Best isn't always THE best.

We as human’s ain’t logical. We just aren’t. And when it comes to picking equipment it becomes even more apparent. You might think cost, ergonomics, and efficiency would be the primary things we evaluate objects on. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes we’re illogical and that’s ok. We can pick objects for their aesthetics, familiarity, historicity, and nostalgia; all with good reason. I know I fall prey to illogical connections all the time. 

For me I can see this in a few of the things I gravitate toward. 

One, I like Telecasters  the most when it comes to electric guitar. Now that may not mean much to people who aren't gear heads but but a tele is literally a slab of wood with a cut out to reach the upper frets and some routing for pickups and controls. No contouring for ergonomics. It's all flat, with edges. It only has two pickups with a master tone and master volume control. The bridge only has three saddles that limit intonation. 

But it's my favorite guitar. 

Don't get me wrong I love my Stratocaster. It's objectively more ergonomic with actual contours. It has more precise controls for it's electronics, more options with another pickup, individual string saddles for intonation, and a tremolo bar for vibrato. But it's not my favorite. 

I can't explain why one feels better. It just does. I just play them better. It's why though I have a strat I'm building a tele now. To have one again. To have that under my fingers.

I know I'm not alone. We as people often choose the thing that isn't the best because it is not our preference. In a world trying to objectify everything we often make our decisions subjectively. And that is wonderful.

Where we can make cars with ergonomic setups, fully integrated shifting, some of us still want to drive that old truck with three on the tree and a flat bench we can’t adjust.

So of us know that if we shoot left handed that there’s a left handed rifle out there for us. But we short right handed rifles left handed because it’s how we learned. We now striker fired handguns are totally effective and reliable, but we choose DA/SA semis or revolvers because we like double action triggers.  

Vinyl isn’t necessarily better than a digital file when we look at the wavelengths. But it’s special. There’s something about putting a record on a turntable and listening to that record that does something. Same with a CD on a long road trip.

When’s objectively best isn’t always subjectively best. We humans are too complex for that and I love it.

And if you made it this far. My new project is a tele body I’m going to turn into an esquire. Why use two pickups and a modern wiring when you can use one and an esoteric wiring harness? Cause I like it.