince you to buy a random shity pricey guitar

[@CalijayOfficial]

@@federicorenkine4340 If that's what you think alot of music shops try to do you are miles off it mate. Sure there are some pricks out there but it doesn't take much common sense to smell that type of bullshit

[@addisynfritts6481]

im scared of the workers in music shops

[@shuirei]

but I dont know how to play or anything how do I know its good

[@CalijayOfficial]

@@shuirei the feel is so much more important than the sound. Sound can be changed, and every guitar can do any music style the player wants it to do. Making sure the body shape, weight, neck, material is right for you is crucial. It's like harry potter in a music shop, the guitar chooses the player...

[@astrofire68]

I agree 100%. The best instrument is the one that inspires you to play. My old teacher would say “10 mins when you want to play is better than an hour when you don’t”. If you have an instrument that inspires you you’re gonna pic it up and play it and, as a by-product, build your skills …..which in turn will inspire you to play even more.

[@reverb508]

Your last point is really important. If the guitar doesn’t make you feel excited to play it, you won’t play it. I always tell parents looking to buy their kid their first guitar to make sure their kid thinks it looks cool. My parents started me on a crappy department store nylon string acoustic when I was a kid. I didn’t get my first electric (an Epiphone LP Special II) until I had been playing for nearly 4 years. The fact that I stuck it out that long astonishes me, because I hated that damn acoustic 😂

[@ButteryBao]

I got a decent basic acoustic as a kid but without any lessons, and the fact that I really wanted an electric guitar (rock teenage phase), I put off learning it for like 1.5 decades. If you don't care for the guitar you won't care enough to learn it.

[@charlene2400]

I'm still playing an LP Special II, lol. It's held up better than my 8-tracks did.

[@MaPa60]

The idea of "bonding" with a guitar is real. I've spent over a decade to find a handful of guitars I love to pick up and play, and done mods on most of them in the process. But I've found that I can bond with all types of guitars, it's about to find the right specimen that can check off the right subjective boxes. Sometimes you don't even realize what those are until you've been through a number of guitars. It's not as simple as looking at specs, it's about inspiration for sure.

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

My number one is a 1987 cheap Kramer Strat copy. I have a 2021 Baretta Special that’s intonated better, has lower action, is obviously significantly newer, but I’ll pick up the 87 more just because it feels like ‘home’.

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

I built my own Frankenstein Ibanez RG out of parts, I have a special bond with that guitar.

[@MaPa60]

@@NintenDub You are right too of course, not all invest so much emotion into their guitars. I could find many guitars that I like of course, and if money were flowing faster, it might also be much easier. And you can get tired of searching for good/ right ones, especially in this day and age where it's online shopping or the used market. I guess I'm just glad I found some guitars I love. They are all lovable as you say 🙂

[@xodiaq]

I was at my first job out of college (read: a short period of very disposable income) and I was playing every Gibson Les Paul under $3k (back in 99) and I saw this black and gold Studio, grabbed it and started playing and immediately it was perfect. It felt perfect at the neck, the sound was what I wanted, the clean tones were mellower, it was bright under gain. Brought it to the counter and said “I’ll take it.” The guys asked me “Thought you wanted a Gibby?” I looked at the headstock. It was an Epiphone. Still have it today.

[@millmoormichael6630]

Played for 35 years for me game changer was to find the right guitar (65’ Strat refin) and a world class luthier to get it just right. Intonation and playability is key.

[@adriangas_]

You are 100% right about getting a guitar stand. Before that, I was taking my guitar out of the case like once a week. Now I'm playing a few times during the day 😀

[@matt.fromtheinternet]

I've bee playing guitar for about 20 years now (I'm 26 now), and a lot of my friends came to me during the pandemic asking about learning guitar, because I was the resident guitar player. You hit the nail right on the head and sunk it in one hit. I always gave them some advice as to tone/styles, abut always said, "if you can go out and at least hold it and make sure it's comfortable, do that." and it's great to see someone with the platform you have saying the same thing. Cheers, Rhett.

[@sundaynightdrunk]

I had a Les Paul copy and then a Studio LP, and then bought a Strat. Played those three for years, bought a "real" Les Paul and thought I was done. Pandemic hit and I wanted a new guitar since I'd be at home. Ordered a cheap Squier Telecaster and it's become my most-played guitar. Amazing what you find out in your 50s after about 40 years of playing.

[@fju1107]

Same! My ‘95 Tele is my fav of the guitar in my stable which includes a LP std, LP junior, Epi Casino, Reverend with 3 P90s. I appreciate them all but if I had to save one in a fire, it’s the Tele.

[@sundaynightdrunk]

@@fju1107 There's a guy called Danish Pete on Andertons Music who says you play them all, but you end up at the Telecaster. I have to agree with him. Such a great design.

[@janofdelft]

I have rarely regretted buying a guitar or amp, but have often regretted selling them. As far as preconceptions and prejudices go, in 1979 (not the best year for Gibsons) I left my house with a fistfull of strenuously accumulated cash, with the intention of buying the best Les in town. That was, to my mind, the ultimate electric guitar. I had settled on a black Custom, their flagship at the time, but while I was waiting on the sales guy that was ringing up some strings, I made the mistake of picking up a lovely red ... Yamaha. SG-2000 It snuggled into my side as if it were custom-made for me, it out-sustained the Les, was flawlessly made, and was a beautiful piece of furniture, too. NO, NO, NO! I want a Les Paul, not a Japanese guitare, not a Yamaha. I A-B'ed them and tried to find some fault in the Yamaha. There were none, while there was the hint of a gap in the Gibson's binding at the 10th fret, and the finish on the back of the headstock might have been better. The Gibson mystique died for that day. There was only a $6.00 price difference (both obscenely expensive for my working-man's budget). I have never been sorry, or felt that I settled for secondl-best. Unfortunately, my brand-skepticism has done me a bit of a disservice over the years - after 55 years of playing, I just last year bought my first Strat. Buddha's toenails! Why did I wait so long? Moral? Don't let fads or "popular wisdom" or preconceived notions keep you from buying an instrument that could turn out to be absolutely right for you.

[@dennispaguio]

Lol'd at Buddha's toenails!

[@davestpsaver4767]

I'm a novice guitar player and I'm looking to purchase my first electric. This video was a great help in guiding me in the decision making process! Thanks Rhett!

[@windsurfmaui8239]

This is a very good, informative video for people who have listened to music for 20 years and finally decided they wanted to learn how to play guitar. It's a logical and analytical way to help you get to a guitar that will satisfy you. However, for younger people and the parents of younger people the way to help your child find a guitar that will inspire them to play is very different. Younger people fall in love with a particular musician and they want that musicians guitar. That's perfectly fine because it will inspire them to pick up the guitar and practice. However, there are some guidelines. The first is, and this pertains to almost all string instrument players, you really have to have the instrument in your hands to see if it feels right to you. Particularly the hand that Frets the neck. There are all different sizes and shapes of neck, fretboard width and shape of the back of the neck. Finding the neck that feels good to the Future player is quite important. Second, the younger player is going to want the signature model of the guitar of their musician hero. Even if you can afford to buy your child that expensive $5,000 guitar don't. Their friends will call them a poser and make fun of them. Try to find the make and model of the guitar of their rock and roll hero but a less expensive version. Not the cheapest, The $99 guitar will have flaws that makes their learning experience difficult. So if you can afford something a little better go for that. It will make your learning experience easier and more fun. There are lots of guality guitars in the $500 - $800 range. It may take a few visits to the guitar store before you find the exact guitar that you want. But that's okay because you will have a higher probability of finding a guitar that you will enjoy playing for a while. If you are buying an electric guitar then you'll need to buy a small practice amp. Make sure you get one that offers the headphone option so you can practice whenever you want without disturbing other people in the house. Get a good soft case, called a gig bag, to carry the guitar around in couple of extra sets of strings and some guitar picks. Finally, for almost all guitar players who have ever lived their first guitar will not be their last. Finding a guitar that you will play for 20 years is a process as your knowledge grows and as your musical tastes evolve. So don't be worried after playing a guitar for a couple of years if you start to get the urge for a new one. If you are an acoustic guitar player all of the above is still relevant to your purchase however the one additional guideline is there has to be an agreement between house members as to when practice can and can't happen so the player doesn't get discouraged or the house members get irritated. Good luck I wish great enjoyment to all future guitar, string instrument players.

[@AndrewMasters]

Dear god the live room b-roll shots.. absolutely awesome.

[@tommasoragghianti7735]

15 years after playing the same telecaster, I must say I'm still deeply in love with it. It's mexican made, it has its faults and is not perfect. Still, it's the guitar I truly want to play, I don't need anything else when I'm playing it. The first time I saw it in the store I fell in love with it and have never stopped since

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

I'd also say you should include offsets as a separate style too. Jazzmaster offset shapes just work for me ergonomically, and I find them more comfortable among the traditional shapes. A Jazzmaster doesn't dig into you like a strat or tele does, and it's not heavy or oversized like a Gibson. It fits just right, and I'd extend that sentiment to other offsets like Teiscos and Eastwood guitars.

[@noyd4172]

Especially with so many replacement pickups and electronics on the market, shape is potentially the deciding factor. I find even a little bit of an offset to a familiar symmetrical body type goes a long way for comfort. (also phellas in the Rhett comments, let's go)

[@vonders3847]

Not a jazzmaster but i bought a mustang as my first "real" guitar and the fell of it is just amazing. I wanted something like a strat but i didnt like the long scale of the guitar and i found a mustang. I mostly play funk music and a lot of people when they see a mustang they think grunge and kurt kobain but pluged into a vox ac 15 it does the job rlly good.

[@noyd4172]

@@vonders3847 Mustangs definitely do funk well; it was David Byrne's guitar of choice when he played guitar in Talking Heads, and that was almost all scratchy funk-style rhythm playing; I don't know the wiring of your mustang, but the out-of-phase option could definitely be useful there. This may be me but I've always found Mustangs sound more "relaxed" than Strats for example.

[@vonders3847]

@@noyd4172 oh nice i didnt know that! Also iv been having a lot of fun with the out of phase option its rlly unique.

[@polygraphovich]

PRS Vela (offset) is the most comfortable electric guitar I’ve ever played.

[@sid5156]

Rhett , I couldn't agree more. The guitar that inspires you to play is the right one. You will find your sound in time.

[@randyacosta1194]

I rotate my tele, strat, les Paul, Ibanez, and tele squire about every 2 weeks or so. It’s cool how you end up playing a little different with each guitar.

[@Meritocrate]

What Ibanez do you have, a superstrat?

[@andrus108]

I agree to getting a guitar for the way it looks, and it matters more than you can think of. I wanted a Strat, because my first heroes were Clapton and Hendrix, but I especially fell in love in the way Clapton's Blackie looked like; black body, white pickguard and maple fingerboard. My parents did buy me a Squier after a couple of DIY jobbies, and it was.... sunburst, tort and dark fingerboard. Looked classic enough, but I'll be honest, I did not like the look of that guitar; I did put a white pickguard on it eventually, I think I also tried black a'la SRV, but never worked me. Years later, when I wasn't really into playing any more, my friend-drummer made me create a band with him and I needed a guitar that doesn't go out of tune every 2 minutes. Couldn't afford any kind of Fender Strat, so I somehow ended up with an Ibanez RG. BUT it was black, had maple fingerboard, and although pickguard was (still is!) gold, which I thought of replacing until I saw it in person. I have this guitar to this day, I love the way it looks, and unlike the Squier, it did make me play WAAAAY more. It was basically my comeback-to-playing guitar. It's still the best playing guitar I own, and stays in tune for WEEKS!

[@rowbags3017]

Thanks Rhett. That's a really useful overview. It's often said that we're in a golden age when it comes to guitars - and I think that's true, because high quality instruments are incomparably more affordable than when I began playing back in the '70s. I've taken full advantage of this over the last few years to "fill in some of the blanks", buying styles of guitars which had always interested me, but which I couldn't previously afford to take a gamble on. Some might criticise that as GAS - but buying a bunch of different guitars has opened up a mass of tone possibilities, and I kept them all. It's also resulted in me finding my "Number 1"; a Tone Fox Elcaster Mk.1 - essentially, a short-run affordable custom-shop quality T-style with P-90s. It's been my go-to for pretty much everything since the day it arrived - and I'm writing as someone who didn't own a T-style for probably 40+ years after starting playing!

[@robfrasier9412]

100% agree on buying a guitar you love looking at and having it nearby ready to play.

[@glenbateman5960]

Solid body Strat, HSS. My absolute favorite after 48 years of playing.

[@badGamr]

In 1980 I decided it was time to buy an electric. Since my hero (page) played an LP, I shopped for a used one for a few months until I found a 77 LPC with a maple top and maple fretboard. $300 and done. I played it as my #1 until 2010. Got a nice xmas bonus from work and decided to treat myself to another electric and I went down to Norm's and played a bunch until I picked up a 2000 Am Std Tele - Swamp ash body, maple fretboard - Plugged it in and played it for about 10 minutes. Took it up to the counter and bought it. I have not touched the LPC since that day. I wish I had known that the guitar that was REALLY the one that was right for me was a tele. Part of that is neck scale as I have giant hands... And, hey, Pagey plays a Tele too :)

[@nohillforahighstepper]

Great advise. 40+ years ago, when I started playing, I picked the guitar by listening to famous guitarists and then I bought a guitar that was similar to what my ear liked. 50+ guitars later, I discovered that my ear is never consistant in what it likes to hear. Playing and owning guitars is a never-ending marathon of choices that can quickly turn into a curse....lol. I have discovered, over the years, that I love a classic single-coil tone pushing a tube amp. But I own lots of other options for those days when a single-coil just doesn't feel right. My best advice is this: it really doesn't matter which one you choose. Buy the one that "speaks" to you and you can't leave the store without it. However, whatever you choose, learn to make it sound great. And have fun while you do it... 😊😊😊

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Having played/ dabbled in guitar these past 40 years, yeah. Find the one(s) you're excited to play. When I was heavily into punk rock, it didn't matter, it just needed to make noise and be loud. A few years after that, they needed to have a certain look. Finally, I'm pursuing tone, and have a decent collection. Like tools in a toolbox. I still have an affinity for pawn shop guitars... Good vid, and good information. Thank you for doing what you do 🙏🏻🤍💛

[@mikewithers299]

Same here. When I started playing in my early years it was about looks, then feel, now it's more about the tones and being versatile for different genres. I will always love my LP's, but a Tele and several strats wandered into my life and I love them all. But my favorite is an hss that hits all the tones I need. Pawn shops are my number one source btw, but I carefully look them over to make sure I can fix/tweak them the way I need them

[@stuarttallmadge6882]

I bought my first guitar, a ‘79 strat back in 1983 at 14. Needless to say I had small hands. Looking back, learning on a longer scale length helped me develop more finger strength and stretch. Do you kids with small hands, don’t be afraid is a strat.

[@antoonhermans8953]

Rhett has forgotten to mention that overtime ones taste can or will change , i have been playing guitar for over 40 years now and used to be an strat / lp player but that has changed the last 5- 10 years , i have become an tele / ES 335 player , so i sold my strat and lp and do not miss them at all . The only constant factor has always been my acoustic guitar .

[@daffe72]

After 35 years, it boils down to this : the guitar’s neck. I’ll get to enjoy any guitar if the neck feels right. And I find I don’t sound really different from one guitar to another.

[@seanbaines]

Very good. It packs a lot into just 12 minutes, and I realize that time was probably why more things aren't in here. But in an ideal world, there are a few other things I'd like to see. I'd like to see some some reference to the modern guitar types, and how they have changed some of the "fender vs Gibson" dynamic. PRS and "modernizing" the basic Gibson humbucker concept with lighter weight, easier playability, adding a vibrato bar to it. Trying to find the sweet spot between Gibvson and Fender, in some ways, correcting the early flaws in both classic companies' designs that they can't themselves correct because the designs are now iconic. But a lot of people flock to these more modern versions of the classic electric guitar concepts. Or how 'bout Ibanez (and Jackson and ESP), and the advent of the shredder's "Superstrat". That combo of comfortable Strat inspired body, high output humbucker power with no hum, 25.5" scale length tension and chime, super fast playable neck, very low action, flatter fingerboard radius, and Floyd Rose style vibrato setups with strings anchored at both ends. These are options that many gravitate to, and not just shredders and virtuosos. Some beginners and beginner-intermediates love the very low action because it is so easy to fret notes. They make a lot of people feel more comfortable and, as Rhett says, excited to play. It would also help to refer to the Gretsch world of humbuckers, the filtertrons. They, like P90's, can sit somewhere in the middle between classic single coils and classic humbuckers. There's no hum, but you can get some real sing out of them, and some real clarity. They can play jazz, blues, rock, country, all kinds of things. Very versatile. Yes, I realize that this would mean the video would be 20 minutes, not 12. Or there can be a part 2. I think it might be worth it. Just a thought.

[@Bosch_Bosch]

After watching a video on how the type of wood does not influence the tone and another that different woods especially for the neck work different under changing weather conditions I think that Rhett should have included these types of aspects in choosing an instrument as well.

[@melo_]

I really like how you approach this guitar type thing at the end. I think picking something that really investigates you and makes you curious about it is not only a good longtime choice but also keeps your motivation up. Like you said, you want to play just because you're happy to see that thing. Thanks!

[@arbarrro]

When i bought my first electric guitar (besides the cheap Epiphone guitar i had in college) I looked up what the guitarists from my three favorite bands used. Doug Martch from built to spill plays a strat, Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo plays a strat, Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse plays some weird custom thing i couldn't afford. I went and got a Mexican strat off craigslist, and though I've got a couple more electrics now i still play that strat over 95% of the time.

[@lemon__j]

That's an interesting point, and helpful. Thanks!

[@eliasmsv3156]

This can be a big factor honestly. A lot of guitar buying is mind games. If your idols play a certain guitar, you’ll likely find yourself identifying or “relating” to that idol when playing their style of guitar. My Scofield signature makes me think of an idol when I play and that is cool

[@andreasjohansson1990]

Page played a Telecaster in the early Zeppelin days though :)

[@justindlc]

Had to check to see if anyone said this yet 😅

[@sim5972]

And it was awesome

[@leonardodelgado7573]

That tele alone sold more les pauls than any other les paul

[@padawan9127]

​@Justin de la Cruz there's always one. Also, champagne can only be called champagne if it's from the region😅😅😅

[@samright4661]

Page Switched to a Les Paul tho. Teles was a production Guitar. Les Paul wasn’t genius

[@bkmeahan]

I think no matter where you are in your guitar journey, having a guitar or guitars that excite you and make you want to play are important. With amps and pedals and modelers, you can get a ton of different sounds out of a guitar so you don't need to worry so much about I want to play floyd so I need a strat. or I want to play Steve Vai so I need an Ibanez, or Jimmy Page, Santana, or whatever. Some of my most fun sessions are doing things like playing Gilmour on an SG or playing Rock Bottom on a Casino. I have bought guitars that I was "supposed to have" for a certain style or that I wanted to flush out my collection. Fortunately, every guitar I have gets me excited to play it and I generally swap guitars every day. Some, like my Cordoba Stage are so out there that I really don't know what to do with them yet, but still enjoy playing it even if I'm limited with what I can make it do.

[@synonyx]

Welp, now I finally understand why it's easier for me to play a Les Paul vs. a Strat. Scale Length. Nice video Everett!

[@ronhutcherson9845]

Rhett, I started 6 months ago and your advice helped guide my starting choice. It was great advice 👍 I would add one more thing for new players: Don’t pay much attention to tone comparison videos. It will be a long time before you can play well enough for it to matter.

[@markmcdonald5711]

Leave the guitar stock, get a good low wattage amp.

[@Schmidtty1974]

Spend your first months and years learning techniques! Players spend years chasing tones! That is a rabbit hole you never come back from!

[@LuLeBe]

@@Schmidtty1974 With any of the modeling practice amps these days, be that a THR10, a Spark, Fender Mustang or whatever of that kind, you can get various great tones anyways. I do think that something like that is a good investment since a tone you like makes you wanna play.

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

@@LuLeBe Very very true, plus -- as I found out the hard way -- when your gear naturally sounds muddy or indistinct, you'll come to a point where you're struggling to tell what parts of your playing you need to improve on.

[@rodmorgan7041]

I have a Srat, a PRS, a Les Paul Studio, and a Les Paul Standard. My favourite is my Strat, and I've always had one since I started playing (45 years ago), because Hendrix had one. Over the past 10 years I got the Les Paul to try different sounds then the PRS. And they are all unique just as you say. But you can get away with one guitar now and have that amp that will sound like any guitar you want. But it's nice seeing 4 lovely guitars on my stand.

[@billyslide7645]

The guitars I’ve kept over the years are the ones with I have an emotional connection. The ones I love to play. I have single coils, I’ve hum buckets and p90s. I’ve sold great guitars that I frankly did get along with; not bad guitars, just like someone who isn’t going to be a close friend.

[@EggTamago7]

Great video! I'd add one teensy qualifier on the "you can play anything on anything" idea. If you want to play metal and get something in the ballpark of the metal sound you probably have in your head... you should consider a humbucker in the bridge position. Metal can be played on a single coil in the bridge and it can sound great (Wintersun was on a Tokai Telecaster, Loathe uses a baritone Jazzmaster), but it will sound noticeably different. All that aside, I like that this video emphasizes that this stuff can take some time to figure out. I learned early on that I tended more toward S-type bodies, a 25.5" scale, and a bridge humbucker (see above heh), but then went through a midrange HSS Strat and multiple superstrats from multiple brands, sold all but a 7 string in the process... only to come back to a higher end HSS Strat. It feels more like home than anything else I've owned or tried out.

[@zachary963]

You know, I would think that a person would gravitate to things that look cool or exciting that their heroes play. You know? Like, my buddy loves playing hard rock and punk and blues stuff. He got an SG. He thinks it’s super cool and inspiring and he loves to play it and it happens to be associated with a lot of the music he likes. I, on the other hand, like Strat-style guitars, and a lot if that is because I would see my own heroes playing Strats or something similar on a lot of my favorite albums and in my favorite videos of them. My point being that the music you like will inform the look you think is cool which will lead you to get a guitar that, ultimately, works great for the music you want to make.

[@masterplaster6121]

A great idea to summarize the basic knowledge in these fields. Fast and interesting with great audio!

[@tomblaze2]

I still can’t decide / single coil strats, teles with humbuckers, SGs/Les Paul’s/ES-335 - I vibe and love them all

[@roofkorean6948]

Check out the PRS Swamp Ash Special, it looks pretty versatile. It has both a neck and bridge humbucker with a 3-way selector switch, but it also has a single coil in the middle of the humbuckers. You activate it by pulling the tone knob and it gives you 3 additional tones with the selector switch with the neck humbucker split so it gives you a Strat/Tele sound. I believe they're limited edition guitars though so don't think about it too long.

[@jessejordache1869]

Also, where the pickups are screwed in and where the strings are wired through makes a difference. Exhibit A: The stratocaster's pickups are screwed to the plastic of the scratch guard, and the strings go from the metal of the tuners to the metal of the tremolo bridge. Exhibit B: The telecaster's pickups are screwed right into the wood, and the strings go from the tuners, then through the body where they're braced against the wood on the back. If you have access to both, just play the bridge pickup with identical controls dialed in. People's tastes differ, but to me, the strat's bridge pickup sounds ultra brittle, while the telecaster's bridge pickup sounds like a rhythm guitarist's dream. Unfortunately, this stuff isn't printed on the specs, so if you want to know how the pickups and strings are wired on a Sire H7, and I do, I have to get one in my hands.

[@ShinyShinyBlack]

The "problem" mentioned at 2:20 is actually a strength in the era of lower volume stages! I play live with a Gretsch Black Phoenix for this exact reason - even if I need to attenuate my Princetons, I can still play with the feedback quite a bit, but it's never been too uncontrolled (unlike some of the other hollowbodied guitars I've played).

[@chrismaxwell1624]

I bought my first electric. It's Donnor that has a single humbucker and 2 single coil pickups with 5 way switch. Liked the look and price of it is why I got it. I've never seen that but the guy at guitar store told it's great starter guitar due the humbucker and single coil as it can produce wide range of sounds.

[@MarioPerez-nf8ld]

Amo la TELECASTER por varios motivos... Más sencilla, sólo 3 posiciones y te centras más en tocar. Tocas todo... blues, rock, pop etc... Menos peso, si buscas una telecaster de pino a de "ash light". Te centras en tocar y no en obtener 15 sonidos diferentes. GRACIAS POR SU VIDEO, UN SALUDO DESDE ESPAÑA.

[@georgelacy1332]

This is great and important fundamental info. I would like to also add this - The Neck style! - it's something I Never even considered. I played a Yamaha acoustic for years and being left handed I never had much opportunity to sample different guitars or ever thought about the neck style. As far as I knew they were all the same. Fast forward some decades...I bought some electric Guitars and I discovered that neck styles do vary and I know now that I definitely have a preference. Some 6 string necks are thick (in depth - not width) and some are thin. Just as a personal preference I know now - I don't care for the thicker necks - which ironically was the style of the Yamaha I played for years. So now I look for a thin style neck. Necks are critically important to playing because it's the part of the guitar you actually touch and hold on to.

[@dylanadams1455]

I'm also a lefty and found that I really like the thinner necks. Comes from having a really bad cheap Strat and then getting my first nice guitar, an Ibanez RG. It was a revelation, I was suddenly a much better player because I didn't have to fight so much trying to play fast riffs and licks. I have a Les Paul type guitar too, a Yamaha AES, but it just doesn't work for me.

[@kiragina.7152]

I went with an Epiphone Casino Coupe seven years ago. Feedback is a feature, not a bug. Best guitar if you can only have one.

[@richardofgalveston]

I appreciate the detailed explanations of the variations and how they affect how the guitar sounds. I don't think there is anyone else giving this much information.

[@black-xg3gz]

Rhett, you are the P90 of instructional videos. Great job again!

[@SH-fm5eu]

Guitars have never been this affordable with this level of build quality, you need em all, ALL!

[@logicalsix3736]

When I started I wanted to play like SRV so I wanted a strat but when I went to the store I picked up a les Paul to explore my other choices and fell in love with the feel and sound and never looked back

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

Ibanez RGs (I have 4 of them), they looks sick, play smoothly, and sound great.

[@spacemissing]

Yes, leaving an instrument out so it is visible Does invite more playing, but believe me when I say that did Not result in Me getting better. If anything, I got stuck in mediocrity because I had no guidance and little ambition to learn different styles. Still, there was some benefit derived because playing is in itself enjoyable.

[@dmac3316]

Solid video. I think you hit all the key points. Really informative and good for introductory education to reinforcing why we play these things. Cool points on feel and wanting to pick up a guitar and play it. Crucial points esp for younger, newer players.

[@absolutacoustic8878]

For me after I had been playing the electric guitar for a few years I would notice that the guitar sound I liked the most was the Strat mostly through a Marshall. Whenever I listened to Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher and guitarists from Aussie bands such as Ian Moss from Cold Chisel, they all played a strat and most of them through a Marshall. So that's how I decided to get a strat and a marshall which I have now been playing and performing through for many years. The only exception was the sound Eric Clapton got when he was with the Bluesbeakers and Cream when he used Gibsons through a Marshall, no other Gibson player spoke to me. So my advice to a new player would be what sound do you like, then get that sort of set up.

[@fredcollier1299]

Rhett - your videos are always informative and well thought out. Even though I'm an experienced player and have played for many years I enjoyed this thoroughly - nice job!

[@johnblack3313]

You get the one that inspires you to play, for me it was a Les Paul, the SG is easier to play but the LP inspires me!

[@Ten80pete]

This! 100%. For me, it's my Peavey Exp Signature. Don't get me wrong, I Love my Fender, ESP, Alvarez and my SG, my LP, and especially my Frankenstein Tele that I got for $90 at a pawn shop, but when I pick up my Peavey and play through my B-52 AT112 (also a very affordable sleeper amp), it keeps me wanting to play. For me, versatility is the motivating factor.

[@glacierwookie]

For me...Jaguar. Jaguar is the right type guitar for me! Good video Rhett

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

For the last year or so I've been playing... something that's at least adjacent to industrial metal... on a Gretsch semihollow, and it's the best I've ever felt on an instrument. Not exactly the guitar I expected to fall in love with, especially in this style, but the warmth of the sound gives it a unique character even through heavy distortion, and it feels good, and I've done exactly like you say -- set it up in my room on a stand so that it's always inviting me. It's not even about how it looks, it's just knowing how good it sounds and feels every time I see it. Certainly not the picture that comes to mind if you just listen to the stuff I'm recording with it, but it just goes to show, sometimes you need to play around and think outside the box to find what's right for you. Since it arrived last summer I've barely played any of my other three -- the only other one that's gotten any real use is the seven-string, and that's just 'cause there's some things I want the extra string for :)

[@benjaminnavarro865]

Just a note on the scale length: you can use different string gauges to get different string tensions. So I wouldn't really choose a scale length to get some string tension as that can be modified. But the shorter neck, sure, that's a valid point. And if you are smaller or have some physical limitations, you can also find shorter scale lengths than the Gibson's one and have a guitar that is easier to play. That's even more true for basses where the default scale length is much longer than a typical guitar.

[@Brotelho]

Telecaster. The answer is always Telecaster. That's the right guitar. Always. lol Honestly, most people with a life long affection for guitar will most likely get all of them.

[@fistmcstrongpunch2776]

I've recently started buying a guitar a year since I've gotten financially on track and bought a house with a new career I started a couple years ago. I just bought a PRS Hollowbody SE in Faded blue burst. What a beauty. Why choose just one type? Work hard and buy one of each. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you love the look of the guitar and you feel it when you play it, buy it if you have the means. I remember how much it sucked not to be able to afford the gear you want. I was 36 before I got to this point. Don't give up folks.

[@BrianBrazilHarmonica]

Hey Rhett Shull, There are a couple of points you could have mentioned. They are the profile of the back of the neck (that is it's shape) and the radius or (curvature) of the fret board. It has an affect on how your hands feel around the neck. On the first 2 Led Zepplen albums Jimmy Page was actually using the Telecaster he was given by Jeff Beck. He later used a Les Paul model.

[@DJFreshJuice]

This video was sooo helpful and that speech at the end really adds. Thank you!

[@aaaargl]

One more important feature to decide on is the type of bridge you'd want. Fixed or with a trem? This will also effect the playability, the way the guitar handles and definately has pros and cons. As you righfully said, when you've got the basic features set, you can start to figure out what really is the perfect guitar for oneself.

[@fargoflagrant7796]

I always just tell people to get the guitar they think is cooler. I think helps with motivation in the early days.

[@Petrolpelican]

Rhett you are awesome. Your funk guitar course piqued my interest so sharply that I had to pause the video to go and buy it. I've been a subscriber for a while and always enjoyed your vids and channel. I'm also blazing my way through Dipped in Tone, its so fun to hang out with you and Zach. Keep up the amazing work, don't let any rude dudes keep you down! Love from Minneapolis, MN❤

[@mortonwilson795]

Great overview! My first electric was a 1968 Les Paul Custom I bought in 1974 and that was 'it' for several years - still have it. Early 80's I got a Japanese made Roland Strat (it came with their new guitar synth pedal) and I loved it. Still happy to switch from one to the other depending on what I'm recording. I recently bought a Duesenberg Starplayer because I wanted to try a semi-acoustic electric & also a Casino because I wanted to be a Beatle! Enjoying the different vibe these 2 give me. Whatever feels right makes sense to me! 😀

[@jaredburns88]

I’ve been literally going back and forth on my second guitar for like 4 months. This video was perfect. Thanks for the content, brother.

[@sallgoodman2323]

Same here. I'm looking at trying a different style of guitar.

[@samthebarber93]

I feel at home on my old Strat but have and old Mustang that just has something I can’t get from anything else. And then I pick up my Gretsch and that thing just forces me to play different which is always good. It really depends what sound I’m after. I’ll sit and get to know whatever guitar you give me. They all have their own character and having a few to choose from is always a great way to utilise different sounds in your music. My advice would be to just enjoy every guitar you play and see where the feel and tone of the instrument take you naturally 😁

[@epicwhovian]

Such a great video! I’ve been playing for 20+ years and I give the same advice to new players - get a guitar you’re excited about! Learn songs you’re excited to play. Sure, scales and theory are important but also tedious. In the beginning just put your hands on the guitar as often as possible! Easiest way to do that is to make it fun and exciting.

[@xodiaq]

Made me feel old! We used to buy what we could afford and if we hated it we’d trade with somebody who hated theirs until you ended up with one you liked. Pawn shop guitars FTW. Also, you should play hollowbody more often!

[@colecashiola3856]

RHETT!!! THE NEW QUALITY AND FILM STYLE OF THE VIDEOS IS KICK ASS!!! Keep it up!!

[@BrianBrazilHarmonica]

I started seriously taking guitar lesson and was on a search for the right guitar about 2 years ago. I went through 6 guitars in that time and finally settled on a Sterling by Music Man Albert Lee HH model guitar. The guitar's resonance unplugged was loud. The weight, balance, neck profile, neck radius and frets all felt perfect the fist time I played it. The pickups sounded great, the tuning machines worked fine the nut was cut right and the bridge didn't bother my picking hand neither did the location of the pickup switch or controls. I like it so much I bought another. Just a different color. In May, 2023 Sterling is releasing a new model with P90s in 3 new colors. I'm tempted to buy one because I like P90s and would love to have them in the guitar model I already own. I still have a 72 Thin Line Telecaster and the Epiphone ES 339 but there's always room for one with P90s.

[@ADHDandD]

Sterlings are great, I’ve had a CT30 HSS Cutlass for a few years and it’s still my favorite guitar I’ve ever played

[@GhostofMozart]

As somebody who's been playing for close to 15 years now, another thing I would add is your style and preference can change. And that's OK! I've been anti-singlecoil and strat-tele my whole life and the past few years I genuinely think I'm falling in love with them. Saving up for one now.

[@CellZealot]

All of them...but seriously, nothing beats a full hollowbody for purity of tone, feel and esthetic appeal of a "real" guitar. Ultimately, you're going to want at least one of each type...and then there's acoustics too. I just got an Epiphone "Inspired By Gibson" 335 a few weeks ago and after fixing all the fretboard and setup issues from the factory it's an amazing guitar and I can't put it down. I have had my Gibson 175 for 40 years and this guitar is just as nice in many ways and different enough that it's a revelation to play and very gratifying. An incredible value...this really is a golden age for affordable performance grade guitars. You don't have to spend a fortune to scratch the itch and explore new sounds and styles.

[@thebenefactor6744]

Me too with the IBG epiphone 335. A truss rod 'n' saddle height tweek, and that thing is Lifeson in a bottle. Can't get enough of that sugar crisp!

[@CellZealot]

@@thebenefactor6744 I spent a couple hours polishing the frets, buffing out and oiling the laurel fretboard, satinizing the poly on the neck with 0000 steel wool and doing a full setup. That's considerable work but it's nearly perfect now and sounds and plays beautifully. Unbelievable...they really nailed it...

[@thebenefactor6744]

@Cell Zealot yeah bruh,! The fretwork's above my pay grade, although, you never know in the future. But linseed oil on the board and the tweeks.....this thing delivers harmonic overtones like nothing else I own; clean, dirty; I love it. Knowing how good these things are (and having bought the same series epiphone 50's LP within the same week too), I'm just jonesin' for a lefty IBG firebird now. I hope they maintain this line like the Squier CVs.

[@CellZealot]

It's true...the thing sings...I swear it's plugged in sometimes when playing acoustically and it makes sounds that just sort of leap out of it and make me look down like "WTF was that!?".

[@thebenefactor6744]

@Cell Zealot yeah, I can honestly say this beaut is straight up improving my playing, and training my ear. It's giving me more overtones, and the pups are so touch sensitive that I'm learning new finger subtleties to control and manipulate the tone. They say it's all in the fingers, but what they don't tell you is that you have to have pups that deliver the sonic palette first. Anyhoo, now you're getting me hot under the collar to cut work early and plug in. Dude, I've been running this thing through a microcube, ffs, for the last few days and it's jaw dropping. Toodles.

[@wallybonejengles5595]

I came up a strat. When I lost my first guitar i spent a few years playing fingerstyle acoustic. (had it for a decade i was crushed.) I eventually got a Tele. I love it. It plays Reggae, Blues, Emo. Funk and Jazz. It does everything but Djent. Which suits me as i prefer to play with my fingers. They really are timeless guitars. End of the day you gotta just find what feels right. My 600 dollar Tele keeps up with my roomies 10 k signature model. And it has never given me issues. I set it up when I got it, checked intonation, and it hasn't failed me since. "If you can't divebomb, learn to Slide." -Wally Bones

[@sixstringsensei6673]

I have owned alot of great guitars during my 34 years as a guitarist. No matter what i try or buy I always go back to Gibson. It is a nostalgia thing that takes me back to my earliest days of lessons and dreaming of owning a real Les Paul at the store i took lessons at

[@8KilgoreTrout4]

I used to chase signature models for all of my guitar life.. After 20+ years I bought a guitar that suites my hands and play style and musical preferences and I just wish I did that sooner!

[@reneaceves8820]

The Jazzmaster fat single coil pickup deserves a mention, almost a blend of single and humbucker.

[@mattclark1278]

GREAT advice. I always wanted to love the Gib/Epi 24.75" scale length and sound, but realized after a long time my body just 'likes' the longer scale length of a Fender-type product. I also fret them cleaner and despite different neck shapes across the 25.5" length they just fit my hands better. I've also realized (over time, because I'm kinda slow) that unless you have a really discriminating ear you can get verrrrry similar tones out of just about anything (or repurpose a guitar's inherent sound it to work for whatever genre of music) - and that makes getting the 'fit' so much more important than anything. You gotta feel good playing to want to play a lot. My go-to? Basic, simple, reliable knockaround T-styles (but all with belly cuts for my gut lol)...

[@iiLuminousii]

I’m going to get my first electric guitar today. Ima take these into consideration when at guitar center.

[@ramblinjay3816]

What did ya end up getting?

[@dustinsutton6166]

I've found, since buying my Firebird, that I love the mini humbucker sound.

[@jeremyallen4544]

Thanks for taking the time to make this mate, it was informative AND helpful. ❤

[@ALLNevada]

I’ve been on my path to find that one guitar i like and i found it at place i did not expect. I like to play alot of different genres, from blues to sludge. I allways tought single coils are out of question. But once i got fender strat i felt its that guitar for me. It can do everything for me, and with compression and effects it can do quite heavy stuff despite lacking humbuckers. Also strats are so easy to mod and its okay to slap some stickers on it not worrying about covering flamed maple top etc.

[@toneloke7489]

A Strat, an SG, and a acoustic has worked great for me just as an amature player in a apartment. Great video as always!

[@allendean9807]

I think you hit one a really good point, one I’ve always maintained over 45 years of playing; for many players, the guitar is a tool. And picking the right tool for the right job doesn’t necessarily mean owning 500 guitars. For myself, I’m primarily a songwriter- so i have a small, but important mix of guitars that work for the given styles i emulate. Surprisingly, my go to writing guitar is a 2009 Schecter, that most people can find online for 3-500.00… for me, it’s perfect. Other Players, however, might just love having a ton of different guitars that inspire them, and are aesthetically pleasing to touch, view and enjoy. There is the beauty of the instrument; it’s in the eyes of the players. If i were to tell my young self anything, it would be this; “Don’t go in for fads. Don’t pick the next ‘hot’ guitar. And, because you play lefty, prepare to NEVER get to try out anything at the NAMM show!!” Hehe This is a great video- your content never disappoints

[@randybecker7339]

Very well said Rhett! And don't forget the same subjectivity applies with acoustic guitars as well. Great video!

[@MrsLana92]

I've been playing guitar since around 2006. I've had my fair share of guitars, but recently was looking at getting a custom headless guitar. I had no idea what the different pickups sounded like so this is very informative to me!

[@jairocampo1992]

I’m more and more becoming a fan of Rhett’s guitar playing style. Really cool player

[@DKN-nr7nv]

Fantastic cinematography in the new studio, Rhett

[@MrZombastic]

so ive been playing now for 3 months daily with the fender tele of my dad. It was cool and i like playing but it just didnt get me as excited. My dad recently bought a les paul 50s standard and said if i keep playing daily i can use it. I cant walk past this thing without playing even if just 10 minutes. The feel of the easy bends and the distinct sound with sustain without changing the amp is so beautiful to me. My dad is the man :) So i agree completely, buy that what makes you wanna play it.

[@davedavem]

When I first wanted a guitar, in 1994 aged 10, there was no KZbin. Thankfully, there was also very little to choose from! Black Strat copy. Job done. Great video!

[@ropehitch]

Very informative. Great video. I had been lacking this information in my search for my first electric guitar. What I have gleened is that, just like a pair of pants, you should get the most comfy ... this way you will actually get into it.

[@brownpunk1794]

Sometimes the guitar "chooses" you...its true❤

[@mercse]

Another great video! I'm including your links on my site for my clients. You have a great way of getting the information across in a very positive manner. Keep up the great work Rhett!!

[@perrytheplatypus5047]

also: the more you like the subjective parts of your guitar, the more you’ll want to play it! i wasted multiple years with a crappy Epiphone Les Paul, that came as part of a gig bag set, that was all totaled about $200. now i have a beautiful Yamaha Pacifica w a light wood finish and a dark red pickguard. the thing is literally lusting me into playing it

[@thseed7]

Love these sorts of videos. Nothing I didn't know in this one but it was presented very well and will be great for new players trying to find a guitar for them. I can't wait to see what else you've got for us like this.

[@okimotdm]

Don’t forget comfort is not just the weight and feel. It’s also if u are going to be upset when you get a gash in the neck or scratch the paint or hit the headstock on the ceiling taking it off. Life happens. If u are worried someone will walk out of the bar with your #1 guitar or can’t jump because u are uptight about the finish then it may not be for ur best purchase.

[@dennispaguio]

Happened to me too. Had a brand new guitar and hit the headstock on the ceiling when I first took it off. That changed the way I take off my guitars from then on. Lol. Cheap but nicely made guitars are easier to pick up and play all the time because of this reason.

[@Jokerman518]

I got a 50's classic vibe tele that changed everything last year. It made me almost sell all my other guitars lol. That 9.5 fret board radius was the chefs kiss. But anyways, I still love and play my Ibanez's and Gretsch just as much as the tele.

[@rsza5911]

This is the most relevant video I've watched in a while......well done

[@fordsrestorations970]

I looked at over 40 stratocasters none of them spoke to me. Then one day I walked in and accidentally picked up one as I was walking down the aisle.... instantly I knew it was the size that fit me and that I had control over the sound to make it sound like a broadcaster Telecaster Stratocaster or any other. It does have a humbucker on it so I can actually go that way also. Always buy the one that fits you and feels like extension of your body along with good looks

[@jasonlee8497]

Rhett, you have a bunch of cool guitars I would love to have. But for my budget I’m happy to have a couple of good, slightly upgraded Strats.