Are guitarists really stuck in the past with traditional designs?

[TSJMajesty]

I have @la szum to thank for that trick. In all my years playing, I never knew!

 

[6CA7-A]

If nothing else strapping on a guitar is a personal fashion statement. You need to look down and get off on what you see,
and of course you'd love if anyone looking at you digs it too.

If you think about it only in that sense, and use actual fashion as in clothes and hair as the parallel, think about what's
popular today with both women and men. Nothing outrageously new or innovative.
I've worn a pair of jeans probably 99 out of every 100 days of my life for the last 50 freaking years. Bet I'm far from a minority.

Fads with women's hair come and go, as in the 80s......in hindsight

Look around today and most women have a style that's either an older classic or a variation thereof.

Now imagine your a fashion designer in the 2020s. What do you come up with with full anticipation of
if creating a buzz, selling in mass qty.s, and hopefully having a long shelf life?

Guitar builders are stuck in the same boat! And have been for decades.

Agree with @DrewJD82, Strandberg my be the most recent example of someone thinking
outside the box and actually scoring a hit,

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Counterpoint:

This era bridge designs are crap.

• The tune-o-matic is one of the stupidest bridge designs out there with a laundry list of problems and inconveniences.
• The Tele ashtray is pretty ugly without the intended cover (made before the idea of palm muting became a thing) and can have a bit sharp edges too.
• The original Fender tremolo wasn't that good at staying in tune even for the light warble people would use at the time.

Then you have that Fender block heel that cannot be called a good design, or the upper fret access on a LP, or its fragile headstock. Or the neck dive issues of a SG.

But aesthetically...they definitely got it right! To the point that it's hard to make an electric guitar that can be clearly called different but able to stand in the same pantheon of aesthetically pleasing designs.

FWIW I’ll take a 3 barrel Tele bridge any day over 6 saddle intonation be damned.
It’s not like any guitar is ever in tune without wiggling it in.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

 

[la szum]

FWIW I’ll take a 3 barrel Tele bridge any day over 6 saddle intonation be damned.
It’s not like any guitar is ever in tune without wiggling it in.

Yup. Many over the years have pointed out how the very deficiencies one can point
out in a guitar design or structure are also the very things that give it the unique
character it has.

We can design things into some kind of characterless, progressive neutrality that is
ergonomic perfection and says nothing.

 

[Achilles]

FWIW I’ll take a 3 barrel Tele bridge any day over 6 saddle intonation be damned.

A-Fucking-MEN!

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

60

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Yup. Many over the years have pointed out how the very deficiencies one can point
out in a guitar design or structure are also the very things that give it the unique
character it has.

We can design things into some kind of characterless, progressive neutrality that is
ergonomic perfection and says nothing.

Yes it’s called Ibanez RG, Steinberger, etc

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Yup. Many over the years have pointed out how the very deficiencies one can point
out in a guitar design or structure are also the very things that give it the unique
character it has.

We can design things into some kind of characterless, progressive neutrality that is
ergonomic perfection and says nothing.

My fave bar…Glendale bridge…

 

[Achilles]

Here's the thing.
There's a reason other than nostalgia to want 3 saddles - and it's what made the older ones great for rock.
And a big reason why everyone thought LZ1 was Page with a LP.

Two strings per saddle = more downward pressure on the barrel by a factor of 100%, give or take.
This adds up to much closer to a solid one piece bridge than breaking it up into 6 pieces.

Screw a little bit of off intonation when you can have that much more solid SUSTAIN!

Right?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

60

I keed, I keed

That's still pretty young round these parts

I keed, I keed

 

[TSJMajesty]

I keed, I keed

That's still pretty young round these parts

I keed, I keed

Hey! 60 is the new 40! (I'm also 60. Damn, still smh on that one. How bout you Ed?)

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Hey! 60 is the new 40! (I'm also 60. Damn, still smh on that one. How bout you Ed?)

Indeed, I see it as twice 30 since I never even expected to get there once.

 

[signalpath]

Try and imagine what it would have been like if there was forums in the 50s......

There were. They were called letters to the editor.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

There were. They were called letters to the editor.

IIRC Guitar Player mag started in 67.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Every musical instrument is that way. Once the form and function is established, it doesn't change much. Look at classical instruments like the violin, they have looked the same for centuries. You have a few modern versions here and there with different shapes, electric etc but 99% of them look exactly like they did in the 1600s... the electric guitar is quite flexible in that regard, there's more design variation with the electric guitar/bass than most other musical instruments. But there are still some shapes that are prevalent.

 

[LCW]

Ahead of their time in ‘58… came back in ‘76… Still holds up today.

 

[JCW308]

I'm not with bass. Best instrument I've ever owned too! It's a Ned Steinberger NS CR-4 Radius.