If four years of working at a local guitar shop have taught me anything, it’s that there are a ton of different guitars out there. There are many on the market, and a visit to your local music store will often leave you in a state of decision paralysis. Every day, I play the role of matchmaker, helping customers find the perfect instrument to suit their musical needs. Some meet those needs better than others. Today, I’ll explain why certain guitars are better for writing songs than others.
The Voice
Depending on the style of music you are writing, certain types and models often have long histories of being the tool of choice when it comes to delivering those iconic sounds. Selecting these particular instruments and pairing them with the genres they are most common in can help put you in the right creative mindset.
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Prime examples of this are the Fender Telecaster or Gibson SJ-00 in country, the Martin D-28 in bluegrass, and the Gibson Les Paul in rock. Can these models be used outside of these genres? Absolutely! Just look at the Fender Telecaster. It has made its mark on almost every musical genre you can think of. But when you pair the right instrument with its respective genre, you will be surprised how naturally those ideas will flow out.
Simplicity
Simplicity is beautiful; why overcomplicate things when you can just pick up your guitar and immediately get to work? There is something magical about the simple design of a Gibson Les Paul Junior or a Fender Telecaster; they have everything you need to make sound and nothing else.
Having an instrument that is simple can be seen as limiting to some, but I argue it can be quite liberating. Having fewer bells and whistles can help us get to the point quicker, and that is making music!
Legacy
Close your eyes and think of your favorite guitar. What artists and music does it make you think of? Our love of music, and the type of music we create, did not come out of thin air. It was inspired and influenced by those that came before us.
We all have influences, certain songs and players that made us fall in love with the instrument. Using what they did can act as a bridge, connecting us to our musical heroes and the music they created.
Versatility
Having a single guitar that is capable of producing many sounds can be a huge help in the songwriting process. Whether your tastes lean more traditional or contemporary, there are a plethora of options out there for everyone.
Heritage-based companies like Gibson and Fender set the standard with their electric designs, creating models like the ES-335 and Telecaster, which have been used in every genre from smooth jazz to hard rock. Their dual pickup designs and simple, yet useful, wiring schemes have made them a proven favorite and continue to inspire musicians today.
Contemporary companies, like PRS and Ibanez, are building instruments that are loaded with useful features. Coil splits, active preamps, and unique pickup configurations give a single guitar the capability to sound like many different models and drive your creativity to new heights!
Final Thoughts
Is there a right and wrong answer for what guitar you should buy? The answer is… it depends! We all have different tastes when it comes to music and different goals with what kind we want to create.
For every player, the perfect guitar is out there somewhere. If you take these points with you on your next buying expedition, I guarantee you will find the one.
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