What guitar gear have you bought/are you buying/will you buy?

[Uncle E]

Especially the Deluxe ESP LTD have quite expensive hardware and pickups indeed. Although not perfect from a building point of view, mine doesn´t really have obvious factory errors, looks and sounds great. I didn´t expect it from an indonesian instrument, but it is much better than the korean ESP LTD Arrow I tried to buy beginning of 2023: got one with misaligned bridge/pickups/neck, various marks on the painting (body AND neck!) and a fretboard as dry as a freaking desert. The second one might have travelled before, as it had all kinds of friction marks on the body (it was satin black), it was not as misalgined as the previous one, but not perfect either. Both felt simply cheap by just grabbing them, it was heart breaking!

We were an ESP dealer years ago and I played a lot of those early Korean LTD's. I liked the 400 series quite a bit, hated every series below it, and thought the 1000 series felt artificial (thick poly finishes). BUT, 1000's are the ones with EverTune's and EMG's (I love EMG's now, didn't love them back then) so a 1000 it shall be.

btw, I've been to the ESP Craft House in Shibuya and it's amazing. Almost more of a museum than a factory, like an animatronic "how the west was won" installation except with live builders working on guitars right in front of you. Some of the guitars on display were literally unplayable (too big for any human to hold), purely art pieces sculpted with incredible precision and detail.

[EnGee]

That´s a Soloist though Not that there´s much of a difference, the Dinky is bolt-on, the Soloist is neck-thru.

Necks and fretboards are all matter of getting used to. Just enjoy the guitar now, play it, get used to it and see where you want to go. Going from acoustic or classic to electric is quite a leap, take some time to get acquainted.

BTW, I was obsessed with neck shapes, played ESP almost exclusively for 20 years, I wanted that curvature and shape, that size, that radius... Then I got a Chapman in 2018 and the Dinky in 2022 and love all necks / fretboards for different reasons.

Oh, and think twice before selling a guitar: I sold more than 15 over the years and while I´m OK no longer having some of them, I greatly regret selling at least a couple (in particular, a japanese ESP Eclipse II with see thru black finish on flamed maple ).

Oh I see! So the soloist is supposed to be easier for solo sections in the song, right?

Thank you for the info and advice. Thinking of the Yamaha 612, it's a very well built. It's hard not to think it's not made in Japan! It's made in Indonesia but seems with high quality control as I see the details are polished well. Yes, it's a keeper. I might add to it, but this one is really nice.

I found a work-around about learning the chords, and that is to play the electric guitar as I used to play the classic! It means, putting the guitar between my legs and upping the neck. Still very difficult, but a lot better

It needs time to adjust and get used to be very precise. It's a long journey it seems. I found Alfred's Guitar Method the best place to start because it progress slowly and logically. Very simple chords at first but lots of simple melodies to get used playing guitar first.

I might find a teacher if I can afford it, but it's not easy to find a good teacher within my budget! Anyway, self taught is not strange for me!

[Amon1973]

We were an ESP dealer years ago and I played a lot of those early Korean LTD's. I liked the 400 series quite a bit, hated every series below it

Don't know what years you're talking about exactly, but you're absolutely right: I had 2 EX and 1 V 400 series built between 1997 and 1999 and they were fine instruments. All three 401 models with Floyd bridge. The EXs for feel, action, weight and sound (I had replaced the EMG Hz with 81/85 in all of them) were very close to the japanese EX.
The LTDs I bought up to 2007 where all korean 400 and 1000, and consistently good.

It's quite likely I've been unlucky twice with the Arrow, hope so

BUT, 1000's are the ones with EverTune's and EMG's (I love EMG's now, didn't love them back then) so a 1000 it shall be.

Yup, if you want Evertune, then it's 1000.

[Amon1973]

Oh I see! So the soloist is supposed to be easier for solo sections in the song, right?

Thank you for the info and advice. Thinking of the Yamaha 612, it's a very well built. It's hard not to think it's not made in Japan! It's made in Indonesia but seems with high quality control as I see the details are polished well. Yes, it's a keeper. I might add to it, but this one is really nice.

I found a work-around about learning the chords, and that is to play the electric guitar as I used to play the classic! It means, putting the guitar between my legs and upping the neck. Still very difficult, but a lot better

It needs time to adjust and get used to be very precise. It's a long journey it seems. I found Alfred's Guitar Method the best place to start because it progress slowly and logically. Very simple chords at first but lots of simple melodies to get used playing guitar first.

I might find a teacher if I can afford it, but it's not easy to find a good teacher within my budget! Anyway, self taught is not strange for me!

I play often with the guitar between my legs, nothing wrong with it. And the only way to play a V-shape

Good luck on the new musical journey!

[EnGee]

I play often with the guitar between my legs, nothing wrong with it. And the only way to play a V-shape

Good luck on the new musical journey!

Thank you

[Bombadil]

Have fun. Most important.

[donkey tugger]

I bought a guitar finally! It was very difficult to choose, but then finally I went with a safe choice (Yamaha):
https://www.musicworks.co.nz/electric-g ... root-beer/

It's very well built with good specs and reasonable price. It's even better (and heavier than expected).
I used to have a classic guitar and this is the first time I own electric! There are new things to me like the picks and the sitting position! But I feel I'm going to have good fun with this one

You'll never go wrong with a Pacifica. My Variax Standard is in essence one with all the fancy electronics added. Absolutely lovely guitar to play.

Have fun!

[EnGee]

Thank you Bombadil and donkey tugger It is a big world and very different from the synths and DAWs I used to use everyday!
It has already changed some of my music taste and my interests! I find myself now listening to old blues songs and already bought several books about it! So, it seems like I'm going this way and might use the blues scale and chords in new projects

[The Noodlist]

Considering a Sennheiser e 609 around BF. It seems to have a stable average price of £159 UK.

[stoopicus]

After trying a few guitars, including a very nice MIJ Tele, I finally landed on a Yamaha Revstar Standard and have since sold all the others. It's an amazingly good guitar for the price, better made than my MIJ Fender, and a lot of features you wouldn't expect in a sub-$1000 guitar. Highly recommended.

I've always liked Yamaha products. Vastly underrated. I've owned several of their basses and they are always top notch.

[EnGee]

After trying a few guitars, including a very nice MIJ Tele, I finally landed on a Yamaha Revstar Standard and have since sold all the others. It's an amazingly good guitar for the price, better made than my MIJ Fender, and a lot of features you wouldn't expect in a sub-$1000 guitar. Highly recommended.

I've always liked Yamaha products. Vastly underrated. I've owned several of their basses and they are always top notch.

Excellent choice! Congratulations!
The Revstar Element was my first choice, but I'm also glad with the PAC612. Another great Yamaha one is the PAC611. It has a P90!

[stoopicus]

Yeah the Pacificas are great, my first guitar was a 112 actually. Really nice superstrats.

I love the purple 611 hardtail, almost bought one actually. Another good example of punching way above their price point.

[EnGee]

Yeah the Pacificas are great, my first guitar was a 112 actually. Really nice superstrats.

I love the purple 611 hardtail, almost bought one actually. Another good example of punching way above their price point.

Purple?! Oh yes, I see it in Sweetwater now! Wow! very nice! I haven't seen here in the dealer's shop or website! I don't think they have it.

By the way, which Revstar Standard you bought? The Element seem to sell very well here! It is a great value for money.

[stoopicus]

Yeah the Pacificas are great, my first guitar was a 112 actually. Really nice superstrats.

I love the purple 611 hardtail, almost bought one actually. Another good example of punching way above their price point.

Purple?! Oh yes, I see it in Sweetwater now! Wow! very nice! I haven't seen here in the dealer's shop or website! I don't think they have it.

By the way, which Revstar Standard you bought? The Element seem to sell very well here! It is a great value for money.

I grabbed the Swift Blue RSS20.

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I actually had the same guitar in the Element before this and liked it so much I traded up, once I was sold on it

[EnGee]

Very nice indeed Yes, this or the red would be my choice
But why you upgraded from Element? I thought very minor things to get in upping to Standard or Pro.