# Guitar players



## Devinhullphoto (Sep 5, 2013)

Who here plays guitar and what kind? These are my main axes! Also what style do you like to play?


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## ronlane (Sep 5, 2013)

I play a Gibson F-9 mandolin, Martin D-16 cut-away, and an off-brand tele copy. I play gospel, bluegrass and country.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 5, 2013)

ronlane said:


> I play a Gibson F-9 mandolin, Martin D-16 cut-away, and an off-brand tele copy. I play gospel, bluegrass and country.



Awesome! I'm big into classic rock. My favorite band is Van Halen, so that's a hint to the stuff I play.


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## tirediron (Sep 5, 2013)

I can play the stereo...


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## Tiller (Sep 6, 2013)

I used to play electric, but I fell out of it once I got my first high end acoustic. I play fingerstyle mostly.

Martin OMC-16RE Aura


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## Tiller (Sep 6, 2013)

My old electric gear


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## Newtricks (Sep 6, 2013)

I play Banjo, fiddle and guitar, Deering maple blossum, handmade fiddle and a Takamine 6-string. Bluegrass, country and 60's - 80's rock.


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## ronlane (Sep 6, 2013)

tirediron said:


> I can play the stereo...



Crank it up then John.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 6, 2013)

Tiller said:


> I used to play electric, but I fell out of it once I got my first high end acoustic. I play fingerstyle mostly.
> 
> Martin OMC-16RE Aura



I dot touch my acoustics as much as I should. However there is one guy who every time I listen to him I always get inspired to do so. His name is Andy McKee. If you haven't heard of him, check out "Rylynn" on YouTube. There should be loads o videos of him playing it. Great song.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 6, 2013)

Tiller said:


> My old electric gear



Use to have a Les Paul just like that and sadly I traded it and with every trade a decrease in value. I regret that so much...


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## Tiller (Sep 6, 2013)

Devinhullphoto said:


> Use to have a Les Paul just like that and sadly I traded it and with every trade a decrease in value. I regret that so much...



I always trade up in gear. Little by little 

Here's another Strat I had. I always wanted a white strat, so I was overjoyed when I got to pick this MIM for $100. It was grungy! I cleaned it up, lowered the action, and it played awesome  I ended up selling it for $200 :mrgreen:


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 6, 2013)

Tiller said:


> I always trade up in gear. Little by little
> 
> Here's another Strat I had. I always wanted a white strat, so I was overjoyed when I got to pick this MIM for $100. It was grungy! I cleaned it up, lowered the action, and it played awesome  I ended up selling it for $200 :mrgreen:



Mines a MIM as well. Awesome quality for a fraction of the price! I usually trade cause I'm not financially free to keep buying new and I don't have the room. Haha. I already have 5 guitars. 2 acoustic, 3 electrics. I have plans to buy more to add to the collection but those have to be new since I love my main two and the ones I want are replicas of EVH's famous guitars.


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## runnah (Sep 6, 2013)

I have some cheapo guitar and amp. I've been trying to play for 10 years and just don't have the knack for it.


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## Tiller (Sep 6, 2013)

Devinhullphoto said:


> Mines a MIM as well. Awesome quality for a fraction of the price! I usually trade cause I'm not financially free to keep buying new and I don't have the room. Haha. I already have 5 guitars. 2 acoustic, 3 electrics. I have plans to buy more to add to the collection but those have to be new since I love my main two and the ones I want are replicas of EVH's famous guitars.



Make your own!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HujmGgQ9e3Y&desktop_uri=/watch?v=HujmGgQ9e3Y


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 6, 2013)

Tiller said:


> Make your own!
> 
> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HujmGgQ9e3Y&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHujmGgQ9e3Y



I'm making one of them but I gotta get all the parts first. That's the one I wanna try myself.

All that detail will make it a fun project.


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## jwbryson1 (Sep 6, 2013)

I have a Martin DX-1 that I love.  It's hard to find time to practice, however, when you have a 2 year old and 9 year old daughter pulling at you....


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## Tiller (Sep 6, 2013)

jwbryson1 said:


> I have a Martin DX-1 that I love.  It's hard to find time to practice, however, when you have a 2 year old and 9 year old daughter pulling at you....



I always thought playing guitar was supposed to get women your own age to pull at you?


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## Newtricks (Sep 8, 2013)

Devinhullphoto said:


> Awesome! I'm big into classic rock. My favorite band is Van Halen, so that's a hint to the stuff I play.



When I think classic rock... Stevie Winwood and traffic, BOC, BTO, ELO and the Doobie Brothers come to mind.


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## Alimac1 (Sep 8, 2013)

I play bass, and have an Ibanez Soundgear SR405 5 string, playing through a Mesa Boogie Basis 6000 and 4x10 Quad. OH, and I have a Takamine Acoustic guitar as well.


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## Murray Bloom (Sep 8, 2013)

I used to play drums in a band.  I tried the guitar and sucked at it.  One of many things I've failed to learn.

Just for yucks, here's an ink-blot type image of an axe:


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## Joeywhat (Sep 8, 2013)

Well...they ain't guitars, but I do play something :mrgreen: 

I play a lot of classic rock and oldies, with some newer stuff mixed in. Used to do a lot of ska.

(excuse the poor photo...)


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## Steve5D (Sep 8, 2013)

I've been playing for 36 years. In that time, my collection has been as high as 37 pieces. I played most of them regularly. I'm down to a very sane three guitars right now:


My 1990 Fender American Standard Strat:







My Highway One Strat (forget the year):







And here's my all-time favorite. This is my 1986 Alvarez-Yairi DY-66. It was in absolutely pristine condition when I got it in 1987. I've owned Martins and I've owned Taylors (I worked at Taylor for eight years), but this Japanese import rose to the top when it came time to thin the herd:







Finally, just for the Hell of it, here's a shot of me during a gig at Qualcomm Stadium, in San Diego, in 2003. My hair's not quite that long now:


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## ronlane (Sep 8, 2013)

Steve5D, I would not have recognized you from that last photo. Rock on!


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## minicoop1985 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't have any good pictures of it at the moment, but I have an ESP LTD M-200 and a Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue 65r combo. I try to play a variety of things, from Led Zeppelin to Slayer, but I'm self "taught" and haven't really put in the necessary time to really be good at it. More of a noodling around thing.


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## DarkShadow (Sep 8, 2013)

tirediron said:


> I can play the stereo...


:lmao:


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## DarkShadow (Sep 8, 2013)

I use to play the electric fender strat then got into acoustic guitar sound more. I use to love playing Angie by the Rolling Stones.I love music,I think I would die with out it.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 8, 2013)

DarkShadow said:


> I use to play the electric fender strat then got into acoustic guitar sound more. I use to love playing Angie by the Rolling Stones.I love music,I think I would die with out it.



Agreed. I listen to it 35/40 work hours and the day would drag on without it.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 8, 2013)

minicoop1985 said:


> Don't have any good pictures of it at the moment, but I have an ESP LTD M-200 and a Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue 65r combo. I try to play a variety of things, from Led Zeppelin to Slayer, but I'm self "taught" and haven't really put in the necessary time to really be good at it. More of a noodling around thing.



I'm all self taught. I can't read music or name notes and all the chords I know, but I YouTube songs and learn them. I've been playing 5ish years. I gave up guitar hero for a real guitar all thanks to the "bark at the moon" solo. Ha


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## cynicaster (Sep 9, 2013)

Guitar/songwriting is my other main hobby.  I&#8217;m not much of a gear-head; I truly believe that a great song will be a great song on any guitar that can stay in tune.     

I&#8217;ve only ever owned a few different guitars in my life, none of them the least bit &#8220;high end&#8221;.  Actually, my screen name on this site comes from the name I gave a &#8220;franken-strat&#8221; I cobbled together using all kinds of different parts.  It started as a Stratocaster knock-off, but I replaced the bridge and pick guard, installed some locking tuners, and replaced the tinny stock pickups with 3 different low-noise DiMarzios.  I also installed a little red radio shack button as a kill-switch.  The pick-guard and all of the hardware are black.  It worked out really great, and for a total investment of about $350 and some time, I have a pretty rocking instrument.      

I love to just play rock n&#8217; roll, nothing too heavy and nothing too light.  As I get older, I find myself writing more and more acoustic stuff.    

I also like to do multi-track recordings in my basement, which allows me to do everything without a band.  Haven&#8217;t done much recently but I have a mountain of unrecorded tunes I hope to get recorded someday (I&#8217;m just too lazy to finalize all the lyrics&#8230; grrr). 

Here&#8217;s a sample: SoundClick artist: Matt Dee - page with MP3 music downloads


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## biffspandex (Sep 9, 2013)

Fender 80's era Japanese strat and a Marshall half stack for this kid who refuses to grow up!


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## runnah (Sep 9, 2013)

I try to emulate Yngwie Malmsteen in every way possible.


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## minicoop1985 (Sep 10, 2013)

runnah said:


> I try to emulate Yngwie Malmsteen in every way possible.



Yes. Yes, you should. Particularly his hair and fashion sense.


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## weepete (Sep 10, 2013)

Well I have an old acoustic guitar kicking about the house, learned my first three chords (G,C and D) after picking it up at the weekend. I'm currently just trying to get the changes faster now so I can actually play a song! I can also play drums a little.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 10, 2013)

biffspandex said:


> Fender 80's era Japanese strat and a Marshall half stack for this kid who refuses to grow up!



Those are nice! I hear they are just as good as American. Jelly of the Marshall.


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## Tiller (Sep 10, 2013)

weepete said:


> Well I have an old acoustic guitar kicking about the house, learned my first three chords (G,C and D) after picking it up at the weekend. I'm currently just trying to get the changes faster now so I can actually play a song! I can also play drums a little.



It gets easy quick! But you've just got to do it over and over until it becomes second nature.

And just some advice, when you get to F, learn the barre chord! People are so afraid of barre chords and never play them which can hinder you a whole lot.


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## ffarl (Sep 10, 2013)

If I were home, I could spend a lot of time putting photos up on this thread.  I'm on the road now, but I've got my Clapton Strat and my newer Martin acoustic with me.


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## cynicaster (Sep 10, 2013)

Tiller said:


> And just some advice, when you get to F, learn the barre chord! People are so afraid of barre chords and never play them which can hinder you a whole lot.



No kidding!  I can never understand why so many casual players half-ass it and don't bother to ever learn how to play barre chords.  Sure, they will definitely result in some sore fingers and stiff wrists for a while, but eventually it clicks and becomes second nature.


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

ronlane said:


> Steve5D, I would not have recognized you from that last photo. Rock on!



That photo's better than ten years old.

I miss that moustache more than I miss that hair...


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## ronlane (Sep 11, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> ronlane said:
> 
> 
> > Steve5D, I would not have recognized you from that last photo. Rock on!
> ...



I could relate to the first part. I've been sporting the goatee so long that it just looks weird without it. (maybe because it makes me look so much more like my dad).


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

runnah said:


> I try to emulate Yngwie Malmsteen in every way possible.



Don't. Please, don't.

I met Yngwie at the NAMM trade show in Anaheim several years ago. "I met him" is about the nicest thing I can say about him. The guy's a complete prick in every way imaginable.

The guy I _thought _would be a prick, but was actually a ridiculously nice gentleman, was Slash...


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 11, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> No kidding!  I can never understand why so many casual players half-ass it and don't bother to ever learn how to play barre chords.  Sure, they will definitely result in some sore fingers and stiff wrists for a while, but eventually it clicks and becomes second nature.



It is worth it!


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> Tiller said:
> 
> 
> > And just some advice, when you get to F, learn the barre chord! People are so afraid of barre chords and never play them which can hinder you a whole lot.
> ...



Some people just physically can't play barre chords. They're few and far between, but they're certainly out there.

I don't know that I would characterize not playing barre chords as "half assed". It's simply another tool, and a preference...


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## ronlane (Sep 11, 2013)

It took me a while before I wanted to learn them because I was playing strictly on acoustic and that SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! In hind-site, it does make the electric seems like nothing.


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## cynicaster (Sep 11, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> cynicaster said:
> 
> 
> > Tiller said:
> ...



Come on, we&#8217;re not talking about Eddie Van Halen tap solos here.  Some techniques are just too fundamental to ignore.  I &#8220;couldn&#8217;t physically play&#8221; barre chords at first either, but anybody who is serious enough about the instrument to invest the time and effort can learn. 

Think about this: a guitarist who dismisses barre chords has to sit out on any song that is played in standard tuning and includes the chords B or F.  And then there&#8217;s all the other sharp/flat-rooted chords that don&#8217;t translate at all to open fingerings, so they can&#8217;t play songs that use those either. Sounds extremely limited and half-assed to me. 

If one chooses not to use barre chords as a creative decision, that&#8217;s one thing.  But to say &#8220;I don&#8217;t know barre chords, because they&#8217;re not my style&#8221; seems to bear an uncanny resemblance to the infamous fauxtog mantra &#8220;I&#8217;m strictly a natural light photographer&#8221;, a.k.a., &#8220;certain techniques are intimidating and take significant up-front effort to learn, therefore I convince myself that I have no use for them&#8221;.


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## weepete (Sep 11, 2013)

Tiller said:


> weepete said:
> 
> 
> > Well I have an old acoustic guitar kicking about the house, learned my first three chords (G,C and D) after picking it up at the weekend. I'm currently just trying to get the changes faster now so I can actually play a song! I can also play drums a little.
> ...



Thanks for the advice mate, I'll make an effort to learn them then. I seem to be wanting to place my fingers one by one on the strings at the moment, i'm guessing that's pretty normal for a beginner but I probbably want to be trying to hit all the notes on a chord at the same time?

I'm trying to practice a wee bit every night right now but it's gonna take me some time, slow is smooth and smooth is fast and all that. At least with the guitar I can practice in the evenings after work and it won't bother the neibours as much as my kit!!


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## Tiller (Sep 11, 2013)

weepete said:


> Thanks for the advice mate, I'll make an effort to learn them then. I seem to be wanting to place my fingers one by one on the strings at the moment, i'm guessing that's pretty normal for a beginner but I probbably want to be trying to hit all the notes on a chord at the same time?
> 
> I'm trying to practice a wee bit every night right now but it's gonna take me some time, slow is smooth and smooth is fast and all that. At least with the guitar I can practice in the evenings after work and it won't bother the neibours as much as my kit!!



Yes that's normal  no worries, you'll get it! You don't even have to strum if you're just chilling out watching tv or something. You can practice just putting your fingers down over and over again.

Find a song you like with some easy chords. It helps motivate you to learn.

But most importantly, have fun


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> Come on, were not talking about Eddie Van Halen tap solos here. Some techniques are just too fundamental to ignore. I couldnt physically play barre chords at first either, but anybody who is serious enough about the instrument to invest the time and effort can learn.



I know more than a few guitarists who suffer from arthritis. I also know more than a few with very small hands. In each case, playing barre chords is, at best, very difficult...  



> Think about this: a guitarist who dismisses barre chords has to sit out on any song that is played in standard tuning and includes the chords B or F.



That's not even close to being true...



> And then theres all the other sharp/flat-rooted chords that dont translate at all to open fingerings, so they cant play songs that use those either. Sounds extremely limited and half-assed to me.



Hardly:








You won't ever hear me say that learning barre chords is a bad thing. But the things you've said regarding not knowing them are simply untrue...


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## Joeywhat (Sep 11, 2013)

Of the several guitarists that I know, most seem to prefer using a capo instead of using barre chords, all things considered. They still do barre chords obviously...just they prefer the capo as it's easier 9 times out of ten.

Having only played a little guitar myself, I imagine it's a lot easier doing barre chords on an electric then an acoustic.


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## Tiller (Sep 11, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> I know more than a few guitarists who suffer from arthritis. I also know more than a few with very small hands. In each case, playing barre chords is, at best, very difficult...
> 
> That's not even close to being true...
> 
> ...



I agree they're not necessary in the very basics of guitar playing. But they make your life SO much easier in the long run that it's worth the pain/discomfort at first.

As for capos, they are good for playing in a different key, but can in no way, shape or form take the place of barre chords when it comes to versatility.

Again, for people with arthritis and such, I get it. But if you are physically capable of learning, then you need to!


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

Joeywhat said:


> Having only played a little guitar myself, I imagine it's a lot easier doing barre chords on an electric then an acoustic.



Meh, I don't think it's any different than playing open chords. You need to use a bit more pressure on an acoustic, whether you're playing open chords or barre chords...


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## Steve5D (Sep 11, 2013)

Tiller said:


> Again, for people with arthritis and such, I get it. But if you are physically capable of learning, then you need to!



No, you really don't. What's easier for you may not be easier for someone else. No two players are the same...


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## cynicaster (Sep 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> cynicaster said:
> 
> 
> > Come on, we&#8217;re not talking about Eddie Van Halen tap solos here. Some techniques are just too fundamental to ignore. I &#8220;couldn&#8217;t physically play&#8221; barre chords at first either, but anybody who is serious enough about the instrument to invest the time and effort can learn.
> ...



I bet all those old dudes with arthritis who don't play barre chords  a) know how to play them but choose not to because of their ailment;  and b) wish that they could still play them.  So, I'm not sure what  point you're trying to make.  



> > Think about this: a guitarist who dismisses barre chords has to sit out on any song that is played in standard tuning and includes the chords B or F.
> 
> 
> 
> That's not even close to being true...



Care to show me how to fret B- and F-major in standard tuning without using a barre chord?  You have me curious.  



> > And then there&#8217;s all the other sharp/flat-rooted chords that don&#8217;t translate at all to open fingerings, so they can&#8217;t play songs that use those either. Sounds extremely limited and half-assed to me.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah, yeah, I saw that coming.  I use a capo in over 50% of my acoustic playing.  It's a great tool but as a substitute it's half-assed, plain and simple.  I'm not going to explain why, because you already know.    

Modulation (music) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankly, I can't believe I'm being told by _another guitar player_ that barre chords are not a necessary skill.  Never thought I'd see the day.


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## Steve5D (Sep 12, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> I bet all those old dudes with arthritis who don't play barre chords a) know how to play them but choose not to because of their ailment; and b) wish that they could still play them. So, I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.



My point is that you don't "need" to play barre chords to play guitar. The assertion has been made that, if you don't play barre chords, you have to "sit out" any song that has an F or a B chord in it. That's beyond silly, as it's completely untrue...



> Care to show me how to fret B and F-major in standard tuning without using a barre chord? You have me curious.



Sure.

Your fingers are numbered, from index finger to pink, 1 through 4.

For an F chord, use "1" to cover the E and B strings at the first fret. Put "2" on the G string at the second fret, "4" on the D string at the fourth fret, and "3" on the A string on the fourth fret. Voila. An "F" chord. You can either mute the low E with your thumb, or wrap around and fret the low E string at the first fret. It's really quite simple to do.

I could do the same type of explanation for a B chord, but I think you get my point...



> Yeah, yeah, I saw that coming. I use a capo in over 50% of my acoustic playing. It's a great tool but as a substitute it's half-assed, plain and simple. I'm not going to explain why, because you already know.



I was simply addressing the point being made that, without barre chords, certain chords, and songs, simply cannot be played.

That is an absolutely untrue statement...



> Frankly, I can't believe I'm being told by _another guitar player_ that barre chords are not a necessary skill. Never thought I'd see the day.



Um, well... Surprise, I guess.

I use barre chords all the time. Every day, in fact, But the fact of the matter is that a person can successfully play guitar, and play it well, without playing barre chords. I see people do that all the time, too...


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## cynicaster (Sep 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> > Care to show me how to fret B and F-major in standard tuning without using a barre chord? You have me curious.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Exactly!  What you just described is a barre chord--a moveable shape the player can slide up and down the neck, as it has no open strings, i.e., it is not an "open chord".  



> > Yeah, yeah, I saw that coming. I use a capo in over 50% of my acoustic playing. It's a great tool but as a substitute it's half-assed, plain and simple. I'm not going to explain why, because you already know.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, and if they do so, it is _in spite_ of their inability to play barre chords, not _because_ of it.  This is the whole point.  I never said barre chords have to be used, only that the skill should be learned by anybody the least bit serious about playing guitar.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

Joeywhat said:


> Of the several guitarists that I know, most seem to prefer using a capo instead of using barre chords, all things considered. They still do barre chords obviously...just they prefer the capo as it's easier 9 times out of ten.
> 
> Having only played a little guitar myself, I imagine it's a lot easier doing barre chords on an electric then an acoustic.



That's one reason I barely play acoustic


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 12, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> I bet all those old dudes with arthritis who don't play barre chords  a) know how to play them but choose not to because of their ailment;  and b) wish that they could still play them.  So, I'm not sure what  point you're trying to make.
> 
> Care to show me how to fret B- and F-major in standard tuning without using a barre chord?  You have me curious.
> 
> ...



Eddie Van Halen has arthritis( I believe) and has had hand surgery. Look what he can do!

Also it's kinda like using a pinky. A lot of people do need it and some don't use it a lot. I think slash is one who doesn't use it that much.


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## Steve5D (Sep 12, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> Exactly! What you just described is a barre chord--a moveable shape the player can slide up and down the neck, as it has no open strings, i.e., it is not an "open chord".



No, it's _no_t a barre chord.

Note that the index finger is depressing all of the strings at the first fret:






Using your description, I could play a D chord on the G, B and E strings, and that would be a barre chord because I can slide it up the fretboard...



> I never said barre chords have to be used, only that the skill should be learned by anybody the least bit serious about playing guitar.



The statement was made in an earlier post that, without knowing barre chords, a guitarist would have to sit out any song with B or F chords. That's absolutely false. Anybody who's the least bit serious about playing guitar would never believe such nonsense, yet the comment was made; I believe by Tiller...


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## cynicaster (Sep 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> cynicaster said:
> 
> 
> > Exactly! What you just described is a barre chord--a moveable shape the player can slide up and down the neck, as it has no open strings, i.e., it is not an "open chord".
> ...




Smushing one finger over the E and B strings when forming an F chord is to "bar" them.  If you insist on playing petty semantics, then I'll call the chords "moveable" instead.  There is nothing special about the act of laying your index finger across all the strings, the point is that a guitar player needs to know how to stray away from the constraints of open chords and move chord shapes up and down the neck.  Not only so they can play in all the keys, but so they can use the characteristic sound of non-open chords when it is needed.  If you can't agree with that, then I'm sorry, you're the only one talking nonsense here.


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## Steve5D (Sep 12, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> If you can't agree with that, then I'm sorry, you're the only one talking nonsense here.



Sorry, but when someone (such as yourself) tries to come across as though they know what they're talking about, but fails in such spectacular fashion, I just have to laugh.

I can play a G chord, using fingers 1,2 and three, and leave the D, G and B strings open, and it will sound quite nice. I can then slide that up the fretboard to the eighth fret, and that's a C chord. So, while you want to insist it's "semantics", consider the fact that I just "moved" ("move" being the root word of "moveable") an open chord. Ergo, to you, based on the fact that I moved it, it becomes a barre chord.

_That_, my friend, is nonsense...


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## Skillet007 (Sep 12, 2013)

Devinhullphoto said:


> Tiller said:
> 
> 
> > I used to play electric, but I fell out of it once I got my first high end acoustic. I play fingerstyle mostly.
> ...



Andy McKee is a beast. Love his stuff. I have a '47 Gibson J.45 and also play the upright bass and banjo.

Sorry for the bad pic, it was taken with a flip phone. This is just me goofing off at a gig.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## pixmedic (Sep 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> I've been playing for 36 years. In that time, my collection has been as high as 37 pieces. I played most of them regularly. I'm down to a very sane three guitars right now:
> 
> 
> My 1990 Fender American Standard Strat:
> ...



those guitars are ok....
but that is a pretty awesome mustache sir!


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## Steve5D (Sep 12, 2013)

pixmedic said:


> those guitars are ok....
> but that is a pretty awesome mustache sir!



Thank you... Thankyouverymuch!


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## cynicaster (Sep 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> cynicaster said:
> 
> 
> > If you can't agree with that, then I'm sorry, you're the only one talking nonsense here.
> ...



For crying out loud...

Even if the anecdote you used in an attempt to sound smart were actually true--which it is not by the way, a Cmaj chord is C/E/G, not C/E/D/B/G--then it would still fail because the shape doesn't work at every position to create the same chord in all keys, which any non-neanderthal should be able to see is what I'm talking about here. 


Look, I get it--being the argumentative contrarian of the forum is your M.O. Do what you have to do, just please, keep your nonsense opinion on this subject to the jamspace of Steve5D and the Celebrex Quartet and don't mention it in front of aspiring guitarists who may be looking for any reason to avoid the rigors of learning the indispensable skill of barre chords.


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## ffarl (Sep 13, 2013)

Do we have a "Great ideas gone horribly wrong" section?


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## runnah (Sep 13, 2013)

All you need to be a successful guitar player is power cords and hip thrusts.


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 13, 2013)

runnah said:


> All you need to be a successful guitar player is power cords and hip thrusts.



And you gotta have a good jump!


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## Joeywhat (Sep 13, 2013)

runnah said:


> All you need to be a successful guitar player is power cords and hip thrusts.



Now you're all set to be a Green Day cover band...


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## Steve5D (Sep 13, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > cynicaster said:
> ...



I'm sorry, but it's simply not possible to have an intelligent conversation with someone who uses such technical terminology such as "smushing". 

Furthermore, "smushing" the E and B strings with the index finger isn't a barre chord.

I'm right, you're wrong.

Enjoy your smushy day, Segovia...


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## pixmedic (Sep 13, 2013)

I before E, except after C


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## manaheim (Sep 13, 2013)

Why don't you two go out and play some music and chill out before one of us winds up having to lock this otherwise interesting thread.


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## Tiller (Sep 13, 2013)

Agreed! I want to see some more axes 

Anyways, I played a friends Jet City amp tonight with an es-335 and it ROCKED!!


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 14, 2013)

Tiller said:


> Agreed! I want to see some more axes
> 
> Anyways, I played a friends Jet City amp tonight with an es-335 and it ROCKED!!



I've always wanted a 335!


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## ffarl (Sep 14, 2013)

In an effort to bring things back on track, here's my good buddy Tim and I.  You'll just have to guess who's who.


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## EIngerson (Sep 14, 2013)

I have a Charvel Model 275 deluxe, that's 20 years old. It might be worth $100 to the right sucker, but I shopped through 14 of the exact same guitar years ago to get this one. I still love the way it plays. I also have an acoustic Fender, Sonoran Nat. Neither one of them gets played much anymore, but if I did it would be a wide range of Genre's. 


OP, Love the sunburst Strat.


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## o hey tyler (Sep 14, 2013)

Anyone play a carvin double neck?


Saw these guys Thursday night live.


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## manaheim (Sep 14, 2013)

Oh you guys...

I have one of these...

Bach Stradivarius Model 37 Professional Trumpet Silver | eBay

Which I'm surprised to see is going for not much less than I paid for it so many years ago.


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## Steve5D (Sep 14, 2013)

Carvin's a weird deal. The only place you can buy them is either at the factory or at a Carvin store. The downside is that, compared to Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Martin, etc, Carvin is relatively unknown. Their resale value is pitiful, simply because no one has very much experience with them.

Despite their relative obscurity, though, they enjoy a really high level of quality...


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## Devinhullphoto (Sep 14, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> Carvin's a weird deal. The only place you can buy them is either at the factory or at a Carvin store. The downside is that, compared to Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Martin, etc, Carvin is relatively unknown. Their resale value is pitiful, simply because no one has very much experience with them.
> 
> Despite their relative obscurity, though, they enjoy a really high level of quality...



I've only played a few but their quality is amazing. I've played the Jason Becker tribute model and it was flawless.


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## cynicaster (Sep 14, 2013)

> Why don't you two go out and play some music and chill out before one of  us winds up having to lock this otherwise interesting thread.



Mea culpa; normally I don't bother with people looking for an argument.  



Steve5D said:


> I'm right, you're wrong.



Last thing I'll say here, as horrible advice shouldn't be allowed to stand on a forum.  

To anybody here just learning guitar, adopt this guy's opinion at your own peril, as it will lead you straight into a guitar playing career full of limitations and strangled potential.  

Don't take it from a guy on a photo forum, though.  Talk to an experienced guitar player or teacher you know and trust, ask their take on the wisdom of skipping barre chords, and then decide how you want to proceed.


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## Steve5D (Sep 14, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> Mea culpa; normally I don't bother with people looking for an argument.



That's sure a nice thought, except that you continue on with your verbal diarrhea...



> Last thing I'll say here, as horrible advice shouldn't be allowed to stand on a forum.
> 
> To anybody here just learning guitar, adopt this guy's opinion at your own peril, as it will lead you straight into a guitar playing career full of limitations and strangled potential.
> 
> Don't take it from a guy on a photo forum, though. Talk to an experienced guitar player or teacher you know and trust, ask their take on the wisdom of skipping barre chords, and then decide how you want to proceed.



You should probably learn who you're talking about before you go running off at the mouth.

I've played professionally. I'll venture a guess that you haven't. I taught. Again, I suspect you've not. I've worked for three guitar retailers and two guitar manufacturers. Up until this past June, I'd spent the previous 16 years working in the music industry, specifically with respect to guitars; playing them and the manufacturing of them. I'd be willing to bet that your "experience" is far less in depth than mine.

Oh, and here's a tip, Junior: I never said people should "skip" learning them, so that's no more than some idiotic garbage on your part. Now, you can man up and either point out where I said that people should skip learning them, or admit to lying about what I said. Personally, I don't think you're man enough, or possess the character, to do either, and I strongly suspect you will confirm my suspicions.

I said that one can successfully play guitar without barre chords, and that is absolutely true. I never said that it's wise to skip learning them. That's just another on of your immature lies to try to counter a point which was never made in the first place. The bottom line is that it's quite possible to play guitar without knowing barre chords and no one here, including you and your unlearned opinion, has demonstrated otherwise.

Saying it's possible and saying it should be done are two vastly different things. I've never, ever suggested the latter...


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## Steve5D (Sep 14, 2013)

Devinhullphoto said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > Carvin's a weird deal. The only place you can buy them is either at the factory or at a Carvin store. The downside is that, compared to Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Martin, etc, Carvin is relatively unknown. Their resale value is pitiful, simply because no one has very much experience with them.
> ...



One of the nicer ones I played was an Allan Holdsworth model. I couldn't get over how light and resonant it was...


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## Buckster (Sep 14, 2013)

I've been playing and singing for over 40 years.  Coincidentally, that's how long I've sucked at it.    No matter though, because I always had fun with it.

Over the years I've had a couple of Les Pauls, one with a beautiful deep ruby finish and gold hardware, a couple of Ibanez guitars, a few copies/knockoffs of strats and Les Pauls, and a few acoustic guitars, which I always enjoyed playing most, my favorite being a Washburn D10 EB, which I still have.



Photos of the Strat I just sold are here in another forum thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-gallery/304035-stratocaster.html and that was the last electric I had.

Thing is, I just don't play much anymore at all.  At 54, my hands are beginning to  cramp up more easily, and the chemo has numbed my fingertips.

Besides the several guitars I had over the years, I had a 4 track tape deck, a few drum  machines, mixers, effects, mics, keyboards, then went digital with multitrack  software and so on.  Still sucked, but had more fun with it.  Most of that stuff is gone now too.  I'm about to put my Rode NT-1 mic up for sale, and a single Event 20/20 BAS monitor that I have left (the other was stolen from a storage unit in Dallas - why only one?  Who knows... )

I Wrote a LOT of songs over the course of my life.   Here are a couple that I wrote and recorded about/for my wife back in the mid 90's, one track at a time, in MP3 format:


They definitely need more cowbell.  lol


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## Steve5D (Sep 14, 2013)

I've owned a couple of Les Pauls over the years. The best deal was a Black Custom that I bought for $400.00 from a guy I was stationed with. There are heavy guitars, and then there was this thing. It was like strapping on a small Buick. It weighed in at almost 13 pounds...


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## ratssass (Sep 14, 2013)

....not really my style of music,but that was pretty good,buckster.


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## Buckster (Sep 14, 2013)

ratssass said:


> ....not really my style of music,but that was pretty good,buckster.


Thank you kindly.


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## Buckster (Sep 14, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> I've owned a couple of Les Pauls over the years. The best deal was a Black Custom that I bought for $400.00 from a guy I was stationed with. There are heavy guitars, and then there was this thing. It was like strapping on a small Buick. It weighed in at almost 13 pounds...


Agreed.  I had to have really wide padded straps to deal with them when I had them, because it was like strapping on a railroad tie with strings.  lol.


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## manaheim (Sep 14, 2013)

Wow, buckster. I had no idea.  I really enjoyed those.


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## JacaRanda (Sep 14, 2013)

I enjoyed them also Buckster.  I hear a little John Cougar flare; an artist I really admire.

Sent from my iPad using PhotoForum


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## cynicaster (Sep 14, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> You should probably learn who you're talking about before you go running off at the mouth.
> 
> I've played professionally. I'll venture a guess that you haven't. I taught. Again, I suspect you've not. I've worked for three guitar retailers and two guitar manufacturers. Up until this past June, I'd spent the previous 16 years working in the music industry, specifically with respect to guitars; playing them and the manufacturing of them. I'd be willing to bet that your "experience" is far less in depth than mine.
> 
> ...



Wow, did I just get the "do you know who I am?!?!?" speech from an old grumpy guy on the internet who worked at Guitar Center?  Now I've seen it all.      

I said:



> I can never understand why so many casual players half-ass it  and don't bother to ever learn how to play barre chords.



Then, you said:



> I don't know that I would characterize not playing barre chords as "half assed". It's simply another tool, and a preference...



Which, to anybody who doesn't know any better, could easily be interpreted as "look y'all... if barre chords make your hands hurt... screw it, just don't bother... after all, there are other tools in the box... easier tools, like capos... here's a picture of one."  Which is why I said in my last message:



> To anybody here just learning guitar, adopt this guy's opinion at your own peril,



The opinion in question, of course, being the downplayed importance of barre chords mentioned above.        

This is what I've been railing against the whole time, as it is a *horrible* message to be sending to people trying to learn the instrument.  But you won't address that head on, presumably because deep down you agree with me, and saying so would end the argument and ruin your fun.  Instead, you pretend the whole discussion is about other things entirely, such as the academic definition of what distinguishes a barre chord from a chord that is simply moveable, and options that are available to arthritic players.  I mean, just think about how stupid that sounds... a statement of "beginners should learn barre chords" followed by "uh... not so fast, I know old guys with arthritis who get by without them".  Hilarious!  I was never talking about people with crippling physical ailments who _know barre chords but choose not to play them due to pain_--that was but one of the multiple ridiculous red herrings you introduced to the discussion.  I was quite clearly saying, right from my very first message, that a person learning who decides to skip a _fundamental skill_ because "it's too hard" is being half-assed in their learning approach.  That's true in any endeavor, not just guitar.  If you truly think such a defeatist stance on learning is so acceptable, then I feel sorry for any students that gave you money for tutelage.    

PS--there is a word being used incorrectly in the signature that gets appended to every message you post.  You brought up word choices earlier, so I figured you consider that stuff important and would appreciate the heads up.


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## manaheim (Sep 14, 2013)

Thank you cynicaster for reigniting a thread that had cooled.  We'll call that a lock.


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