"Classic" Gear

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:17 pm

i'd say for it to be classic it has to be pretty much ubiquitous.

i can't name a single person who plays a parker fly or a bc rich.
on the flipside if you asked a metalhead to name a person who play a jag they'd probably come up dry too, save for maybe teh kurdtz.

we'd both be able to rattle off a list of people who play strats or LPs.
both of them are iconic and recognisable to people who aren't musicians too.

SG, LP, tele, strat.

damienblair17 · Post by **damienblair17** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:48 pm

Hofner Viola (Beatle) Bass.

BoringPostcards · Post by **BoringPostcards** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:20 pm

I feel like the jag and jazzy are becoming more recognized lately as a classic design. 10 years ago nobody knew what I was talking about, but nowadays the average joe would usually say at least "oh yea that funny shaped one with the soapbars," or "yea those surfer guitars" They were the flagships of the surf scene and the indorock movement as well as key 'grunge' and 'postpunk' instruments. Johnny Cash's main man's favourite guitar was a Jazzmaster, Elvis costello, Rick Ocasek of the Cars, they were always seen in there somewhere.
From a players point of view I would say that any of the old Danelectro and Supros are also indeed classics, as well as pretty much the majority of Rickenbacker designs from the 60s and 70s. I don't know. . the whole Fender/Gibson thing takes too much of the focus here I think. I don't think it's that black and white.
I agree that any non musician would not recognize many of these over a strat or an LP, which are arguably the most known guitars of all time, however in the music community they're all very well known instruments with each a 50 year run.

ah, whatev

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:39 pm

Mike wrote:
Fran wrote:Srsly, I dont think you can count Jags, Jazzys, Dano's, Explorers and such as some people mentioned as they are'nt the main 'classics'.
I agree. I think guitars and amps that are classed as Classics should be ones that even people that don't play or enthuse about guitars understand and recognise.

Everyone knows what a Strat and a Les Paul, a Telecaster and an ES-335 looks like. Everyone knwos what an SG looks like.

People know about Marshall stacks, Vox amps (via the Beatles) and I'm sure most people recognise the Fender Twin with it's silver grillcloth and blackface. The definition can be debated, but that is how I interpret it and things like the Explorer just don't fit into it, the edge might play one but to be honest only guitar nerds associate that guitar with him, since he switches so often a layman ain't gonna recognise it. I was talking guitar stuff in a cab to Brighton on the weekend to this older bloke who knew his shit about LOADS of crap (everyone else in the cab was really bored), and as soon as I said I played Jaguars we were both on the same page about them - they are idiosyncratic oddball guitars. They were commercial flops.

They are not Classics.

Bang on.
I walked into a crappy shop the other week that sold all sorts of nick-nacks, they had some small ornamental guitars and guitar clocks. Guess what models?
Strat and Les Paul.

Its just us lot that think Offsets and stuff are classics, most people would'nt know a Jag from a Jazzy and only associate the shape with bands like Nirvana.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:52 pm

exactly.
i brought my jaguar to my friends house, thinking he'd know what guitar it is (he's a guitarist.)
and i was greeted with:
WTF is that thing?

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:00 pm

i remember i was playing my jag unplugged in the kitchen once in halls at uni and the guitarist guy who lived up the hall came in to cook dinner.
after looking at the guitar with a slightly confused look he looked at the headstock and went "oh it's a fender!".

offsets are just off the radar to a certain subset of guitarists.

Chicago Mike · Post by **Chicago Mike** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:56 pm

Mike wrote:The Classic or Timeless Guitars:

Stratocaster, Les Paul, Telecaster, ES-335, SG

Classic Amplifiers:

Marshall Plexi
Marshall JCM800
Vox AC30
Fender Twin
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+

Classic Pedals:

Fuzz Face
Big Muff
Crybaby
Phase 90

*fixed*

analogsystem · Post by **analogsystem** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:38 pm

Mike wrote:The Classic or Timeless Guitars:

Stratocaster, Les Paul, Telecaster, ES-335, SG

Classic Amplifiers:

Marshall Plexi
Marshall JCM800
Vox AC30
Fender Twin
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV

Classic Pedals:

Fuzz Face
Big Muff
Crybaby
Phase 90

Pretty darn close to what I'd say.

I'd add

Acoustics:
-Martin D-18
-Gibson Jumbo (like Elvis Played)

-remove SG....and add the Rickenbacker

-remove the Mesa Boogie
-merge all marshalls into one category "Marshall stack"
-Tweed Deluxe

-Tubescreamer
-Remove Phase 90

-P bass

IroniaSudby · Post by **IroniaSudby** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:09 pm

analogsystem wrote:
Mike wrote:The Classic or Timeless Guitars:

Stratocaster, Les Paul, Telecaster, ES-335, SG

Classic Amplifiers:

Marshall Plexi
Marshall JCM800
Vox AC30
Fender Twin
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV

Classic Pedals:

Fuzz Face
Big Muff
Crybaby
Phase 90
Pretty darn close to what I'd say.

I'd add

Acoustics:
-Martin D-18
-Gibson Jumbo (like Elvis Played)

-remove SG....and add the Rickenbacker

-remove the Mesa Boogie
-merge all marshalls into one category "Marshall stack"
-Tweed Deluxe

-Tubescreamer
-Remove Phase 90

-P bass

You cant remove the SG because it is one of the 4 prominent and most used electric guitars, or most popular.

People will not know a Rickenbacker as well as they do an SG.

clarkbar · Post by **clarkbar** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:30 pm

yea i'll second that motion. the SG is used in so many genres, makes sense that its well known. I mean i first saw it in the movie "The School of Rock" for cying out loud! Funny too because all of my friends, that bought epiphones, (for startups guitars) bought the SG. (probably a price thing)

izodiak · Post by **izodiak** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:53 pm

I heard about the SG trough The Doors guitarst (Robby Krieger).

When I started to play and knew nothing about guitars, the first ones I got introduced
where Gibson LP, everyone said - there is no better guitar!
and the second was Stratocaster..
about amps, the Marshall.. I always thought it was so cool, until I tried some amps and understood, that
only the more expensive ones are nice.. (maybe these are the things, cause I began with the 'classic rock' and Hendrix,Led Zeppelin all where about Marshalls and LP's, Stratocasters.. at least the most photographed thing)

But then I began to dig up more interesting gear, so here I am.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:14 pm

James wrote:I might be wrong as I know next to nothing about acoustics, but it's the dreadnought.

aye. in terms of every dreadnaught i've ever played, they are all direct rip-off's of this iconic guitar. play one. it's the god damn most pleasant thing you'll ever hear.

analogsystem · Post by **analogsystem** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:46 am

IroniaSudby wrote:
You cant remove the SG because it is one of the 4 prominent and most used electric guitars, or most popular.

People will not know a Rickenbacker as well as they do an SG.

**insert early Beatles based defense here**

Yarko · Post by **Yarko** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:27 am

analogsystem wrote:
IroniaSudby wrote:
You cant remove the SG because it is one of the 4 prominent and most used electric guitars, or most popular.

People will not know a Rickenbacker as well as they do an SG.
**insert early Beatles based defense here**

I knew what a rick bass looked like before I really got into guitars, so, keep it. and the sg.

analogsystem · Post by **analogsystem** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:22 pm

Yarko wrote:
analogsystem wrote:
IroniaSudby wrote:
You cant remove the SG because it is one of the 4 prominent and most used electric guitars, or most popular.

People will not know a Rickenbacker as well as they do an SG.
**insert early Beatles based defense here**
I knew what a rick bass looked like before I really got into guitars, so, keep it. and the sg.

Thanks for the vote man, but Paul played a Hofner bass. John Lennon played a Ricky 325 through 1965.

**uh oh, Beatles dorkism abound!

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:28 pm

analogsystem wrote:
Yarko wrote:
analogsystem wrote: **insert early Beatles based defense here**
I knew what a rick bass looked like before I really got into guitars, so, keep it. and the sg.
Thanks for the vote man, but Paul played a Hofner bass. John Lennon played a Ricky 325 through 1965.

**uh oh, Beatles dorkism abound!

He played a ric bass too.

analogsystem · Post by **analogsystem** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:32 pm

DanHeron wrote:
analogsystem wrote:
Yarko wrote: I knew what a rick bass looked like before I really got into guitars, so, keep it. and the sg.
Thanks for the vote man, but Paul played a Hofner bass. John Lennon played a Ricky 325 through 1965.

**uh oh, Beatles dorkism abound!
He played a ric bass too.

Only from 1965 off and on. They played a lot of guitars.....I think that there are only a few that they are really associated with....but that's another discussion.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:38 pm

If we're thinking of guitars everyone can immediately identify AND know the name of, then the Flying V can be added.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:09 pm

Shame it's so shit.

Post by **dots** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:30 pm

Will wrote:If we're thinking of guitars everyone can immediately identify AND know the name of, then the Flying V can be added.

agreed, and i'll add that it really depends on the circles you're running in. yeah, strats, LP's, sg's, and teles are pretty ubiquitous, but so is the V shape. and i'm appalled it took until the second page to pick up the gimme that the tube screamer is. whether it's respected here or not is completely irrelevant; that pedal has been on more boards in more versions and copied in more ways than the haters will ever admit, so it deserves to be recognized.

also: SHURE SM57 & SM58