Is there a "Highlander"

[DetroitBlues]

I've seen many guitarists out there with dozens of guitars at their disposal... Then I've also seen a few that only have a few, if not one... But for those who just use a few, or maybe just one for live play, what would it be?  Would you chose a Stratocaster with all single coils, in their glorious 60 cycle hum, on a 25.5" scale neck?  Would you chose a Les Paul, loaded down with some vintage low output pickups on its 24.75" neck?  Then you have PRS, unique voiced splittable pickups with its 25" a scale neck?  Sometimes I thought about having one... Maybe just a nice Strat and nothing else... Then I thought about the times I need a semi-hollow body for more woody blues tone... Then I like P-90's and rockin' out... I don't know if I could do just one... Wasn't PRS designed for a little bit of everything?  Would adding humbuckers to a Strat, bridge the gap?  Coil splitting a Les Paul humbucker be enough?  Is there a magic solution to the Highlander question?  Can their be only one?  Scale lengths, tone woods, pickups, etc... So difficult to do... I have have a mind to sell them all for just one awesome keeper... then I'd miss everyone I let go.... I don't know if I could just find my own Highlander... But if I did, I'd name it "MacLeod"....

[zagatron1]

Y'know, if there IS a magic solution to the Highlander question, I sure have no idea what it is DB. The thought of all that is interesting in itself. There are lots of discussions of this magnitude that I never dreamed of my first time out (early '70s to mid '80s) as a guitar player. Back in the day, I only had one guitar. Period! Use my volume knob on the guitar? Nope. Just left both the volume and tone full out. Plug and play! Pedals? Maybe one. A Univox wah pedal. Long story short, I came back in 2001 after about a 12 year hiatus and there's forums, tone searches, massive attention to scale lengths, tone woods, pickups...... just like you said DB. Lots of folk have access to "information-a-plenty" via the internet, books, just to name a few. Back in the day, we didn't have that stuff at our disposal. Those digital guitar trainers? Didn't have those either. My guitar trainer was an Garrard turntable. Couldn't slow those down without changing pitch. Different world my friend. It sure has opened my eyes tho'. About having more than one guitar at ones disposal, I guess you'd need to have it like that if you play a bunch of genres (or just like to show off). Ego trip!!! Some folk play in more than one band, have "multiple" pedal boards and stuff like that. Must be nice to be in demand and better to be gettin' paid for it!!

[NicolasA]

If money weren't in the way, I'd have a luthier make me a custom guitar (or two ) with all the features I'd want. Aside from this, I think I will stick to my Hagstrom Viking, which is good enough for what I can do anyway...
Oh! and of course, my 'McLeod' guitar would be my very first guitar, my faithfull Eko D50, an objectively bad thing that I can't let go of...Well, it'll turn 30 next month (was a birthday gift from my parents...).

[Vladan]

My Squier Tele turned 26 this February. It's love - hate relationship since day 1, but I would not dich it for a world.

It got couple mods.
- Original 6 barel bridge plate, I swaped for 3 barel piece (because I've lost one barel at some Punk gig, I already had lost a screw for it, then a string snapped...).
- out from that 3 barel plate I've cut out a stripe of metal, all the way through, spliting it in 2 so GK3 MIDI PU culd sit low enough below strings.
- Obviously, GK3 is one major add on.
- My latest mod, solving huge issue I had with low E being impossible to intonate, even close to the ball park.
After years of wasted time on the bridge side, I finaly addressed the nut. Now, with a toothpick under it, low E string is no worse than any other 5 of them.

So my answer would be: McLeod is Telecaster. Better the better.

[DetroitBlues]

My Squier Tele turned 26 this February. It's love - hate relationship since day 1, but I would not dich it for a world.

It got couple mods.
- Original 6 barel bridge plate, I swaped for 3 barel piece (because I've lost one barel at some Punk gig, I already had lost a screw for it, then a string snapped...).
- out from that 3 barel plate I've cut out a stripe of metal, all the way through, spliting it in 2 so GK3 MIDI PU culd sit low enough below strings.
- Obviously, GK3 is one major add on.
- My latest mod, solving huge issue I had with low E being impossible to intonate, even close to the ball park.
After years of wasted time on the bridge side, I finaly addressed the nut. Now, with a toothpick under it, low E string is no worse than any other 5 of them.

So my answer would be: McLeod is Telecaster. Better the better.

You've got one of the best Squires around, the Japanese Squiers are just as good as any Fender from that day and age! And you certainly made it your own.

[reb]

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2011/Mar/Tone_Tips_from_the_Road_Covering_The_Tonal_Bases.aspx

i dunno what to say...ihave gas (gear acquisition syndrome).  a lot of people have it, even people who shouldn't/can't really afford it.  hard to pass up a bargain, too.

for all these reasons, and after talking to an experienced guitarist during an ebay deal (and i think either john bohlinger or paul allen also brought this up in another article), i am stupidly considering a line 6 variax if i can find one '% off'.  the fella i spoke with said that the variax is not perfect, but it has the most 'real' sounding 75% of 'guitars' in its models he's ever heard.

dunno...got to sell some more stuff before i make up my mind. sometimes 'option panic' is a factor, too.  gear-all the great gear in the world-does NOT make a great song....proven by the guys and gals who recorded in the 50s through 70s, not even mentioning the beatles and suchlike.  gear is an end unto itself, it would seem...the song remains secondary for gearheads.

[zagatron1]

If a Highlander could be considered a "main" or "go to" axe, then mine would be this one here -

My '09 Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster, complete with Warmoth pickguard, Fender lefty bridgeplate, Zagatron pickups (my own wind), upgraded 3 way p/u switch by CRL, steel compensated bridge saddles and .047 orange drop tone cap. Everything else is stock. I know you guys got one (a main axe), let's see 'em.

[zagatron1]

Hey! Nobody's got a main axe to share? Everybody must be busy.

[creekster52]

I have not been able to settle on a #1. If I had to sell all my guitars but one, I would be hard pressed to decide which would be the one and only keeper.   

Zag - That pickguard looks really nice on the Tele!!

[creekster52]

Here's a great song by Guy Clark that relates to the subject...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHxOego2Sso

[reb]

i have the same problem creek has...i'd have a fit if i were told by some 'suit',  've haf taken ohfa dis coontry...you VILL GET RID OF ALL GITTARZ BOOT VUN, SCHWEINHUND!!! MACH SCHNELL!!''

nope-they can kiss my hairy scots irish derriere...