"Something can sound great amplified, but if it has substance, usually it comes across on acoustic, too. If you're relying too much on distortion and bombastic volume, acoustic will instantly make that transparent."

After 41 years as a guitarist, George Lynch is looking back. He's just released Lost Lynch, a two-CD compilation of outtakes and alternate versions. Naturally, it boasts tracks by his two best-known bands, Dokken and Lynch Mob, but the time machine also ventures further into the past.

"There's some stuff by Exciter, the band I was in before Dokken," says Lynch, taking a break from rehearsals for an upcoming tour alongside Twisted Sister, Skid Row, Yngwie Malmsteen and other veterans of the '80s hard rock scene. "Exciter never did much recording, so it's great to finally release what I had. I was really proud of that band."

But the disc also features more obscure fare—for example, a track by A, another early band. "A was the first group I ever recorded with," remembers Lynch. "I still have the 45—this hippie friend and his girlfriend sang, and he did the artwork: a pencil drawing of a giant letter ‘A' that looks like a Star Wars spaceship. It's hilarious. But I didn't play so bad on it—better than I do now in some respects." He pauses, then laughs. "So what have I actually learned in 30 years? That's sad!"

Self-deprecation may seem odd from a player who rose to prominence as a fire-breathing fret-shredder, but Lynch is full of surprises. For example, some fans remain unaware of George's lifelong commitment to acoustic guitar.

"Like most guitarists who started playing in my era, I began on acoustic," he says. "My first acoustic came from the local mom-and-pop music store and probably cost about $15. One of the first players I listened to was [Brazilian-jazz nylon-string guitarist] Charlie Byrd. I was also listening to flamenco music, plus classical players like Segovia and Christopher Parkening."

Lynch never lost his passion for the unplugged. "Acoustic has always been an element of what I do," he insists. "For a couple years in my late teens and early 20s, I was in a Christian band, and we played exclusively acoustic material. And when Dokken reformed in 1994, we did an acoustic record and video. Acoustic guitar has always been part of my records, either as the basis for an entire song, or as part of a texture."

Lynch often composes on acoustic guitar. "That can be a litmus test for a song," he notes. "Something can sound great amplified, but if it has substance, usually it comes across on acoustic, too. If you're relying too much on distortion and bombastic volume, acoustic will instantly make that transparent. Playing electric parts acoustically usually helps you determine whether they carry any weight."

These days Lynch plays a trio of Yamaha acoustics in contrasting sizes: a jumbo CJ32, a standard dreadnought-sized LL26, and a CSF100K, a petite parlor guitar. "I use the jumbo for live shows," George explains. "I had John Gaudesi, Yamaha's master builder, install a pickup system and the wide, flat frets I like, but other than that, it's pretty much stock."

But in the studio, Lynch tends to reach for the LL26. "I love jumbo guitars, but they can be tricky to record," he explains. "They have so much low end that they can take up too much room in a track. The LL26 is a brighter, more focused-sounding guitar with rosewood back and sides and an Engelman spruce top, as opposed to the figured maple of the CJ32."

And the CSF100K? "It's a beautiful little handcrafted guitar made from Koa. It sounds amazing. That's the one I use at home for fun—plus it travels on my tour bus, where everyone can tool around on it. That guitar was sitting around the Yamaha custom shop for years, and I'd play it every time I went in. Finally I said, ‘Let me put this thing to good use!' I hate to see beautiful instruments just sitting around taking up space. They're meant to live and breathe."

That's why George refuses to hoard guitars beyond those he actively plays. "I don't believe in collecting," he states. "I'm not an investor. I don't have any vintage stuff. Guitars are tools to me. They're meant to be played. Sure, it's nice to have an arsenal of instruments, but I like to be selective. What would I do with 500 guitars? It would be a full-time job just keeping strings on them! Don't get me wrong—instruments are beautiful. But their beauty lies in their functionality."

Now it's time for George to get back to rehearsal. He's working with a new drummer—famed session/touring ace Vinnie Appice— and they only have three days to hone their show. "Oh, we'll get it together in time," Lynch chuckles. "We always do this at the last minute and it always works out fine. I've been playing for 41 friggin' years. If I can't get it right by now, I might as well become a shoe salesman or a plumber!"