Allround Guitar for Recording

[EachHit]

Hey everybody,

after spending some time practicing my Mixing and Recording Skills I think it may be time to get myself some better sounding Guitars.

I only own some cheap One's which arent sounding totally bad and the playibility is acceptable, but I had the Opportunity to test 2 Ibanez Guitars (RGIT20FE-SBF and JEM555-WH). And I must admit the playibilty was so much better.
That's why I decided I want to get a new One for me.

Maybe some of you Guys can give me some Tips which Brands and Models are good for let me say a bit more sloppy Player and for a variety of Genres.
Mostly Punk, Rock and Metal. The Guitar would only be for Recordings.

Heavy Greetz

 

[bryan_kilco]

It really depends on what you prefer in terms of feel, sound, etc.

There are tons of things that will make a difference in tone. Most importantly, the player. Pickups, wood, strings, etc all play a decent part as well.

My suggestion: Don't just buy something cheap. Play on a bunch of guitars and find out what suits you best in terms of feel, playability, tone.

If you're doing mostly punk/rock/metal, you'd probably want something with humbuckers. I enjoy my EMG 81 equipped guitar a lot, but also feel it's a bit lifeless. Try active vs passive pickups in the same type of bodied guitars that you like. Experiment before you commit.

 

[EachHit]

It really depends on what you prefer in terms of feel, sound, etc.

There are tons of things that will make a difference in tone. Most importantly, the player. Pickups, wood, strings, etc all play a decent part as well.

My suggestion: Don't just buy something cheap. Play on a bunch of guitars and find out what suits you best in terms of feel, playability, tone.

If you're doing mostly punk/rock/metal, you'd probably want something with humbuckers. I enjoy my EMG 81 equipped guitar a lot, but also feel it's a bit lifeless. Try active vs passive pickups in the same type of bodied guitars that you like. Experiment before you commit.

I read that every small Detail in a Guitar is affecting the Sound. After I compared the DI's from both Ibanez I tried with my cheap Ibanez GIO (with a Seymour Duncan JB PU) I realised that my Guitar sounded a lot muddier.

I think I am definetly a Humbucker Guy cause I didn't play really soft or clean.

I compared a lot of Guitars soundwise on the Thomann.de Website and I always kinda like the Sound more if there's a Seymour Duncan in it. Maybe it's cause they sound a little dirtier.

I also was thinking about a Les Paul Style Guitar.

There's Music Shop where I am going to try out some Guitars but for the Beginning I wanted to narrow down the Choices a Bit so I don't have to play all Guitars in the Store.

Are there some Videos or Tests around here where they compare all different Kind of Guitars and Pickups?

I recently viewed a Video where Keith Merrow compared Seymour Duncan PU's. For me they sounded not dramatically different.

Heavy Greetz

Heavy Greetz

 

[MultiM]

Did the seymour duncan pickups make your GIO Ibanez better after changing the stock pickups? Did it sound a lot better?
You can check the schecter guitars, I heard great things about them

 

[MoTang]

Basically,

Ibanez iron label/premium/prestige (used)
Jackson pro series, the new series is great and the old mij ones (the mij ones are very cheap used)
Esp/ltd deluxe or eii/esp standard series
Paul reed smith se/s2 (especially for punk, need a pickup swap probably for metal)
Schecter made in Korea guitars...basically any of them

You can get versatility out of any these guitars listed above...for about $1000 on average.

Some other brands that have quality instruments:

Bc rich made in Korea guitars
Washburn parallaxe (the $1000 ones)...heard good things about these but haven't tried them
Caparison c2...they look like quality instruments but haven't tried them
The thing is that many of these guitars (the esps, schecters, bc rich, prs se) come from the same factory. Idk, just take your pick and see what you like the feel of because as far as I'm concerned if you can't get quality recordings from these guitars listed above (assuming properly setup and new strings + good player) then it's not the guitar that's the problem.

 

[EachHit]

Did the seymour duncan pickups make your GIO Ibanez better after changing the stock pickups? Did it sound a lot better?
You can check the schecter guitars, I heard great things about them

The Pickup made the Sound more aggressive which means better in my Opinion. I also have some other very old Guitars where I put other Pickups In. They sound better than before but I should have bought a better Guitar in the first Place.

@MoTang:

The Brands you mentioned are almost exactly the Ones I find pleasing to my Ear when I did some test listening a few hours ago on the Thomann Website.
Besides the Playibility and the Sound I also look out for how I like the Look of the Guitar.

Where I live isn't really a chance to get some used Guitars. Would definetly be cool to have the Opportunity to buy an older used Guitar and save some money.

Heavy Greetz

 

[greyskull]

If you want the ultimate in versatile, a Jazzmaster is tits.

 

[EachHit]

If you want the ultimate in versatile, a Jazzmaster is tits.

Haven't seen them yesterday as I was browsing thru a Bunch of Guitars at Thomann.de.
Maybe cause I only searched for more "Metal" Colors ;-)

They sound quite cool. But none of them has Metal Sound Samples. But the Rock Sound Samples sound pretty good.


Heavy Greetz

 

[dominus_malas]

I read that every small Detail in a Guitar is affecting the Sound. After I compared the DI's from both Ibanez I tried with my cheap Ibanez GIO (with a Seymour Duncan JB PU) I realised that my Guitar sounded a lot muddier.

I think I am definetly a Humbucker Guy cause I didn't play really soft or clean.

I compared a lot of Guitars soundwise on the Thomann.de Website and I always kinda like the Sound more if there's a Seymour Duncan in it. Maybe it's cause they sound a little dirtier.

I also was thinking about a Les Paul Style Guitar.

There's Music Shop where I am going to try out some Guitars but for the Beginning I wanted to narrow down the Choices a Bit so I don't have to play all Guitars in the Store.

Are there some Videos or Tests around here where they compare all different Kind of Guitars and Pickups?

I recently viewed a Video where Keith Merrow compared Seymour Duncan PU's. For me they sounded not dramatically different.

Heavy Greetz

Heavy Greetz

Your GIO is probably made from Agathis, which is a cheaper wood that can have some of the tonality that mahogany has, and the JB can be problematic in mahogany. If it's muddy, I'd try fixing it with EQ first (since you're doing DIs, it should be easy enough to do), just run an EQ plugin first and lower some of the bass frequencies. A brighter humbucker may fit the bill, the Duncan Distortion or Dimarzio Evolution will probably sound better than the JB.

If a new guitar is what you really want to do, find something that's comfortable to play. You can always change pickups to shape your tone.

 

[EachHit]

Your GIO is probably made from Agathis, which is a cheaper wood that can have some of the tonality that mahogany has, and the JB can be problematic in mahogany. If it's muddy, I'd try fixing it with EQ first (since you're doing DIs, it should be easy enough to do), just run an EQ plugin first and lower some of the bass frequencies. A brighter humbucker may fit the bill, the Duncan Distortion or Dimarzio Evolution will probably sound better than the JB.

If a new guitar is what you really want to do, find something that's comfortable to play. You can always change pickups to shape your tone.

Yeah the wood is Agathis. The Guitar was very cheap. I think about 200€ including a small Ibanez Amp and some other Stuff.
It would be best to test out guitars for me when I have no clue which PU's are in and what brand it is. That could make the decision easier I gues.

Heavy Greetz

 

[Redoubt9000]

I opened this thread up a while back, mayhaps it help you some!
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/backline/777928-most-complimenting-guitar-bass-guitars.html

Lotsa info and preferences on why particular builds just scratch people the right way for their tracking, especially Ermz post

Reading over your posts, I'd say first find the guitar that suits you in terms of comfort and feel - then start weighing your options on their available specs and the price bracket tied to em. I imagine playing a guitar with your most desirable tonewood of antiquity isn't gonna mean much if you don't particularly care to play on it to begin with

After playing on a new guitar for several months, I noticed the extra length in scale and the additional string (7 string) required a bit more stretching and movement to fret on. Going back to my old strat kinda feel effortless now, not to say I don't enjoy playing on the new axe. These are options you need to consider and if you've no prior experience, the reality is is that you should visit a shop and try out a couple of models!

 

[cfh11]

the ltd ec1000/mh1000 is the best bang for the buck i have found for distorted guitar. im not a big fan of the emgs it comes with though but ymmv.

 

[EachHit]

I opened this thread up a while back, mayhaps it help you some!
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/backline/777928-most-complimenting-guitar-bass-guitars.html

Lotsa info and preferences on why particular builds just scratch people the right way for their tracking, especially Ermz post

Reading over your posts, I'd say first find the guitar that suits you in terms of comfort and feel - then start weighing your options on their available specs and the price bracket tied to em. I imagine playing a guitar with your most desirable tonewood of antiquity isn't gonna mean much if you don't particularly care to play on it to begin with

After playing on a new guitar for several months, I noticed the extra length in scale and the additional string (7 string) required a bit more stretching and movement to fret on. Going back to my old strat kinda feel effortless now, not to say I don't enjoy playing on the new axe. These are options you need to consider and if you've no prior experience, the reality is is that you should visit a shop and try out a couple of models!

I read the thread you mentioned and it seems that everybody has it's own opinion about what a versatile guitar should be.
Yesterday I made a list with a few Guitars where I like the Soundfiles from the Dealer Website. But I also only searched for guitars in Colours I can live with and also only Guitars without a Tremolo. All Guitars I tried didn't hold the tuning well if there was a Tremolo. Even on a White Ibanez Steve Vai for about 1000 Bucks was the Tremolo not perfect.

The Guitars on my List are mostly Models from Shecter and ESP and but also some Jacksons, Epiphones and Gibsons.

Maybe I will take a day off next week and visit a Music Shop and see what Guitars are there available.

Heavy Greetz

 

[FIXXXER]

After I compared the DI's from both Ibanez I tried with my cheap Ibanez GIO (with a Seymour Duncan JB PU) I realised that my Guitar sounded a lot muddier.

even with brand new strings?

 

[EachHit]

even with brand new strings?

Yes, I played some Covers and did 2 Takes. One with the Expensive Ibanez and one with my Cheap GIO.
The GIO didn't sound bad in the Highs and Mids but compared to the other Ibanez it was obvious that there's something Muddy going on with the DI from the GIO. Maybe that is the Reason why every reamp sounded like there was a Bass playing even when it were just 2 Tracks from the GIO.

Heavy Greetz

 

[HCL]

Best sounding guitars I've tracked in the last year or two:

Schecter Loomis - blackout in the bridge, sounds really polished and aggressive.

Caparison customs - one was Adam D's old guitar with an 85, the other was a single hum with an 81 in the bridge, sounded very polished and musical.

Fender JR Tele - EMG 81/60, doesn't have the most attack but sounds incredibly mean, absolutely fantastic for gnarly sounds.

Jap ESP Eclipse II - EMG 81/60, very very tight attack.

So I'd recommend any of those. I'm probably going to put an evertune bridge in my Tele. Most cheap guitars aren't worth bothering tracking with unless you know from experience they sound great, the difference between an EC-401 I bought and the Eclipse II I have access to was night and day tonally.

 

[guitarklown]

I have a Mexi Strat with a D-Sonic in the bridge, rosewood fretboard.. I choose it every time over my Schecter Loomis. All about what you're looking for.. A Strat with a humbucker is pretty damn versatile.

 

[HCL]

I have a Mexi Strat with a D-Sonic in the bridge, rosewood fretboard.. I choose it every time over my Schecter Loomis. All about what you're looking for.. A Strat with a humbucker is pretty damn versatile.

+1 My strat plays better than any of my other instruments, I really should put a humbucker in it.

 

[Sloan]

Haven't seen them yesterday as I was browsing thru a Bunch of Guitars at Thomann.de.
Maybe cause I only searched for more "Metal" Colors ;-)

They sound quite cool. But none of them has Metal Sound Samples. But the Rock Sound Samples sound pretty good.


Heavy Greetz

I don't suggest a jazzmaster for your one recording guitar, but here is a jazzmaster through a jet city amp.



quality is shit here, but whatever.

 

[Sloan]

I would suggest one of the LTD guitars with the evertune bridge. Really want to get a hold of one to use myself.