next »

The Praise & Worship Forum Home

The Gear Page Home

The Gear Page Forum

Old School Guitar

Gear Search

Advanced search

[SongMan]

Hi,

I got to thinking and started to really wonder...where is the line? What is considered too distracting? What is too fancy?

Subjective, yes. However, would certain finish or body shape bother or distract you or your congregation???

Thanks!

[astainback]

I don't think there is any finish or shape that would be bad, but I could imagine that there could be a finish/shape that would be distracting.

You would have to go on your best judgment here. 

1.  I would say NO to any mirror pickguards.  You don't want to constantly be blinding the church members.
2.  I would also say NO to a 7 neck Hamer.  :^)
3.  I would say NO to the guitars with the pin-up girl stuck on the front.  Oh, and pentagrams.

[SongMan]

Sometimes I wonder if Gold finished guitar is...well Gold!

Indiana Jones did not drink out of GOLD cup, right?

Tyler Burning water is very cool...but finish can be sooo distracting, no?

SG speaks for it self.  haha

All the guitars I have GAS for right now, minus the SG. Trying to justify I guess.

[ac30guy]

Haha just get a McCarty with a beautiful trans burst finish and be done on a serious note...I would agree with astainback's 3 comments...that finish is really cool on the first guitar...I wouldn't be opposed to playing it in church. Maybe not a 27-fret Xiphos or ML...FWIW a ML just isn't suited for most church playing...I tried my old one...the pickups were made for hard rock and just sounded like poop for anything else, which was fine when I plugged into my halfstack and played alter bridge, flyleaf, etc, but not so much for lincoln brewster...just play what feels right in your hands and sounds good. Don't worry about it being "too pointy" or anything like that that people use to try and down your gear and tell you it "isn't appropriate" because it doesn't look right. Next they'll be tell you that it isn't appropriate to wear anything less than a suit and tie...(no offense bob)

[SongMan]

Haha just get a McCarty with a beautiful trans burst finish and be done on a serious note...I would agree with astainback's 3 comments...that finish is really cool on the first guitar...I wouldn't be opposed to playing it in church. Maybe not a 27-fret Xiphos or ML...FWIW a ML just isn't suited for most church playing...I tried my old one...the pickups were made for hard rock and just sounded like poop for anything else, which was fine when I plugged into my halfstack and played alter bridge, flyleaf, etc, but not so much for lincoln brewster...just play what feels right in your hands and sounds good. Don't worry about it being "too pointy" or anything like that that people use to try and down your gear and tell you it "isn't appropriate" because it doesn't look right. Next they'll be tell you that it isn't appropriate to wear anything less than a suit and tie...(no offense bob)

Hi,

Thanks for the tip! I do have couple questions for you. You said that other guitars was equipped with pups that were for "hard rock". Isn't most stuff these days such as Hillsong Tomblin, etc etc pretty much hard rock? And even if they were not, isn't some of the guitars I posted such as SG, PRS, and even Tyler very modern with aggresive ouutput or tone? This is not a debate as I'm still learning about these stuff. I do appreciate your input.

Again, Thank you.

[ac30guy]

Hi,

Thanks for the tip! I do have couple questions for you. You said that other guitars was equipped with pups that were for "hard rock". Isn't most stuff these days such as Hillsong Tomblin, etc etc pretty much hard rock? And even if they were not, isn't some of the guitars I posted such as SG, PRS, and even Tyler very modern with aggresive ouutput or tone? This is not a debate as I'm still learning about these stuff. I do appreciate your input.

Again, Thank you.

Okay, the pups in my old ML were dimarzios that were so hot that I couldn't get the amp to clean up rolling the volume knob back, on a setting that was perfectly clean with all my other guitars, it sounded like I had a mild distortion on. They were extremely harsh sounding with everything. I would call Hillsong, Tomlin, etc far from hard rock. While the guitars may have more aggressive tone, (and I'm a huge fan of PRS), I had a guitar that just didn't work for any of this stuff...the ML sounded phenomonal with when I played alter bridge stuff, but just didn't work at church...like I said, play what works for you

[Saint Bob]

Mirrored pickguards can also mess up the white balance if you are on video.  Actually, anything that is bright white can do that, too.

[stratman34]

Two I would not -> the known technical problems (like white/mirrored/chrome finishes), and irreverant material (some words, pin-up girls, etc.)

Otherwise, I wouldn't give it a 2nd thought.  I've played several services with Jacksons (solid white, but we don't video ), and with a Goldtop LP.  It's really not a big thing.

[Peter Hamm]

I think the Tyler finishes are way cool but I admit I think it's too distracting for worship.

[musicmand]

Very rarely do I care what my guitars look like.  I play in such a variety of venues, I just don't buy guitars that won't work almost everywhere- even my alpine white SG.      I must admit, though, that if I know I'm going to be particularly aggressive musically, I will sometimes intentionally be conservative with my guitar choice.

Once there was a wedding for a couple in our church.  Bride's side was uber-conservative Christian.  Grandpa was even a Baptist preacher.  Groom's side was countrified rockers and wanted nothing to do with church.  In fact, they had to do some smooth talking just to get them to COME when the wedding was held in a church.  They decided they wanted to help grease the wheels for the groom's side by having a rock band instead of the traditional church music.  They also asked that we play some praise and worship tunes but also do some classic and 80's rock.  We had to walk a thin line, though, because the bride's side might take offense if we went too far.  Thus, I grabbed my Strat for the gig.  Pretty conservative, all things considered.  I would have grabbed my hollow body if not for the fact we were playing "Sweet Child of Mine" and I needed the deeper neck access.

[joebloe12]

I have four guitars onstage with me, but they are not distracting with satanic symbols or whatever..LOL!

Just "plain jane" shapes.

1. PRS Modern Eagle 1 private stock with "swimming pool" finish.

2. Fender 57 reissue strat with two sunburst tone finish.

3. Godin LGS SA classical with 13 pin pickup I use for MIDI guitar and natural finish.

4. Taylor 312CE acoustic with natural finish.

Nothing much in the shapes or finishes to "offend" anyone as far as I am aware.

[CoryZipperle]

If your guitar is too distracting to somebody, the problem isn't the guitar. 

I'd stay away from anything that is sinful: images depicting sex, drugs, Satan, etc.  But other than that, a little artwork never hurt nobody. 

[idk]

when it comes to talking about finishes, wouldn't most think that Droff's blue pearl starplayer?

[LeftyBass]

The only bass I've not taken to church is my Flying V Bass, seems "inappropriate".

[Scott Peterson]

I'd not take any of the more 'extreme' metal guitars, nor guitars with messages on them (other than Christian that is) personally. But the Tyler Burning Water? I'd take it to P&W without a second thought. The SG? Again, would not blink. The PRS goldtop? I've owned more than one, never stopped me.

Mirror pickguards? Never thought about that, but no, that does not feel appropriate to me. Tools for the job; you don't wear spandex bike shorts to play P&W either, eh? 

It's time to start a supporting membership drive. Subscriptions for supporting memberships are a means of making sure that the site can survive financially. In essence, each level of supporting membership helps pay the basic costs and helps pay for the bandwidth needed for the features allowed for each level. The Praise and Worship Forum will be free for anyone who wants basic service on the website, including the ability to place ads in our Marketplace areas. No member will feel any sort of pressure to subscribe at any level. It’s completely up to you. 

The following describes what Subscriptions are and what you get for them:

Praise and Worship Supporting Membership Levels

What is a “subscription”? It is a software-based system where a member can purchase certain privileges on for one full year. They do not auto renew. We have four different levels of membership:

Member: This is a totally free membership that allows members use search, and Private Messages. All you have to do is register. You will have a Private Message box capacity of 25 PMs for new members up to 100 for senior members based on your post count (as your posts increase, your membership level increases up to “Senior Member” at 500 posts)

Silver Supporting Member: The cost is $10 for a year and allows you an expanded Private Message box capacity of 150

Gold Supporting Member: The cost is $15 for a year and allows subscribers all of the Silver Supporting Member perks plus a 250 PM limit and a Standard Avatar.

Platinum Supporting Member: The cost is $20 for a year and allows you all the Gold Member Supporting perks plus a 500 PM limit and the ability to upload your own custom avatar to the forum.

Please note that if you are paying PayPal via an echeck, we don't receive the notification that changes a member to a subscribing member until the echeck clears PayPal! Also, in response to some questions asked, no, becoming a supporting member does NOT mean that you won't get infractions or a suspension if you break our rules. The same rules apply to everyone.

Please note that you can collapse this box if you so desire. Just click up to the upper right.

Supporting Member Choices

Silver Supporting Membership $10.00 Gold Supporting Membership $15.00 Platinum Supporting Membership $20.00

Or if you don't care to be become a Subscribing Member, or just want to make a contribution regardless, feel free to set any amount you are comfortable with: