You and your guitars, have you changed what you used then to now?

I have always played acoustic guitars. Over the past 40+ years I have owned a few electrics but never really played them much. Nothing much has changed.
 
I went from exclusively superstrats to exclusively teles to a little of both.
 
I started with Strats and Teles but lately I find playing guitars with 24.75 scale more to my liking as my hands are getting crampy as I get older.
 
Well, I started on an inexpensive Alvarez acoustic. I thought that was all I would need. Then I got the itch to try out an electric. I still was in my infancy with guitars (it was 200o) , so I picked up a First Act with a bridge humbucker, and a little First Act practice amp. That started the electric bug and I went with a Dean Evo XM with dual humbuckers next - loved the feel of the neck.

I played that for about a year, and then bought an Epiphone LP, and shortly after picked up an Epiphone SG, and an Ibanez AS73T
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Along the way, I picked up an Oscar Schmidt OE-40 as my first hollowbody. It was nice, but I never quite had the place to play it.
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I had tried a few Strats, but I just didn't like the feel of the necks, so next came a Schecter C-1 Elite. I was still all about the feel of the neck, although notice I was still all about humbuckers.
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Next came the Strats - SSS and SSH (only the blue one remains, of these 3)
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Bought and American Tele, but I never really bonded with it
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Then I went back to acoustic, and picked up a Takamine 12-string, just for kicks. It turned out that this is a guitar that I continue to use, especially when I am playing with another acoustic.


Played an Ibanez AM93 a few years ago, and it has replaced the AS73T, although it's mostly just played around the house. I also picked up a Peavey Limited HB USA, and it has really replaced the Epi LP for my solid body dual humbucker sound.
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In the last couple of years, I traded in quite a few of the guitars on a Taylor 710ce, picked up a Fender Deluxe Player's Strat, a Takamine Glenn Frey Signature A-E, a Fender Special Edition 60's Strat, a PRS just for giggles, a Squier VM Jaguar.

I haven't been playing for 30 years, so I still explore sounds, like I did when I began playing, but I am beginning to narrow down my tastes. I don't have as many as I used to have, because I recently thinned the herd quite a bit.

Oh, and I can't believe I forgot the Gretsch 5420 that replaced the 5120. I love playing this one with Beatles tunes.
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Started off wanting a Les Paul. Was presented a Global LP-looking thing at Christmas in 197...something. Played it until it started literally falling apart. Also got a Memphis LP copy for $25 from a friend of a friend, which was a little closer to true LP specs.

Then, for some reason, in the early 198...something, I got fascinated by Strats. Couldn't afford a real Fender, so I saved up and bought a brand-new Lotus MIJ copy :facepalm:.

For $240.00 :facepalm:

Again, I played that thing until it literally started falling apart (not the best of MIJ creations at the time), then tossed it. The funny thing was that it was a bit rare in that it had a damn-near identical headstock design to a Fender, so they must have gotten a C&D letter, because I never saw another one with the same headstock.

Then, of course, the one-pickup EVH-wannabe era, followed by a period of a few years of inactivity, then the last 15 or so years of GAS :(. At least at this point, I've tried damn-near everything :grin:. Down to a Squier Affinity Tele (that KILLS), an Epi Ultra II LP (not quite killer), and a "mystery" project to be revealed in the coming weeks stirthepot
 
In my youth, I was all about the chunky, humbucker, LP sound. I couldn't afford an LP back then so I got what I could. It looked like an LP, had Gibson on the headstock and dual humbuckers. Anyone remember the Gibson Sonex? I played that throughout my formative years, then got married, had kids, and it basically sat in the closet for years.

When I got back into playing, I found myself leaning more towards the single coil sound. My main guitar now is a Tele....so pretty much the opposite of the chunky LP sound. Go figure.
 
I was into one strat for a long time. Now I play three SGs and want to get another one.
 
Started with a cheap nylon string guitar, after two or three months bought a used Epiphone strat copy. Three month after that I bought a brand new Gibson SG special that was on sale (it was in 99, but the guitar was made in 95 according to the serial number) and it serves me to this day. The Epiphone was sold, re-bought and then loaned to this guy, never saw it again.
In 2002 I bought a used Jackson JDR-94 that was modded (by a previous owner) with a Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge position, a Dimarzio Cruiser bridge (DP187) in the middle position and an original Floyd Rose. It possibly had the most comfortable neck I have ever played (though nostalgia probably plays a role here), so smooth feeling and so thin it made my SG's neck feel like a log. It had a good sound too. Sold it after like a year because I didn't like bulky neck joint and the fine tuners on the Floyd Rose getting in my way, the money helped too. Two or three years after that I bought a used Schecter 7 string because I wanted a 7 string (2 humbuckers, licensed Floyd Rose, I think the model's name was Avenger or something). I think the previous owner had installed Seymour Duncan pickups in it, the licensed Floyd Rose wasn't great. Sold it after a year or so, mainly because of the bridge.
 
"Anyone remember the Gibson Sonex?"

God, yes. Sonex 180 Deluxe was my first axe, and only one for almost a decade. Long live the boat anchor!
 
When I started, I was a Strat/Super Strat kinda guy.

Now, I still play them, but I also have two Les Pauls I love.
 
I bought my American Tele in 98 and still have it. I've more recently got a decent gigging acoustic, which I may evolve away from, and a full hollow body, which may take up more of my time, but for the most part, my playing changes without much change in the equipment.
 
I have pretty much always been a strat style player... Some LP's here and there.

Started with this 1978 Black Fender Strat:
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Had a floyd installed in 1981.
Changed out the pickguard for a checkerboard pattern and installed Sperzels in 1982. Also changed out original Floyd to one with Fine Tuners in 1982
Then put in Bill Lawrence L250s and an ESP rails around 1984:
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No Changes in 1987 other than the No Smoking Sticker:
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Still the same in 1989:
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Started using Earth III locking straps in 1990. Flirted with the evil EMG pickups in 1991:
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Put it back to the Lawrence and 2 ESP pickups in 1992 and all was right with the world again:
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Snapped this picture at a gig in the late 90's:
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Built a clone of it in 2011 or so:
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Snapped this picture in 2014:
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I have gone through a lot of guitars since 1978 but this has always been my number 1.

It is heavy. Just under 10 pounds which is very un-strat like. It has been there through many girlfriends, Before my wife and kids and pretty much anything else. It is the only thing that my wife has ever told me that she is jealous of. No matter what guitar flavor of the day or week that I may be experiencing I always end up coming back to this instrument. For roughly 38 years it has never done me wrong.

Many things have changed but this thing has stayed the same. My wife has dubbed this guitar as "The Mistress".

Or... more likely, this guitar has changed along with me and my tastes over the years. It has been along for the ride and I tank it for that.
 
I have only been at it since my late 30's/early 40's, so I really cannot say there has been a big change per se. My first electric guitar was my strat. I have added a Hagstrom semi-hollow, and my tele with a P90 in the neck. I tend to rotate between them. My strat saw the most use in the early years, and my tele seems to see the most now. But I still like all the flavors.
 
I had a les paul copy i painted yellow with purple polka dot.... Then got a couple real Fenders, Teles early 1960s..... This was late 70s, early 80s. Then found a Washburn A20v i think, explorer type. Then finally a Gibson Explorer, Ahab finally found his whale. Ive been in love with Explorers ever since. Now i seen to gravitate to my Gibson Les Pauls but find my way bacl the Explorers....
 
Started off with a LP copy. Still love them. They just feel right to me. About 6 years ago I got a Tele. Loved it. Really digging my' Epi 339 pro now. Never could never get along with a Strat.
 
I've had a wide variety of teles and strats over the past 40 years, and still have two teles (well, three if you count the Godin Acousticaster which is essentially the same shape) and a strat. However, over the past few years I've branched out to the point where I now have an SG and LP (special).
 
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