Learning on different neck/fret/scale sizes VS sticking to one?

[spamcan]

I am a beginner who spends too much time on Ebay and likes to tinker with electronics, so I've got my main guitar I'm learning on, a Schecter Reaper, and then some fixer-uppers I'm working on. I bought a beater PRS 245 that had wiring issues that I was able to fix and is surprisingly playable now. I've also got a strat style project on the way which I'm sure my wife will be thrilled by... (Alcohol and Ebay may have been involved...)

My question is this: am I risking bad habits or at least inefficient practice by picking up fairly noticeably different guitars depending on the mood I'm in or room I'm in when I have time to practice? There's a pretty noticeable difference going from a 24 jumbo fret 25.5 scale guitar to a 22 fret 24.5 scale guitar with smaller frets. Simple stuff (ok everything I do is simple stuff but simple even for me) is noticeably different though not night and day different... for example I almost have to use a bar to play an open A chord on the PRS where I can easily get 3 fingers in place on the Schecter. The Strat appears to be a 25.5 scale, but 22 fret, so that may be less of a shift once I have it up and running. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot here, and I'm unsure if swapping around a lot would be helpful or harmful long term. If I had to choose one style the 25.5 / 24 would be an easy choice being more of a metal and rock fan with thicker hands, but in most of my hobbies I like having projects going and variety.

 

[William B.]

Maybe good for one main for progress cause I think your hands will get accustomed
I tried a few guitars and some didn't feel right for me, it may have been already being used to a certain type
Somedays when I would play it would sound off and I would blame my guitar but that wasn't the problem
It could be that switching around could give some inspiration and having jumbo frets is maybe good to stretch the fingers
but I've never tried one I think.
I think there's also 2 neck shapes the D and the C and some narrow more towards the head.
I don't have any experience or knowledge to contribute more
Just some thoughts from me

 

[idssdi]

This is just my personal opinion on using different guitars and that's basically that it really doesn't matter. I have 6 guitars and all of them tricker a different side of my playing.

For example on my strat I go SRV/John Mayer mode almost by default. On my Chapman it's whatever my mood is (can be shreddy, can be John Mayer/SrV genuinely whatever), on my gitane gypsy jazz and on my nylon finger picking stuff.

Most importantly, I noticed that on thinner necks I'm more prone to shred and in thicker necks it's the more feely/bluesy stuff so no no bad habits, just depends on personal preference and what you like to play. Each guitar has a use for different things, I really don't like shredding on my strat for example

 

[Ed Seith]

I am a beginner who spends too much time on Ebay and likes to tinker with electronics, so I've got my main guitar I'm learning on, a Schecter Reaper, and then some fixer-uppers I'm working on. I bought a beater PRS 245 that had wiring issues that I was able to fix and is surprisingly playable now. I've also got a strat style project on the way which I'm sure my wife will be thrilled by... (Alcohol and Ebay may have been involved...)

My question is this: am I risking bad habits or at least inefficient practice by picking up fairly noticeably different guitars depending on the mood I'm in or room I'm in when I have time to practice? There's a pretty noticeable difference going from a 24 jumbo fret 25.5 scale guitar to a 22 fret 24.5 scale guitar with smaller frets. Simple stuff (ok everything I do is simple stuff but simple even for me) is noticeably different though not night and day different... for example I almost have to use a bar to play an open A chord on the PRS where I can easily get 3 fingers in place on the Schecter. The Strat appears to be a 25.5 scale, but 22 fret, so that may be less of a shift once I have it up and running. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot here, and I'm unsure if swapping around a lot would be helpful or harmful long term. If I had to choose one style the 25.5 / 24 would be an easy choice being more of a metal and rock fan with thicker hands, but in most of my hobbies I like having projects going and variety.

Better to be able to adapt to whatever’s in your hands. It’s okay to have a “default” or preference, but don’t limit yourself by ONLY playing one type.

 

[Noah Berends]

Over time you'll find yourself gravitating towards a specific set of preferences in your guitars, but I've never felt it was detrimental to my own personal playing to swap regularly between paper specs. If anything, it can help drill yourself more into muscle memory of the actual technique. I say play as many as you like, but through that you'll find yourself predominantly liking a certain spec.

 

[spamcan]

Thanks for the replies! Sounds I should keep tinkering with whatever I wind up with and not sweat the details.