Through Neck Suggestions?

[VesuviusJay]

I am looking for a neckthrough guitar with lighning fast action and high quality floyd rose options. Up until now I have pretty much been loyal to Jackson, but I am open minded to any make/model that is comparable. US neckthrough Jacksons have been real tough to compare to.

 

[Exitilus]

Depends completely on the pricerange ... (talking mid-high regardless for something nice) But yeah, I think carvin would be the best choice, really. Amazing prices, floyd rose, full customizable. Though, I moved to a Parker because of the tonal variety - I still really like carvins.

-Ex

 

[VesuviusJay]

$1000 - $2000 is my pricerange. I was advised that Carvin guitars were machine built. Is this true? I do prefer if spending over $1000 bucks I am getting hand made luthier quality....

 

[GONZO-X]

if you're looking for bang for the buck

without a doubt, it's Carvin.

I've played everything.

i still like my Carvin the best of all, especially for a neck through.

now, there are a few high end models i've liked, a couple of Paul Reed Smiths, an Alembic, a couple of really expensive Pauls........

but only the alembic was actually neck-through.....

 

[donkeystyle]

why do you insist on it being 100% hand built? for 2000 or less i don't think you can get a 100% hand made guitar......at least not a very good one. but i'm just assuming that.....i've never really looked into custom 100% hand built guitars, so i don't know.......but i think that typically they're pretty high dollar..like for one that has a mistake or multiple mistakes would still be more than what you're wanting to spend..........but like i said......i could be and probably am wrong.

 

[VesuviusJay]

Well "hand made" is definately not my reason for this post, as a the custom Jackson Death Angel I would love to order starts at $4000.00 and takes a year to deliver once you order. If was financially independant I would play only custom Jackson. But again I only have a max of 2 grand to spend at this point. I noticed on Carvin's website you can go buy models off the factory showroom floor for <$1000.00 with very close to the spec's I am looking for. I definately think I will pay them a visit before I play anything else so I can see what you all are talking about. I will keep you posted as to my findings.

 

[RSonance]

Sounds like something I'd like to buy. Neck thru, Floyd Rose, custom made. Lightning fast action.
Which woods?
Which pickups would you put in this dream machine?

 

[VesuviusJay]

EMG pickups only for my music style. I enjoy 2 configurations. EMG 81 bridge, 85 neck. Or EMG 60's in both positions.

 

[Light]

why do you insist on it being 100% hand built? for 2000 or less i don't think you can get a 100% hand made guitar......at least not a very good one. but i'm just assuming that.....i've never really looked into custom 100% hand built guitars, so i don't know.......but i think that typically they're pretty high dollar..like for one that has a mistake or multiple mistakes would still be more than what you're wanting to spend..........but like i said......i could be and probably am wrong.

Yeah, Pretty much. I couldn't build that for less than $2400. Floyds are just a bitch to rout for and install. That would (of course) have NO flaws, but that goes without saying.

As far as the action, the truth is, though, that you can get any guitar playing the way you want it. Just take it to a good repair person, and have it set up. I can not guaranty that the setup will be right until you have tried it and have signed off on it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Light]

EMG pickups only for my music style. I enjoy 2 configurations. EMG 81 bridge, 85 neck. Or EMG 60's in both positions.

I bet I could find some pickups you would like more than EMGs. Try some Duncan Distortions or Custom Customs sometime. Far cooler pickups, and they actually have a character of their own, without having to bother with any outboard gear. Guitar, amp, and then soul.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[VesuviusJay]

I bet I could find some pickups you would like more than EMGs. Try some Duncan Distortions, or Custom Customs sometime. Far cooler pickups, and they actually have a caracter of thier own, without haveing to bother with any outboard gear. Guitar, amp, and then soul.

I tried the Duncans. Not as punchy as the EMG's. But I am definately interested in other makes and models if you have any other suggestions. Oh and for woods on the custom Jackson, I think I would have to go with Flame maple all the way through.

 

[RSonance]

How about a Dimarzio F.R.E.D. Lots of nice tone from that.
Or the Joe Barden tapped humbucker. In tapped mode its supposed to sound like his strat pup but without the noise.
I guess you have to know which wood first though.

 

[Light]

I tried the Duncans. Not as punchy as the EMG's. But I am definately interested in other makes and models if you have any other suggestions. Oh and for woods on the custom Jackson, I think I would have to go with Flame maple all the way through.

Which Duncans have you tried. They have a lot of different pickups, and they all sound different. Joe Barden is my other favorite pickup designer right now, but I am guessing you are playing metal (from your guitar choice, but I could be wrong) and I don't think Bardens would suit. DiMarzio makes great pickups too. I don't really like actives myself, but I am a dealer for both EMG and Bartolini, so I don't think they are poorly designed, I just am not a fan of their sound. My shop manager loves EMGs, though, so we all have our own thing. Even he will admit, though, that there are other pickups he likes the sound of more, he hates any noise, and he plays a Tele with single coils. I just don't think the active pickups have any character, no personality, and I think a guitar should have personality.

I would not suggest an all maple guitar, for a couple of reasons. First, it will be a REALLY heavy son of a bitch. Worse than a Les Paul. Second, it will be unbearably bright. If you want a figured maple look, go with a maple top over another wood for the body wings. Mahogany is common (thanks to Les Pauls) and is a great sound combination. This is (right now) my favorite combination, but there are a lot of other woods to choose from. Ash is a great wood for guitars, and is part of what gave those old Teles there skink, and Alder is very good (and common). Some people swear by Korina, but I just can't really get over the fact that it is a cheap substitute for Mahogany. Then again, they used Korina for the first Flying Vs and Explorers, and those are lovely guitars, if a little weird looking.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[VesuviusJay]

Dude!! That is some very handy advice, which I appreciate greatly! I have not had the opportunity to try different woods for tonal quality. Any more insights to the relationship of tone to wood would be fascinating reading. Yes I am definately playing extreme metal with super fast palm mute and open riff/power chord combinations. What I need is something punchy and crunchy on the palm mute and searing on unhindered string, to the point of even ear piercing. It seems it is real tough to have both. I dial in for one and the other isn't up to par. Could a pickup help this? Since I already have about the highest quality rig I could find... Thanks!

 

[RSonance]

Maple is my favorite wood also. I have two solid body maple guitars in my collection, a Steinberger and an early custom made BCRich. Its a heavy bitch. But the 'berger is small bodied and not as heavy.

In a bright guitar the Duncan Custom Custom is very good choice, especially with a maple fretboard. Very articulate with nice harmonics.
I still like the Dimarzio F.R.E.D. for high gain work, it might suit metal better. Listen to some Joe Satriani, he has a F.R.E.D. on some of his guitars. Its very balanced like the Custom Custom, but with more high end penetration.

You can always have tone chambers routed inside an all maple body to reduce weight. It sounds great too. No worrys about feedback when the chambers are concealed.

This dream guitar is starting to sound like a Gene Baker creation!

 

[Richard Monroe]

2 words.- Parker Fly.-Richie

 

[Light]

Dude!! That is some very handy advice, which I appreciate greatly! I have not had the opportunity to try different woods for tonal quality. Any more insights to the relationship of tone to wood would be fascinating reading. Yes I am definately playing extreme metal with super fast palm mute and open riff/power chord combinations. What I need is something punchy and crunchy on the palm mute and searing on unhindered string, to the point of even ear piercing. It seems it is real tough to have both. I dial in for one and the other isn't up to par. Could a pickup help this? Since I already have about the highest quality rig I could find... Thanks!

Well, you are kind of trying to get opposing forces there. I would probably want something along the lines of a Les Paul, but with a long scale. Scale Length is one of the most over looked aspects of guitar design by most players. A longer scale length will give you more definition and clarity, but the Mahogany body gives a great crunch. The thick Maple top is important to, as it keeps the Mahogany body from becoming overly bassy.

I am also thinking, although I have never tried them for extreme distortion, the Joe Barden Humbuckers might actually be interesting. They are very loud, which is important for driving an amp and getting the sound you are after, but they are also very precise, which might help the notes cut through the distortion. I assume the Floyd Rose is not negotiable, but they are really not helping you to get the sound you are after. They make the guitar sound kind of thin, and rob you of sustain. But if you need it, you need it.

I guess that would be my suggestions, for what it is worth. The thing which I would most recommend is that you go out and try as many guitars as you can, and figure out which features on which ones suit your needs.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Sky Pilot]

I am looking for a neckthrough guitar with lighning fast action and high quality floyd rose options. . .US neckthrough Jacksons have been real tough to compare to.

You might not want to hear hear this...
But maybe you should also consider looking for another "classic"
Jackson, and "hot-mod" it out to your exacting tastes. The truth
is, those older US neck thru Jacksons really are great instruments.
If you don't mind the 80's/90's appearance, they really are first
rate.

I went through a similar dilema, trying to find another guitar
to replace my neck thru 80's Charvel. This guitar just plain ruled.
Slick fast neck w/killer action, hot emg's & a floyd rose, set up to
Shred. After looking at TONS of guitars, I finally realized I was
going to have to pay well over 2500 to get in the same ball park
of my ol' Charvel. (I had it customized at a local luthier's shop)
So now I have entered the world of classic 80's guitars, finding
older neck thru beasts of the past, and customizing them to taste.

BTW, all my guitar playing friends can't believe how nice my babies
play. They have a hard time putting them down. One friend that
I play with consistently had Carvin make him a custom neck thru
guitar. which he loves. But he has made me promise to to put
him first in line if I ever decide to sell!


Just another option for you. But modding a guitar is time
consuming if you go to the extreme. But it's totally fun.
Hope you enjoy the journey.

Sky Pilot

 

[VesuviusJay]

Pilot, NICE POST!!! I can definately tell you are relating to my some would say picky taste. This is so hellarious but I have to mention it. I shop at my local guitar center exclusively for years now so they cut all prices for me dead. So I am in there on a regular basis conferring with their pro audio staff about microphones and sound cards. Believe it or not this particular GC has a great and knowledgable recording staff. Being in there all the time I have played the shit out of every make and model they carry. But every time they got a US jackson it was gone before I could even try it out. So I wondered in there right about the time fender had taken over and they had this nice looking soloist sitting there. I pick it up and this thing has the NICEST action I had played on any other guitar in that store....ever. So I am stoked, dude quotes me $700 out the door and I am on my way to check out. I turn the guitar over and on this little cheezy fortune cookie sticker are the words....MADE IN JAPAN... I was beside myself. Needless to say, I turned around and put it back on the stand. Why settle for baco bits when you can have real bacon. Anyway I will look into the 80s axe's maybe Ill find a quick one.

 

[dragonworks]

http://www.carvin.com/cgi-bin/Isearch.exe?CFG=2&P2=DC400&P1=GTR