guitar myths

[diaper head]

i got to thinkin' about myths and legends. when you anylize some of them, they can be kinda silly. but people still believe in them.  in the other thread i posted about the imaginary epiphany where i would suddenly understand everything and instantly become a guitar god. 

another one is the jukebox hero guitar.  like the song, some folks seem to think that somewhere out there is some old guitar that was played by some famous player, and somehow ends up in a pawn shop. some kid buys it, and the magic guitar turns him into a guitar god who rocks the worlds face.

do you know of any others?

[DetroitBlues]

Here's another myth... expensive guitars, amps, and gear make you play better....  Not practice, practice, practice...

[reb]

the skunk stripe on fenders has an effect on g and d strings. really, what they are saying is 'the hollow for the neck adjustment rod' has an effect, i think.

i am not convinced this is really myth...sometimes, i have one guitar that the g and d will sound dead...and later, they wake up. weird.

another one that makes my mind boggle is 'the size of a headstock affects tone'.

[DetroitBlues]

What about neck thickness or body thickness?  I've also heard that makes a difference.

[Memory Lane Jr]

What about taking the Trem spring cover off the back of your Strat gives more sustain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[diaper head]

another one that makes my mind boggle is 'the size of a headstock affects tone'.

ive heard that one from a few pros.  i'm inclined to believe it only because, after being a pro guitarist for decades, like some of them are, i would think they know what they're talking about. course, if i was wrong, it wouldn't be the first time i got fooled

What about neck thickness or body thickness?  I've also heard that makes a difference.

i definitely think it would, but i suspect part of that depends on several wood-related factors.

What about taking the Trem spring cover off the back of your Strat gives more sustain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

that one i don't understand how someone even came up with that idea. my sense of logic has beeen calling b.s. on that one for ages.

[reb]

here's another one i've read several times...taking the cover off a humbucker makes them 'brighter' or more 'trebly'.

i think there is something to the 'neck thickness' idea...how much, i don't know. i read something on Bill Kirchen awhile back, and he claimed that necks had a lot to do with sustain.

i have no clue...i have found out that each guitar i have likes a certain amp setting. another guitar may not like that amp at all-or i have not found the setting yet. the epiphone valve jr. i have is an 'individual'. there is a setting somewhere for everything i have, but it may be counter intuitive, and i t may be 'one setting, one tone'. amps are a trip unto themselves.

Kirchen also said he loves the new jensen neodymium speakers...that got me hooked, too. his tone on 'Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette' is outstanding, i think.  another speaker myth, connected to pups is 'alnico sounds sweeter than ceramic'.

another 'myth' i have read is cables make a large difference. i can't prove that one. lots of people have better ears than i do.

[zagatron1]

Some of that stuff may make a difference, but who knows for sure. I think some of it may be minuscule for all I know. My hearing ain't all that anymore even though I try my best.

[DetroitBlues]

Trem cover does work on an accoustic property level, only really noticed when playing clean or low gain. Same goes for wood thickness.  If you're playing moderate to high gain, you'll won't notice the difference.  I was only pointing out something I heard once...