What guitar should I buy?

T

tmitchell33

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Feb 26, 2013
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What are everyone's recommendations?

I play 'The gift of Ghosts', WIM, TDWP genre music with Dream on Dreamer style lead . I have been extremely unsatisfied with my Ibanez RG with 81 / 85's and it's time for an upgrade.

I am looking at the ESP Horizon HRF with either active (Blackouts) or passive (59 + Jazz) pickups. The passives are really clean but the actives have a very 'Safe' tone (ie tried and tested). I would also consider the Schecter Blackjack C1 with blackouts - but there are no dealers in my area so I can't try one out!

The schecter looks the part and has similar specs, what are people's opinions on these guitars? Are there any other models I should be considering?
 
http://jacksonguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=2914222521

Or maybe an Agile, I've heard good things about them and they have my favorite headstock of any guitar in its price range. I'm ready to order a custom for July but i'm not 100% sure.

ESP's are good guitars but have the most uncomfortable neck shape of any production guitar I've felt, especially the "extra thin U". On ESP necks my hand always cramps up.

Other than that I'm not really sure what would be into, Jackson and ESP/Schecter make the best superstrat style guitars by far. DO NOT buy a Bc Rich guitar, they are quite terrible.
 
Looks good, but I want to avoid a FR at all cost. I'm with you on the BC rich gear - awful. Tuning is my main issue at the moment, the RG won't stay in tune and the bottom end response is very flabby. I have owned an ESP before and although I outgrew the styling of the guitar it was exceptionally reliable and very well built for the price. The schecter has locking tuners that appeal to me!

I can sacrifice on feel and playability if the guitar sounds and performs really well
 
tmitchell33 said:
Looks good, but I want to avoid a FR at all cost. I'm with you on the BC rich gear - awful. Tuning is my main issue at the moment, the RG won't stay in tune and the bottom end response is very flabby. I have owned an ESP before and although I outgrew the styling of the guitar it was exceptionally reliable and very well built for the price. The schecter has locking tuners that appeal to me!

I can sacrifice on feel and playability if the guitar sounds and performs really well
Click to expand...

If your having problems with low end tightness with a basswood 81 equipped I banez then I don't know what to tell you. There is no tighter pickup then the 81, what amp are you playing through? Do you run a Boost/OD/Noise Gate?
 
POD farm and / or 6505. The EMG has much tighter bottom end and overall much cleaner tone - but it is straight through neck and 4 times the price
 
EMGs are good pickups but certainly not the best, and certainly not the most versatile. I've found that most EMGs never give me a particularly 'clean' tone, they are typically very bright and high-gained which can produce lots of unwanted fizz. ESP guitars are pretty great, the EC-1000 is a good studio guitar and won't steer you wrong. Schecter also makes some really good products but I would avoid locking tuners/a locking or floating bridge at all costs unless you really want whammy bar capability, otherwise you'll just make everything (changing strings, tuning, etc) unnecessarily harder on yourself. A lot of people get good results from Ibanez guitars, myself included, though their build quality can be a little hit and miss. I can personally vouch for Agile, I bought a 7-string multiscale from them about a year ago with a case and I won't have to buy another guitar for quite some time. For outsourced factory-build guitars, they really make some fine products for their price points. Most guitars & builders these days are all keeping in high build and sound quality, and your choice mostly comes down to what kind of job this guitar is going to be doing.
 
What exactly has you dissatisfied with the RG? Might help better guide you.

EDIT: Have you tried different string gauges? Also, perhaps you should try a slightly lower output passive pickup. You might find it to be a bit tighter.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Yes, I use very thick strings and have tried active and passive pickups in the RG. The main issue is the guitar not holding tune and as orionvictus said the build quality can be hit and miss (in this particular case it's a miss) - also I will agree with the 81/85 they are ok - defenately not as good as the blackouts but in all fairness they are a lot cheaper than the blackouts. I am after a studio guitar. I had a look at the EC1000 - the specs are all there, do you know if. They make it in a strat shape? I'll have to try one out
 
As I said in our message earlier, guitars are really subjective. You can only get SO much tone differences just based on guitar bodies/necks. Although, I've never really had good luck with basswood that most RG's come in. You should really focus on having a guitar with decent tuners, pickups and wiring. Also, intonation causes a HUGE effect. If you're not very technical with guitars, then I would suggest taking it to a shop and getting someone to set it up for you!
 
^^ I do agree, I have tried lots of guitars and the horizon sounds really good I just can't try the Schecter as it's not a product any local distributors sell. The issue is the price of the Horizon HRF in Australia - it's around $1450 to buy one in America and around $3000 to buy the exact same guitar in Australia. I am looking at international shipping online but only some stores will ship guitars internationally and it seems a little shaky . Thanks again for all the advice
 
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