So, went down to Crimson today to try a few of their stock guitars.
Crimson are right in the middle of nowhere! They are down this lane:
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They did a bit of work on my guitar (which is now even more amazing) while I played a few of their stock instruments through this wall of amps:
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Their stock guitars are really nice and reasonably priced, especially when you consider that they're going to be properly set up by a good luthier prior to being sent out. They've got some cool stuff down there too, some really weird guitars - one of the guys was working on a pair of neck-though, 8 string fan frets that were going to have lasers mounted on them!
Don't think I'll go for one though - they were basically just a down-graded version of my custom so I'll have no reason to get it down and play it when my custom is to hand. I want a guitar which is an alternative to my Crimson as well as a backup.
So, I then went to a big store in Bristol to check out some Gibsons.
I quite liked this:
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This is 600 quid from Andertons (650 tag on the one I just tried), so cheaper than a Crimson, and was a really nice guitar. Sounded good and felt good. Its also different to what I currently have so I would have reason to actually get it down and play it.
Bit confused by the line-up though with the LP Studios, apparently all four of these are the same guitar:
https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/LPST5...ul-50s-tribute-traditional-spec-in-honeyburst
https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/LPSTU...l-studio-traditional-spec-in-vintage-sunburst
https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/LPSTW...-studio-faded-traditional-spec-in-worn-cherry
https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/LPSTS...ul-studio-faded-traditional-spec-in-fireburst
But they vary a fair bit in price and I can't work out why, particularly from and electronics and hardware point of view. If the difference in price is purely down to aesthetics then I'll just get the cheapest!
I tried a PRS Mira too (without fucking seagulls on it). It was 1000 quid and I hated it immediately. Neck was too thin and too sticky and the frets were too small. Just didn't make me want to play at all.
Also tried an SG - the neck on this was like a bat! Didn't like it.
So, at the moment I'm leaning towards a Les Paul Studio. But they're cheaper in Andertons than my local shop by 50 quid. Not sure buying one unseen is a wise idea but the difference in price would pay for the fuel for me to get to Andertons to try out their range.
EDIT: It was this PRS. https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/S2MIV...prs-s2-mira-electric-guitar-in-vintage-cherry but they wanted a grand for it in my local shop.
One of those Studios has a gloss finish, which is gonna be more expensive. Th rest of the guitars are essentially the same. That 50s Tribute is gonna have a huge neck on it.