# Guitar terms we dont need!



## Peel Ferrari (Jun 22, 2017)

Here's may pick of guitar terms that are ubiqitous and superfluous and enough already!  

Masterbuilt
Relic
Honest play wear
Tone wood
Case queen

Add yours!


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Rare
Limited Production


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

Plays like a dream


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Vintage.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Under-rated.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Wammy bar! What are you freaking two!


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Gibson?

No, I'm kidding. I got nothing


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

"Set-up."

I keep guitars that are playable. And remain playable. Maybe make an adjustment or two with a change of season, or location or string weight or playing style.

But, what is a "set-up"? To me it's a catch-all term used by (or used on) people who can't figure out what's needed.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

"plays like butter" !?


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

"Best sounding and playing guitar I've ever owned". (Why are you selling it? To keep the second best guitar you've ever played?)


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

'you'll sound like Jimi with this'.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

laristotle said:


> 'you'll sound like Jimi with this'.


Hoffa?


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

"Lawsuit" and "never been played". Generally any phrase that is not true.


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## terminalvertigo (Jun 12, 2010)

every M&M guitar bar writeup on each, and every guitar they sell on reverb.


random example:

_"Extremely resonant and lively acoustically, the staggered pole piece black bobbin pickups are sparkling and clear with plenty of percussive cut and taut low end. Of course, the Jaguar offers tonal options to both thicken up the sound and alternately make it even more sinewy and thin. The "strangle" toggle (located on the hexagonal plate next to the individual pickup on/off switches) gives the guitar a treble heavy snap, while the Rhythm Circuit (located on the guitar's lower horn) is a separate circuit for the neck pickup, engaging a darker tone cap. The Rhythm Circuit provides one of the best sounds on this guitar, with a rich, wooly tone that still has plenty of clarity. This setting adds warmth to your clean signal as well as giving an overdriven tube amp or your favorite fuzz pedal that little bit of extra low end push to make single note lines stand out. This Jaguar weighs 8lbs 4oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-50 roundwound strings, solid intonation, and low action"_


So, Jag is question is:

Resonant
Lively
Sparkling
Clear
Percussive
Taut
Sinewy
Thin
Treble heavy snap
Rich, Wooly tone
Clarity
Warm

Zzzzzz..


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## Doug B (Jun 19, 2017)

Case Candy.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

KapnKrunch said:


> "Set-up."
> 
> I keep guitars that are playable. And remain playable. Maybe make an adjustment or two with a change of season, or location or string weight or playing style.
> 
> But, what is a "set-up"? To me it's a catch-all term used by (or used on) people who can't figure out what's needed.


Based on guitars I've bought in the last few years, you may be in the minority. To me, it's new strings, neck relief, intonation, pickup height, string height adjustment. But you're right I suppose it could mean anything.


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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

Lawsuit era.


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## Pierrafeux (Jul 12, 2012)

Sounds like tons of brick


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Mark Brown said:


> Hoffa?


only if you’re using dirt.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

BlueRocker said:


> Based on guitars I've bought in the last few years, you may be in the minority. To me, it's new strings, neck relief, intonation, pickup height, string height adjustment. But you're right I suppose it could mean anything.


I hear ya. The guys at my fave store said they are appalled at the work they have to do before they sell a guitar, so it's true for a lot of new off-the-shelf stuff.

I think I am talking about "another set-up". I saw yesterday on another forum, a guy said that his guitar is "set-up" TWICE A YEAR. it's an expensive guitar from one of the top two names.

I have never touched any of my current players: two Fury's, two Godin's and two Yard-Sale. And a Larrivee OM.

One exception: The Carvin that I have owned since 1991 gets an eighth of a turn of neck relief each spring and fall. but the factory warned me about that when I ordered the koa neck to match the koa body. They said maple was more stable, but hey, koa was a free option back then. Very happy with the koa and with the ebony fretboard which still looks like new.


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

"This guitar does it all" or "does everything".

Mostly because very few of us actually do everything and the definition of "everything" differs from player to player.

Also, most guitars are versatile to begin with.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

If I never see the term “git-fiddle” again, that’d be great.

And as far as this one…


guitarman2 said:


> "Best sounding and playing guitar I've ever owned". (Why are you selling it? To keep the second best guitar you've ever played?)


…I’m selling a guitar right now that’s one of the best playing guitars I’ve owned. It’s from a semi-boutique builder and was $4k-plus when new. So why am I selling it if it’s so awesome?

It’ll rarely get played.
When I go to rehearsal or a gig, I can only take so many guitars. My Les Paul always has and always will be number one. Number two will be something with singles (that includes P90s) and then I’ll usually grab a hollowbody (like a Gretsch or Supro) to cover different tones the others can’t. Then an acoustic.

There are many guitars that will likely never make it into that rotation. For an $800 Strat or a $1200 SG, that’s not a big deal. I might use them once in a while at home or my kids can use them. But to have $3000 (used) tied up in a wall hanger? No thanks.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Plays like 'BUTTAH' 😒


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## Peel Ferrari (Jun 22, 2017)

"good wood era"


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## Peel Ferrari (Jun 22, 2017)

Lester
PEDAL PLATFORM


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

2manyGuitars said:


> If I never see the term “git-fiddle” again, that’d be great.
> 
> And as far as this one…
> 
> ...


A $3,000 guitar that you say your best playing\sounding guitar and you consider it a "wall hanger". We have different guitar philosophies.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

…"loads of sustain..."


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

"can easily bend an octave"

This guy needs only one string to play everything, 
I understand why he is selling his six strings guitar !!!


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## hondamatic (Feb 5, 2019)

Tone monster?

Of course it is, if you’re selling it 😉


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Mint condition.
Like new.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Sooooooo.....

Basically anyone that wants to sell a guitar is limited to..

"Guitar. It has strings. You like"


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Sounds like a hundred weight of manure.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Mark Brown said:


> Sooooooo.....
> 
> Basically anyone that wants to sell a guitar is limited to..
> 
> "Guitar. It has strings. You like"


Its about the only thing that would make sense. All the buzz terms that are used to help sell a guitar are meaningless as we all have a different idea of what they mean. I can't even say "its set up and plays beautiful" as a guitar setup can be so different for everyone. For me all I need is a description of the guitar and disclosure of any issues\dings, etc.


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## jimmythegeek (Apr 17, 2012)

If I never hear the term “transparent overdrive” again it sure would be swell:


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Try to describe one of your guitars.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Tele on steroids

And I second "fiddle" being used in any way to describe a guitar makes me want to vomit.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

jimmythegeek said:


> If I never hear the term “transparent overdrive” again it sure would be swell:


"Unclouded" it is.


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

guitarman2 said:


> For me all I need is a description of the guitar and disclosure of any issues\dings, etc.


True. Just the facts is okay too. Unless it's really rare, I can usually look up the specs and check out some videos.



Mark Brown said:


> Basically anyone that wants to sell a guitar is limited to..
> 
> "Guitar. It has strings. You like"


😆
Hyperbole. Little bit, I like. Is nice.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

"Oozing with Mojo." Also referring to pickups as sounding "creamy" or "chewy".


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

… plays like a bowel movement after iron supplement pills…


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

“New old stock” seems to be a buzzword these days to fleece people out of more money for used items. 

news flash, if you bought it and brought it home, it’s USED.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

For me, it's when they say it's "unplayed" but then go on to talk about the great neck, wonderful tone, etc. Which is it?


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

So, here's what's left so far: 

" FOR SALE: Guitar made of wood with strings and pickup. I touched the guitar many time to make music/noise, but only the fretboard and the strings. It sounds and it looks very guitar you won't be disappointed - 5800$".


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Derek_T said:


> So, here's what's left so far:
> 
> " FOR SALE: Guitar made of wood with strings and pickup. I touched the guitar many time to make music/noise, but only the fretboard and the strings. It sounds and it looks very guitar you won't be disappointed - 5800$".


Pm sent


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

How about one of my sayings. . . . . I long for the day when someone in the audience will shout "turn the music up, we can't hear you"
Whoops, this is a saying, not a 'guitar term'. Sorry


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Guitar101 said:


> How about one of my sayings. . . . . I long for the day when someone in the audience will shout "turn the music up, we can't hear you"


As a guitar player I generally never hear the rest of the band say they can't hear my guitar and to turn it up. But this past weekend was the first time I used the in ear monitors (I was the only one using them) and I had my amp set fairly loud for me. But it was a big and long stage. I refused to turn it up and had the sound man feed it in to their monitors.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Tonewood
Mojo
Vintage


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

"This one spoke to me...."


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## hondamatic (Feb 5, 2019)

Derek_T said:


> So, here's what's left so far:
> 
> " FOR SALE: Guitar made of wood with strings and pickup. I touched the guitar many time to make music/noise, but only the fretboard and the strings. It sounds and it looks very guitar you won't be disappointed - 5800$".


If that price is 2x new retail, I'd feel disappointed with _a little _hyperbole...


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Oh, terms, not trems.

I thought this was the Bigsby haters thread.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

A variation on one already stated .... Sustain Forever !!!


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Fitment


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Fit and finish


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

"made in the good ol' U.S. of A"


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## GuitarTalk (Dec 25, 2018)

I don’t care about any “guitar terms” except one that makes me boil; anything along the lines of…

“this is a great investment”
“sure to go up in value”
“can’t lose money on this”

With a stock, a house, or any other investment, people are always careful not give unsolicited financial advice or make forward-looking statements… why? Because it’s completely unethical, you don’t have a crystal ball, and you can be sued… that’s why every site has a disclaimer saying “nothing you read here provides financial advice and you should invest at your own risk”. But with guitars, it seems like people forget common law/ethics and often times feel the need to throw in speculative BS as if it’s fact.

As a side note, if you ever want to see every term listed on this thread, just pull up the description on any ad by Mike’s & Mike’s Guitar Bar… it’ll make you gag every time if you have the stomach to read the entire thing. They also LOVE taking pretty pictures of trashed guitars marked up by 50%, slapping a 10-page “guitar term” filled description on the ad, and making sure to hide all the ugly details in the middle.

For example: “bla bla bla, best guitar tone we’ve ever seen, so rounded, the tonewood is this and that, let me walk you through the history of what a stratocaster is… In 1954, a guy named Leo Fender blablabla… [3 pages of history later] THE GUITAR HAS A GREAT REFIN COMPLETED BY THE RENOWNED [insert name that nobody knows]… THE GUITAR’S NECK IS ACTUALLY NOT ORIGINAL EITHER BUT IT’S BEAUTIFUL AND PLAYS LIKE BUTTER bla bla bla for 5 more pages”.

Here are a couple examples, read at your own risk:









1955 Fender Stratocaster Vintage Electric Guitar Blonde, One-Piece Ash Body | Reverb


Up for sale, a 1955 Fender Stratocaster in excellent condition and in perfect working order. Produced in in the third quarter of '55, this Stratocaster embodies everything that makes Fender's golden era a truly magical time for electric guitars, and specifically for a pioneering, space-age instru...




reverb.com













1962 Gibson ES-335 TDC Vintage Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar Cherry w/ Pat # Pickups, Case | Reverb


Up for sale, a 1962 Gibson ES-335 TDC in excellent condition and perfect working order, complete with a Patent # pickup pair and hardshell case. This golden age Gibson ES-335 has many of the model's most coveted features, with rounded "Mickey Mouse Ear" body horns, small block inlay on the bound ...




reverb.com


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## Whammer Jammer (Sep 7, 2019)

I hate the term "girth" in guitar / amp reviews.

On flip side, I love to see "great for slide" in guitar ads.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Whammer Jammer said:


> I hate the term "girth" in guitar / amp reviews.
> 
> On flip side, I love to see "great for slide" in guitar ads.


That's what she said


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

GuitarTalk said:


> With a stock, a house, or any other investment, people are always careful not give unsolicited financial advice or make forward-looking statements… why? Because it’s completely unethical, you don’t have a crystal ball, and you can be sued… that’s why every site has a disclaimer saying “nothing you read here provides financial advice and you should invest at your own risk”. But with guitars, it seems like people forget common law/ethics and often times feel the need to throw in speculative BS as if it’s fact.


Agree, when it's coming from the seller that's cheap talk. But when my luthier tells me "that's a beautiful guitar and also a great investment"


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## Peel Ferrari (Jun 22, 2017)

Journeyman


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