does it even matter what kind of electric guitar one chooses to play ?

with all of the foot peddle computerized, stuff they have available.

Can the artists choose one guitar and change the sound as they please, to make it what they want to hear?

( except when the need a differently tuned tool for other songs)

Yep still matters. A Strat will still not sound exactly like a Les Paul. A Telecaster will not sound like an SG even with humbuckers. (Those are all Fender vs Gibson comparisons... But you get the idea. Lotsa other good guitars out there.)

Knopfler is one of my favorites as many here may know, and he still uses many different guitars for different songs depending on the sound he's after, despite having access to all the best gear.

Electronics has advanced to the point that digital modeling sounds really good, but there is still a unique sound to each instrument.
For most of us, though, it is a barely noticeable difference, so the primary concern becomes how well and creative you can play

I just took up guitar. For $100 I bought a really nice sounding Squier strat.

I'm amazed how much guitar you can buy for just a little money.

You can go many different routs.
With amp "modeler" rigs and software you can sculpt your sound almost infinitely so having a guitar you play well is more important than it's tonal qualities..... to a point.
With traditional awesome tube amps though the guitar and every component in your signal chain becomes part of the final product.
I've owned both and each have their place and merits depending on your needs. And as others have said, only guitar players can detect most of these differences.

It certainly does matter. Aside from the sound of the instrument, how the thing feels in one's hands is of top importance. The neck shape, surfaces, frets, size, etc are all different on all kinds of guitars. The difference between one that plays like butter to one that requires work and effort to wring out chords and notes is a real measurement, and a lot of times determines price as well.

Almost any make and model of a guitar will have a unique "voice".

Solid chambers or hollow, type woods used, pickups and strings being the biggest affecting that voice, and then the amp and effects alter that voice.

Then the artist makes the voice their own, or can mimic others.

The folks in Japan have done some outstanding work on guitars, must hand it to them.

The "founders" (folks like Paul Bigsby, Les Paul, Chet Atkins being a frontman for Gretsch) and so many others were the first true and committed innovators to sound and system as the electrified guitar was born.

Even today, all these years later, people still do many of those things done in the beginning, for good reason.


And I have seen some outstanding artist make some kick ass music with the most rudiment of "string and wood".

quote:

Originally posted by tigereye313:
Knopfler is one of my favorites as many here may know, and he still uses many different guitars for different songs depending on the sound he's after, despite having access to all the best gear.

As you and others have said, yes it does matter.

However, I'd guess that Knopfler had many different guitars on stage as they are all tuned differently for different songs. One in open G, one in drop D, etc....

Could be wrong though.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

However, I'd guess that Knopfler had many different guitars on stage as they are all tuned differently for different songs. One in open G, one in drop D, etc....

Could be wrong though.

Sultans of Swing = Strat
Brothers in Arms = Les Paul
Walk of Life = Telecaster
On some more recent stuff he's even used a Danelectro

How are they tuned?

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
How are they tuned?

Far as I know, these days the only guitar he uses that is tuned other than standard tuning is his National Steel.

quote:

Originally posted by heathtx:
I just took up guitar. For $100 I bought a really nice sounding Squier strat.

I'm amazed how much guitar you can buy for just a little money.

I was in Sam Ash the other day picking up a set of strings and was looking around at the guitars.

I remember when the Mexican Strats were less than $300. They had a Martin D28 in a case and it was priced at $3400. When I bought mine in 2004, it was less than $1600.

There are some guitars which are a great value. I really like the Blueridge line of acoustic guitars. Gibson Les Pauls just never seem to depreciate, they're like Toyota trucks.

Strats depreciate like crazy.

For band practice today I took an Ernie Ball Axis and a Marshall DSL50 head. I used pedals very sparingly. It was tonal heaven. Next week I will use a 50w Marshall Plexi (1987xl) and no pedals. The following week I will use a 1979 JMP 2203. I don't even like this band, but they love to play stupid loud, so I get to really wring out my Marshalls the way they're meant to be played. And that makes me very happy.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
does it even matter what kind of electric guitar one chooses to play ?

with all of the foot peddle computerized, stuff they have available.

Can the artists choose one guitar and change the sound as they please, to make it what they want to hear?

( except when the need a differently tuned tool for other songs)

Any competent guitarist can play just about any guitar and while we're attracted to a certain timbre, a guitarist chooses an instrument based on its feel over all other things. We also choose pedals and amps based on feel. An amp may sound identical to a modeler but they don't feel the same to the player. They are getting closer and closer but right now it's a no from me.

quote:

Originally posted by heathtx:
I just took up guitar. For $100 I bought a really nice sounding Squier strat.

I'm amazed how much guitar you can buy for just a little money.

Yes, back in the 80s when I started the cheap guitars were just about worthless. Now, they're not bad.

I've owned Fender, Gibson, Epiphone and Richenbacker. in my playing days. In the last 10 years, I found Jay Turser makes some very nice knockoff guitars. I bought 4 - 6 string and 1 - 12 string off ebay and enjoyed them for around $150. The best one, which I still have is a ES335 clone that is very nice to play.

I sold all the other Tursers over the last few years on Craigslist at the same price that I paid for them.