Musicians using cheaper instruments than you'd expect

You could be right. I'm no gearhead. Used Jags, even authentic ones, were inexpensive in '78. Here's a link to the so-called "serviceman" Fender fakes which references the photo I posted. Photo was used for The Stones Rarities disc (w/ Wyman photoshopped out). These guitars were made in Philippines and sold in Vietnam to soldiers, as the legend goes.

Where's Bill?

 

pianosaurus.

 

um go Johnny go



and not so cheap these days

 

bowie and his stylophone.

 

Steve Rothery - Marillion

For years his main "go to" guitar was a black 1983 Squier SQ Stratocaster. It was modified with lindy Fralin pickups however and sounds just awesome. This solo from the song This Strange Engine shows, not only shows his playing which is superb, but also the guitar which he used throughout the late 80's and most of the 90's and likely in the 2000's too. There are just too many songs on which he played this guitar, I think it's first outing was likely on the Misplaced Childhood album.

I think Rothery also must qualify for most underrated guitarist. People know he's there still playing but only Marillion die hards really acknowledge his ability. He's rarely, if ever mentioned in best guitarist polls.

 

We're on the same page mostly. There's a wide chasm between higher end production guitars, which cost $1,500-$2,500, and a full on custom build in the $5K-$10K range.

I wasn't able to find a production guitar that met all my criteria (quarter sawn neck with specific radius and specific size stainless steel frets, finished in gloss poly, body finished in trans gloss poly, specific pickups, specific hardware, etc.). Suhr came close, but could not meet the neck profile criterion, and production colors are old school Fender opaque or two-tone burst. Close but no cigar. I'm sure if I gave John $5K and waited six months he could do it. My latest partscaster checks all the boxes (every single one), and is the best sounding and playing guitar I have ever owned. So I'm pretty happy with the $1,500 I spent on it.

 

Jimmy Page's go to acoustic for many years was his Harmony Sovereign. He later played a Martin D-28, but still has his original Harmony, although the top has darkened over the years.

 

What is it that sets him apart for you? Sure, he's an excellent player, but as a guitarist myself, I find it hard to see something extraordinary in his playing and composition that hasn't been done by Gilmour or, say, Holdsworth. But I have to add I am not a fan of the production style of neoprogbands in general, maybe that's holding me back too.

 

Nothing wrong with Squiers whatsoever Francis Dunnery used one pretty much exclusively in It Bites and beyond.

 

Don't get me wrong I love Johnny Thunders and his punk flavored raunch but he can't stand toe to toe with Leslie when it comes to heavy Les Paul Jr tones.

Mountain - Dreams Of MIlk And Honey (Live)

 

The Pogues used a very basic beer tray.

 

The man in action with his LP Jr.



Mountain - Mississippi Queen live @ Randall's Island N.Y 1970

 

I was checking the thread to see if any had mentioned Prince's Hohner guitar yet.
Well done!

 

That's exactly it I think..... He's been over shadowed by the likes of Gilmour et al (and for good reason), purely because they're bigger names. His musical composition style is totally different to Gilmour however, so I don't see where you get that "it's been done by Gilmour or Holdsworth". I don't think of them as a "neoprogband". They are fairly unique I think especially since Steve Hogarth took over from Fish. They're now a totally different band in my eyes. The song Invisible Man that opens the album Marbles is a good song and when I first heard it I didn't think of Floyd, Gilmour, Genesis, or any of those other bands that marillion were pigeon holed with... The first influence I thought of was Radiohead with that song.

Maybe you should dig deeper into Marillion and try not to have any pre-conceived ideas of what to expect..... you may be surprised. Steve Rothery as a guitarist has been very consistent with his output with that band, his style is very identifiable and he plays with a emotion that I've only ever heard from the likes of David Gilmour.

 

it is not the instrument that makes a musician great.
simply. if a musician can play, and can play seriously, you can also give him a piece of wood and 6 rubber bands

 

if it's cold, outside, and it's snowing ... the tris of the trumpet does not move.
So I took one of these pTrumpets. it sounds decently, but, of course ... it's NOT brass.
What a surprise to see, however: even professionals who use it occasionally ...

 

As someone else mentioned, Ornette's plastic alto is probably the best example I can think of.

 

That`s because he trashes more guitars than Pete Townsend ever did......his fret board is worn through, and strings are shredded.

 

Peter Hook with a Melodica

 

It does not come much cheaper than this....Seasick Steve`s `Diddly Bow`.
A piece of wood, a string, and a tin can.........

 

Correction: it was actually his Flying V that was the fake, a Japanese knockoff under the brand name Electra.

"I got my white V in 1980. It was the second guitar I ever owned, and I probably bought it for $200. I knew it was a copy, but we treated it as a real Gibson. I wanted a white one because Michael Schenker of UFO had one, so I needed one too." - James Hetfield

 

Luther Dickson and his home made cigar box guitar



NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS - Mississippi Bollweevil (Live at High Sierra 2013) #JAMINTHEVAN

 

I still play the 1960s Japanese solid body that I bought for $10 when I was a high school junior
back in 1971. Great-sounding (hand-wound?) pickups and a low action make this old plank a
garage rock go-to for me. No idea who made it...the headstock just reads "Steel-Reinforced Neck".

 

It’s a Kingston (by Teisco/Kawai)
RARE! -THE Hound Dog Taylor Model - Kawai (Kingston) Teisco SD40 Electric Guitar

 

Ah yes, the handmade craftsmanship of Steel-Reinforced Neck. Few remember that he was helped in his endeavors by his loyal assistant, Sweeps Shop Floor.