When Did You Know You’d Found “The One”?

ScreamingDave · September 2023

I bought my first SG Standard because I used it (in Coda Music when they still had a Luton branch) to try out a Boss chorus pedal. The great thing was that, because they thought I was only interested in the pedal, they left me alone to play, rather than hanging around trying to “sell” the guitar to me. I hated the pedal (sorry, Boss fans) but fell in love with the SG. So I took the guitar and pedal back to the desk and the guy asked me what I thought. I said, “I don’t like the pedal, but I’ll take the guitar.” He laughed and said, “Yeah, right!” and I said, “No, seriously, I’ll take the guitar” (getting my wallet out for dramatic effect)

Almost the easiest sale he ever made.

I toyed with the idea of getting the one in Naturalburst, but that was £799 (2005) and the Heritage Cherry was £739, so I had the Cherry one.

I realised it was “the one” because I always used to take three or four guitars to rehearsals and the SG was always one of them, and I then realised that if I wanted to play one of the others I’d better play it first, because once I strapped on the SG I wouldn’t want to put it down.

So a couple of months later I went and treated myself to the one in Naturalburst. No trying it out. Just bought it.

And THAT was the easiest sale he ever made.

p90fool · September 2023

About two months after buying my Les Paul goldtop in 2012 I realised that I didn't much enjoy playing anything else and that the LP always felt like home.

I do gig other guitars nowadays but the Goldtop (now refinished and refretted) still comes with me.

imalrightjack · September 2023

I absolutely have never found it. I wish I had.

Sporky · September 2023

I'd always admired the Ibanez Talman. One appeared at Machine head in a wetrd cream-to-blue burst, but I thought it might be worth investigating. I phoned and Jeff put it to one side. When I got there the chap at the counter said it was reserved for so done and I was quite sad until Lady BMcH pointed out that was me.

I think it took maybe 20 seconds to realise I wasn't leaving without it.

DrBob · September 2023

Literally the second after I sold it

nero1701 · September 2023

Mine was the 4th strat I bought (2nd Custom Shop), always seems t be the one in hand at a gig

distressed · September 2023

When I got it from the luthier.

Funkfingers · September 2023

I have found several "The Ones". Foolishly, I have sold or traded some of them.

Sporky said:

a weird cream-to-blue burst

Cream centre to blue edge sounds very Danelectro.

CountryDave · September 2023

When I realised that, although I had it in my head that I often took out different guitars to gigs, it turns out the no1 has been to 99% of the gigs I’ve done since I bought it a year and a half ago. Also that it gets 99% of the playtime at all the gigs too.

merlin · September 2023

During lockdown my lovely wife (who was working online a lot, straight from the get-go) bought me my first Gretsch.
It's an Anniversary G6118T LIV. I've had other Gretsch guitars since but there's no topping it. Just slips into place and does exactly what I need it to.

munckee · September 2023

My desire to buy guitars I don’t have seems to always overtake my need to hang on to guitars.

Sporky · September 2023

Funkfingers said:

Sporky said:

a weird cream-to-blue burst

Cream centre to blue edge sounds very Danelectro.

It is a bit.

guitars4you · September 2023

I'm a U2 man - Still haven't found what I'm looking for

But the search is wonderful and never knew I had to get it down to just one - I have about 4 that I play regularly and enjoy - they are different so none can be better - So one will never work and I'm certainly not looking for the 'One'

prowla · September 2023

2nd bass I bought - a Rickenbacker 4001.

LionAquaLooper · September 2023

I don't have a "The One". I'm not allowed to cheat on my wife so I have a harem of guitars instead.

richardhomer · September 2023

There were times when I only owned one electric guitar and inevitably that was ‘the one’ until I moved it on to finance the ‘next one’. I think when you play pretty much one instrument only, you have an emotional connection to it that is largely unrelated to its merits as a musical instrument. I think this is far better than having endless dissatisfaction with your guitar…

TTBZ · September 2023

Mines also an SG but didn't realise it was "the one" until quite recently, about 10 years into ownership. It was the best SG I played in the shop but when I brought it home I was always underwhelmed by the sustain and tone when compared to my LPs. Tried all sorts of pickups in it to get closer to that sound but about 2 years ago decided to just put it back to stock and appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to make it something it isn't. The thing that made me realise it was actually a great guitar was trying a load of others out in shops and coming away disappointed and thinking "it was nice, but my guitar at home is nicer". I also find it the comfiest guitar to play, nothing else disappears like an SG and I don't worry about anything digging in or being too heavy.

I always wanted the naturalburst version but ended up with a cherry one. Mine is quite an orangey red which is aging nicely as it hangs by the window. You can see the original colour around the knobs where it's been in the shade.

axisus · September 2023

I can always tell 'the one'. I get a similar reaction every time.

Bigsby · September 2023

ScreamingDave said:

Almost the easiest sale he ever made.

I toyed with the idea of getting the one in Naturalburst, but that was £799 (2005) and the Heritage Cherry was £739, so I had the Cherry one.

I realised it was “the one” because I always used to take three or four guitars to rehearsals and the SG was always one of them, and I then realised that if I wanted to play one of the others I’d better play it first, because once I strapped on the SG I wouldn’t want to put it down.

So a couple of months later I went and treated myself to the one in Naturalburst. No trying it out. Just bought it.

And THAT was the easiest sale he ever made.

Hang on, I'm confused... which one was 'The One' the heritage cherry one or the natural burst one? Or are they 'The Two'?

I tend to think of the phrase 'The One' to refer to one specific guitar, i.e. the 'one' SG/Strat/Tele/Les Paul/Etc. above all others, rather than the 'one' model you prefer to other models.

earwighoney · September 2023

richardhomer said:

There were times when I only owned one electric guitar and inevitably that was ‘the one’ until I moved it on to finance the ‘next one’. I think when you play pretty much one instrument only, you have an emotional connection to it that is largely unrelated to its merits as a musical instrument. I think this is far better than having endless dissatisfaction with your guitar…

I think there is something here. The times I improved the most was when I focussed on just playing the one guitar be it nylon, acoustic or electric.

I've found instead of constantly chopping and changing the the time is better spent playing one particular guitar and learning it's geometry as best as is possible.

Unless the individual takes pleasure in playing a number of different guitars for small amounts. We're all different, some guitarists aren't on the look out for 'the one'.

Pd1020 · September 2023

I don't think I've found the “one” & I’m coming to terms that there isn’t “one” the older I get. It’s just whatever fits the mood at the time.

theatreanchor · September 2023

I think I found it at Coda, but I also like my others…I think. Hard to say. I know I’d miss it if it was gone, but I’m sure, given the time and money, there might be another.

Bigsby · September 2023

I think the idea of 'the one' is a bit like Father Christmas when you're a kid: Probably doesn't exist, yet sometimes every shop seems to have one.

Faye · September 2023

ScreamingDave said:

I bought my first SG Standard because I used it (in Coda Music when they still had a Luton branch) to try out a Boss chorus pedal. The great thing was that, because they thought I was only interested in the pedal, they left me alone to play, rather than hanging around trying to “sell” the guitar to me. I hated the pedal (sorry, Boss fans) but fell in love with the SG. So I took the guitar and pedal back to the desk and the guy asked me what I thought. I said, “I don’t like the pedal, but I’ll take the guitar.” He laughed and said, “Yeah, right!” and I said, “No, seriously, I’ll take the guitar” (getting my wallet out for dramatic effect)

Almost the easiest sale he ever made.

I toyed with the idea of getting the one in Naturalburst, but that was £799 (2005) and the Heritage Cherry was £739, so I had the Cherry one.

I realised it was “the one” because I always used to take three or four guitars to rehearsals and the SG was always one of them, and I then realised that if I wanted to play one of the others I’d better play it first, because once I strapped on the SG I wouldn’t want to put it down.

So a couple of months later I went and treated myself to the one in Naturalburst. No trying it out. Just bought it.

And THAT was the easiest sale he ever made.

So similar for me - I was trying out SGs in Stevenage Coda in 2004. Came out with an '03 '61 Reissue. Over the next couple of years I just stopped playing anything else, so sold my other dozen guitars. It's still my no.1, and I've played it more or less everyday since I bought it. It's virtually an extension of my body. Cost £1199, I think.

DavusPG · September 2023

I'm not sure I have found one guitar to rule them all yet but I currently have 3 that I can happily play for an entire gig with no need or desire to change it: my Feline Lion, my Suhr Pete Thorn HH, and my most recent acquisition a PRS DGT. I'll happily pick any of them up knowing that it will feel just right, even though they're all quite different, but I don't have a favourite of the 3.

At some point I'll do a NGD post on the DGT as PRS had never been of interest to me, and I'd never even played one until the possibility of a trade came up on the forum, but I'm glad it did as it's one of the best playing and sounding guitars I've ever laid my hands on.... but whether or not it's "the one" remains to be seen

wrinkleygit · September 2023

I realised I had found the “one” about 3 months after I had parted with it, luckily a couple of years or so later I managed to get it back. It’s been parked next to me by the sofa ever since………….. Oh, it’s a tele elite in Ocean Blue, ebony compound neck is probably the best I’ve ever played.

ScreamingDave · September 2023

Bigsby said:

ScreamingDave said:

Almost the easiest sale he ever made.

I toyed with the idea of getting the one in Naturalburst, but that was £799 (2005) and the Heritage Cherry was £739, so I had the Cherry one.

I realised it was “the one” because I always used to take three or four guitars to rehearsals and the SG was always one of them, and I then realised that if I wanted to play one of the others I’d better play it first, because once I strapped on the SG I wouldn’t want to put it down.

So a couple of months later I went and treated myself to the one in Naturalburst. No trying it out. Just bought it.

And THAT was the easiest sale he ever made.

Hang on, I'm confused... which one was 'The One' the heritage cherry one or the natural burst one? Or are they 'The Two'?

I tend to think of the phrase 'The One' to refer to one specific guitar, i.e. the 'one' SG/Strat/Tele/Les Paul/Etc. above all others, rather than the 'one' model you prefer to other models.

The Heritage Cherry is the one, that’s the one I play all the time, but SG’s as the one model if you look at it that way.

Sassafras · September 2023

Don't know about "the one" but my favourite guitar is the Telecaster.
Love the sound, shape, weight and feel of them.

imalrightjack · September 2023

Reading the comments about owning only one reminds me of my Strat Plus I bought used. I did everything with it - because I had to. Then I started having spare cash and the madness hasn’t stopped.

I swear this is true: I didn’t really understand the difference between single coils and humbuckers until I was in my thirties

theatreanchor · September 2023

imalrightjack said:

Reading the comments about owning only one reminds me of my Strat Plus I bought used. I did everything with it - because I had to. Then I started having spare cash and the madness hasn’t stopped.

I swear this is true: I didn’t really understand the difference between single coils and humbuckers until I was in my thirties

I agree with all this!

skullfunkerry · September 2023

imalrightjack said:

Reading the comments about owning only one reminds me of my Strat Plus I bought used. I did everything with it - because I had to. Then I started having spare cash and the madness hasn’t stopped.

I swear this is true: I didn’t really understand the difference between single coils and humbuckers until I was in my thirties

I have a friend who had no idea they were different designs of pickup; he just thought some looked different to others because that's how the manufacturers made them. He'd never twigged the difference in sound, either. He was about 63 when I explained the difference.

Regarding The One, mine is my Soloist. When I got it my other guitars were that sparkly orange Performance and a PRS SE Holcomb, and after about a month I realised I'd barely played them as I was just picking up the Jackson all the time.

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When Did You Know You’d Found “The One”?

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