well, obviously the feeling of the neck under your fingers influences the way you play, (I'm amazed about how I get more bluesy with strats for instance.)

the amazing thing is that no matter how far he wants to get: J. Marr with other guitars ends up sounding always just like J. Marr, the proof of the pudding!

I'm afraid I can't relate. Some people complain about necks being too big, wide, thin, or whatever, but my left hand is a chameleon. The true difference in style from instrument to instrument would come from what sounds good through the amp; for me at least.

With a Ric 12, I feel obligated to practice more so I can go up and down the neck, bend strings, hold vibrato longer, etc. It's obviously easier to play more basic things on a 12 string, but at the end of the day, my style doesn't change much from guitar to guitar. You said it yourself: Marr always sounds like Marr, but Marr is always evolving and pushing himself to change.

I think I got misunderstood.

I wasn't talking about how easy to play a certain guitar is and if you can or can't shred on it, just saying that often the tone you get makes you play in a different manner, which it doesn't have to be easier, faster etc, just different.

Marr style and tone with different guitars doesn't change that much as you would predict. in fact that's why some people may think this charming man was recorded with a rick.

No misunderstanding. I said: "The true difference in style from instrument to instrument would come from what sounds good through the amp." You just said: "just saying that often the tone you get makes you play in a different manner." There is very little difference.

Marr is different from instrument to instrument. He never played anything like "This Charming Man" on a Ric. He's very sparse and open with Rics, but "This Charming Man" is anything but that. It's quite difficult to play, even for him. He still sounds like Johnny Marr, though.

Tone is in the fingers. Everyone knows that....

Whoever came up with that was exaggerating. I've always believed that adage was more about "worry about tone later, think about playing first." Because, once you can play well, you can make anything sound good.

I can subscribe to that.



I don't agree much on this part though, this charming man got the classic marr' style's wall of guitars (15 tracks!), acoustic, 12 strings, even a guitar played with knives!

the main part could have been played differently from anything else, but his style is completely there.

One of the bands I play in does a few Smiths covers; I generally use the Rick, and use the 12 to nail the double/multiple track layering Marr does in the studio, with a splash of very short delay and chorus added in for good measure; I usually play these numbers on the Rick 12, though I will use a six string on "How soon is Now," and will probably use a Tele if we start playing "Headmaster Ritual," since the tuning is open D with a capo. Everyone really loves the sound I get out of my Ricks for Smiths songs, and they're also eye catchers even for folks not into Ricks the way we forum members are.

I've gone from using my Ricks for just a couple of songs in the past, to playing almost exclusively Rickenbacker, both six, and 12 strings. Part of the reason I do this is to help dispel the unfortunate myth that Ricks "are only good for rhythm" or "only good for "clean tones." I like to use overdrive on my 12-strings as well-not all the time, but it can make for some stunning, juicy sounds.

Rics can certainly be used for anything. I love how well my 620/12 melds with heavier distortion.

Johnny Marr kind of moved on as it were but why can't he still praise Rics even though he doesn't appear to use them much now?

John & George moved on to Epi Casinos and George Strats & at times Teles. Doesn't mean they fell out of love with Rics, they simply needed to get other sounds etc..

I love my Ric, don't use it all the time but would never ever part with it. Its the old adage, "Horses for courses"

Nearly forgot: Check out the new Johnny Marr Jaguar, it looks a brilliant spec guitar