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Looking for a guitar for FUNK

rojo412

rojo412

Sit down, Danny...
Supporting Member
Feb 26, 2000
10,912
15,058
46
Cleveland, OH.
#1
I have recently started conversing with a friend of mine who produces stuff and he and I want to make a funk album. Needless to say, I've got the bass covered.

He's going to handle drums, we will both tackle synth/keys/sound effects, and I'm going to do guitar. I don't really have one, so I'm on the lookout...

Any recommendations on what I should look for in a guitar that would be oriented towards funk? I know some guys here pull double duty or are solo guys, so what can you recommend? What makes for a good funk guitar?

Guitars I have access to without buying:

1982 Gibson Firebird II with active EQ (Dad's)
Epi Les Paul Dlx
2 different Mexi Strats
Crappy Squier Strat
Crappy Ibanez copy (I'd need to rebuild it)

If this recording turns out to be a big project, I have no problem splurging for a guitar, but I don't even know where to begin.
 
#6
I just started playing guitar in a '70s funk casino show band, horns etc. The guitar parts are mainly rhythm chicka-chicka parts. A strat in the 2 and 4 positions will do, but my fave is a tele with both pups on, i.e., the middle position of the 3-way switch.

And don't forget the MXR Dyna Comp and a good envelope filter ;).
 
#9
I kind of figured that it was a "whatever!" kind of thing. Any funk bands I've seen have no similarities in the guitars. I guess because the guitar is more of an accent piece to the rhythm and horn sections.

That said, I'm bored today. A bass I've been waiting for in the mail is not getting here in a timely fashion. So I'm going to build up the Ibby copy.

Anyone have experience with these crappy switches? I've got 2 and no idea how to wire it for standard stuff.

100_1448.gif
 
#13
rojo412 said:
I kind of figured that it was a "whatever!" kind of thing. Any funk bands I've seen have no similarities in the guitars. I guess because the guitar is more of an accent piece to the rhythm and horn sections.

That said, I'm bored today. A bass I've been waiting for in the mail is not getting here in a timely fashion. So I'm going to build up the Ibby copy.

Anyone have experience with these crappy switches? I've got 2 and no idea how to wire it for standard stuff.

100_1448.gif
Click to expand...

How to wire a Strat
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&s...=543&q=How+to+wire+a+Strat&btnG=Google+Search

Re approach: only play the top half of a chord IIRC.
 
#17
rojo412 said:
What makes for a good funk guitar?
Click to expand...

I haven't read any of the replies in this thread yet, but I'm sure someone's already mentioned this:

What makes for a good funk guitar? A good funk guitarist. Period.

If you're funky you can play any guitar and it will work. Just look at all the classic funk tracks over the years & the disparate variety of guitars that were used on those tracks: Gibson Les Pauls, Gibson L-5s, Gibson ES-335s, Fender Strats, Fender Telecasters, Danelectros, I'm sure someone can name an old standby funk classic that was played on a Rickenbacker or a Vox (although off the top of my head I can't, so maybe avoid those two?)
 
#18
I used to be the guitarist in a soul/funk band before switching to bass. For the Jimmy Nolan / Nile Rodgers choppy comping style, I found a Fender Strat ideal. A Telecaster will get the vibe, too, but kinda makes you work a little harder. Guitars built for long sustain don't seem to lend themselves particularly well to this style, IME. Still, it's mostly up to playing technique: being able to do precise accents and syncopation on both up- and downstrokes while syncing these with left-hand damping.
 

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