Which Guitar is THE Best? Tribalism in the Music World.
You don't need to look far in the world of riff sticks to find an opinion, and yes the irony that I am writing this in an opinion piece is not lost on me.
That doesn't change the fact however, that you can look in any guitar group on social media or YouTube channel and find pundits extolling the virtues of this or that guitar. They'll talk about neck radius, exotic woods, scale lengths, pickups, fret size, popular model reissues, yadda yadda yadda and of course most importantly fetishise their brand.
That last one in particular is really pushed, and with good reason. That reason is a little thing called brand loyalty. By offering financial incentives to artists and influencers of note to give the general impression that a particular brand is "special", those brands aim to foster that said belief in potential buyers. This is done not only to curry favour with collectors and one time buyers, but to make an environment of tribalism.
That last one in particular is really pushed, and with good reason. That reason is a little thing called brand loyalty. By offering financial incentives to artists and influencers of note to give the general impression that a particular brand is "special", those brands aim to foster that said belief in potential buyers. This is done not only to curry favour with collectors and one time buyers, but to make an environment of tribalism.
You're not just buying an instrument, you're purchasing an identity. You're a Fender player, a Gibson player, an Ibanez player etc.
You chose the best!
All other instruments are for losers!
You will take any opportunity or make your brand known and aggressively defend the brand from criticism. Or at least that is the hope.
Enter any brand specific group and watch people shill hard for that brand whilst taking an unnecessary steaming proverbial turd on the opposition. It's pretty sad how easily manipulated people can be but thats what advertisers bank on. This mildly delusional landscape can make it extremely confusing for buyers to make a good choice when purchasing.
Opinions it has been said are like buttholes, we all have one, and some can be hired for a price. That being said indulge in me chiming in a few choice nuggets of wisdom as nobody is paying for my indulgences yet.....i should probably do more squats and wear yoga pants.
No brand is best. Almost all have made stinkers at some point, or over charged for less than quality finishes. So don't get hung up on a name.
Be open to different instruments. Just try things. You never know what will click with you. Let the results guide your choice. I've had many surprising interactions with instruments I would have never considered had I let my bias be my guide.
There is probably no total answer to your sound cravings. There is a good reason most people have more than one guitar. It's horses for courses and you will probably want more options over time, so don't sweat perfection too much.
And lastly any guitar set up and cared for properly will serve you well. From the cheapest to most expensive, put it in good order an it will riff. The player experience will differ instrument to instrument but the playability can be assured... unless there is some serious structural defect (keep dem warranties kiddies).
I hope this has given you something to consider on your riffological adventures.
Till next time stay safe and riff hard.
Chris Re-Animator.