What Does a "Workhorse Guitar" Mean to You?

[777timesgod]

see also, "beater guitar"

Doesn't that term imply that the guitar is a cheap one, bought just for playing by a beginner or someone who wants to practise mods on it for the first time? It may have defects or have bad playability.
I would assume that a workhorse is a guitar you keep after you have bought more expensive pieces of gear because its dependability is appreciated.

 

[trem licking]

Doesn't that term imply that the guitar is a cheap one, bought just for playing by a beginner or someone who wants to practise mods on it for the first time? It may have defects or have bad playability.
I would assume that a workhorse is a guitar you keep after you have bought more expensive pieces of gear because its dependability is appreciated.

Yeah i suppose so... But after you work a horse so hard, it's gonna look rough. They tend to look more like beaters i guess you could say.

 

[777timesgod]

Yeah i suppose so... But after you work a horse so hard, it's gonna look rough. They tend to look more like beaters i guess you could say.

Sure, I agree with that.

 

[Strobe]

Generally that it is not pleasing to the eye.

 

[thraxil]

To me, I guess it just means that the guitar is capable of doing pretty much everything it needs to, is reliable, doesn't require any special treatment, and isn't super precious. If I'm afraid to lean the guitar against an amp instead of carefully placing it back in its case because someone might bump it and chip the paint, it's not a workhorse. If it sounds amazing but falls way out of tune after every song, it's not a workhorse. If everything else is great but sometimes the output jack goes out if you hold it at a particular angle, it's not a workhorse. It doesn't necessarily have to look bad, but if it does look bad, that doesn't really matter.

 

[KJGaruda]

To me, I guess it just means that the guitar is capable of doing pretty much everything it needs to, is reliable, doesn't require any special treatment, and isn't super precious. If I'm afraid to lean the guitar against an amp instead of carefully placing it back in its case because someone might bump it and chip the paint, it's not a workhorse.

I say ditto to this. It's the one you always pick up because it's "ol' reliable" basically.

I've had my EC 401 for years and between that one and my Edwards, the EC is always the one I pick up the most to play. The Edwards is higher quality and more expensive so I tend to baby it, but the 401 has consistently taken everything I've thrown at it and kept truckin.

 

[777timesgod]

Generally that it is not pleasing to the eye.

I consider many Schecter Hellraisers/Ibanez Iron labels/Washburn Paralaxe to be workhorses and they are nice. You do not get nauseous when you see them, they are not fancy though.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

My primary guitar. It isn't my best-playing but it is my favorite and I use it on all my cover gigs. Note the following:

- Cheap Korean EC-1000 that I got for $400 new
- Bill Lawrence L-500s for maximum versatility. They're not just for metal, folks... get the lower-inductance ones and be amazed!
- DiMarzio strap locks so I can buckle the guitar in and feel like a badass
- Every sticker I've ever been given on the guitar to placate my inner 13-year-old
- Fret wrap behind the nut to prevent ringage
- A single volume pot, because tone pots are for old people
- Generous tummy carve to accommodate my large gut
- Pick dust in between the pickups because I never clean it
- Numerous dings, dents, and scratches, but nothing that shows up on camera because this is mahogany, not a fucking basswood RG

This guitar has been dropped and knocked over a few times and I didn't shed a tear. If it were stolen I'd be sad but wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It serves me well every night that I play it and I always pick it up when I want to jam... it doesn't need some gaudy Ed Roman-esque top or scatter-wound Unobtanium pickups to sound good. It's the guitar equivalent of the cute, down-to-earth girl next door.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Some of us play the pretty ones...

This thing is all beat up now... I played it a lot... Took it places. Had ppl I've finally learned to forgive knock it off guitar stands...

And she's sexy...
View media item 1825

 

[Merrekof]

It means I can do whatever the hell I want with it, and it's going to be reliable.

Same, my Ibanez RG7620 does that for me.

 

[Christopher Har V]

I think it's a fool's phrase. Whether you're writing, recording, rehearsing, or gigging, you're doing work with your guitar.
I believe what is more commonly meant by the phrase "working guitar" is really "gigging guitar" - it's seen a lot of shows and sports the wear & tear of regular travel, thus appearing more "worked" than any non-gigging guitars that the guitarist may own.

 

[aesthyrian]

When you have nearly endless options through your signature models and custom work, yet you still use one of the first prototypes/runs of your signature guitar.. to me, that's a workhorse. Beat to shit, been used for everything, it just has a connection with the player that makes it an extension of said player. These guitars sound and play in a way that's so perfect it leaves the player wanting nothing more.. even though it's all available to them.

 

[Tuned]

A versatile guitar that I can use in 90% of situations. I came to this once I realized that I owned $3000 range oustanding boutique instruments just gathering dust, and that I couldn't afford that. From there on, I was constantly getting rid of guitars and amps, and the economy was quite helpful to make this decision too.
Currently, a MIJ neutral/classical looking 'wolf in lamb's hyde' superstrat Schecter Japan with HSH, coil tapping and a FR.
For bass, the LAKLAND 55-94. I've had band mates and a music engineer told me to use that one instead of of passive old-school basses (sorta those in the video) where you'd expect those to fit best.

 

[Karmaic]

My "workhorse" is my only guitar. ESP/LTD MH-417BFM, 7 string. Paid $650 for it brand new as a B stock because it had 1 microscopic ding on the back of the guitar. Normally $800. Its solid. Sperzel locking tuners (added myself). String thru body. Set neck. Tune O Matic bridge (my favorite). EMG's. Has everything I love/need in a guitar. And it sounds and plays great. Ive logged many, many hours on it in the 3 years Ive owned it. I bought it strictly to be my workhorse.

I dont need/want a temolo/floyd rose. Nor do I need a volume/tone knob for each pickup.

A workhorse to me, is a guitar that requires minimal maintenance. Reliable and stays in tune. And isnt a wall hanger.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Realistically, a workhorse guitar isn't going to have a set price point.

PRS describes their S2 line as the workhorse guitar line. Ibanez ranges from $600 to $2000. Gibson LP Studios are in the $1200 neighbourhood which many people use as their go to. Anything in the MIM Fender line, all the way to the American Elite. ESP or LTD, Gretsch, Godin... Anything really.

A workhorse guitar is going to be the go-to guitar for a person whenever they pick up an instrument. They could have one, or many. For me, my workhorses are my Indonesian made Jacksons, Ibanez and Fender guitars (because they're all in different tunings). I've practices with them, written with them and gigged with them. They do everything for me, are reliable, stay in tune and inspire me to play and write. It's just going to be the go to guitar(s) for anyone, regardless of price point.

 

[Aumann]

As someone else said, it depends on setting and personal needs. Basically, its just the guitar you use most. In general it's just a stable instrument that is versatile and can stand a beating.

For example, lots of old guitars have super nice studio tones but tuning stability issues or are too expensive to take on stage, so they aren't workhorse guitars. Same goes for guitars with a super specific tone that is good for a few niche things.

A workhorse guitar is a guitar that is versatile and stable, something that will just be consistently good. But some people may use it to describe a guitar they don't worry beating up.

For me it's just my most used, most versatile guitar.

 

[cGoEcYk]

A guitar on craigslist that has seen better days