# Giggers and Weekend Warriors: What Guitars Do You Take Onstage With You?



## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

I have a few guitars but lately I've noticed that I'll only take one to practices and three for shows.

Usually for practice I'll have my CS Strat but for shows, I'll bring said Strat along with my Jazzmaster and most of the time my Tele or a backup Strat depending on the setlist.

What's your onstage arsenal?


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

I usually bring one or two Strats depending on the gig. My daphne blue relic partscaster being my fav and one other Strat from my modest collection.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

I am constantly amazed at the number of guitars people carry with them for a gig, 3, 4, 5. Now I'm going back quite a while, when I started out there were not any off shore copies. I carried 1 electric and 1 acoustic both Gibson's thats all you could afford, it seems strange to see 1 guitarist on stage with more guitars than fellow musicians. I guess as Bob Dylan said the times they are a changing.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I take 2 to a gig, usually my Les Paul and Strat.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Usually 2 nowadays, my ES339 and LP Traditional.


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## OldGuitarPlayer (Feb 25, 2013)

I did a gig last night with my trio. I used a Squier CV50's BSB telecaster straight into a two tone tweed Fender Blues Jr. III amplifier. I don't have a backup and during our last song for the encore I broke my B string...show over!


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Finally, down to just one. It gives me everything I need.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Depends on the band. In my rock cover band I'll use my Tokai Love Rock as my #1 and have either my LP Standard, Epi 61 SG or 72 Tele Custom as my backup. For my Springsteen tribute, I'll play my HWY1 Strat and have my CV50 Tele as a backup. But I'll never take more than 2 guitars. I wish I could get away with one, since I almost never break a string, but I know the ONE day I don't take a backup, I'll pop one in the 1st set.


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## RobQ (May 29, 2008)

Depends on the band for me too. But for years my go-to as either the main or backup has been my G&amp;L S500, with a mini humbucker in the bridge. Swiss-army knife!

I generally bring two guitars. More than that seems to me like make-work!


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

My PRS SE or my Epi LP & a telecaster. That's all.
But I bring that "emergency kit" that Premier guitar mag set.
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazi...ical_Magic_and_the_Guitar_Gear_Medic_Bag.aspx


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

A charvel san dimas with a Floyd and an LP.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

For gigs, I usually carry a Gretsch Power Jet or a Ric 360. Add in either an old Strat or a Tele for backup and a Ric 330 12 string for those songs that just need a 12 string. For practices, I just grab whatever guitar is handy as I head for the door. I already know how I sound on stage so rehearsals are spent working on the notes.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

I've never taken less than 2 to a full band gig. It prevents a long wait for a string change if you break one. At this point I only have 3 guitars that are stage worthy, an Esquire, a tele and my Seagull acoustic. I'd bring and use them all for a band gig because they all have drastically different sounds in them. Solo acoustic I just bring the Seagull.


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## avalancheMM (Jan 21, 2009)

If I'm a bass player for the night, I bring one, either my 6 string Ibanez BTB, or my Steinberger Synapse. When I am on guitar all night, I bring two - an 80's Charvel, and Fender Tele. I played with a guy who honestly believed that the audience would be disappointed in his performance if he played one or two guitars for the whole night, he was bringing 10-12 guitars, multiple tunings, 4 strings in alternate tunings, etc. We arranged the set list as best as we could, to eliminate down time for guitar changes, he'd set one down, grab another, play the tuning song, forget what tuning each guitar was supposed to be in, etc, and he could not be reasoned with, we eventually parted ways. Really too bad, because the guy was a great singer, and a great player, just completely clueless about how a live performance should be. Anyway, don't be a prima donna!!!


Regards


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

avalancheMM said:


> If I'm a bass player for the night, I bring one, either my 6 string Ibanez BTB, or my Steinberger Synapse. When I am on guitar all night, I bring two - an 80's Charvel, and Fender Tele. I played with a guy who honestly believed that the audience would be disappointed in his performance if he played one or two guitars for the whole night, he was bringing 10-12 guitars, multiple tunings, 4 strings in alternate tunings, etc. We arranged the set list as best as we could, to eliminate down time for guitar changes, he'd set one down, grab another, play the tuning song, forget what tuning each guitar was supposed to be in, etc, and he could not be reasoned with, we eventually parted ways. Really too bad, because the guy was a great singer, and a great player, just completely clueless about how a live performance should be. Anyway, don't be a prima donna!!!
> 
> 
> Regards


holy crap, how big were these places you were playing? I can't imagine more than 2 or 3 guitars on a rack on the stages we normally play!


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## Petey D (Sep 8, 2011)

hollowbody said:


> holy crap, how big were these places you were playing? I can't imagine more than 2 or 3 guitars on a rack on the stages we normally play!


Yeah, what he said!

I'm no longer in a band, but when I did play out I usually brought two guitars with me. One in standard tuning, and one in drop d. I figured they backed each other up, it's pretty quick and easy to tune from drop d back up to standard and vice versa.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Back in the days of gigging I always carried two strats with me... both in standard tuning and generally only switched when I needed to due to a broken string.


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## plasticfishman (Dec 14, 2011)

I only ever bring two guitars, my Godin Icon is my number one and the Freeway Classic is my backup. I usually tune down the Freeway after 2nd set for the one drop D song we have in the 3rd set, and both have neck and bridge humbuckers with coil splits, so both are really quite versatile. Aside from alternate tunings, I could never understand anyone bringing more than 2 (maaaybe 3) guitars to a single gig. Find a couple guitars that cover most of the bases (at least) and you're good to go! At least, that's my way of thinking.


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## avalancheMM (Jan 21, 2009)

We are really blessed, as we almost exclusively play big shows and corporate gigs, so the stages are usually 24-30ft deep and 32-40 ft wide, so lots of room to stretch out, he used to bring one of those Rockstand guitar stands that hold 6, and one of those stand up wobbly jobby 6 footers. Don't even get me started on amps, he brought at least two, and most of the time, 3. And, to top it all off, we hardly ever play a 4 hour night, usually one set of 90 minutes or two hours straight through. Take your setup time and triple it. Brutal, brutal, brutal.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

loudtubeamps said:


> Finally, down to just one. It gives me everything I need.


Awesome guitar. I ended up with a Progression. Godin is outStrating Fender with these guitars.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

Two guitars - strat and SG


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## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

It's always 4 guitars for me. We have three different tunings which require at minimum three guitars and then one backup in Standard tuning. 
Here is what normally comes out:
2012 Fender EC Strat (standard tuning)
2005 Gibson Standard Faded (standard Tuning)
2011 Fender 50's RW Strat (E-flat)
Tele partscaster (DADF#AD)

I wish i could get away with just one!

Oh ya...two amps too!


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Always 2. Usually a Les Paul or MusicMan for humbucker stuff, and a Strat.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

In the cover band, recently split cover band that is, I used two or three of the following for gigs: Godin Progression, Gretsch Electromatic, Godin LG, Godin Richmond Belmont, Fender Telecaster Aerodyne, Ibanez Artcore, Fender Stratocaster. Usually a solid or two and a hollow. Also used a mandolin. Practices were at the singer's place so I rarely carried more than two there, though sometimes I'd leave an axe there.

In my fiddle/guitar duo I almost always use my '95 Beneteau 6 string acoustic, though sometimes carry a spare House 6 string acoustic, or a Beneteau 12 string for variety.

In the celtic/Irish roots group I use whatever I want because we practice at my place, but it's an acoustic act so it means a mix of House and Beneteau acoustics, Regal or Dobro resonators, and whatever else a song requires. For recordings, I've used digital keys (piano, strings, "choir", organ), autoharp, electric bass, banjos, bouzouki, etc, but that stuff rarely makes it to gigs as we have a keys/bass player now so I don't have to worry about playing everything. For gigs, I will take a pile of acoustic guitars, baritone (usually tuned to C#), 6 string (standard), 6 string (alternate tuning), resonator, guitar shaped bouzouki, sometimes a classical. This group is very particular about tones and arrangements, so much so that the singer will often remind me that she prefers a particular guitar on a particular song.

The last regular bass gig I had I always took the fretless 5 string Godin Freeway, and either an OLP/Musicman fretted or a Warwick fretted as a backup.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Fuzzy dagger (Jun 3, 2016)

This came up as a “suggested reading” post, I’m game.

I only ever bring one guitar to a gig. I circulate through my herd and don’t play favourites. If I break a string I play out the song and change the string. I’m pretty fast and usually tell a story as well. We play rock and roll but I rarely break a string. Key is to keep a fresh set in the case. I only use standard tuning.

that’s me.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

Humbucker guitar - Used to be a Les Paul, lately (pre-COVID) has been an SG Standard
Single coil/jangly solidbody guitar - Supro Westbury
Hollow body guitar - Gretsch 5420T (bonus that it has a Bigsby)
Acoustic guitar - Whatever is nearby. Usually a Taylor 410ce or GS Mini Koa.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Lester.
And a backup Tele I got from @finboy with a P-Rail in the neck & SD 1/4lb in the bridge.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

The one time I thought, "nah, I only need to bring one guitar" to a gig I broke a string halfway through the second song. I never will go without a backup again. 

For my Stones tribute I bring 4 guitars. One in 5-string open G, another 5-string in open G but with a capo, one in standard tuning, and another in standard tuning with a capo. I'm having to swap guitars ever 3rd song as that's just the nature of the Stones catalog.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

I'd imagine putting a capo on/off would be quicker than changing guitars. lol
But then again, if you got them, showcase them.


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Wow, that's two threads I've started that have come back from the dead in the last little while. 

Well, when I WAS playing shows, I was still bringing three guitars. Funny thing is that now I'd probably bring three Teles with me.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

laristotle said:


> I'd imagine putting a capo on/off would be quicker than changing guitars. lol
> But then again, if you got them, showcase them.


I find that no matter what I do the capo puts the guitar out of tune/pitch. I've tried different capos and working with the placement and tension, etc. So I just have another guitar tuned with the capo on and switch to that.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Something about necro threads I find uninteresting.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

player99 said:


> Something about necro threads I find uninteresting.


In a lot of cases, I find them more interesting than current threads


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

player99 said:


> Something about necro threads I find uninteresting.


Not anything I don't like about this thread in particular, but it does bother me that more and more of the discussions here are being directed by some xenforo 'algorithm'.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

jb welder said:


> Not anything I don't like about this thread in particular, but it does bother me that more and more of the discussions here are being directed by some xenforo 'algorithm'.


it's the aliens!!

Attention all planets of the solar federation, We have assumed control........


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Lincoln said:


> it's the aliens!!
> 
> Attention all planets of the solar federation, We have assumed control........


No, I didn't say Xenu, you must have been reading another book.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Hopefully KingCBD will start a new forum when his health is better.


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## Fuzzy dagger (Jun 3, 2016)

I get not liking necro posts and I am not keen on algorithmic prompts. After years of reading guitar forums I’m done with “ is this fake?” and “ pick guard on or off?”. And as soon as a bun fight starts, I log off. I still want to read about guitars so when a topic comes up that I haven’t considered yet, I’m happy.

This forum is great because of the variety of posts, the good people and the fact that it’s based in Canada, close to home.

Any-whooo,

A couple of years ago I did bring two guitars to a gig. I brought my Les Paul custom and my es-335. I did it because I could and to show off some gear. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who remembers that


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

When I was gigging I always brought two electrics (can't imagine walking on stage without a back up) and one of everything else I need (a mandolin, an acoustic, a piano, some harps).

The guitars tended to be Strat style (super strats), and maybe a Tele for alternate / back up.


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

I take two guitars . One Strat and one acoustic. Years ago I used to take alternative guitars as well as a backup for my main guitar. I don't remember ever needing the backup and I don't remember ever using an alternate either so they don't come along anymore. I also used to take a spare amp just in case my main amp fails. It never has so ....

I make sure the strings are fresh so I don't have to worry about breakage.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

If it was a paid gig or something where downtime would have been disruptive, I always took two guitars. And I had to reach for the backup between songs more than enough times to make it worthwhile.

For casual gigs where a few minutes of downtime wouldn't be an issue, I just made sure I had spare strings, etc. I still sometimes took a couple of guitars but that was for my own amusement.


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## TheYanChamp (Mar 6, 2009)

One.

I havent broken a string in 18 years. So either I'm doing it wrong, or I'm doing it right!

Caveat - played in a black crowes cover/indie country kinda band. I carried a LP special with open tuning.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Usually one and that would be my Gibson es336. Sometimes I bring another guitar and that would be either the Gibson es339 or the PRS Custom SH SE.


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