Can you suggest me a new guitar in the $500 price range

  • Thread starter Thread starter tonyoci
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Hixmix, I will tell you, trying them isn't helping either. Local stores have 100's of different models and I just don't feel qualified to tell the difference.

schecter seems to have a set of guitars in the $550 range and another in the $250 range. What's the difference ????

They all seem to be more double coil or something, not Strat style ???

Thanks to all

tony
 
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tonyoci said:
I understand that I should be looking for a certain feel or tone but the truth is that I don't know I'm capable of figuring that out. The cheapo Behringer feels fine to me
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I think you can figure it out. Go to a local guitar store, and play the nicest, most expensive guitars they have. Play way out of your price range. Play PRSs, Gibsons, MIA Fenders, etc.

Play them back to back with $99 el cheapos. You should feel the difference in quality, and hear the difference in sound. Pay attention to what you like - fat necks, thin necks, humbuckers, single-coils, maple fretboards, rosewood fretboards, etc.

Now that you know what you like, and what a great guitar sounds and feels like, start shopping for something in your price range that comes closest to the feel and sound you liked from those great guitars.
 
Excuse my ignorance but I tend to find, especially when using a POD, that 805(??) of the sound is coming from the amp and driver/distortion settings. That's where I have a tough time identifying the "sound" of the guitar.

Tony
 
tonyoci said:
Excuse my ignorance but I tend to find, especially when using a POD, that 805(??) of the sound is coming from the amp and driver/distortion settings. That's where I have a tough time identifying the "sound" of the guitar.
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Go to the store, and grab a strat and a les paul. Pick any tube amp in the store, and play them both through that amp, with the same amp settings. You will hear a difference.
 
Even I can tell the difference between a Les Paul and Strat, but can I tell the difference between MIM Strat and MIA strat ?

Tony
 
dirtythermos said:
I think you can figure it out. Go to a local guitar store, and play the nicest, most expensive guitars they have. Play way out of your price range. Play PRSs, Gibsons, MIA Fenders, etc.

Play them back to back with $99 el cheapos. You should feel the difference in quality, and hear the difference in sound. Pay attention to what you like - fat necks, thin necks, humbuckers, single-coils, maple fretboards, rosewood fretboards, etc.

Now that you know what you like, and what a great guitar sounds and feels like, start shopping for something in your price range that comes closest to the feel and sound you liked from those great guitars.
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Good advice...

After that find the guitars in your price range, find the one you like the sound best and melts like butter in your hands and buy it. Guitars are a personal decision that shouldn't be influenced by gear snobs and celebrity endorsements. If you like the Mexican Strat and can’t tell the difference why fork out more for the American Model? Henry Graza’s career hasn’t been hurt by playing Mexican strats.

I like my Epiphone special. Tuners suck but it fits me like a second skin.
 
See that's the kind of comment that always interests me - in what way to the tuners suck - how can tuners suck, what's the difference from one tuner to another. This stuff is all a mystery
 
tonyoci said:
See that's the kind of comment that always interests me - in what way to the tuners suck - how can tuners suck, what's the difference from one tuner to another. This stuff is all a mystery
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You want a nice smooth, positive response, one that doesn't seem to jerk up in little jumps. Nice tuners have a kind of weighty, solid feel to them, not like nasty cheap lightweight brittle little things. Also, of course, you want them to stay in tune!
 
Sure

tonyoci said:
On zzsounds Ibanez on it's own has close to 100 guitars for $500 or under. My problem is with so many option I'm looking for advice on what people recommend specifically
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Schecter C1 Elite, ESP EC400 AT, Jackson DK2
 
Man I am really digging this C1 Plus, or the blue one.

hr_c1_plus_vsb-017c455795fd4ef210e0f07a9093a527.jpg
 
tonyoci said:
See that's the kind of comment that always interests me - in what way to the tuners suck - how can tuners suck, what's the difference from one tuner to another. This stuff is all a mystery
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The difference between tuners that suck and good tuners can be like the difference you would feel if you drove a fifteen year old, battered up Ford Fiesta manual and then drove a brand new Mercedes 600 automatic. :D
 
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Bad analagy for me - I hate and have no interest in cars - plus I don't plan on driving my guitar anywhere :)
 
When buying guitars, there are a number of factors involved. Beside the basics of what you want to spend and what kind of guitar you want (acoustic, electric, 12 string, etc), there are some other factors.

If you’re buying it to play, and record, then the following are usually typical:

1. How does it feel?
2. How does it sound?
3. How well is it made?
4. How does it look?

Each person has their own order and needs.

Brand name guitars are usually a better bet than off brand models. Guitars with single coil pickups tend to be noisier for recording than models with humbuckers. Guitars with tremolo bars can sometimes be harder to keep in tune than ones with solid bridges.

Most guitars bought in stores are not setup well (this is mostly independent of brand, and even more the case in stores where people can play them). Many will need neck and intonation adjustments to play the best.

Most brand name guitars have reasonable good tuners. While there are lots of options here, I have yet to buy a brand name guitar and have tuner problems.

Some like to buy a guitar and then change it with different pickups. Most will find this hard and should generally be avoided. You’re much better off to find a guitar that already has what you need, rather than expecting to change hardware after the fact.

Ed
 
tonyoci said:
The cheapo Behringer feels fine to me and sounds fine run through the POD XT (perhaps I don't need to change) but I'm told that a new guitar will make a lot of difference.
Tony
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If the Behringer feels and sounds fine to you, then why spend $500 on another guitar? I suggest you save your $$$ for something else.
 
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tonyoci said:
Bad analagy for me - I hate and have no interest in cars - plus I don't plan on driving my guitar anywhere :)
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lol i thought I was the only person who didnt care for cars.... everyoen thinx im crazy because whenever anyone asks me what i wud do with $20,000, (most people say CAR) I say SOnor Designer 8 piece drum set (Walnut root finish, with gold hardware) with Paiste Spirit of 2002 Snare drum and 30 cymbals.... Of course, I have no idea about guitars. Sorry...
 
hixmix said:
If the Behringer feels and sounds fine to you, then why spend $500 on another guitar? I suggest you save your $$$ for something else.
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You might well be right problem is that I'm not knowledgeable enough to be sure if things could be better.

Tony
 
just my opinon.... until you know exactly what you want hold onto to your cash. Closets are filled with unplayed guitars bought because they thought they should be playing something else.

One day when you at least expect it, the right guitar will jump out at you.
 
tonyoci said:
You might well be right problem is that I'm not knowledgeable enough to be sure if things could be better. Tony
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You're knowledgeable enough to know that you're satisfied with what you have. That's important.
 
get a 300 Variax to go with your POD, you will have 0 noise, and a great selection of sounds for your home projects. Way more options at your disposal than if you just get a guitar and go through your POD.
 
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