Electric Guitar suggestions?

[Sharky]

My frets were worn flat on my 1986 Les Paul, so I went ahead and sold it before they started rattling too much. The Grover tuning pegs were about to go too. A fret job and getting new gaskets on the Grovers was going to cost me upwards of $500, so I decided to sell it and invest the money in a new guitar. So, what should I get? I have a wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket and need to get something before the withdrawals set in. Here are my tastes ...

- I am looking more for quality over brand name.
- I like the lower, warmer sound of the Les Paul.
- I do not like the twangy sounds of the telecasters.
- I want a Wilkinson tremolo, or equiv.
- I want locking tuning pegs, aka stays in tune!

Right now I am leaning towards building a custom guitar through Carvin (DC127 (http://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guitars/index.php?model=dc127)). They use great components, allow for you to pick and choose wood types, finishes, etc., and I hear the neck/action is one of the best in the business. Though, I am totally open to suggestions. Help, I am already starting to get the shakes =)

[GunnerMcGrath]

Have you considered an ESP Eclipse (http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_eclipse.html)? Though if you only want to spend $500 then check out the EC-401 (http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_ec.html) line. I have one (http://lh4.ggpht.com/_i5IHh-2bA5M/S0_MPMTcGsI/AAAAAAAALUc/DxBaFMENiuc/s800/mts_22.jpg) of each (http://lh3.ggpht.com/_i5IHh-2bA5M/S0_Mo1-UEwI/AAAAAAAALU4/80Hvkf12uN8/s800/metro-streetlight.jpg) and they're great guitars, though I put in Seymour Duncan Custom Custom pickups in the bridges because I'm not a fan of active pickups. They're more expensive online but at a Sam Ash or something you should be able to find one at a more reasonable price. Besides, it's always best to play a guitar before you buy it!

[ScatRD]

If you haven't looked at the JS series from Ibanez take a peek.


I have an older JS100 and LOVE it.


http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/Series-js


Mine was one of the first of the series with DiMarzio pickups and a Floyd Rose trem.


Now they are using Axis pickups and the Edge III trem which is VASTLY superior!

[BullJunior]

I don't care what your ears currently like ([:p]), get a Stratocaster, your left shoulder will thank you. Seriously though, I can't help because I love the ripping of a Strat. Building a custom sounds pretty fun.

[TurboPanzy]

Ever though about Paul Reed Smith guitars Sharky? Not on the cheap side but may be what you're looking for...

[AJ in HD]

dude...why don't you get this one, I'm sure it'll rock!


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a124/boysofsheahem/blog%20graphics%202/1239267403_389.jpg

[Sharky]

Ever though about Paul Reed Smith guitars Sharky? Not on the cheap side but may be what you're looking for...Yes I have. Very nice guitars, but that is why I am looking at the Carvin's. You get the same quality build and choices but for a much lower price. I think I almost have one picked out at Carvin. Though, am going to go shop around locally tomorrow one more time and make sure there is nothing available. We have some decent local shops around town.

[GunnerMcGrath]

Have you actually played a PRS? My guitarist had one and I can honestly say that I could immediately feel the difference between it and any other guitar I'd ever touched the moment I picked it up. I still can't quantify what that difference is, just an overwhelming feeling of MORE BETTERNESS.

[Big Bad G]

Hey sharky how long have you been playing? I use to play when I was ateenager but never took it serious. I started playing again last year, I found a great teacher in town and have been taking lesson for just over a year now. I started playing on a epiphone special 2. Nice guitar for starting out. I just bought myself last month a Gibson Les Paul studio. Great guitar and the price was great. The only close guitar shop I have near me is guitar center, the store is ok but I hate how they let everyone handle the guitars. I ended up ordering my les paul at sweetwater.comgreat site you might want to check it out. My teacher suggested the site to me, plus he uses it too.

[HHPHChrisRyan]

PRS vs Carvin? Both can be great guitars should you get the right model. If you plan to keep the guitar forever I would just get a Carvin built the way you want it. However if you ever plan to sell one day the PRS with give you the most return.




The best overall guitar I have ever played was a PRS Swamp Ash Special .. god that thing was special. It was also a few hundred above what I was willing to spend.




http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/admin/pages/upload/Solids/PRS/swampashspecial-natural_m.jpg




I ended up walking home that night with an Eric Johnson Signature Strat. Quite possibly the greatest non-custom shop Strat you can get. Maybe give one of those a test drive. Mine has those old school vintage tuners that NEVER go out of tune.

[Sharky]

Thanks a lot for the ideas guys.


Hey sharky how long have you been playing?I've been playing for about 15 years or so. Picked it up in college. Luckily I had a bunch of friends that were into music, so I just stumbled into it.


Welp guys, I got lucky today. I found a perfect condition used guitar that saved me a bunch of money. I went to a couple local shops and one of them had a Fender Jaguar that fit my style perfectly. It is a very unique guitar, I have never really seen one like it. It has individual pickup (double humbuckers) kill switches, a total kill switch, and a boost switch for a bigger punch. The two humbuckers also have individual rollers to allow for a wide range of sound combinations to distinguish/separate a rhythm and solo switch. You can get all the way from a Strat sound to a Les Paul sound. Pretty cool for people like me that hate fussing with peddles. I had never really paid Fenders much attention because of their trebbly sound. I didn't realize they had humbucker models too.


Here are a few pictures ...


/photos/site_images/images/431766/original.aspx


/photos/site_images/images/431767/original.aspx

[Toothcake]

That's a beaut, Sharky.


Can you guys recommend a decent, cheap amp? I've been playing for about a year and started on acoustic/electric, but I got a Dean Vendetta starter electric kit for x-mas. It's a good learner guitar (and a big jump for me) but the amp is easily the weakest link. I'd like to keep it under $200 if possible.

[Sharky]

The new amps are a lot different now a days compared to back when I bought mine. They require substantially smaller magnets meaning a lot lighter weight. I have an old tube Fender Blues Delux 2x12 that is a backbreaker. It sounds wanderful, but it is a real pain in the ass to lug around. With that said, I would say stay away from the old amps for now. Instead get a new solid state amp. They are very light and sound good. I just helped my buddy pick out a new amp from Guitar Center. I forget the model, but it was a Line 6 amp. I think it was a single 12". I think it may be putting you right at the $200 mark. But, as always, first check Craigslist or your local use music stores. You may be able to find it for a good price used.

[HHPHChrisRyan]

@toothcake consider looking into a Fender Champion 600. They sell for around $150 new in stores. It's a small 5w tube amp. It only has a volume knob though and the tone runs really clean until you turn it to ten. You can get some great classic rock/blues tones out of it if you throw an overdrive in front of it.

[ScatRD]

As far as amps I picked up a Mashall Valvestate 65 and LOVE it.


I had a Beta Lead made by Sunn and it was a good amp but I never really warmed to the solid state tech. The Marshall VS series went back to tubes and the sound is much warmer and full bodied on channel 1 while you can really push the drive and get awesome sustain on channel 2.

[BullJunior]

Sharky,


Great find! I think Cobain played a Jaguar alot. I think it is a great compromise. The humbuckers you like and I think you will like the neck a lot more than on you Les Paul. I always feel like I'm trying to hold a baseball while playing a guitar when playing on friend's Gibsons.


Toothcake,I was in the market for anew amp a year and a half ago to keep up with my nephew's drum kit. Line 6 has great amps with a lot of built-in emulations of classic amps. I eventually scratched them off the list because the overdrive was too 'metal-y'. Ended up with 45-ish watt Fender Princeton Reverb on consignment at Guitar Center. I went in looking for a tube amp, but could only afford a 10 watt in my price range. But, after playing some solid state, I think transistor technology has really closed the gap. Go used and get the most for your $$.

[hoggle5000]

Beautiful looking guitar there Sharky. My 10yr old daughter has been taking lessons for just about a year now, and I had been self teaching myself for a little longer, but finally broke down, and I am now taking lessons as well. Between the two of us, we now have 5 guitars.....My daughter has a very nice Daisy rock electric (not a toy guitar by any means what-so-ever, and her Christmas gift was a solid wood Crafter acoustic that I got a great deal on from our local shop. I currently have a Seagull acoustic, Epiphone Les Paul Ultra, and Mexi Strat.




As far as a low cost amp goes, we have two in that category that sound great. Fender Champion 600 (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Champion-600-5-Watt-1x6-Combo-Amp-104298815-i1173138.gc), and an Epiphone Valve Jr stack (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone-Valve-Jr--Half-Stack-772851-i1275082.gc).They both do not have any "extras" such as tone setting, or reverb, or anything like that. They are both tube amps and give out a really great clean sound, but start to break up and give a nice natural distortion sound when you crank it up. I have a number of pedals connected as well, such as chorus, overdrive, and they sound natural as well. They are both a nice idea when trying to keep it to a budget.

The first amp we had was a Line 6, and I returned it just a few days later. I personally hated the sound that came out. No matter how the settings were adjusted, just couldn't get that pure clean sound I was after that I get from the Champion, and the Valve Jr. If loud is what you are after, I have heard great things about the ZT Lunchbox amp. (http://www.guitarcenter.com/ZT-Lunchbox-200W-1x6-5-Guitar-Combo-Amp-105497689-i1475411.gc)It is a solid state amp, literally about the size of a lunchbox, but loud as hell. I got to try one about a month ago when I was in Guitar Center, and I was actually impressed with it quite a bit. Again, it is a no frills amp, but for a solid state, gives out a surprisingly good clean sound.

[Sharky]

It really all depends on the sound that you are looking for. Each
have
their 'weakness' depending on what sound you are looking for.

Solid
states will never be able to get that warm gritty distortion, or the
middle warm clean tone. They will always sound high on the cleans and a
little too 'metal' when the edge/drive/superstat is turned up. On the
other hand, the tube amps will never be able to get that sustained
'metal' sound without a couple suplementary pedal. At least that is what
I have found with my friends tube Marshals and the tube Fender Blues
Deville 2x12 that I have.

I play both solid state and tube, depending on the sound I want. If I want a 'changy' slightly distorted sound, I use the solid state. Also when I want a more 90's sustained distortion. I'm too lazy to mess with pedals =)



I think Cobain played a Jaguar alot.
Hah, you're right. Same
guitar, different color. I don't know how I didn't know that ... I used to be a huge Nirvana fan back in the day.
http://www.jag-stang.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tom1.jpg

[Toothcake]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I play Rock/Blues/Metal (the Dean is mostly designed for finger-work rather than strumming) and i'll be sure to head over to Guitar Center and see if I can play on a few of the suggested amps.

[BoomerBrian]

You guys are making me want to start playing again. I regret that I stopped playing in my early 20's. I still have an acoustic, maybe I will break it out.

[HHPHChrisRyan]

Break it out and play some guitar!

[f1sh]

You guys are making me want to start playing again. I regret that I stopped playing in my early 20's. I still have an acoustic, maybe I will break it out.







Im in the same boat. I started playing when I was 12 (20 years ago) and loved it. Got married had kids and my time turning up the amp fadded into acoustic and then games. Still have it all... My old guitar showed my Megadeth side, the Flying V! LOL