Need help pickin a metal guitar

[Tennyson]

Been playin guitar for 8 years now,when I graduated high school 5 years ago I was gifted a fender highway 1 strat so I could blues it up etc. Love the guitar, but now that I am graduating college I'm looking for a good metal guitar. I really like the tone of Chuck Schuldiner's guitar from Death, but I've always had a negative stigma associated with BC richs. Dunno why. I really liked how the schecter hellraiser felt and played at guitar center but I couldnt judge its tone very well.

Anyway, any input is appreciated, price range $600-$1000. thanks

 

[nosferatuzodd]

I recommend an Ibanez or a jackson. I personally play a decent amount of death covers and I own the Ibanez XPT700 (Xiphos) which is a very great guitar that cost me about $700. I did however replace the bridge pickup with the X2n pickup that chuck schuldiner used in death. Regarding the hellraiser, if you like how it plays but you don't like the tone you can always replace the pickups to change it up a bit. I used to own a schector with passive emg's and when I bought my Ibanez I realized that the ibanez had a much better tone and I eventually sold my schector. Although I will admit the schector's floating bridge was better than the edge 3 trem of the xiphos. I plan on replacing my bridge with an original floyd rose eventually.

 

[Tennyson]

thanks a lot, very informative!

 

[ConnorFromHell]

The BC Rich Stealth that Chuck played was a bit different to the other BC Riches, but I can see why you don't like them. The Mockingbird is the only nice shape BC Rich make IMO.

You could try some Deans too, some of the MLs might work out well for you. Schecter... not really had any experience with them apart from a quick blast on a 7 string.

If you were getting an Ibanez I'd go for one without a locking trem so it makes it easy to down-tune as so many death metal guitarists do (lots, including Chuck, tuned a full step down to D). So something like an Iceman or RGA might be good. Ibanez generally have really thin necks, so if you're doing a bit of the ol' shred you should consider them.

But really, just play loads of guitars and get what feels the best to you. Also look secondhand, you could get an even nicer guitar for your money.

 

[Viktorb]

The BC Rich Stealth that Chuck played was a bit different to the other BC Riches, but I can see why you don't like them. The Mockingbird is the only nice shape BC Rich make IMO.

You could try some Deans too, some of the MLs might work out well for you. Schecter... not really had any experience with them apart from a quick blast on a 7 string.

If you were getting an Ibanez I'd go for one without a locking trem so it makes it easy to down-tune as so many death metal guitarists do (lots, including Chuck, tuned a full step down to D). So something like an Iceman or RGA might be good. Ibanez generally have really thin necks, so if you're doing a bit of the ol' shred you should consider them.

But really, just play loads of guitars and get what feels the best to you. Also look secondhand, you could get an even nicer guitar for your money.

Agreed on the Deans. Just bought myself a V79 and got new mics, it rocks! (I play death/black metal) And it looks great aswell

 

[waif]

Avoid the fuck out of BCR unless you're looking to drop $1500+, and even then it's not really worth it.

 

[Tennyson]

Thanks guys. Been playing around and really really like the feel of some LTDs I have played. I also like the feel of the Jackson DKMG.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Thanks guys. Been playing around and really really like the feel of some LTDs I have played. I also like the feel of the Jackson DKMG.

LTD's are great. The best guitars you can get for under $1000. I'm not sure how the new ones are, but if you get an LTD 400 series or nicer, I'm pretty sure it's made in the higher quality factories in Korea. The cheaper LTD's are made in Indonesia and aren't nearly as good as they used to be. However, they're still better than most other brands.

There are a couple of nice BC Rich's and the Chuck Shuldiner signature is one of them. If you like that shape, don't let the fact that it's a BC Rich stop you from getting it. It's always best to not hold grudge's against companies without much reason because you could be missing out on something good. A good example would be my recently acquired love for the SG. I always hated how it looked and never bothered playing one. I finally ended up doing it and it's my new favorite guitar for sitting down and playing.

 

[HurtFingers]

Not that I give a fuck.
But I pissed away money on a jackson and hated that guitar.
My Dad bought me a Epiphone lespaul standard for $400 and that guitar saved my playing, everything I played before the lespaul was sucko retardo. Now I suck much less.

 

[waif]

There are a couple of nice BC Rich's and the Chuck Shuldiner signature is one of them. If you like that shape, don't let the fact that it's a BC Rich stop you from getting it. It's always best to not hold grudge's against companies without much reason because you could be missing out on something good. A good example would be my recently acquired love for the SG. I always hated how it looked and never bothered playing one. I finally ended up doing it and it's my new favorite guitar for sitting down and playing.

Really? Every time I've played an SG I've felt like throwing it across the room after a minute. Maybe I'm playing shitty ones, though.

 

[Tennyson]

So I've narrowed down my choices to some mid-range ibanezs and LTDs. I recently had the pleasure of playin the xiphos as the first poster recommended, it played great but tbh i played a couple cheaper ibanezs and they were a bit faster - however I attribute this to the xiphos' strings being so old the G B and E were black and crusty.

I have been reading some negative reviews on the edge 3 tremelo system the ibanezs use, I'd really like then floyd rose which is in the LTDs im lookin at - in particular the LTD deluxe mh-1000. NOw that guitar uses active emg 81/85. I have read so many reviews and its all love/hate. Some people swear by em and their low range output, others claim them to be lifeless and generic. Been watching some youtube vids in comparison with emg actives vs. seymour duncan passives and tbh a lot of the times i like the sound of the SDs better.

I really would like to customize whatever I get with at least a dimarzio X2n bridge pickup, I don't know if I should keep the dimarzio pickup in the ibanez/emg 81 in the ltd for the neck pickup, i heard some people recommend tone zone for this.

The research is rackin my brain as people seem to praise one setup and others trash it immediately after, I have been doing my best playing comparable models of the same makers at local guitar shops, but have had tourble getting my hands on the exact models I am leaning towards through research, so any sort of input and advice from you guys would be appreciated. thanks.

 

[mot666]

The research is rackin my brain as people seem to praise one setup and others trash it immediately after, I have been doing my best playing comparable models of the same makers at local guitar shops, but have had tourble getting my hands on the exact models I am leaning towards through research, so any sort of input and advice from you guys would be appreciated. thanks.

Frustrating isnt it?

 

[ConnorFromHell]

Really? Every time I've played an SG I've felt like throwing it across the room after a minute. Maybe I'm playing shitty ones, though.

I get that, it's because I'm a normal size human being. The body is pathetically small and the balance is all wrong. They look great but I can't play the feckers. That's why I want a Flying V, the sound is in the same ballpark but they look cooler and play a lot better.

 

[Robert W]

Guitars I've played,

SGs and LPs, I've played about as many as 20 different SGs and LPs over the years, and have found them to have been the most "user friendly" guitars out there. The quality on the ones I played was always very good too, as were their tones.

Ibanez, Played a few Icemans, Roadstars, and Vs. Loved them all. Just as "user friendly " as the Gibsons, IMO. Good guitars for the money, if money is a concern.

Schecter, Played a Hellraiser and an Omen. The Hellraiser seemed a good guitar for the money. A little uncomfortable to play though, as the sides of the body are kind of "sharp". The Omen, on the other hand, was an over-priced piece of junk. Avoid.

Kramer, Played one of the "Eddie Van Halen" type models a long time ago. Seemed like a good guitar. Remember them being reliable and affordable

ESP, Played a few, but never owned one myself. Consensus seems to be that the Indonesian ones are to be avoided like the plaque. Also,knew someone who had a 7 string ESP SG. Thing wouldn't stay in tune for longer than a minute. EMGs in it sounded pretty crappy too.

BC Rich, Believe the same holds true for the Riches as it does for the ESPs, avoid any of them made in Indonesia. I bought one of the neck thru Warlocks a little over a year ago, and couldn't get the thing to stay in tune no matter what I did. Plus it buzzed like crazy.

I might mention to the OP that if he liked the way the Schecter Hellraiser played, but didn't like the tone so much, that he might want to try a similar model w/ passives in it.

 

[Tennyson]

Thanks everyone for the input, I decided to go with an LTD mh-1000FR deluxe. It is luckily, if the above poster is correct,not made in Indonesia. However - it is made in Korea, so I better get my hands on one before its an ashpile!