Recommend me a guitar

[deastman]

I've been meaning to ask this for ages now, and seeing this other post http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=186592 prompted me to ask here (rather than hijacking that thread ).

Okay, so I pretty much suck at guitar. 20 years ago, I walked into a local music store and asked "What is your cheapest electric guitar?" They pointed to some crappy strat style models made by Arbor, and I said "I'll take one!". For all these years, my Arbor has served me well, mostly because I never really practiced enough to become competent.

Well, for the past year or so I've been practicing a lot more, and while I doubt I'll ever really become competent, I've vastly improved. I have a friend who is a fantastic guitar player, and he's really pushed me to develop my playing. He pointed out the many flaws in my POS Arbor, and made me realize how much easier it is to play when you have a decent guitar. I suppose I could get my Arbor set up properly, but since I only paid $100 for it, what's the point?

So here's the thing. I'm not particularly attached to any one tone. As a synth kind of guy, I like to explore as many different guitar tones as possible, often using 10 or more different guitar sounds in a single song. I use Guitar Rig 2, as well as running my guitar through synths and other effects, so I range all the way from totally dry uneffected tone to totally mangled. My friend is a hardcore Les Paul player and doesn't really know too much about other guitars, but he thinks that a stratocaster style guitar will give me the most versatility in terms of timbral palette.

My first thought was to get a Mexican Stratocaster, but I really have no clue what else I should be looking at. I see a lot of people suggesting replacing the factory pickups with others, but I haven't a clue about what different pickups sound like, or even how to obtain that information.

I do realize this is a bit like asking "I'm new to synths. Which one should I get?" I also know that I need to go down to Guitar Center and try them out for myself and see what I like. Basically, I'm just looking for a starting point, so I don't have to try every single guitar in the store. So, any suggestions?

[morelia]

I reckon a Strat (mex or whatever) with a humbucker/single coil compination would be versatile. One of my guitars has 2 humbuckers and two single coils. All up there are 11 different pickup positions, so I can see the need for both pickups if you want versatility.

[Ian B]

A lot will depend on your budget, tho' expensive doesn't nescasarily mean better these days. I spent years buying the best I could afford thinking they were better than the 'budget' options, but my last 4 electric guitars have all been budget, and with a bit of work replacing the pickups, have all turned out far superior than the equivalent name brand guitar at way less cost.

My main guitar at present, a J&D S890 only cost £77 (and that's with solid ash body and maple/nato thru' neck) http://www.jandd-guitars.com/jd-s890.htm I replaced the pickups with 3 Guitar Fetish pickups http://store.guitarfetish.com/hawipi.html which only cost $93.85 inc UK delivery. I had the pickups fitted, as I wanted them coil tapped, but even including this in the total price, I've spent less than £200. The guitar reps/luthier in the shop where I had the pickups fitted couldn't believe how little I'd paid for this guitar, I had a job getting it off them. It's so good, I've sold all but one of my other electric guitars

Years ago, before I knew better, I would have happily paid £600+ for a guitar of this quality. The only thing it 'lacks' is a famous name on the headstock.

If you're only wanting a guitar for home use, don't ignore the budget options soley because of the price.

[G-Spot]

I don't play guitar but I have a bit of second hand advice: a colleague of mine plays a Fender Stratocaster and says it sounds good but the tremolo lever pulls the strings loose, so much that he wants to buy a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo (which he expects to be much more suitable for heavy metal style). How much do you care about tremolo?
Probably you should spend an afternoon in every guitar store within reach and try everything they have; you're going to find a guitar you like.
Since you are inclined towards heavy effects, as long as hum and noise are low the original sound of the guitar is much less important than neck shape, mechanical quality, and the other factors that affect how well you're going to play it.

[Germ777]

I would recommend the same as G-spot (Tornado?) Decide how much you want to spend and go over to a couple stores. Tell them how much you are willing to spend and try as many instrumens a possible. If they don't let you try out the instruments don't shop there. A good store should let you test drive any instrument before buying.
As for "competent" on the instrument. If you can play a full song and back up a singer (or yourself) you are competent enough in my book and I have been playing guitar for over 25 yrs.

[Andywanders]

...Probably you should spend an afternoon in every guitar store within reach and try everything they have...

This is the best answer.

[deastman]

I was considering a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position, but another guitar-playing acquaintance told me that it wouldn't give me the "bell-like tones" of a regular strat, and would basically be a compromised guitar. He thought if I want humbuckers, I should get a Les Paul, and if I want a Strat, get a Strat.

Regarding the Floyd Rose tremolo, I've been told that while they're very cool, they're extremely difficult to string properly. I stopped using the regular tremolo on my Arbor years ago, so that isn't a huge factor. But please correct me if I'm mistaken about the Floyd Rose.

I fully intend to try out a bunch of guitars in the store, but as I said, I'm hoping to narrow down the field a little bit before I get there.

As far as being "competent", I really have improved a *LOT* in the past year. I just feel a little intimidated because my friend is a shredding metal guitarist who has played 10,000 seat arenas, and is well-respected by some of the best players in the genre. Next to him, I don't think I'll ever see myself as competent.

I can pretty much afford to spend whatever I need to, although I can't really see spending over $1,000 on a guitar. I'm not concerned about the vanity factor, but if I get a cheap guitar, I just want to make sure I'm not buying the equivalent of my crappy Arbor again!

Also, don't get me wrong- I want something that will sound good without effects. I'm a great believer in the old addage: Garbage in, garbage out.

[krushing]

I can certainly confirm that a Floyd Rose system is, gently put, a festering pile of burning shit to maintain and string. And to keep in tune as well. Unless you're really keep on performing Vai-esque dives and other such trickery where a wide-ranged bendy bridge is needed, I'd definitely steer clear of one.

[pattonfreak1]

Put all that on hold and go here musicyo.com.
I bought the Striker on sale for $140 at year end clearance. It plays like a $600 guitar. The pickups are DEAD QUIET and they almost sound like they're active. (I had to pull off the electronics cover just to see if there was a battery stashed in there somewhere...there wasn't). Now some say they are kinda hit or miss, but the one I got was perfect. The action is low, the neck is thin (and fast), and for the price they cant be beat. And there is a return policy if by chance the one you get IS shoddy.[/url]

[deastman]

That brings up another point. I've been told never to buy a guitar online, because they are so inconsistent from one to the next. Honestly, if I went to the store and tried ten of the same guitar, I'm not sure I'd be able to pick out the best of the bunch.

[Germ777]

I can certainly confirm that a Floyd Rose system is, gently put, a festering pile of burning shit to maintain and string. And to keep in tune as well. Unless you're really keep on performing Vai-esque dives and other such trickery where a wide-ranged bendy bridge is needed, I'd definitely steer clear of one.

I must digress.
I have used Floyds for years and do my fair share of maintenance here in the shop.
If properly set. The only pain is having to cut the strings' ends to place them and locking the nut. You just get used to doing things the Floyd way and go on.
On the other hand I must agree that unless you are going to do some masive use of tremolo note sliding ala Vai or Beck then there is no point in having one just for the sake of having it. My next guitar (hopefully made by myself before christmas) will have a stop tail piece for better note bending.
You could tell your friend to help you choose one. Just to check you are not being ripped off with a lousy set up guitar.
I would sell you one of our own custom shop guitars,
Mieussens Guitars

but we are a bit too far and the price would be a bit over 1000$ I think I could ship it overseas though
Best of luck in your hunting and post a pic of your new "Weapon of Mass Destruction" when you get it.

[rockstar_not]

A lot will depend on your budget, tho' expensive doesn't nescasarily mean better these days. I spent years buying the best I could afford thinking they were better than the 'budget' options, but my last 4 electric guitars have all been budget, and with a bit of work replacing the pickups, have all turned out far superior than the equivalent name brand guitar at way less cost.

My main guitar at present, a J&D S890 only cost £77 (and that's with solid ash body and maple/nato thru' neck) http://www.jandd-guitars.com/jd-s890.htm I replaced the pickups with 3 Guitar Fetish pickups http://store.guitarfetish.com/hawipi.html which only cost $93.85 inc UK delivery. I had the pickups fitted, as I wanted them coil tapped, but even including this in the total price, I've spent less than £200. The guitar reps/luthier in the shop where I had the pickups fitted couldn't believe how little I'd paid for this guitar, I had a job getting it off them. It's so good, I've sold all but one of my other electric guitars

Years ago, before I knew better, I would have happily paid £600+ for a guitar of this quality. The only thing it 'lacks' is a famous name on the headstock.

If you're only wanting a guitar for home use, don't ignore the budget options soley because of the price.

I believe that the J&D guitars may be from the same manufacturer as SX and Agile guitars, sold in the US by www.rondomusic.net.

The manufacturer in China is known as 'Team Corporation'.

Excellent products for the money. I have an SX custom P-Bass copy from SX that is outstanding value - much better than Squier from a fit/finish/shielding standpoing.

-Scott

[pattonfreak1]

+1 for agile

[Lunch Money]

Lots of 'budget' guitars are good players. When you're at the local store, be sure to try out some Cort stuff. I have a Cort Pagelli (so, not their cheapest line) and it plays fabulously.

[robogone]

Go to a guitar store with someone who plays a lot. Both of you play the guitars and listen to his opinion and see if he points out things that you like or dislike. For example, if he says that something has a thick neck, see if you like that or try something with a thinner neck. Check out how it feels standing and sitting. If you're very FX oriented, you might want to think about humbuckers, as a lot of FX can amplify any buzz that comes from single coils.