a useless observation

[Zehm]

ever notice that rythem guitarists tend to have big guitars and lead guitarists tend to have small ones. for example: dave mustaine -king V:chris poland -bich, eric peterson- explorer: alex scholnik- LP's and RG's, kai hansen- rhodes V:henjo richter-esp superstrat. there are plenty of other examples, the question is: why?

 

[evilematt]

Because it looks ace!! would mustaine look as cool playing a 355? nope. it's about image, you want to create an image, you're a frontman and you have to stand out..... especially when you have a lead guitarist to your right doing tremendous amounts of fret wanking that makes everyone go oooooohhhhhh.

imagine hetfield playing a telecaster.....

 

[D.Ingram]

Useless observation indeed, but an interesting one nonetheless. For the same reasons Matt pointed out, although I've got to add that most of the smaller-bodies guitars have thinner bodies and necks so its easier to shred on. Except Alex Skolnick who plays a Gibson Les Paul and has shitty fret access.

 

[Heavy Metal Rich]

And Alex still manages to shred just as well on the Les Paul. Glenn Tipton is another who doesn't always use a smaller bodied guitar but the necks still look pretty thin.

 

[Zehm]

i personally think that jackson v's of either veriety are the best lead guitars ever. they look badass, are light as hell, and have the best fret acess of prety much any guitar. but back to the origional question, might not the larger guitars be beter balanced for rythem work? like my friend's bich is really neck heavy, and i've noticed the same from superstats but my explorer balances at a perfect 45%.

 

[Ocelot2010]

Because it looks ace!! would mustaine look as cool playing a 355? nope. it's about image, you want to create an image, you're a frontman and you have to stand out..... especially when you have a lead guitarist to your right doing tremendous amounts of fret wanking that makes everyone go oooooohhhhhh.

imagine hetfield playing a telecaster.....

James DOES play Teles, and sometimes SG's.

But yes, I have noticed the trend. Although Ol's guitars tend to be bigger than Matt's.

 

[Zehm]

Oh my god! another guy on here from the states! hell just froze over, a monkey types hamlet!

 

[Ocelot2010]

Oh my god! another guy on here from the states! hell just froze over, a monkey types hamlet!

To quote Ghostbusters:

What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff. Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!