help me choose a guitar

[xMannequiNx]

So I've jamming away on my dad's 30 year old vintage ibanez (which is heavy as shit btw) with .9 strings drop-tuned to A# for the last month...and I'm pretty sure I could use a new guitar

nothing expensive. Not going to be plugged into an amp - all direct for now. I need something better to be able to record my ideas for songs when something pops into my head. I'll be taking this to college this year and want to be able to record in my dorm room as well.

Was thinking schecter S1, or esp viper-400? Can get either for around $300 used.

What would you think of buying a cheaper guitar like schecter omen-6 and then buying EMGs later down the road when I get $? Would that end up making it the same as a higher end guitar or do the higher end guitars have better wood/tuners/bridge/etc? I can get an omen-6 or an ESP F50 for like $150 and they seem like the same guitar as the S1/v-400 just with shitty pickups.

 

[slayercannibalsuffohead]

Dont know much about the Schecters, but if I were you i would save for a tad longer and get a second hand Ibanez rg 7620, especially for the A# stuff, awesome for their price, Eric Rutan loves his!

 

[Lodge]

I myself had a regular ass EC100 and that guitar played/sounded great for around $300. I've also played a shitload of Ibanez guitars, and I would say if you are more into shredding go with the Ibanez, but for an all around "work horse" guitar I would go for the ESP. You can still shred like hell on them if that's your thing, but the Ibanez will usually have a thinner/faster neck, making shit like that a tad easier, although I must say I love ESP. I have an EC1000 with 81's and I think I'll take it to the grave with me

 

[Joematthews]

I'd buy marcus's EC400 if I were you.

Joe

 

[slashvanyoung]

.9 strings drop-tuned to A# for the last month...

Seriously? Wow...

If you're planning on staying with such low tunings, than get something with a at least 25.5" scale.

So I really wouldn't recommend any Les Paul- or SG-esque guitar, unless it's a baritone or seven string.

 

[Ataraxia2320]

Get the viper, great guitar and its a total workhorse, ive had mine for YEARS(since the first year the 400s came out) and its still being used day in day out, great guitar and it costs FOOK all!

 

[16S]

get something other than a schecter or LTD and be individual

 

[xMannequiNx]

Dont know much about the Schecters, but if I were you i would save for a tad longer and get a second hand Ibanez rg 7620, especially for the A# stuff, awesome for their price, Eric Rutan loves his!

unfortunately I can't save anymore, since college is a few weeks away

I have an EC1000 with 81's and I think I'll take it to the grave with me

Your right this is probably my fav guitar just too expensive right now....

I'd buy marcus's EC400 if I were you.

Joe

It looks tempting, but I'm really not looking for a project right now. Plus with having to buy another pickup it would put me out of my price range.

So I really wouldn't recommend any Les Paul- or SG-esque guitar, unless it's a baritone or seven string.

any recommendations?

Get the viper, great guitar and its a total workhorse, ive had mine for YEARS(since the first year the 400s came out) and its still being used day in day out, great guitar and it costs FOOK all!

Is the diff between the viper 400 and 50 just the pickups?

get something other than a schecter or LTD and be individual

lol right onnnnn! again any recommendations?



Thanks for all the help guys

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Is the diff between the viper 400 and 50 just the pickups?

Definitely not. Different woods (the 400 is mahogany), the 50 has a bolt-on neck etc.

 

[xMannequiNx]

hmmm I think im gonna be pulling the plug on the viper 400. Found someone selling at $300 locally.

any complaints? Anything I should look out for? After all this is the first guitar I'm actually gonna own myself...

 

[jrt12]

i'd recommend schecter... you can get great prices on used S1's and Omen6's like you said, i've seen some for $200 and less. replace the pups and a setup, you'd be golden with a solid workhouse guitar.

das my 2 cents

 

[Metaltastic]

It looks tempting, but I'm really not looking for a project right now. Plus with having to buy another pickup it would put me out of my price range.

If by "project" you mean buying a used 81 and plugging it in to the present quick-connect cable, then, well, man up I guess it all depends how much you intend to use the neck pickup though, but if you wanna work out a deal PM me!

And thanks for the mention Joe!

 

[xMannequiNx]

Im considering the schecter S1 as well. If this deal falls through with the viper-400 im gonna go for that

If by "project" you mean buying a used 81 and plugging it in to the present quick-connect cable, then, well, man up I guess it all depends how much you intend to use the neck pickup though, but if you wanna work out a deal PM me!

And thanks for the mention Joe!

haha I looked at the pics when I first saw joes post and just saw the dismembered guitar with a missing pickup, no strings, no bridge and everything and I was like oh shit

I didn't know it just needed a pickup, after reading your whole post I feel pretty retarded lol

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, yup, reading is key, but no worries!

 

[beyond dead]

neck pick ups arent really to important to me, I would buy marcus`s axe and say fuck the neck pickup!

 

[Norsk Metall]

LTD MHB 400 or 401 with EMG 81's. I am very satisfied !

 

[xMannequiNx]

ok so what would be the best guitar for upgrading? Like something with rly good wood, tuners, etc but not so great pickups that I can change out later?

 

[slayercannibalsuffohead]

OK, if ya want a good guitar minus good pick ups, then I would look at any of the Yamaha Pacificas, second hand, dirt cheap with great playability, just lacking that "metal" tag, very underated guitars.

 

[Line666]

You could always get something like this:

http://www.rondomusic.com/ab3000.html

Definately be good for the tunings your in, if you can push the budget a bit, its made with good materials and quite a lot of the folk on sevenstring.org swear by Agile and Rondo's customer service.