Do you play your Les Paul unplugged as much as plugged into an amp?

[Guitar_nut]

It depends on whether my wife comes into the music room and wants to have a discussion with me.

She does not seem to have a problem with me noodling while we talk as long as the amp is on standby by or guitar at Zero.

 

[grumphh_the_banned_one]

For me the difference between the amplified sound and the acoustic sound is to great to make playing unplugged fun - even when i play with clean sounds.
Even clean amps compress the signal a little (or a lot, depending on the amp) and that makes all the difference in the world to me.

If i want the acoustic sound of a guitar i'll play one of my acoustics during the daytime, but playing an electric without the electric sound doesn't make any sense to me, not even if it is just finger excercises...

 

[Lloyd_m]

I used to play more unplugged than plugged until I bought a THR5.

Now it's 90% plugged (with headphones, or at low volumes most of the time) and 10% unplugged.

 

[PierM]

When I want to play relaxed on the sofa for me it's iphone/ipad with BiasFX/Amp and Headphones. Perfect for study, find licks and riffs and record ideas... Never play unplugged as it mess your technique, imho.

 

[jestremera]

I did for the family's sake until I got myself an Amplifi TT. It's no Kemper but it really sounds good and I can play as loud as I want (with headphones, of course) without driving everyone nuts with my arpeggio exercises and scales.

 

[nitrodave08]

That is one of the reasons I bought the ESLP. But since I work rotating shifts that have me getting off at 2am, I will pick up the R9 at times to wind down.

 

[LondonMckuffey]

I played unplugged for about an hour just tonight. I try to practice with my normal settings, clean with the volume rolled back, and unplugged to make sure everything sounds solid across the board. I think it's good from a technical standpoint and a creative standpoint as well to put yourself in different situations. I both write and learn songs unplugged more often than not I would say too

 

[rjwilson37]

I play my Lester unplugged for hours sometimes and play it unplugged more than plugged in for sure.

 

[cybermgk]

I did play unplugged a bit more BEFORE I got my Kemper Profiling Amp. Now, I just plug into that, and use Headphones, or Studio Monitors, and get the tone and fun of an amp, easy peasy, and low volume. Or switch on the power amp and run it through the cab for some louder fun.

 

[Dun Ringill]

I have too many nice amplifiers to play unplugged. Unplugged is for acoustics!

 

[Thrill]

I got my first gibson about a month ago and so far Ive almost exclusively played it unplugged. I plugged it up for about 5 minutes just to check the electronics when i first got it then had to run to work, the next day I had to pack my amps up and havent been able to plug them back in. I guess I could use my little behringer v-amp modeler with headphones, but its not the same as a Marshall tube amp cranked up lol

 

[grayd8]

Only when I am tuning it.

 

[jlb32]

If I play unplugged it's usually with my acoustic or 335. My Les Paul is 98% of the time plugged in.

IMO if you play mostly acoustic the LP isn't the best choice in guitars.

 

[Krieg]

Got 4 Martins to choose from for unplugged playing. If it's a Lester, I've got 5 amps to choose from depending on the volume necessary. Not a fan of strumming electric guitars unless they're plugged into something that lets me know they're electric.

 

[stgreg]

Plugged in (they're electrics, ya know)...

 

[335eye]

Plugged because it helps with the my playing. Tend to crush the strings if not plugged to overcome my tinnitus.

 

[Ides of March]

I would prefer plugged in. But being my stack is in the basement and when I am sitting in the family room with the wife and kids or just wife I can't play plugged in. So mainly unplugged but that's when I work on scales, or chords, exercises so it's better unplugged anyway no one wants to hear that lol. I do keep my Micro Cube and Mustang II amps close by though.

 

[MusicLaw]

No!

Amped, most of the time.

Even more now (for the past 10 months) with a Yamaha THR10C on the living room cocktail table. It's a cinch to play amp'ed, with great tone (even at low volumes), and it's within arm's reach. And, with a Relay G10 (since late July) I play even more as there's no need to fuss with a cable. The Mustangs still get plenty of use (but not when it's quiet or late at night) and sometimes blended with the Yamaha.

 

[charlie chitlins]

My chambered 50s Trib sounds surprisingly good unplugged.
I was out gigging for 6 or 7 years and only played alone, unplugged.
When I plugged back in, it was terrible.
So much finger noise and bumping into open strings...so much noise.
Had to work hard for awhile to clean it up.I'd say, if you want to play electric guitar, it's best to play ELECTRiC guitar as much as possible.
I only do for gigs and rehearsals, though.
I live in a group home with 12 other people...5 of them disabled and 2 children around 5.
Plugging in would be pretty disruptive!

 

[efstop]

I found the sales slip for my Class 5 and realized I've had it for nearly 8 years and it's been used for a few hours at most. I wasn't playing at all, anyway, but when I play my LPs or Tele now, I use my amPlug with headphones, and the Class 5 stays covered.

I have a chopped up Epiphone ET-270 that's quite loud unplugged, so sometimes I'll noodle on that.