Want a decent backup guitar - PRS SE?

[Metaltastic]

So I've decided I really can't take the single-cutaway design of my ESP LTD EC-400 anymore - I'm too much of soloist to deal with cramming my pretty massive hands in there, so stay tuned for a "For Sale" thread soon!

In the meantime, however, I'm not even gonna consider selling it until I have a decent replacement in mind. And the PRS SE Custom is looking like the best option, cuz it's all mahogany, has a fixed bridge, and looks fucking sexy as hell (and naturally EMG 81's are going in it, so the pickups aren't an issue). Anyone have any other recommendations, though? Fixed bridge, double-cutaway, and NOT neck-thru are all necessities. And I HATE Schecter necks, so forget about that one as well

Oh yeah, and I absolutely will not pay more than $700.

 

[Sloan]

epiphone goth sg!!!
i love the satin finish and such.

 

[Metaltastic]

Ehh, never been a fan of the SG look. After some Musician's Fiend perusing, I found these (though I'm certainly open to others)

Dean Hardtail (love that look, but I've never played one...)
ESP LTD H-500 (comes with EMG's, I love ESP necks and build quality, looks gorgeous, but also EXTREMELY generic...)
PRS SE (also gorgeous, but something about the flat top on a PRS just doesn't look right...)

Any thoughts or other suggestions?

 

[RockGuitarX]

http://www.drumcityguitarland.com/d...Z-RRMT-6-String-Electric-Guitar-P1390C20.aspx

This is a descent backup guitar. Good Luck!

 

[Machinated]

I LOVE PRS guitars, never played one of these cheaper models though.

 

[spioraid]

I've played on SE's before and they're different to get used to. I went from playing an Ibanez S320 and borrowed my buddies SE and it took me a bit to get used to the different contours and shapes. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent instrument and played, it just played differently. Had a Schecter before I got my Ibanez and now I'm looking at selling my Schecter I played on the Les Paul copies by ESP and I really disliked the neck, I thought it was too rounded, so you probably won't like that either. Not sure about other model ESPs though.

Don't know how you feel about this companies but these are my own recommendations:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-RGT42FX-Electric-Guitar?sku=512399
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Jackson-DKMGT-Dinky-with-EMG-Pickups?sku=512241 (complete with EMGs)
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P42MGY/

If I was to choose between the Parker and the SE, I'd go for the Parker. But that could be the Adrian Belew in me talking

 

[gorath23]

Played a Santana PRS the other day and I really liked it. The cheaper SE's all have pretty big necks though, don't they? There's a Mikael Akerfeldt sig coming soon, maybe wait for that. Hopefully it will be less flashy than the Allender.....

 

[Zack Uidl]

i messed around on an SE at a local store about a year ago. i did not like it at all

i would get the esp ltd way before a cheaper PRS

 

[Metaltastic]

Rockguitar, thanks dude, but I'm generally not a fan of solid color finishes, they look cheap to me. Spioraid, thanks as well, but I can't stand the type of hardtail bridge on the RG, I don't like the reverse headstock on the Jackson (and anyway, it's Alder) and I HAET PARKERS Gorath and Zack, thanks for the heads-up, I definitely make sure to try one before I even consider going for it - I won't deny, if it were a question of looks alone, the PRS would win over the LTD in a second...

 

[greyskull]

the se's are really wooly/muddy sounding, no thanks.... get the ltd or the dean,

 

[t-rave]

what about a schecter hellraiser? You get a great playing axe with excellent pickups and hardware..tappable emg's already installed!

 

[Toni S.]

There's a Mikael Akerfeldt sig coming soon, maybe wait for that. Hopefully it will be less flashy than the Allender.....

Where did you hear this from?

 

[Metaltastic]

what about a schecter hellraiser? You get a great playing axe with excellent pickups and hardware..tappable emg's already installed!

Nah, I've never liked Schecters, and the Hellraisers are my least favorite, I feel they look SOOO generic (and the necks are too thick for my taste). The only Schecter I like is the 006, especially the Blackjack, and I actually love that body style, though the neck is a worry once again.

Where did you hear this from?

+1!

 

[-J-]

it's got a couple of goofy things on it (headstock), but I liked how it played, and it's reasonably priced....oh, and the back of the neck is satin-finished and very fast/comfortable.

http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/vex_verdict.html

for 7 bones, I'd personally pick up another pre-finished body (like stew mac sells), a discounted warmoth neck, roller nut, locking tuners, the pickups you mentioned, and a hipshot trem. might be a tad over 7, but fender sells the same thing as a superduperstrat or something and charges $1,200.

 

[006]

Marcus, the SE Customs are actually great guitars for the money. The general consensus, though, is that they require at the very least a tuner swap to something that will hold tuning for more than 10 minutes. I've thought about getting one, or two, and they are still on the list, the tobacco burst and matteo blue. I'm saving up for a Standard 24 satin black though:

Replace 5-way rotary with 3-way toggle selector and thats it

~006

 

[gorath23]

Where did you hear this from?

Straight from Mikael himself, post #11:

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/opeth/394481-prs-mikael-akerfeldt-model.html

PRS are almost exclusively advertising with Mikael and Fredrik now as well, they are pinning a lot on Opeth, it seems really likely.

I have a Hellraiser Avenger, and it is anything but generic looking! Very good guitar in all respects, the neck is pretty thin too. Not quite as thin as a Wizard (lol) but still wayy thinner than my Greco.

 

[Metaltastic]

Mike, that's a beauty, though I'm not feelin' the trem (I'll take a Floyd or a hardtail, nothing in between) - how much will that run do you think?

James, thanks for the link man, even if it is mostly speculation! Maybe there will be a Winter NAMM unveiling...

 

[006]

The Standard 24 satins go for about $2k most anywhere. Depending on options, etc, of course. The 24 fret only comes with trem I believe, the 22 fret has the option of hard or trem...however, the hardtail bridge is basically useless unless you want to play with 9s and never tune to anything but E Standard. If you want to use other tunings or heavier strings, you will have to get the PRS Adjustable Tail Piece which has adjustable saddles, pretty much like a Tune-O-Matic bridge, but wraparound.....otherwise, you will never get your guitar intonated. The trem I plan on tightening down to where it essentially IS a hardtail, but I get the benefits of individual saddles and I have a trem in case I ever need one, also I don't have to order another bridge just so I can use the guitar, lol.

http://prsguitars.com/standardsatin/index.html go to that page and then expand the specs thing.

The model I want, the one you see, but with 3-way toggle and push-pull volume retails at $2030. It's going to be a while since I have other things going, like buying Kyle's HellRaiser C7, but I should have the PRS by early next year if all goes to plan.

And +1 to an Akerfedlt signature. If they make an SE version of his with the piezos in the bridge I'd snag one so quick...

It's kinda weird lately, I've just stopped caring about upgrading or adding to my recording rig, but rather focusing my attention to my gear list for guitar stuff, with a fury I might add, haha.

~006

 

[spioraid]

006, whole heartedly agree. If there's an SE version of the MÅ sig I'd sell both my schecter and ibanez like that.

Marcus, the SE Custom is probably the best bet from what you've said. Let us know when you decide!

 

[6in6flames6]

Metaltastic, have you played a schecter recently? As in the '08 models? I'm under the impression that schecter necks, specifically the hellraisers have been reprofiled. Over on the sevenstring forum, a lot of people have said they're not as big or uncomfortable (to some) as they used to be. And I know that I liked the hellraiser my other guitarist got last week a lot more than the one a played a couple of years ago.

I can see your point with the generic image, I personally love it but I think they'd be great for refinishing. One day i'd love to get a C7 ATX and paint it matte red with black binding, and possibly stain a loomis black.