Guitar recommendation

[GrabtharsHammer77]

Hey guys, I need your recommendations for a new guitar because I am not completely happy with the Gibson Les Paul Studio that I bought last year and want to switch to something else.
I am looking for a versatile (everything from Death/Black Metal to Pink Floyd) strat style guitar with a plain black body, 2 passive humbuckers (I don't like EMGs), fixed bridge. Price should be around 1000 $/€.
Playing style: I am definitely not a shredder. Honestly I simply don't practise enough and lack fine motor skills. Therefore I always liked the wide necks of Fender Strats very much but they don't offer guitars that match the above mentioned specs.
I find the Schecter BlackJack SLS C-1 P SBK quite interesting but it is hard to find here in Germany. Any opinions on that guitar or other recommendations?

 

[Old Man Doom]

Probably anything from the PRS SE line would suit you well.

My roommate raves about his standard and I really love the playability as well: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/prs-se-standard-22-electric-guitar
It's a bit on the cheaper side of 1k, but I figure you could probably invest in a solid set of passive pups with the left over (bareknuckles perhaps). Comes in plain 'ol black as well.

Ebay is your friend for Schecters, which is also a solid choice.

 

[GrabtharsHammer77]

Thanks for the quick reply!
When I bought my Gibson LP Studio, I was already interested in PRS. However, the seller told me back then that the PRS guitars' quality could not compete with Gibson. But since I have my Les Paul, I hear hum and noise, which only decreases when I touch the metal parts on the guitar. I tested my setup (MacBook Pro, Apogee Duet, Logic Pro X, TSE X50) with other guitars - no grounding issues at all. I searched the internet and found out that actually a lot of people have the same problem with their Gibson LPs but no one seems to have found the solution yet. Some say it's a shielding issue but no one really seems to be able to get rid of the annoying noise.
And playability... I can't really say anything bad about the LP, but somehow I just don't get used to it, it never really feels right... but that might be a psychological problem because I find that goddamn noise so annoying that it affects the overall impression of the guitar.

 

[tedtan]

since I have my Les Paul, I hear hum and noise, which only decreases when I touch the metal parts on the guitar.

I can't hear the sound you mention, but that's typical of all passive guitars because they aren't grounded through the amp, they are grounded through you. You can shield the pickup and electronics cavities to reduce this, but the only way to fully eliminate it is to go with active pickups or learn to touch the strings or bridge at all times to ground the hum.

somehow I just don't get used to it, it never really feels right

That's a different issue, and likely a sign that you should get a different guitar. Ibanez, ESP/LTD, Schecter, PRS SE, Fender (the Jim Root Strat comes to mind, though you'd have to change the EMGs to passives; also the Blackout series) and plenty of others make guitars that fit your stated requirements. You should go to some guitar stores and check out various models to see which ones are comfortable to you. And if you find one you like comfort-wise, but the sound isn't quite there, you can always change the pickups out to make it sound the way you want it to.

 

[GrabtharsHammer77]

After searching the above mentioned manufacturers' websites I have to say it doesn't really seem to be that simple. Black body, fixed bridge, passive Humbuckers... Most Ibanez/ESP LTD/Schecter guitars nowadays seem to have active PUs and/or some sort of annoying tremolo system.
The only one I could find is the Schecter BlackJack. And some of the PRS models really look interesting.

 

[sprack]

If you like the strat styles, have you looked into the higher end yamaha pacificas?

 

[GrabtharsHammer77]

If you like the strat styles, have you looked into the higher end yamaha pacificas?

No, I have to admit that I didn't consider Yamaha so far. The Pacifica 611HFM seems to be a good guitar and got some very good reviews. Not so sure about the looks though... that pickguard looks a little ugly.

 

[DarkGuitarLord]

Man, I have been an Ibanez owner for over 20 years, fixed bridge and floating bridges. They are the best bang for the buck and although the factory pickups can be "iffy" that is an easy upgrade to a great sound.

 

[MoTang]

Seriously, any ESP/LTD, Schecter, Ibanez, Jackson, PRS SE, DBZ (Diamond Guitars), G & L, Fender, Washburn, Caparison (C2, not the higher end models), are all great. Specifically guitars such as ESP/LTD Deluxe (can be found easily used for less than $600 easily), Schecter Made in Korea models (can be found used for less than $600 easily), Jackson Pro Series (the older, MIJ models especially can be found for REALLY cheap, like sub $300), PRS SE/S2, (the PRS SE guitars can be found for less than $500 a lot), the higher end DBZ's, G & L USA (can be found for less than $1000 used a lot).

Forgot to also mention Charvel Pro Mod, and Sterling by Musicman as well. All great mid end options.

General rules: If the pickups are brand name/recognizable (ie. not Duncan Designed, EMG HZ) , the finish doesn't look very cheap, it's probably a pretty decent instrument. Look for guitars with MSRP above $1000, you will rarely fuck up if you stick to that rule, though there are always exceptions, like the PRS SE. Most mid range, or $1000 ish guitars are all pretty similar in quality. It comes down to what you prefer in terms of pickups and feel mostly.

I've recently also tried a Legator guitar and it was really well made. Might be worth checking out.

 

[GrabtharsHammer77]

Does anybody know and/or have experience about this one?
http://intl.fender.com/de-DE/guitar...d-stratocaster-hh-rosewood-fingerboard-black/
I really like Fender Strats very much, and this one is black and has two humbuckers which - according to several reviews I found on the net - seem to be very similar to SD JBs. I really liked the videos I saw of it on YouTube. The only disadvantage is the tremolo, but this can easily be locked.

 

[GrabtharsHammer77]

Okay, guys, thanks for your advice. It was very helpful!
I spent this afternoon at the local music store and tried some of the above mentioned guitars.
- The Fender Mex Standard HH was very disappointing. It sounded quite weak and felt so heavy on my knees that it was hard to handle. Playability wasn't as good as I expected, too.
- Checked out Ola Englund's Washburn model, too. Looked very cool! However on my knees it felt more like starship Enterprise than a real guitar.
- Ibanez RG421... Totally thin and lifeless sounding.
- Tried a few guitars with EMGs, but they only confirmed my dislike.
- The PRS SE Standard 22 however just felt right from the beginning! The only thing that I didn't like was that the neck humbucker sounded a little bit too percussive and didn't "sing" so much. The sound of the pick was quite loud in relation to the actual tone.
So I think I will choose the PRS and perhaps replace the stock pickups with Seymour Duncan Custom (Bridge) and Jazz or 59 (Neck) humbuckers.