Buying a new guitar, need advice

[Jimbo513]

I have been playing off and on for about 11 years but recently decided to really focus on music. Since I decided to be more dedicated, I have picked up a Line 6 Spider II 2x10 and an Ovation Celebrity acoustic (starting to regret this one). I am still playing my 9 or 10 year old Washburn electric.

I think it's time I bought some serious gear. I definately want a new electric. I am thinking of a Les Paul or a PRS. Now I know the best guitar for me is the one that feels the best. I plan to head to a guitar shop soon to play some, but I would like some advice from you guys as well. I like a low, fast action. My play style is more lead I would say, but I do play alot of rhythym as well. I play alot of heavier stuff, Metallica, Disturbed. I want something I can play fast and has good tone. I plan on buying used, probably off ebay. There are so many LP configuratoins I dunno where to start.

I was also thinking about a new amp setup. Looking at Mesa Boogie stuff. Kinda want a half stack setup. I won't be doing any live playing for a while, will be just in my house. Would this be overkill? I have never owned a tube amp. Is this the way to go or should I stick with Line 6 and get their PODxt.

I really don't want to buy into all the new digital hype. I want to get my sound the old fashioned way, but is the amp modeling stuff like that the future? Should I get the Line 6 and experiment with that or go with old fashioned power.

Anyway, any advice would be great. Thanks.

 

[punkin]

You're in a dilemma. Ultimately you're going to have to find what works for you. This is just my opinion...sounds like you're looking for a "well rounded" application guitar. I've got a several metal peg-head guitars and a couple LPs...all very nice players and woudn't think of parting with them but, probobly the most diverse (sound wise) is my Ernie Ball John Petrucci Model with piezo pups. The necks on these things are simply sexy. If you can find one to test run, have a look.

As for the amp...just get out and plug-in. Not sure if you're playing live or in a basement. A big amp will run you out of the neighborhood real fast. If you've never had a tuber, you'll be glad you made the jump but to get the most out of them you're going to want to crank them up. The modeling stuff is getting way better all the time (some here won't agree) but, it can be very flexible. The line 6 POD pro in my opinion would be a very good alternative if you're home studio player/recorder.

 

[Hard2Hear]

I'm just going to give you a little to chew on in your decision, not make a choice for you.

Since you're at least thinking about looking at PRS guitars....If you don't know, they offer several neck carves on their guitars, I think about 5 in all, which is more variation than most manufacturers have. And which neck is comfortable to you makes a big difference in which guitar you feel comfortable with and like. The Les Paul can be found in 2 different neck carves currently, one baseball bat and i a bit thinner. When people compare or talk about PRS I never see this being talked about, yet it's one of the biggest reason people choose them, because PRS makes a guitar that feels good for nearly anyone, you just have to find the model and neck shape that you like. When looking at cheaper guitars you will find they are limited in feel and build and you either like them all or you don't.

Whatever you pick, you should know you can save hundreds, thousands, of dollars buying a used one. A good idea is to search the forums that talk about the guitar you want and look at guirs for sale there. They are generally well taken care of and owned by people who know about them.

As for amps, there's just alot out there now. A ton. I have owned over 20 good tube amps, and only about 1 in those I didn't like. I also own a Vox AD120 modeler which I really like alot. Best advice with amps it to listen to other people and when you find a sound you like find out what their gear is and just go and try it out. I like them all, but they all have their place, too.

If you're just doing stuff at home, there is a whole set of low power high quality amps. They do get pricey fast, but when you play them you see why. From the Marshall 18 watt reissue, to the DrZ amps, and lots of other good ones. It;s worth it, if not just for fun, to play them and see what they do.

Have fun choosing, good luck, and let us know what you end up with!

H2H

 

[ibanezrocks]

You should check out an ESP if you want a les paul style guitar but suited for heavier music. You might be interested in an ec-1000, available with either seymour duncan or emg pickups, I'm fairly certain they're in the $1000+ price range.

I think the best way to approach buying a guitar isn't asking us for suggestions, but just go out there and play as many guitars as possible, and then when you find the exact one you like ask around for opinions as someone may have found a problem with it that you might not have realized or anything like that.

 

[Scottgman]

If you like playing heavier stuff, you definitely want a guitar with humbuckers. Other than that, it's just what feels and sounds good to you.

You will probably want a tube amp. Tube distortion almost always sounds better than distortion pedals, solid state amps, and digital modelers. But you have to get the right amp for your needs. My tube amp cannot really do heavy stuff. The heaviest it'll go is something like Audioslave's tone. That's with the preamp and master gain both on 11.

Keep in mind that in order to get sweet power tube distortion, you have to crank the master volume and get the tubes cooking. This means a lot of freaking volume from a 100 watt half stack. You probably won't need that much even if you start playing gigs. Most rock clubs are fairly small and 100 tube watts is overkill when you are already running through a house PA. My tube amp is a 30 watt 2x12 combo and it's plenty for even medium sized clubs (I also have a 2x12 extension cabinet). Plus, it's not painful when rehearsing in a small room.

 

[dragonworks]

Yamaha made two great guitars for what you want, one is the RGX1212 and the other is the RGX1220, if they have a suffix of A, they are active. If they have a suffix of S they are passive. I owned a 1220A and sold it, wish I never did, these guitars are beautiful and play great and you can still find them in the 300.00 to 600.00 dollars

The tremolos are snap ins.

Link for 1220 check out the prices

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Yamaha/RGX-1220S-01.html

RGX1220S 24 frets, laminated top, 2 volume knobs and one volume, 3-way selector switch, 2 humbuckers with coil tap, strat style alder and birch body, laminated maple and Mahogany NECK THROUGH, yamaha's own designed rockin magic II tremelo system, Ebony fretboard, 24-5/7 scale neck, shark-tooth inlays, came with hard shell case, components for tremelo, and lock-bolt strap.

Here is a link for the RGX1221
this one is a three pickup model
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Yamaha/RGX-1221S-01.html

 

[5150 Musician]

Personally, I'd think twice about PRS

Ok I fibbed. I'd only think ONCE about PRS and turn it down on any occaision. Carvin beats PRS in a quality-price way to the point where its more of a "pay loads less for better" rather than "bang for your buck". You can't beat their action and you're buying it directly from the manufacturer - bypassing all wholesale and retail charges. You can get a guitar that smokes pretty much the everyday joe shmoe PRS and only pay around $1000... haha. Sure, PRS's are nice and look cool. But I'd never pay what they want for a bolt-on neck, dot inlays, and open coil pickups, that's just a flailing joke. I know they have fancier guitars out there, but the price is just ugly. If you're paying less than $1500 for a PRS than you're being shanked HARD for qualityrice. Theres no class there. I'd rather get a guitar of at LEAST as good quality as a PRS and choose the woods, style, inlays, electronics, etc. that I desire. PRS is the Nike of guitars. You'll pay alot for the name, and sure SOME of them are pretty, however, they also wear out just as fast as those $20 wal-mart shoes, how about that? Let's see.... for a kid for school, lets get a Wal-Mart zip up binder for $5, or goto staples and pay $20 for a Nike one. Lets get a $800 Custom Carvin neck-through birdseye maple fretboard, mahogany neck, swampash body translucent blue with gold hardware and.. hmm I think ill get an inline REVERSE headstock with this one...lets just put a tung oil finish on the neck so its easier to slide around for a quicker fret destination.. or just pay 3 times as much and get a PRS. hmm? I'm not saying PRS are bad guitars... they are famous and well built guitars, I'm just saying theres more quality cost-efficient choices out there. Boogie is the PRS of amps. They go GREAT together. They really do sound good together. Rectifiers and PRS's seem to have some kind of weird bond, however, I'd never pay list for anything. I've been spoiled by mods and manufacturers prices that I just don't see how I could ever spend the amount of money for something thats not better but just has a .. better name? Don't get me wrong. I think Mark Tremonti has just about the BEST guitar tone for modern rock. Whats he play? PRS through a Boogie. Yes I said it... just to proove to everyone that I'm not bashing PRS, but just throwing out the other choices as well as my opinion.

http://www.carvin.com/products/guitars.php?CID=GTR

See for yourself. Their site doesnt have as good options as their catalog does, and you could even make it even more flexible if you talk with someone over the phone about it.

 

[gvarko]

Schecter

C1 Elite or Classic.. Can't go wrong there!!

 

[AlfredB]

i'd go for an older ARIA PRO II w/ neck thru, spend 200 bucks in dressing her up w/ new pups ... and you have a guitar that you will love all your life.

also, i heard good stuff about carvins ...

my advice - buy used and cheap, but structurally sound and customize ...

as far as amps go ... my standard suggestion: Sovtek Mig's ... check them out ..

best of luck
alfred

 

[5150 Musician]

my advice - buy used and cheap, but structurally sound and customize ...

I've always thought the same thing, I even own one of the most inexpensive Ibanez guitars that they sell. In mine, I threw a Gibson Toni Iommi Signature at the bridge and its amazing. However, I've heard Iommi's in several different guitars. They seem capture the tone of the guitar rather than mask or "color" it. Anyways, you can go a long way buying cheap guitars and putting nice pickups in them, but you'll never beat nice pickups in a well built guitar. The true tone lies in the wood and build of your guitar. My Ibanez with the Iommi sounds very good, but theres a limit to the tone it can get. Once I get my Custom Carvin, I may not need to change my pickups; they started out as a pickup manufacturer, so I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing... sounds it anyways.
Sure, getting a quality-inconsistant guitar like an Ibanez and upgaded the pickups in it isnt such a bad idea for start. However, in the long run, true tone comes from a well built guitar. The pickups and amp only make that great tone come alive.

 

[SteveK]

Ok...PRS has 4 standard neck carves, but they are not available on all models. The Santana carve is only available on the Santana model. The Custom/Standard 22 can be either wide-thin or wide fat, the Custom/Standard 24 can be either wide-thin or regular carve, the McCarty series all come with wide fats. They used to have a D carve on the Custom 22 Soapbar but that model has been discontinued. They all also have a 25" scale length (except the Santana is a 24 3/4 and the new 513 model is 25 1/2") I have owned a TON of PRS guitars and really liked them all. Currently I only have 2 PRS...a McCarty Rosewood, and a McCarty Hollow Body I. The McCarty's go for a more traditional/vintage tonality, while the Custom/Standards sound more modern. My current stable consists of the two PRS, two custom Thorn guitars (with 2 more on order), a custom made Gretz electric (one more on order), American Tele with a set of Barden pups installed, Gibson Les Paul Premium Plus, Strat V neck Deluxe, a Martin acoustic and a Yamaha cutaway nylon string. (Still looking for my 12 string) As far as amps go, I am a big believer in tubes! Nothing sounds or FEELS like a tube amp. If you buy a non-master volume amp you will have to crank it to get the power tubes into the overdrive stage, in which case a lower powered combo might work for you. The other option is a master volume amp. This gets most of it's overdrive/distortion from the preamp which allows it to run at a lower overall volume. As in ALL gear decisions, play as many different models of amps and guitars as you can, and get the ones that speak to you. Just my .02...enjoy the hunt!
Below is a pic of some of my guitars:

 

[Jimbo513]

OK, I went to a few shops today and played. Les Pauls are out of the question right now. I had played some LP's years ago, and though they weren't that great. I had always thought it was because I was young and not an experienced player, but I played several LP's today and they just don't play well to me. They sound good, thats about it. I played a standard, a custom, a few others. The Epiphone LP Zakk Wylde was the best playing one hehe.

Then I played some PRS's. They played great. I am more used to and prefer thin necks, so I played the wide fat and the wide thin, and both were great. The strings aren't as low and fast feeling as I expected, but I guess that can be adjusted. Right now I am leaning torwards a PRS custom 22. I would love to play the Dave Navaro edition, but no one has them, can't even find one on ebay.

Whatever I buy will be used, so I don't expect to pay anywhere near retail for a PRS.

I also played a few Jacksons and they played great, super low strings and fast. I couldn't find anyone that sold ESP. I plan on playing a few ESP's and if I like them, I may buy one of those as well.

I played the PRS through a Mesa tube amp, sounds awesome. I will probably definately go with a Mesa half stack setup. I live in a rural area, in a house, not apartment, and can crank her up all I want. Anyone suggest good earplugs? hehe

I will continue to browse the Internet and try guitars and will let you all know what I choose.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[AlfredB]

I've always thought the same thing, I even own one of the most inexpensive Ibanez guitars that they sell. In mine, I threw a Gibson Toni Iommi Signature at the bridge and its amazing. However, I've heard Iommi's in several different guitars. They seem capture the tone of the guitar rather than mask or "color" it. Anyways, you can go a long way buying cheap guitars and putting nice pickups in them, but you'll never beat nice pickups in a well built guitar.

I basically agree with you ... however, i feel that the quality of woods used 15-20yrs ago - $ for $ - is vastly superior to whats being used today.

so - again - get older stuff thats well built and of good design (the wood should be dry by now ).

I was actually thinking along a used neck-thru "carvin", "Aria pro II" or "Heritage" all those can be had for around or below 500 bucks - then throw another 200 at them and you have a very good deal and a very solid instrument.

but than again, i reckon that this stuff is very subjective ... and whats good for me not necesarily is good for the next person

best of luck
alfred

 

[Adam B]

Personally I like the Wide Thin necks on the PRS.

Also, try to play a Mark Tremonti model. They have custom "Trimonti Pickups" which are designed for heavier stuff.

They are supposed to be SUPER HOT pickups, and are now being sold on ebay individually.

As for amp's, think about a Marshall? I played through a AVT150 and with the effects and especially the OD2 channel, the ESP Kirk Hammet KH2 I was playing sounded killer.

I drew a crowd in Scam Cash just palm muting some power chords and doing pinch harmonics in a pentatonic scale.

Also the Line 6 head with the cab has some great sounds at lower volumes and does moddeling.

If you get a tube amp (I have one) you have to crank it to get hot tones, and sometimes you just want the tone and not the volume.

Only advice I have is don't spend a ton of money on a one trick pony, eventually your taste will lead you to another style and you don't want to be out a ton of money when switching amps.

Check out the user opinions on www.harmonycentral.com before you by anything. Lots of good info there.

GOod luck!

 

[5150 Musician]

grammar

Played at a hall about twice the size of my house almost a year and a half ago. I was using a Crate BlueVoodoo 120w half stack, and the other guitarist had an Avt150h half stack that wasn't his, because his Marshall's volume pot decided to short out. The avt just couldn't get up to volume with the rest of the band, which suprised me. I kept telling him to turn up... the volume exceeded the avt's headroom and it just sounded like crap. At medium volumes, the avt150 is absolutely killer. Once you crank it, the headroom starts to get rather cheesy. Plus, all that fancy talk about 1 preamp tube is bogus. You need 2 to aquire plate voltage, so 1 tube is nothing more than just a small tone saturater. I like to trial an amp with a band before I buy it, that way I know if it can keep up. This wouldnt apply to everyone because I need my equipment to keep up with 1x15 and 4x10 bass rig. I was never happy with a Triple Rec. I played through every one I've ever seen, and all I could get was muddy muddy muddy. You think these guys who are famous plug right in? Mark Tremonti has a huge rack of components that contribute to his tone, not just his Triple Rec and PRS. I believe a decent Rectifier setup is just silly money.

 

[AlfredB]

. Plus, all that fancy talk about 1 preamp tube is bogus. You need 2 to aquire plate voltage, so 1 tube is nothing more than just a small tone saturater.

I agree ... this whole "tube in the preamp" is really just a marketing gag that cought on over the last years ... heck you can even buy pedals and efects with a tube in it ...

be it valvestate or the system VOX uses ... -> the sound doesnt convince me a bit.


greets
alfred

 

[bluesrocker1212]

Go Shecter

One of the most underrated guitars out there is the Schecter C-1 Classic. Not a lot of choice in finish, but who needs that? They're striking, with quilted tops and a vine-of-life inlay in the neck. But what they look like is nothing compared to how they sound and handle. Neck through the body gives you rock solid construction and sustain like you won't believe. SD pickups and a five-way switch--add that to your Line 6 and you'll have sound variety like you can't imagine. You might find better guitars out there but not at a $700 price. The only bad thing about them is they're hard to find used. People seem to want to hang on to them once they get one.

 

[Jimbo513]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am currently considering holding off on buying new gear. I am still about a year away from where I want to be playing wise. I can practice just as good with my current gear. I am still thinking though. Just the thought of a fucking triple rec 150watt monster and a bad ass axe make me wanna come hehe. Gah, why do decisions have to be so hard!

 

[dragonworks]

There is a Yamaha 1220A on ebay now, goes off tomorrow. the bid is now just over two hundred. If I had the money I would buy it myself, one of the best guitars I ever owned or played and I have been playing almost forty years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33049&item=3780907227&rd=1

 

[monstermaker]

It usually boils down to comfort and sound for me. If the neck doesn't feel right don't buy it and think you'll get used to it. Maybe you will but I have had guitars that never felt comfortable.
The other thing is sound. If it has good intonation and sound unpluged it probably will sound good thru an amp.
Try a few out. You'll know when you've found it.